Devil and the Deep

Devil and the Deep by Julie Ann Walker

A former Navy SEAL had rescued Maddy once before, and they developed a relationship.  Through his own stubbornness, he tried to forget her and move on with his life.  Unfortunately, a sunken treasure ship is a goal for a few.  Too bad someone wants to kidnap Maddie.

Navy SEAL Bran to the resuce.  Without his knowing who, he finds Maddie in the same situation again, in need of rescue.

While the story starts out about a treasure hunt, the majority seems to gear towards their relationship and the past, and what type of relationship may or may not happen now and in the future.

Well written and easy to follow with quite the cast of characters, there is something for everyone.

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That Darkness

That Darkness by Lisa Black

The world is full of criminals.  Some that don’t deserve to live after the crime(s) they have committed.  The United States has a justice system to take care of criminals, but sometimes those that should be put away go free.  What if one man has decided to take care of those that the system set free?  Jack Renner, in his goal on one person, has taken it upon himself to keep society safe of some of these criminals.  With a great attention to his details, he thinks no one will ever find out it’s him.  Not until he meets a forensic investigator Maggie Gardiner, and her attention to detail.  Will Jack be able to locate the woman he is searching for before he is discovered, or will the clues and his mistakes give him away.

Suspenseful with twists along the way, and a varied cast of characters.  Quite descriptive but not over the top gory.  While Maggie is the investigator, it seems Jack has more storytime.  All in all a good read.

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The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back

The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back by Sariah Wilson

How many times can one dad remarry?  How about when he takes in your stepsister to live with you, even though he isn’t her dad?  Why is it that the stepsister is always the pretty, full of energy, donates her time to charities, has the football captain boyfriend, everyone loves her type.  What about you, the one no one notices, except to laugh at, the average teen.

Ella is the pretty stepsister, Mattie is the average teenage girl in high school, who has always had a crush on Jake.  Who is Jake?  That would be Ella’s football captain boyfriend!  But a turn of events has Ella and Mattie becoming closer and discovering things about each other and themselves, and those around them.

Comical, witty, typical teenage high school days make this a quick, fun light read.  If Cinderella can transform from the ugly stepsister to the princess, can Mattie?

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The Wolf of Harrow Hall

The Wolf of Harrow Hall by Christine Pope

Tax time was coming near.  Bettany knew their grandmother did not have enough money.  What could they do, their income was meager.  What if they could borrow money from Lord Greymount with a promise to repay in the summer.  That that being the only option, Bettany set out to visit Lord Greymount at his castle.

Barely  making it through the snowstorm, Bettany awakes to find herself in a bed in someplace unfamiliar.  Somehow she was brought from the entrance to the inside of the castle.  Determined to please her case, Bettany is finally granted a visit to Lord Greymount.  Unable to leave the castle due to a great snowstorm, Bettany finds herself more intrigued with the Lord and wants to know more about him, and finds she has feelings for him.  But why does he live in a great castle with so few servants, and no women?  The more time she spends at the castle, the more the feelings grow and the more she wishes to learn more.  What mysteries does this great castle and this Lord hold?

Another wonderful fairy tale by Christine Pope.  With minimal characters, it is very easy to follow and become attached to Bettany, a simple girl with a goal.  The reading is light and easy.  This series is one that does not need to be read in any specific order.  Sit back, pick up a fairy tale and enjoy!

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Codename: Makarov

Codename: Makarov by Ethan Jones

Carrie O’Connor is back again, this time in Pakistan.  As her luck would have it, the secret meeting is ambushed.  The more they look into the ambush, it seems there is a traitor among them.  In addition, rumor has it Justin, who has gone rogue, is in the area.

Continuing on with the mission and trying to determine who is the traitor, Carrie learns a bit more about Justin’s whereabouts, as well as some possible information about her father, who disappeared when she was young.

What can continue with the Taliban leaders when the meeting went wrong?  Can Carrier find Justin and bring him home?  What does she learn, if anything, about her father?  If you have read any of the Justin Hall series, you will see the relationship between Carrie and Justin. If not, he just seems a character from her past.

Loaded with action and espionage, another great spy thriller from Ethan Jones.  A mix of old characters and new ones.  Another suspense thriller that will keep you turning pages.

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Threads of Gold (Tales of the Latter Kingdoms Book 6)

Threads of Gold (Tales of the Latter Kingdoms Book 6) by Christine Pope

What is to become of a girl who’s father gambles too much and lies that she can spin straw into gold to pay his debt?

A romantic twist to the Rumpelstiltskin tale.

Annora agrees to go to the king’s castle in order not to show her father a lier.  But once she is sent to her room to spin the straw, how many excuses can she come up with to hide the truth?  Why does this stranger come to her in the night to help her spin the straw to please the king?

Annora believes once she has paid the debt of her father, the king will let her go back home.  The stranger is smarter than that and knows the king will never have enough gold, no matter how much she spins.

If you like the re-telling of fairy tales with a twist, you will like this.  Try to determine who “Rumple” is and what becomes of Annora and her secret of spinning straw into gold.  Another great fairy tale twist from Christine Pope.

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Dragon Rose (Tales of the Latter Kingdoms, Book 2)

Dragon Rose (Tales of the Latter Kingdoms, Book 2) by Christine Pope

A Beauty and the Beast type fairy tale love story in the form of a dragon.

When you grow up living in a town where young girls enter a lottery to see who will be the next bride for the Lord of Black’s Keep, you come to expect the worst.  Rhianne liked to paint, something unheard of, no women shall do such a skill.  While she was of the age to be married, her parents tried to find her a proper suitor.  As luck would have it, an older gentleman was a prospect, but when her father is injured, her secret of painting is revealed.

On the day of the bride lottery, her best friend is chosen.  Knowing her best friend was to be married, Rhianne offered herself instead of her friend.  A never before occurrence, but the elders allowed it.  Rhianne had no idea what lay ahead, other than she would never see her family, friends or her town ever again.

Rhianne was whisked away to her future husband, the Dragon.  The ceremony was held immediately.  She was shown to her new rooms in a large castle, away from her previous life.

As time passes, she finds she has fallen in love with the Dragon, even though she has never seen him.  A slight touch, his voice, his build, all strike at her heart.  She is saddened that even though the Dragon seems to want her affection, he always stops short.  No one will reveal the truth behind the curse that caused this man to be sentenced to a life in a dragon form.  In addition, a strange dream keeps her painting a man she has never seen before.  Who is this man and why does he come to her in her dreams?

What will it take to break this curse, and can Rhianne finally be the one to do it?  Or will her town continue to find the next bride?

Well written to keep you turning pages.  Minimal characters but each have their own personality.  If you like love stories, or Beauty and the Beast, or fairy tale type stories, you will like this.

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