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 stronger 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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/r-g-belsky#news

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

 

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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?

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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.

 

The Day She Died by Shannon Hollinger New Book Release

 

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

Maggie’s heart pounds as she clutches the autopsy report. What she’s reading is impossible. Yesterday, a woman died in a fire. But her remains belong to someone who died twenty years ago.

When the body of Ruby Anderson is found in a burnt-out trailer, Chief Maggie Riley is called to solve the biggest case Coyote Cove has ever seen. Ruby supposedly drowned on a kayaking trip twenty years ago—how could she have been alive today?

For years there have been whispers about how Ruby died. There was one witness who swore they saw the river drag Ruby away. Ruby’s body was never found, and she was presumed dead.

But when the autopsy report is returned, Maggie makes a shocking discovery. It shows that Ruby never drowned at all. She’d been hiding in plain sight for the past twenty years. Who was she hiding from and why would they want her dead?

As Maggie unravels the web of lies around Ruby’s murder, she discovers that the witness to Ruby’s drowning is her closest colleague at the Coyote Cove Police Department. And they’re protecting a dark secret from Ruby’s past that Maggie must uncover before anyone else loses their life.

But how deep do the lies around Ruby’s death truly go? With no one to trust, Maggie needs to uncover a deadly secret alone and it lies at the heart of the police force. How much will she have to sacrifice to discover the truth?

Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray Blurb and Book Review (Re-Post)

 

BLURB:

She took on titans, battled generals, and changed the world as we know it…

New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a captivating and dramatic new novel about an American heroine Frances Perkins.

Raised on tales of her revolutionary ancestors, Frances Perkins arrives in New York City at the turn of the century, armed with her trusty parasol and an unyielding determination to make a difference.

When she’s not working with children in the crowded tenements in Hell’s Kitchen, Frances throws herself into the social scene in Greenwich Village, befriending an eclectic group of politicians, artists, and activists, including the millionaire socialite Mary Harriman Rumsey, the flirtatious budding author Sinclair Lewis, and the brilliant but troubled reformer Paul Wilson, with whom she falls deeply in love.

But when Frances meets a young lawyer named Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a tea dance, sparks fly in all the wrong directions. She thinks he’s a rich, arrogant dilettante who gets by on a handsome face and a famous name. He thinks she’s a priggish bluestocking and insufferable do-gooder. Neither knows it yet, but over the next twenty years, they will form a historic partnership that will carry them both to the White House.

Frances is destined to rise in a political world dominated by men, facing down the Great Depression as FDR’s most trusted lieutenant—even as she struggles to balance the demands of a public career with marriage and motherhood. And when vicious political attacks mount and personal tragedies threaten to derail her ambitions, she must decide what she’s willing to do—and what she’s willing to sacrifice—to save a nation.

 

MY REVIEW:

I am not a history buff by any means. And, I usually do not like reading in the historical genre. To me, a historical read needs to be interesting to hold my attention. I don’t like books that are filled with so many facts and figures that my mind spins.

I found myself to be quite invested in the tale of Miss Frances Perkins whom I have never heard of until now. This book documents her personal life as well as her life in the political world, which was quite unheard of back in the early 1900s. This book really sets a tone for the time period and brings to life Miss Perkins and her struggles.

To say I really enjoyed the reading of this tale would be an understatement. I was able to get a ‘real feel’ of Miss Perkins and her personality, her struggles with the political world and her home life. I liked the fact that her husband’s illness was handled delicately and with discretion as was appropriate to the time. I even enjoyed reading about her reactions when she would be offered a job because, again, it was unheard of for a woman to be in the political realm in the time period.

We have Miss Perkins to thank for a lot of things that women are entitled to in this day and age. Read it … you won’t be disappointed.

Her One Mistake by Heidi Perks Book Review

It would appear I now have another go-to author on my growing list of favorite authors. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m sure it won’t be my last. I devoured most of this one in one sitting. I was that intrigued and invested in the story of Harriet and Charlotte.

Charlotte is the best friend of Harriet, in fact the only friend of Harriet. Harriet moved to Dorset at her husband Brian’s insistence. It all started when Charlotte was tasked with taking Alice, Harriet and Brian’s daughter, to a school fair. How wrong that went! Charlotte herself had some issues that she also kept buried.

Harriet asked Charlotte to take Alice to the fair because she was enrolled in a bookkeeping class. These two things, leaving Alice with someone else and the class, were different for Harriet being somewhat of a recluse. Why did Harriet ask Charlotte to watch Alice when she had never left Alice with anyone before? Harriet also found out a truth that she was least expecting.

Brian … the husband. He certainly gives off some vibes that are none too pleasant.

Angela … the police liaison. I think she was picking up more going on in Brian and Harriet’s relationship than she actually admitted to.

Detective Rawlings … she sure had some eyerolling moments trying to get to the truth.

This tale is told in the voice of Charlotte and the voice of Harriet, and I was impressed with the differences in the two voices but the same storyline as to what happened. This is the kind of book I like to read – one that keeps you guessing until the end. I thought I had this one figured out, wrong. Then, I thought I had it figured out again, wrong.

I will add that this tale of master manipulation may be triggering to some readers who have ‘been there, done that.’ I found myself relating to Harriet regarding being manipulated by Brian with words alone, not many books have affected me on that level. Please know if you have experienced anything like that you are seen, you are heard, you are valued.

What's Left Unsaid by Emily Bleeker Book Review

 

Hannah … I had to admire this journalist’s persistence and resilience. She found herself without a job, without a boyfriend, without a steady place to be. Off she goes to Senatobia to take care of her mamaw (grandmother). Along the way, she finds a new job, a few new friends, and a story she cannot let go.

Hannah was ‘banished’ to the basement to put all the old files into a computer system. In the boringness of doing this task, she ran across a letter from a woman named Evelyn. To say it piqued her interest is mild. This was it! This was her chance to redeem herself.

Senatobia is a town in Mississippi, and Evelyn’s story was from the 1930s. Way back then … well, let’s just say some folks haven’t changed their minds in today’s world about certain things, so when Hannah forms a friendship with Guy, the local schoolteacher, some folks didn’t approve. I, personally, was rooting for them! I enjoyed reading about the attraction these two had for each other, yet they didn’t know what to do about it. Their budding relationship was full of ups and downs.

Hannah also was dealing with a lot of self-doubt which would throw her mind into a bunch of chaos.

But, chasing Evelyn’s story gave her purpose, gave her something to cling to, gave her someone she could relate to (granted Evelyn was long-since gone).

I had no idea that this story was actually based on a true story from the author’s own family tree until I read the Acknowledgements. That made it, to me at least, more interesting. What happened to Evelyn way back then, or to anyone, should not have happened. I was actually shocked when the big reveal of what happened to her was revealed.

In this story, you’ll find politics, broken relationships, healing relationships, major family dynamics, an attraction between two people who didn’t know what to do with that attraction, healing for Hannah, personal growth for Hannah, the closing of the newspaper the Record which was kind of healing in a sense, and a perseverance to find a truth that no one wanted exposed.

Murder in the Appalachians by Susan Furlong New Release and Book Review

 

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

On the run in the mountains…

with a killer on their trail.

After unearthing secrets from her late brother’s police notebook, journalist Emma Hayes discovers his death was no accident—he was murdered. Only someone doesn’t want Emma to find out the connection to the cold case her brother was investigating…and they’ll kill to keep it that way. Now Emma must rely on local ER doctor Logan Greer to help her stay alive and follow a trail of elusive evidence. But as they unravel a conspiracy, they realize that the killer could be anyone hiding in the mountains…

 

My Review:

This book started out like I like mysteries to start … with Emma getting right into the heart of matters. Her twin brother, Daniel, has left her some clues in a notebook in one of their childhood hiding spots and someone decided they wanted the information contained within said notebook.

Following her brother’s clues, Emma finds herself in all kinds of trouble and meets the handsome Logan Greer, the local ER doctor, but Logan has his own set of issues and wasn’t expecting to meet anyone as captivating to him as Emma.

I enjoyed reading about how Emma and Logan went in search of clues, how Sheriff Pruitt was getting exasperated with these two amateur detectives, how some of the local characters were involved, and finally who the whodunnit turned out to be. I liked all the intertwining backstories and how each of these characters battled with their faith, coming full circle to an ending that was satisfying to me as a reader. Emma and Logan have just the right amount of attraction for my particular reading taste, the right amount of inner struggles with their faith. I also liked the pacing of this tale and all the ‘smaller’ characters that helped bring color to the telling of this tale.

Tempest of Annabel's Lighthouse by Jaime Jo Wright New Release

 

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

Where the lighthouse no longer illuminates, ghostly lore and legends emerge . . .

1874
A battered woman awakens atop a forgotten gravesite by Lake Superior's southern shore. Identified only by the locket around her neck inscribed with the name Rebecca, she seeks refuge with an elderly lighthouse keeper. But as Rebecca struggles to remember who she is, she finds herself haunted by the lingering memories of Annabel, a mysterious woman who perished in the lake's unforgiving waves years earlier. With the spirit of Annabel seemingly reawakened, and an unknown adversary on the hunt to silence Rebecca once and for all, more is at stake than reclaiming her own memories. Rebecca must reclaim Annabel's as well.

Present Day
Author and researcher Shea Radclyffe escapes to the lighthouse outside a historic Michigan mining town to seek clarity about her failing marriage. Instantly drawn to the lighthouse's landlord, Shea contends with the legend of Annabel's vengeful ghost and a superstitious community that has buried the truth about a current murder. As the secrets harbored around Annabel's lighthouse unravel, Shea must navigate a fight between torn loyalty, self-discovery, and the haunting forces of love.

. . . demanding vengeance for secrets that should have drowned a century before.

No Rest for the Wicked by Wes Blalock New Release

 

Help me congratulate Wes on his new release! Here are the details:

National Parks are thought of as places of safety, right before people disappear into the woods, run off the edge of a cliff, or find themselves impaled on the wrong end of an elk. But while tourists may view parks as nothing more than playgrounds or theme parks with more mosquitoes, the wilderness offers ample shadows where motives can be hidden, evidence can be lost, and dangerous people can conduct their nefarious affairs. Accompany Cary Valley National Park Law Enforcement Park Ranger Huittsuu “Birdie” McLaren as she protects visitors to California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains and:

• Rescues CalFire Firefighters cut off—accidentally or by design—by a raging wildfire.
• Hangs off the side of a mountain after the rescue of a climber goes horribly wrong.
• Recovers the body of a woman who died in a suspicious fall.
• Finds footprints in the snow that lead to a deeper, darker secret.
• Tracks a mysterious, deadly animal loose in the park, its presence already responsible for one visitor death.
• Moonlights as a dishwasher following a traumatic event, only to discover a newer, uglier truth.
• Finds a special young woman searching for answers to a century old mystery.
• Leads a posse of deputies into the burning wilderness to capture a group of runaway prisoners.
• Is snatched by sadistic killers and must fight to find a way out.
• Learns the depths of love and loss while investigating the death of a family in the park.
• Assists in tracking a kidnapper and his victim in a desperate race to save a young girl.

Plus, join some of Birdie’s allies, acquaintances, and friends as they feature in their own stories included in this collection.

Beyond The Cemetery Gate by Valerie Biel

 

This book apparently falls into the young adult genre category, but I think it would appeal to just about anyone who likes an amateur sleuth tale.

Young Chloe hears voices one night that wake her up. Outside the young lady goes, only to find something she was not expecting – her dad. Unfortunately, Chloe has had to learn to lie … perhaps stretch the truth and/or make some pretty big omissions in order to be the amateur sleuth she thinks she is. She also discovers a friendship in Jarvis that she wasn’t expecting. More on that in the book – young teenage romance is an underlying story here. All Chloe really wants is the truth and she believes the police aren’t doing their job, much to the chagrin of the police chief.

I was quite entertained by Chloe and her antics, all the running around she did just to avoid being caught, so to speak, with her sleuthing. She gets herself into a few predicaments along the way, but also discovers who her true friends are and who she can trust. Chloe also seems to be quite a resourceful and smart young lady, and wait until you read about the police chief’s estimation of her abilities. And the truths Chloe uncovers along the way…

Molly is the colorful character in this tale with her fascination with bright red, a poodle skirt, and her own diner. Maggie is another character that I’d like to know more about and perhaps I will get that opportunity through this series. I will be interested to see what Maggie and Chloe get up to next as they delve into the new relationship they’ve had to develop.

 

Find Ms. Biel:

Website: https://valeriebiel.com/

Twitter: https://x.com/ValerieBiel

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

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

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/valerie-biel

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8601221.Valerie_Biel

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Cemetery-Gate-Daughter-Mysteries/dp/0998173649/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2TXX0FP3MR6UD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4c6d5hh_o8Q9LtShR75FYQ.cr-vZXPnYa0j8ey57RVSIMgjuGG241UejdHU6zO2ayg&dib_tag=se&keywords=beyond+the+cemetery+gate+valerie+biel&qid=1738162306&sprefix=beyond+the+cem%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-1

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beyond-the-cemetery-gate-valerie-biel/1146282432?ean=9780998173641

 

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/