The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a fascinating book alive with history, folk and fairy tales. I have to admit I am reading these out of order, despite having book one. I was pulled into the book so strongly that I had to read this first. The author had to have done an incredible amount of research to get the details so precise. Written to have taken place in the generation following Genghis Khan it clearly demonstrates life of Russian ladies in Moscow.
This book focuses on the interaction of three siblings, their cousin the ruler of Moscow, the Church and the creatures of golf and fairy tales. The story takes place in a time when magic and the creatures of folk. Tales are diminishing. Those who still believe are seen as, at best, backwards country folk or, at worse, evil destined for Hell. The siblings each portray a major force from that time. The brother is a monk standing for the Church. The older sister, the new ways and traditions. The younger sister, is the old ways.
The writing is a lyrical flow of words. As you read you find yourself expecting to see the various house elves in your home. I can not express how much I loved this book. Even now days after finishing bit of the story pop into my mind. I would recommend this book to all readers.
I chose to review an ARC I won from bookishfirst.

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Slap Shot: Bryant by Alicia Hunter Pace
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Title: Slap Shot
Author: Alicia Hunter Pace
Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖

I just finished this book and I loved it. Any hockey romance catches my attention but the ones that I want to begin again as soon as I finish are few. The characters are well rounded and are ones that the reader can relate too. There were times I wanted to smack some of the secondary characters. This story requires the healing of emotional pain and discovery that guilt just holds pain tight. This story has many deep parts leading it to be more than the standard; hockey player meets non-bunny woman, hockey player must lose the bunnies or lose the girl, hockey player finally gets the girl. This story is a feel good story but also a tearjerker. I was a bit frustrated with the hockey player at times early in the book. His mom needed a muzzle. On the other hand the woman was very self-aware but that awareness didn’t necessarily show in her behavior. Her brother is another that needed a smack upside his head. They are both very human.
I chose to review this book after receiving an ARC from Netgalley. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves hockey romances. It is a bit hotter than a sweet romance but no hotter than the romances I read from age 10 on. Parents should read for themselves and decide based on their child or teen if it is something acceptable for their child to read. This book does deal with some references to past experiences that some people may find triggering but the references are kept brief


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Cloaked in Sorcery by T.F. Walsh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Title: Cloaked in Sorcery
Author: T. F. Walsh
Publisher: Crimson Romance
Rating: 💖💖💖💖

This is my first book by T. F. Walsh and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Being that it is less than 100 pages I should have been prepared for it to end with a cliffhanger. That is really my only complaint about it. It is well edited and proofread, and well written. The characters are well defined and fullblown. The conflict, both the main one and the backstory, are clear and, other than the huge one that I suspect will take many books to resolve, have resolution.
I chose to review this copy that I received from Netgalley. I would recommend this book for new adults and adults


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pounding skin

Pounding Skin

L. A. Witt

Rating:  ✨✨✨✨ of 5 stars

This is book two of a series that combines two of my favorite groups of men, tattoo artists and military men. You don’t need to read the first book to understand this one but I would recommend reading both. I’m going to try really hard to give no spoilers but I loved these books and just have to bite my tongue to not over share.

This is yet another example of Witt’s skill at creating men and stories that you just can’t put down. Her men are not just cookie cutter examples of their groups. She doesn’t back away from including serious issues in her books. Her men are real men not caricatures of gay military and tattoo artists. The only reason I gave this book four stars instead of five was that I liked the characters in the first book better. It is well written, few to no typos and has a great story line.

I would recommend this book to all readers of m/m romance.

I volunteered to write a review of this book after receiving an ARC from Netgalley.