BLOG TOUR: The Comeback Cowboy by Maisey Yates, Caitlin Crews, Jackie Ashenden, and Nicole Helm

I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for The Comeback Cowboy by Maisey Yates, Caitlin Crews, Jackie Ashenden, and Nicole Helm! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to HQN and the Authors for letting me be a part of this tour!

Title: The Comeback Cowboy

Authors: Maisey Yates, Caitlin Crews, Jackie Ashenden, and Nicole Helm

Published by: HQN

Released: April 25, 2023

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads          Amazon

 

Synopsis: They may not have been friends when they were younger but now, they’ll work together to save the camp that saved them and, maybe, even find love in the process…

The alumni of Camp Phoenix, a summer program for at-risk youth, went their separate ways, but now they’ve been called back to help the camp reopen for a new crop of kids. Now successful adults, the four women pledge to restore the grounds to their former glory, if long-standing rivalries and old flames don’t get in the way first…

Bree White  fought hard to get away from her criminal family and all of the reminders of her past until Sheriff Flint Decker brings all those feelings back and more. Attorney  Violet Cook  owes her life to Camp Phoenix and is determined to save the camp…but who’s going to save her from the temptation of long-time crush US Marshal Lincoln Traeger?  Kinley Parker  never left Camp Phoenix, dedicating her life to it, and has no time for pushy cowboys like Jackson Hart until butting heads leads to sparks.   The daughter of the camp’s founder.  Clementine McClain  has always wanted to follow in her law-abiding father’s footsteps, but her father’s protégé and former bad boy Duke Cody has her breaking all the rules. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: Yee-Haw Camp Phoenix! This was a really fun anthology to read. I liked each couple we got to meet. Each author featured gave a compelling and fun story. I enjoyed all of them!

I think a lot of people would enjoy this, especially if you like cowboy love stories. All the stories in the anthology have a connection, and that was a lot of fun too.

Jackie writes dark, emotional stories with alpha heroes who've just got the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines.

She lives in Auckland, New Zealand, with her husband the inimitable Dr Jax and two kids. When she's not torturing alpha males, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, wasting time on social media, or forced to mountain biking with her husband.


USA Today bestselling, RITA-nominated, and critically-acclaimed author Caitlin Crews has written more than 130 books and counting. She has a Masters and Ph.D. in English Literature, thinks everyone should read more category romance, and is always available to discuss her beloved alpha heroes. Just ask. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her comic book artist husband, is always planning her next trip, and will never, ever, read all the books in her to-be-read pile. Thank goodness.

Nicole Helm writes down-to-earth contemporary romance and fast-paced romantic suspense. She lives with her husband and two sons in Missouri. Visit her website: www.nicolehelm.com

Maisey Yates is a New York Times bestselling author of over one hundred romance novels. Whether she's writing strong, hard working cowboys, dissolute princes or multigenerational family stories, she loves getting lost in fictional worlds. An avid knitter with a dangerous yarn addiction and an aversion to housework, Maisey lives with her husband and three kids in rural Oregon. Check out her website, maiseyyates.com or find her on Facebook.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for The Comeback Cowboy by Maisey Yates, Caitlin Crews, Jackie Ashenden, and Nicole Helm. Thank you to HQN and The Authors for letting me be a part of this tour. If you've got a thing for cowboy books, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a read!

BLOG TOUR: Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner

I am excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Berkley and Susan Meissner for letting me be a part of the tour!

 

 

Title: Only the Beautiful

Author: Susan Meissner

Published by: Berkley

Released: April 18, 2023

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads          Amazon

 

Synopsis: A heartrending story about a young mother’s fight to keep her daughter, and the winds of fortune that tear them apart by the New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Fragile Things and The Last Year of the War.

California, 1938—When she loses her parents in an accident, sixteen-year-old Rosanne is taken in by the owners of the vineyard where she has lived her whole life as the vinedresser’s daughter. She moves into Celine and Truman Calvert’s spacious house with a secret, however—Rosie sees colors when she hears sound. She promised her mother she’d never reveal her little-understood ability to anyone, but the weight of her isolation and grief prove too much for her. Driven by her loneliness she not only breaks the vow to her mother, but in a desperate moment lets down her guard and ends up pregnant. Banished by the Calverts, Rosanne believes she is bound for a home for unwed mothers, and having lost her family she treasures her pregnancy as the chance for a future one. But she soon finds out she is not going to a home of any kind, but to a place far worse than anything she could have imagined.

Austria, 1947—After witnessing firsthand Adolf Hitler’s brutal pursuit of hereditary purity—especially with regard to “different children”—Helen Calvert, Truman's sister, is ready to return to America for good. But when she arrives at her brother’s peaceful vineyard after decades working abroad, she is shocked to learn what really happened nine years earlier to the vinedresser’s daughter, a girl whom Helen had long ago befriended. In her determination to find Rosanne, Helen discovers that while the war had been won in Europe, there are still terrifying battles to be fought at home. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: This was a really interesting story that I enjoyed. The synopsis was the first thing that really grabbed my attention. I loved how it had two stories that were connected.

I liked both of our characters of Roseanne and Helen. They definitely went through some stuff. This story deals with history, and some heavy topics. It caused me to learn some things that were really interesting and heartbreaking.

I really enjoyed this historical fiction, and I could see many other people enjoying it too. I think it's definitely one to pick up and give a read.

 

 Susan Meissner is a former managing editor of a weekly newspaper, and an award-winning columnist. She is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Fragile Things, The Last Year of the War, As Bright as Heaven, A Bridge Across the Ocean, Secrets of a Charmed Life, A Fall of Marigolds, and Stars over Sunset Boulevard, among other novels.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner! Thank you to Berkley and Susan Meissner for letting me be a part of the tour. You should add this book to your TBR!

BLOG TOUR: Zora Books Her Happy Ever After by Taj McCoy

 I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Zora Books Her Happy Ever After by Taj McCoy! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to MIRA Books and Taj McCoy for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: Zora Books Her Happy Ever After

Author: Taj McCoy

Published by: MIRA

Released: April 25, 2023

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads         Amazon

 

Synopsis: Zora has committed every inch of her life to establishing her thriving DC bookstore, making it into a pillar of the community, and she just hasn’t had time for romance. But when a mystery author she’s been crushing on for years agrees to have an event at her store, she starts to rethink her priorities. Lawrence is every bit as charming as she imagined, even if his understanding of his own books seems just a bit shallow. When he asks her out after his reading, she’s almost elated enough to forget about the grumpy guy who sat next to her making snide comments all evening. Apparently the grouch is Lawrence’s best friend, Reid, but she can’t imagine what kind of friendship that must be. They couldn’t be more different.

But as she starts seeing Lawrence, and spending more and more time with Reid, Zora finds first impressions can be deceiving. Reid is smart and thoughtful—he’s also interested. After years of avoiding dating, she suddenly has two handsome men competing for her affection. But even as she struggles to choose between them, she can’t shake the feeling that they’re both hiding something—a mystery she’s determined to solve before she can find her HEA. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: This was a fun read! I was drawn in by the bookstore and the romance. I am always excited for a rom-com, and this one did not disappoint. I had a great time reading it.

This does involve a bit of a love triangle. Zora has to choose who she wants to be with.

I loved how Zora owned her own bookstore. It sounded like a store I would love to visit.

This was a good time and I can see a lot of other people enjoying it too.

Oakland-born law grad Taj McCoy is committed to championing stories that include Black and multiracial women of color, plus-size protagonists, Black love, Black joy, and strong senses of sisterhood and familial bonds. Taj started writing as a small child, enjoying her first publications in elementary school. When she's not writing, Taj may be on Twitter boosting other marginalized writers, practicing yoga, sharing recipes, or cooking private supper club meals for close friends.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for Zora Books Her Happy Ever After by Taj McCoy. Thank you to MIRA Books and Taj McCoy for letting me be a part of the tour. This is one you should add to your TBR!

BLOG TOUR: Bear With Me Now by Katie Shepard

I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Bear With Me Now by Katie Shepard! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Berkley and Katie Shepard for letting me be a part of the Blog Tour and giving me the chance to read this fun book!

 

 

Title: Bear With Me Now

Author: Katie Shepard

Published by: Berkley

Released: April 25, 2023

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads          Amazon

 

Synopsis: Two people are ready for their lives to get a little wilder in this romantic comedy by debut author Katie Shepard.

After being hospitalized for panic attacks two years after his mother’s death, charitable foundation executive Teagan van Zijl is dragged by his sister to a wilderness therapy retreat in Montana. Lost in the woods, Teagan nearly gets eaten by a bear but is saved by an angel in muddy hiking boots—the program’s handywoman, Darcy Albano, that is. After spending the summer with Darcy, Teagan realizes he doesn’t want to return to New York without her. He hires Darcy as his sober companion—a position he doesn’t actually need filled and for which Darcy is completely unqualified—hoping she can help him figure out how to move forward. But once they get to the city, all Teagan can think of is how to confess the truth while keeping her in his life.

Darcy Albano thought she was going to work as a wilderness guide when she was hired on the camp staff, but ended up a handywoman instead—only the latest screwing-over she’s endured since her ex stole her car and her parents ruined her credit score. But Teagan van Zijl is the silver lining she didn’t expect to appear—clearly going through something but willing to commit to Darcy’s unique brand of wilderness education as the cure for what ails him. They form an unlikely bond based on the unexpected support they provide each other. Darcy never imagined staying in the city, but with Teagan’s unshakeable belief in her abilities, anything seems possible. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: This was fun! This also dealt with some heavier topics like mental health. It did a really good job of melding everything together and making a really enjoyable read.

The first thing that drew my eye to this book was the cover. I just love the bear chasing them in the background. I also liked that it definitely had relevance to the story.

I enjoyed our main characters in this. Darcy is pretty tough. She's gone through a lot, but she doesn't give up. Teagan was a good character to follow too. I just liked seeing their friendship and relationship grow.

This was a great debut novel. I can't wait to read more by Katie Shepard. I had a lot of fun reading this one and I think other people will too.

 

Katie Shepard studied Soviet history and worked in human rights law before burning way, way out, and achieved professional tranquility as a simple country bankruptcy lawyer. She lives in Texas with her husband, kids, and elderly rescue cat, but is often found hiking in the Rocky Mountains or the virtual woods of Thedas.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Post for Bear With Me Now by Katie Shepard! Thank you to Berkley and Katie Shepard for letting me be a part of this tour. This is definitely a book you should add to your reading list.

BLOG TOUR: The Loner by Diana Palmer

I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for The Loner (Long, Tall Texans #53) by Diana Palmer! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to HQN and Diana Palmer for letting me be a part of the tour!

 

 

Title: The Loner (Long, Tall Texans #53)

Author: Diana Palmer

Published by: HQN

Released: April 25, 2023

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads          Amazon

 

Synopsis: Tanner Everett spends most of his time jet-setting around the world. But that hasn’t stopped innocent Stasie Bolton, the daughter of a neighboring rancher, from falling head-over-heels for the jet-setting playboy. So Stasie is secretly thrilled when both her father proposes linking the properties in matrimony…which means Tanner will be hers, for good.

Despite his globetrotting ways, Tanner can’t help but be enthralled by the quiet girl next door. But as the embers between the two are fanned into flames, Tanner wonders if he’s found forever in the last place he ever expected. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: I'm always game for an arranged marriage. I enjoyed this one. This series is very much you know what you're getting. It's a romance, it has the ranch life. We have characters that have to decide who they want to be with. I need books like that sprinkled through my reading life.

I liked this one. I might not have always been the biggest fan of some of the characters, but I liked how everything turned out in the end.

This book gave me what I wanted.

 

The prolific author of more than one hundred books, Diana Palmer got her start as a newspaper reporter. A New York Times bestselling author and voted one of the top ten romance writers in America, she has a gift for telling the most sensual tales with charm and humor. Diana lives with her family in Cornelia, Georgia.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for The Loner by Diana Palmer! Thank you to HQN and Diana Palmer for letting me be a part of the tour. We all need some cowboys in our reading life.

BLOG TOUR: The Beach Reads Bookshop by Lee Tobin McClain

 I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for The Beach Reads Bookshop by Lee Tobin McClain! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to HQN and Lee Tobin McClain for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: The Beach Reads Bookshop

Author: Lee Tobin McClain

Published by: HQN

Released: April 25, 2023

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads          Amazon

 

Synopsis: Running a bookstore on a quaint Chesapeake island is exactly the life Deena Clark would have chosen for herself--but helping billionaire businessman Luis Dominguez figure out fatherhood is part of the package. Can bonding over books and one little girl help them open their hearts to each other? (Synopsis from Goodreads )
 

My Thoughts: This was very cute and fun to read. I enjoyed my time in this little town. Of course I loved that it involved a little bookstore. I love books that involve books, especially when characters have a love of books.

The romance was cute too. I'll root for Deena and Luis.

This was just a cozy sort of read. I think a lot of people would enjoy it. It's a book that just takes you on a mini vacation from life.

 Lee Tobin McClain is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels. A professor-turned-writer, she finds inspiration in her beautiful and brilliant daughter, her goofy goldendoodle, and her aptly named cat, Trouble. Learn more about her books at www.leetobinmcclain.com.

Thank you for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for The Beach Reads Bookshop by Lee Tobin McClain! Thanks to HQN and Lee Tobin McClain for letting me be a part of the tour. This is definitely a fun one to check out.

SPOTLIGHT: Silver Alert by Lee Smith

 I'm excited to share a Spotlight for Silver Alert by Lee Smith! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Algonquin Books and Lee Smith for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: Silver Alert

Author: Lee Smith

Published by: Algonquin Books

Released: April 18, 2023

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads          Amazon

 

Synopsis: This funny and endearing novel of family, secrets, and aging follows an elderly man who heads off on a joyride with a new young friend—who may have some secrets of her own. "It's very different and it's very special and it's very good! I loved it." —​Dolly Parton

A driving force in literature, the one and only Lee Smith returns with a road trip novel, a story full of hope and humor about not going away quietly—at any age.

Aging Herb’s charmed life with his dear wife, Susan, in their Key West house is coming undone. Susan now needs constant care, and Herb is in denial about his own ailing health. The one bright spot is the arrival of an endlessly optimistic manicurist calling herself Renee. She sings to Susan during manicures, gets her to paint, and brings her a sense of contentment.

But then Herb and Susan’s adult children arrive to stage an intervention on their stubborn, independent father, and as a consequence, Renee’s gig with Susan—and her grand plans for her own life—start to unravel as well. So much had seemed as if it could change for Renee, who is not the happy, uncomplicated young girl she pretends to be. She is actually named Dee Dee, and she’s fleeing a dark past.

And Herb can’t just let go of all that he has ever had. So, he suggests one last joy ride in his Porsche. And the two take off north out of Key West, soon setting off a Silver Alert. As the unlikely friendship between Herb and Dee Dee deepens, we see how as one life is closing down, another opens up.

In this buoyant novel, the masterful Smith What do we deserve? And how do we make it our own? Sometimes, you just have to seize the wheel.

Fans of Smith’s many books in her storied, bestselling career won’t want to miss her newest novel. And readers of novels like Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes will adore Silver Alert . (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

Lee Smith began writing stories at the age of nine and selling them for a nickel apiece. Since then, she has written seventeen works of fiction, including Fair and Tender Ladies, Oral History, Guests on Earth, and most recently, Dimestore. She has received many awards, including the North Carolina Award for Literature and an Academy Award in Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters; her novel The Last Girls was a New York Times bestseller as well as winner of the Southern Book Critics Circle Award.

Thanks so much for checking out my Spotlight for Silver Alert by Lee Smith! Thank you to Algonquin Books and Lee Smith for letting me be a part of the tour! You should definitely check this one out.

BLOG TOUR: Everything She Feared by Rick Mofina

 I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Everything She Feared by Rick Mofina! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to MIRA and Rick Mofina for letting me be a part of the tour.

Title: Everything She Feared

Author: Rick Mofina

Published by: MIRA

Released: April 11, 2023

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads          Amazon

 

Synopsis: When a teen falls off a cliff while taking a selfie, the last thing she sees before plummeting to her death is Katie Harmon, the nine-year-old girl she was babysitting, looking down at her. Investigators gather at the scene, and Katie’s mother, Sara, rushes to comfort her daughter, yet there’s a small, secret ping of alarm in Sara’s heart that she cannot share—though rookie detective Kim Pierce senses it. For years, others have tried to unravel this secret, from true-crime podcasters to a haunted journalist searching for a killer who vanished after being released from prison. And now, with detectives tightening the focus of their investigation, Sara is consumed by her darkest fear—that the babysitter’s death was not accidental. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: The synopsis for Everything She Feared caught my attention, and I knew I had to read it! It had the hook that got me.

I really enjoyed this story. It had all the twists and turns that kept me engaged and enjoying it. I liked that it was about a possibly evil child. Those kinds of books are always fun to me.

This was a solid story. I enjoyed my time reading it. It kept me turning the pages, and racing to the ending. I think a lot of people would enjoy this one.

Rick Mofina is a former crime reporter and the award-winning author of several acclaimed thrillers. He's interviewed murderers face-to-face on death row; patrolled with the LAPD and the RCMP. His true crime articles have appeared in The New York Times, Marie Claire, Reader’s Digest and Penthouse. He's reported from the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, Africa, Qatar and Kuwait's border with Iraq. For more information please visit www.rickmofina.com

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for Everything She Feared by Rick Mofina! Thank you to MIRA and Rick Mofina for letting me be a part of the tour. I'd definitely say pick this one up and give it a read.

BLOG TOUR: How I'll Kill You by Ren DeStefano

 I'm really excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for How I'll Kill You by Ren DeStefano! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Berkley and Ren DeStefano for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: How I'll Kill You

Author: Ren DeStefano 

Published by: Berkley

Released: March 21, 2023

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads          Amazon

 

Synopsis: Your next stay-up-all-night thriller, about identical triplets who have a nasty habit of killing their boyfriends, and what happens when the youngest commits their worst crime yet: falling in love with her mark.

 

Make him want you.
Make him love you.
Make him dead.

 

Sissy has an...interesting family. Always the careful one, always the cautious one, she has handled the cleanup while her serial killer sisters have carved a path of carnage across the U.S. Now, as they arrive in the Arizona heat, Sissy must step up and embrace the family pastime of making a man fall in love and then murdering him. Her first target? A young widower named Edison--and their mutual attraction is instant. While their relationship progresses, and most couples would be thinking about picking out china patterns and moving in together, Sissy's family is reminding her to think about picking out burial sites and moving on.

But then something happens that Sissy never anticipated: She begins to feel protective of Edison, and then, before she can help it, she's fallen in love. But the clock is ticking, and her sisters are growing restless. It becomes clear that the gravesite she chooses will hide a body no matter what happens; but if she betrays her family, will it be hers? (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: I was sold from the title and synopsis. I love a good, dark tale. I mean, how could I say no to murderous triplets? I couldn't.

This is a really fun read! It delivers just what it promises. It's such an easy book to devour in a couple sittings. I had to keep reading to see what all was going to happen. The entertainment value with this is high.

This was good time reading for me. I'd recommend it.

Ren DeStefano lives in Connecticut, where she was born and raised. When she’s not writing thrillers, she’s listening to true crime podcasts and crocheting way too many blankets.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for How I'll Kill You by Ren DeStefano! Thank you to Berkley and Ren DeStefano for letting me be a part of the tour. I'd definitely say give this one a read!

BLOG TOUR: Life and Other Love Songs by Anissa Gray

 I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Life and Other Love Songs by Anissa Gray! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Berkley and Anissa Gray for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: Life and Other Love Songs

Author: Anissa Gray

Published by: Berkley

Released: April 11, 2023

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads          Amazon

 

Synopsis: A father’s sudden disappearance exposes the private fears, dreams, longings, and joys of a Black American family in the late decades of the twentieth century, in this page-turning and intimate new novel from the author of The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls.

It’s a warm, bright October afternoon, and Ozro Armstead walks out into the brilliant sunshine on his thirty-seventh birthday. At home, his wife Deborah and daughter Trinity prepare a surprise celebration; down the street, his brother waves as Oz heads back to his office after having lunch together.

But he won’t make it to the party or even to his briefcase back at his desk. He’s about to disappear.

In the days, months, and years to follow, Deborah and Trinity look backward and forward as they piece together the life of the man they love, but whom they come to realize they might never have truly known.

In a gripping narrative that moves from the Great Migration to 1970s Detroit and 1990s New York, we follow the hopes, triumphs, losses, and secrets that build up and tear apart an American family. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts: The synopsis of this one definitely intrigued me, this book intrigued me. I enjoyed the story of this. This book covers a lot of topics, some of them are heavy. It's definitely an interesting read that I enjoyed.

It's a story that focuses on family, but it's not exactly a happy family. The big family wrench is the disappearance of Ozro Armstead. Where did he go? What happened? I enjoyed finding all that out.

I can see a lot of people enjoying this story. If it sounds good to you, I'd definitely add it to your TBR.

 Anissa Gray is the author of the novel The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls. She is also an award-winning journalist whose work has been featured in The Washington Post, CNN, and The Cut. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her wife.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for Life and Other Love Songs by Anissa Gray! Thank you to Berkley and Anissa Gray for letting me be a part of the tour. It's worth a read!

Reading Right Now! (345)

 It's Friday, so why don't I do a Reading Right Now! I've been pretty bad at doing them this year.

I'm taking part in the Orilium Magical Readathon this month! This is one of my favorite readathons to take part in. It was created by BookRoast on youtube. I'm going for the career of Master of Elements, so I need to read six books. Can I do it? I don't know. 

I just finished my first book for the readathon, which was How To Sell A Haunted House by Grady Hendrix, so I'm moving onto something new this weekend.

What I'm Reading Right Now! is...

 

 

Yellow Jessamine by Caitlin Starling --  I don't know a lot about this one. It's a  short novella, I've heard that it is gothic. I've read two other books by Caitlin Starling. One of them I enjoyed, the other one got too weird for me. I'm interested to see what I think of this one.

Not the most exciting update, but there it is!

I think I'm reading this for the prompt of Elemental Studies, I needed something with flowers on the cover.

 

That's what I'm Reading Right Now! What are you reading?

Review: A Dark and Secret Place by Jen Williams

 

Title: A Dark and Secret Place

Author: Jen Williams

Published by: Crooked Lane Books

Released: June 8, 2021

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher through Netgalley

Goodreads          Amazon

 

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL: 3.7/5

 

Synopsis: When prodigal daughter Heather Evans returns to her family home after her mother's baffling suicide, she makes an alarming discovery--stacks and stacks of carefully preserved letters from notorious serial killer Michael Reave. The "Red Wolf," as he was dubbed by the press, has been in prison for over twenty years, serving a life sentence for the gruesome and ritualistic murders of several women across the country, although he has always protested his innocence. The police have had no reason to listen, yet Heather isn't the only one to have cause to re-examine the murders. The body of a young woman has just been found, dismembered and placed inside a tree, the corpse planted with flowers. Just as the Red Wolf once did.

What did Heather's mother know? Why did she kill herself? And with the monstrous Red Wolf safely locked inside a maximum security prison, who is stalking young women now? Teaming up with DI Ben Parker, Heather hopes to get some answers for herself and for the newest victims of this depraved murderer. Yet to do that, she must speak to Michael Reave herself, and expose herself to truths she may not be ready to face. Something dark is walking in the woods, and it knows her all too well. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: *Contains: suicide, violence against women, sexual abuse involving a child, animal abuse, and murder*

I really enjoyed this thriller. I was interested from page one. The subject matter of this story was just very intriguing. The way it was put together felt like a puzzle. I needed to keep reading to see how everything was going to end up, and what the reveal was going to be. It's probably all been done before, but I was hooked.
Heather is our main character, she's brought back home after the suicide of her mother. A mother she didn't have the closest relationship with. She's back in her childhood home, having to go through all the things. She finds a box of letters written by a serial killer (Michael Reave) to her mother. This causes Heather to try to find out more about her mother's past. How does she know Michael Reave? Why did she write to him?
Heather was a character I didn't really have strong feelings for. She did have a tendency of keeping secrets, not reporting things to the police that she should have.
I enjoyed trying to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together. Some of the villains were obvious, but trying to figure out how they were all connected was fun.
There were a couple of disturbing scenes in here. There was some animal cruelty that was just very distressing to read.
This does have some back and forth timeline stuff. Even though Michael Reave is a sick and twisted soul, there were instances that I felt sorry for him. He didn't have a very fair go at life.
The ending definitely had some surprises, but I would have like a little more closure from all the build up, but I'm not disappointed in it. I think I would have liked a little more explanation in some areas too.
This is the first book I've read from Jen Williams and I'd definitely read more. I learned that they have some fantasy books that I might have to check out.

 

BLOG TOUR: Murder in Postscript by Mary Winters

I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Murder in Postscript by Mary Winters! I received a free electronic copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Berkley and Mary Winters for letting me be a part of the tour!

 

 

Title: Murder in Postscript (A Lady of Letters Mystery)

Author: Mary Winters

Published by: Berkley

Released: March 28, 2023

Source: Electronic Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads          Amazon

 

Synopsis: When one of her readers asks for advice following a suspected murder, Victorian countess Amelia Amesbury, who secretly pens the popular Lady Agony column, has no choice but to investigate in this first book in a charming new historical mystery series.

Amelia Amesbury—widow, mother, and countess—has a secret. Amelia writes for a London penny paper, doling out advice on fashion, relationships, and manners under the pen name Lady Agony. But when a lady’s maid writes Amelia to ask for advice when she believes her mistress has been murdered—and then ends up a victim herself—Amelia is determined to solve the case.

With the help of her best friend and a handsome marquis, Amelia begins to piece together the puzzle, but as each new thread of inquiry ends with a different suspect, the investigation grows ever more daunting. From London’s docks and ballrooms to grand country houses, Amelia tracks a killer, putting her reputation—and her life—on the line. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: This was such a fun time and I'm glad I got to read it! As soon as I read the synopsis, I was hooked. I love having books like this to stick between all my horror and science fiction reads. I love the time period this was set in. I really enjoyed the characters. The mystery was fun. I just had a good time reading this.

This is a exciting start to a new series, and I can't wait to read more. I think it's an easy add to the tbr pile. It's a fun murder mystery. I'm anxious to see what Amelia Amesbury gets herself involved in next.

 

Mary Winters is the author of the Lady Agony mystery series. A longtime reader of historical fiction and an author of two other mystery series, Mary set her latest work in Victorian England after being inspired by a trip to London. Since then, she’s been busily planning her next mystery—and another trip!

Thank you for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for Murder in Postscript by Mary Winters! Thank you to Berkley and Mary Winters for letting me be a part of the tour. This is such an easy add to your TBR. It's a lot of fun.

BLOG TOUR: Panther Gap by James A. McLaughlin

 I'm excited to be a part of the Blog Tour for Panther Gap by James A. McLaughlin! I received a free copy for honest review from the publisher. Thanks so much to Flatiron Books and James A. McLaughlin for letting me be a part of the tour!

Title: Panther Gap

Author: James A. McLaughlin

Published by: Flatiron Books

Released: April 4, 2023

Source: Review Copy Provided by Publisher

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Synopsis: The thrilling follow-up to the Edgar Award–winning Bearskin, about two siblings on the verge of inheriting millions but who discover dark secrets in their family’s past.

Siblings Bowman and Summer were raised by their father and two uncles on a remote Colorado ranch. They react differently to his radical teachings and the confusions of adolescence. As young adults, they become estranged but are brought back together in their thirties by the prospect of an illegal and potentially dangerous inheritance from their grandfather. They must ultimately reconcile with each other and their past in order to defeat ruthless criminal forces trying to extort the inheritance.

Set in the rugged American West and populated by drug cartels, shadowy domestic terrorists, and nefarious business interests, Panther Gap shows James McLaughlin’s talents on full display: gorgeous environmental writing, a white-knuckle thriller plot, and characters dealing with legacy, identity, and their own place in the world. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

 

My Thoughts: This story pulled me into its world and wouldn't let me leave! It was a really enjoyable reading experience. This story is Adventure with a Capital A. It was just what I wanted to read. It really has a great sense of place. The setting and nature plays a big part in this story, and you can definitely picture it when reading.

This story jumped between past and present to tell its tale. It's a very fast-paced story, so you do have to pay a little bit of attention.

I liked our two characters of Bowman and Summer.

I always love a story with family secrets, so I enjoyed figuring out those secrets in this book.

This was a really fun thriller. It's a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's fun to read. I'd definitely recommend it, and I'm glad I got to read it.

 James A. McLaughlin is the acclaimed author of Bearskin, winner of the Edgar Award. A native of Virginia, he now lives in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah.

Thanks so much for checking out my Blog Tour Stop for Panther Gap by James A. McLaughlin! Thank you to Flatiron Books and James A. McLaughlin for letting me be a part of the tour. This is definitely one to add to your TBR shelf.