Reviews

Return to Abundance: The Abundance Series: Book 2

I took a return trip to Abundance, TX in an ARC of Return to Abundance, the second standalone book in the Abundance series written by Shanna Swenson, and was not disappointed in my visit. Shanna has written another amazing story with the characters we first met in Abundance: An endearing romance novel. The MC’s Nate and Jordan, whom we previously and briefly met in the first book, pull at every heart-string you have as they both battle their demons while trying to find a way to love not only each other but themselves, flaws and all. Several of the characters from the first book make an appearance, and there is nothing I love more than an update of past book loves. This book felt more personal than the first Abundance, and after having gotten to know Shanna on a personal level, I could feel her coming through in her writing. Writing from personal experience can be a challenge, but Shanna does it in a way you can experience what she went through without having the focus taken away from the story. I would highly recommend “Y’all” take a mini vacation to Abundance and get to know all these flawed, lovable, and relatable characters, you won’t be disappointed.

Hunted in the Valley (Old Sequoia Valley Book 1)

Let me start by saying this book is out of the box for me. I wanted to read more indie authors and picked Hunted in the Valley (Old Sequoia Valley # 1 ) to get the indie ball rolling. Having said that, I loved this book! The writing style has an old world feel to it without being pretentious. The character development is superb and visual description is fantastic. This story has so many aspects and details, but C.R Pugh does a fantastic job creating a plot that is easy to follow. I found myself wishing this was a movie because she painted such a clear picture of the locations and environment in the book. And honestly, this could be a movie, its that well done. I can’t wait to read the second and am anticipating where it (and the third) will take me next. It had some similarities to the Divergent series, but was a better read, in my opinion. This book had it all; mystery, adventure, excitement and even my favorite, love. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA, dystopia, fantasy, romance, and mystery…pretty much anyone who reads!

Pomegranate

Pomegranate was an absolutely fabulous book! Nicole does a beautiful job of taking characters we have all heard of and may even know some things about and makes them fresh and new. The twist of a female Hades and her journey to becoming the King of the Underworld is captivating, relatable and endearing. The love stories throughout are intriguing and will keep you reading from the very beginning. She also brings so many people/creatures from Greek mythology into this story, and the amount of research she must have done is astounding. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Greek mythology, romance, suspense, and well-written books. I can’t wait for more from this author.

Escape From Abundance

The Abundance Series Book 3

I took a trip to my favorite vacation spot Abundance TX in the third installment of the Abundance saga (however there is a free prequel available on Shanna’s website that is the perfect start to the series) following the Kinson/Cameron clans and some friends we’ve met along the way. This book is a little different in the fact that it is written 14 years after the second book takes place and follows Dallie who we fell in love with as an adorable four-year-old with a special gift when it comes to horses as she navigates becoming a woman and all that entails. As Dallie prepares to leave her home and loving, supportive family for the first time to attend college, Dallie faces all the doubts and fears of the unknown.  It’s the summer before her first semester when Cole Callahan arrives at Kinsen Ranch looking for work and hiding a secret. Jack Kinsen, Dallies dad decides to give the young drifter a chanceand allows him to work, and live on the Ranch. With this one decision, he sets in motion a love story he never saw coming and would do anything to stop. Cole is drawn to the pure goodness in Dallie, something he has never experienced before. Dallie sees nothing but potential in the quiet stranger whom she believes has a heart of gold. While dealing with her feelings about leaving home, she now has to understand her growing feelings for this enigmatic man who she can’t stay away from and what that means for her future. In true Shanna Swenson fashion, nothing comes easy, and the twists and turns keep your fingers flipping pages.  Shanna’s descriptions and settings are beautifully written, and if you’ve read her work before, you know a good love scene is never too far away.  Sweet and sexy. Romantic and thrilling. Family and friends and all the love you can handle. This and more is what you can expect from a trip to Abundance.