Saturday, August 23, 2025

📚 Jessica’s Book Rec Hotline – Get a Personal Text Recommendation



Want me to hand-pick your next read? For just $5, I’ll send you a personal text with a recommendation chosen just for you based on your tastes.

No generic lists — just a message from me, your bookish best friend, pointing you to your next obsession. 💌


How It Works

  1. Pay $5 using the button below.

  2. Fill out the quick form so I know what you like.

  3. Within 24–48 hours, I’ll text you a personal recommendation!


✨ Pay Here:

Cashapp: $crossroadreviews

Or you can use PayPal/debit/credit card at this link: Click Here


📋 Tell Me About Your Reading Vibe: 
(Fill out after paying so I can match your rec perfectly)

Email me at: Jessica@crossroadreviews.com 

Subject: Book Rec Hotline 

  • Name:

  • Phone Number (for texting):

  • Favorite Genres:

  • Spice Level: ðŸŒ¶ None / Mild / Medium / Hot

  • Tropes or Themes You Love: (Enemies to lovers, found family, dark romance, etc.)
  • Anything You Don’t Want:
  • Feel Free to Send Me Your Goodreads List as well 


Example of What You’ll Get:

Hey Alex! Since you’re into cozy fantasy with a sprinkle of romance, I think you’ll adore Legends & Lattes. It’s warm, comforting, and will leave you smiling. 📚☕

💡 Pro Tip: If you’re nervous about giving out your real phone number, I can text you via WhatsApp, Instagram DM, or email instead. Please make sure to give me that information when emailing me. Thanks!! 

🚀 Ready to find your next favorite read?




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Disclaimer: "All opinions are 100% honest and my own."  Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information. Buying via these links allows my site to get a % of the sale at no cost to you. 

FTC Guidelines: In accordance with FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers, I would like my readers to know that many of the books I review are provided to me for free by the publisher or author of the book in exchange for an honest review. If am compensated for any reviews on this site I will state that post has been sponsored. 



#BookBlitz: Revelations of His Name by #TerrellaOmana @RABTBookTours


 


Non-fiction, Christian, Self-help

Date Published: January 4, 2025

 


In Revelations of His Names, Terrella Omaña invites readers to explore the profound significance of God's names throughout Scripture. More than just labels, these names reveal God's character, His promises, and His eternal plan for humanity. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, each name unveils a different aspect of God's nature—His holiness, justice, mercy, and love—offering powerful insights into His relationship with His people.

The ultimate revelation of God's nature is found in the name of Jesus Christ. In Him, all the names of God come together, embodying God's power, love, and redemptive mission. The name of Jesus holds the authority to heal, restore, and transform lives, making it the ultimate source of hope and victory.

This book invites you to deepen your understanding of God's character and His work through the names He revealed in Scripture. It is a journey to rediscover the power of these names and how they can strengthen your faith, enrich your worship, and transform your relationship with God.

Friday, August 22, 2025

#BookBlitz: Protopia by @johncalia @XpressoTours #Giveaway

Protopia
John Calia
Publication date: May 15th 2025
Genres: Adult, Dystopian, Thriller

America’s cultural divide turns deadly.

When lifelong friends Olivia and Alexandra find themselves in opposing camps, the bonds of their friendship are tested like never before.

Olivia seeks solace in a socialist utopia that promises protection and belonging, but at what cost?

Meanwhile, Alexandra chases freedom. But can she survive in a community with few, if any, rules?

As their worlds collide and tensions escalate, secrets and lies threaten to destroy the foundation of their relationship.

Can they bridge the gap between them, or will their differences tear them apart forever?

In this gripping tale of loyalty, adventure, and human connection, the stakes are higher than ever. Protopia is a thought-provoking thrill ride that explores the power of friendship in a world on the brink.

If you devour the complex characters of Emily St. John Mandel or the visionary world-building of Octavia Butler, you’ll be captivated by this latest masterpiece by the author of the Amazon best-seller The Awakening of Artemis.

#BookBlitz: Dot Slash Magic by @lizshiptonauthor @XpressoTours #Giveaway $20 Amazon gift card

Dot Slash Magic
Liz Shipton
Publication date: August 19th 2025
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

A new, spicy urban fantasy from TikTokker Liz Shipton, perfect for fans of I am Number Four, Wreck it Ralph and ACOTAR.

What if you wrote a magic computer program? What if that magic computer program started summoning monsters?

When twenty-something coder Seven Jones goes back to school at a community college in San Diego, the last thing she wants is to join some stupid club. And the last thing she expects is to walk into an underground magic club. Like, actual wizards and shit.

Seven reluctantly joins the motley crew of magic weirdos and discovers her own power. But she struggles to control it…until she figures out how to channel her magic through an artificially intelligent computer program.

Unfortunately, there is literally nothing Seven’s new friends hate more than AI, and when a student mysteriously turns up dead, blame falls on Seven. Is her “creepy artificial magic” summoning terrifying creatures to hunt students? Or is someone trying to frame her?

With only one person – cute ex-Navy seal Logan – on her side, Seven fights monsters (Dragon? Check. Kraken? Check) while struggling to convince everyone that her AI has nothing to do with them.

But how can she convince her peers when she isn’t totally convinced herself?

Thursday, August 21, 2025

#BookBlitz: The Archaic Thesaurus by @RABTBookTours #NinaSpinello


 


Rediscover the Poetry of Forgotten Words


Nonfiction

Date Published: July 18, 2025

Publisher: ‎MindStir Media



Step into a realm where language brims with history, elegance, and forgotten magic. The Archaic Thesaurus is a curated treasury of archaic and evocative words, crafted for lovers of language, writers, poets, and seekers of the uncommon. Author Nina Spinello revives the rich textures of English vocabulary with a masterful collection that both enlightens and inspires.

From “abstruse” to “zealous,” each entry is meticulously presented with:

● The word’s pronunciation


● Part of speech


● Concise definition


● A vivid example sentence


● A list of thoughtfully selected synonyms—each with its own illustrative sentence

 

This A-to-Z compendium invites readers to embrace words like anathema, bellicose, laconic, and quixotic—expressions steeped in literary tradition and capable of transforming any piece of writing into something timeless.

Whether you’re an author in search of the perfect word, a language enthusiast craving the eloquence of yesteryear, or a student eager to expand your vocabulary, The Archaic Thesaurus opens the door to a more expressive, poetic, and nuanced way of communicating.

Perfect for:
✔ Writers and poets
✔ Lovers of classic literature
✔ Educators and students
✔ Word nerds and language explorers

Bring history into your vocabulary. Let these powerful words rekindle your imagination and elevate your expression.

📚 Rediscover the art of language—one magnificent word at a time.

 

#BookTour: The Ultimate Author Checklist @RABTBookTours




Nonfiction

Date Published: 08-12-2024

Publisher: Talk+Tell


Set up your book for success and start selling more copies with our free Complete Book Publishing Checklist. You'll learn everything you need to publish and market your book.

 

This Checklist includes:

+How to turn your manuscript into a published book

+Unlock the secrets to publishing a book that sells

+How to get your book into libraries and bookstores

#BookTour: The Wakeful Seed by @evelyntormos_ @RABTBookTours



 


A Philosophy and Guide to Discovering Your True Power


Self-Help

Date Published: May 7, 2025

Publisher: Manhattan Book Group



In life there is often a question that continuously surfaces. That question is, "who am I?"

This thought further provokes the question: "Who am I beneath the layers of conditioning?" The truth is you were born great. We all were. You still are.

 

Through social conditioning and societal expectations, many have lost the connection with their true power and nature. This power holds the truth of the soul, and allows us to explore change and rise to our highest potential. Each person has an offering. A seed of power they were born with. Once cultivated, amazing things begin to happen. You shift.

 

The Wakeful Seed not only invites introspection in, but also provides you with tools and philosophies to help you gain perspective and clarity. Various topics and philosophies are explored through storytelling and self explorations the author calls "Moment of Effort." If you've been curious about hypnosis, past lives, life and death, navigating fear, how to become more authentic, or how to connect with your power, this book is for you.

#BookTour: Parentship in Families as Teams by @steliana_mothersasleaders @RABTBookTours





Nonfiction

Date Published: May 15, 2025

Publisher: Mindstir Media




Being a parent is the most important, demanding and fulfi lling role you will ever have in your life, but for most of us, it is a new role for which you have had no training. The family team is the primary classroom for life, and for it to be a true learning team, the parents have to also be learning from each other and from their children. This book reminds us that the family is the place where we learn our emotional, relational and collaborative skills, that are so essential for a happy, successful and fulfi lled life.The author reveals how to show mutual caring, how to handle confl ict, how to love, celebrate and grieve together within the most important team of our lives, and she does it with humility and respect.


"Steliana van de Rijt-Economu has written a beautiful book that should be on everyone's bookshelf, computer, or tablet-for we are all part of families. She presents many practical ways for a family to be more than the sum of its parts. Central to this is the shift from each family member asking, 'What do I want or need from my family?' to asking, 'What does the family need from each of us?'"

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

#BookReview: The Weybourne Witches by Amber Raven

Book Cover
Synopsis:
A captivating tale of witches, women and the will to survive…1647, The village of Weybourne, Norfolk

Brigid Netherwell is accused of witchcraft and condemned to death in front of her young daughter Willow who vows to record her family's story.

Decades later, twin sisters Myrtle and Marigold Netherwell are forced to confront the dark secrets of the past and the legacy of the Netherwell women…

Step into their world and awaken your own magic.

#BookBlitz: Offside and Off-Limits by @kateokeeffewriter @XpressoTours #Giveaway $25 Amazon gift card

Offside and Off-Limits
Kate O’Keeffe
(Love in Maple Falls)
Publication date: August 20th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

I survived chronic illness and a cheating ex. Surely I can resist one charming hockey player…right?

Clara
Working as the social media manager for a pro hockey team is all fun and games—until you trip into the arms of their biggest flirt during a livestream. Now the fans are shipping us, my boss is thrilled with the engagement, and I’m stuck dodging feelings for Cade Lennox, aka the certified charmer. The problem? My contract says he’s off-limits. My heart, unfortunately, didn’t get the memo.

Cade
I came to this small town to turn over a new leaf. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. All bets are off the second Clara Johnson literally stumbles into my arms and straight into my heart. She’s focused, loyal, and the most beautiful challenge I’ve ever met. All I have to do is prove I’m worth the risk.

Offside and Off-Limits is part of the Love in Maple Falls sweet hockey romcom multi-author series. It’s a forbidden love story between one flirty hockey player and the team’s social media manager in this small town romance with all the sizzle and chemistry, but none of the spice.

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you’ll enjoy them best in order.

📚 Jessica’s Book Rec Hotline – Get a Personal Text Recommendation

Want me to hand-pick your next read? For just $5, I’ll send you a personal text with a recommendation chosen just for you based on your tastes.

No generic lists — just a message from me, your bookish best friend, pointing you to your next obsession. 💌

#BookReview: The Last One (Vallendor #1) by Rachel Howzell Hall



Explosive and enthralling romantasy debut from New York Times bestselling author Rachel Howzell Hall...

Thrown into a desolate land of sickness and unnatural beasts, Kai wakes in the woods with no idea who she is or how she got there. All she knows is that if she cannot reach the Sea of Devour, even this hellscape will get worse. But when she sees the village blacksmith fight invaders with unspeakable skill, she decides to accept his offer of help.

Too bad he’s as skilled at annoying her as he is at fighting.

As she searches for answers, Kai only finds more questions, especially regarding the blacksmith who can ignite her body like a flame, then douse it with ice in the next breath.

And no one is what—or who—they appear to be in the kingdom of Vinevridth, including the man whose secrets might be as deadly as the land itself.



#BookBlitz: Stranger Still by @georgeochoa2269 @XpressoTours #Giveaway for A paperback copy of Stranger Still & swag

Stranger Still
George Ochoa
Publication date: August 19th 2025
Genres: Adult, Literary Fiction, Thriller

Paul Inster, a brilliant, insane Columbia college student majoring in English with an undisclosed minor in knives, is in love with graduate student, Tracy Iridio. Seeing her in the library every day, he mistakenly believes she is in love with him and that she is a goddess, Teresa. In fact, the two have never met, and she does not know who he is. When, for the first time, he sees her with her boyfriend, classical history professor Larry Post, Paul sets out to destroy Larry via a campaign of terror. As the campaign mounts, Larry, mystified, tries to figure out who is attacking him and why. Through a series of surprises and confusions, the campaign escalates to murder.

Stranger Still is both a thriller and a literary novel, combining suspense and violence with rich language, webs of cultural allusions, and themes of love and madness.



Tuesday, August 19, 2025

#BookReview: A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas

Book Cover
Synopsis:
The seductive and stunning #1 New York Times bestselling sequel to Sarah J. Maas's spellbinding A Court of Thorns and Roses .

Feyre has undergone more trials than one human woman can carry in her heart. Though she's now been granted the powers and lifespan of the High Fae, she is haunted by her time Under the Mountain and the terrible deeds she performed to save the lives of Tamlin and his people.

As her marriage to Tamlin approaches, Feyre's hollowness and nightmares consume her. She finds herself split into two different one who upholds her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court, and one who lives out her life in the Spring Court with Tamlin. While Feyre navigates a dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms. She might just be the key to stopping it, but only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future-and the future of a world in turmoil.

Bestselling author Sarah J. Maas's masterful storytelling brings this second book in her dazzling, sexy, action-packed series to new heights.

#CoverReveal: Fatebound (Druadan Legacy Book 4) by @ameliacoleauthor @rrbooktours


We're proud to present the cover for the final book in Druadan Legacy series by Amelia Cole!

Fatebound (Druadan Legacy Book 4) Expected Release Date: Spring 2026 Genre: Dystopian/ Why Choose Romance
  • Dystopian
  • Deadly Trials
  • Reverse Harem
  • Epic Battles
  • Fated Mates
  • Final Book
Venovia is gone. The air’s too toxic to breathe. ITM took everything: our cities, our homes, our future. What’s left of us fled to the sea on ships, waiting for a salvation that won’t come. I thought it was over. That all I had left was Oriana, my riders, and the weight of everything we failed to save. Then Marshal told me that my father was alive and might know a way to save us. He’s on Canna Canna, a remote island no one talks about. Where the air is clean, and tribes of druadan riders have ruled and clashed for centuries. We go, chasing a whisper of hope. There, I learn a druadan’s bond holds untapped power—power that could tip the odds in our favor. But nothing comes without a cost, and to unlock it, my riders and I must survive a gauntlet of brutal trials. Each one will test our strength, our loyalty, and above all, the love that binds us. This is our last chance. If we fail, Venovia falls… and the rest of the world won’t be far behind. 

#ReleaseBlitz for Rescuing Dr. Marian by @lucylennoxmm #GiveMeBooksPR




Title: Rescuing Dr. Marian
Series: Made Marian Legacy #1
Author: Lucy Lennox
Genre: Contemporary Gay Romance
Tropes: Opposites Attract/Late Bi-Awakening
Forced Proximity/Only One Cabin/Fake Boyfriend
Release Date: August 19, 2025


BLURB

One kiss changed everything.
As sheriff, I’m the guy people call for help.
But when my solo Hawaii trip gets hijacked by my clingy ex, suddenly I’m the one who needs saving.
My unlikely rescuer?
A gorgeous stranger who plants one breathtaking, reckless kiss on me in the middle of a crowded bar—sending my ex packing… and stealing my carefully guarded heart.
Tommy Marian kissed me like he knew me.
Like he wanted me.
Like I was his.
Like he was mine.
But he’s not.
He’s a straight, ambitious city doctor—here in paradise for his own damn wedding.
And I’m going home alone, as usual.
Six months later, I land a dream search and rescue gig in Legacy, Montana.
One summer. A break from my coupled-up friends. Zero distractions.
Except guess who’s freshly single… and bunking in my tiny cabin? The biggest distraction of my life.
Tommy Marian is still beautiful, still infuriating, and still everything I can’t want.
He says what happens in Legacy stays in Legacy.
I say I’m not even tempted.
At least one of us is lying.
Because when Tommy disappears on the mountain, I realize I’d burn the world to get him back…
And maybe this time, I won’t let him go.

#ReleaseBlitz for Run the Play by @kaylee_ryan_author #GiveMeBooksPR




Title: Run the Play
Series: Nashville Rampage #2
Author: Kaylee Ryan
Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance
Tropes: Football/Fake Dating/Found Family
Workplace Romance/He Falls First
Release Date: August 19, 2025


BLURB

NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan brings you a new standalone series surrounding the Nashville Rampage football team. Run the Play is a fake dating, found family, workplace, he falls first romance.

Rowan

I swore I’d never look twice at a football player again, especially after barely surviving the last one. But when my abusive ex gets traded to the team I work for, my past shows up to haunt me.

Not a moment too soon, star player Landry Reynolds runs interference, announcing that he’s my boyfriend. My emotions get the best of me, and I find myself playing along.

He’s charming, bold, and way too convincing. The more time we spend together, the harder it is to remember that it’s all pretend.

I might be falling for my fake boyfriend, but I can never have him for real. I could lose everything I’ve finally found, and that’s scarier than having my heart crushed by the wide receiver.


Landry

I didn’t mean to get involved. I just couldn’t watch her shrink away from him a second longer—not after knowing what he put her through.

So I did what I do best: I ran the play and told him she’s mine. Now I can’t stop thinking about how right that little white lie feels. How right she feels.

There’s a good chance I was never faking.

This started as a way to protect her. I never imagined it’d be so hard keeping my hands off her. Then again, I’ve never been very good at following the rules.


WARNING: There are on- and off-page situations that could be triggering. Please read the content warning for more information.

#Teaser: The Well-Tempereed Violinist by @btcarlton_writer @RABTBookTours





Book 1 of The Gift

 

Historical Fiction

Date to be Published: November 5, 2025

Publisher: Acorn Publishing


Marthe Adler dreams of making history as a great violinist. But in 1905 Germany, tradition and deep-seated prejudice against women musicians stand in her way. To make matters worse, her beloved father’s sudden death shatters her family’s comfortable life, pushing them to the edge of poverty.

But the violin Marthe’s father left her is a constant reminder of the profound bond between them, and it gives her the strength to begin healing. When the Köln Conservatory offers her an unexpected scholarship, she seizes her chance to reach for excellence.

Under the rigorous tutelage of Professorin Wolff, and subjected to predatory harassment by a fellow student determined to destroy both her self-worth and her chances of success, Marthe quickly learns she will need more than motivation and talent to rise to the top.

Filled with heart, wit, and music, The Well-Tempered Violinist is an enduring coming-of-age tale about an artist striving for greatness against enormous odds.

#BookReview: The Cruel Dawn (Vallendor #2) by @rhowzellhall




The explosive second book in the Vallendor series―a sweeping romantasy where gods bleed, realms fall, and one woman stands between salvation and ruin.

A god’s wrath is unforgettable. Her love, even more dangerous.

Kaivara Megidrail was once worshipped as the Grand Defender of Vallendor―until betrayal, punishment, and exile left her Diminished. Now, the realm she abandoned teeters on the edge of collapse. Monsters roam free. Gods whisper in shadows. And one man―Jadon Wake, prince, blacksmith, liar―may be the key to her salvation...or her final ruin.

Haunted by the past, hunted by divine enemies, and armed with only fractured Memories and an unrelenting will, Kaivara must choose: reclaim her power and face the truth about Jadon, or watch Vallendor fall to a traitorous god’s rising.

The realm called her a destroyer. This time, they’ll learn what she was truly made for.

The Vallendor series is best enjoyed in order.

Reading Order:
Book #1 The Last One
Book #2 The Cruel Dawn


#BookTour: Secret Keeper by @victoriapinder @RABTBookTours #Giveaway




House of Morgan


Contemporary Romance

Date Published: 07-29-2025

Publisher: Love in a book




Anthony Morgan is the last man I should ever work for. Too bad I don’t have a choice.

It started with an email from Jennifer Gonzales. It ended with me walking into a boardroom face-to-face with the man who once loved her. The same man who looks at me like I’m a threat to everything he built.

And maybe I am.

He’s cold. Controlled. Italian billionaire in an Armani suit, hiding bruises behind bank accounts. He thinks I’m still loyal to my former best friend—the woman who broke his brother’s heart and stole something she should’ve never touched.

But I’m not here for Belle. I’m here to do a job.

Security. Protection. No distractions.

Except Anthony Morgan is a distraction.

His eyes strip me bare. His voice is a seduction I never saw coming. And every time we fight, it feels like foreplay.

Getting too close to him is a mistake. Falling for him? Dangerous.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from war zones and heartbreak… It’s that the most forbidden fire burns the hottest.

And Anthony Morgan is pure flame.