For The Best by Vanessa Lillie Book Review

This is a book I downloaded from NetGalley. I now have another favorite psychological/thriller author in Vanessa Lillie. This is the first book of hers I have read. (Not my picture.)

Juliet has a drinking problem (this may be a trigger for some folks), but she doesn't seem to see alcohol as an issue. This story starts out with Juliet waking up the next morning from the Genius Grant launch ... only to find out that the main person involved, Terrence, is dead. She learns this when the police knock on her door and have her wallet in an evidence bag. This is a tale that has some deep-seated family strife ... some long-held secrets that are only revealed at the end of the book, with some complicated family relationships thrown in. How far would you go to protect your daughter, and would it be worth it in the end, even if it means destroying your family? An interesting read in which Juliet teams up with a long-lost love of hers, Phillip Hale, to find out the truth and to clear her family's name.

I am now looking forward to reading "Little Voices" by Ms. Lillie. It should be here soon! She will certainly become one of my go-to authors.

The Apartment by K.L. Slater Book Review

This is a book I downloaded from NetGalley (not my picture).

Give this book a chance. I have to admit that at first I was not "taken" by this book ... at all. Nearing the end, this story finally started to come together.

Freya, a young mother, had just lost everything she knew in her life ... her marriage, her home ... everything. She was now alone with her daughter, Skye, when an opportunity for a place to live magically seemed to appear. Of course she jumped at the opportunity, only wanting to do what was best for Skye. Strange things started to happen at their new apartment. Were they real? Was she imagining things or was she just overly stressed because of all the newness in her life? The "bad guy" in this story is someone you will not expect ... at all. Talk about a mind bender.

My Sister Is Missing by Carissa Ann Lynch Book Review

Ms. Lynch is fast becoming one of my favorite psychological/mystery authors. After reading her book, "The One Night Stand," I was wanting more so I picked "My Sister Is Missing." While it was slow, for me, in the beginning this story finally started coming together. The ending sure was not what I was expecting.

Emily came home to Bare Border at the insistence of her sister, Madeline, and Emily also met her niece and nephew, Shelley and Ben, for the first time. Her first night back Emily found herself struggling with the concept was was actually back home ... meaning she would have to face her demons. Madeline (Madi) told her she had something to tell her but would not tell her the first night. When Emily woke up the next morning, Madi was nowhere to be found. In Emily's search, she finds out that her old flame is now on the police force. Would he believe that something sinister happened to Madi and help Emily? Was Madi really missing or did she just take a time-out?

If you are looking for a fast read and one that has many underlying stories to include teenage relationships and failures, complex family relationships, the rekindling of old relationships, to name a few, give "My Sister Is Missing" a try. It is of great interest to me that at the very end of this tale Ms. Lynch brings up a very troublesome topic that affects us, especially our children, today.

Babysitters and Bodyguards by Nellie K. Neves Book Review

This book brings us to the end of Lindy and Ryder’s journey in this 5-book series. Lindy and Ryder are tasked with protecting three young girls, Julia, Ember, and Brooklyn, while their parents, Magdalene and Alexi, are apparently off doing whatever it is they do for work. Lindy’s sister, Jackie (going by the name of Josie as she is still not convinced Lindy is her biological sister), is the one who hired Lindy. Little did Lindy and Ryder know what they were signing up for with this job. Was someone really out to harm the girls or was there something else going on? Was Jackie/Josie involved? Will this be the case that breaks Lindy and Ryder apart for good or do they finally accept the fact that they are meant to be together and stay this time? Will Jackie finally admit the truth of her biological family?

Mrs. Neves has proven herself to be capable of writing across a few different genres. Her Lindy Johnson series is one of my personal favorites. I highly recommend you read this series in order, in order to familiarize yourself with the characters that are consistent throughout. As well, be sure to check out Mrs. Neves’ other works, to include her clean romance novels.

I had the extreme please of proofreading this book for Mrs. Neves. (Not my picture.)

This Is Not How It Ends by Rochelle B. Weinstein Book Review

This is a book I was fortunate enough to win through a Facebook giveaway via Suzy Approved Book Tours. While this is not my typical genre, I have to say this book needs more attention.

This story takes us through Charlotte's (called Charley by some) life trials of love, loss, rekindling of a relationship, learning that it is okay to follow your heart when it comes to love. While I do not usually find myself being pulled in and feeling "all the feels" while reading a book, there is a scene near the end that almost (I said almost!) made me shed a tear or two. Not because it was a sad moment, but because it was a happy moment. I cannot really say enough about this book. It is so well written and a story so well told. I highly encourage you to read this book ... especially if you are a reader who likes to feel "all the feels." While you, like myself, may figure out what is going to happen halfway through I sincerely hope you are not disappointed.

Thank you, Ms. Weinstein, for writing such a "beautiful" story.

The Perfect Secret by Steena Holmes Book Review

Releasing May 19, 2020!

Starla Bishop has had her fair share of hard knocks, including a few trips to prison. She had been adopted by her mom when she was a teenager and her mom has been by her side, supporting her in all that she does, ever since. Well, except maybe Starla’s relationship with Donald Dixon. See, when Starla got out of prison this last time, while of course things would be different this time, Donald is the one who offered her a chance at becoming something more than an ex-con. Her mom even encouraged her to take the job opportunity he was offering Starla, that being to work with his ex-wife, Alexius, at their landscaping business. Little did Starla realize she would be roped into doing odd jobs for the Donald’s used car business as well. She fell in love with him and she thought that he loved her. To what lengths would Starla go to protect him when she was picked up by the police yet again … or would she turn on him? Surprise ending!

Ms. Holmes is a new author to me and in this book you can “hear” the humor she has running through some of the scenes. She has made her characters relatable, so much so that you can almost see yourself in the same situations … doing, more than likely, the exact same things, especially when it comes to “love.” Quite an entertaining read!

Strike Me Down by Mindy Mejia

This is a book I won through a giveaway hosted by Ms. Mejia via Facebook. I am glad I did!

According to the "letter" Ms. Mejia included with her book, she wanted to develop a story around forensic accounting but make it interesting. She was up for the challenge. She definitely excelled in her self-challenge. In this tale, we find Nora Trier (the forensic accountant) who is hired by a company called Strike which is an elite, if you will, workout program that has the attention of many, many people, Nora being one of them. They are planning a huge event to introduce their new program, vStrike. In amongst all the planning, it is discovered that funds are missing and they hire Nora and her crack team to find out just where the missing money is. That's not all ... there are some twisty turns in this accounting venture. The bad guy is someone who is well hidden in this tale.

Give this book a read. I guarantee it is not bogged down with all the intricacies of forensic accounting ... it is a solid, well-written tale that will keep you turning pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and hope to read more by Ms. Mejia in the future.

Cold Wicked Lies by Toni Anderson Cover Reveal

A young woman is found murdered on a remote mountainside, and top FBI Negotiator Charlotte Blood must go head-to-head with her stubborn, sexy, Hostage Rescue Team counterpart to unravel the mystery. When blame falls on a secretive survivalist group, the stakes turn deadly…and Charlotte discovers that she’s the one tangled in COLD WICKED LIES.

The newest riveting thriller by New York Times bestselling author Toni Anderson. 

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Toni Anderson writes award-winning, bestselling, FBI Romantic Thrillers. She is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, RITA® finalist, science nerd, professional tourist, dog lover, gardener, mom. Anderson's books have won the Readers' Choice Award, Aspen Gold, National Excellence in Romance Fiction, Book Buyers' Best.  

Originally from a small town in Shropshire, England, Toni studied Marine Biology at University of Liverpool (B.Sc.) and University of St. Andrews (Ph.D.) with the intention she'd never be far from the ocean. Well, that plan backfired and she ended up in the Canadian prairies with her biology professor husband, two kids, a rescue dog, and a laid-back leopard gecko. 

Toni started writing while pregnant with her first child and never stopped. Her greatest achievements are mastering the Tokyo subway, climbing Ben Lomond, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, and surviving fifteen Winnipeg winters (fingers crossed). She loves to travel for research purposes and was lucky enough to visit the Strategic Information and Operations Center inside FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. in 2016. She also got to shove another (police) car off the road during pursuit training at the Writer’s Police Academy. Basically she has way too much fun!

For more information about Toni and her books, please visit her website: https://www.toniandersonauthor.com