Book Review: Beginner's Guide to Whiskey: Traditions, Types, and Tastes of the Ultimate Spirit by Sam Green

Beginner's Guide to Whiskey: Traditions, Types, and Tastes of the Ultimate Spirit is a nonfiction book by Sam Green. It shares whiskey's rich history, the detailed process from grain to glass, the main types of brown liquor, and, of course, the fine art of savoring handcrafted whiskey. 

Beginner's Guide to Whiskey is an accessible guide to the history, varieties, making, drinking, and meal pairing of whiskey. I have been fascinated by whiskey for years, but am not a big drinker and have been intimidated by the varieties with no clear idea of where to start exploring whiskey without wasting time or money. This guide explained the differences between how the difference types are made, and in turn how they vary in taste. I really liked the charts at the end of each chapter giving some suggests as to where to start and what they each taste like. Making cocktails, and pairing drinks with food are covered as well, which I found helpful. I think i specifically liked the accessible narrative tone of the writing, and the reassurance that there is no wrong way to drink whiskey. Drink what you like, responsibly of course, and enjoy it. Neat, on the rocks, with water, or as part of a cocktail- the important part is finding what you enjoy and doing so is what matters.

Beginner's Guide to Whiskey is a well written, researched guide with suggestions that have put a few things on my mental shopping list.

Book Review: Savage Hunger (Savage) by Lisa Renee Jones

Savage Hunger is the first book in the Savage trilogy by Lisa Renee Jones. Rick Savage, but they call him Savage and for a reason. He can make you laugh and then rip your heart out. No one knows that more than me, Candace Marks, the woman he left bleeding from the heart. I loved him. Lord help me, I’ve never stopped loving him. Now, I’m engaged to another man, a brutal man I’m trapped into marrying, when to my shock, Savage returns home. Savage who I haven't heard from in years. I want to hate him. I have ever reason to hate him, but I can’t. I still love him and I fear he will save me just to leave me bleeding one last time. He stirs my desires, a dark, delicious, and dangerous man destined to hurt me and leave me. This time I’m not sure I'll survive.

Savage Hunger is a book that started off checking off all the right boxes. The characters were are multidimensional and the second chance aspect and danger were well played. I liked the secondary characters, which fans of the author will recognize from the Walker series. The chemistry level was high, and there was a good balance of sweet and intrigue. However, I was not aware going in that this was not going to be the start of the story. I felt like just when things were starting to click into place and I was really rooting for our couple, and considering finding the other series because I like the secondary characters, the book ended. Not at a happy for now kind of spot, but at the start of an action scene! If the description had warned me, or maybe if I had read the related series, I might have been prepared, but I was not. So, I highly recommend that you pick up the whole series and have the next ready to go if you are going to read this. Now, you have been given the warning I was not. It rather ruined some of my good feeling toward the book and left me a bit frustrated. 

Savage Hunger is a book with plenty of angst, but it is just the start of this couple's story. Be prepared with the following books, or the need to find them.

Early Book Review: The Ultimate Survival Guide to Bedtime Monsters by Mitch Frost, Daron Parto

The Ultimate Survival Guide to Bedtime Monsters is a picturebook written by Mitch Frost and illustrated by Daron Parto. It is currently scheduled for release on May 1 2020. Do you lie awake at night worrying about monsters? Donut monsters? Blue monsters? DANCING ROBOT MONSTERS?! Then this is the book for you! Follow these ten easy steps and you'll never be bothered by monsters again. Not even carrot monsters. Perfect for anyone, big or small, who's ever been afraid of what might be lurking under the bed.

The Ultimate Survival Guide to Bedtime Monsters is a fun and brightly illustrated picturebook giving young readers a set of steps to feel a little safer at bed time. I liked the illustrations quite a bit, I thought that the attention to detail and the humor on each page added a great deal to the story. The text offers them suggestions like brushing their teeth because monsters hate minty fresh breath, and keeping their room clean because then there is no where for the monsters to hide. Not all of the suggestions are quite so aimed at good bedtime routines, one suggests surrounding yourself with your favorite stuffed animals and toys, because monsters do not like crowds. I thought the book was cute and might be just what some youngsters need to help them settle in to bed a bit easier. 

Early Book Review: Cursed (Fairy Tale Reform School) by Jen Calonita

Cursed is the sixth book in the Fairy Tale Reform School series by Jen Calonita and is currently scheduled for release on May 1 2020. I do recommend reading the series in order to understand what is going on and the relationship details. In fact, having read the previous books and the two books in the spin off series, it took me a bit to remember important details and figure out where we had left off.

The evil Rumplestiltskin is planning to cast a curse that will erase Enchantasia as the world knows it, and a fairy prophecy declares that Gilly Cobbler will play a key role. Never one to shy away from adventure, Gilly and her friends embark on an epic, swashbuckling journey to stop Stiltskin from getting the ingredients he needs before it's too late. Gilly can't help but wonder if it's already too late for her beloved sister, Anna, who's still a member of the villainous Stiltskin Squad, and will seemingly stop at nothing to thwart Gilly and her crew. Only by harnessing the skills she may have inherited from her fairy grandmother can Gilly stop Stiltskin and reunite her family. But with time running out and her fairy skills lying dormant, does Gilly have what it takes to prevent the evil curse and ensure a happily-ever-after for the Cobblers? Or will she lose Enchantasia and her friends forever?

Cursed brings readers back into the story right in the middle of the action, and there is a great deal at stake. I have to admit that it took me a bit to remember who everyone was and if characters from the cross over series made appearances and where everything stood. But, I did figure it all out and was able to follow the action. Gilly is still trying to figure out her place and what she wants, and still is struggling to let people help her and themselves. The action is almost constant in this installment, which keeps the story moving along. However, it also made the character's actions and decisions feel much more reactionary and less thought out. There was little discussion, thinking things through, and character growth than in the previous books- at least in my opinion. I think fans of the series will want to read the book to see how the larger storyline with Stiliskin and Anna conclude, and I am glad that I read it for that reason. The conclusion was well done, and at wrapped things up nicely, but I was somehow expecting more from the book as a whole. It was good, but perhaps my expectations were sky high because of how much I enjoyed the start of the series, but it was not all I had hoped.

Cursed is a good wrap up to a series, and I think those that are fans of the author will need to read it.

Book Review: Ruthless Bastard (Dangerous Love) by Stacey Kennedy

Ruthless Bastard is the third book in the Dangerous Love series by Stacey Kennedy. While part of a series, and returning readers will get more out of the read than newcomers, it can be enjoyed as a stand alone as well. Bar owner Kinsley Knight knows exactly what she wants: Rhett West. How could she resist over six feet of hard, trained physical perfection? Never mind that she's been in love with the guy since high school, or that she's the "kid sister" of his best friend. Never mind that one unforgettably intense and heated night they shared-and the unexpected consequences. But Rhett can't afford to get distracted by the mind-blowingly hot night he spent with Kinsley, or the insatiable hunger he still feels for her. She's off-limits. Especially now that Rhett's been investigating the members of a vicious biker gang who have invaded his town, and they're intent on putting Kinsley out of business-permanently. Suddenly, all of Rhett's protective instincts have taken over. Because no one threatens Kinsley on his watch. Not now. Not ever. And Rhett's ruthless enough to protect Kinsley no matter the cost. Even if it means risking his heart.

Ruthless Bastard is a good friends to lovers romance, with plenty of danger and heat to keep readers interested. I have not read the previous books, which is surprising since I enjoy the author's style, so I did not have the background knowledge of the characters. However, I think the book does a good job of illustrating the character relationships and dynamics so that new readers would be able to catch up fairly quickly. I really liked Rhett's character and how he was doing his best and wanted to protect those around him, even from himself. I will admit that I was a little annoyed with the descriptions of Kinsley as so 'not like other girls'. She is low maintenance, understands the demands of law enforcement and the military on others, and owns a bar- so clearly different from all the other girls. This is a pet peeve of mine, and it might not even come across this way to others, but it started wearing on me during the read. I did like the arc of her coming together with Rhett, and I liked the mystery and danger involved. Although, I did make several guesses about who was involved with what early on, and was proven right. The clues to this seemed a little too obvious, but I read almost as many mysteries as romances so I am often looking pretty hard for that sort of thing. As a whole I enjoyed the read, but a couple personal preferences made it an okay read rather than the winner that I was really expecting from the author.

Ruthless Bastard is an engaging contemporary romance. Fans of the author and the series will definitely want to pick this one up. 

Early Book Review: The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray by B. A. Williamson

The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray is the second book in a series by B. A. Williamson. It is currently scheduled for release on April 28 2020. While I do recommend reading the series in order, the author does a good job of giving newcomers a starting point, which helped remind this returning reader of what happened so far. 

Heroes never return from adventure unchanged, and Gwendolyn Gray knows this better than anyone. She faces a new darkness within herself—with no help or comfort from her friends Sparrow and Starling. On top of that, the City is only getting worse. When the Faceless Gentlemen return to menace her again, Gwendolyn escapes to the lands of the Fae. But even the dreamlike Faeoria holds dangers that even she could never have imagined. Gwendolyn must learn to master control her magic and manage her internal struggles if she ever hopes to defeat the villainous forces that control the City, find Sparrow and Starling, and save the people she loves.

The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray is a nice second book to a series, and I look forward to what will follow. It took me a few pages to remember which story this was, and who everyone was. However, I really liked that the author gave subtle hints and not so subtle summaries in the story, allowing newcomers to the story to catch up, and those of us with failing memories to remember what we have read previously. I also liked the narration breaking the forth wall, although there might be some readers that do not enjoy that style as much as I do. I thought the action and twists and turns of the plot were very well done, I just wanted to keep reading to see what would happen next. I also liked that none of the characters are perfectly good or evil, they are changeable and imperfect just like everyone in the real world. Gwen continues to grow up, and her realizations about herself, stories, other people, and life in general were engaging and  sometimes hard to read emotionally. I think the book was very well done and look forward to following the story in whatever book comes next.

The Fantastical Exploits of Gwendolyn Gray is a solid middle grade fantasy that will have readers looking for whatever might come next from Williamson.

Early Book Review: Burn Zone (Hotshots) by Annabeth Albert

Burn Zone is the first book in the Hotshots series by Annabeth Albert. It is currently scheduled for release on April 27 2020.

Smoke jumper Lincoln Reid is speechless to see Jacob Hartman among his squad’s new recruits. Linc had promised his late best friend he’d stay away from his little brother. And yet here Jacob is…and almost instantly, the same temptation Linc has always felt around him is causing way too many problems. Jacob gets everyone’s concerns, but he’s waited years for his shot at joining the elite smoke jumping team, and is hoping to honor his brother’s memory. He’s ready to tackle any challenge Linc throws his way, and senses the chemistry between them—chemistry Linc insists on ignoring—is still alive and kicking. This time, Jacob’s determined to get what he wants. Close quarters and high stakes make it difficult for Linc to keep his resolve, never mind do so while also making sure the rookie is safe. But the closer they get, the more Linc’s plan to leave at the end of the season risks him breaking another promise: the one his heart wants to make to Jacob.

Burn Zone is a story that grabbed me from the start, and there is a lot to unpack. Guilt, family ties, and honorable intent are the biggest challenges this couple face, and it is all more than enough. Linc's friendship with Wyatt was not perfect, and had its issues, but Linc wants to keep his promises to him, especially after his death. Having a relationship with Jacob goes against everything Wyatt wanted, but something Jacob and Linc both crave. I really enjoyed getting to know both the characters, and seeing them really get to know each other and trust each other despite the distance they try to keep between them. I also liked the building of the secondary characters, and how varied and multifaceted they all were. I am already looking forward to continuing this series to see more of them.  I also enjoyed that the reactions of Linc, Jcob, and the secondary characters were not always what I would have hoped, they were always in line with the personality of the character, I might not agree but I could always understand how they come to it. I also really appreciated that once they came to the decision to be together and fight for their HEA the work was not done and things did not magically fall into place. Family still needed to be dealt with, the possibilities of mistakes and missteps between them were still there, but they were committed to putting in the time and effort that is necessary for a real relationship rather than the world suddenly aligning and being all glitter and rainbows. The realism of the characters, their personalities, and their struggles just grabbed me and I want more. I am so ready for the next book in the series, and am now going to check out the author's previous books.

Burn Zone is a romance that gave me all the feels, with a nearly perfect blend of heart and heat.

Book Review: The Family We Make by Dan Wingreen

The Family We Make by Dan Wingreen is a contemporary romance. Spencer Kent gave up on love a long time ago. As a twenty-eight-year-old single father with a fourteen-year-old son, Connor, he knows his appeal to the average gay man is limited, and when you factor in his low self-esteem and tendencies towards rudeness and sarcasm, it might as well be nonexistent. But that’s okay. A man is the last thing Spencer needs or wants.Tim Ellis’s life is falling apart around him. After four years of hard work at college, he finds himself blacklisted from the career of his dreams by the professor he refused to sleep with and abandoned by the boyfriend he thought he was going to marry. Even though he was lucky enough to land a job at a bakery, he still feels like a failure.Tim and Spencer’s first meeting is filled with turbulent misunderstanding, but Tim makes a connection with Connor through a Big Brother/Big Sister program, and both men put aside their mutual dislike for his sake. By letting go, they may help each other find their way into a life they never could have imagined.

The Family We Make is a sweet romance that spends as much time on character development as it does the romance. I enjoyed how well developed the major and secondary characters were. I also thought knowing the inner insecurities and anxieties of both Time and Spencer made their relationship and interactions even sweeter.  This book ticked all the boxes for what I enjoy in a slow burn, friends to lovers romance, and a single father romance. I loved getting to know the characters, and thought everything was very well done. However, I have to admit that for some reason I just never connected with the story. At about the halfway point I started to get bored. I kept reading, because I did want to see how it all played out and I wanted to see the HEA- but I caught myself skimming descriptions and Spencer's latest worries until the end. I am not sure if I just was not in the mood for the book or style because I could find nothing actually wrong with the book. It just left me a little uninterested by the end.

The Family We Make is an emotional romance that hits several great tropes, and has very well developed characters. 

Book Review: The Sasquatch and the Lumberjack: Family by Crix Sheridan

The Sasquatch and the Lumberjack: Family by Crix Sheridan is a companion book to Crix Sheridan's The Sasquatch and the Lumberjack. The story continues to grow the relationship between these endearing characters as we meet their big and colorful families as they embark on another adventure! Follow along on their Pacific Northwest adventures as the two friends and their two families merge their growing friendship to become one big and happy family.

The Sasquatch and the Lumberjack: Family has very little text, just the family names for the character that is the focus of the page, such as ma, pa, and so on. The colors and illustrations are bright and fun, with lots to look at on each page. While I think the intent on the lack of text was to appeal to a younger, or easily bored, crowd and to do some basic vocabulary building, I think it slightly missed the mark. I liked the artwork and think many young readers will enjoy flipping through the pages and creating their own details about the characters and adventures. I was a little disappointed since the art on the cover and promise of adventure had me excited to read. 

Book Review: Kakushigoto: My Dad's Secret Ambition Vol. 1 by Kouji Kumeta

My Dad's Secret Ambition Vol. 1 by Kouji Kumeta is a manga style graphic novel. Kakushi Gotou is a single father with a secret: He’s a top-selling manga artist of a raunchy series that perhaps isn’t suitable reading material for his young daughter, Hime. So he does what any doting father would do, he hides it all from her, no matter the hi jinks that ensue!

My Dad's Secret Ambition is a book that hit some really good notes. I liked the single father struggling to do right by his daughter, and the lengths he would go to in order to keep her happy and healthy. The social gaffes and caste of characters were interesting, but I was rarely fully engaged in the story and found myself having to go back to re read or look closer at a picture to decide if I missed something. The artwork style is nice, but it just did not match up with my personal preferences consistently. I did like the personal notes and writings from the author, which put some on the scenes and moments in context and made it more interesting. 

My Dad's Secret Ambition is a good graphic novel, with some really good moments. It just did not wow me after having read some absolutely fabulous ones recently.