N. M. HowellRezensionen

I loved this story even more because it is true. A talented group has blended their writing, editing, and illustrating talents, creating and publishing a heartwarming children's story.

A mother cat knows one of her kittens is ill and knows a remarkable man in the neighborhood that can help her little one. The introduction was not only a wise choice for the kitten but helped the man too. A new lease on life for both hearts giving the kitten adventures beyond a mother's dreams and giving paw-some company to a long-haul trucker as he travels coast to coast.

The possibilities to open dialogue with children through storytelling are endless…
• Read aloud in a library storytime or children's hospital setting
• A teacher sharing the story with a class
• A guidance counselor sharing the story with a student
• A mother, father, or older sibling reading it to a son or daughter or younger sister or brother as a relative or friend is recuperating from illness
• Independent reading

It's the perfect story to introduce a trucker's life or heal a heart that needs comforting and give a little inspiration to rescue a cat. Some of the proceeds from the book are being donated to Colbert County Animal Shelter in Tuscumbia, Alabama, in Old Trucker Mike's home state. Trucker William Michael Mattingly may be followed on Tik Tok account @old_trucker.

This book is the first book in the Return of the Dragonborn series. I have to admit I was drawn in by the beautiful cover and interesting premise to this story. I ended up being really disappointed in this. It’s a quick read, but the story isn’t very cohesive and doesn’t flow well at all. Dialogue between characters is also forced sounding and awkward.

Andie is starting magic school to learn to control her magic, during this she will need to hide the fact that she is one of the Dragonborn who are thought to be extinct. Andie hopes to find the secrets about the Dragonborn at school.

This book has a neat world and an interesting premise. However it is very poorly written. The story jerks from place to place and the dialogue and language don’t flow well at all. There are a lot of things that are brought up in the story (a mysterious language for one) and then dropped never to be dealt with again in this book.

Technically this is just a poorly written book, there are even places where the wrong words are used for things. At many points I had to go back and re-read to try and figure out how we were suddenly in a different place...usually we were just jumped there with no explanation. Very frustrating read.

Overall not recommended. This book has a neat world and premise, but is just very poorly written. I definitely will not be reading any more by this author.

This was not as silly and frivolous as some witch mysteries in the market. I rather liked the tone and style. There were a few jumps in logic and sudden explanations to fill in holes. The climax was sudden and brief. I would have prefered a lengthier denouement. The criminal was not obvious - I'll have to read it again to see if there were hidden clues other than - he was paranoid about witches.
A good book for light entertainment.
I most probably will read the next in the series to see what happens next - so I guess I am invested in the characters, at the end of the day.

In keeping with my usual happy disregard for order in series, this is #2, and I haven't read #1. Despite that, I was able to pick up enough of what happened previously to follow this story.

Andie (Andryne) is a young woman who is of both sorcerer and dragonborn blood, and has a unique set of abilities. Unfortunately, the dragonborn were nearly wiped out a thousand years ago, and Andie, with her mother dead and her father able to teach her only so much, went off to the University to get as much education as possible.

This lead, due to events in the previous installment, to her being on the scene to help pull the dragonborn and their dragons through the time rift they escaped into those thousand years ago, into the present. After a big battle with the sorcerers, the dragonborn and dragons fled to the mountains, and Andie and her friends and allies fled into the caverns beneath the University. Now they're coming out, and the battle will begin again.

What follows is intrigue, derring-do, adventure, and Andie's painful education in how to be a leader. The University Chancellor has his own evil, nefarious plans, and his own spies and agents inside Andie's friends and supporters. While Andie struggles to bring the dragonborn and the students and fighters who helped rescue them back together, the Chancellor is manipulating even the people who think they're his allies as he works to eliminate not just the dragonborn, but anyone who can challenge his power.

It's an interesting world, with sorcery, technology, and dragons all existing together, and Andie is a likable and suitably heroic young woman. In places it's a bit more tell than show, and in places it may be a bit too unsubtle for the intended young adult audience, but overall I found it very enjoyable.

Recommended.

I received a free electronic copy of this book and am reviewing it voluntarily.

Riley is a vampling, a new vampire not yet fully changed.

Riley doesn't want to be a vampire. She's a vegan.

The vampires found her, wounded and dying, in a field, and decided she was the one they needed to bring their coven up to its regulation twelve members. They saved her life, but she's not sure she's glad they did. She's absolutely determined not to kill human beings to feed.

Her mentor, Draven, is calm and reassuring, and as the vampires' alchemist, he's developed a synthetic fluid that, at least in until she is fully changed, will sustain her. Yet he encourages her to accept the necessity to consume human blood, and her twenty-first birthday, when she must complete the change, is rapidly approaching. As part of the ceremony, she must kill a human being. If she refuses, she'll be executed for breaking the sacred customs of the coven.

Then she meets the handsome and charming Adrian, one of the oldest members of the coven, and figuring out how to stay without compromising her principles looks a lot more tempting.

This is the first installment of a serial novel, and so yes, it ends in a cliffhanger. It also hints at past events that we don't get the full story on, but are likely to learn more about as the story unfolds in subsequent installments. The basic setup is made clear, characters introduced--interesting, likable characters--and the hook well baited for later episodes.

Recommended.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the author, and am reviewing it voluntarily.

Andie, Saeryn, and their friends and allies have won a great victory, but the war isn't over. Ashur has taken the Battalion out of Arvall to recover and plan a new attack. The Church of Sea and Stone is determined to recruit Andie--willingly or not--and make her their leader and tool to conquer Noelle. An old enemy of the dragonborn, an even older line of dragon-descended humans, who call themselves The Beautiful Dead, are determined to destroy the dragonborn and steal their magic.

All three of these enemy groups are joining as allies, at least temporarily cooperating to destroy the dragonborn and their allies in Arvall.

While they are fighting all these enemies, they have conflicts enough among themselves. Andie and Raesh have to work out their romantic issues. Andie and Saeryn have serious disagreements about how to lead their people, and while they both have valid points, they also both manage to be remarkably pig-headed about it. Someone long thought dead returns unexpectedly, and has a new friend that Andie has a hard tome accepting as an ally.

People on both sides keep pulling new tools and magic out of their hats.

It's fast-paced and enjoyable, with likable characters, but it also seems just a bit too simplified, as if the author were afraid to challenge young adult readers too much.

A good, quick read, but don't expect too much in the way of complexity, depth, or challenge.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the author, and am reviewing it voluntarily.

Murder Any Witch Way
Brimstone Bay Mysteries, Book 1
By: Nicole Marie Howell
Narrated by: Angel Clark
This was a fun paranormal mystery. It was a little slow in the beginning but picked up and took off and was great. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. Some of the police procedures were a bit off but yeah, I don't think all cops go by the books anymore... just saying.
The narration was good, easy to distinguish between voices. Good performance.

Shattered Heir: A Reverse Harem Novel (Broken Gods)
by N.M. Howell
I read the updated version of this. Ms Howell updated the version and changed several things that people were not liking. I has partly though the old one and started over and I noticed the difference.
I love all her books and I must say I was not into the original addition. This revised one is much better. I found the character more likable and the scenes more realistic. A touch more romance (I don't care about romance but some do), and it did add a spark. I didn't finish the first version so I don't know what all she changed. I enjoyed the story for the fantasy, adventure, and the characters. Good plot and dialogue.

murder, witches, serial-killer, humor, ghosts, reporter, urban-fantasy

River and her friends are witches in a community that denies the paranormal. She is the youngest reporter on staff of the local newspaper and has a stable working relationship with the mayor and the sheriff. When a traveling spook show comes to town, the first body is found. That's when the girls learn that their landlady has a very good relationship with ghosts. There is plenty of suspense, twists, and other major surprises! It's a very good read!

Fueled by Dragon's Fire (Return of the Dragonborn, #2) by N.M. Howell is book two but could be read as a stand alone. It takes up where book one leaves off. Andie and her followers have now spent eight months in the tunnels of the University hiding from the corrupt and dangerous people that want to kill the dragonborn, which Andie is one of them. Andie and her friends make a daring escape and make it to the dragonborn land to find her people. Unfortunately there is a traitor or two on board and things go awry. Lots of excitement, action, danger, soul-searching, and fantasy. I was given this book to read and the review was voluntary.

This is an interesting novel about a young woman that starts her sorcery classes in "The University" in ultra modern Arvall City where people use cellphones and all of the buildings are made out of glass skyscrapers. While she starts to settle down in Marvo's modest apartment (a friendly longtime friend of her infirm father), she befriends Raesh, a very sweet and seemingly ordinary human that is openly attracted to her. She even befriends Raesh's cousin Carmen who is also a student at the school.

However after seeing some classes where a teacher insults the dragonborn race that she hides deep down in fear of being brutally murdered, she sets off in a perilous journey to learn more about her long-lost heritage and possibly save her people from destruction.

There is a love triangle BTW and I'm certain many readers including myself are not going to like Angie's choice (won't spoil more). However, I enjoyed the book and will be glad to read the sequel if it ever comes out.

I got an ARC for an honest review.

Broken Beloved by N.M. Howell is one terrific fantasy/romance novel. If you love vamps, weres, and a touch of romance then this is the book for you. A wonderful book that had me tearful at times, (which I had to cry!), and smiling at others. I really enjoyed this book.

Marked by Dragon's Blood by N.M. Howell is a tantalizing fantasy about magic, dragons, romance, friendships, and standing up for what is right. I love dragon stories and I especially love them when the dragon is the good guy and the underdog. This book was wonderful characters that are unique and appealing and the plot is full of surprises. Can't wait for book 2!

River is a small town journalist and witch with her roommates. The whole town gets excited when a paranormal festival comes to town. The opening attraction is to be a sure hit. Except there is a glitch in the people department. Seems someone has it in for witches and want them to be the fall guy. A possible suspect is from Boston, and he seems to have suspect habits. It is up to River and her buildings inhabitants to solve the case. This is a great young adult book that will tickle your innards along with your heartstrings. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

N. H. Howell gave me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.