The Gladiator and the Guard, by Annie Douglass Lima

I had the opportunity to be a beta reader (early critiquer) on this novel and the last one. I normally read contemporary romance or regency novels, so this is not my normal genre. Having said that, I really loved the fight scenes and the drama involved with being unjustly accused of a crime and fighting for survival. I think I prefer it to book one, the Collar and the Cavvarach. Although they build on each other, you could read this as a stand-alone and be just fine.

Can't wait for the next one. This series (The Krillonian Chronicles) would be great for just about anyone who can handle serious themes and some battle violence, but especially for middle grade or older boys who like to read, but have a hard time finding something that's doesn't have angsty romance. The book is currently .99 for Kindle, although that may be a limited time introductory price. It's a worthwhile read.

Love Unfeigned, by Nadine C. Keels

I received a free copy of Love Unfeigned in exchange for an honest review.

Lorraine is pulled out of traffic by a familiar face...
I have to admit that the first section before the flashback was confusing, especially as I was not yet acclimated to the writer's style, but I soon found myself amazed and did not want to put this down. The author did such an good job of developing her characters and moving through time, from elementary school to adulthood. If the author left out a detail, you soon realized it was a clue that came up later and took you by surprise as it unfolded. Her style of writing is so unique and descriptive and felt so realistic. The novella reads almost like memoir. Totally unforgettable. Loved it. As for content, this is a romantic, clean read, but with high school gossip about sex and a bit of violence. In my opinion, appropriate for 16+. 99 cents for Kindle and well worth it.

Pippa of Lauramore, by Shari Tapscott

I enjoyed this tale about a rebellious princess full of adventures, handsome princes and hard choices. This is my preferred Fantasy genre. I had to get used to the present tense (ala Hunger Games), but otherwise really enjoyed it from start to finish. Very clean, very fun, romantic and interesting. Clearly there will be other books written now that the author's created this world, and if I had my say, I'd like to hear more about Lord Rigel, hint hint. 99 cents or free to borrow with Amazon Prime. Recommended.

Proper Attire: A West Indies Proper Romance, by Danielle Thorne

I must say that I loved this book. I saw it mentioned in a tweet and tried a sample and was hooked. Being 99 cents helped too. I did not hesitate to buy it once I'd read the sample and I wasn't disappointed once I'd finished. This was a magical mix of regency and pirates, set in the West Indies. I've read one other book by Danielle Thorne so I knew she'd be great when it comes to island locations and sea life. The action and adventure portions were great, the romance was better (while remaining squeaky clean), and was just overall good fun. A definite recommend.

Zoe, Undead, by J.R. Knoll

I hate horror movies and I'm not really into science fiction, but I have to admit that I have a soft spot for zombie stuff. Yes, it's sad, but true. And I decided to give Zoe, Undead a 99 cent chance. This book, and its sequel Zoe Undead 2 were pretty entertaining I must say. They need a good editor in a bad way, but I thought the plot and military stuff and the way they kept me wanting to know what happened was pretty brilliant. The main character is an autistic teenager, making this a unique way to approach the genre. The author is a guys, guy. Heads blow off and he talks about girls the way a guy does. Recommended for fellow zombie lovers like me. 99 cents or free to borrow with Amazon Prime.

Book Sale

Clean Indie Reads is having a huge sale October 5th - 11th. There are lots of free and 99 cent books (including mine) There are so many that it might take a minute for the page to load. I plan on reading as many as I can and hopefully I can recommend some here if they're really good. Here is the sales link: http://arcaniarts.com/index.php/fall-clean-book-sale