Category Archives: Reviews

Review – Three Girls Gone by Carolyn Arnold #ThreeGirlsGone #NetGalley @Carolyn_Arnold

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MY REVIEW

I am always happy to be back with Detective Amanda Steele of the Prince William County Police Department and eagerly crack open Three Girls Gone by Carolyn Arnold. We are in the small town of Dumfries, Virginia.

I love Prologues. I love the tease. I love the hook that gets set from the opening pages.

They ended up where they were supposed to be, just like destiny had intended.

Unfortunately, that is not a good thing, seeing the killer is doing the placing of the young girls’ bodies. The murder struck close to home for Amanda. She has an adopted nine year old daughter that she loves to pieces. She has the whole work/life conflict, but Zoe understands how important Amanda’s job is, even though she feels disappointed at times. Amanda could relate to the loss of a child, because she had lost her husband and six year old daughter to a car accident.

There was a child, Julie Gilbert, twelve years back, and a colleague of Amanda’s, Katherine Graves, was back and determined to find out who killed the child. Secrets will be revealed

I always wonder when Carolyn Arnold will let Amanda have her happy every after. Her and her partner Trent have a push pull relationship. They already have a great working relationship and I think a personal relationship would work for them as well.

The detailed descriptions of Zoe’s actions are so sweet and easy to visualize, putting a smile on my face.

Carolyn Arnold never lets me down. She manages to write stories that grab me and never let me go. I race through the pages, having to know what’s coming next, who is doing what to who and how is Amanda going to catch the bad guy. The mystery is not easily solved and I like an author who can keep me guessing.

My thanks go out to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Three Girls Gone by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The girl in the ballerina dress lies still on the carousel with her face toward the blue sky. In her tutu and slippers, she’s ready for her next performance. But as the morning sun shines down upon her, she no longer feels its warmth on her cheeks. Her bright light is gone forever.

When the body of Hailey Tanner is found in a local park, Detective Amanda Steele races to the scene. Interviewing her devastated parents, they confirm that Hailey never made it home from her dance class. Searching for clues in the family home, Amanda discovers that some ballet clothing was taken from Hailey’s room. Could the killer have been close to her?

As Amanda and Trent question potential suspects, they’re painfully reminded of a similar case. Julie Gilbert, another gifted performer, was murdered in exactly the same way twelve years ago. Amanda’s former colleague, Katherine Graves, never gave up hope of bringing the killer to justice and now with a clear link between the two victims, she steps back into the investigation.

But she’s soon warned off when a threatening note is found in the hem of Hailey’s dress. “This girl’s your fault. Stop looking or there will be more.”

With boxes of evidence files and potential leads, Amanda knows that Katherine must have been getting close, but when a third girl is taken soon after, the clock starts ticking again. There’s no way Amanda will let another child suffer at the hands of this twisted killer. But how much will the team be prepared to sacrifice, and can they save this girl before it’s too late?

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery
  • 356 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication August 27, 2025 by Bookouture
  • Series: Detective Amanda Steele #14

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from police procedurals, hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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Review – A Glimpse Too Far: Based On A True Story by Karen Charles @pumpupyourbook

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MY REVIEW

A Glimpse Too Far by Karen Charles is based on a true story. I love stories that can blend fact and fiction as seamlessly as Karen has done. Elouise wakes up after a terrible accident with the ability to see glimpses of people’s pasts and futures. Is it a gift or a curse? I feel sure that there are those who would love to exploit her gift.

There are secrets that will be exposed and when she gets pulled into a powerful senators plan to use her gift as a weapon, danger surrounds her. She has no chance at a normal life, and I love the path that Karen Charles chose for her to walk.

I love that Karen Charles brought horses into the story. I had recently read another book that had wild horses in it and the dangers they face.

There is a love interest and I love that Karen Charles has chosen to veer from a familiar path that usually defines a romantic suspense novel.

To wrap things up, A Glimpse Too Far by Karen Charles was a quick, easy read with the right amount of mystery and danger that kept me flipping the pages, wanting to know what comes next. Wanting to know if Elouise can have a happy ever after. And I love that things didn’t end the way I thought they would. That makes me think there could be more in store for Elouise. What do you think, Karen? Is she still talking to you?

I want to thank Pump Up Your Book Tours and Karen Charles for the opportunity to read and review A Glimpse Too Far.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A terrifying gift. A government cover-up. And a past that won’t stay buried.
Elouise thought she had left the past behind. After a tragic accident, she woke with a chilling ability to see glimpses of people’s pasts and futures. She’s spent years trying to live a normal life. But when a powerful senator pulls her into a high-stakes game of deception and control, she realizes her gift is no longer a secret—it’s a weapon. And he intends to use it.
She must make an impossible play his deadly game or risk everything to expose the truth.
Danger closes in. Now, Elouise is running for her life, hunted by those who will do anything to silence her.
Who can she trust? The boyfriend who swore to protect her? Or the man who wants to own her gift—at any cost?
A Glimpse Too Far is a pulse-pounding thriller filled with menace, betrayal, and a race against time. Will the truth be uncovered before it’s too late?

  • Genre: Fiction, Psychological, Suspense, Thriller, Animals, Horses
  • 217 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published June 18, 2025 by BookBaby

ABOUT KAREN CHARLES (from Amazon)

Karen Charles is the author of Freeman Earns a Bike, a children’s book, and two thrillers based on true stories. Fateful Connections takes place in the aftermath of 9/11, and Blazing Upheaval takes place during the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles and the Northridge earthquake. She has two businesses: a global company that trains international teachers to teach American English, and an Airbnb on a beautiful bay in Washington State, where she resides with her husband. Her latest book is the psychological thriller, A Glimpse Too Far.

Website & Social Media:

Website ➜ www.weaveofsuspense.com  

X ➜  http://www.x.com/karenra24229683 

Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/karen.rabe.7/

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Review – Wings Of Steel & Fury by Sarah J Daley #WingsofSteelFury #NetGalley #sarahjdaley

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MY REVIEW

Wings of Steel & Fury by Sarah J Daley is a fabulous fantasy that gave me hours of reading pleasure. We have a lot of characters and each has a special place and purpose in the story. We have Eleazar Starson, a prince and heir to the throne of Honor, but he must earn it. Little does he know, those closest to him will betray him. He falls to Earth, to the human world, where someone who was used to light and beauty will have to learn to survive in a world of darkness, with monsters and chaos. Lucky for him, he meets Fury.

…she’d come into the world screaming and her mother had anointed her ‘Fury’ and she’s spent her life living up to the name.

Diver, Fury’s brother, Fury will work together to keep Eleazar alive. Eleazar’s brother will be back to finish off what he started, so he may have the throne. Diver is a lovable character, and, though Fury felt he had been spoiled rotten, he will rise to the occasion and become one of my favorite characters.

Wings Of Steel & Fury felt like fantasy, and steampunk rolled into one, with a splash of the apocalyptic/dystopian genre. The battles between the ‘gods’ and the humans are brutal, savage, and amazing. It is a fight to the death and I feel the loss of many of those who fall, who willing give up their life to save others. Both sides see things from their own perspective, instead of how they really are and much will be learned as they have to work together to survive.

I want to thank Angry Robot and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Wings Of Steel & Fury by Sarah J Daley. I was sad to come to the end of this wonderful novel.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The human world is no place for a god, but toiling on Earth may just teach an angel how to fly once again…

Eleazar Starson, prince of Splendour and heir to the Great Throne of Honor, is living his worst nightmare. Betrayed and grievously injured, he has been cast from a world of light and beauty to suffer in the Below, a world of darkness and despair populated with demonic ghouls and vile creatures. It is a terrible world, a human world. It is an awful place for a god, especially one as beautiful and brilliant as Eleazar.

But, broken and lost, he is a god struggling in the muck, his only allies a pair of atheist siblings who would sooner worship a burnt ghoul than show him proper obeisance and the closest gateway back to Splendour is half a world away through a wild and daunting landscape of chaos, monsters and men. He has no choice but to endure the unspeakable horrors of this human place, this war-torn world of carbines and steel rails and smoke-belching factories, not if he wishes to return to Splendour and reclaim his place among the Angelus.

  • Genre: Angels, Gods And Godesses, Fantasy, Fiction
  • Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication August 26, 2025 by Angry Robot

ABOUT SARAH J DALEY

Sarah J. Daley is a former chef who lives and writes in the Chicagoland area with her husband, son and very fat cat. Her debut novel, Obsidian, was a finalist for the 2022 Compton Crook Award. She has also published with Warhammer’s Black Library and continues to churn out work featuring indomitable MCs who get dumped into impossible, and usually violent, situations. She is also a proud stepmother to three adult children who definitely don’t consider her wicked.

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Review – Discern by Andrea Pearson @andreapearson2 #discern

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MY REVIEW

Nicole Williams is an Arete, a fourth child with magical abilities. She hasn’t come into her own, yet, but when she is put to the test, I have a feeling she will rise to the occasion. Some of it was predictable, but that’s okay. It’s pretty hard to write something totally new in this day and age. I was riveted to the pages and the characters came to life through Andrea Pearson’s words. The world she created was fascinating and richly developed, and I was lost in it.

I picked up Discern by Andrea Pearson a long time ago, on a free day, 6.3.16 to be exact.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Disappearances at a popular national park… Monsters from another dimension… And Nicole can’t use her magic. What could possibly go wrong?

Mysterious disappearances at a popular national park force authorities to organize a university-led expedition, and they’ve invited undergrads to compete to be included. As a talented Arete, Austin is a natural shoo-in. And he’s not the only experienced student competing. Nicole struggles a great deal with her powers, but she knows she has what it takes, and she’s determined to prove that she can produce Wind magic.

With the help of her friends and advice from professors, Nicole pushes the limits of her magical abilities. As the competition heats up, however, she finds out that the trip she’s fighting for may be a one-way ticket…

  • Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
  • 257 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published August 25, 2014
  • Series: Mosaic Chronicles #1

ABOUT ANDREA PEARSON

Andrea Pearson is an avid reader and outdoor enthusiast who plays several instruments, not including the banjo, and loves putting together musical arrangements. Her favorite sports are basketball and football, though several knee surgeries and incurably awful coordination prevent her from playing them. Andrea Pearson graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of science degree in Communications Disorders. She acted as the executive director for Indie Author Hub for a year and a half and frequently gets invited to teach marketing and promoting at writers conferences. Andrea is the author of many full-length novels (the Kilenya Chronicles, Mosaic Chronicles, and Koven Chronicles), and several novellas. Writing is the chocolate of her life – it is, in fact, the only thing she ever craves. Being with her husband and kids, family, and close friends is where she’s happiest, and she loves thunderstorms, the ocean, hiking, public speaking, painting, and traveling.

Receive several free books when you join Andrea’s Readers Group. For more information, click here.

Andrea also writes nonfiction books for authors. To learn more about those, and her marketing courses, please visit selfpublishstrong.com

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MY ANDREA PEARSON REVIEWS

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Sizzling Hot – Review – Wicked Desires by Cora Kent #corakent #wickeddesires

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MY REVIEW

If it’s the pill, I’ll flush them down the toilet. If it’s an IUD, I’ll pull it out with my teeth.

That is the ultimatum that Saverio delivers to Lucia, his soon to be bride. She will be his and she will bear his child. No matter how she struggles against him, she cannot deny him.

Saverio is going to kill me, Brooklyn, her date, and mine. Then he’ll probably kill himself so he can kick all of our asses in the afterlife…

There are plenty of light and loving moments amongst the danger and death that surrounds Lucia and Saverio. Two families, that are mortal enemies, but Lucia felt that hers and Saverio’s lives had always, and will be always, intertwined.

There will be plenty of blood shed before the story is told and some smokin’ hot sex. So, brace yourself and dive into the world of the Terlizzis.

Thanks Cora, for the opportunity to read and review Wicked Desires.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Marked by vengeance, branded as mine—Lucia Terlizzi will be the key to my revenge.

Dante Terlizzi has to pay.
Two years ago, he broke his betrothal to my sister.
Two months ago, his brother stole the bride meant for my best hitman.
There’s an unwritten rule about family members and children…
But f*ck the rules.

Lucia is the baby of the Terlizzi family.
Now I’m going to put my baby in her.
We’ll see how Dante likes it when I take what’s his.
I’ll dress his pretty little sister in the finest clothes.
I’ll shower her in diamonds and jewels.
I’ll make Dante regret ever double crossing me.
And in the process, I will make my heir.

All I need is a bouquet of roses, a bottle of bourbon, and a good girl to bend to my will.

Tropes: Mafia Boss, Birth Control T*mpering, Arranged Marriage, Soul Mates, My Wife, Older Man, Possessive Hero

Wicked Desires is Saverio and Lucia’s story. This novel features dark themes, steamy scenes, and mature content. Please read the first chapter for a full list of TWs.

Each book in The Terlizzis series can be read as a standalone novel.

  • Genre: Dark Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Erotica, Fiction, Mafia, Romance
  • 316 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published November 19, 2024
  • Series: The Terlizzis #2

ABOUT CORA KENT

Cora Kent fell for her first villain before she even knew what romance was. Ever since Scar was denied a happily ever after, she’s been on a mission to give all the dark, dangerous anti-heroes the endings they deserve. If the Big Bad Wolf had swept Little Red off her feet, it might have saved the fairy tale—so that’s exactly what Cora does in her novels: grants her bad boys redemption through passion, power, and the women who can handle them.

When she’s not spinning tales of morally gray heroes and forbidden desires, you’ll find her snuggled up with her cat, sipping a margarita, and watching Grey’s Anatomy.

Website

 

MY CORA KENT REVIEWS

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Review – Visage Of Moros by Tamel Wino #visageofmoros #tamelwino

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MY REVIEW

Visage Of Moros by Tamel Wino is a character study into the mind of a man who gets lost in his grief and need for justice. His daughter has been taken from him and we watch as he slowly sink into depths of despair and madness. His obsession costs him everything he has left, his work, his wife, his desire to continue on without seeking vigilante justice. If law enforcement isn’t going to make the killer pay, Drystan Caine will. How far would you go, if someone had taken a loved one from you? Especially if it is your child.

Moros is an ancient eity of doom.

The chapters are short, traveling from the past to the present and back again, making it an easy read, as long as you can keep your emotions in check. Brace yourself before cracking open Visage Of Moros. Your journey is not for the faint of heart.

I want to thank Tamel Wino for the opportunity to read and review Visage Of Moros.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A relentless first instalment of the Decay Abloom series, that probes into the psychological toll of grief and the blurred lines between justice and vengeance. 

In the wake of a vicious and calamitous loss, Drystan Caine finds himself on the verge, his life thrown into chaos. With the law enforcement investigation stagnating, he embarks on a self-imposed crusade. However, as Drystan becomes increasingly consumed by this undertaking, his personal and professional life starts to unravel. 

Driven by deep resentment and reckless desperation, this rogue pursuit of justice rapidly takes a treacherous turn. As Drystan draws closer to uncovering the truth, he must confront how far he is willing to go before succumbing to darkness.

  • Genre: Fiction, Psychological, Suspense, Thriller, Vigilante Justice
  • 466 pages, Paperback
  • Published March 16, 2025

ABOUT TAMEL WINO

Tamel Wino is a Canadian award-winning, dark fiction author from resplendent British Columbia. His works focus largely on the erratic facets of human sanity and morality. He majored in Health Sciences and Psychology, which only furthered his interest in human nature.

With inspirations including Ray Bradbury, Jack Ketchum, Cormac McCarthy, Stephen King, Margaret Atwood and Edgar Allan Poe; Tamel’s expositions are strongly grounded in traditions of dark fiction. Yet, with his bold narrative voice and incisive plot construction, Wino is paving a new movement within the space.

When he is not reading or scribbling away on his laptop, Tamel often indulges in stargazing, rekindling classic shows and unearthing obscure music.

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Review – Too Old For This by Samantha Downing #TooOldforThis #NetGalley

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MY REVIEW

How old is too old for murder? If you are Lottie Jones, no age is too old.

I love serial killer stories and Samantha Downing has created a good one in Too Old For This. She allows us to meet the serial killer, Lottie Jones early in the story. She has retired but when an investigative journalist, Plum Dixon, comes knocking at her door, asking questions, wanting to make a docuseries of her life, she has to put a stop to it. So far, no one knows she was a serial killer and she wants to keep it that way. How can she stop Plum? What do you think? I will say that Lottie has to charge her chainsaw overnight. LOL

I had some laugh out loud moments and. at times, found myself shaking my head, wondering…Why didn’t I see that coming? And why didn’t Lottie? I do love a good book surprise and Samantha Downing did keep me on my toes. I didn’t anticipate the ending and I love it. Great job, Samantha.

My thanks go out to Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Too Old For This by Samantha Downing.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A retired serial killer’s quiet life is upended by an unexpected visitor. To protect her secret, there’s only one option left—what’s another murder? From bestselling author Samantha Downing.

Lottie Jones thought her crimes were behind her.

Decades earlier, she changed her identity and tucked herself away in a small town. Her most exciting nights are the weekly bingo games at the local church and gossiping with her friends.

When investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie’s past and specifically her involvement with numerous unsolved cases, well, Lottie just can’t have that.

But getting away with murder is hard enough when you’re young. And when Lottie receives another annoying knock on the door, she realizes this crime might just be the death of her…

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Psychological, Serial Killer, Suspense, Thriller
  • Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication August 12, 2025 by Berkley

ABOUT SAMANTHA DOWNING

Samantha Downing is an internationally bestselling thriller author. Her novels include My Lovely Wife, He Started It, For Your Own Good, and A Twisted Love Story. Her debut novel, My Lovely Wife, was nominated for Edgar, ITW, and Macavity awards in the US, the CWA award in the UK, and was the winner of the Prix des Lectrices award in France.

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Review – The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan #thewitchsorchard #NetGalley #archersullivan

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MY REVIEW

It looks like The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan is a debut novel, and I must say, it was a great start to Archer Sullivan’s writing career. I was quickly drawn in by Annie Gore, a Former Air Force Special Investigator turned private investigator. Three little girls had gone missing ten years ago. One was returned, but the brother of one of the girls that was never found wants to hire her to discover what happened.

Annie knows about small mountain villages and knows her poking around will make a lot of people uncomfortable. That doesn’t stop her from seeking out the answers to her questions. I love watching an outsider come in and stir up a hornets nest in a place where everyone knows everyone else, but do they? Do we ever really know what someone is thinking or doing?

“Does chaos just happen to follow you around or do you invite it along for rides in that ugly clunker of yours?”

Through the horror and sorrow that Annie investigates, we have some light hearted moments. I love stories that take place in small towns and I love watching the secrets being exposed. The novel moves along at a steady clip. I would categorize The Witch’s Orchard more a mystery than a suspense or a thriller. It lacks those intense nail biting moments that move at a rapid pace, but do deliver on the steady work of Annie as she uncovers what others wish would remain buried.

I would like to thank Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A ninth generation Appalachian herself, Archer Sullivan brings the mountains of North Carolina to life in The Witch’s Orchard, a wonderfully atmospheric novel that introduces private investigator Annie Gore.

Former Air Force Special Investigator Annie Gore joined the military right after high school to escape the fraught homelife of her childhood. Now, she’s getting by as a private investigator and her latest case takes her to an Appalachian holler not unlike the one where she grew up.

Ten years ago, three little girls went missing from their tiny mountain town. While one was returned, the others were never seen again. After all this time without answers, the brother of one of the girls wants to hire an outsider, and he wants Annie. While she may not be from his town, she gets mountain towns. Mountain people. Driving back into the hills for a case this old—it might be a fool’s errand. But Annie needs to put money in the bank and she can’t turn down a case. Not even one that dredges up her own painful past.

In the shadow of the Blue Ridge, Annie begins to track the truth, navigating a decade’s worth of secrets, folklore of witches and crows, and a whole town that prefers to forget. But while the case may have been buried, echoes of the past linger. And Annie’s arrival stirs someone into action.

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller, Witches
  • 304 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication August 12, 2025 by Minotaur Books
  • Setting: Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina, United States

ABOUT ARCHER SULLIVAN (from Amazon)

ARCHER SULLIVAN is a ninth generation Appalachian. She’s moved thirty-seven times and has lived everywhere from Monticello, Kentucky to Manhattan, New York and from Black Mountain, North Carolina to Beverly Hills, California. Her work has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Tough, Shotgun Honey, Reckon Review, Rock and a Hard Place, and The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2024.

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Review – Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner @LisaGardnerBks #kisshergoodbye

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GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

Lisa Gardner was a must read author for me before I began blogging. This woman can write and her love of research shows through the words on the pages of her books. I have not read any of the Frankie Elkin novels, but after reading Kiss Her Goodbye, I plan to remedy that. I was quickly hooked by the character. She’s tough, persistent, and once she sets her sights on something, she will stop at nothing to achieve her goals.

Kiss Her Goodbye bounces between Afghan refugee Sabera Ahmadi’s past and the present. When she goes missing, her best friend seeks Frankie Elkin’s help. Frankie has had a rough life and I love that she travels light, with a brown leather messenger bag and a small rolling suitcase. She’s not trained in finding people, but she is good at it.

Lisa Gardner writes about the Afghans that helped the Americans, especially those left behind. I wondered if what she shared was true…and it is. I found it fascinating. It lends a feeling of reality to the novel.

I love a book that twists and turns and takes me down an unexpected path where I am unable to foresee the outcome. I felt anger, dread, suspense and sorrow. I couldn’t stop reading, yet I didn’t want the story to end.

My thanks go out to Grand Central Publishing and Net Galley for the opportunity to read Kiss Her Goodbye by Lisa Gardner

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

#1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Gardner returns with the 4th installment in her bestselling Frankie Elkin series, in which Frankie is called to Tucson, Arizona, to find a missing Afghan refugee, whose friend suspects she is in grave danger, before it is too late.

A young mother haunted by war, determined to make a fresh start. But sometimes, the sins of the past aren’t so easy to escape.

Recent Afghan refugee Sabera Ahmadi was last seen exiting her place of work three weeks ago. The local police have yet to open a case, while her older, domineering husband seems unconcerned. Sabera’s closest friend, however, is convinced Sabera would never willingly leave her three‑year old daughter. At her insistence, missing persons expert Frankie Elkin agrees to take up the search through the broiling streets of Tucson. Just in time for a video of the young mother to surface—showing her walking away from the scene of a brutal double murder.

Frankie quickly realizes there’s much more to the Ahmadi family than meets the eye. The father Isaad is a brilliant mathematician, Sabera a gifted linguist, and their little girl Zahra—she has an uncanny ability to remember anything she sees. Which given everything that has happened during the girl’s short life, may be a terrible curse. When Isaad also disappears under mysterious circumstances and an attempt is made on Zahra’s life, Frankie realizes she must quickly crack the code of this family’s horrific past.

Someone is coming for the Ahmadis. And violence is clearly an option. When everything is on the line, how far would you go to protect the ones you love?

Frankie is about to find out.

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • 410 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication August 12, 2025 by Grand Central Publishing
  • Series: Frankie Elkin #4

ABOUT LISA GARDNER

Lisa Gardner is the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller author of the Frankie Elkin series, as well as the Detective D.D. Warren, the FBI Profilers and the PI Tessa Leoni series.

Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!

Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!

Website

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Review – Callasandra Fractured by Stephanie Douglas #callasandrafractured @St3phnieDouglas

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Callasandra Fractured by Stephanie Douglas is a dystopian, science fiction novel about a young girl traveling through dimensions. It slowly drew me in, picking up the pace as the story unfolded.

Cassi had been jolted awake by what sounded like a burst of thunder – the hair on her arms stood on end, and in her gut, she knew something was wrong.

That’s putting it mildly. She finds herself in a world called Cimerrion, where every move is watched. When rules are broken, ‘motivation’ is used. It depends on who is doling it as to how brutal it can be. At least, for a moment, she is protected from grave bodily harm. They want her unmarked until they decide what they are going to use her for, but there is one guard who has his eye on her and believes she may be a Disunited, a person from another world. If they knew she was also a twin, they may have been even more worried. There is a prophecy…Our control of Cimerrion hangs in the balance of the twin fates of our destiny.

The main characters are young and I love watching them grow and develop, working together. Knowing they can’t just sit there and do nothing, they become a part of the resistance and risk their lives to save those targeted for a life of slavery.

Stephanie Douglas has created a world of danger, but no matter how bleak things look, the characters still have hope. The pace increases as does the suspense, the closer we get to the end…and that ending. It’s a good one. I am looking forward to what comes next.

Also, for a unique reading experience, Stephanie has sprinkled QR codes for music so you can listen along with the characters. I did not choose the option, but it may enhance your reading experience.

My thanks go out to Stephanie Douglas for the opportunity to read and review Callasandra Fractured.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A DANGEROUS SECRET AND ENEMIES EVERYWHERE

WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO SURVIVE?

Sixteen-year-old Cassi Dyson thought she had a normal life—until the day her world shattered. In a sudden, terrifying moment, two men seize her father right in front of her. Before they drag him away, he shouts a coded message to her—the warning changes everything. Soon after, a dimensional fracture scatters Cassi—and all of Earth’s citizens—across dimensions.

Separated from her family, Cassi awakens alone in Cimerrion, a world where the government sees her as a threat, where every move is watched, and any misstep could mean capture—or worse. Not knowing who to trust, she adopts a new name—Callasandra—but even that may not be enough to keep her safe. Assigned to The Camp, a monitored sector where sixteen-year-olds are trained, Cassi must blend in to survive.

When Joren, a charismatic and quick-witted fellow student, sees through her disguise, he brings her to the covert resistance known as the Antistasi. Desperate to find her family, Cassi turns to them for help and learns that survival means more than just concealing her identity—it means playing a dangerous game where trust is scarce, deception is everywhere, and escape may not be an option.

For Fans of Action, Suspense, and High-Stakes Survival

A thrilling blend of impossible choices, gripping action, and cunning resistance, Callasandra Fractured is perfect for readers who love action-packed stories set in dystopian worlds with young protagonists who refuse to back down. Prepare to be on the edge of your seat until the very end, immersed in a world where secrets and action collide.

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult
  • 474 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published September 5, 2018 by Dreamer’s Lair Books

ABOUT STEPHANIE DOUGLAS

Stephanie Douglas writes YA dystopian sci-fi that explores identity, power, and survival. Her debut novel, Callasandra Fractured, blends psychological tension, cinematic worldbuilding, and unforgettable characters navigating a fractured dimension. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her family, singing whenever the mood strikes, or plotting the next twist in the Callasandra series.

Website

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!