Release Blitz: Totally Folked by Penny Reid

One unforgettable night leads to an unlikely shared connection, and unlikely connections never go unnoticed by the good folks in Green Valley, Tennessee. . .

Totally Folked an all-new small town romantic comedy filled with humor and heart from New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid is available now!

Jackson James follows the rules. He has to. He’s a sheriff’s deputy in a super small town with a super big personality. However, strict adherence to the law during the day has been enjoyably balanced by rakish rules at night. Jackson, typically happy to protect and serve (and serve, and serve), starts questioning the value of wayward evenings when they begin to feel more like being waylaid rather than getting laid. Could it be that Green Valley's most eligible—and notorious—bachelor longs for something (and someone) real?

Mega movie star Raquel Ezra follows only one rule: always leave them wanting more. Strict adherence to this single rule has served her well. Studio execs, reporters, audiences, fans, lovers—no one can get enough of the smart, savvy, and sexy bombshell. But when “generous offers” begin to feel more like excessive demands, years of always leaving has the elusive starlet longing for something (and perhaps someone) lasting.

When Raquel abruptly returns to the quirky Tennessee hamlet, her path crosses with the delectable deputy with whom she spent one unforgettable night. Unfortunately, scandal and intrigue soon follow. Raquel and Jackson must decide which is more important: following their rules? Or, at long last, finding something real.

TOTALLY FOLKED is a standalone, contemporary romantic comedy novel and book #1 in the Good Folk: Modern Folktales series.

Fall in love today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3mlffDE
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TotallyFolked
Nook: https://bit.ly/3sOrkTX
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3sShLDy
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2OkmO0L
Google Play: https://bit.ly/39G9JpY
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/36KBgo6
Barnes and Noble Paperback: Coming Soon

Add Totally Folked to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3tFSo8w

Meet Penny Reid
Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

Connect with Penny
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PennyReidWriter/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lakzsD
Twitter: @ReidRomance
Mailing List: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/
Website: www.pennyreid.ninja

Review: Treoir Dragon Chronicles of the Belador World: Book 9 by Dianna Love

Treoir Dragon Chronicles of the Belador World: Book 9 by Dianna Love
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the final installment of a 9 book novella series. This was a stunning conclusion to the series and I couldn't have asked for a better ending. Dianna did leave some things open ended which makes me believe we may see more from this world and that does not upset me one bit. Based on the ending I suspect we'll see these beloved characters again in the future, but if we don't I feel this was the perfect ending to the 9 books. This series has been terribly hard to review without spoiling anything.

This book is set to release on July 20, 2021.  I was provided an ARC via the author.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I have loved the Belador world since Alterant, and have loved going on this journey with this wonderful group of characters. Many of the questions that have been plaguing the reader since book 1 are finally answered in this installment. We find out where Casidhe's origins and her connection to the dragons. We see see several new alliances formed and enemies are finally defeated. I will tell you that I did not see it coming when we finally find out who is behind the Imortik invasion, but when you read who it is, you won't be surprised at all.

This book certainly kept me on my toes. Every time you think "all is lost" or "how are they going to get out of this situation", Dianna comes up with the perfect solution to their predicament. There is a ton of action to keep you guessing and turning the pages as the clock ticks down to the Imortik master opening the death wall and their friends turning into mindless supernatural pawns. I wasn't quite sure they were going to be able to save those possessed by Imortiks and if everyone was going to survive before it was all over.

Since this is a series of novellas, you have to start at the beginning and read them in order or it won't make sense. I do think you could pick this up without having read the Belador series. I've only read through book 6 of 10 of that series, and while I know I missed some stuff I was able to follow along easily. It has only made me want to get back to those books and pick up where I left off. Reading that series might help you understand the magic system a bit better and some of the other characters and their backstories, but I don't feel it is 100% required reading for this series.

Overall I loved this book and the series as a whole. We got great world building and character development. The characters had to learn from their mistakes and deal with the consequences of their actions. They were all faced with difficult decisions and put in terrible situations where people they cared about where in danger. I love this world, the magic, the varied types of characters, and I'm invested in what happens to the characters. I'm hoping there is more in store for them and we'll see them in the future!

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Review: Kiss To Defy by Anna B Doe

Kiss To Defy by Anna B. Doe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via the author, all opinions are my own.

Figure staking and women's gymnastics were my favorite sports to watch during the Olympics.  I also love hockey!  I can barely skate forward myself, but I always appreciated those who could make it look so effortless on the ice.  This book combined two unlikely characters from two very different worlds and brought them together.

Rei has decided to attend Blairwood as she trains for the Winter Games in an attempt to shake things up and find some normalcy in her life that is anything but normal.  She has been skating since before she could walk and has won every figure skating title there is except at the Winter Games.  Her dad and coach think college is a bad idea and will distract her from her training.  Zane come crashing into her life, and because he is a hockey player their paths cross pretty regularly at the ice rink.  They also have mutual friends as her roommate is his roommate's sister.  After a rocker start to their friendship, Rei and Zane realize that they have chemistry between them.  It starts out slow but builds into something so much more.

This will get your emotions going for sure.  You want to shake Rei when she's being unreasonable and stubborn.  You want to punch Zane in the arm then give him a hug and tell him "it's not your fault" & " it will be OK".  You just want to punch Alex.  Jade and Grace are great friends that keep Rei grounded and help her have the college experience she was longing for.  The banter between all of the friends in this is great!  I love good banter.  This tackles some heavy issues such as poverty, substance abuse, physical abuse, and racism.  It gets pretty angsty.  To balance out the seriousness of the heavy topics, it also has some pretty steamy parts.    Anna really puts Rei and Zane through their paces in this one.  

You can tell that Anna did a ton of research to write this book.  I loved the combination of a hockey player and an ice skater.  Have you seen The Cutting Edge?  I love that movie.  Every time I read toe pick when Rei was going up for a jump in this I heard Moira Kelly's character saying "Toe pick" to DB Sweeney's character when he falls down.  

I really enjoyed this sports romance.  It has all of the things I want in a romance book: good banter, chemistry between the characters, angst and conflict resolution, great side characters for support, and a happy ending.  I also recommend you check out the bonus epilogue.  The book didn't feel 100% complete until I read it.  Don't miss out on that!

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Review: The Introvert's Guide to Speed Dating by Emma Hart

The Introvert's Guide to Speed Dating by Emma Hart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you've been keeping up with the happenings in White Peak, you will recognize the cast of characters.  If you haven't, don't worry all of the books are standalones.  I would describe them as companion novels set in the same town following the same friend group.  Each book centers around a different couple, but there are references to the same people and places throughout.  This particular installment features London, who has moved back to White Peak after a broken engagement has left her a single mom.  Her family and friends decide that she needs to get back in the dating game and participate in their speed dating events.  No one clicks until one of her dates is her son's soccer coach Oliver.  Oliver has moved to White Peak to help out with the new state of the art sports facility as a soccer pro.  He isn't entirely sold on staying stateside, but he loves coaching the kids and London might just be reason enough for him to stay.  When the two of them find themselves spending more time together as Oliver, Leo (London's son) lessons for the upcoming soccer tournament and London interviews the trainers and coaches at the sports center for an article she is writing for the local paper, they can't deny that there is something there.

I really loved Oliver and London together.  This isn't super angsty, so if you are looking for something that is going to rip your heart out and make you ugly cry, this really isn't the book for you.  This is sweet and slow, with moments of humor and heat.  This also is fairly tame in the sexy department, they take it pretty slow and don't every actually make it to the bedroom.  If you are looking for a more spicy or smutty book, this also isn't it.  That may come as a surprise to many readers.  This has alot of sweet and tender moments between the London, Leo, and Oliver as they try to figure out their relationship.  I also really enjoyed how the relationship between London and Christopher (her ex & Leo's dad) was portrayed.  She didn't like him all the time or how things ended between them, but for Leo's sake she was always cordial and even polite to him.  As usual there was a ton of great banter between all of the characters, not just the MCs.  

This particular book was missing the dose of retirement home antics from the grandparents that I've come to expect from these books and Emma's books in general.  She always seems to have an awesome grandparent character that makes you laugh.  This group of friends has some zany grandparents that all live together and they are hilarious.  We did get a little bit of Grandma Rose, but the elders of White Peak usually get a bit more page time.  I'm not sure what they would have added to the story, but they always add comic relief.  I'm sure they'll be back in the next one.

This is the perfect book for summer.  Its a quick, light read, with fun characters and a happy ending.  

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Review: A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark

A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was fantastic! I was provided an ARC via Netgalley but did end up listening to the final production edition of the audiobook. I'm so glad that I listened to the audiobook, the narrator was wonderful! She did a fantastic job distinguishing between all of the characters!

Clark has quickly become a must buy author for me! I also highly recommend reading A Dead Djinn in Cairo and The Haunting of Tram Car 015, but they are standalones set in the same world as this book and just add to it, but aren't required reading. I hope we get more books in this series or universe as it is so interesting and I love Fatma's character. Clark leaves the end open for more especially with that note from Ahmad, so I hope there are more books to home or atleast more novellas/short stories. If not I thought this ended with a great conclusion and stood on it's own really well.

I absolutely love this steampunk, fantasy world set in an alternate 1912 Egypt. The author does a wonderful job combining history, fantasy, myth, social commentary, and magic into this world. He also writes wonderful characters. Our main character, Fatma is employed as a special agent for the Ministry of Alchemy, Enhancements, and Supernatural Entities. She is one of the best at what she does, but she stands out as not only one of the only women in her profession but by the sharp English suits she wears. When she is called into investigate a mysterious murder alongside the police, she is pulled into a dangerous case with an unpredictable culprit. Fatma also has to deal with the addition of a partner to her investigation. Hadia was a great addition, and while she was a rookie investigator, she brought alot to the team and wasn't afraid to call out Fatma when needed. The characters in the book are flawed but they each show grow.

This mystery is full of adventure and actions. It will keep you on your toes and guessing what is going to happen until the very last minute. If you are looking for something a little different in the mystery genre but you are fan of fantasy I highly recommend picking this up!

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Review: What We Devour by Linsey Miller

What We Devour by Linsey Miller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC via Netgalley and Sourcebooks. All opinions are my own.  This book will be published on July 6, 2021.  

I really enjoyed this dark fantasy! It features morally gray characters, and I would say our main character Lorena is almost an anti-hero. She has to make questionable sacrifices for the greater good, often portraying herself as a monster and questioning if she made the right choice. I really enjoyed the magic system and plot. The magic system is bit complicated and detailed, but I didn't find it too confusing once it was explained. It also has a unique and diverse cast of characters.

Be forewarned that this book is fairly violent, but while there is mentions of cutting, murder, death, sacrifice, etc. it isn't overly gory in my opinion. It is dark, but the descriptions of violence aren't over top or detailed. I would say if you were a fan of Wicked Saints, this is not quite as brutal or descriptive as that but it is close, but the violence is in the same realm and it has the same feel of that type of dark fantasy. If you didn't like Wicked Saints or the other books in that trilogy, this may not be your cup of tea, but it might be worth a try if you are into that type of dark fantasy that isn't quite as grim.

The magic system in this is based on banished gods, the Noble and the Vile, whose power inhabits some of the folk of this fantasy world. Through sacrifice those with the power of the noble can create and those with that of the vile can destroy. Lorena is unique and has both noble and vile power. The magic system is unique as it takes the form of an entity that is attached to the person, who then makes a sacrifice, almost always violent and bloody to perform the act. Lorena has been hiding her abilities since she was a child to stay under the radar of the crown, but when her fiancé's father is to be arrested for treason she makes a deal with the crown prince to save him. The prince is trying to save the world and needs her help, but she learns that shutting the door that holds back the banished Vile won't be enough to save the people.

I believe this is a standalone, but the ending is such that there is room for another book. I feel this closed nicely leaving the reader to ponder what comes next for Lorena and the world she saved. I also wouldn't be surprised if we get another book about the aftermath that is sure to ensue as Lorena has to deal with the consequences of her actions and as those she save have to rebuild in the afterwards.

I thought the world building and character development were done very well in this book. They were both complex but didn't mind waiting for it to unfold as it continues to progress throughout the book. This book is going to take a bit of work to get through, and the complexity of the world is confusing at first but it is worth it. I enjoyed the unique take on magic and loved the cast of characters despite them all trying to be highly unlikeable. This is not going to be a book for every reader, but I sure enjoyed it!

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