Sydney Winward's Blog, page 21
May 7, 2020
Interview with Author Kylie Malchus
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Kylie, I’m so excited to have you on my blog today! I want to ask you more about your book, Six Wings. I think we can all agree that Reese is adorable in his snarky, sarcastic way. Did his character come out the way you wanted it to? What was your inspiration for him?
Thank you! And thanks so much for having me, Sydney! I think I must have multiple personalities (maybe all authors do 
May 5, 2020
Book Review of Soldier Under the Mistletoe
My Review
I really like the premise of this book. Mallory wants to take over the ranch. Her brother’s best friend, Sam (Maverick), yearns for a life of freedom in the military. How can they overcome their desire and compromise enough to make it work with each other? Not to mention the brother… Will he let his best friend and sister have a future together?
It’s kind of like a Hallmark movie, except one of the good ones. I do feel like it ended way too abruptly, though the author continued it in a second rendition, which I did not like quite as much. And the mistletoe seems like it should have played a big part in the story, but there was no mistletoe. Rather, Mallory kept playfully insinuating that they should kiss under one. But as far as short stories go, I enjoyed reading it. Although I feel like Mallory was more one-dimensional, Sam was written very well, a fleshed-out character with believable motives spurred by a horrific past.
I love that this is a clean, wholesome romance, with a cute love story and great romance scenes. The author definitely left a mystery in regards to the brother, Cash, and his mystery woman. I am interested in reading more of this author’s work.
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FAvorite Quote
She took her scarf from around her neck and tossed it in a loop over his. Used it to reel him in. “We can take things one day at a time.”
“I’ve only got today,” he reminded her.
“Then I guess we’d better make it count.”
Blurb
One night. Make it count.
Mallory Trudeau can manage a five hundred acre ranch. She just can’t seem to break out of the Friend Zone with Sam “Maverick” Dunlop. She knows he thinks of her as Cash’s little sister, but that’s going to change tonight.
It’s just one night. Evade and retreat.
The Cattlemen’s Christmas Ball is one in a long string of reminders that Maverick doesn’t belong in Mallory’s world. He’s got thirty-six hours to report back to his military base. He can make it that long without giving in to the forbidden attraction he feels for Mallory.
He just wasn’t counting on the mistletoe…
May 3, 2020
Book Review of The Eidola Project
My Review
I can’t say a book has ever given me some weird dreams before. The Eidola Project has a chilling mix of supernatural, paranormal, and mysterious elements to the story. The characters were interesting, being introduced one by one and coming together to form a group that exposed the supernatural, whether real or fake.
The ending was completely unexpected, but satisfying all the same. The author certainly has a way with words, as the book is very well-written with suspense glued to each page.
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Favorite Quote
Professor James took his eyes off the test subject for a moment to survey his messy laboratory while he and his assistants waited. He did keep the floor clear, his one concession to his mother’s frequent adage about cleanliness being next to godliness. Were that so, the shelves and glass-fronted cabinets around the room were the devil’s own playground, stuffed to overflowing with papers, books, and the debris from prior experiments.
Blurb
It’s 1885 and a drunk and rage-filled Nigel Pickford breaks up a phony medium’s séance. A strange twist of fate soon finds him part of a team investigating the afterlife.
The Eidola Project is an intrepid group of explorers dedicated to bringing the light of science to that which has been feared, misunderstood, and often manipulated by charlatans. They are a psychology professor, his assistant, an African-American physicist, a sideshow medium, and now a derelict, each possessing unique strengths and weaknesses.
Called to the brooding Hutchinson Estate to investigate a rumored haunting, they encounter deadly supernatural forces and a young woman driven to the brink of madness.
Will any of them survive?
April 29, 2020
Book Review of Flight of the Raven
My Review
Emma’s family curse has transcended generations, killing the woman in childbirth if the child had been conceived without love. Not a single one of her ancestors had survived childbirth, not even her own mother. Despite marrying William, Emma is determined to keep herself alive by avoiding intimacy with him.
The storyline is intriguing, with a bit of mystery weaved throughout the book. I enjoyed the small bits of magic, and I’m especially curious about Wulfstan and where his own story is headed. Great ending! Plenty of action and exciting twists.
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Favorite Quote
William crossed his arms and stared at his brother.
“Really,” Robert continued, “between your fiery temper and that black monster of a horse, ’tis a wonder she didn’t sprint to the top of the highest tower.”
William’s gaze slid to the fire which crackled and hissed in the grate. “She had no fear of Thunder.”
“Ah,” said Robert, “then you’re the monster.”
William ripped his stare from the flames and leveled it at his brother. But a smile tugged at his lips. “Your support overwhelms me.”
Blurb
How eager would the bridegroom be if he knew he could never bed the bride?
Lady Emma of Ravenwood Keep is prepared to give Sir William l’Orage land, wealth, and her hand in marriage. But her virginity? Not unless he loves her. The curse that claimed her mother is clear: unless a Ravenwood heir is conceived in love, the mother will die in childbirth. Emma is determined to dodge the curse. Then William arrives, brandishing raw sensuality which dares her to explore her own.
William the Storm isn’t a man to be gainsaid. He’ll give her protection, loyalty, and as much tenderness as he can muster. But malignant memories quell the mere thought of love. To him, the curse is codswallop. He plans a seduction to breach Emma’s fears and raze her objections. What follows is a test of wills and an affirmation of the power of love.
Reasons Why I Stopped Reading a Series I Loved
The Story Goes on and On. And on.
I love details in books. They are awesome! They really enhance the story. Unless an author goes overboard into drudgery. I made it four books into the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. I loved them so much! And then I just couldn’t do it anymore. The fourth book took forever to read, and I really think it could have been cut in half. I was dreading reading the next one, even though I wanted to find out what happened in the book. Unfortunately, I put the series down and started a new one.
The First Book Was Great! The Second…Bad
Okay, I wouldn’t say it was bad, but it turned me off from the rest of the series. Miss Kane’s Christmas by Caroline Mickelson was so good! It seriously made it near the top of my favorite books. And then I read Mrs. Saint Nick, the second in the series. Holy smokes. I did not like the plot. I did not like the heroine. Things were confusing and rushed, with an unsatisfying ending. I’m still holding onto hope that I will want to delve back into the series, because I heard the rest after the 2nd book are really good.
Too Many in the Series
Does anyone else get overwhelmed when they see a series of around 12 books, each about 600 pages each? I’m talking to you Robert Jordan! And George R.R. Martin! And Terry Goodkind! (Not you, Brandon Sanderson. I love you!
April 25, 2020
Book Review of Transforming Emma
My Review
Emma Wallache fulfills her late mother’s desire of learning the ways of society. After spending a year and a half with her aunt in the city, she returns to her small hometown, new and reformed. Brett Haynes is shocked that the girl he had been in love with had come back a completely different woman. But maybe not quite as different as he originally thought…
I love the way this author writes. The descriptive details put me right there in the story, the plot gripping and making me forget I was reading at all. It was enjoyable to turn page after page, the story not once slipping into boring drudgery. I liked this book quite a lot, and I’ll definitely be adding more of this author’s books on my TBR list.
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FAvorite Quote
“Brett, let me go.” She struggled to break his hold. “I need to be close so Dieter knows I care. I have a responsibility—”
He clamped both hands on her shoulders and eased her around. “No, you don’t. Not if you could be in danger.” He narrowed his gaze and stared.
He seemed to grow taller as he hovered close. She looked into eyes that darkened almost to black and held her in their intensity. His breath wafted hot against her cheek . Her pulse jumped. As he leaned closer, the sunlight disappeared.
“I can’t lose you again, Emma Wallache.”
Blurb
Raised a tomboy on a central Texas ranch, Emmaleigh Wallache returns from a year’s visit during which her Bostonian aunt introduced her to a life of culture—fulfilling her late mother’s wish. Her is intent on marrying her off to the son of a wealthy meat distributor to guarantee the success of his cattle business. Happy for her time spent in society, Emmaleigh struggles to discover where she truly belongs.
Foreman Brett Haynes, who has waited until Emma turned eighteen so he can reveal his caring feelings, can’t believe the changes a year made. Gone is the spunky girl who raced him through fields or swung from ropes over the swimming hole. He has nothing in common with this sophisticated young woman and despairs she is unreachable. Can he remind her of life’s simpler moments and win over the heart he has always thought of as belonging to him?
April 24, 2020
Book Trailer for Root Brew Float
Root Brew Float comes out in less than a month on May 18th! Check out the book trailer and pre-order your copy for only $2.99!
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April 23, 2020
Book Review of Devil’s Food Ripple with a Cherry on Top
My Review
Oh wow, what a fun read! I couldn’t stop turning the pages, eager as I was for more Fenady and Seb. The banter between them was so fun, I couldn’t help but be swept up in the story as it unfolded and the chemistry sizzling on each and every page. Devil’s Food Ripple with a Cherry on Top is hilarious and entertaining. I highly recommend this fun novella!
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FAvorite Quote
“Look.” She spread her hands, palms down, on the counter. “I’m not afraid of competition. But it has to be fair. So long as you’re stealing my creations, there’s going to be hostility, understand? And while there’s hostility, I’m not about to sit sipping wine with you—or anything else.”
One of his eyebrows quirked. The light in his eyes flared. “I didn’t suggest anything else, but—what do you have in mind?”
Blurb
Fenady Clark’s dream of owning an ice cream parlor has inspired her through some of life’s hardest challenges. Just when the grand opening’s within reach, that wicked rogue, Sebastian Bane, opens shop and starts serving Fenady’s designer flavors, all renamed. She suspects he’s using black magic to poach her recipes, and if she weren’t a good witch instead of a bad witch, she’d whip up a spell and retaliate.
Sebastian’s come all the way from England to establish his family’s business near Salem. He can’t explain how he and the lovely Fenady keep creating the same ice cream confections, unless it’s enchantment, or fate. Is there room in town for both their dreams? And what will it take to convince an angry white witch she needs him in her life?
April 22, 2020
My Silliest Pet Peeves
The Sunlight Getting in My Eyes
When I’m driving or the sunlight reflects of my shiny (REALLY SHINY) kitchen floor and gets in my eyes, it makes me so mad! I’d rather my earphones get caught on something and tugged out of my ears lol!
My Waistband Loops Getting Caught on Door Handles
I’m just the right height for my hips and door handles to align. If I had a dollar for every time my waistband loops got caught on the door handle…
Romance in Retrospect
This one is writing related. I recently read a book where all the romantic scenes, sweet and spicy, were told in retrospect. No! I want romantic scenes in the MOMENT! Not reflecting on them after they’d already happened. I see this in books more often than I like. It’s fine to reflect on feelings or back on what happened, but not to skip the romantic scene entirely only to be told in retrospect.
Dog Hair All Over FUrniture
I love dogs. I love cats. I love pretty much every animal there is. But when I go to someone’s house and there is hair all over the furniture and the carpet, it really bothers me! I grew up with animals, so I know how hard it is to get all the hair and keep it away. But it’s a pet peeve nonetheless.
Instagram and Links
I often find awesome posts that have a link pasted in the description, but I CAN’T CLICK ON IT! Anyone else frustrated by this? I can’t copy and paste either. Therefore, I often don’t go to the website because I can’t easily do it on the phone unless the person pasted the link in their bio.
Novella Coming Out May 18, 2020!
Check out my upcoming novella part of the One Scoop or Two Series! Root Brew Float will be released on May 18th, now only $2.99 for pre-order!
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April 21, 2020
Book Review of Lord of Time by Michele Amitrani
I expected this to be a book full of awesome action and epic time lording with sci-fi or fantasy elements, but I’m surprised it turned out to be more philosophical than anything. Lots of deep questions to ponder. Plenty of self-searching and understanding ourselves in the world we live in. Interesting concept. Thought-provoking. It takes me back to my philosophy classes in college.
The author puts his thoughts about the concept of time in fiction form. This was well-written with interesting characters and a twist at the end I didn’t see coming.
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