Chloe Cates is Missing by Mandy McHugh Book Review

 

Here is yet another good book of 2023. I really enjoyed this one. It is pretty twisted. My kind of read.

In this tale we are introduced to Jennifer who has turned her daughter, Abigail (Abby), into Chloe. Jennifer is a bored homemaker who wanted something to do so she decided to start a blog which evolved into CC and Me. It took off more than ever anticipated, making Chloe a star in her own right.

I enjoyed the way this story unfolded in the voices of Jennifer, Emilina, Abby through her journal writing, Jackson (the dad who seems pretty clueless).

If you’re looking for a read that will make you go a-ha in the end, pick this one up. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Calico by Lee Goldberg Book Review

 

This was certainly a different take on a mystery, especially when Beth McCade found herself investigating a strange death that tied into the 1800s. Just exactly how she wasn’t sure but she was determined to find out even if she was ousted to the tiny town of Barstow. I’m sure there’s a bigger story there. You have to love the name of the bar in this town – Pour Decisions.

Enter Owen Slader. Imagine his surprise when he found himself ‘stuck’ in the 1800s and didn’t know how he got there other than a ‘rip in time’ that he was either fortunate enough or unfortunate enough to slip through.

The description of Owen living back in the 1800s, but being careful not to do anything that would hurt his future, was quite intriguing. How it all tied together in the end was even more interesting as Owen and his wife back in the 1800s wrote out explicit details for future generations. Definitely a different twist on things and one that you’re sure to enjoy if you are into time-travel and an old-time western tales.

The CoWorker by Freida McFadden Book Review

 

I have heard a lot about this author and had never had the opportunity to read anything by her until now. I was reading this book thinking ho-hum these coworkers … then boom! The twist came in and now I understand why folks enjoy her writing so much. She will soon become one of my go-to authors for the twists she throws in when you least expect them.

In this tale of coworkers, we are introduced to Dawn Schiff. Dawn is one of those sorts of people who flies under the radar. There is more to her than meets the eye. There is Natalie Farrell … the pretty one, the one who has the friends, the one who has it all, the one who is the most successful at the company. Dawn just wants to be Nat’s friend.

How it all ties together … you’ll have to read the book to find out, but this is one twisted tale of coworkers. Will they keep their secrets? I don’t know if they will, but I did sort of figure out part of the whodunit, just not the reasons behind the why.

Girl on Trial by Kathleen Fine Blog Tour and Book Review

 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

This is my first introduction to this author … she has taken on some very heavy topics. She has written about these topics in such a way as to not place blame on anyone, which I appreciate.

This book is about Emily Keller, a 16-year-old teen, who is what you would call poor, or at least not well off. All Emily wants to do is fit in at school. She meets Hannah. Hannah is portrayed as a well-off girl, but there is so much more to Hannah than you might think. I cannot imagine being a teen in today’s world or a parent to a teen.

Mr. Thomas. I don’t even know what to say about Mr. Thomas. He was not a nice man, but an important character to this tale. His family includes his wife and two young daughters.

Miss Jelly. You have to like Miss Jelly. She’s the grandmother every kid wants.

Debbie, Emily’s mom. Debbie has her own set of issues. Nate is Emily’s twin brother who provides Emily with a strong sense of support; he quietly knows what’s going on without saying anything. Steph, a true friend to Emily. Topper and Chuck. Valerie. Charlie. Mindy. Judge Wilson. All of these characters help make this a colorful tale.

This book is about choices, about growing up, about the things that can happen when you make the wrong choices, but, again, it is written in such a way as to not place blame on anyone.

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Trial-Kathleen-Fine/dp/0744306833/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25P8Y7QTYG7MB&keywords=girl+on+trial+kathleen+fine&qid=1694387680&s=books&sprefix=girl+on+trial%2Cstripbooks%2C235&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/girl-on-trial-kathleen-fine/1143087238?ean=9780744306835

 

Find Ms. Fine:

Website: https://www.kathleenfineauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fine.kathleen

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/4056666470

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22857193.Kathleen_Fine

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kathleenfine

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleenfineauthor/

 

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Like A Sister by Kellye Garrett Book Review

 

I have wanted to get my hands on this book for quite a while. I finally did and I was not disappointed. While the subject matter of this tale is rather serious, I found myself chuckling along the way. I found a lot of personality shining through on these pages.

The basis of this story is Lena (Melina) trying to figure out what happened to her sister, Desiree, while also dealing with her guilt over the past two years. Along the way she meets Erin, Desiree’s best friend. Detective Green. Stuart, the reporter who wants to tell Desiree’s story. And let’s not forget Mel Pierce, Desiree and Lena’s father, along with his wife, Veronika. There is also Aunt E – we all need an Aunt E!

I enjoyed the telling of this tale, not only because of the story line but because of the writing style, which I found very straightforward in a way that is relatable. The characters are far from perfect, which makes them all the more real. Lena’s inner thoughts are spot on. I thought I had figured out the whodunnit, but I was wrong.

Side note: I actually had the opportunity to meet Kellye at Bouchercon 2023 in San Diego. Her writing style matches her personality which is something I appreciate.

Where The Dead Sleep by Joshua Moehling Book Review

 

After reading the first book in this series, I wanted to get to book two post haste. Who could resist a book with this as the starting sentence – “The dog was inconsolable.” I’m sure you’ll enjoy Frank, the dog.

Ben Packard is finally showing his personality. He’s finally coming to terms with who he is. I like this about Ben. If you have read And There He Kept Her, you were introduced to Ben and the reasons why he returned back home. You also know about Stan Shaw, the man who put Ben in the position of acting sheriff. In this tale, Ben is dealing with the death of Mr. Sandersen while also trying to figure out the sisters, Sherry and Carrie. The story of the sisters is kind of twisted in itself. You’ll have to read the book to find out why.

There are a whole host of other characters that make this tale what it is, as well as some smaller stories intermixed that make me more than interested to see what Ben finds himself mixed up in next.

Second Term by J.M. Adams Blog Tour and Book Review

 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

Cora Walker is the main character in this tale that takes place in 2012 and then jumps to 2028 and 2029. In 2012, Cora was in Benghazi teamed up with some folks she thought she could trust. Fast forward to 2028 when she finds herself back home, has a daughter, and is working for the Speaker of the House, Sarah Vasquez. Cora’s one mission in this new position is to keep Ms. Vasquez safe at all costs. And, there’s Gertie, who is like a mother to Cora and a grandmother to Abby, Cora’s daughter.

There are also some other intriguing characters throughout these pages that help meld this story. It’s full of politics, full of intrigue, full of bad versus good which Cora finds herself in the middle of, much to her surprise.

Cora finds herself in positions that are unthinkable to most of us. There is just something about the political world that Cora can’t quite seem to pull herself away from, even if she wants to.

While I don’t usually read political thrillers, I really liked the character of Cora. I liked the portrayal of a strong female political character. I also liked the fact that Cora has doubts about herself, making her even more relatable.

This would be a good book for those who enjoy political reads, especially one with a strong female character, which, in my experience, is quite rare. There are also a lot of correlations with some of our own political history, which I also found quite intriguing, some mentioned by name, others described very similarly.

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Second-Term-Novel-J-M-Adams/dp/1608095916/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1694387535&sr=1-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/second-term-jm-adams/1142791188?ean=9781608095919

 

Find Mr. Adams:

Website: https://jmadams.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/JM-Adams/100089601925119/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-m-adams

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7086661.J_M_Adams

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JM_AdamsAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jmadamsauthor/

 

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After Dark by Minka Kent New Book Release

 

Help me congratulate Minka Kent on her new book!

Here’s the blurb:

She’s a pariah with a killer past. Her bid to escape it is nothing short of terrifying in a heart-pounding novel of suspense by Washington Post and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Minka Kent.

Afton Teachout has been an outcast in her small town for twenty years—ever since she was accused of murdering her mother’s lover in a blackout fit of rage. That is, if one believes the malicious lies.

Living with her grandmother, working a hotel night shift, and relying on pills to get a day’s sleep, Afton is due a little luck. It comes in the form of an unexpected financial windfall. With her newfound wealth, Afton sets a secret plan in motion to help her only friend, Sydney, flee a toxic husband. But the best intentions soon spin out of control.

Afton is getting unsettling calls from a restricted number, and someone has been lingering outside her home. As Sydney’s troubled marriage comes into focus, so does Afton’s past. Her second chance—for herself and for Sydney—isn’t what she dreamed of at all. In fact, it’s becoming a nightmare.

Killing Johnny Miracle by J.K Franko Blog Tour and Book Review

 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

Who could resist a book that starts out with this sentence: ‘Mary Miracle would always recall with clarity the moment she decided to kill her husband.’

I knew from that sentence that I would not be able to put this book down. I’ve always heard that the first sentence has to grab a reader’s attention. This one did. Now, you know the premise of this book. Mary was not happy with Johnny Miracle … at all.

This is quite a twisted tale. It tells so much more than just Mary and Johnny’s story. We get to meet Grandma Nellie … she has a very dark secret. Pedro is the farm’s handyman. ‘Sick Eddie,’ at least that’s what he’s called. Johnny should not have messed with ‘Sick Eddie.’ Of course, you have a handful of lawyers … because, why not? Not to mention the detective who was working a cold case.

These pages are full of deceit between Mary and Johnny, which I found to be quite entertaining. Johnny is dumb enough to think that ‘Sick Eddie’ would just forget about him as he thought he was small potatoes and daggum … he should’ve bought that calculator. Mary found out some truths which made her all the more ambitious, if you will, to get rid of the problem.

Oh! And let’s not forget the Monet – the painting Mary inherited from Grandma Nellie. And the vineyard. It’s too bad Johnny didn’t think Mary was as smart as she turned out to be.

I would not hesitate to read more of this author’s work. He has a way of weaving a tale that will capture the reader’s attention. If I had more time, I would’ve probably finished this book a lot sooner than I did.

  

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Johnny-Miracle-JK-Franko/dp/B0CH2CXSL8/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1694387161&sr=1-1-ef9bfdb7-b507-43a0-b887-27e2a8414df0

 

Find Mr. Franko:

Website: https://jkfranko.com/#kjm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jkfranko.author#kjm

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jk-franko#kjm

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18789144.J_K_Franko#kjm

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jk_franko#KJM

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jkfranko.author/

 

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Keep Your Friends Close by Lucinda Berry New Release

 

Help me congratulate Lucinda Berry on her new release!

Here’s the blurb:

When Kiersten McCann, president of the West Hollywood Moms’ Club, turns up dead in her own pool, it quickly becomes clear this wasn’t an accident. And the party guests―all members of the exclusive club―are now key suspects in her murder.

Accusations fly, and three mothers find themselves at the center of the investigation. Whitney, Brooke, and Jade all have heavy secrets to bear…and possible motives for their friend’s murder. But as the police look closer, more secrets, betrayals, and sinister plots are revealed than the women could ever imagine.

With everything at stake, deceit threatens to shatter their illusions of the perfect life. West Hollywood will never be the same.

Deadly Pines by Mary Keliikoa Blog Tour and Book Review

 

I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.

This is book two in the Misty Pines Mystery series. I highly recommend you read book one, Hidden Pieces, to get a ‘feel’ for the characters you will find throughout these pages.

Misty Pines is a small town in Oregon where big-city crimes happen. This time is no different and involves the next town over, West Shore. We also get to ‘meet’ some new characters.

If you’ve read Hidden Pieces, then you know the relationship between Jax and Abby - that hasn’t changed. Trudy is still the receptionist at the sheriff’s office but plays a bigger role in Deadly Tides.

We get to meet Rachel and her dog, Koa. Rachel is the daughter of Jax’s long-time friend, Jameson. Rachel has her own reasons for moving to Misty Pines.

We also get to meet Margot Coleman. She’s a newcomer to Misty Pines.

We also are introduced to Olek, who is Abby’s new partner.

And there is also Dora, Abby’s mother. We learn quite a lot about her. She is also an essential character in the telling of this tale.

There are a whole host of other ‘smaller’ characters intermixed that help make this story complete.

There is an overlap in the two cases involved in the telling of this tale which, of course, creates some tension between Abby and Jax, but even they can’t deny that there is one piece that connects their cases. The question is - how will they handle it and will they let their own egos get in the way, or will they work together?

If you like a series that takes place in a small town with all the small-town nooks and crannies and a small town that hosts big-city crimes, I recommend you read this series. Hidden Pieces, I am quite certain, will have you hooked. The characters are consistent throughout the writing, they are flawed, they are relatable. I can only imagine what will happen in Misty Pines next.

Deadly Tides is such a fitting title for this tale involving the ocean and feet. My favorite line in this book - “Even a rat deserved better.”

  

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Tides-Misty-Pines-Mystery/dp/1685122795/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=vpPhd&content-id=amzn1.sym.579192ca-1482-4409-abe7-9e14f17ac827&pf_rd_p=579192ca-1482-4409-abe7-9e14f17ac827&pf_rd_r=131-3104865-4758931&pd_rd_wg=odvFu&pd_rd_r=51f8892d-2a7e-43aa-803d-7c0292cfc8dd&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deadly-tides-mary-keliikoa/1143335431?ean=9781685122799

 

Find Ms. Keliikoa:

Website: https://marykeliikoa.com/#hp

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mary.Keliikoa.Author

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-keliikoa#hp

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20038534.Mary_Keliikoa#hp

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mary_keliikoa#HP

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mary.keliikoa.author/

 

Interested in your own book tour?

Partners in Crime: https://www.partnersincrimetours.net/

Need a proofreader? I’ve got you covered - https://www.melissaproofs.com/