Sheila's Reads

Hunter, a Tribunal enforcer, has had Fen kicked out of her pack. Fen, half human-half werewolf, has a weak wolf but has been given the power of an Alpha by her old Alpha. She has a small pack who travel with her as she goes in outpack areas. Getting into trouble in a bar, she receives help from a patron, Quill, to get her pack out of the bar alive. Quill becomes a member of her pack. Lia, one of her pack members who is also like her, a halfie, gets kidnapped by the SSS who believe halfies have special powers that can make a full werewolf strong. Now it is up to Fen and her pack to find Lia alive. Can they do it? What is the story with Hunter?

I liked this story, but I am not sure I am invested enough to read the whole trilogy. There are a lot of loose ends that may or may not be answered. The story is loosely written and needs to be tightened up, so the story makes sense as to who the SSS is and why are they kidnapping halfies. How does Hunter fit into all of this? Why is he always around at the right time? The world building is loose, so I don't know what is going on in this world.

I liked the characters. Fen has problems because while she may be an alpha, but it is not her true calling. I liked her pack mates. I liked Hunter but I have a lot of questions about him. Character development is good. I feel as if I know these characters. I wish the world building were as good.

Lady Caroline feels an instant connection with Jack Shaw. She flees from her for fear she will hurt him. He hunts for her finally catching her back in London years later. She warns him away, but he does not listen. He takes her to bed and in the morning, she is gone again. He tracks her down again and their secrets are revealed.

I liked this short story. It was too short. I liked Jack and Caroline. I figured Jack's secret out. I liked his explanations when Caroline explains why she was once again running. Both were honorable and the twist was excellent.

Sahara gets lost in the bayou and is found by Jacque and Quint. They take her to their home and start getting cozy before being broken up by Quint's wife, Lisette. Jacques continues. He wants her and is starting to feel something, but he won't call it love. Sahara was sent to the bayou to get photos of rare orchids. She shares her dreams with Jacque about a photography career, money, and a big fancy house but she does not share her childhood which makes her want those things. Jacque gets mad as he is looking for a woman who loves him, not his alter ego, Jack Kershaw, CEO of Cajun Hot. Sahara keeps trying to escape but is brought back each time. Jacque is trying to break her down to admit she loves him. When that happens, he decides to let her go. She then learns the truth about him. Will she go? Will she stay? Do they both love each other?

I enjoyed this story. It was fun. It was outrageous. It was hot! I liked Jacque. He did everything he could to see if she would pass his test. He never thought she would have a test. He's shocked that he was outmaneuvered. Sahara is strong. She is going to make him earn his way back to her. When he does, she gets him back. It was so fun to watch!

I look forward to more from this author.

J. R. is waiting for someone to play with, but mom is putting his baby brother to bed or changing him or feeding him. What is J. R. to do?

I liked this story. J. R. knows it is not fun to play by himself, but he also knows that mom has to take care of his baby brother first. I liked how his mom acknowledged her inability to be with him when he wants her to be with him. I liked how she praised him. This is a good read for your toddlers who may be in the same situation today.

Cass and her sisters have been running off overseers and guardians appointed by their father from their ranch for years. When another overseer has been run off, their father decides to take more of a hand in it and sends in a Navy SEAL with the hope that he can see what is going on and, possibly, marry Cass. What he finds is not what he expected. Can he help the women? Will they let him? Will they run him off?

I enjoyed this book a whole lot! I liked Cass and her sisters. I also enjoyed Brian and his soon-to-be teammates. Cass and Brian are good together once Cass lets down her walls. He shares his past with her, and she shares hers. She also lets him know what has been going on with the ranch for the past year. Action and adventure galore when their plan kind of backfires. I get my HEA and the set up for the next book in the series. This is going to be fun!

Genie and Jim are bidding for the same inn. They decide to join forces against a mob enforcer. He will do whatever it takes to get the inn. Will Genie and Jim become the owners of the inn? Will Tony the Wolf beat them out of it?

What a fun story! Perfect for a lazy summer afternoon on your back porch. Genie and Jim are made for each other. Neither is shy about acting out or saying what they want. They have some history, and both have pasts. I like how they support one another. I like how Genie surprises Jim a lot. There is a lot of stuff going on with their inn and other places. I just had a blast reading this. They deserve all the good coming to them!

Isaac Morris has been a leader of protests against the LGBTQ+ community with his family and church. At one protest a man comes up to him and challenges him to choose to be gay then go back to straight. He declines but, upon thinking about it and with his twin sister's nudging, he decides to make a documentary about choosing to become gay then choosing to go back to the straight lifestyle. His brother John thinks he should do to help John's son who John is afraid is going to choose the gay lifestyle. Isaac and Ruth, his twin, move to Seattle to set up the filming and the experiment. Isaac gets into trouble at a gay bar. He meets Colton there and asks Colton to help him navigate the gay lifestyle. While Colton helps him, both are attracted to each other but don't act on it. Colton has secrets in his past. Isaac has secrets in his present. Colton also invites Isaac to his gay-friendly church. Isaac goes and meets Pastor Mike, Colton's mentor and friend. Isaac hears a different interpretation of the scriptures he has used in the past to condemn the LGBTQ+ lifestyle. He stops and thinks about it. What will Isaac discover? Will the documentary come out? Will Isaac's ideas on the gay community change?

This was an intense read but so good! I liked how the scriptures are used and the different interpretations given within the book. Some good points are made. Both sides of the debate are represented.

I liked Isaac and Colton. They are good together. They move slowly into a relationship. When the documentary blows up everything, I could feel the pain of both men. I liked that Isaac decided to go ahead with the documentary. I also liked he had the support of Ruth. I liked that they also reached out to siblings who left their church and family. I liked Abby, his older sister. She had wise words for him. I was glad he listened.

I highly recommend this book. It is worth your while to read it.

First up is NAUGHTY CINDERELLA.  Cinderella works as a prostitute to bring money into her family so her stepsisters and her stepmother can live the life they feel they deserve.  When the prince comes to the town square to announce a ball, they laugh when Cinderella says she wants to attend.  Though she found a beautiful gown, they destroy it and go to the ball without her.  She sits in a tub knowing her life will end.  Her fairy godmother appears and gives Cinderella all she needs to go to the ball including crystal slippers with the admonition to return home by midnight.  Will she?  Will she amaze the prince?  Will he marry her?

I enjoyed this tale.  It follows a lot of the CINDERELLA fairy tale with a few differences.  Her stepsisters may be beautiful on the outside, but they are ugly on the inside.  She is the most beautiful woman at the ball and the prince knows it.  As he says, “it’s in the eyes.”  When midnight comes Cinderella runs out.  She manages to make it home but just barely.  I liked the differences.  I liked how the prince could identify her.  I also liked the secret he shared on their wedding night.  I hope nothing but good comes to them.

Next is RIDING RED HOOD.  Red is running through the woods trying to outrun cannibals.  Suddenly the cannibals are attacked and killed by a beast-like creature.  The next morning Red is in her own bed.  But how did she get there?  She has no memory when her fiancée asks her as the Chief Protector.  He sends her to his detectives for questioning.  They question her story.  She gets angry especially when she learns attacks had been happening for some time.  Her fiancée and his men set out to find and kill the beast.  Red decides to find him first.  Who will find the creature?  What is the creature?  Why is Red so interested in him?

I liked this story.  It’s a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood but a lot more grown up and without the woodsman to kill the big bad wolf.  I liked Red and Kull, the creature.  There was more passion between them then between Red and her fiancée.  He was a jerk!  I was not crazy about the ending, but I liked it rather than how it could have ended with Red and her fiancée.  An interesting story.

Last is BEAUTH AND THE BEAST WITH TWO BACKS.  Belle’s father goes off with his mistress to the Beast’s castle.  There he picks a black rose for his mistress.  The Beast catches him and in exchange, Belle’s father offers her up.  Belle comes and stays while her father and his mistress leave along with their retinue.  Belle tries to keep her distance from the Beast but gradually spends more time with him and develops a friendship with him.  Her father sends word that he wants to see her before he dies.  Will the Beast let her leave?  If he does, will she come back?  If she comes back, what will she find?

I enjoyed this story.  It follows THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST more than the other stories followed their fairy tales.  I liked Belle and Beast.  They had to learn to trust each other.  I liked the trust Beast placed in Belle.  Belle learned a lot from Beast.  She finally learned not to not accept bad behavior and to stand up for herself.  It is an interesting end.  Not one I was expecting.  I wonder what does happen when the tale is finished.

Change the names from 1972 to today's names and nothing has changed. The talking points and the words are the same. Denials and coming down on the press from the White House. I am astounded how much things stay the same in 50 years. While the book at first is a little disconcerting because of all the names as well as feeling I was dropped into the middle of a conversation, I soon got comfortable as Bernstein and Woodward tell of putting the Watergate story and the subsequent fallout stories together to get a full story of what happened during the Nixon reelection campaign. This is much more interesting now than it was 50 years ago when all I cared about was my soap operas being exempted for the Watergate coverage. There are so many parallels to 2020 and beyond.

Anna May comes to visit her grandmother in the nursing home. Isaac sees her and can't stop looking at her. He goes into her grandmother's room when Anna May's grandmother freaks out. Isaac leaves but Anna May runs into him later. She apologizes and asks him on a date. What caused Anna May's grandmother to freak out? Will Isaac and Anna May get together?

While I enjoyed this story, it was entirely too short to get into before it was over. Isaac and Anna May could have a fun story, but this just introduces you to them. The story is a series of vignettes with Isaac and Anna May starring in them. I hope this author expands these characters and this story.

Lena goes to the Ionian coast for vacation. She plans on getting her class work ready for the next semester. While there she meets Nina and Elena, a young mother and her daughter, and takes an interest in them and their extended family. She also reflects on her daughters and her mother and their lives.

This is a character study of Lena. She does not come across well. She is mean and selfish. She should not have had children (her ex-husband either.) I found her hard to like and I wanted to be sympathetic, but I couldn't. She was not nice. I could relate to some of her experiences with her mother. I could not relate to why she kept the doll (there are a couple of dolls in the story.) I did not like her and that is rare for me. I finished it because of book club. Not sure I would have otherwise.

Brody rescues Cara in the desert because of a broken-down car. He takes her to the nearest shelter on his bike. The shelter is a local pub where they are able to get rooms. Separating to their rooms, Brody later sees her in a common room where she is dancing. Entering, she finally sees him and quietly confronts him, leading to a tumble they won't forget. But nothing lasts forever, especially a one-night stand.

I liked this story. It is a quick read that could have used some proofreading. Brody and Cara are hot. They did not let their size difference matter. They spend the night together then go their separate ways though they were reluctant. I did like the ending.

Charcoal Joe calls on Easy Rawlins to get Seymour, a young PhD student, off on a murder charge that they know he did not commit. Easy agrees but he stumbles into more than murder. Who all is involved? Who is the murderer?

This is the first Easy Rawlins Mystery I read. I liked it a lot. I've been meaning to read this series and I am glad I did. Easy is fairly laid back. He's smart. He still gets into trouble but is able to get himself out of the trouble. I liked his daughter Feather. I also liked his partners, Saul and Whisper. They seem to bring down the bad guys and save the good ones.

I'll be looking forward to reading more of Easy and his people.

The Ramsays are at their summer residence with guests. Mrs. Ramsay keeps promising her youngest child they will go to the lighthouse the next day, but her husband says they won't because of bad weather. Unfortunately, tragedy happens before they can go to the lighthouse. When they do go to the lighthouse, the youngest son is now a teenager. It is a reunion of sorts from that time 10 years earlier.

This was not my cup of tea. I found the beginning boring. Quotation marks would have helped when characters were having conversations or thoughts. I often had to re-read passages to understand what was happening as well as who it was happening to. The book is in three parts. The first part is the basic story as in the above synopsis. The second part is what happens after the tragedy. The third part is 10 years later with the return of the Ramsays to the island.

The third part I find interesting. It is a stream of consciousness by different people. Some interesting thoughts occur. Some rebellious ones. Some on how to change others' responses to one. There are recriminations and anger in the thoughts. There is sorrow in remembrance.

These people are flawed. I just had a problem making a connection to any of them. Fortunately, I borrowed this from the library for book club. It is not a keeper for me.