Danger in Numbers-Blog Tour (Review)-Thriller-Available Now

Thriller is an excellent description for this book.

Also, if you are interested in cults, they get good attention here. Those sections were actually quite informative.

The blurb for this book says that it’s a stand-alone, but there were times that I felt like I was coming into a series. The way the characters related and referred to each other made me feel like I was missing some background.

That didn’t detract from the overall plot, however, which was extremely interesting. After a prologue that really drew me in, the action shifted to a macabre finding and that’s where the investigation starts.

It took a while to circle around to connecting the prologue, but the ride on the way was entertaining. I liked the mysterious aura that Hunter had (at least, that’s how I felt about him). It made me question what was personal and what was professional in his motivations. That made him a particularly interesting character.

I will say that this isn’t for the squeamish. There is extensive detail regarding both dead bodies and the psychological abuse suffered within a cult. Those things don’t bother me, but fair warning to others.

This is also a well-researched book. I don’t want to give anything away, but the details (and motivations) of the murders (no spoiler) were intriguing as well.

As a personal note, I got a kick out of the Everglades location, because we just moved to the region so some of the references were familiar (or at least made me think of where we have already explored).

Not that we’ve explored the small towns and found anything like described in this book! 😊

Anyway, for a stand-alone, this was a pretty decent read. I’d recommend it but with the warnings above.

Author Bio: 

Heather Graham is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author has written over two hundred novels and novellas, has been published in approximately twenty-five languages and with about 60 million books sold in print in the categories of romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. For more information, visit her at TheOriginalHeatherGraham.com.

The Lake House-Books On Tour (Review)-Psychological Thriller-Available Now

I have recently read and enjoyed two of this author’s books (She Lies Alone and Two Widows), so I was looking forward to this one. While I did like this story, I will be honest in saying I thought it could have been better. The atmosphere was perfect, but the relating of the plot was spotty.

First the good. It doesn’t get much better than a secluded house by a lake, where old friends gather to catch up. Throw in dark woods, no cell service, and miles from civilization and you have the perfect creep-inducing atmosphere.

There were times where I felt claustrophobic while reading. I think that was because the author did a good job of relating Megan’s feelings about the whole situation. There are several reasons that she feels off about this reunion. Some are obvious and others are only revealed late in the book.

That was also done well. There were twists right up to the very end (and I mean quite literally the last lines) of the book. I like when an author can produce that very last gasp of surprise.

The aforementioned atmosphere was also effective. While the women in the book were a bit younger than me, I could relate to the milestone birthdays and feeling of recapturing what they thought were good times. Turns out, not so much.

What worked for me is that because I am of a certain age, the whole setting reminded me of the Friday the 13th movies, which were pivotal in building my list of “scary locations” for books and movies. This obviously fit right in.

While the author did have me guessing at who was really behind everything (there were a couple of good red herrings) I thought the reasoning for the real perpetrator was flimsy and not fully developed.

If there had been more flashbacks or a few more hints, I think it would have played better. As mentioned, the red herrings were almost more plausible than the actual reasoning.

There was also quite a bit of repetitiveness, especially when it came to “placing blame” for who was responsible for the predicament the ladies were in. After finishing the book, I now know why that was important, but during the reading, it was a bit tedious.

The same goes for Megan’s thoughts about her family. I get now that it was to build her background and up to those last pages, but over the course of the book, it was just sort of “oh, she said that again.”

Lastly, I thought the owner of the Lake House and everything surrounding him, was an easy out that played along current political lines. It seemed clumsy, and more to appease a point of view than really have impact on the plot.

That being said, I did think the story was good and the creepy camp/location was enough to make a note to myself to always check out vacation places thoroughly. I would still recommend this book for those reasons.

Author Bio:

Laura Wolfe writes fast-paced and twisty mystery and suspense novels. Her new and upcoming releases include TWO WIDOWS (Bookouture, August 2020), SHE LIES ALONE (Bookouture, November 2020), and THE LAKE HOUSE (Bookouture, March 2021.) Her equestrian-themed YA mystery books have been shortlisted for multiple indie book awards. Laura is a lover of animals and nature. When she is not writing, she can be found hanging out with her highly-energetic kids, growing vegetables in her garden, or spoiling her rescue dog. She enjoys living in Ann Arbor, Michigan

After the Crash-Books On Tour (Review)-Fiction/Family Drama-Available Now

This was an honest portrayal of how grief can both numb and blind the people affected by a tragedy.

I thought that the author did a really good job of setting the scene. It was a scenic, family-friendly, small town that served as a juxtaposition to what Louisa was experiencing. It was nice to see how these two opposing things set against each other.

In that regard, I thought the creation of the characters was also well-done. Although I could not relate to Louisa on a personal level (thankful for that), I most definitely related on a professional level.

I have been a freelance writer for over five years, so I totally got her feelings on writing assignments, deadlines, and the realization that editors only care about your work – no matter how much you want to think they actually like you.

That, I think, made me more sympathetic to her personal struggles, because I came from a place of at least partial understanding.

I guessed the “big reveal” pretty much from the beginning, but I was intrigued by how the author rolled out the information. I loved how the characters were fully formed (both to the reader and each other within the story) before things got more complicated.

I also found Robin and Leah’s plot line to be engaging. At first, I thought it was just in place as a holder for Louisa’s story, but I thought the author did a fine job of Leah’s eventual truthfulness with her mother.

She was also a catalyst for a major turning point in the story, which was unexpected. That was well-done also.

While I liked just about everything in the book, especially the concept of art and the thought of the beach as a canvas, I did think that a few revelations seemed forced. They didn’t bother me, just seemed to come out of nowhere.

But major props for one of the most thrilling, page-turning climaxes that wasn’t in a crime/suspense/thriller book. Sometimes, family drama has a more subtle turning point. Not the case here. You have to hang on for this one!

I would definitely recommend this book. The message of forgiveness (of self, of others) and recognizing one’s own errors, but recognizing the ability to correct them and move forward with life are great reminders. Definitely pick this one up!

Twitter: @EmDaviesAuthor
Facebook: emmadaviesauthor/

Author Bio:

After a varied career, Emma Davies once worked for a design studio where she was asked to provide a fun and humorous (and not necessarily true) anecdote for their website. She wrote the following: ‘I am a bestselling novelist currently masquerading as a thirty something mother of three.’ Well the job in the design studio didn’t work out but she’s now a forty something mother of three and is happy to report the rest of her dream came true.

After many years as a finance manager she now writes full time and is far happier playing with words than numbers. She lives with her husband, three children, and two guinea pigs in rural Shropshire where she writes in all the gaps in between real life. It’s a county she adores, her love of its beautiful people and landscapes providing endless inspiration for her books, and in fact the only thing that would make Shropshire more idyllic is if it were by the sea. 

To Catch a Dream-Blog Tour (Review)-Romance-Available Now

I am a big fan of this author’s Calendar Girl series, so I was interested to see how she branched out into a story like this. I wasn’t disappointed.

While parts of it read like a run-of-the-mill romance, there were enough unique aspects to make it a more interesting read.

I particularly liked the focus on Native American traditions, language, and perspectives. I have virtually no experience with any of that, so I have to assume the author did her research and that it was all accurate.

I’ve always liked learning about new things, especially when it comes to belief systems. For this reason, I found the sections with Tahsuda to be especially informative and enlightening. I also liked the nicknames and language usage.

I kind of wish the author had expanded on the racism that Evie experienced on the Reservation. I think that was an important point both in the story and in the current climate in real life that could have been emphasized and explored.

Then again, it’s a romance, so maybe it wasn’t the place.

I understood Evie’s perspective on falling for Milo, but I thought her reasoning wasn’t supported as well as it could have been. It was sort of like her reasons made sense but didn’t fully develop into actions.

Likewise, there were a few plot threads that seemed to disappear. Maybe I just missed it, but I was never quite clear on what business deal Milo wanted with Evie. I mean, it was mentioned, but once one domino fell, that seemed to go by the wayside.

In fact, the entire job purpose seemed murky to me.

The twist at the end was something but I wish that, too, had been a little bit more hinted at along the way. As it was, it seemed like it just came out of the blue in the last 20% of the book – almost like the author decided the story needed a little kick and just threw it in.

I will say that Milo is by far one of the hottest heroes I’ve read in a while. Romance novels tend to exaggerate size in general, but I could picture him as Evie saw him.

This was a quick, enjoyable story, and I would recommend it.

P.S. As I was typing this review, I realized the significance of the title. Very clever.

AUTHOR BIO: 

Audrey Carlan is a #1 New York TimesUSA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over 40 novels, including the worldwide phenomenon Calendar Girl serial, and her books have been translated into more than 30 languages across the globe. Audrey lives in the California Valley with her two children and the love of her life.

The Winter Girls-Books On Tour (Review)-Crime Thriller-Available Now

Agent Tori Hunter is back, and I’m so very glad that Braddock is back with her.

This is one series where I almost like the secondary characters more than the main character herself. But more on that in a minute.

I love the way this author writes. The scenes are so descriptive that I feel like I am watching a movie in my head as I read. Even the sound effects of tires squealing or guns blazing have a place in the writing.

I appreciate that because it doesn’t seem forced or overdone. It simply becomes part of the action.

And oh, what action there is. Starting with the opening scene and carrying through to the very last pages, this one is a page-turner for sure. It’s even complete with one of the most thrilling car chases I’ve ever read.

(Yeah, that was an odd sentence to write – but it’s true).

I also thought that the balance between Tori’s personal and professional lives was good. In her case, they tend to meld together though, because her beau also ends up being a partner during investigations.

Which leads me back to Braddock.

I don’t want to get too personal, but he reminds me so much of my husband, that I drink in every word about him. Even down to his experiences with 9/11, it’s like the author interviewed my husband and built Braddock based on him.

It’s one thing to relate to a character, it’s another to feel like you personally know them. The latter is the case with Braddock for me.

In that regard, I guess I like Tori because she likes Braddock? I wish I related to her a little more – although I do have some of the same thoughts as her. As I read, I found myself thinking something and then she would say it a few lines later. That was kinda cool too.

Regardless of the personal feelings I have, this is just really a good story. I don’t want to give away any major plot points, but the author gives a very honest look at a crime that is widespread, but sadly often flies under the radar

There is also an accurate portrayal of a very touchy, personal, and complicated subject. It was obvious (to someone who has been through the process described in the book) that the author did copious amounts of homework to get the details right.

I guess that’s why I’ll keep coming back to Tori and Braddock. They’re the most personally relatable team of any of them out there. I can’t wait to see what they tackle next!

Author Bio:

Roger Stelljes is the acclaimed New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of pulse-pounding murder mystery and suspense novels, including the Tori Hunter and McRyan Mystery Series. Roger’s crime thrillers are noted for their fast-paced, yet intricate plots filled with layered and complex characters.

Roger started his first novel in July 2002 while on vacation in Minnesota’s Brainerd Lakes area and has been writing ever since. His debut book, The St. Paul Conspiracy, was nominated in genre fiction for the Minnesota Book Awards along with finalists Brian Freeman and William Kent Krueger. With his follow-up, Deadly Stillwater, where Vince Flynn hailed Roger as a “powerful new thriller voice”, he won the Midwest Independent Book Publishers award for commercial fiction.

Born and raised in Minnesota, Roger still lives there with his family. In addition to his work as an author, Roger is a partner in his law firm. Roger is an avid sports enthusiast and enjoys spending time outdoors boating, attending hockey games, and honing his golf game.

The Girl Who Escaped from Auschwitz-Books on Tour (Review)-Historical Fiction-Available Now

I appreciate when an author has the bravery to tell it like it is and not sanitize events or people for the sake of “propriety” or correctness.

This is one of the most brutally honest historical fiction books I have read in recent memory.

(That’s not to say that others were not factual, because that’s not the case – I’ve read some great ones lately).

But this book is filled with detailed descriptions of the ins and outs of a concentration camp – arguably one of the worst of the worst.

From the attitudes of the Nazis who run the camp to the prisoners who have their own “caste” system within the camp, everything rang horribly realistic.

That constant litany of inhumane treatment and attitudes made Mala and Edek’s story even more compelling.

That being said, there were still glimmers of hope in addition to Mala, Edek, and their compatriots. I don’t want to name names because that could ruin other readers’ perspectives on the characters.

But it served as a reminder that it does nobody any good to paint entire groups of people with a wide brush. Human beings do remain (for the most part) individuals with their personal ideals sometimes hindered in the desire to stay alive.

If that sounds convoluted, it’s only because I was touched by a couple of surprise perspectives within the story.

There were some parts where the dialogue didn’t ring true. Other times the inhabitants of the camp seemed to be very chatty with each other and the guards. Now, I suppose this could have been true in some cases, but it seemed overdone in others.

I appreciated how characters from the author’s other book (The Violinist of Auschwitz) made appearances here – this added to the realism of the story that these people would have crossed paths.

However, be forewarned – the fate of the main character of that book is revealed in this one, so if you have an inclination, be sure to read The Violinist… first.

Most importantly, I think, the author managed to capture how fellow prisoners treated each other, which is not often addressed. The lengths of obfuscation of the Nazis with their propaganda (ie the family camp) were also eye-opening.

This was another solid entry in the WWII historical fiction genre.  

Author Bio:

Ellie Midwood is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author. She owes her interest in the history of the Second World War to her grandfather, Junior Sergeant in the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the First Belorussian Front, who began telling her about his experiences on the frontline when she was a young girl. Growing up, her interest in history only deepened and transformed from reading about the war to writing about it. After obtaining her BA in Linguistics, Ellie decided to make writing her full-time career and began working on her first full-length historical novel, The Girl from Berlin.’ Ellie is continuously enriching her library with new research material and feeds her passion for WWII and Holocaust history by collecting rare memorabilia and documents.

In her free time, Ellie is a health-obsessed yoga enthusiast, neat freak, adventurer, Nazi Germany history expert, polyglot, philosopher, a proud Jew, and a doggie mama. Ellie lives in New York with her fiancé and their Chihuahua named Shark Bait.

The Lost Apothecary-Blog Tour-Historical Fiction-Available Now

I. Loved. This. Book.

I thought that the author created two stories that although centuries apart from each other, were complimentary to each other. It was cleverly plotted, and it held my attention for the entire book. That’s no easy feat these days.

I related to Caroline. Not because of her marriage situation, but because of how she felt like she had lost herself in the marriage and the drive to become a family. I think many women my age will feel empathy for her situation.

But even more so, I found her choice of educational interest to be personally attractive as well. When I was in college, I found archeology to be fascinating – particularly Egyptian archeology. One of my favorite series (to this day) involves a Victorian woman and her husband who are Egyptian Archeologists.

I always felt it was the best of both worlds…the pushing of societal norms by a female archeologist in Victorian times, mixed with the mysteries of Ancient Egyptian peoples.

But I digress.

I totally got Caroline’s drive to want to know the nameless people, not just the better-known names and dates.

Her focus is a reason that the historical sections of the book worked so well. Two people who should have been lost to history weren’t – simply because of Caroline’s interest and perseverance to discover more about them.

Frankly, I could see myself taking the same actions as Caroline.

I did also like the historical sections. Sometimes a book falters when moving back and forth between contemporary and historical storylines. Not in this case. I was fully engrossed in Nella and Eliza’s stories as well as Caroline’s.

I will say that I did not make a vital connection until the author smacked me in the face with it towards the end. I REALLY liked that part. So well done.

The author managed to get a feminist point of view across without annoying the heck out of me. Doing this through Nella’s eyes and actions was very effective.

I could go on and on about all of the good things in this book. But just trust me when I say that you will be equal parts charmed and informed, and you will be glad that you picked it up. It should definitely be in your TBR pile.

P.S. This is a debut novel. I certainly will be following in hopes of more to come!

Facebook: @SarahPennerAuthor
Instagram: @sarah_penner_author
Twitter: @sl_penner

About the Author:

Sarah Penner is the debut author of The Lost Apothecary, to be translated in eleven languages worldwide. She works full-time in finance and is a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. She and her husband live in St. Petersburg, Florida, with their miniature dachshund, Zoe. To learn more, visit slpenner.com.

The Fragile Ones-Books On Tour (Review)-Mystery/Suspense Series-Available Now

Detective Katie Scott and her trusty sidekick Cisco are back for another case. I can honestly say that while this was the most heartbreaking of the five cases (so far), it was also the one I had the hardest time getting into.

It is altogether possible that it’s solely on me for that (and probably is) but it might also be Katie herself.

I’ve enjoyed this series. However, in re-reading my review of the last one (Last Girls Alive) I see that I mentioned that the plot seemed to meander a bit and wasn’t as tight as the previous book. I would have to say the same about this book.

Katie is still sharp and working hard to keep her PTSD at bay. I would have liked to see a little more progress on this front, but I understand why the author keeps it at the particular level.

It’s a condition that can resurface at any time with any trigger – and for many, it never goes away even if the person thinks it has been combatted.

I do still like the camaraderie between Katie and McGaven. They work well together. I do get a bit annoyed at how Katie’s reputation seems to be that of being wonderful. Nobody is that perfect.

That being said, I guess it could be because of her PTSD that people are amazed at how well she does? But that doesn’t make a lot of sense in the bigger picture, and certainly doesn’t fit with the characters.

One disappointment for me is that it seemed from the last book that the author was setting up for a good showdown of wills between Katie and the new undersheriff, Dorothy Sullivan. But unless I just plain ol’ missed it, there was virtually nothing involving the two of them.

I had high hopes for that, but even a search of the undersheriff’s name in the book gave one return. So I’m not exactly sure if I misread the interactions in the previous book, or if the author just decided to go a different direction.

I will say that I got a chill when it came to the description of Rock Creek (roughly ¾ of the way through the book). That was a nice bit of atmosphere that added to the mood.

Anyway, I did like the book, although this is the second in a row where I kind of felt something was missing. I’ll still read the series though because I like Cisco and I like the cold case aspect.

Author Bio:

Jennifer Chase is a multi award-winning and best-selling crime fiction author, as well as a consulting criminologist. Jennifer holds a bachelor degree in police forensics and a master’s degree in criminology & criminal justice. These academic pursuits developed out of her curiosity about the criminal mind as well as from her own experience with a violent psychopath, providing Jennifer with deep personal investment in every story she tells.

In addition, she holds certifications in serial crime and criminal profiling. She is an affiliate member of the International Association of Forensic Criminologists, and member of the International Thriller Writers.

The Wedding-Books On Tour (Review)-Psychological Thriller-Available Now

I’ve been on a good run with psych thrillers lately. This latest from Ruth Heald has all of the hallmarks of a perfect one.

Ambiguous Prologue: check. The reader immediately knows that there is a bride whose wedding day was disrupted. But how, and by whom?

Differing Perspectives: check. We largely get Lauren’s point of view on the events of the story. But we periodically get Adam’s, and those are primarily flashbacks. (More on that in a minute).

Multiple Suspects: check. There are enough characters whose actions are questionable to make the real culprit hard to detect. Is it one person? Two? Is everything connected, or are there separate things going on?

Thriller Ending: check and check. This book had one of the best endings I’ve read in a while. A real page-turner with more than a couple “What the heck/oh no way!” moments. Including one I did not see coming at all (but should have).

The author did a great job of laying out the plot so that I was right along side of Lauren, never knowing exactly who to trust. I didn’t have a lot in common with her character-wise, but her attitude and demeanor were perfect for feeling sympathy towards her and the situation.

This also added to the sense of dread as events start occurring that make her question everyone around her.

I also thought the flashbacks were well-done. Ostensibly, they relate a pivotal trip in Adam and Lauren’s past. But is there more than meets the eye? Yes and no. I had to check the date on an event because I was sure that the trip was during it, but once again, the author outwitted me.

I also thought that the chapters with Adam’s point of view in the present added to the suspense. Is he a heel? Does he love Lauren? When is he telling the truth, if ever? I liked being off-balance when it came to him.

How’s that for a few non-spoilers?

And those aforementioned multiple suspects? Once again, the author did such a good job with plotting that at one point I suspected a character who had given me absolutely no reason to suspect them – only that I was trying to outguess the author.

There were a couple of loose ends, especially with Adam’s relationships, where people kind of just disappeared. To be honest, the ending was so good that I didn’t even realize that there was no ending for those characters. And it didn’t bother me at all.

As I mentioned at the beginning, this is about as perfect a psych thriller that you can find. I read it in one sitting because it drew me in and kept my attention the entire way through.

You definitely do NOT want to miss out on this one.

TWITTER: @RJ_Heald

Author Bio:

Ruth Heald is a psychological thriller writer from a suburban Buckinghamshire town. She studied Economics at Oxford and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting.

Seeking a more creative environment, she found a role at the BBC and worked there for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with one daughter and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.

The Last Witch-Blog Tour (Review)-Mystery-Available Now

Truth right off the bat – I was left feeling confused by this book.

On the one hand it was a mystery that went skimming along and kept me guessing. That was good.

On the other, it moved so quickly that I never felt like I got too much depth from, well, any of it. The characters were interesting but fairly superficial.

I think maybe I didn’t know exactly what to expect from the book, and that is totally on me.

From the title, I was expecting more supernatural aspects. While there were a few minor ones, they seemed to be more regional (rural Ireland) rather than actual alternative. That’s not a bad thing, and I liked those parts.

It became a bit more police procedural once the bodies started appearing.

Yes, that’s bodies. Plural.

The beginning really gave no indication of what was to come. In that regard, I think it started a little slowly. I thought the whole book would be based on the opening few chapters, with David’s desire to try to better himself (and failing miserably).

But what should have been a climax actually became more like the kicking off point for the rest of the story.

That wasn’t bad, but (again) it was just unexpected.

I did like how the author kept me guessing as to who was doing what and why. I thought I had a few things figured out, but I was wrong.

I did like the setting and think that the series shows promise. I would certainly give another book by this author a try, especially if it was set in the same location. Maybe some other things will be ironed out in the second installment.

About Sabina Gabrielli Carrara:

Italian Ireland-based author of murder mysteries with a psychological twist, after a degree in History and Philosophy and some experience in Human resources, Sabina decided to go back to her old passion: writing.

She is a published author in Denmark and currently living in the little village of Balrothery in North Co. Dublin with her husband, their two daughters and three dogs.

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