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Punk Charming by Laura Quinn (Book Review)

Editor – Kim Richards Gilchrist
Cover Artist – Dawné Dominique

 

1986 – Shoulder pads are big, hair is bigger, and American college student Kate Spenser is set to embark on the biggest adventure of her life. Having been accepted to a summer study-abroad program in Oxford, England, Kate travels to Europe for the first time.
 
The eighteen-year-old is psyched about a summer of exploring countries on her own, experiencing new cultures, and perhaps meeting a charming young man along the way. Armed with a French-English dictionary and her Walkman loaded with Duran Duran, Kate is ready to start her adventure in France. Little does she know what awaits her when she arrives, and how she must use her wits to escape peril in Paris. Fortune favors Kate when she meets her Punk Charming, and it’s love at first sight. Now, if she could only find him again!
 
James Barrington meets his soul mate while on the run from Paris. Mis-cues and sabotage prevent him from reuniting with Kate, but he can never forget her. If only he had told her the truth before it was too late. Or is it?
 
Can true love conquer all?

 

 (review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

Let me first start off this review stating that the 80’s totally rocked!! Music, movies, tv shows…..best decade ever!! Well, almost the best. I don’t miss the choking cloud of Aqua Net hairspray. 🙂 
 
In this tale, Laura showed her love of this decade which made the conversations between Kate and James highly entertaining. However, when they parted ways, this is when the story seemed to grow stale. They met in 1986 and reunited in 2004 so most of the story was about their near misses and David’s conniving scheme to keep them apart.
 
For me, the story resembled watching  a car race. You get a burst of adrenaline watching the cars take off, but after a few laps, you grow bored…. same thing over and over. It’s not until the final few laps that the adrenaline and excitement kicks back in. 
 
The “final laps” in Punk Charming were when Claire and Kate took to matchmaking and also turning the tables on the wanker, David. That man needed to be taken down a notch. He was a douche with a capital D. 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤
 
 
 
 
 

Laura Quinn is passionate about writing and traveling, and is happiest when combining the two. She is well-trained, and often outsmarted, by her beloved dog and cats. A former user of pay phones, paper maps and VHS players, she now embraces technology…and is a Pinterest addict with over 26,000 pins. Laura is a forever fan of Duran Duran (30+ years and counting!), from Walkman to iPod. She holds a Master of Liberal Arts degree from the University of Chicago and teaches creative writing at local colleges. Laura welcomes visitors to her website at LauraQuinnBooks.com or email at LauraQuinnBooks@yahoo.com.

 

My websites are: PunkCharming.net and LauraQuinnBooks.com
Twitter https://twitter.com/PunkCharming80s
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/punkcharmingbook
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/80sfun/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-0Y2GU0pMfGvd6et0ve_wQ

 

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Riches to Rags by Penny Estelle (Book Review)

 
Dylan Jones, seventh grader at Langdon Middle School lives the good life. His family has money. He gets most everything he wants. Even so, everybody likes Dylan ’cause he is a happy go lucky kid. 

Miss Wickware, his seventh grade history teacher, tells the class they will be studying the United States in the late 1800 for the next few weeks. Everybody will be expected to present an oral report on a subject that is drawn from a box. Dylan draws The Orphan Train.

A penniless Dylan finds himself at the train station in New York in 1875 and he is as scared and unsure as the children getting ready to ride the Orphan Train. How will Dylan make it when money is nowhere to be found?

 
 
—-> Review <—-
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
This is a great book for people of all ages.
Why? Because of one important reason. It reminds us to appreciate what we have in life because it can all vanish in a blink of an eye. Dylan learned this lesson up close and personal. An experience he shall never forget. 
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
 Score: ❤❤❤
 
 
 
 

Penny Estelle is a best-selling writer for all ages, from the early reader to adults. Her books range from pictures books for the little ones, to fantasy and time-travel adventures for ages 9 to 13. She also, under P. A. Estelle, has written adult stories including a family drama and contemporary, paranormal and historical westerns romances.
Penny was a school secretary for 21 years. She and her husband moved to their retirement home in Kingman, AZ, on very rural 54 acres, living on solar and wind only.

Penny and her books can be found in the following links:

www.pennystales.com

www.pennyestelle.blogspot.com

http://www.amazon.com/Penny-Estelle/e/B006S62XBY

https://twitter.com/Pennystales

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Grandma Must Die by Maureen L. Bonatch (Book Review)

Author: Maureen L. Bonatch
Series: A Touch of Magic Series, Book 1
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy

 
 
Carman has worn out more towns and last names than impractical shoes protecting the secret of her magic blood. But when a friend goes missing, and another is infected with a deadly spell, Carman must choose. Expose her magic blood by curing the spell—or stop the infection from spreading by killing the source…the grandmother.

Magic bounty hunter Dylan has scoured libraries of banned magic paraphernalia seeking a method to distinguish genuine witches from impersonators. He suspects unorthodox librarian Carman might hold this information tighter than the hair he’s dying to unleash from her bun. With a past as hidden as his sleeve of tattoos, Dylan discovers he’s been used to gain Carman’s trust and their passion risks more than mixing mortals and magic.

 
 

 

…once she’d started Carman couldn’t stop,

the book beckoned. Pressing its spine against her palm, begging her to search within the pages to find the answers she’d unconsciously sought her entire life. As she lifted the book, her scalp tingled and her hair elevated like a halo.

“Whoa.” Dylan shielded himself with his hands. “Put it back, slowly, because this is reminding me too much of the incident with the chest. Having my apartment blown up from magic isn’t covered in my rent.”

The plastic evaporated in a puff of smoke in Carman’s hands and the book unsealed with a sigh. She smiled, the welcoming warmth emanating from within its pages against her palms. Why had Mother kept her from this? This is what she’d been waiting for.

As curiosity overtook his common sense, she detected Dylan’s cautious approach. He stood close enough to peer over her shoulder into her book, but far enough away to avoid touching her.

After the shockwave the last time their skin met, he probably worried he’d ruin another pair of pants. Carman closed her eyes, absorbing the power from the book. The delicious feeling evoked a sensation like melting chocolate, sweet and satisfying.

“I remember hearing about her, Esmeralda Wrath. I wonder if this was her book?” Dylan’s warm breath caressed her shoulder.

Carman opened her eyes and examined the page. To stare right at a photo of the most powerful witch of all time…her grandmother.

 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
I want to start off this review discussing the basement under the library. The area, which housed magical artifacts, reminded me of two great shows — Warehouse 13 and The Librarians. The basement was truly a wonderland for the magically gifted humans. Heck, it’s pretty impressive for the “normal” folks, too. 
 
Speaking of normal folks, I was glad Maureen finally enlightened me what the heck an m ‘n’ m was on page 165 (in paperback). I knew she wasn’t referring to the sweet treat and was pleased to learn it stood for magic mimiker. With that bit of knowledge tucked away, the previous passages made more sense and proved to be more enjoyable. 
 
All in all, this story was cute. I wasn’t blown away by it, but I also wasn’t bored out of my mind either. 
 
Would I recommend it to others? Sure. I definitely think many readers will find this witchy tale most entertaining. 
 
Now with that said, I’m off to watch The Librarians. 
 
(Update: It was pointed out to me by Sophia Kimble (visitor – see comments below) that Maureen actually stated what an m ‘n’ m was on page 68. I want readers to have accurate information, so I felt this revelation needed to be shared. Sorry for any confusion I might’ve caused.)
 
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤
 
DON’T WAIT, GET YOUR PAPERBACK OR KINDLE COPY TODAY!! 
 

 

 

I write books about heroines who can laugh at themselves while dealing with magic, mayhem and love. The quirky friends and family who insist on coming along for the ride are just a bonus.
I’m so glad you stopped by. Let me turn down the music and get you a drink while you pull up a chair to settle in and escape with some bookcandy. Something to make you smile while you enjoy all the sweet, satisfaction with none of the calories.

You deserve it…you’re extraordinary. 

 

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Magic of the Gargoyles: Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles by Rebecca Chastain (Book Review)

Mika Stillwater is a mid-level earth elemental with ambitions of becoming a quartz artisan, and her hard work is starting to get noticed. But when a panicked baby gargoyle bursts into her studio, insisting Mika is the only person she’ll trust with her desperate mission, Mika’s carefully constructed five-year plan is shattered.
 
Swept into the gritty criminal underworld of Terra Haven, Mika must jeopardize everything she’s worked so hard for to save the baby gargoyle from the machinations of a monster—and to stay alive…
 

 

 

images
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

Who needs a guard dog when you have a gargoyle at your disposal and where can I get one? 🙂
 
This book was non-stop action and will please the readers who love magical stories. Yes, this book is short but the page count didn’t hinder the quality of the work.
 
Great job, Rebecca. 
 
FYI: Not kidding about wanting a pet gargoyle. Is there a store for this? Maybe, Gargoyles R Us…. HA!! 
 
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5
(highest) 
Score:❤❤❤❤
 
 
 

Rebecca Chastain is the international bestselling fantasy author of A FISTFUL OF EVIL, A FISTFUL OF FIRE, and MAGIC OF THE GARGOYLES. She has found seven four-leaf clovers to date, won a purebred Arabian horse in a drawing, and once tamed a blackbird for a day. Dreaming up the absurd and writing stories designed to amuse and entertain has been her passion since she was eleven years old. She lives in northern California with her wonderful husband and two bossy cats.

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Forget Me Not by Maureen L. Bonatch (Book Review)

Publication Year: 2016

 

The car accident totaled Sabrina Post’s convertible and reinvented her memories. She can’t recall dumping Cole Dawson ten years ago. What her new clairvoyant visions tell Sabrina is he’s her husband. Any practical girl would question her sanity. But if Sabrina wants to make this imaginary future a reality, she’ll have to regain Cole’s trust and eliminate her rival, the coffee shop waitress who’s pegged Cole as husband #4. To prove she’s foreseen their destiny, Sabrina stirs Cole’s interest by revealing specifics about him she couldn’t have otherwise known. Unfortunately, the one detail he vividly remembers is the pain when she left him and their “rinky-dink” town in her rearview mirror.
If Cole can’t believe she’s a changed woman, can Sabrina accept the only second chance she has at love exists in her memories?

 

 
 
Excerpt
 
The boxes of candy hearts Julie forgot spilled across the floor. 

Cole hunkered down and gathered the papers. His mouth formed a hard line as he glanced at Sabrina’s leave paperwork with the end date prominently circled. He replaced it on the table under the keys.

“No really, I can do it. You stay, Cole. I’ll be right back.” Sabrina caught her reflection in the mirror on the wall. The quest for a coat resulted in her hair looking as if she’d stuck her finger into an electrical outlet. Her appearance matched her desperation. She ran her hands over her head, but the static filled strands resisted smoothing.

“I need to check on Dad anyway, and it’s on my way. I’ll take Josie.” Cole extended his elbow, and Josie latched on like a lifeline, her fingers digging into the leather of his jacket. She skittered across a few of the remaining candies, crushing Be Mine and Love Me on the floor. “Thanks again for dinner, Marge.”

“Cole wait.” Despair leaked into Sabrina’s plea.
He glanced toward the papers on the table and sighed. “I waited for years, Rena. It’s you who waited too long.”

As the door closed behind him, so did the future with Cole that she’d imagined. Her shoulders fell. She knelt to collect the candy hearts scattered on the floor. Forget Me Not and Hug Me taunted her with their cheerful words. Lacking a garbage bag, she shoved a handful of the candies into her jacket pocket. Several hearts were trodden into tiny pieces, like her own. 

 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
Many events can alter a person’s views on life; make them reevaluate what’s important. Sabrina’s wreck was the wake-up call she desperately needed. With the head injury, she gained insight into the future and realized love is more important than money. 
 
Luckily for her, she was given a second chance —- in life and in love. 
 
For me, Cole and Sabrina’s short story can be described in one word — SWEET — much like the sweetheart candies that brought them together, again.
 
HEA, but you already knew that. Hello, it’s a love story and centers around Valentine’s Day so anything less would be scoffed at. 🙂
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤
 
 

 

 
Maureen writes stories in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania that boast laughter, light suspense and something magical in the hope of sharing her love of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary world. She writes Paranormal Romance and Fantasy.
 
 

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