Review - The Secrets of Sanctuary by Tara Ellis

Title: The Secret of Sanctuary

Author: Tara Ellis

Series: The Samantha Wolf Series #11

Pages: 

Release Date: May 15th 2019

Format: Kindle Edition

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: The mountains of Sanctuary are hiding a secret...

A camping trip takes an unexpected turn when Sam and her friends encounter some strange things in the woods. An archeological dig near the campground starts off as intriguing, but it's soon apparent to Sam that things aren't what they seem.

With a local legend to unravel, Sam, Ally, and the rest of the gang delve into a mystery that reaches far into the past. Solving it will take more than simply revealing the truth. It'll require a tenacity that only Sam can wield and the help of her friends to see it through to the end.

My Review: This chapter in the Samantha Wolf series see’s Sam, Ally, Cassy, John, Hunter and Lisa visiting a campground in Sanctuary.

This mystery is a crossover with Ms Ellis’ Cozy Mystery series so we see characters from that series in this one also. We meet main characters Ember, Mel and Nathan.

Sam and her friends are holidaying in Sanctuary and just happen to stumble upon a mystery after meeting a Professor who is working on an archaeological dig in the campgrounds surrounding woods after he uncovered an effigy.

While visiting the dig a local shows up and tells the kids about a legend which peaks Sam’s interest but she doesn’t want to get into trouble so she tried to forget about it.

The group invited over the Professor and his students for a camp fire where Hunter reads a story from the book Sam picked up from town and Sam reads a small paragraph to Ally from an interesting chapter while everyone is discussing the effigy, the next morning Sam cannot find the book.

The next day while on a hike Cassy spots two mean ducking into the woods off a small trail so Sam follows them and confirms to Ally and Cassy that she had seen them in the town the day they arrived in Sanctuary.

Surprisingly John and Cassy encourage Sam to continue to investigate the mystery instead of telling her to drop it. Sam is happy that they are with her but she doesn’t want to get into trouble with Lisa.

While at the towns rodeo Sam see’s Malory one of the dig students and she John and Ally follow her and almost get hurt by a bucking horse luckily John pushed the girls out of the way and Ember shows up and is able to stop the horse.

While off for a shower that night the girls see Malory go into the woods so they decide to follow her and they end up on the trail that they saw the two men go down, while watching they see Malory being taken by the men and as they are about to leave to get help Rocky runs off so Sam and Ally go after Rocky while Cassy runs back to camp to get help.

Although Sam and Ally try not to get caught they end up being caught and threatened along with Malory and the local man. Luckily Nathan and the sheriff come to their rescue just in time.

I really enjoyed this crossover and I am hoping for another crossover but mainly a Cozy Mystery one instead of Samantha Wolf but with an appearance from Sam, Ally and the gang.

Currently Reading: Descent by Tara Ellis

Read in 2019: 11/30

Thank you

OMG, I've looking around on the blog as I've been thinking of updating it and I found the comments tab and I never realised how many people have commented on my blog, I never really thought that that many people actually read my blog.

Seeing all these nice comments has made me really want to update my website and step up with my posts again and start posting more of the weekly or monthly posts that I used to do and to get some in touch with some authors for interviews.

Review - To the Dark Room of Souls by David McMullen-Sullivan

Title: To the Dark Room of Souls

Author: David McMullen-Sullivan

Series: Moorehead Manor #3

Pages: 371

Release Date: September 22nd 2018

Format: Kindle Edition

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: The evil that has been trapped in the Moorehead houses walks free, seeking its revenge, and Emily, Adam and Jimmy must fight one last time for their lives.

In order to defeat the black magic, they must trace it to its source, but the trail leads to the greatest evil of all. Are they strong enough to win the battle, or has their luck run out?

My Review: The 3rd and final book in the Moorehead Manor series was great, it focused a lot more on Emily compared to the others which was nice, you can see how much she has grown as a character since book one.

Emily and Jimmy are now married and trying to have a child, they have good jobs and Adam is working as a resident in a hospital while secretly crushing on a classmate.

Emily goes to visit Mr McMannis from book 2 to see if he had any updates on finding the rest of the houses that were cursed, he informs her of one he had found and tells he what he is going to do with that house but she is not happy and she takes it upon herself to destroy the house how she believes it should be done.

While trying to burn down the house she gets stuck inside the house and sees visions and Jimmy and Adam come to her rescue.

While at work in the hospital Adam is tasked to take a body down to the morgue where the dead body comes to life and attacks him.

The three along with Mr McMannis help to get rid of the evil once and for all, while doing so Emily gets visited from a spirit boy who explains why he is there and that something is happening to him and the other child spirits that are trapped, Emily asks the boy to find out anything about the man who trapped their souls.

After sometime Emily is revisited by the spirit boy who she eventually names Daniel who has come to warn her to be ready for some visions. At first these visions come one at a time until asks for them all to come as she does not have enough time if they come one at a time every so often as she needs to find out how to help the trapped souls due to an interfering woman. Emily manages to find the Dark Room of Souls but she also leads the woman right to them.

I am really sad that this series is over and I wished that Mr McMullen-Sullivan had wrote a book about each house but when I asked him why he hadn’t he said that it would just be dragging the story out and he didn’t want his readers to get bored.

I enjoyed this series and I defiantly recommend the series.

Currently Reading: The Birth of Vengeance by P. A. Ross

Read in 2019: 10/30

Review - Sleepless by Melissa Frost

Title: Sleepless

Author: Melissa Frost

Series: Tales from Esteria Book 3

Pages: 71 pages

Release Date: August 8th 2018

Format: Kindle Edition

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: This Sleeping Beauty won't take things lying down...

After being shoved from a high castle balcony into the moat below, Princess Talia searches for the man responsible for saving her from certain death. After much digging, she is surprised to find that her rescuer is none other than an outlaw named Phillip Aurora—an enemy to the crown. Once she tracks Phil to the castle dungeons and helps break him out, the two unlikely allies must band together to take down the crime lord responsible for the attempt on her life.

As the two battle bandits and take on impossible odds together, Talia finds herself falling for the rogue at her side. If they can survive the challenges in front of them, perhaps she’ll be able to put to the test that they aren’t all that different after all. 

My Review: This story was told by a Princess of Esteria named Talia. It is a spin on Sleeping Beauty.

Princess Talia gets pushed from a castle balcony into a moat. The intention was to kill her but she was rescued by a stranger to her but he is actually a wanted criminal and an enemy to the crown Phillip, when Phillip saves her they share a kiss.

Talia falls into a long sleep after the fall and when she wakes she remembers kissing the stranger and she asks her father for the name of the person who saved her so she can thank him personally, he sends her on a wild goose chase so Talia decides to start kissing everyone until she finally finds out he’s being held in the dungeons.

Talia breaks Phillip out of the dungeon and the two team up to go after the person who tried to kill her.

While searching for her attempted killer Talia and Phillip start to fall for each other.

There is a big surprise twist at the end that even surprised me but I liked it.

Sleeping Beauty is my all-time favourite Fairy Tale so when I saw that the third instalment in this series was from Sleeping Beauty’s POV I was a little sceptical but I enjoyed it.

Currently Reading: The Birth of Vengeance by P. A. Ross

Read in 2019: 10/30

Review - Anastasia: Story of an Ugly Stepsister by Melissa Frost

Title: Anastasia: Diary of an Ugly Stepsister

Author: Melissa Frost

Series: Tales From Esteria #2

Pages: 112

Release Date: December 20th 2017

Format: Kindle

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: Anastasia has no idea about the changes that have happened while she’s been away in Germany in a student exchange program. While she’s been studying computer courses and first aid classes, her sisters have been battling mythological creatures from another dimension, and it’s a secret they’re not sharing. Annie feels like she doesn’t know Drusilla anymore. Cinderella has become an invasive presence despite her open hatred of her stepsisters before Annie’s trip. And the new next-door neighbor has edged his way into their lives despite her protests.

Anastasia is determined to get to the bottom of the mysterious events happening around her, but the things she uncovers become more and more shocking. Her crush is from another dimension. Cinderella has a fairy godmother and is on speaking terms with a real, live prince. Gnomes exist and live in her backyard.

What is she willing to risk to open herself up to an unimaginable experience and possibly a romance that’s literally out of this world? Is she prepared to handle the truth and the dangers that come with it? The only thing she knows for certain is that life will never be the same.

My Review: This spin on Cinderella was told by Anastasia one of the ‘evil’ stepsisters. Anastasia ‘Annie’ – Drusilla’s twin sister – has just come back from her time in Germany. Annie is angry with her sister for leaving her stranded at the airport while she was off with Ella.

At first Ella and Drusilla try to keep Annie in the dark about the mysterious portal but she gets suspicious and follows them to see why her twin who she was so close to before her trip is now keeping things from her and why she is now so friendly with Ella but when she finds out their secret she is shocked to say the least.

Annie see’s something strange and she faints, when she is told what had happened her sister explains to her that she kept it secret as she knew she would react that way.

Annie ends up falling for the new neighbour’s younger brother who is just as much a tech geek as she is.

When Annie finds out her sisters secret she joins them on a mission which ends up going very badly for her and her sister boyfriend gets injured.

This story was nice and short, I would recommend it to anyone who has read the first one, loves a quick read and loves Fairy Tales. I cannot wait to see if Anastasia starts to get used to the fighting of magical creatures and if her relationship progresses. I would also like to see if Ella can manage to convince the Prince of Esteria to marry her.

Currently Reading: The Birth of Vengeance by P. A. Ross

Read in 2019: 10/30

Review - Drusilla: Story of an Ugly Stepsister by Melissa Frost

Title: Drusilla: Story of an Ugly Stepsister

Author: Melissa Frost

Series: Tales From Esteria #1

Pages: 139

Release Date: December 21st 2016

Format: Kindle Edition

Buy it: Amazon

Add it: Goodreads

Synopsis: What if Cinderella isn’t the sweet and tortured angel everyone believes? Instead, what if she's the most popular girl at school who is hell bent on making sure her ugly stepsister doesn’t stand in the way of her popularity? A new story unfolds through the eyes of Drusilla...

Being sisters with bright and beautiful Ella is an unending nightmare for Drusilla. That is until the sisters accidentally open a portal to another dimension. The unlikely duo is forced to team up against a swarm of angry sprites, a clan of territorial gnomes, and a few other unlikely creatures. Their new portal comes with a fairy godmother, and there's even a bona fide fairy tale prince up for grabs. It might take impossible odds to bring these two together, but it’s a story that proves even the ugly stepsister can sometimes be the hero.

My Review: As you know I love my spin on Fairy Tales and this one was just as good if not better than other that I have read previously. This spin on Cinderella was told by Drusilla one of the ‘evil’ stepsisters.

After a fight Cinderella ‘Ella’ and Drusilla end up in their back garden when Ella throws a shoe towards the lake at the back of their home in a temper tantrum and accidentally opens up a mysterious portal to another realm that has not been open for a long, long time.

Ella and Drusilla are made guardians of the portal on their side of the portal guided by a fairy godmother that just magically appears whenever the girls are needed to solve a situation. Not only do they get a fairy godmother but they get some of the kings guards come through the portal to help them out. These guards are trained in fighting with one being a tech geek, one being nice and bubbly and the other being very serious.

The two end up fighting sprite’s, helping Gnomes find a new home and more, this task ends up with the two becoming closer and Drusilla more confidant.

Currently Reading: The Birth of Vengeance by P. A. Ross

Read in 2019: 10/30

To Read in May

To keep up with my Goodreads challenge of 30 I have picked 2 books to read this month.

Just because I have set these 2 books for this month I may not finish them as I do beta reading, I have College and I have an essay to do for University.

This month I have picked:

1. Laguna Cove by Alyson Noel
2. In Some Other Life by Jessica Brody