Reading Fanatic Reviews
Books to Add to Your TBR list... or Not!Hey, ya’ll! I’m VERY behind getting my reviews up on the website! I’ve increased the reading and reviewing, leaving less of my leisure time available to update this website. I’ll do weekly posts with links to my reviews at Amazon; you can also check out my Amazon and Goodreads profiles.
By the way, I’m now a top 50 Amazon.com reviewer (#12 currently) and the top 8 US reviewer of all time on Goodreads (and top 9 in the world)… and the #6 US reviewer and #8 in the world in the past year. Cool stuff!
I hope to make updates to this site soon!
Christmas Inn Love by Kelly Collins
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Christmas Inn Love*
Sweet Christmas Romance
This is one of those sweet holiday romances that is just such a pleasure to read if you enjoy the genre. There are no big, bad villains in this story, just decent people whose grand visions of life are at cross-purposes. The heroine, Celia, runs a quaint inn in a small Colorado town. She and her son Jackson barely scrape by some months, but she is committed to her business and their town. Rob McKenna returns to the area after his mother’s death. Now a real estate developer, he plans to make some of his mother’s property, the part that abuts Celia’s land, into a full-fledged resort. Celia is dead set against this, as she believes it will be bad for her business and the town. They had known each other in high school, but Celia’s boyfriend had been Rob’s tormentor, so they were never close. As this story unwinds, the two adults get closer, partially because of Celia’s son Jackson and Rob’s dog. Will rob continue with his plans as he and Celia get more involved, knowing that she is opposed to them? Will both Celia and Jackson be able to trust anyone again after being abandoned by Jackson, Sr.?
There are so many things I liked about this book. It has gentle humor, which I always like in a romance. I like that the author didn’t make a villain out of the teenager in the book. Jackson’s a good, thoughtful kid, and I love his relationship with his mother. Celia and Jackson have had hard roads to travel, struggling at times to survive and always with that specter of abandonment as an issue. Rob is a good hero. I liked how he felt protective of Celia even before they very much involved. Chemistry existed between them from the start, but this is a slow-burn romance. The theme of Christmas was interwoven well into the story. Part of what Celia liked about her small town was its special little celebrations for Christmas. If you enjoy gentle Christmas romances that have a deep grounding in family, you will most likely enjoy this novel.
Death of a Dowager by Joanna Campbell Slan
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Death of a Dowager*
Jane Eyre Rochester, Amateur Sleuth
I am a massive fan of Jane Austen fan fiction, but I do not think I have ever read any Bronte sister fanfiction. This book is told from the perspective of Jane Eyre Rochester, a few years after her marriage to Edward. Love and their infant son have transformed their lives, but repairs are desperately needed at the manor house, and Edward’s sight continues to worsen. The Rochesters go to London and are caught up in a variety of machinations, including a political intrigue involving the new king and a murder that happens when Jane visits a woman for tea. Unfortunately, one of Jane’s good friends is a suspect. This pulls Jane in so she can attempt to clear her friend.
I thought the author actually did a pretty decent job, in parts, in mimicking the tone and voice of the original Jane Eyre novel. Jane is a fascinating character in many ways, and I like the way that she looks at the world; trying to exist within high society is not easy for her, so it is fascinating to watch events from her perspective. I think it is odd that the author has chosen to place this book at the tail end of the Regency Era as the original Jane Eyre was written in the late 1840s, clearly and definitely part of the Victorian Era. Perhaps she wanted to use some political intrigue from that time of transition to the new king, which wouldn’t have been the same at all, of course, in the Victorian era. I found the political intrigue plot more interesting than the murder plot. As mystery plots go, it was relatively easy to follow and figure it out. I think the author needed a few more red herrings and twists and turns to make the mystery plot more engaging. But the political intrigue, as well as the interactions between Jane and those around her, kept me turning the pages. Frankly, though, I wish we had seen more of Mr. Rochester. All in all, I would say that if you enjoyed the original Jane Eyre and can forgive the author for inappropriately using the Regency Era, you will most likely enjoy this tale.
Cyber Security by Matt Reyes
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Cyber Security*
A Good Introduction to Cyber Security for Regular People
If you fully read the book description, you might come away a little paranoid. I’m sure we all have a vague sense that we are vulnerable to cyberattacks, whether it is to our own devices or to companies that we work with. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has gotten a Credit Karma alert that one of the companies I do business with has been compromised. But in the description of this book, the author really puts forth very strongly how we can be personally vulnerable in so many ways.
While the blurb is a bit doom and gloom, the book itself is not. After a brief introduction to cybersecurity, the internet of things/everything, and “dangerous wares” like malware and viruses, the author breaks down digital security by device, application, or platform. In each section, he talks a little about what that particular piece of the cybersecurity puzzle is and its vulnerabilities, giving a real-world example. Most helpful, though, are the three sections on how to prepare, react, and secure that particular item. He goes so far as to share specific applications. The items explored include some that you would expect (like your computer and smartphone) but also includes things you might have never thought of like key fobs, voice assistants, and your social media and internet profiles.
While this book may not be the be-all, end-all book on cybersecurity, it is a well-written, easy-to-understand book that gets you thinking about your potential vulnerabilities and what to do about them so that you are not as open to attack. I think it is a great introduction to the topic for the layman or laywoman.
Am I Codependent? by Jane Kennedy
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Am I Codependent?*
Disorganized Bits of Info About Codependency
I have read several books by this author that are interconnected with their themes of empathy and codependency. This book, as the title suggests, the focus is on codependency, though there is a chapter on codependency in the empath-narcissist relationship. Unfortunately, I found this particular book to be poorly organized and lacking an overall coherent structure. It seemed more like unconnected bits of information about codependency put together into one book. Some chapters are longer, while others are probably too short.
Let me talk a little about the structure of the existing book. Part of my problem with this book’s framework is that it feels like the topics are out of order. For instance, I think the first two chapters should have been reversed, or chapter 1 should have been a part of chapter 2. Chapter 2 defines codependency, while chapter 1 looks at distinguishing codependency from dependent personality disorder. I would not have started the book with that narrow distinguishing factor. Next should have come more basic information, like chapter 5 on childhood roots of codependency and chapter 6 on what the author calls the one root cause of codependency. After getting these building blocks in place, she then should have moved on to looking at how codependency manifests in adult romantic relationships. Instead, some of that is sandwiched between the definitions area and the developmental causes chapter and then is explored more after the causes. Because of this lack of cohesiveness and some brevity of the included sections, I cannot recommend this book.
PCOS by Jane Kennedy
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
PCOS*
Learn about PCOS
In this book, the author has gathered some of the latest science and writing about PCOS. She explains what it is and its symptoms. She spends a fair amount of time on the mental and emotional aspects of the syndrome. While the subtitle proclaims that you will be able to reverse PCOS, inside the author states that some symptoms and effects can be reversed but not necessarily everything. She details different ideas and techniques that either directly address the causes of PCOS or its symptoms and effects. She spends some time discussing how hormones play a factor, dedicating a chapter to insulin alone. Some later chapters address how PCOS affects fertility. At the end of the book, she has an extensive list of references. The author really has tried to take from many sources, including studies and people who are considered PCOS experts. If you suffer from this syndrome, you may very well find the information in this book to be helpful as you try to move past the difficulties it causes for you.
Empath Awakening by Kara Lawrence
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Empath Awakening*
Information and Self-Care for Empaths
Have you ever thought that you were an empath? The author states in the subtitle that this book will help you with the negative aspects that that (though more is covered). The first chapters of this book explore the typical traits that empaths possess as well as the different types. Next, she looks at what empathic abilities are and how empaths can avoid negative energy so they don’t feel overwhelmed. But as empathy is not something that can be switched off, she next offers ways of self-healing. Chapter 6 has the same title as the book and discusses how to grow as an empath and learn to read energy. The next chapter is an interesting look at the different types of alternative healing like reiki and reflexology. Not all healers are empaths nor are all empaths healers, but I found this to be an interesting look at how empathy can relate to a variety of healing modalities. The end chapters look at energy shielding, the possibilities of forming toxic relationships with narcissists, and other pitfalls.
I think the book is basically well organized, though I might have put energy shielding along with the earlier chapter on negative energy and self-healing with energy healing. The author has a friendly and accessible style. She identifies as an empath, so the information she shares has a ring of personal authenticity, not just a repackaging of topics gleaned from other sources on the internet—which, unfortunately, books like these often are. The chapter on empaths and narcissists correlates to another book of hers, Toxic Magnetism, and a section within that chapter also reflects another of the author’s books on codependency. If you believe you might be an empath, you might find this helpful read so that you can protect yourself even if you align with others on a variety of levels.
Dragon Fairest by Amberlyn Holland
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Bol.de
Dragon Fairest*
Snow White and Dragons
This is a fantasy retelling of Snow White, minus the seven dwarves, with a dragon twist. The heroine’s fascination with magic has unwittingly unleashed her evil great-aunt who subsequently plays havoc with all members of the royal family. This sends our princess heroine on the run, unsure of what to do next. She aligns with a group of treasure hunters who are also dragon shifters. The book looks at her attempting to get her family and her kingdom back to the way it ought to be. Along the way, she develops a deeper relationship with one of the dragon shifters.
I do enjoy retellings of the classic fairy tales, and I found this one to be mostly enjoyable. There were times I felt like something crucial was missing—like a key scene that would be a bridge between others—but the characters were enough to keep me interested and reading to see what would happen to them next. I know there are more books in the story, and they appear to be about the brothers of the princess as they each engage with a new heroine in another fairy tale retelling. This book is enough to make me want to check out the second book.
The PCOS Diet by Jane Kennedy
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
The PCOS Diet*
Clear Bias Shown
After just having read the PCOS book by this author, I find myself surprised by this one. The book doesn’t really live up to the title, subtitle, or what the author states in the introduction. She shows a clear bias for and against particular ways of eating that don’t seem appropriate in a book that should be objective so it could help the most people.
She states in the introduction that she really won’t be discussing PCOS in general as she has another book for that. However, a large chunk of the book is precisely about that and not about diet in particular. If you’re hoping for one particular PCOS diet, she doesn’t offer that here, not even in the chapter labeled The PCOS Diet. In fact in the chapter summary of that section, she stays that there is no one PCOS diet. After discussing generalities—like an introduction to PCOS, insulin resistance, exercise, and androgens—she finally moves on to more information about nutrition as she looks at the anti-inflammatory, Keto, and plant-based vegan diets. The author clearly favors the anti-inflammatory and keto diets. The chapter on the vegan diet was so biased that I actually had a hard time reading it. Clearly, the author loves meat and cannot fathom that people would stay on a vegan diet long term. She goes so far as to state it is radical, not realistic, and requires too much sacrifice to be viable. Honestly, I could say the same thing about keto, as I find its love of fat and eschewing of carbohydrates to be extreme. I would have preferred some objectivity in a book like this. A few other concepts are discussed, like diet breaks and mindset.
I don’t know how many books are out there about nutrition and PCOS, but I would imagine that there are better books that don’t have quite the biases that this one has.
The Secret of the Spellbook by Isabel Riley
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
The Secret of the Spellbook*
Magical Female Academy Meets Victorian Steampunk
This is a fascinating paranormal novel that combines the idea of a magical academy with Victorian steampunk. The heroine is an orphaned young woman who has magical powers. When she accidentally unleashes these on the orphanage’s tyrant caretaker, a maid and good friend of the heroine sends her away to London to seek sanctuary at a special school for young women with magical powers. Because she specifically sought sanctuary, she is bound to this academy for three years, during which time she will study and learn more about magical ways. But there are rules that she must follow, or her residency will be terminated. If she breaks these rules, then she will be turned out and gradually lose her magical powers and ultimately her life. The young women at the academy are forbidden to interact with the young men across the way at the Embers Society who are training to be alchemists and engineers; these young men are the ones who bring the steampunk element to this story, as they make magical mechanical objects and other things. One of the graduates of the magical academy has been working in secret with these young men and encourages the heroine to do so. She does not want to break the rules because of the dire consequences, though she feels like she knows one of the young men.
This novel has some elements that we often see in magical academy books. For instance, there are rivalries between the girls, one particular bad seed, and a pecking order. The headmistress of the school is at times a bit of a terror, but she does have the girls’ best interests at heart. I was quickly swept up in this world and was fascinated by the way that magic worked in its universe as well as the way the steampunk aspect was incorporated in. If you enjoy books about magical academies, you may very well enjoy this book.
The Last Descendent by Kristina Kairn
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
The Last Descendent*
Wasn’t Expecting a Vampire Story
I chose this book at my favorite book review site because it appeared as though it was going to be a medical thriller, which I do enjoy on occasion. While it has both medical and thriller aspects, it is more of a vampire story, which is something I didn’t quite glean from the book description. In general, I’m not really a fan of vampire stories. It is just not my jam. This book is more complex than many of the independently published books of this subgenre. I didn’t like the profanity (a personal thing) or the way that vampirism was sexualized. The latter was a little creepy at times, even right at the beginning. It was interesting, though, to watch the heroine try to figure out not only her task before her in her new job but also what is truly going on at the clinic and with those whom James knows. Things and “people” are not always what they seem. There is a complex cast of characters with a deep history that is slowly revealed. If you enjoy the vampire subgenre, you will most likely find this thriller something you can sink your teeth into. Yup, I went there!
Jamie Brydone-Jack
Reader, Editor, Writer
I’m an avid reader, for both fun and work/business. I enjoy a wide variety of books, including literary fiction, romance, thrillers, cozy mysteries, and fantasy for fiction and history, contemporary issues, philosophy, music, medicine, and cookbooks for nonfiction. I’m a freelance copyeditor who also does beta and alpha reading. I have two websites that are all about romance and mystery. You can also follow my reviews at Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub.
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