The Girl Who Survived by Lisa Jackson Book Review

 

This is another book I’ve had on my Kindle for quite some time. I shouldn’t have taken so long to read it.

This book has everything I like in this genre. It started out right away with what happened twenty years ago. A very brutal, very gruesome crime against a family.

Fast forward twenty years … we are taken through Kara’s turmoil, how she meets Wesley Tate, and a couple of detectives who are assigned to reopen this very old, very cold case. We are also introduced to one of Kara’s stepbrothers, Jonas.

The other thing I liked about this one is that it takes place in my home state, Oregon, so mentions of various cities throughout Oregon took me back to my childhood for a moment.

I also liked the pacing of this one … it seemed to move rather quickly in some spots, petered out when a clue would be a dead end, and then picked up again when Detective Thomas caught an idea and had to follow it. There were quite a few turns in this one which kept me guessing. I honestly thought I had it figured out … no, I was wrong, turned out the whodunnit was someone totally different than the one I picked out. That’s another thing I liked about this one, the surprise of the whodunnit. I also liked the relationships that developed between the characters through these pages, Tate and Kara, Detective Thomas and Detective Johnson, Jonas and Kara, Jonas and Mia, to name a few.

I will warn more sensitive readers that some of the descriptions are quite vivid, not as vivid as some I’ve read, but still … there is one scene near the end that is quite ugly to say the least. If you have a squeamish stomach or have nightmares easily, just be prepared.

Red Flags by Lisa Black Book Review

 

Dr. Ellie Carr … how can she possibly have an unbiased opinion when the parents of Mason are her relatives? And, what happened to Mason? He was just a baby and couldn’t have done anything wrong. She expected the unthinkable.

Taylor – a very intelligent 11-year-old. She kept calling Mason the ‘dragon baby.’ Why?

Becca and Hunter – Taylor and Mason’s parents. Becca is also Ellie’s cousin, though they have been out of touch for quite a long time.

Rachael Davies – she works for the Locard Institute. Hunter hired the Locard to help in assisting to find Mason.

Ellie and Rachael also had their own opinions about each other. I liked those internal thoughts that were scattered throughout the telling of this tale.

There was also another crime involved that I wasn’t expecting, and the why of it made sense as I was finishing this book. As it finally did to Ellie when everything clicked into place.

I liked the fact that Becca and Hunter thought they had to be in control of everything and everyone in order to accomplish what they needed to do. I liked the fact that Hunter and Becca came face-to-face with each other when they were confronted with their wrongdoings, but yet continued to maintain a united front. Odd really, considering the depths of one of their crimes, but made for an interesting read.

And when it finally clicked for Ellie? I liked how it was all tied up and explained in the end. It all made sense when the ending came together, at least it did for me.

 

Ask for Andrea by Noelle W. Ihli Book Review

 

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one. I’ve had it sitting on my Kindle for a while. Since one of my goals is to finish some of my eBooks, I gave this one a read.

It’s a ghost story! It’s a story with a crime or two or three involved. It’s a story that has a message behind it.

I was actually entertained with the antics of Meghan, Brecia, and Skye. As we learn from the blurb of this tale, they all had one thing in common. Since all three of these ladies were in the afterlife their way of getting around was so much easier. They haunted the guy who did them wrong.

And he thought he was oh-so smart, trying to stay three steps ahead of whatever organization was after him.

I’ve never read a book that was based on the opinions or point of view of ghostly beings. I also found myself appreciating the larger message that is in this tale. It may not always go by the name of Andrea, but read those signs … follow your instincts … ask for help if you need it.

Every Kind of Wicked by Lisa Black Book Review

Leave it to me to read book 6 of 6 in this series. I found myself really enjoying the characters of Maggie and Jack.

Having never ‘met’ Maggie and Jack before, I was taken by their relationship, one based on something that happened to Maggie … something Jack did that neither one could forget or talk about. Enter Maggie’s ex-husband Rick who wanted nothing more than to figure out Jack’s real motives. There are a couple of other police folks in the mix since this is what I would consider a police procedural.

There are crimes involving the worst of the worst and some telephone scams that Shanaya had a hand in.

What I especially enjoyed about this author’s writing is the sense of humor that came through, even in the worst of times. I also enjoyed Maggie’s inner dialogue which seemed to be spot in, not to mention her thoughts surrounding Jack, especially near the end of this tale. I also enjoyed that there was essentially more than one story spread throughout these pages, keeping my interest.

Having not read the other 5 books in this series, I have to wonder if there will be more to Maggie and Jack’s story. Certainly this can’t be the end when they are seemingly just now figuring things out between the two of them.

They Came At Night by Westley Smith Blog Tour and Book Review

 

I don’t even know where to start with this one. I could’ve easily devoured this in one sitting had I had the time. I imagine this would be a really good audio book, especially if it included different character voices and the ghoulish vibe that this book possesses.

Essentially, Sandra is reconnecting with her family after being absent for five years. She suffered a horrific trauma at the hands of another and needed to get herself back together, learn to deal with her trauma, and in the process of healing she also learned to defend herself so no one would ever hurt her again – physically or emotionally.

In her absence, her niece, Emalyn, did not understand why her Aunt Sonnie had disappeared. She was only a 9-year-old girl when Aunt Sonnie left their family. Now, five years later, at the age of 14, she wasn’t quite sure what to make of Sandra. Was Aunt Sonnie really under the tough exterior?

Sandra’s sister, Carrie, and Carrie’s husband, William, thought this family get-together was a good idea. And a surprise guest was Sandra and Carrie’s mother, Janis.

Janis – the mother Sandra had come to dislike, and seemingly Janis disliked Sandra. Wait until you find out why. Wait until you find out about the incident that dissolved their hard feelings toward one another.

Helga – what a character Helga turned out to be. You’ll find her and her boss, Richter, later in the book. This tale had to have a couple of bad guys, and Helga … she was a master bad guy.

I have to warn more sensitive readers that some of the scenes depicted throughout these pages are quite graphic. I am not a squeamish reader, but some of the scenes described made me cringe just a little bit. This is a talent that I have come to appreciate with this author’s writing style – the way he can describe something so terrible with just words alone – he paints a pretty grisly picture, beyond ugly in some cases. I liked the ghoulish vibe that I got while reading these pages, oddly enough.

There is definitely a bad vibe that hangs over this small town called Little Hope, which really is a masterful name for this small town. And the big corporation who came in to take over? Rest and Relax (R&R for short) … that just adds to the feeling that this small town would be peaceful, but it is anything but. If you like a very dark read and aren’t afraid to read past your bedtime with the lights off, I highly recommend you pick this one up.

 

Find Mr. Smith:

Website: https://westleysmithbooks.com/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CRF6PN74/about?ccs_id=d5f4fe0a-2dd4-4e6c-9576-640fd0577f95

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westleysmith100

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6848676.Westley_Smith

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/westley-smith

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wsmithbooks/?next=%2Fwsmithbooks%2F

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/They-Came-Night-Westley-Smith/dp/196554617X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UADR9ZJTFX61&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6oQ5OpKhHvmekvFsYQvM6g.AFUUXRKGlqiG8vnPH4WCijFQEbAITiO0VDz7EDFcK_0&dib_tag=se&keywords=they+came+at+night+westley+smith&qid=1748788806&sprefix=they+came+at+night%2Caps%2C209&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/they-came-at-night-westley-smith/1147486224?ean=9781965546178

 

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Shadowed Witness by Angela Carlisle

 

Allye what have you gotten yourself into?

Allye apparently saw something that she wasn’t supposed to when she left her studio one evening. This did not bode well for her as strange things began happening. To top it off, Allye was also dealing with some health issues that she was keeping a secret … even from her own family.

Eric … this is the kind of man you want around. Not only does he work with the police, he is also a protector. He didn’t realize that he had feelings for Allye until he was trying to piece together what was happening to her … or was anything happening to her? He also picked up on the fact that Allye just wasn’t Allye – looking tired, worn down, not her usual perky self, not the Allye he had known.

There are also some intertwining smaller stories throughout these pages – Corina and Bryce, Dion and Lucky, Chief McHenry and whether he could be trusted, Allye’s mom and Mayor Jennings, Hailey and Wesly, Allye getting ready for the annual arts festival (this endeared Allye to me as I could relate to what that entails).

Allye also had an interesting habit. Whenever she was feeling stressed, tired, or just needed to work something out, she would pick up her knitting needles. She was so talented at it and knew her patterns so well, she could knit with her eyes closed. That is a feat in and of itself and made her a relatable character, I thought.

I liked how this story progressed and that there were many other smaller stories intermixed that all blended together. There were some happy endings and some not-so-happy endings when all was said and done. And the whodunnit in this tale? Totally unexpected. It will be interesting to see what Eric and Allye get up to the next time we read about them.

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shadowed-Witness-Secrets-Kincaid-Carlisle/dp/0764242512/ref=sr_1_1?crid=4I886NB39MMS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.elYMEAk-TM605CFP2rck4CM6UOICCVzGnLftgkiK_dR2FMKuMfDJzpMiJIgdl9wouB8t5hlrhCHS3MWKHiWXtvXOP7LEeXsDVjSwEuC1facCQfCZXfY01iVDcV65ReLgoOTiR6DzUt4CS6G16AwNqBlon6pOt3PJsYOUiE8JkDNWRTdCI25ilcsTnJMxfoX2.QSPM3sXdgEl2ISfvC3lcaZtodcOkBRsChBPssXUGq70&dib_tag=se&keywords=shadowed+witness&qid=1751634589&s=digital-text&sprefix=shadowed+witness%2Cdigital-text%2C792&sr=1-1-catcorr

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadowed-witness-angela-carlisle/1146440692?ean=9780764242519

 

Find Ms. Carlisle:

Website: https://angelacarlisle.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngelaCarlisle.Writer/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/secondary-target-the-secrets-of-kincaid-by-angela-carlisle

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/43655940.Angela_Carlisle

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

 

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Fire Mountain by Dana Mentink Blog Tour and Book Review

 

The title of this book caught my attention and the cover too. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but who could go wrong with a title that would indicate a mountain on fire? I really enjoyed this read.

Kit Garrido owns her own trucking business and was minding her own business when she picks up a hitchhiker, unbeknownst to her she picked up more than just a hitchhiker. There’s a crash. There’s a stranger knocking on her window. There’s an unexpected surprise in the back of her cab, and there is Mount Ember erupting all around them.

Little did she know what was in store for her.

The handsome stranger Cullen. She surely wasn’t expecting him. I liked the character of Cullen. He comes across as a strong fellow, one who is determined to help others which is the main reason he returned to the town Mount Ember was set on destroying.

Wait until you read about the surprise in the back of the truck’s cab.

There are also a couple of bad guys in this tale, not caring about Mount Ember and her temper.

What I really liked about this story is that it took me back to my own recollections of when Mt. St. Helens erupted during my childhood. At the time, I didn’t think much of the destruction that took place around that area. I was too young to give it much thought. So, to read this tale of Mount Ember and the author’s descriptions of the utter destruction, the telling of the trees, rocks, dirt, and whatever other debris cascading down a mountain to take out anything in its path really painted a picture in my own mind of what things were like. To read about Kit and Cullen’s escape maneuvers was also quite interesting, what they did to survive, how they clung to each other and their faith. I liked that this was a true story showing and not telling what was happening all around Mount Ember and her temper.

 

Find Ms. Mentink:

Website: https://www.danamentink.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dana.mentink/

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/dana-mentink

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/202905.Dana_Mentink

 

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/080074652X/?bestFormat=true&k=fire%20mountain%20dana%20mentink&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k0_1_22&crid=2DPZYL7Q6Y5ZZ&sprefix=fire%20mountain%20dana%20men

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fire-mountain-dana-mentink/1146440699?ean=9780800746520

 

 

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Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney Book Review

 

I have had this one on my Kindle for quite some time. In trying to clear out my list of want to reads, I gave this one a try.

Amelia – she has secrets.

Adam – Amelia’s husband. He’s a writer and an adaptation for the screen writer. And, he has secrets. Adam has prosopagnosia. I’d never heard of it, interesting condition.

There are some letters intermixed between the chapters and was I ever wrong about who was writing them.

Robin – now here’s a colorful character.

I actually thought Robin was a different character, but I was wrong.

Essentially, Amelia received an email declaring that she had won a weekend trip through a raffle they had at her workplace. It was a weekend that turned out to be much more than either Amelia or Adam were expecting.

There were some twists between these pages that I was not expecting. I thought it was a good read. Plenty of turns to keep one guessing. If you’re like me, your guesses might turn out to be write and they might turn out to be wrong.

The Colony of Lost Souls by Kelsey James Book Review

 

Lately, I have been reading historical reads. This one caught my eye. I like the cover. This was, to me, a rather intriguing read. I didn’t know quite what to expect, but it wasn’t this … that’s a good thing.

We are introduced to June, the missing sister.

We also get to meet Fred, the husband of May.

Yes, you guessed it! These sisters were named after their birth months.

We also get to meet May. To say May was not happy with her marriage is an understatement so when she finally heard from June, off on an adventure she went, but that adventure? It was not what May was expecting.

May found herself at the Kinima Theosophical Society. Now, by all appearances, this was a place for folks to rejuvenate, to come to terms with their life decisions essentially.

It wasn’t that.

It was worse.

I was intrigued with all the characters who had some good vibes and some not-so-good vibes that jumped off the pages, the one especially bad dude ran this society. He believed he had some sort of ‘magical’ powers. He really had ulterior motives.

And we can’t forget about Vito. He was definitely not who May was expecting to meet in her journey. And Hazel was an unexpected surprise for her as well.

If you are interested in reading about a society that comes across more as a cult, you’ll enjoy this tale. It’s full of intrigue, mystery, good guys and bad guys, and a not-so-good vibe as I mentioned before. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. May turned out to be stronger than she thought she ever could be; I liked that about May’s character. And the sweet love story didn’t hurt either.

Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb Book Review

 

I enjoy this author’s writing. I like visiting the town of Wharton.

Kate Granger found herself going back to Wharton to visit her cousin, Simon, one of the innkeepers of Wharton. She just needed to unwind from her own life for a minute. She found that she was getting much more than she bargained for.

What I enjoy about Wharton are all the ghosts that stay in town … creating their own sense of mischief, but they’re mostly harmless.

In this case, one particular spirit visited Kate in her dreams and wouldn’t let Kate ‘rest’ until she listened.

There is also a bit of a love story between these pages, which is something I wasn’t expecting and I’m sure Kate wasn’t either.

I really enjoy the stories that unfold in Wharton. I like the ghostly vibe the pages portray. I especially liked Kate’s character as she was not going to give up until she found the answers that she was looking for.

The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead Book Review

 

I have to be honest.

I almost closed this book a few times.

There is so much abuse described throughout these pages it began to make me not want to finish this tale.

I kept reading.

Mostly because I wanted to know what happened to Laurel and I wanted to know the ending to Shay’s story. I also wanted to know how Jamie fit into the picture; Jamie is a podcaster who also happened to know Shay and Laurel way back when.

I want to add trigger warnings for the more sensitive readers. I don’t understand why the women throughout these pages, and the men too for that matter, would put themselves in such positions. Power? Money? I’m not entirely sure, but this story evoked some emotions while I was reading and I usually never ‘react’ so strongly to books I read.

Specters in the Glass House by Jaime Jo Wright Book Review

This author continues to amaze me with her dual timelines. One of the things that impresses me is her ability to have the past collide with the present, and another thing is how she handles other topics throughout the pages she writes. I also like how she manages to have her present-day characters collide with those from the past, sometimes in rather unique ways.

In this tale, Marian Arnold corresponds with Remy Show who is helping Elton write Marian’s life story, one that should dispel all traces of Marian’s ghostliness. Felix from the past corresponds with Tate in the present day, at least to me, in that both men want to protect the ladies they have an interest in.

Enter some other colorful, and a bit shady, characters who help round out this tale of butterfly magic. Not to mention Mullerian Manor which put me in the mindset of the Winchester Mystery House here in California.

Imagine Remy’s surprise when everything comes crashing down around her research to discover her own family secrets and the very essence of the question why.

This author handles the subject of schizophrenia/mental illness with such grace, without judgment. I did not realize that that was what this book entailed. And the message Marian left beneath the statue? Bravo.

Swipe by R.G. Belsky and Bonnie Traymore Blog Tour and Book Review

 

Have you ever thought about joining a dating app and then swiping right or left? Sonya did. She found more trouble than she was looking for. She even went so far as to change her name and not reveal much about herself. She was highly disappointed in the dates she went on, even going so far as to come up with schemes to almost ruin the men who did her, or other women, wrong. I was entertained by the ideas she came up with – some more devious than others.

Enter Jake … once a crack reporter at a larger paper who found himself working at a smaller paper, just waiting for his big break to get back in the spotlight again. He found himself being told by his boss to write an article about dating apps. Jake thought this assignment would go nowhere. Along the way he had some pretty bad dates (all in the name of his article, right?) and some pretty good dates, one being Sonya, one being Claire.

If there ever was a bad date in the history of dates, Jake and Sonya found them. And the ideas Sonya came up with makes one stop and think what they would do in her situation – ignore the bad date or do something else, something that would make the fellow rethink his choices. It was interesting to me that Jake was making connections between three different crimes as a reporter that Detective Jeffries didn’t want to believe.

I was entertained by the twists and turns leading both Jake and Sonya ultimately down the same path, not being able to ignore their mutual attraction for one another. There are a host of characters that you’ll meet throughout these pages, some more colorful than others. What I appreciated the most is the fact that these two authors came together and were able to write in the voice of Jake and the voice of Sonya, but the story melded as if only one wrote the tale of these dates. I certainly chuckled along the way with some of the antics that were portrayed.

It is going to be interesting to see if this author duo will write another book involving Jake and his journalistic instincts.

 

Find Mr. Belsky:

Website: https://www.rgbelsky.com/#news

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RGBelsky#news

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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7382095.R_G_Belsky#new

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DickBel#news

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

 

Find Ms. Traymore:

Website: https://www.bonnietraymore.com/

Twitter: https://x.com/btraymore?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonnietraymore/

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/bonnie-traymore

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22411066

 

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Swipe-Twisty-Psychological-Thriller-Belsky/dp/B0F2SDZ9J9/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2AK8QPZL1IEVG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.yRtDY196hBe-k7sXmnKHiQ.xfb_Fs8Q2BpoYUaLDL31cQzp8HhMoiaoXaeTk7NPdp8&dib_tag=se&keywords=swipe+rg+belsky&qid=1744377875&sprefix=swipe+rg+belsky%2Caps%2C519&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/swipe-rg-belsky/1147109068?ean=2940180034465

Two Seconds Too Late by Dani Pettrey Blog Tour and Book Review

 

This is book two in the Jeopardy Falls series. I am enjoying this series, so I am hopeful there will be more adventures for Riley, Greyson, Deckard, and Christian.

There was a random knock on Riley’s door and all she found was a key. The question was who left the key and what did it go to? Of course, chasing after the answers Riley found herself working closer than ever with Greyson (Grey) and had to bury her true feelings for the man. Grey, in turn, had to bury his feelings for Riley which was near impossible when she would sit or stand close to him. Deckard and Christian (Riley’s brothers) were clueless as to what was happening between Grey and Riley.

Kelly and Jared – what had they gotten themselves mixed up in? And why did they do what they did?

All these questions led Grey and Riley down a path to a spa/retreat not knowing what they would find, or if they would find Kelly and Jared.

This is the kind of romantic suspense I like to read. There is just enough unspoken attraction between Riley and Grey to keep me interested, but it doesn’t go overboard. A few shared kisses and some honest communication between them, even in the midst of their investigation. I liked the fact that Riley had to face some of her childhood memories and be stronger than the memories, facing them head on, never abandoning the case she was working on. I liked the fact that both Riley and Grey would call upon their faith in the midst of their troubles, hoping through that faith they would both find the inner answers they needed.

There is a certain vulnerability to Grey that I found relatable. He was afraid to pursue a relationship because of some of his own inner turmoil. It made him vulnerable to admit to Riley how he was feeling, what he was thinking. To me, this makes him an attractive character.

To be honest, I was more caught up with Riley and Grey’s relationship than the actual investigation they were working on.

And that ending? I know there HAS to be more to this series.

 

Find Ms. Pettrey:

Website: https://www.danipettrey.com/#owm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaniPettrey#owm

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/dani-pettrey#owm

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5275947.Dani_Pettrey#owm

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

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DH5Z4J75/?bestFormat=true&k=two%20seconds%20too%20late%20dani%20pettrey&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k1_1_17&crid=1QYEXS9OABCBA&sprefix=two%20seconds%20too%20l

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/two-seconds-too-late-dani-pettrey/1145837670?ean=9780764244599

 

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They Came At Night by Westley Smith New Book Release

 

Help me congratulate Wes on his new release! Here’s the blurb:

In the five years since the fateful and horrific night that changed her life, Sandra Leigh has kept herself sequestered at the Compound, a trauma recovery/survival skill camp that helped her process her past and feel safe in the world again.

Now, the time has come for her to face life outside the Compound, and that starts with a family road trip to rebuild the relationship she once had with her young niece.

A weekend at a rented cabin in the woods sounds idyllic, but Sandra begins to notice that things are off. Strange sounds and shadows, combined with a less-than-welcoming atmosphere at the nearby small town, put Sandra quickly on edge. Is it all just her paranoia coming into play, or is there something truly dangerous happening?

When her niece discovers a cryptic message hidden in the cabin's guest book--THEY CAME AT NIGHT--Sandra realizes that her family is caught in the crosshairs of a heinously sinister plot, and she will need to call on all the skills she learned at the Compound to save them... if she can.

 

All The Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby Book Review

When I first started this book, I thought ho-hum. I kept reading. I kept reading. I could’ve easily finished this one in a day if I had had the time. I devoured this one in less than a week. This is one that I could’ve sacrificed my usual bedtime for.

I really liked the fact that the author had characters that were true-to-life, in their mannerisms, their speech patterns, their relationships, down to Black versus white (sadly, that’s still a ‘thing’ these days).

Titus Crown, the sheriff. He had to deal with some pretty heavy-handed things in his life, broken relationships, grieving his mother, his father’s health and their relationship, the relationship he had with his brother, keeping his hometown of Charon together, and trying to figure out who brought the badness down on his town.

The more he investigated, the more he learned about things unheard of happening on his watch as sheriff, the more he learned about his own staff.

I liked the graphicness of some of the scenes portrayed between these pages as it brought a sense of realness to this tragic tale, and it really is a tragic tale.

I found this to be an example of good writing that is filled with controversial issues, but they are handled in such a way as to make the story believable and hold a sense of realism in the telling.

The Only One Left by Riley Sager Book Review

 

I easily could have devoured this family’s tale within a day if I had had the time. There are some books by this author that have not been a ‘hit’ for me and some have been a ‘hit’ for me. This one was definitely a ‘hit’ for me. I thought it was a very good read.

We learn about Lenora and Virginia, sisters, and the tragedies that fell upon their family all through their growing up years. We learn about their secret attractions to Ricky, a young man who worked at their estate when they were growing up.

We also meet Kit who was also down on her luck, as we fast forward to 1983. We are introduced to her father, Patrick. We even meet Carter who is another young man working as a gardener at the Hope’s End estate, which, as it turns out, is a really good name for this estate.

I was intrigued at Kit’s instincts and how she was able to piece everything together, even if she didn’t want to accept the truth of what really happened all those many years ago.

I liked the fact that this was written in the past and in the present, with one voice (POV) that I had entirely wrong. I enjoyed all the twists and turns and the ‘are you kidding me’ moments. I really liked the fact when the past and the present collided at the end, wrapping all the truths up with a bow.

Echoes Among the Stones by Jaime Jo Wright Book Review

 

Mill Creek, Wisconsin. The year 1946. We meet Imogene and her sister Hazel along with their two brothers, Chet and Ivan. Fast forward to present day Mill Creek, Wisconsin, when we meet Aggie (Agnes) and Mumsie. We all need a Mumsie … once we get to know her. As it turns out, Mumsie turned out to be Imogene of the year 1946. Present day we also meet Collin, an archaeologist, who was assigned to help re-establish a flooded cemetery. A cemetery that held secrets that no one was expecting.

Back in 1946, we also meet Ollie and the Pickett family (Sam, the brother; Ida, the sister). This was a time when all ‘the boys’ came back from the war and were forever changed, which added an element to the personality of the characters back in 1946. In words alone, the author managed to elevate their voices, their particular quirks.

The only reason Aggie returned home was because Mumsie sent her a note that was not 100 percent truthful and since Aggie had nothing left, back home she went. Little did she know what she would stumble onto in her new ‘career’ as the cemetery secretary.

Favorite quote: “She was like a burnt marshmallow that once had been sweet but had come too close to the fire and was left crispy and unwanted.”

To me, there was quite a bit of humor interlaced among the stories told throughout these pages, the author’s personality really shining through. I also appreciated the fact that the flooded-out graveyard very slowly let out its secrets so some answers of long ago could be unburied and grieved properly, almost as if Hazel was directing things from above, to finally let Imogene (Mumsie) get the peace in life she so richly deserved. The love interests of 1946 and present day also kept me highly entertained as well. It is no wonder that this author is one of my favorite historical fiction writers. She has a way of telling a story that holds my interest and keeps me turning pages.

Murder on the Mississippi by Erik S. Meyers Blog Tour and Book Review

 

Sally and her sleuthing. This time she has signed herself up for a cruise along the Mississippi river, hoping for some rest and relaxation from her bar in Berry Springs and finds herself getting more than she bargained for. There are a whole host of entertaining characters who also booked themselves on this cruise.

Brin – the social media influencer. She’s lost without her phone.

Hoppy – at least that’s what she preferred to be called. A doctor who wanted a vacation.

Francesco – a monk who was in a conundrum.

Niv and Aharon – a married couple, Niv being an author/bookworm; Aharon being the more outgoing of these two fellows.

The Wongs, Amy and Jason – Amy a chef and Jason a diplomat who recently was promoted to a new position.

Jim – another single aboard the cruise, though no one could understand why he picked this particular cruise.

The workers on the ship. The police and FBI. And of course … the crime.

Oh, but wait … there was yet another crime!

Sally really began wondering what was going on aboard the ship, but more importantly – why?

Brin, to me, represents folks of today being so connected to their social media accounts. There was also a love interest that happened aboard this cruise that I found interesting, especially after finding out what happened in the end, a couple that was least likely to have gotten together. Niv and Aharon and Amy and Jason – each of these couples snipping at each other, with a few eye rolls thrown in, enhanced their personalities, making them more realistic and easier to relate to.

What I like about Sally is she has a never give up attitude. She keeps asking questions until she is able to put things together. It took some twists and turns and some creative thinking on Sally’s part to figure this mystery out. I have to say that the whodunnit in this particular case was not entirely who I was expecting. I thought I had it figured out, then I thought I had it figured out again. I was wrong on both accounts, but when it did come together it made perfect sense. I wonder what Sally will find herself involved in next.

 

Find Mr. Meyers:

Website: https://www.erikmey.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErikSMeyersAuthor/

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20487338

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Mississippi-Sally-Witherspoon-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0F1HVT9PY/ref=sr_1_1?crid=14DRJ9WEXUL0W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._oEUm8C6fJBdJdQMbt6i8w.8WFUg8N3SUKeXMo5tBBektOdmtdJFpKgbjT95dGRtBA&dib_tag=se&keywords=murder+on+the+mississippi+erik+meyers&qid=1745242079&sprefix=murder+on+the+mississippi+erik+meyer%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/murder-on-the-mississippi-erik-s-meyers/1147370922?ean=9781685129309

 

Interested in your own book tour?

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The Stroke of Winter by Wendy Webb Book Review

Amethyst Bell (Tess as she’s called) has decided to turn her grandmother’s home into a bed-and-breakfast in Wharton where she has decided to stay. Along the way, she meets Wyatt, Hunter, and Grant who help her tear down a door … a door leading to her late grandfather’s art studio. Little does she know what she will stir up in the dust and cobwebs that have been left alone for years … ever since her grandmother closed off that part of the house.

Many late nights and things going bump in the night the door is opened.

None of the Bell family was ready to unleash the truths that had been buried for so long, least of all Tess’s father, Indigo (Indy).

I liked the fact that the prologue and chapter forty-one were able to pull everything together in a neatly tied bow, making everything in between these pages make sense, explaining the reasons why, the truth behind what really happened at this family’s home. A bit of a love interest didn’t hurt either, two people destined to meet even under some very ghostly circumstances. I like a good ghost story vibe, and this fit the bill.

I also liked the fact that some previous characters in a previous book I’ve read by this same author made a tiny appearance; I was wondering why some of the things I read sounded familiar. This small town of Wharton has some pretty big ghosts haunting them.

And Then She Was Gone by Rosalind Noonan Book Review

 

I’ve had this book on my shelf for quite some time now, decided to give it a read. I had no idea what to expect as I didn’t read the blurb, just picked it up because it sounded interesting.

I will say that this book may be quite triggering to more sensitive readers in its content and how it explores what Lauren went through after being abducted from the neighbor’s front lawn because Kevin was not a nice guy.

Eleven years old and all she wanted to do was look at a hummingbird and, being an artist, the green grass and purple flowers caught her attention. She had to sketch them! Walking home from school should have been safe.

And this story is set in Oregon, my hometown.

I can only imagine how parents, in this case the O’Neil family, would feel not knowing what happened to their child. For six long years, Rachel (the mom) kept her faith that Lauren would return home to them.

The other aspect I found quite interesting, and quite realistic, was how Sierra (the younger sister) felt. I think the exploration through these pages of how she was coping/dealing with Lauren’s abduction and ultimately her being found was handled quite well. Not to add a spoiler, but Sierra felt she was overlooked because her mom’s energy went into finding Lauren, organizing search parties, her teaching job, etc. I think that was an especially important aspect to this tale because things like this don’t just affect the person who was taken, it affects everyone involved.

The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers New Book Release

 

Help me congratulate Ashley on her newest release! Here’s the blurb:

Two women haunted by their sisters’ unsolved disappearances band together in this captivating mystery from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All Good People Here and host of the #1 true crime podcast Crime Junkie.

“Sharp, slick, and chilling, with a whiplash ending you’ll never see coming.”—Jeneva Rose, author of Home Is Where the Bodies Are

Nicole “Nic” Monroe is in a rut. At twenty-four, she lives alone in a dinky apartment in her hometown of Mishawaka, Indiana, she’s just gotten a DWI, and she works the same dead-end job she’s been working since high school, a job she only has because her boss is a family friend and feels sorry for her. Everyone has felt sorry for her for the last seven years—since the day her older sister, Kasey, vanished without a trace.

On the night Kasey went missing, her car was found over a hundred miles from home. The driver’s door was open and her purse was untouched in the seat next to it. The only real clue in her disappearance was Jules Connor, another young woman from the same area who disappeared in the same way, two weeks earlier. But with so little for the police to go on, both cases eventually went cold.

Nic wants nothing more than to move on from her sister’s disappearance and the state it’s left her in. But then one day, Jules’s sister, Jenna Connor, walks into Nic’s life and offers her something she hasn’t felt in a long time: hope. What follows is a gripping tale of two sisters who will do anything to find their missing halves, even if it means destroying everything they’ve ever known.

Swipe by R.G. Belsky and Bonnie Traymore New Book Release

 

Help me congratulate Mr. Belsky and Ms. Traymore on their newest release! Here’s the blurb:

Sonya's fed up with bad internet dates.

But she never meant to kill anyone.

After a stressful day at work and a creepy first meetup, Sonya Romano goes on a mission: teach a lesson to the smarmy guys she's meeting on her dating app. But when one of them falls to his death as a result of her confrontation--a married man posing as a single guy--she realizes she's gone too far.

Meanwhile, Jake Parker, former Pulitzer nominee, has hit rock bottom. His boss gives him an assignment: go under cover and produce a click bait story about dating apps. Things start to look up when another married man on the app is murdered, and Jake suspects that there may be a serial killer targeting cheaters.

With Jake hot on her trail, Sonya races to cover her tracks, until they finally meet. Fighting a powerful mutual attraction but suspicious of each other, neither of them knows that a deranged psychopath is closer than they think, and much more of a danger than either of them realizes.

Can they figure out what's going on, before one of them is next?

The Graves by Mike Donohue New Book Release

 

Help me congratulate Mike on his newest release! Here’s the blurb:

It's a thin line between survival and madness.

A pair of missing hikers. A dangerous obsession. And a wilderness that doesn’t forgive.

When a chance encounter in a sleepy West Virginia town thrusts Max Strong into a desperate search for two missing hikers, he's pulled into a world where reality bends and legends come alive. Max isn’t new to danger, but nothing could prepare him for what he finds in the depths of the Monongahela National Forest.

Jake Cotter and his girlfriend Sarah vanished without a trace, chasing an obsession with a place whispered about in hushed tones by locals—Grave's End. As Max and Sarah's sister Riley dig deeper, they realize this isn't just a simple search-and-rescue. There's something darker lurking in these woods.

With a ragtag team of unlikely allies, Max finds himself in a race against time and the elements. And maybe against each other. Strange things are happening and it becomes clear that someone...or something...is willing to do anything to stop them from going any farther.

The more Max uncovers, the more he's forced to confront the chilling possibility that two missing hikers are only the beginning. Some graves don't wait for the dead.

 

Such Quiet Girls by Noelle W. Ihli New Book Release

 

Help me congratulate Noelle on her newest release! Here’s the blurb:

Ten children, abducted in broad daylight—and buried alive.

Sage and her sister won’t make it home from school today. Neither will the other children on Bus 315. But that’s only the beginning of the nightmare.

New bus driver Jessa blames herself for what happened. She couldn’t protect the kids she was supposed to deliver to daycare, just like she couldn’t protect her own daughter three years ago. But this time, everything will be different. It has to be.

Trapped in a shipping container buried twenty feet underground, Jessa and the children do their best to stay calm. The kidnappers insist that if everyone behaves, they’ll be freed when the ransom is paid. But Sage isn’t sure they’ll last that long. Neither is Jessa. It’s dark and cramped, and with every passing minute it’s getting harder to breathe.

With time—and air—running thin, Jessa and the children must find a way to outsmart their captors, or face an unthinkable fate.

Such Quiet Girls was inspired by actual events.

The Broken Ones by Carla Kovach Book Review

DI Harte seems to have her hands full with this one. She and PC Wyre have just returned from an uneventful weekend, other than PC Wyre having undergone a relationship breakup. This tale centers around a dating app – AppyDater. There are crimes, there are smiley faces given through the app, there are personal relationships that are being looked at, there are trying to be helpful but not helpful young adults.

There is also a definite vibe to this tale … and not in a good way. I liked that aspect of this particular read. I mean … black boots suddenly appearing when a character least expects them … someone lurking in the bushes just out of sight, or was there? Red herrings all throughout, making me think the whodunnit was X and then thinking it was Y. I was off base in my thinking of who did it.

This is book eight in this 17-book (so far) series. My first in this series. For you series readers, I suspect these can all be read as standalones as this one was, with everything tied up in the end … well, other than DI Harte’s personal relationship with Briggs.

The Organ Broker by Deven Greene Blog Tour and Book Review

 

I picked this book out to read because I was intrigued by the title – kind of gives you a sense of what you might find between the pages. Essentially, I wasn’t wrong.

Derek and Crystal, a married couple, are involved in an organization they started called STOP, an organization that was created to Stop Transplants of Organs from Prisoners. Pretty good premise, right? It sure made for a different kind of read, and not in a bad way. Broker Al is the one who organizes who the organs go to, which inmates to target, essentially the (ahem) organ broker. His angle – money – to help finance his other organizations – basically, Broker Al has the rich folks in his pocket helping pull some strings.

Immediately upon starting this tale, I did not like Derek … at all. I did not find him to have any redeeming qualities. I was not wrong in my assessment of him. I normally don’t feel that way so strongly about a fictional character, but Derek … he definitely gave off some bad vibes.

Crystal, Derek’s wife. She was faced with some pretty tough decisions. This story calls into question the lengths of what a mother would go through to help her own child, especially being a founder of STOP. She also was faced with what to do about Derek when she started discovering things she never knew. Crystal was feeling all sorts of stuck in place until she met Britt, a journalist who was hoping to write an uncovering the truth kind of story about the above-mentioned organ transplants. Britt and Crystal, not to spoil anything, were given the opportunity of a second-chance romance.

Cordelia, Derek and Crystal’s daughter. At the introduction of Cordelia and what happened to her, I kind of figured out how this story would go. I wasn’t wrong. The more her story unfolded, and the more Derek’s story unfolded, I kind of figured out what path this story would go down.

But here’s the thing … Crystal’s moral dilemma. That facet really calls into question what someone would do when faced with the decisions Crystal was faced with. It really made me stop and think – what would I do? Was Crystal wrong in her choices? Overall, I liked all the backstories, the animosity between characters, the good guys, the bad guys, Cordelia’s story, Derek’s unraveling (he’s just not a nice guy). All of these combined kept me turning the pages to see how things turned out.

Find Ms. Greene:

Website: https://www.devengreene.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DevenGreeneFiction/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/deven-greene

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17491802

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Organ-Broker-Deven-Greene-ebook/dp/B0DSKRWKWD/ref=sr_1_1?crid=N6MAG5VFGUQ7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.qei1569kzaitgVSF-9xw9w.a65-rjGFxTss4HCc3Q37Z8uFbkS4lt7EHhNHO5Wz4G8&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+organ+broker+deven+greene&qid=1742824688&sprefix=the+organ+broker%2Caps%2C213&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-organ-broker-deven-greene/1146979492?ean=9781964620060

 

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/

 

 

 

The Other Sister by Jessica R. Patch New Release and Book Review

 

Help me congratulate Jessica on new newest release! Here’s the blurb:

She thought she was the only one lying about her identity. Until she stepped into her sister’s life.

Charlotte Kane has always dreamed of a different life, one where she isn’t living paycheck to paycheck. An existence worlds away from the chaos of her own. Then her estranged mother dies, and Charlotte makes a stunning discovery—she has an identical twin who was given up for adoption.

Acelynn Benedict is polished, successful and seems to have everything Charlotte yearns for—a wealthy, doting family in Savannah, a handsome boyfriend, a great career. She’s just as surprised as Charlotte to learn she has a sister. But when tragedy hits and Charlotte is forced to assume Acelynn’s identity in a desperate moment, she uncovers something altogether darker…

No one in her sister’s life is quite who they seem to be. And every discovery leads Charlotte deeper into a web of deadly secrets. Charlotte may have wanted Acelynn’s life, yet now that she’s living it, she wants out. But if she reveals the truth about herself, it will mean returning to her old life—and she’s already a dead woman there.

 

MY REVIEW:

This is the kind of book I like to read – one that keeps you guessing.

I liked the twisted and somewhat dark narrative to this tale of Charlotte (Char) discovering a truth about herself – the truth that she had a twin sister. Obviously, this came as a shock to her and apparently to her twin – Acelynn.

Acelynn Benedict … the rich one, the sister who seemingly had it all.

Wait until you meet Acelynn’s friend group – the group calls themselves The Pinks.

There are the brothers and the parents. Each of them holding onto their own secrets.

Along the way of meeting her twin, Charlotte finds herself in a situation she never thought she’d be in, so she had to run, which is something Charlotte was very good at. She had to leave behind her best friend, Tillie, because of what happened to Tommy, the third friend in this circle.

There are a lot of characters that make up the pages of this tale, but they each have a role in the telling. I found there to be quite a lot of ups and downs, twists and turns, dark vibes, lying, family discord … the big reveal was not what I was expecting at all. And that ending? There has to be more to this tale. I found the ending to be a cliffhanger that I was not expecting. A double twist for an ending, to me, for sure.