Daylily ~ Review

Daylily: A Snow White Retelling

A Garden of Fairy Tales

By Madeline Kersberger

Daylily is the princess of Blumen who spends much of her time among the castle's gardens. She has skills with a needle and has her looks to recommend her. But she knows she has little to offer besides her beauty, and her stepmother has decided the best way she can serve her country is by marrying as soon as possible. The first potential suitor is tolerable and, with time, could prove to be something more.

When tragedy strikes and Lily is forced to flee, she is forced to become someone with more substance. She must find a strength she never knew she possessed to survive and reclaim her rightful place. With a small contingent of loyal servants and soldiers willing to protect and give their lives for her, she must fight for what is hers.

I really enjoyed the first release in the Garden of Fairy Tales collection, which retold Snow White. The writing was engaging, and the characters came to life throughout. I recommend this book for tweens/teens and up. Overall, this is a clean read with some violence because battles are never friendly. I loved seeing Lily's growth and would love to step into this world again if given the opportunity. 

About the Book:

Amid tragedy and betrayal, will Daylily find her true worth?

Daylily, the undeniably beautiful princess of Blumen, is unprepared when her family is betrayed. Finding herself thrust into a role she never expected to take, Lily must dig beyond the beauty she was taught to treasure and find the strength to meet the challenges she faces.

Perfect ~ Review

Welcome to the Blog Tour for 

Perfect by Kimberly Keagan, 

hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Perfect
Hearts on Display #1
By Kimberly Keagan

William Walraven's life isn't as perfect as it looks. His father has unreasonable expectations. His financée has decided there are better marriage choices to be had among the English aristocracy. Add to that a tight timeline to open a new department store in New York, and you have a life that is rather messy. But it is all about appearances.

Will never expected was to find his attention diverted by a bookshop owner. Ivy King's bookshop is struggling. Since her parents' unexpected death two years ago, running the shop has been a struggle. Ivy is up for the challenge, but she doesn't know how they will make it with a department store opening up just two blocks away. She also never expected to find herself enjoying the attentions of a gentleman from Philadelphia. 

This was a lovely read, featuring a touch of mystery, some romance, and interesting family dynamics that all come together to create a compelling story. The title 'Perfect' is fitting, as both Will and Ivy are trying to find their perfect lives. For Will, it means finding affirmation from his father, which, of course, involves sacrificing his hopes and dreams for the family business. For Ivy, perfection seems to be an unachievable goal, at least in the eyes of society.

The two are perfect for each other, but many obstacles stand in their way. The most important thing both must realize is that worth is found in God, not in the world. No one can measure up to the expectations of human perfection, so we should not make this the focal point of our lives.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               About the Book

Title: Perfect
Series: Hearts on Display #1
Author: Kimberly Keagan
Publisher: Ventana Publishing, LLC
Release Date: May 6, 2025
Genre: Historical Romance

In the glittering era of the Gilded Age, the heirs of Philadelphia’s Denwall Department Stores navigate family expectations, relentless ambition, and unexpected love. 

William Walraven’s picture-perfect life is turned upside down when his fiancée jilts him for an English aristocrat and his father refuses to name him as his successor. To prove he’s worthy of leading Denwall Department Stores, Will must open their first New York store under budget and before the Christmas shopping season. 

Overwhelmed by disappointment and a nearly impossible deadline, Will has no time for distractions—especially not the captivating bookseller he saves from being crushed by a beer wagon. 

Ivy King and her aging grandmother are barely keeping their struggling bookshop afloat. Though drawn to the charming, enigmatic man who saved her life, Ivy has no illusions about her place in the world. It certainly isn’t beside a department store heir whose dazzling emporium threatens to close her family’s business. 

Brought together in the wake of an attack on Will’s brother, Will and Ivy find themselves at a crossroads—torn between the expectations that define them and a future neither expected.  

Perfect is a clean, wholesome historical romance featuring opposites-attract tension, class differences, a touch of mystery and humor, and an inspirational journey of faith and love.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

---

About the Author

Kimberly Keagan discovered her love for romance novels at thirteen, often choosing a book over chores. She believes there's nothing like being transported to another time and place to find a happily ever after.

Kimberly is blessed to have her own handsome hero husband and two wonderful children. After earning a degree in accounting, she enjoyed a career in investor relations, writing financial reports and press releases—terrific jobs, though not very romantic. Now, she's pursuing her dream of writing historical romance. Her short stories have been published in Spark Flash Fiction and Short Fiction Break. Kimberly's debut novel will release in 2025. When not reading or writing, Kimberly enjoys baking, gardening, watching sports, and researching her family tree.

Connect with Kimberly by visiting kimberlykeagan.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.

---

Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will receive a “Perfect” Tea Time Bundle which includes a lovely tea set, a signed copy of Perfect, and other cozy reader treats—like a candle, stickers, coaster, and bookmark!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 6, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 13, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

---

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Release Day! Golden Lotus is Now Available

It's Release Day!

 Golden lotus is now Available!

eBook cover

Hardcover

Paperback and Large Print editions coming soon!

She can never leave her home.
He must battle a forever winter to save her.

Years ago, Mala sacrificed everything, including her freedom, to become the guardian of a concealed glen and the golden lotus sheltered within its spring. Confined to this concealed glen, she is isolated from the outside world until someone breaches its boundaries.

Abandoned by his mother, Thorn found a sense of belonging in his grandmother's loving embrace and his friendship with Mala. A friendship that can only be experienced while he sleeps.

A forgotten evil, driven by jealousy, seeks to take over the world by attacking the spring and unleashing an unending winter on everyone. Standing in the path of this evil is Mala, who has no idea of the danger she is facing.

Now Thorn's unique bond with Mala might be the world's last hope for survival. But in this race against time, he must face winter's raging elements. Can he break Winter's deadly grip, saving the woman he loves, and enable a rebirth only Spring can bring?

Golden Lotus is a combined retelling featuring tropes such as good vs. evil, the chosen one, the hero's journey, perilous quest, self-sacrifice, friends-to-lovers, and the power of love.

Spring has sprung with these seven swoony sweet retellings. Each novella finds its happily ever after amidst themes of rebirth, hope, and new life. Each book is fully independent and can be read in any order.

Golden Lotus, an origin story of the House of Sorah, is set in the same world as Arabella's Song but hundreds of years earlier. It can be read as a standalone title.

Available on Amazon!

Click here to buy it on Amazon

Shadowless ~ Review

Shadowless

By Alison Robinson

Published by Village Editorial

When souls are split in two, the truth might shatter everything.

This book has an interesting premise: everyone, except Rowena, shares their soul with a magical animal companion called a Shadow. Rowena has a companion, but it is not like everyone else's. No, hers is silent and powerless, and it isn't an animal. If the wrong people learn about her, it could cost her her life. Because of this threat, her father has kept her isolated and hidden away. But when Penalynn Graft, an outcast Scholastic, moves into the area, Rowena's life changes (she becomes Penalynn's apprentice and begins venturing into her village). 

Everything seen through Rowena's point of view is flavored by her magicless existence, her father's fears, and her intelligence. I love how she grows once she is no longer isolated. But there are secrets Penalynn is keeping, secrets which have a huge bearing on Rowena and every magic-using human in the world.

This book most definitely leaves things in such a way that I want a sequel as soon as possible. I also feel that this is one of those books I'll want to reread, looking for hints I may have missed the first time. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

In a kingdom where souls are bound to magical animals called Shadows, Rowena’s Shadow is a ghost—silent, powerless, and a death sentence if anyone finds out.

The citizens of Wyre share a soul with their Shadow, a supernatural animal companion that gives them the ability to perform magic. But Rowena was born with a ghost for a Shadow, incapable of magic and marking her as a dangerous anomaly. Her superstitious neighbors would say she must be reported to the king (and executed for good measure!). And they would if they knew she existed—but they don’t.

Hidden from the world with only her father and ghost for company, Rowena’s made the best of her secret life. She fills her days tinkering, inventing, and longing for the magic everyone else has.

When Penalynn Graft, a disgraced Scholastic who refuses to use her own Shadow’s magic, is banished to Rowena’s city, rumors swirl about her rebellion.

Both Rowena and Penalynn are outcasts: one hidden, one exiled. Both are cut off from magic: one by birth, the other by choice.

Together, they could unearth the truth about the bond linking humans to Shadows, which, until now, has been lost under a veil of ancient mythology.

But in a world where souls are split in two, the truth might shatter everything.

With the stakes of The Golden Compass, the thrilling action of The Wingfeather Saga, and the heart and spiritual depth of the Chronicles of Narnia, Shadowless is a gripping fantasy tale that will captivate fans of epic adventures and magical worlds.

⇒ Giveaway – (1) winner will receive a signed hardback edition of the book and a $20 Amazon Gift Card! US only. Giveaway ends on May 13, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET.

Link for the Instagram giveaway is https://www.instagram.com/p/DJTETUqNmSw/

Golden Lotus - Full Hardcover Wrap Revealed

 I have the full cover wrap for the Golden Lotus 

Hardcover Special Edition to share.

The Special Edition is publishing on Saturday, May 10, 2025.

Extra chapters and more in this book.

If you are a digital fan the ebook is still available at a reduced preorder price.

The eBook releases on Friday, May 9, 2025.

Preorder and start reading on Friday.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DQM5K88W?

Two Seconds Too Late ~ Review

Two Seconds Too Late 

Jeopardy Falls #2

By Dani Pettrey

Riley MacLeod and her brothers have worked hard to put their past behind them. She works as a skip tracer for the family's investigation business and is good at what she does. However, at times, her actions drive fellow investigator Greyson Chadwick to distraction. He worries she could get herself killed. 

When a key is delivered to Riley, things start happening. She and Greyson are asked to discreetly investigate the disappearance of a woman from a couple's retreat. But what they uncover is more than they were expecting. Now, someone wants to ensure they don't have a chance to uncover the truth. But to expose it, Riley must revisit her past, something she never wanted to do.

Now, Riley and Greyson are racing against time to stop a killer before he finds them first. Then, there are those feelings they have developed for each other that must be dealt with. Unless her brothers get in the way, being older and protective of her. And then there is that whole not getting killed business.

Fans of Dani Pettrey's previous works will not be disappointed. The suspense will keep you reading way too late, so plan to take a vacation day soon. Once you start reading, you won't want to put this one down. Did I mention romance? Because there is that. Two Seconds Too Late can be read and fully enjoyed even if you have not read the first book, One Wrong Move. 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion.  All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

A missing woman. Two hit men. When every second counts, who will survive?

In the stark but beautiful wilds of northern New Mexico, a luxury spa and couple’s retreat turns into a chilling nightmare when a woman vanishes without a trace, just hours after a public fight with her boyfriend. Worried something sinister has happened, her friends reach out to investigator Riley MacLeod, an expert skip tracer, for help. The assignment means going undercover at the retreat, which means pairing up with private investigator Greyson Chadwick. Their partnership ignites a tumultuous mix of attraction and distrust as Riley’s unorthodox methods clash with Greyson’s meticulous approach.

As they delve deeper into the case and a ruthless hitman is unleashed upon them, Riley and Greyson find themselves fighting not only for justice but for their very survival. Staying one step ahead of danger, the pair discovers a hidden truth that rocks them to the core. In their race against the clock, they can only hope that they’re not too late.

With her signature pulse-pounding twists, Dani Pettrey weaves a gripping tale of love and survival in the face of unimaginable danger.

Find online at Baker Publishing Group or  Goodreads 

Arbor Day bookish recommendations

 Wishing everyone a Happy Arbor Day.

Thinking about books with trees,

I had several come to mind.

The first being

The Lord of the Rings,

specifically The Fellowship of the Ring.

I am referring to the Party Tree and Bilbo's birthday celebration.

The second was from

George MacDonald's Phantastes,

which had the first sentient trees

from which Tolkien was inspired to create the Ents.

Also part of Lord of the Rings,

but from the Two Towers 

and Return of the King.

If you have never read MacDonald's works of fantasy,

this is an interesting introduction to him.

But I would recommend At the Back of the North Wind

as your first introduction to George MacDonald.

It is my favorite of his novel length fantasies.