Review: Taming 7 - Book #5 Boys of Tommen Series - Chloe Walsh - April 2024 Right, settle in with your favourite cuppa, get cosy on the sofa, and let me tell you about the book that absolutely wrecked me in the best possible way. Taming 7 has been on my most-anticipated list for what feels like forever, because if you've been following along here at The Phantom Paragrapher, you'll know that Gerard "Gibsie" Gibson has had a very special place in my heart since the moment he first bounced onto the page. And let me tell you  Chloe Walsh delivered, and then some. OMFG, my heart was breaking from page one and it did not let up. Gibsie. Our lovable, chaotic, endlessly funny Tommen boy. The class clown. The lad who could make you snort-laugh in the middle of a tense scene and then leave you absolutely floored two pages later. From the very first chapter, Walsh strips back that cheeky, irreverent humour to reveal what so many of us suspected was lurking underneath , a deeply...

Review: June First - Jennifer Hartmann - May 2022 There's something special about settling into your favorite reading spot with a chunky book that you just know is going to wreck you in the best possible way. For me, that's usually the bus—my sacred space where I can lose myself completely in a story without interruption. When I picked up June First by Jennifer Hartmann, I knew I was in for exactly that kind of read. Jennifer Hartmann has become one of my go-to authors for a reason. She brings this raw edginess to her new adult romances that keeps me coming back, and this book absolutely delivered on that promise. The story opens with six-year-old Brant and his best friend Theo, two little boys living next door to each other with their whole lives ahead of them. Then tragedy strikes—Brant's parents are killed, and he moves in with Theo's family just as baby June arrives home from the hospital. From that very first moment Brant lays eyes on her, she becomes his light i...

Review: Inspiring You - Book #4 Unraveling You Series -Jessica Sorensen - July 2015 When nothing seems to work and click with you in the world of books, I find having a few authors sitting on your Kindle as these are the ones that you know you will have no problem getting into as everything they write is right up your alley and you are bound to enjoy them. For me, one of those authors is Jessica Sorensen. Inspiring You is Book #4 in the Unravelling Series and is the continuation of Ayden and Lyric's story. They are preparing with their band to go on tour, but of course, it's not all sunshine and roses as Ayden's sister Sadie is still missing and the cult is still sending their threats this time hitting closer to home by threatening Lyric. Ayden is the key to finding Sadie and the cult, but only if he can remember which leads him to take a risky therapy treatment - but will it cause more damage than helpfulness? We read the return of Sadie, but will she be open to coming ...

Review: Rowdy - Book #5 Marked Men Series - Jay Crownover - October 2014 Bus rides are great for reading, especially if you are like me and can read on a moving object. I was scrolling through my Kindle Paperwhite trying to decide what to read and thought I would take a walk down memory lane back into the world of Marked Men by Jay Crownover. I have read some of this series and her others years ago and loved them. These were the books of the world of New Adult Romance before the market got saturated with self-publishing. This was the beginning of a world where I found that books had just that something little extra about them. The book starts with the first # meeting of the two main characters Salem and Rowland aka Rowdy when Salem is 15/16 and Rowdy is 10/11 years old. Salem had to escape the small town and so she left behind her sister Poppy and Rowdy. Now years later, the two have ended up in the same place a tattoo studio called Marked Men run by Nash. Salem has been offered the ro...

Review: Marple - Twelve New Stories - Anthology - Various Authors - September 2022 In the realm of classic detective fiction, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple stands as an enduring icon, captivating readers for generations with her keen intellect and unassuming demeanor. Now, in a delightful homage to the Queen of Mystery, twelve remarkable authors come together in a brand-new collection of short stories, each featuring the legendary sleuth, Jane Marple. As a fan of Agatha Christie's work, I found this collection to be an absolute delight. From the moment I cracked open the book on my bus journey from Auckland, I was transported into a world of intrigue and suspense. Purchased from Mighty Ape New Zealand, it proved to be the perfect companion for a leisurely commute. What sets this anthology apart is the diverse array of voices that reimagine Miss Marple through their own unique perspectives while honoring the timeless essence of Agatha Christie's original creation. From the a...