Book Review: Wild Irish Heart by Tricia O'Malley

Author: Tricia O'Malley
Titles: Wild Irish Heart (Mystic Cove #1)
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, & Chick Lit
Pages: ebook
First Published: September 2014
Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon freebie)

It is time… 

An ancient book, a power untouched, and a heart unloved lead Keelin O'Brien from her graduate studies in Boston to a small village on the coast of Southern Ireland. Determined to unearth the secrets lying hidden in the enchanted waters of the cove, Keelin has little time for a surly Irishman who infuriates her during the day and haunts her fantasies at night. 

Inexplicably drawn to the woman who has stepped from his dreams and into his world, Flynn fights a stubborn battle against his increasing attraction for Keelin. Forces unknown have better plans for the two. 

Only the secrets of the cove can show Keelin who she really is, the beauty of her mysterious power, and a love that will break the bounds of what she knows. 

Been a while since I was so invested in a book. It feels really good. I could hardly put this book down. It caused a lot of emotion and I am dying to continue on with the series. Such an odd feeling….I’ve missed it.

Well, Miss Keelin has some unexplained powers and she has felt like a freak her whole life. One day, she receives a strange book and a letter from her grandmother she never knew. Dear old Mom has been keeping many secrets from Keelin. Yes, she had reason. Was it right to keep all these secrets and make your daughter feel like a freak, not have any contact with her dad or grandma? NO. GAH. I wanted to kick dear old Mom. 

Anyways….dear old Mom tells her the truth about and begs her not to go back to Ireland, but she understands if she has to. So Keelin does go back to Ireland to meet Grandma and learn about her powers. Along the way she meets a hottie, who is kind of a jerk, but she can’t stop thinking about.

I’m so glad that the romance aspect of the story didn’t completely take over the story like it does in many other books. The romance was nice, but I’m glad this was also a story about Keelin learning about herself, her family, and her powers. It was nice and it made me happy. However…I wish that the book played a bigger part in her training and the story. The book sent to her was mentioned a couple of times and then forgotten. I wanted to know more of what was in that book!!!!!

SO many secrets her mom kept from her. I can’t disclose ALL the secrets, but there were so many. And Keelin was angry, yes, but did she confront her mom? NO. WHAT? WHY? GAH. I would be POed! I can see her mom wanting to protect her and whatnot, but seriously? So dumb. 

I loved the whole backstory of the cove and the reasons why Keelin and others have powers. It was pretty unique and I want to read more. I adored Cait and I can’t wait to read her story. I think it is next. Hmmmm. 


In the end, this book evoked a lot of feelings and I was utterly hooked. There is romance mixed in, but I was happy that it wasn’t insta-love and it take over the story. I highly recommend it if you are looking for something quick and sweet. Now the rating? Ummmmm I shall stamp it with 5. 

B's Monday Review: We Don't Need Another Hero by Sierra Dean

The city of Gold Bay once had a great champion in local superhero Apollo. But after his brutal defeat at the hands of The Scourge, the citizens have been left to the villainous whims of a madman. 

When young reporter Rebecca “Bex” Beckett returns home to care for her sick father, the last thing she expects is his request that she play caretaker to his shut-in employer, Camden Nash. Cam is not the same man Bex remembers from ten years earlier. Once a pinnacle of society, he is now a broken shell of his former self. Yet something is simmering between them. 

As Bex becomes interested in the elusive mayor of Gold Bay, Simon Nerezza, Cam must rally to become the hero he once was in order to protect Bex from Nerezza’s dark past. But Bex is no damsel in distress. She has a trick or two up her own sleeve, and things in the city on the bay around about to get super hot. 

Contains a grumpy has-been hero, a fiery heroine who is too hot to handle, and a villain who’d love nothing more than to have them both in the palm of his hand. 

My thoughts:

This is a novella, it does have a solid ending. It never felt too short, but still, I do hope there will be more books in this world. It's interesting. 

This is a world with superheroes, and villains. Some have taken over cities. Some protect cities. And in one The Scorch rule.

Bex was pretty cool, and since this is the 50s (aye set in those olden days), she has it tough making it as a journalist. Men are so stupid!

Cam, oh he was grumpy!...and I fell for him cos he was so grumpy! He was also very obvious *lallalala*

They dance around each other, but that is not really what the story is about. No, Bex wants to tell the world that this city is rotten. Cam needs to face his demon. And I enjoyed the ride. 

Conclusion:

Short, but nice.

Kindle Edition, 140 pages
Expected publication: April 5th 2016 by Sierra Dean
Urban fantasy
For review

Book Review: Demon Within by Julie Nicholls

Author: Julie Nicholls
Titles: Demon Within (Fallen Angels #1)
Genre: Paranormal Romance & Fantasy
Pages: ebook
First Published: November 2014
Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon freebie)

When Angels ruled the heavens and mortals...one dared to risk everything for the love of a human and paid the price of eternal damnation.

Kai, sold into slavery at a young age, fought in the fighting pits of Darkmide, struggles with a violent, uncontrollable force that feeds on his anger. Coerced into an alliance with a King, Kai is offered his daughter Eloise, as a wife. In a twist of fate, she’s the only person able to bring Kai back from the edge when the demon within takes control.

When an act of betrayal causes the alliance to break, he rejects Eloise, bringing forth all his fears of being alone. Stubborn and running away from confrontation, Kai is about to lose the only person who isn't afraid of him.

A connection between Kai and a fallen angel is discovered, as the angel systematically destroys all towns he’s connected with, bringing the two together in a fight for dominance. Only time would tell who would prevail.

When I seen it was a freebie I snatched it up and couldn't wait to read it, since there were SO many good reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. I was super giddy. :D  Which turned into a slight panic....would I like this as much as anyone else? So I put this on hold for a hair. 

I am filled with mixed emotions. 

I liked it, but then I didn't like it. Gah. The book, at least for me, had three different sections. 

Section 1 (aka the beginning): Interesting. The world-building was decent, even though I wanted more, and the characters being introduced intrigued me. There are SO many characters and SO many POVs. It was overwhelming at times, but I was interested to see how all these characters were related and connected.

Section 2 (aka the middle): There was some major drama. Old secrets coming to life, magic, Kai's backstory, and so forth. However, all of this was a total meh. I rolled my eyes SO much that I thought my eyes would would roll away (sorry - I am super tired). I wanted to care, but I simply didn't. The old secrets seemed stretched and just meh. I wanted more angels and demons!!

Section 3 (aka the end): I was glued. I had to know what was going to happen. Something interesting was actually taking place and everything was connecting together nicely. I'm glad I stuck it through the middle, because I adored the ending.

As you can now see....I am stuck. I liked it, but I also regret it. The middle really sucked away my interest, but I skimmed and the ending had me hooked. Honestly, I felt the romance aspect took away a lot of the story. Yes, yes, have the romance I did like Eloise and Kai together, BUT the world-building needed more depth. Also, I wanted more angels and demons darnit! The fantasy/paranormal aspect felt flat sometimes. Kai's "inner demon" was a bore too. He should have been angrier and less sorry for his "demon" and his outbursts. It was annoying and hard to explain.

Overall.... I just wanted more from this. If the rest of the book was like the ending I would I have been in love. There are other books in the series, maybe I can check out the next one. 

Out of five stars, I stamp this with.......2. Nearly a 3...but yea.

Book Review: Washington's Lady by Nancy Moser

Author: Nancy Moser
Titles: Washington's Lady (Ladies of History #3)
Genre: Historical fiction & Christian Fiction
Pages: 414
First Published: Junes 2008
Where I Got It: Borrowed from Library

When a dapper, young George Washington comes into her life, Martha Custis is a young widow with two young children. Their love and loyalty toward each other—and the new nation they fight for, lasts a lifetime and is an inspiration even now, after 250 years.

I’ve always loved Martha and George, so this was a no-brainer for me to read when I stumbled upon this at the library randomly. Martha, in real life, is so strong and George is so brave. They are one of the cutest couples in History. I always felt bad they never had children together, but it was so sweet that George adopted Martha’s children from her first marriage. Cute.

Now, to this novel….this novel begins with Martha just losing her husband and her baby. Super sad. She experienced a lot of death in her youth. She only has her two kids left, but at least she is nice and wealthy. Things were super slow until George came into her life. 

George was a complete gentleman, like I pictured, and they pretty much had insta-love and I am okay with that. Back then you didn’t have time to mess around. Goodness knows when you would get some disease or get killed in battle. 

In real life, I adore Martha, in this book I wanted to punch her. She was selfish, petty, shallow, and weak. This is NOT the Martha I “know” and love. I get everyone has weaknesses and tries to grow from them. She is only human…totally get it. BUT she never learned from none of her mistakes…ever….ever. She was a little better near the end with the Revolution sparking up, but the first half the book she needed a good bash in the head. Martha…are you for realz? Not punishing your kid when he draws on the wall? And begin the scene: 

George: WE HAVE TO PUNISH HIM!

Martha: Oh George….kids will be kids.

George: That is expensive shit lady! He needs to at least clean off the wall and apologize.

Martha: BUT BUT I CAN’T PUNISH HIM!!!!!! 

George: Why?

Martha: Because he’s my baby boy and I want him to love me as much as he can! If I’m mean to him I’ll regret it FOREVER!

George: No. We are making him clean the walls.

Martha: Fine. *makes the kid apologize, but allows the kid to convince a slave to clean the wall and take the credit for it* Wow…maybe I should of listened to George, because I don’t want my kid to be a punk.

*Two minutes later*

Martha: I CAN NEVER PUNISH MY POOR INNOCENT BABIES!!! *resumes coddling and ignoring George*

GAH! 

Other than Martha, the rest of the book was entertaining. I didn't realize this was a Christian Fiction until I checked on Goodreads after I was done. Which is saying a lot and that makes me happy I didn't notice. I can't stand books that are dripping with an overdose of God-ness. Also, I loved seeing a young and pre-Revolution George. I just wish Martha was the Martha I’ve read about in other books. 

In the end, this was just overall okay. The version of Martha in this one bugged me. She was opposite of every other novel and story I’ve read about her and George. Simply Gah. Out of five stars, I shall unfortunately stamp this with 2 stars.