Brimstone Hollow by Archer Sullivan

 

My thoughts

I received an ALC and ARC of this book. It's the second in the Annie Gore books. 

Annie is hired to find out what happened to her father. An estranged father. He's a faith healing, snake handling, minister in a small town called Brimstone Hollow in the Appalachians. Right off it seems someone does not want Annie poking around. While most seem friendly there is someone who doesn't want Annie there. 

There are several dead bodies and between the cops and Annie it seems maybe they are related somehow. It's her job to figure out if Ezra actually died from snake bites or if maybe someone else did it. And if so why....

The cops work well with Annie and most of the people help as much as possible. But there are some who are set on leaving the dead to rest in peace. 

During all that is going on Annie keeps having crazy dreams and doesn't get a lot of sleep. But she does keep trudging on and when the pieces finally start to click she is in danger. She has to fight for not only herself but for another man who is shot trying to help her. Annie is bitten by a timber rattler and if she doesn't get help she could die.  

Annie of course solves the case and finds out exactly who did what and why. From murder, drugs, snakes, religion, you will find out what was done and who did it. I can't say I was totally shocked to find out who did one killing. There was a couple of clues that jumped out at me. It did not in any way take away from the story though. 

I look forward to more by this author. More of the Annie Gore series. This one was a bit dark and dangerous but Annie did get what she was after....

I have to admit that the audio had parts I didn't like. Emily Pike Stewart did a great job. The one thing I didn't enjoy though was her singing. Not that she sounded bad, just I didn't enjoy that part. She should have just read it. She does have a lovely singing voice, I just don't like when a narrator sings....

Thank you St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio. 

5 stars for the book and 4.75 for the audio... 

About

Following her powerful debut in The Witch’s Orchard, private investigator Annie Gore returns in Brimstone Hollow, bringing readers back to the mountains that author Archer Sullivan, a ninth-generation Appalachian, knows so well.

There isn’t much that happens in the Appalachian Mountains that Private Investigator Annie Gore hasn’t seen. Before she was an Air Force Special Investigator, she was born and raised in those rolling hills, and lately Annie's cases have called her away from her Louisville office and closer to the small towns of her youth than she ever anticipated. But when her newest client asks if she’s ever been to a snake-handling church, Annie knows she’s about to enter unknown territory.

Katie May has been estranged from her father—one of Appalachia’s last infamous snake handling preachers—for twenty years. But when Katie finds out he’s been fatally bitten, and a funeral was held within twenty-four hours, she questions whether someone deliberately rushed the process. Despite Annie’s doubts, she takes the case. After all, when she looks at Katie, she sees a version of a girl who needs to understand her father in order to understand herself.

As she navigates the hidden hollers and dangerous secrets of this insular Eastern Kentucky town, Annie works fast, hoping to find the truth in record time for her client—and before too many memories from her own childhood surface. But it soon becomes apparent that someone wants Annie’s investigation to stop—by any means necessary.

God's Country by William Kent Krueger

 

My thoughts

This author is definitely one of my favorites. He's my top favorite male author. The books this man writes bring you right into the heart of the story. Keep you wanting more and give you things to think about. This series is great. I do need to go back and read some of the earlier books though. I have every one on my kindle. 

In this installment of the Cork O'Connor books Cork goes on a trip with the men in his family. They run into trouble and Cork meets two men who will forever change him. Make him doubt all he believed about himself. I cringed while reading parts of this book. The brutality of what the Kennedy brothers do will have you holding your breath. The older brother is way more hostile and cruel than his younger brother but both are responsible for what happened. One through not trying to prevent things. The other by being a cruel mean hearted man. Even though he was raised by a very brutal man who abused him, there is no excuse. None. I just can't give any clearance to anyone being so mean that they will kill good and decent human beings. 

This book takes you through a whole lot and you start to feel like you are there. In a canoe going through beautiful waterways and stopping for the night to camp in gorgeous ares. It just came alive to me. But as that did so did the brutality of what happened along the way...

Well written. Well lived. A breathtaking look at how our surroundings and childhood may make us who we are as adults. Maybe...

This is book #21 and I look forward to book #22....

Thank you Atria for this eARC...

5 stars. 

About

From the New York Times bestselling author of The River We Remember, a new mystery in the wildly popular Cork O’Connor series.

Cork O’Connor, preparing for a family trip into the Boundary Waters, is troubled by ominous visions about his future. Ignoring the warnings, he uncovers signs of violence while searching for his missing friend, Cordell Bishop. Soon, he is forced to negotiate with dangerous criminals, the Kennedy brothers, who are seeking their late father’s hidden stash.

Facing escalating danger and difficult choices, Cork grapples with his darkest instincts as he helps others escape and eventually takes justice into his own hands. God’s Country is an action-packed thrill ride that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin

 

My thoughts

May these pages remind you what women have always known-that love is power, kindness is strength, and the care of a friend is the best gift life will ever offer.

This book is so good. This is a quote from the end of the book. The Pages from the Grimoire
Be sure to read the Author Note. Lots of great info.

The audio was so good. It was executed to perfection. Distinguished between the characters like a pro. Well done.

An excellent story with two timelines a few hundred years apart. How they interact and are related. This book has two powerful women who help each other when death is imminent. If not one will cease to exist. Just disappear as if she never was.

How men ruled women by calling them witches if necessary. How love can sometimes prevail after many years.

The witch trials were horrible. The thought that women could turn on each other so easily is beyond my comprehension. Maybe to save themselves from being labeled a witch.

Thank you Harlequin Publishing and Harlequin Audio for the arc.

About

Two women, bound by blood and betrayal, must break silence across centuries—or be silenced forever, in the dazzling new novel by New York Times bestselling author Madeline Martin.

Lilith Legare’s life is unraveling. Since her mother’s death, strange things have been happening - plants turn toward her touch, animals linger in her path, and the birthmark on her arm has started tingling. Worse still is her recurring nightmare of being burned alive at the stake.

Her search for answers brings her from Savannah to England, to the decaying Brackenmere Manor where the past blurs with the present. There, Lilith discovers a legacy she never asked for and along with it, the threat of peril. History must be rewritten, or she too will die.

In 1645 Suffolk, Sybil Brantham stands accused as a witch. An educated, wealthy widow, she is branded a threat by men who fear her independence. As arrests begin and suspicion abounds, Sybil must protect her younger sister, even as betrayal takes root within her household.

Across centuries, Lilith and Sybil are bound by blood and by danger. To save themselves, and each other, they must confront the silence that has stolen women’s power for generations—and dare to claim their voices before it’s too late.

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen

 

My thoughts

I enjoy Sarah Pekkanen's books almost every time. This one was a good story. It did start just a bit slow but picked up with each alternating chapter..

Riley applied for a job as a caretaker for an elderly woman. When she steps in Betty's home she is instantly transported to the 1960s. Betty has no television. Has never heard of the internet and no cell service. Her appliances are vintage and she's the sweetest women you'd ever hope to meet. Betty is in her 80s. She's in a wheelchair but gets around her home pretty good. Also.... Betty hasn't been out in like sixty years. Her husband brought her to this house and that is where they lived. He died and now Betty is all alone. 

This is one of those stories that makes you stop and think. About age and aging. About things that may have happened in a time when women were expected to obey and always be submissive to men. A time when men took advantage of women. In this case used the women's husband's jobs to make them do what was needed doing. A professor who was hoping to make it big with mind reading. He took four young women and shaped them. Made them do as he wanted. Put them through rigorous testing. Testing of their minds. They had to stay with him during one such testing period. I thought that if it was me I would have just left... If I had lived back then I would have done exactly what these young ladies did. Endure. Take whatever they had to take. Do what they were told.

I felt a lot of emotions while reading this story. One being so much anger. Anger at how females were treated. Anger at them for allowing it. Sadness for the losses that came. Anger at how the husbands treated their wives. But mostly I had sympathy for these women. You get to know Betty most of all. She is the one who hires Riley. Riley is a good person and helps Betty. Helps her find some semblance of closure and acceptance. Riley takes Betty outside. Takes her on adventures. She not only helped Betty, but also herself. 

I enjoyed this book. I didn't want to put it down. I did figure out who took the college girl in the present. It was just obvious to me. It did not in any way take away from the story though. Also I was very proud of Riley for how she handled her ex-husband in the end. Way to go girl!!

The audio was great. The narrator Saskia Maarleveld did such a good job of changing between many characters. She truly brought them to life.

Thank you St Martins and Macmillan Audio for the arc.

4.5 stars. 

About

The newest next thriller from #1 Bestselling Author Sarah Pekkanen combines a decades-old mystery with spine-tingling paranormal elements in this twisty novel of the seen and unseen.

Extrasensory perception.
The Gift.
A Sixth Sense.
Or something else….

In 1964, four remarkable young women at a prestigious university became the subjects of parapsychology experiments by a visionary scientist. On the cusp of a historic breakthrough, the women mysteriously vanished and the program was erased from history. Decades later, Riley Bell, newly divorced and desperate for a fresh start, accepts a caretaker job for an elderly widow named Betty. Riley steps into a home that is frozen in another era - no microwave, television, or cell phones, and Betty has never heard of the internet. Why has Betty lived in such profound isolation for so many years, and why does she need Riley now? As the story unfolds across two timelines - Betty’s 1960s era of 5 o’clock martinis and high-stakes experiments, and Riley’s quest to uncover the truth about the missing women - old secrets rise to the surface. And the only way to survive is to confront the mystery that has lingered for sixty years.

The Wonder of One by Suzanne Redfearn

 

My thoughts

I have read and loved so many of this author's books. This one may be her best one yet. It's a bit different from the others, but still holds your heart hostage throughout the whole story. There is a child in this one that will touch you in a very profound way. Vivien.

Vivien was born with a birthmark on her face. Around her eye. An ugly birthmark. One that makes some people shun her. Makes other children run from her. But to the ones that love her it's just a part of who she is. A part of her love and most sincere being. Vivien is a rare child. One that will touch your heart. Make you cry for her. Make you root for her. All the way through this book you just want to hug her. 

Vivien's mother was a bit cold. She was not kind to Vivien. Not motherly if you will. I'm not even sure if she truly loved Vivien. At least not in the way a mother should love her child. Maybe it was the circumstances of how Vivien came to be. Maybe it was just a deal to get what she wanted. 

Vivien had plenty of people who loved her though. Ones that stood up for her. The ones who were there for her no matter what. Feed her. Taught her. Clothed her. Did all the things a mother should have done. They were the ones who had been there from the beginning of Vivien's life. 

There is no father. But there is a male role model. She did have Profe. He was everything that a father should be. He was also someone who had been in the family for many years. He had worked for Vivien's grandfather and now for her mother. He was the one who taught Vivien until her mother finally sent her away to school. 

Vivien was bullied something awful. Mostly by a bully called Bart. A person who I believe was just jealous of Vivien. Vivien did have friends. She had people who were there for her at school. But there was also the ones who were mean and cruel, like Bart. Bart terrorized her. 

You read about Vivien's life throughout many years. She grows up to be, in my opinion, a very strong young lady. She gave ice skating a try and was very good. She met Meryl at a pond by the school where Vivien went. Meryl was an ice skating teacher. She saw something in Vivien. They became the best of friends.

This book is priceless in my opinion. It has everything you want in a story. There is laughter, joy, love, heartbreak, death. To much death maybe. Separation. Politics in a vague way. In a huge way when one of the most important people in Vivien's life is taken by ICE. This is one of those stories that will stick around. Make you wonder about things. I hope it will make you look at people who are different in a better way. Not be so judgemental. If you read it that is.

I listened to the audio and read the book. I loved Natalie Naudus as the female narrator. To me though, JD Jackson just wasn't right for the male part. He left a lot to be desired in my opinion. I just could not seem to get into his way of bringing the character to life. He seemed wrong for the part. 

Thank you Lake Union and Brilliance Audio for the ARCs. 

5 stars for the story but only 3.5 for the audio.... 

About

From the #1 Amazon bestselling author of In an Instant comes an inspirational coming-of-age story about one extraordinary girl’s determination to chase a dream.

Vivien Kendall has always been different. Born with a birthmark covering much of her face, she’s been bullied, ridiculed, and mistreated as a child. But at the age of six, Vivien learns that in each of us there burns a spirit flame—a deep belief in oneself that must be nurtured and never allowed to go out.

Living by that wisdom and through the enduring friendships of her nanny, her mentor, and the legend who eventually becomes her coach, she chases her dream to someday become the greatest figure skater in the world.

Along the way, she faces a rapidly evolving world full of modern prejudice and injustice. She falls in love, has her heart broken, learns what it means to win or lose, and discovers the wonder of one, the power within each of us to change things.

When You Loved Me by Beatriz Williams

 

My thoughts

Beatriz Williams is an automatic go to for me. If I see a new book coming, especially one set on Winthrop Island, I'll need to grab it. This is the best yet and I look forward to the next book. Very much so...

This book starts out with a horrific accident during a football game. One player is dead on the field and another's life is turned upside down, never to be the same again.

Nothing given away there. It's just how the story starts. Then you go to Winthrop Island and start searching for buried treasure.

Lucy Cooper had been coming to Winthrop Island during the summer for most of her life. When she was small she lived there with her parents. Her mother took her and left but Lucy came back to visit. She had a best friend, Laura Peabody, and Lucy's dad Bud Cooper,  who lived there. One summer though there was a teenage boy named Ben Ressler. Ben was visiting and both girls had crushes on him. That last summer a boy named Ben came between two best friends. Lucy did not mean to fall in love with Ben. But it happened. They were each other's first loves.. Laura didn't take it to well.

Ben had moved back to Winthrop after his football career plummeted. He became a landscaper and worked hard. He is well loved and no one on the island holds what happened against him. It was an accident.

When Lucy and Ben meet again the fire sparks. Though both it seems try to hide it and not make a deal out of it.

Then there is another story going on but set back in 1816-1817. Still on Winthrop Island. It's set during The Great Snow and is another romance in the making. Hephzibah is living with her sister and brother in law and there is a huge snow storm. Also there are pirates. When two men come in wanting help for their captian and promising to pay them handsomely what can they do. Silas who is married to Beulah, Hephzibah's sister, is sickly. Hephzibah takes charge and does what needs doing. The captain, Ramsay, is hurt and needs quite a few stiches. Hephzibah does the sewing and must do a fine job. 

You get to know the characters in both stories and how they weave together. Lucy's dad has spent his life researching buried treasure and was convinced there was treasure on his land. Thus the reason Lucy's mother took her and left. 

I adored this story. Both of them. Two strong women. Two strong love stories. Pirates and buried treasure. A mystery. A murder??? There are a few things going on and you just have to find out who is doing what and why. I wanted everyone to end up happy and together. I loved the love stories. I loved these characters. The way Ben helped the girls basketball team start winning. How he stood by Laura when she needed him but never left Lucy's side either. 

You may see a few names from other books set on Winthrop Island by this author also. I recognized some. I can't wait to read the next book already. 

Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for this ARC. I also received a physical copy from attending an author event. 

I bought the audio and am so glad I did. I loved how the three narrators made this book even better. The dialect from back in the early 1800s was great. So well done. Each one did great.

 

Five stars.

About

A young widow returns to her late father’s New England estate, only to be drawn into the hunt for the rumored pirate treasure that consumed his life, in this thrilling and moving novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Husbands & Lovers.

Local history insists that a legendary pirate buried his treasure somewhere beneath Windward, the decayed Cooper estate on Winthrop Island, but Lucy Cooper never trusted the fable that broke her family apart. When a widowed Lucy returns with her young daughter to grieve her estranged father, she discovers the property’s buried under a mountain of debt, and Ben Ressler has just turned up on her doorstep.

Thirteen summers ago, a teenaged Lucy never meant to fall in love with Ben, a Dartmouth football star vacationing next door at the Peabody estate, and the object of an all-consuming crush by Laura Peabody, Lucy’s best friend. Those two weeks with Ben were the best and worst of Lucy’s life, dooming her friendship with Laura. Now Ben’s returned to live quietly in the Peabodys’ caretaker lodge, after a fatal accident ended his dazzling NFL career. He’s also the last person who saw Lucy’s father alive.

As Lucy reconstructs her father’s troubling final days, she uncovers his research on the frozen winter of 1717, when a desperately wounded pirate sought refuge on Winthrop Island with an enigmatic healer. To Lucy, this history points the way to a different kind of how to forgive yourself for the mistakes of the past and earn a second chance at love. But just as Lucy’s long-buried emotions sear to the surface, a shocking turn of events reveals that someone else on the island will do whatever it takes to claim the fabled plunder.

A timeless story of love and atonement, When You Loved Me maps both a centuries-old treasure hunt and the intimate territory of the human heart, weaving together past and present as only Beatriz Williams can.

Where She Rests (Nikki Hunt, #12) by Stacy Green

 

My thoughts

I've read all of the Nikki Hunt books and will continue to as long as Stacy Green keeps writing them. Nikki is the best. So strong and take no crap bad.... 

When three young teens are brutally murdered Nikki makes it her mission to find the killer. Two of these young girls worked at the bakery she frequented. Shot execution style. Nothing missing. Except a possible third girl. A runaway. A street child. If she is alive Nikki will find her. 

Back when Nikki was a teenager her parents were brutally murdered. An innocent young man was sent to prison for it. Nikki truly thought he was the killer. He was released after the true killer was found and brought to justice. The innocent young man is now Nikki's brother in law. He's just about the kindest person ever. But he is taken in again. A possible suspect in the murder of the two young girls in the bakery. Nikki comes to his defense...

This story has many twists and turns. A few suspects. Don't even try to figure out who the murderer is.. You won't guess. I thought I had it all figured out. I was wrong. I'm glad I was wrong but I still didn't like the one I thought was the killer. He was a jerk. 

I love almost all of the characters in this series. They start to feel like friends after a while. This one kept me reading all day. I didn't want to put it down. I wanted so bad to know who the killer was and why. Why he killed the two girls in the bakery.

All questions were answered and I finally released a held breath right before the Epilogue... Once Nikki woke up and Rory could breath again I was happy. Now I can't wait for the next book. I'm wondering how Stacy will top this one. It was perfect. 

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC. I bought the audio and it was just great. Made the characters even more realistic.

5 big stars..

About

The girl feels her pulse spike as she tucks herself into the tight space hoping he can’t hear her heavy breathing. She watches him adjust the limp body beside him, and then pause, as if he’s noticed something…

When Special Agent Nikki Hunt walks into the local bakery, she can’t believe the terrifying scene inside. Owner, Claire, is in floods of tears and trembling, the bloodied blond hair of her two young shop assistants peeking out from beneath the white sheets covering them. Nikki immediately panics as she hears Stillwater police whispering that her brother-in-law, Mark, might be the killer…

Though Nikki once proved Mark was innocent of murder, there are people in town who still believe he should be in prison. And everyone knows he just started dating Claire. But finding Mark shaking in the station’s interrogation room, her gut tells her he’s innocent once again. Evidence that a homeless teen was sleeping in the bakery is Nikki’s first real lead, and she begins a desperate search.

But despite knocking on every door, Nikki can find no trace of the missing girl. And then she receives the call she dreads… another body has been found.

Will Nikki be able to protect the people of Stillwater, and her own family? Or has the girl she’s been searching for already lost her life?

Fans of Kendra Elliot, Lisa Regan and Mary Stone will inhale this unbelievably pacy crime thriller until the early hours, desperate to flip the final pages.

The Iron Hex by Victoria S. Walsh

 My thoughts

I did enjoy most of this book. Parts were repetitive and slow but still it was ok. You have a girl who seems to be in love with a guy. The problem is the guy is a witch killer and the girl is a witch. Her best friend is a rabbit. A literal rabbit. What could possibly go wrong?

Eira is a witch who has lost her memory. Her best friend is a rabbit. She thinks her family are all dead and gone. Then along comes Hugo to help her. And her friend Evangeline is suddenly there too. These three take a journey to find a memory witch who can restore Eira's memories. There are some big secrets along the way too. And a love story in the making. Well not exactly in the making since it's kind of been there all along. The problem is one is a witch. One is a killer of witches. How do you make a love match out of that? You'll see...

This is a three part story. I've only read the first part and do highly look forward to the next one. While parts of this story drove me crazy, most was so good. I hated hearing Iron Retinue in almost every paragraph. It was a bit overdone. But this was the author's first attempt at this kind of story so you have to give credit to that. A debut novel that seems to be a hit. 

I listened to the audio while reading the ebook and the narrator Jeremy Carlisle Parker did a good job with it. While she is not one of my favorite narrators she does do a decent job of holding your attention. Keeping the characters separate has to be a job on it's on. 

 

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA and Harlequin Audio/MIRA for the arcs.

3.75 stars. 

About

She doesn’t remember her past. But some memories come with a cost.

Eira Eckhart has spent years building a quiet life in a small town at the edge of a recently overthrown kingdom. Her memory is fractured, her past a blur—but with her shop, her loyal rabbit familiar, and practicing only the potions magic still legal under the watchful eye of the Iron Empire, she’s managed to remain unnoticed by the empire’s witch hunters.

Until Hugo Venton walks through her door.

Brash, clever, and infuriatingly handsome, Hugo is searching for something…and seems to know more about Eira than she knows about herself. But when a terrifying encounter with an unnatural, deadly new breed of soldier puts a price on her head, she has no choice but to join Hugo on his quest.

Their hunt for a missing princess pulls Eira across the continent—and deeper into a past she can’t recall. As buried memories, mysteries in the Iron Empire’s capital, forgotten feelings, and the truth behind her identity begin to surface, Eira realizes the forbidden magic simmering in her veins might be the very thing that could save them from the Iron Empire’s forces as they draw ever closer…if she can remember how to control it in time.

Meet Me In Paris by Kristin Harmel

 

My thoughts

I will read anything Kristin Harmel writes. Her books always take me to places I would not be able to go. (I don't fly) They give me the emotions that all good books give. All of the emotions. They always keep me wanting more. This book was just so good. Filled with several characters and their stories. Their feelings and emotions. From finding true love to losing old loves. From young to young at heart..

This is a story of many faces. A few young ladies coming to Paris to help their friend get over her husbands affair. A divorce vacation if you will. A mother/daughter who always planned to visit and are here before it's to late. The mother has terminal cancer. A group of people who were in Vietnam together, for a reunion of sorts. A single young lady who just wants to know her father who never was part of her life. (I didn't like him at all. He reminded me of someone in a way). An older man who found out the true love of his life didn't die. She's alive but in a home for memory loss. (dementia) What a story there....

You truly will get to know these characters and all their feelings. The emotions and caring they each have. And there is a lady's man in the group of Vietnam veterans. He was a hoot for sure. 

All of the stories are heartwarming and in ways heartbreaking. Very emotional. Very touching. 

I think this author always out does herself. This is such a good book. It was so interesting to read one that was not historical though in a couple of places there is history in the subject. 

I can't wait to read her next book. 

Thank you Gallery Books and NetGalley for this ARC. 

Five stars 

About

Nine Americans in Paris. Seven intertwined love stories. One City of Light.

Love Actually meets The Notebook in a tale of love, loss, and finding your way home, all set over the course of one life-changing week in Paris.

Julia Glover has brought her twenty-three-year-old daughter, Piper, to Paris for the first time—but they know it will also be their last trip here together. Julia is dying, and as the mother and daughter desperately try to make memories together as the clock ticks down, the world opens up around them. Piper meets a cute French waiter, who might just understand her better than anyone she’s ever met, and Julia meets a man at a dive bar and struggles with how to tell him the truth about her future.

Rock star Jackson Quick’s glory days are behind him. He had a handful of hit songs thirty years ago, but he hasn’t toured in a decade. This week, he’ll launch his reunion tour in Paris, the city where it all began. But he wants more out of life than being defined by fame. When he meets a woman who finally sees him for who he is at his core, the ground shifts beneath his feet.

Henry McGee has been writing hit songs for decades—including Jackson Quick’s biggest hit, City of Light. But his secret is that every love song he’s ever written is for a woman named Celeste, whom he loved a lifetime ago, when they were both teenagers in Paris during World War II. He has spent eighty years believing she died—but when a letter arrives telling him the opposite, he’s on the first flight to France. Can he break through the haze of her dementia, using the songs he’s written all these years, to remind her of who they once were to each other—and to tell her he came back for her?

Henry’s granddaughter, Melody, has just discovered that her husband of twenty years, Gilles, a French cosmetics executive, is having an affair. When she confronts him, he tearfully apologizes and begs her to forgive him. But can she? And, perhaps even more importantly, does she want to? Or is there a different kind of life out there for her if she chooses to be alone?

These intertwining stories—plus several others—unfold over a few breathtaking spring days, as an unforgettable group of Americans in Paris must find their way to their own versions of happily ever after in the City of Light.

A Curse of Beasts and Magic by Jeaniene Frost

 

My thoughts

This was my first by this author. It was so good too. 

The only thing that I didn't like was that dragons are not good in this story. I love a good dragon story and this one is good but not the dragons good. Yikes!! I did not like the dragon's host though. That kind of made up for the dragon being not nice. :) 

A girl with a beast inside meets a man with tons of money and possibly a beast inside of him. They become an item. A fake engagement too. 

Raine was infected with a beast at the young age of fifteen. She lost her mother and grandmother that day. She has tried everything to kill this beast but to no avail. When she saves an old man her life changes drastically. 

Remington is a very rich man. He owns most of the land and soon hopes to own Raine. Well maybe not own, but have. He likes her. He finds her to be kind and full of spunk. He also believes her to be beautiful and she has a beast in her. He wants to find out what kind of beast and what she knows about it. He never expected to fall in love. Or did he?

This book was a fun read and oh my I hope the next book comes out soon. I didn't want it to end yet...

Well written and filled with a few beasts and bad guys/girls. A big fight scene and a few love scenes. Hot but not too hot. This was just a good story. A good fictional story of love, loss, fights, beasts, humans, and some horrors too. 

I listened to the audio via NetGalley and it was fantastic. The narrator, Tavia Gilbert, did such a good job. She was able to do the voices so you felt each character. She truly brought this book to life.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for this ARC.

4.5 stars 

About

New York Times bestselling author of The Night Huntress series Jeaniene Frost returns with a brand-new series! It’s Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher, except Beauty IS the Beast, and he’s the Warden keeping mythical beings in check in our world and beyond.

Raine Stone is living a nightmare. Ever since she survived the attack that killed her family, she's been hiding a terrible secret--and a Beast inside her.

It feeds on violence and chaos, but she restrains its urges by playing vigilante on the city streets. Until one night, Raine uses the Beast’s energy to heal an elderly gentleman from a seemingly random attack and discovers a new world of danger—literally.

Remington “Remy” Byrne knows the wall between a realm of deadly mythic creatures and our own world is very fragile. After all, he’s the Warden who guards the gateways between them. Raine’s Beast contains power that could tip the scales in a sinister plot against Remy’s rule—if she allies with him.

Will they be friends or foes…or will their dangerous attraction turn into something else? And can our world be saved by their explosive alliance?

The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer

 

My thoughts

Meg Shaffer is one to watch. Her books are in my top favorites. This is the third book by her and I enjoyed it so much. What was not to love. A book about books about characters, authors, real life characters, book characters, a book witch, and a cat. You have a story set to make you laugh and in places cry. It's a kind of love story but so so much more. You'll second guess yourself a few times too. 

Rainy March is living with her grandfather. Her mother is dead and she has no idea who her father is. Her grandmother died several years prior. So it's just Rainy and her grandfather. And her cat. Rainy is a book witch. Her cat Koshka, is her muse. Koshka saves her a couple of times too. Or helps I should say. Smart cat. 

There is a lot going on but it's so easy to follow. Rainy is looking for her grandfather. Also looking for other things that she really does not realize she is looking for. 

This is truly a brilliantly written story. It grabs you and gives you quite a bit. Not to overwhelming but just enough mystery or secrets to keep you guessing what is happening. The author wrote a masterpiece here. At least from this readers POV. The way she wove these characters together was nothing short of striking. When it finally all comes together you can breath a sigh of relief. For all the characters...

It just falls together so perfectly. Total perfection. It's like reading more than one story that weaves together. 

Thank you Ballantine Books for this ARC. 

Five stars. 

About

She can hop into any novel, she just can’t stay there. Come along with the book witch in this magical and inspiring love letter to reading from the USA Today bestselling author of The Wishing Game.

Rainy March is a proud third-generation book witch, sworn to defend works of fiction from all foes real and imaginary. With her magical umbrella and feline familiar, she jumps into and out of novels to fix malicious alterations and rogue heroes. 

Book witches live by a strict Real people belong in the real word; fictional characters belong in works of fiction…. Do not eat, drink, or sleep inside a fictional world, lest you become part of the story. Falling in love with a fictional character? Don’t even think about it.

Which is why Rainy has been forbidden from seeing the Duke of Chicago, the dashing British detective who stars in her favorite mystery series. If she’s ever caught with him again, she’ll be expelled from her book coven—and forced to give up the magical gifts that are as much a part of her as her own name.

But when her beloved grandfather disappears and a priceless book is stolen, there’s only one person she trusts to help her solve the case: the Duke. Their quest takes them through the worlds of Alice in Wonderland, The Great Gatsby, and other classics that will reveal hidden enemies and long-buried family secrets.

An Infinite Love Story by Chanel Cleeton

 

My thoughts

A promise of space and love, what's not to love. This is a very compelling space race love story. One that kept me glued to my reader. One for the ages. This book is so good. Chanel Cleeton's best yet...

Vivian and Joe have a kind of whirlwind love/romance. Though they take and write a lot they've not been on a lot of dates. But when it's true love you just know it. You just feel it. I felt the love between these two. I also felt the tension Vivian felt at Joe becoming an astronaut. The fear she felt when he was going into space. To the moon....

Then the time comes and he's gone. He's flying. Fulfilling his lifelong dream. To fly to the moon. To be an astronaut. Something he's always wanted. But then the most horrible thing happens. Joe and two other astronauts are lost. No one can communicate with them. There is no sign of them. No at all!!!

Vivian's worst fears surface. She stood by Joe even when she didn't want him to do this. She didn't want him to fly to space. But she supported him. Now he is missing. 

The things Viv goes through are so heartfelt. So heartbreaking. So sad. What wives of astronauts go through at times are horrible. A lot of the astronauts cheat. Have affairs. They can't seem to be faithful. There are a few divorces but some wives stay. 

Joe never cheated on Viv. He was a faithful husband and you'll love him. I loved all of the characters in this story. They all seemed so realistic. Friends who stand by each other. 

This is a well written story of hope and love. Of trying to find answers. Trying to come to terms with a horrible loss. Or two.

Thank you Berkley Publishing for this ARC.

Five stars..

About

When an astronaut is lost in space, his wife relives their epic love as she attempts to unravel what truly happened to him, in this sweeping love story set against the backdrop of the 1960s Space Race, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes.

When Joe Mitchell launches into space, the world is watching. It’s 1968, and the country waits with anticipation and excitement for another successful mission, another celebration as America sets its sights on the Moon. And then comes the knock at the door.

Joe Mitchell’s spacecraft has lost contact. He and his fellow astronauts onboard are feared to be dead. It’s his wife Vivian’s worst nightmare come to life, her grief suddenly taking center stage as the nation waits and mourns. In her quiet moments, Vivian relives their memorable story, unable to accept that this is the end to a love that felt as though it was written in the stars.

As the investigation surrounding Joe’s lost spacecraft intensifies and the mishap is written off as an operator error, Vivian is determined to clear her husband’s name and uncover the mystery of what happened in space. When someone starts sending Vivian messages—messages she believes only Joe could send—she begins to wonder if their love is stronger than space and time, and she’ll do whatever it takes to bring her husband back to her.

A Wave of Breath by Tess Collins

 

My thoughts

WOW.. 

What a book. 

I've read every one of this author's books and none are quite like this one. It's just as fantastic as the others, just different. In a good way.

Favorite lines:

I. Am. Not. A. Girl.

You left me, Woman.

And then I inhaled... a wave of breath. (this one made me cry)

If you've read this book you will know what each of those lines are.

This book was a hard one. I saw a lot of things I recognized in it. I'm pretty sure the author wrote it that way. Things that happened and we certainly hope do not happen in our lifetime.

This is a beautiful love story and a story of survival. Trekking across the United States in search of the love of her life, Brooklyn encounters so much. Things that you would never expect. A group who have taken over the country. Poisoned the water. Taken out a lot and have a following you would not believe. Or maybe you would. Horrible things happened along the way. Much death and destruction. Women, men and children. 

It's up to Brooklyn to do something. To find a way to save the country. If she can. If she will. And find Martin. While I personally did not care much for Martin he was a very strong player in this book. My reasons for disliking him are that he ran. He hid. He wasn't there for Brooklyn like he should have been. But he ended up being one of my favorite people. Also there is Ford. I adored Ford. He was something to behold. Smart and unnerving at the same time. 

This book was just so good. Written in a way to keep you trapped between the pages, or in my case in my kindle. I just had to know what came next. It took me a while to read but that was because I could only handle so much at a time. ha ha Life gets in the way at times. 

If you get a chance to read this and you love books that are fairly far-fetched, grab this one. It's very good. It had lots going on and many many feelings. From sad to happy to laughter to sad again. Parts definitely made me cry hard. I laughed at Ford a few times and he made me cry too. Martin made me mad and made me cry. All the friends made me cry. What happened at the end..... It made me cry.

I loved it.

Thank you NetGalley and BearCat Press for this ARC. 

About

Even as the world collapses, she will cross the ruins of a nation for the love that death itself cannot silence.

In the wake of a national calamity known only as The Water Event, Brooklyn Tremain launches herself across a shattered America in pursuit of Martin Siriso—the man she loves and the man she refuses to lose. Was he swallowed by the chaos, or is he running from forces that thrive on catastrophe?

Her hunt through a ravaged landscape exposes the ruthless reach of Hast Industries, who will stop at nothing to seize the quantum device in her possession. Inspired by Isis and Osiris, A WAVE OF BREATH is both a love story and a journey through danger, devotion, and the power of a bond that refuses to die.

The Underground Sisters by Soraya M. Lane

 

My thoughts

This author never disappoints. Her historical fiction/based on true events, always deliver. I always learn something from them. I enjoyed this book through a lot of tears and heartbreak. Getting to know what happened to thousands of women and children at Ravensbruck concentration camp was heartbreaking. The horrors of what happens in camps is beyond overwhelming. No matter where they are. 

This story is fiction based on true events. The author did a great research job. She always does. At the end be sure to read Author's Notes. Info worthy of reading for sure. 

When the Nazi's took over and started arresting people for not being pure, for being a different race, for just being someone that Hitler didn't approve of, hated actually, also arrested were resistance fighters. People who did not approve of the things the Germans were doing. Who just wanted to help innocent people survive. There were people who were against the things that Hitler and his people did. When caught they were either killed or imprisoned. 

This is the story of a young lady, Aletta,  and her mother, Emma, who were imprisoned for helping. Also the story of just one of the internment camps where not only Jews, but French, Polish, Dutch and Norwegian women. 

These two females were befriended by Chloe who had already been at Ravensbruck and seen many killed. She had refused to be friends with the other prisoners because of the pain of losing anyone, but she did become great friends with Emma, then Aletta. Emma was like the mother she didn't have. Aletta like a sister. 

You get to know these women and how they tried to make like a little better. Teaching the children. In secret of course or they would have been severely punished. How Chloe wrote things down. From recipes to conditions. She didn't want it forgotten what happened there. 

These things do need to be told. Always. Never let it be forgotten what the Nazis did. Never let it happen again. Though I do believe it is happening in so many ways and in so many places....

Thank you Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union, Brilliance Audio, for the arcs.

5 stars 

About

From the bestselling author of The Secret Midwife comes a story of selfless sacrifice, women’s bravery and the importance of keeping memories alive.

We’ll make sure they never forget. We’ll make sure that every recipe, every poem, every note is remembered, and never, ever forgotten. Even if it takes me a lifetime, I promise you that no one will forget…

Amsterdam, 1940: Schoolteacher Aletta knows the war will soon reach her and the Jewish children in her class. When her family hide an injured Allied airman in their home, they must how much will they risk when resistance could prove deadly?

Paris, 1940: Since her mother’s death, Chloe has dedicated herself to protecting her brothers. So when the SS accuses Claude of being in the Resistance, she sacrifices herself to save him.

Forced together in Ravensbrück concentration camp, Chloe, Aletta and her mother, Emma, forge an unbreakable bond. Surrounded by unimaginable cruelty, they mount their own kind of resistance—secretly teaching children and preserving fellow prisoners’ precious memories. In a place designed to strip away humanity, their friendship becomes an act of defiance, their determination to bear witness a lifeline of hope.

As the war rages on and whispers of a longed-for liberation grow, can their courage and sisterhood see them through to freedom? And if they survive, how can they ever be the same?

Based on true events, this is an inspiring testament to the power of friendship and the resilience of the human spirit.

Night Witch by Jaymin Eve

 

My thoughts

I enjoyed the first book and this one was also good. I did have a problem with a couple of things though. I thought if I heard Logan Kingston say "Precious" one more time I would scream. Needless to say he said it throughout the book. It was grating. Enough already. Also how did he suddenly turn into the perfect mate. I understand that he loved Paisley but good grief. He told her when to eat. When to sleep. He kept taking over in so many places. And to top off all of his perfections, Logan was also in a band. A very famous band. Yet Paisley and her friends never heard of them. Never saw them. Had no idea. 

The scenes between Paisley and Logan were at times hot but it was usually him just pleasing her. At least until much later in the book. That was ok but not realistic at all. Considering what we find out later. 

Paisley has the best friends anyone could ever hope for. She has the perfect family and "mate." She has it all. Except maybe she doesn't. At the end I gasped at what happened to her. I was not at all ready for that.

I listened to the audio while reading the book. Savannah Peachwood did great. She had a great voice and could change for each character perfectly. I had a problem with Jason Clarke though. He sounded much older than he should have. I know his character acted like someone in their forties, or possibly older, but he was suppose to be in his twenties. 

Everything Logan did was more like an older man. There were time when I loved him but also times when he got on my nerves so bad.  

I enjoyed the book but wish there were a few things done differently. Just me maybe...

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and Harlequin Audio for the ARCs. 

4 stars 

About

Night Witch is the sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller Spellcaster with an intense enemies-to-lovers arc, a steamy heat level, magical creatures, super high stakes, and an epic family saga.

Be careful what you witch for.

Welcome to year two at Weatherstone College…

Last year, after coming face to face with darkness and lethal monsters, Logan Kingston, my sworn enemy and sometimes ally, brought my first year to an explosive ending. There’s a bond between us that I can’t explain, but I just know he’s hiding something. Maybe I don’t fully trust any spellcaster, but there’s no denying my draw to him.

I’m not going to lie, I haven’t felt myself since then, and I’m dreading returning to Weatherstone.

Perfect if you love:
• Sexy Stalking + Dirty Talking
• He Gives Her His Clothes
• Forbidden Romance
• Touch Her & D!e
• Elemental Magic
• Dark Academia
• "Mine"