Now in My Bookbag: Devil Creek, by Casey L. Bond

I like this novel about love, heartbreak, and acceptance. Set in rural West Virginia, this story delivers a sense of community, old and new friendships, and the story of unconventional family. It also contains suspense and some violence.

It has lovable characters who face life, the highs and the lows. Aislin, the female protagonist, has experienced a lot of hard knocks. The history of her life includes abandonment, abuse, betrayal, loss, and heartbreak. She works continually to overcome and persevere. Her best friend, Gabe, suffers from a misplaced sense of duty, a tendency to overprotect, and a desperate need to suppress the survivor’s guilt he feels. The other characters are also well imagined and well written.

The plot of the story is very interesting. It contains a lot of different elements, yet remains cohesive throughout. I am unsure, however, about the end of the book. I can’t help wondering if the story resolution might have been better served at the end of chapter 16, then there could be a look a couple of years into the future. However, I am okay with the ending as it is. This is an enjoyable book that I really like. 4 1/5 stars

Now in My Bookbag: A Matter of Forever by Heather Lyons

This book is one of those rare finds. It delivers on my expectations yet completely surprises me at the same time. Lyons manages to explain so many things as she brings conflicts to a head and gives the story a form of closure. After I cried and screamed at my Kindle, I can finally accept the way things had to end.

The overall story arc, from A Matter of Fate to A Matter of Forever, is very complex. The main characters are well developed. The ancillary characters are  fairly developed as well. It may even be possible to write a spin-off series constructed around one or two of them.

Lyons has produced an excellent read in A Matter of Forever. 5 stars

Now in My Bookbag: The Dark Rising by Lacey Weatherford (Of Witches and Warlocks #4)

Having loved the last book in this series, I am disappointed in this one. It lacks the one element that makes the previous books special and strong. The close relationships are very important to the fabric of this series, at least they are for me. The writing is full of heart-wrenching moments, pure evil, and very little happiness.

The book does have a few interesting twists. Meeting Hex is one of the better things in this story. He is a marvelous character who does care a lot about Portia. In my eyes, he provides a bit of the familial closeness missing from this story.

I am afraid that this book does very little to further my enchantment with this series. 3 stars

Now in My Bookbag: The Demon Kiss by Lacey Weatherford (Of Witches and Warlocks)

This is the really good, nerve wracking, completely engrossing follow-up to The Trouble with Spells. It comes complete with detective work, spying and arguing. There is heartbreak, heartache, and loss.

Author Lacey Weatherford does a fantastic job creating a story that is so captivating; it is hard to put down. With revelations at every turn and a very interesting plot, this is definitely a cover to cover read.

There is not a lot of character development beyond what is learned in The Trouble with Spells, and this book is also plagued with the same typo and editing problems. Other than those issues, this is a very good book. 4 1/4 stars.

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Now in My Bookbag: Judgment by S.J. West (Alternate Earth Series #3)

Judgment begins moments after the cliffhanger at the end of Uprising (Book #2). Jess finds herself bereft of all her memories, and is told she is a friend to Lucian. Despite her suspicions that Lucian is hiding something, she does not see an out for herself.

This is where the book begins. Then, West provides action, adventure, and life-threatening confrontations. These plot points are very exciting! The important take-away lesson revolves around working as a team… allowing each person to play the part God meant for them to play. There is also sacrifice, grief, and heartbreak. It is definitely a tear jerking storyline requiring some tissues at the ready.

West really delivers in this final installment of the Alternate Earth series. The book is so enchanting. It is one of those read straight through books: imaginative, creative, well-written and compelling. There were, however, a couple of unresolved questions. Hopefully there will be another series in the future that begins just after Alternate Earth ends.

Judgement is a great ending to a great series. 4 3/4 stars