June Book Reviews #bookreview #books #readingcommunity @VashtiQV @stacitroilo

Hello, beautiful readers! I am finally on summer vacation and am hoping that means I will have more time to read and write. Here are the books I enjoyed in June. 

The Rise of Gadreel (Fantasy Angels Series Book 3)

by Vashti Quiroz-Vega

Genre: Occult Supernatural, Occult Horror, Dark Fantasy Horror

Pages: 306

Book Blurb:

In The Fall of Lilith, award-winning author Vashti Quiroz-Vega took readers inside the gates of heaven for a front-row seat to Lucifer’s rebellion. In Son of the Serpent, she introduced Dracúl, tormented offspring of fallen angels. Now, in The Rise of Gadreel, Quiroz-Vega is back with the next chapter in her Fantasy Angels saga—a gripping tale of hope and redemption set against the fiery backdrop of a demon’s insatiable thirst for power and revenge.

Lilith is gone, suffering the torments of the damned in hell. Satan, once known as Lucifer, endures endless agony in an earthly prison. Yet their foul legacy lives on, spread by a corrupted priesthood that uses the blackest magic to fan the flames of evil and hate throughout the world.

The former angel Gadreel, who fought and fell alongside Lilith and Lucifer, only to join Dracúl in his fight against them, is weary of war. Repenting of past sins, she wants nothing more than to be left in peace. But when a new threat to humankind arises, Gadreel is given the chance she has prayed for—the chance to earn God’s forgiveness.

Now, with the aid of Dracúl and a trio of uncanny allies—a man of air, a man of stone, and a woman of fire—at her side, Gadreel must find the courage to confront her past and forge a new future for herself . . . and the world.

My Review:

This was the final installment of the Fantasy Angels series, and it did not disappoint. Lucifer finally finds a way to break out of his imprisonment and wreak havoc on Earth. Gadreel and Dracul stay true to their mission to protect the people and find the courage to face Lucifer.

I've loved Gadreel's character since book one and was excited that the author chose to focus on her in book three. Gadreel's character arc was amazing. She is a flawed character who loses her way and doesn't know her own value. Throughout the story, she meets new friends and learns to start seeing herself through their eyes. Dracul proved to be a steadfast friend who, despite his heritage, focused on doing good in the world.

The author does an incredible job tapping in to Lucifer's evil. He commits so many horrific acts that it was easy to despise him. The author successfully incorporates the horrors of the Dark Ages into the story. Some of the scenes are graphic and truly depict the atrocious acts of those times.

I love how the story ends (not giving anything away). The author wrapped up each character's story so there were no loose ends, which is always nice. I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys dark fantasy.

What April Showers Bring (11 pages),

The Choice (7 pages),

Raising Mason (12 pages), and

A Walk on the Wild Side (11 pages)

by Staci Troilo

I wish I could provide links for the above short stories, but they were freebies provided by the author for signing up for her newsletter on her blog. Each story was fantastic! Although they were all short stories, the author immediately drew you into her characters and the journey they were on. I highly recommend signing up for her newsletter so you can enjoy these gems. Plus, her blog is fantastic!

That's it for this month! I'm hoping to read more in July, but we will see what life has planned for me. :-)

#TankaTuesday Weekly #Poetry Challenge - #colorpoetry #Syllabic #poem #poetrycommunity #colors #green #Earthmagic @ColleenChesebro @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! For this week's #TankaTuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge, Colleen Chesebro is encouraging us to write a poem about a color. She provided us with a color chart that included words associated with the various colors and asked us to incorporate both the color and one of the words that represent it into a poem.

My favorite colors are yellow and green, so I'm naturally drawn to both of those. In reading the words associated with them, I chose to go with green and Earth magic. I am an avid nature lover. Whether it is walking and swimming at the beach, camping, hiking, or bicycle riding in parks and around my neighborhood, I love being surrounded by nature. So, it makes sense that before I go on my vacation to fully immerse myself in all things nature, I would honor that gift with a poem.

I chose to write a shadorma. This type of poem has 6 lines with a 3-5-3-3-7-5 syllabic pattern. It should be titled.

(courtesy of @JillWellington on Pixabay)

Grounding Gifts

Gaia's love

rejuvenates souls

green embrace

calms spirit

embrace Earth magic near you

be one with nature

Can you feel the earth's energy? I'd love to hear from you.

Would you like to write a poem about one of the colors on the chart? Click here to join our fun. :-)

#TankaTuesday Weekly #Poetry Challenge - #SpiritAnimal #Syllabic #poem #poetrycommunity #snake #snakespiritanimal @ColleenChesebro @YvetteMCalleiro

 

Hello, beautiful readers! For this week's #TankaTuesday Poetry Challenge, Colleen Chesebro encouraged us to take a quiz to determine our spirit animal and then write a poem about that animal. You can find the quiz here. 

I was quite curious to see what animal would be my spirit animal. When it revealed a snake, I was a bit perplexed, mainly because I've always seen the snake as a villain. Luckily, the description that followed had nothing to do with my misconceived notion. Here is what it said:

The snake animal meaning is powerfully connected to life force and primal energy. In many cultures, it is revered as a powerful totem representing the source of life. When the snake spirit animal appears in your life, it likely means that healing opportunities, change, important transitions, and increased energy are manifesting.

That fits me so perfectly for where I am in my life right now. I'm always working on becoming healthier physically, mentally, and emotionally. As an empath, I am sensitive to the energies around me and am continually learning how to manage my reaction to them. My son is about to get his driver's license, which means car shopping for me as I hand my older car to him. So, I would definitely agree that the snake is my spirit animal right now. 😊

I decided to write a classic nonet. This poetry form has nine lines with a syllable count of 9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. 

(courtesy of Pixel-Mixer on Pixabay)

she slithers and wraps around a tree

quietly soaks in sun's essence

helps balance ecosystem

as she consumes rodents

quiet and cautious

given bad rap

misperceived

graceful

snake

What is your spirit animal? Share it with me below. 😊

Would you like to join us in writing a poem this week? Click here.

May Book Reviews #bookreview #books #readingcommunity @dlfinnauthor @ptlperrin @JRWard1

Hello, beautiful readers! This month finally gave me some time to read, and I read some great books! If you like what you read, click on the book cover or the title to get your own copy!

The Savior (The Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 17) (Adult Novel)

by JR Ward

Genre: Paranormal Vampire Romance

Pages: 623

Book Blurb:

A vampire and a scientist’s fates are passionately entwined in a race against time in this thrilling romance in the #1 New York Times bestselling “utterly absorbing and deliciously erotic” (Angela Knight, New York Times bestselling author) Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

In the venerable history of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, only one male has ever been expelled—but Murhder’s insanity gave the Brothers no choice. Haunted by visions of a female he could not save, he nonetheless returns to Caldwell on a mission to right the wrong that ruined him. However, he is not prepared for what he must face in his quest for redemption.

Dr. Sarah Watkins, researcher at a biomedical firm, is struggling with the loss of her fellow scientist fiancé. When the FBI starts asking about his death, she questions what really happened and soon learns the terrible truth: Her firm is conducting inhumane experiments in secret and the man she thought she knew and loved was involved in the torture.

As Murhder and Sarah’s destinies become irrevocably entwined, desire ignites between them. But can they forge a future that spans the divide separating the two species? And as a new foe emerges in the war against the vampires, will Murhder return to his Brothers...or resume his lonely existence forevermore?

My Review:

I have been reading this series for years now, and every book is amazing! By now (book 17), these vampires are like family. If you haven't read the series, these vampires do not harm humans or even need blood from humans. Every book focuses on a different male (or female) and his/her journey to find his/her soulmate. In between the love story, there is so much that happens between the brothers (vampire) and their enemy. 

This particular story focuses on the BD Brother Murhder. In a previous book, he was tortured and went a bit insane and was cast out of the brotherhood. This book is his story, and it was amazing! I hated how he was tortured before, and I'm thrilled the author redeemed him in this book. 

By now, you all know I won't give away spoilers because it's not my style. I will say that even after 17 books, each story feels new. It doesn't feel like a recycled version of a previous book. Every character has his/her own personality, and I love that old characters are included in each book. This book was especially sentimental because it makes a connection with Darius, a vampire who died in book 1 (at the beginning of the book, so it's not really a spoiler...lol!). 

And yes, this book made me tear up several times. I get emotional invested in the books I read, especially when they are a long series like this one. There were just so many sentimental moments. I loved it. I also loved the little (and big) hints the author gives for what is still to come. I'm a bit behind in reading the series (I believe there are 21 books now, plus a spinoff), and I can't wait to read them all! (Caution: This book contains many sex scenes, so it truly is written for adults.)

In The Tree's Shadow

(A collection of stories that exist in your dreams...and nightmares.)

by DL Finn

Genre: Single Author Short Stories

Pages: 225

Book Blurb:

A collection of short stories where dreams and nightmares coexist.

Nestled inside these pages, you’ll meet a couple in their golden years who take a trip with an unexpected detour, a boy desperate to give his brother the Christmas gift he asked for, a girl with a small glass dragon who is at the mercy of her cruel uncles, and a young mother who has a recurring dream about murder. You’ll be introduced to worlds where people get second chances and monsters might be allowed their desires, while angels and dragons try to help. Happy endings occur, but perspective can blur the line between good and evil in these twenty-seven tales. Since the stories vary between 99 and 12,000 words, whether you have only five minutes or an entire evening to settle into reading, there is something that will suit your time and taste.

My Review:

This is another author of whom I'm a big fan. Every story I read from her is great, and this was no exception. This book is a collection of short stories that she's written over the years, and I enjoyed every single one of them. She has a gift of creating such rich characters in just a few pages. Her scenes draw you in immediately, and you can't help but connect with what the characters are going through.

Many of the stories have a paranormal flare, which you know I LOVE! The author has a series on evildwels, spirits that invade people and encourage them to do evil things. It's a great series, and I was happy to see that she included a story about them in this book. She had several other stories where people were haunted by evil but found their way to the light, which I always love.

She also includes heartfelt stories of redemption or closure. A few of the stories focused on dystopia and a possible apocalypse here and there (lol!). And then there were the stories with crazy twists in them that were right up my alley. I honestly loved all the stories. Some are as short as 99 words while others were multiple pages, including a novella at the end. All of them were worth reading, and I highly recommend this book to everyone!

Voice of Viracocha: Tetrasphere - Book 3

by PTL Perrin

Genre: Paranormal Young Adult

Pages: 278

Book Blurb:

Everyone loves Sky Fletcher, except the one who owns her heart. Can she break through his defenses? Will there be time?

When Sky and the others are needed in South America, they discover an evil alien zeroing in on her friend Jewel, putting her in danger of losing herself, the people she loves, and her world. How can they stop him?

In their search for answers, the teens find unlikely allies as strange as the interplanetary races they’ve already encountered. Will their combined efforts be enough to rescue Jewel from a fate that would doom the planet to self-destruct?

In this exciting sequel to Triton’s Call, more prophecies are revealed, but if even one of the four is unable to help, all hope is lost.

My Review:

I was so excited to get back into this series, and it did not disappoint! Sky, Pax, Storm, and Jewel are needed in South America to stop three more artifacts before they lose their energy and cause the world to fall apart. As if that isn't enough pressure, they find out that Jewel has been claimed by a vile Dracan, and he will stop at nothing to have her. Making things worse, someone in their midst is betraying them at every turn.

The author's incredible gift of setting descriptions along with her unique characters kept me engaged in this story from beginning to end. I love all the new races she brings into the story as well as the way she weaves in multiple cultures. Each chapter follows a different character, but the author makes it clear who is telling the story. Normally, I'm not a fan of that, but with this story, I loved seeing the plot from different points of view. Plus, it deepens my connection with each of the four main characters, their unique talents, and their struggles.

I'm already looking forward to reading book 4. If you enjoy paranormal stories mixed with cultural references and suspense, you will love this book!

Have you read any great books lately? I'd love to hear from you! :-)

#TankaTuesday Weekly #Poetry Challenge - #SpecificForm #poem #poetrycommunity #fantasy #acrostic #acrosticpoem @ColleenChesebro @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! For this week's #TankaTuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge, Colleen Chesebro has asked us to create an acrostic poem with a bit of twist. Each line must have 8, 9, or 10 syllables. I chose the following pattern: 9-9-10-9-9-10-9.

An acrostic poem takes a word and spells it out vertically, so each line starts with a letter from that word. She gave us several words to choose from, and I decided to choose FANTASY since I love that genre so much. 

(courtesy of @hoekstrarogier on Pixabay)

FANTASY

Frolic with your imagination

Aspire to invent a whole new world

Nurture your inner child; believe again

Travel to dimensions with magic

Abandon logical restrictions

Serenade your mind with unwritten songs

Yearn to visit in between the veil

Do you lose yourself in fantasy? Do you read fantasy? I'd love to hear from you.

Would you like to try to write an acrostic poem? Join our fun here.

Days 6 and 7 of the 2023 #RWISA “RISE-UP” #BLOG TOUR! @RRBC_ORG @RRBC_RWISA @TWEETS4RWISA #RRBC #RWISA @pdoggbiker @EmptySeatsNovel @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! This week, the Rave Writers - International Society of Authors (RWISA) is having a RWISA "Rise-Up" Tour to celebrate moms. 

John Podlaski

John Podlaski shared a heartfelt story about his mom here.

Wanda A. Fischer

Wanda A. Fischer shared another piece entitled "Love Makes the World Go Round" here.

I hope you have enjoyed this tour. If you've missed any of the posts, please click here to enjoy them.

Can you relate to any of these stories? I'd love to hear from you. :-)

Day 5 of the 2023 #RWISA “RISE-UP” #BLOG TOUR! @RRBC_ORG @RRBC_RWISA @TWEETS4RWISA #RRBC #RWISA @YvetteMCalleiro

 

Hello, beautiful readers! This week, the Rave Writers - International Society of Authors (RWISA) is having a RWISA "Rise-Up" Tour to celebrate moms. 

Today is MY day to share a memory of my mom. I hope you will join me here to read my piece. :-)

There are three more days to go. I hope you will join us as we share memories of our moms. If you want to follow the whole tour, click here.

Do you have any memories where you learned a lifelong lesson? I'd love to hear from you. :-)

Days 3 and 4 of the 2023 #RWISA “RISE-UP” #BLOG TOUR! @RRBC_ORG @RRBC_RWISA @TWEETS4RWISA #RRBC #RWISA @KarensStories @maurabeth2014 @YvetteMCalleiro

 

Hello, beautiful readers! This week, the Rave Writers - International Society of Authors (RWISA) is having a RWISA "Rise-Up" Tour to celebrate moms. 

Karen Black

Yesterday, Karen Black shared an incredible moment with her mom entitled "A Lesson in Magic."

Maura Beth Brennan

Today, Maura Beth shares her piece called "Mom, I'll Never Forget."

There are four more days to go, and I will feature my own piece tomorrow. I hope you will join us as we share memories of our moms. If you want to follow the whole tour, click here.

Can you relate to either of these stories? I'd love to hear from you. :-)

#TankaTuesday Weekly #Poetry Challenge - #Synonyms #poem #poetrycommunity #teacherlife #teacher #AmericanCinquain #Cinquain @ColleenChesebro @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! For this week's #TankaTuesday Weekly Poetry Challenge, Colleen Chesebro has asked us to use synonyms for the words work and play. She further challenged us to create three stanzas: one for the concept of work, one focusing on play, and one that blends the two together.

I chose to write about teaching since that is my passion (outside of writing, of course). I have been a teacher for 26 years. I spent twenty years at a high school before transferring to a middle school. I truly love what I do, despite the fact that teachers are underpaid and underappreciated by most of society. I am blessed to be at an incredible school with an administration who truly values and supports our faculty and staff, but many are not as fortunate.

Teaching is a demanding job, and educators often feel the weight of the world on their shoulders, especially when they are expected to jump through hoops and perform miracles with very little support. Still, we consider our profession a work of heart and continue to do what we do because we believe in making a difference in the lives of others. And we do!

I decided to write three American cinquains. An American cinquain consists of five lines with a 2-4-6-8-2 syllabic pattern. 

(courtesy of @sasint on Pixabay)

A Teacher's Life

career

dedication

heart and soul invested

held to higher standards than most

stressful

laughter

echoes off walls

students release their stress

fun challenges expand knowledge

reprieve

gem of

society

builds children's confidence

influences generations

teacher

Do you remember a special teacher from your childhood that made a difference in your life? I'd love to hear from you. :-)

Would you like to join this week's challenge? Click here.

Days 1 and 2 of the 2023 #RWISA “RISE-UP” #BLOG TOUR! @RRBC_ORG @RRBC_RWISA @TWEETS4RWISA #RRBC #RWISA @PTLPerrin @EmptySeatsNovel @YvetteMCalleiro

Hello, beautiful readers! This week, the Rave Writers - International Society of Authors (RWISA) is having a RWISA "Rise-Up" Tour to celebrate moms. 

PTL Perrin

Yesterday, PTL Perrin shared an incredible moment with her mom entitled "When Mom Delivered a Sermon." Click here to enjoy it.

Wanda A. Fischer

Today, Wanda A. Fischer shares a memory with her mom called "Definitely a Mad World." Click here to read her special memory.

There are six more days to go, and I will feature my own piece on one of those days. I hope you will join us as we share memories of our moms. If you want to follow the whole tour, click here.

Can you relate to either of these stories? I'd love to hear from you. :-)