Category Archives: Reviews

Review – The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin by Stephan Lethaus #stephanlethaus

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin by Stephan Lethaus has been translated from German with the help of artificial intelligence. This is one instance where I have no problem with artificial intelligence. A pretty good job was done, and seeing I am reading an ARC it may even get better.

We have a wide cast of characters, which you can find at the end of the book. I haven’t really chosen a favorite, but Robin is one of the main characters, so it is easy to choose him. He a nice guy and some not so nice things happen to him. I also liked Mi Lou. She is in danger and on the run, and before the book is done, so is Robin. I’m eager to see how the storylines will come together, seeing Mi Lou is from the year 2055 and Robin is from the time of dragons.

The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin starts out a little slow, but the further I read, the more the pace picks up and a subtle urgency spans the pages. The point of view switches from Robin to Mi Lou. I was able to predict some of what comes. Treachery, treason, and betrayal puts many lives in danger and many bodies will fall.

This is one of those stories where I am afraid to say too much. I don’t want to spoil anything for you. We have artifical intelligence and robots. We have magic and dragons. The world is rich in detail and if you love fantasies, I think you may love The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin.

I want to thank Stepahn Lethaus for the opportunity to read and review The Magical Legacy Of The Ryujin. I can hardly wait to begin the second book, The Discovery Of The Inner Magic.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The Magical Legacy of the Ryūjin is the captivating beginning of a saga where ancient forces awaken, unlikely bonds form, and the fate of a magical world begins to shift.

Have you ever debated the ethics of killing… with a dragon?

Rob, a stable boy from Castle Skargness, never asked for any of this. But when a twist of fate throws him together with Fuku Riu—a reckless young forest dragon with far too much attitude and far too little patience—everything changes.

After a tragic turn during the legendary dragon tournament, Rob and Fuku are forced to flee north, hunted by the merciless servants of pure magic. Their uneasy alliance is tested at every step, and trust is hard‑won in a land full of ancient threats and unseen watchers.

Meanwhile, in a very different world, Mi Lou—a pragmatic systems analyst from 2055—finds herself pulled into Skaiyles by forces she doesn’t yet understand. Her arrival marks a turning point, though none of them realize it yet.

As pure magic rises and buried legacies begin to stir, even the smallest bond may carry the weight of destiny.

German readers will find both Volumes 01 and 02 combined in the original German edition.

  • Genre: Dragons, Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Supernatural
  • 292 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published July 15, 2025
  • Series: The Ryujin #1

ABOUT STEPHAN LETHAUS (from Amazon)

Stephan Lethaus has been telling fantastical stories since childhood—long before he could write, he spun wild tales about ghosts, dragons, and untamed creatures. His creative journey has since taken him from directing and producing award-winning children’s content to writing epic fantasy. Today, he brings that same sense of wonder and adventure to his fantasy series, The Magical Legacy of the Ryūjin.

Based in Berlin, Stephan is an author and creative producer with over two decades of experience in the animation and media industry. His background in storytelling for the screen has shaped his vivid, cinematic writing style. His earlier productions for children’s television have received multiple awards, including the Goldener Spatz, the Silver Dragon of Beijing, and a nomination for the prestigious Grimme Prize.

In 2016, Stephan published the first book in Skaiyles, a sweeping fantasy series filled with magic, dragons, and untamed legacy [This makes no sense. It’s untamed creature, but to avoid repetition we should look for another word]. He is currently expanding the saga, crafting stories that invite readers into a richly imagined world full of mystery, myth, and heart.

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Review – Reckless by Skye Jordan #skyjordan #reckless

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Amazon / Godreads

MY REVIEW

I picked up a copy of Reckless on a free day on 8.18.16. I recently signed up for Skye Jordan’s newsletter and saw some interesting looking books, so I checked my ereader. Lo and behold, I had one of her books, so I started reading Reckless, the first book in the Renegades series.

Reckless is hot, hot, hot. I loved the characters, even those that were not so nice. I loved that Lexi LaCroix is the main character and is a plus size. She specializes in handmade wedding dresses and when she expands into the lingerie business I can only guess how sexy they will be. There are those that support her whole heartedly and those that want her to dumb down her creations. I love that she sticks to her guns.

Of course, we have some romance. Neither one realizes who the other one is and it makes for some miscommunication. That’s typical for any couple. But, they are magic in bed and pull no punches, burning up my ereader. I look forward to reading more of Skye’s work

Reckless would make a great movie.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A couture wedding dress designer to the rich and famous, Lexi LaCroix’s image means everything. But crossing paths with a sexier-than-sin, bad-boy biker makes Lexi realize how much living she’s sacrificed for her success and one touch is all it takes to threaten her carefully choreographed life. When that touch fills far more than just Lexi’s physical needs, she finds herself torn between the career she needs and the bad-boy she craves.

Jax Chamberlin gave up the superficial life of acting for the thrill of running his own stunt company years ago. But a recent betrayal proves he’s still too close to the limelight to find a woman who doesn’t plan to use him as a stepping-stone to success. When the charming and mysterious Lexi offers him a totally anonymous hook-up during an out of town trip, Jax accepts. Only Lexi is more sextacular than charming, and Jax wants more.

But Lexi’s got a major hang-up over his renegade lifestyle, and Jax isn’t willing to change his ways. Especially not when he discovers who she really is. Because if she finds out his connections could catapult her to the top of her career, he’s afraid the fantasy woman he’s falling for might just end up like all the other gold-diggers. And this time, it’s not just his bad-boy reputation at risk, but his heart, too.

All books in the Renegades series may be read as stand alone books.

The Renegades series includes:
RECKLESS
REBEL
RICOCHET
RUMOR
RELENTLESS
RENDEZVOUS
RIPTIDE
RAPTURE

  • Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, New Adult, Romance
  • 280 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published August 23, 2013 by Cygnet Books
  • Series: Renegades, #1
  • Settings: Los Angeles, California, New York City, New York, United States

ABOUT SKYE JORDAN

Skye Jordan is a New York Times and USA bestselling author of sexy contemporary romance and edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense.

A California native transplanted to the DC area. When she’s not writing, Skye enjoys travel and medical volunteer work. She is a lifelong learner, always taking courses in everything from spy craft to knitting and loves spending her summer rowing on the Potomac.

Visit Skye online:

www.SkyeJordanAuthor.com

 

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$10 GC – Curse Of Ashmedei by Michael Snaerravn @goddessfish #curseofashmedei #michalsnaerravn

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CURSE OF ASHMEDEI by Michal Snaerravn

GENRE:  Epic fantasy

MY REVIEW

I am always up for a good fantasy story to get lost in and Curse Of Ashmedei by Michal Snaerravn provided me one. There are also some cool illustrations.

Curse Of Ashmedei is one of those stories I find it hard to review without spoilers.

Curse Of Asmedei is filled with battles, betrayals and death. I felt the loss as Michal killed off some characters I had grown to care about. We have Druids, Demonsblood, Lycans, Trollbloods and Ogrebloods, plus creatures that fly and hide in the sand, so be careful crossing over those dunes.

I was quickly drawn in by Amnon, a young Demonblood that vows revenge on those who killed his parents. The action is nonstop. I couldn’t figure out who he should trust and who he should kill outright. There is a price to be paid for letting the bad guy live. Strange alliances are made, because he is not the only one that has a price on his head. A Blood War is coming.

My thanks go out to Michael Snaerravn for the opportunity to read and review Curse Of Ashmedei. The real downside I came across is I need the next book, Golems Of Beithir to find out what happens next.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

BLURB

The Black Star approaches, heralding the cataclysm of Hell’s Gate. The pawns on the chessboard have played the opening gambits as the Races vie for its power. Amnon, a young Demonblood consumed by revenge, finds himself drawn into a maelstrom of treacherous alliances and primeval magic. With a price on his head and outmanoeuvred by Druids and Trollbloods at every turn, he can’t survive alone. An ancient Lycan who has lost his humanity is the only one he can trust.

EXCERPT

The sun began to slip behind the ragged slope, staining the wisps of clouds surrounding the peak in blood red.

It was late summer, and the bitter katabatic wind was making its way down the slope, rustling a few dying leaves, and chilling my bones. A lone peregrine falcon drew lazy spirals high above the erratic maze of rocks and boulders, looking for the unwary marmot that enjoyed the evening sun just a bit too long. Crouched, I carefully studied nearly invisible tracks. It was the same company I had been trailing for weeks now, consisting of an armored party of more than a dozen men and women. The tracks wound along the steep slope and entered the open scree. Soon their trail would be lost in the jumble of jagged rocks and Troll-sized boulders. I hesitated, my tail twitching as it usually did when I was annoyed. The path they were on faced directly against the sun as it dipped into the glacial valley. I knew the valley well, and it was perfect for an all-too-easy ambush. I suspected the company had already detected my presence, and it would be foolish to tempt fate, especially when facing a dozen armed men … headed by a Druid, no less.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Michal Snaerravn is an outdoor enthusiast, an aficionado of the martial arts, and, above all, a sci-fi/fantasy nerd. A fan of all the timeless fantasy classics, he is eager to share his imagination: “Living in seven distinct cultures and reading hundreds of novels in four languages inspired a fantasy world that had to be revealed.” He considers novel writing not for the timid, or for selling a million copies; it is for those who have a vision to share. “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!”

Curse of Ashmedei: Book 1: https://amzn.to/3IxIO41

Golems of Beithir: Book 2: https://a.co/d/hW1YFT7

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michal-Snaerravn/author/B0DHDBSC55

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

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Review – Sanctuary by Michael J Stiehl #michaeljstiehl #sanctuary #blackharepress

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Sanctuary by Michael J Stiehl is a fantasy, horror, novella. I hesitated with the rating, bouncing between a 3 and a 4. When that happens, I round up. I know it’s hard to grab someone’s attention and hold them til the end when the story is so short, but I feel Sanctuary warrants that extra star.

Theobard is training to be a monk and has lived a quiet life among the Silent Brotherhood. Everything changes when Dellia arrives. She opens Theobard’s eyes to what is really going on at the Sanctuary. Michael J Stiehl did a great job of increasing the anticipation of what was coming, making me feel that life can be very dangerous at the Sanctuary if you don’t toe the line. The ending caught me offguard and, Michael, you kinda pissed me off…but that’s a good thing.

My thanks go out to Michael J Stiehl and Black Hare Press for the opportunity to read and review Sanctuary.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Deep in an impenetrable swamp, lies the Sanctuary. Abandoned there as a child, Theobard has lived a quiet life among the Silent Brotherhood, a monastic sect that never speaks.

The arrival of Dellia, a beautiful golden-eyed girl with a secret, will change everything.

Her secret will expose Theobard’s true nature, and that of the Sanctuary, pulling apart the only world he has ever known, leaving nothing the same.

  • Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Novella and Short Stories
  • 93 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published October 18, 2022 by Black Hare Press

ABOUT MICHAEL J STIEHL

Michael J. Stiehl has had a lifelong passion for fiction, in particular horror, comics, adventure and science fiction, and is thrilled to finally be writing some of his own. Michael lives in the Chicago suburbs with his wife, two kids and his very silly poodle Jack. When not writing fiction, Michael spends his time riding bikes, camping, reading books, obsessively listening to music and playing D&D with his friends. In short, he hasn’t changed a bit since junior high.

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Review – Dead West (The Endings #3) by Linda L Richards @lindalrichards #deadwest

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Dead West
Dead West
Dead West

 

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have read a couple of books in the Endings series by Linda L Richards and loved them, so when I found I had Dead West hanging around from a free book day, I had to read it. I love assassins and I think she is one of the most mysterious assassins I have met in a while. It doesn’t matter what her name is because it is as fictional as her life story, but I like the twist Linda L Richards incorporates into her story.

I have read another book recently that dealt with the wild horses out west and the struggles they have to survive in the political climate. I love horses and so much of the problems in Dead West ring true.

It doesn’t take much and she is ready to switch sides. How can she get out of killing Cameron Walker, a rancher in Arizona. He’s a good man and she is torn between what she has been paid to do and what she feels is right. If she reneges on the deal, it could mean the end of her.

We have a lot of twists and turns in Dead West. The mystery is not easy to figure out and I was surprised when I learned who the biggest villain was. As we approach the end, I wonder how she will make herself and everyone else happy. Dead West is one of my favorite books in the Endings series.

There are book club questions at the end of the book and they prove thought provoking whether you are part of a book club or an individual, like me. I love a book that makes me think and sticks with me after the reading.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Rule #1 of being a hired never get to know your target . . . and definitely don’ t fall in love with them

Taking lives has taken its toll. Her moral justifications have faltered. Do any of the the people she has killed — some of them heinous, but all of them human — deserve to die?

Her next target is Cameron Walker, a rancher in Arizona. When she arrives at his remote desert estate to carry out her orders, she discovers that he is a kind and beautiful man. After a lengthy tour of the ranch, not only has she not killed him, she’s wondering who might want him dead. 

She procrastinates long enough that a vibe grows between them. At the same time, she learns that he’s passionate about wild horses and has been fighting a losing political battle to save the mustangs that live on protected land near his property. He’s even received death threats from those who oppose him.

She finds herself trying to protect the man she was sent to kill, following a trail that leads from the desert, to the Phoenix cognoscenti, to the highest offices in Washington, DC. Along the way she encounters kidnappers and killers, horse thieves and even human traffickers. Hopefully she can figure out who ordered the hit before they hire someone else to execute the assignment.

Perfect for fans of Dean Koontz and Tana French

While the novels in The Endings Series stand on their own and can be read in any order, the publication sequence is as:

Endings
Exit Strategy
Dead West

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • 306 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published September 5, 2023 by Oceanview Publishing

ABOUT LINDA L RICHARDS

Linda L. Richards is the award-winning author of over a dozen books. The founder and publisher of January Magazine and a contributing editor to the crime fiction blog The Rap Sheet, she is best known for her strong female protagonists in the thriller genre. Richards is from Vancouver, Canada and currently makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona. New for 2024: INSENSIBLE LOSS, the fourth book in the Endings series featuring a reluctant hit woman struggling towards the light. Linda’s 2021 novel, the first in this series, ENDINGS, was recently optioned by a major studio for series production. Richards is an accomplished horsewoman and an avid tennis player, and is on the National Board of Sisters in Crime.

Catch Up With Linda L. Richards:
LindaLRichards.com
Goodreads – @lindalrichards
BookBub – @linda1841
Instagram – @lindalrichards
Threads – @lindalrichards
Twitter/X – @lindalrichards
Facebook – @lindalrichardsauthor

 

MY LINDA L RICHARDS REVIEWS

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Review – Lacey’s Fight by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor #romanticsuspense

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

It’s wonderful to be back In Jane Blythe’s world with Prey Security and the Artemis Team in Lacey’s Fight. Lacey had been kidnapped when she was just a baby. Her blood family had died in a fire and her mother had committed suicide. Lacey’s bubbly, happy, full of smiles personality covers the pain. The Master had kidnapped her and her sisters and trained them to be assassins. Why does he need his own army, no matter how small? We find out in Lacey’s Fight and I have been waiting for The Master to be exposed.

There’s not much that can scare Lacey, but she is not a fan of water. That does not mean she won’t jump in the ocean to save a girl that had been tossed overboard. Isn’t that the meaning of courage? Facing your fears and doing what needs to be done.

That is when she comes face to face with Benjamin “Rabbit” Blanchett. If it wasn’t for him, she would not have survived. Lacey uses sex as a coping mechanism. She is game for one night stands, but no commitments…Until Ben. But, Ben had his own baggage and felt he had nothing to give.

Ben and Lacey are posing as husband and wife, when they go undercover to save some girls being sold off at auction. Lacey believes that The Master may be there and she is determined to take him down.

Jane, Jane, Jane. You sure do put your characters through life altering situations….and I love it! I can’t get enough of it. This quick, engrossing, fast paced thriller had me reading at a frantic pace. Every time I thought I could take a breath, wham, bam, thank you ma’am, something else would happen. I love a book that keeps on giving.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Behind her bubbly, flirty smile hides a world of hidden pain.

Despite her dark childhood Lacey Smith believes in looking for moments of joy wherever you can find them. But when a seriously hot SEAL saves her life and then turns her down when she asks him out she begins to rethink everything. Going undercover with a man who doesn’t like her isn’t ideal but that doesn’t mean that the danger won’t have sparks igniting between them.

Most days Navy SEAL Benjamin Blanchett is so mired in grief and guilt that he doesn’t even want to move forward. So when a bubbly, sassy, ball of energy asks him out of course he says no. He thought that was it but now they’re going undercover together as husband and wife. Lines are blurred, feelings emerge, but by the time he realizes what he wants it might be too late.

  • Genre: Enemies To Lovers, Military Fiction, Romance, Suspense, Thriller
  • 286 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published September 12, 2023
  • Series: Prey Security: Artemis Team #3

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

USA Today bestselling author Jane Blythe writes action-packed romantic suspense and military romance featuring protective heroes and heroines who are survivors. One of Jane’s most popular series includes Saving SEALs, part of Susan Stoker’s OPERATION ALPHA world! Writing in that world alongside authors such as Janie Crouch and Riley Edwards has been a blast, and she looks forward to bringing more books to this genre, both within and outside of Stoker’s world. When Jane isn’t binge-reading she’s counting down to Christmas and adding to her 200+ teddy bear collection!

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

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Review – Perilous Tides (Hidden Bay #2) by Elizabeth Goddard @bethgoddard #periloustides

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Will the past rush in like a dangerous tide before the truth can be revealed?
Elizabeth Goddard delivers suspense blended with romance on Washington’s coast

 

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Panic engulfed her as fast as the rising water.

I was hooked from the opening pages of Perilous Tides and I do love that Elizabeth Goddard was able to get me involved, curious to know what comes next and next and next. I also love second chance romances, so, when Jo Cattrel’s ex, former Green Beret Cole Mercer made his appearance, I sat up and took notice. Now, the danger is really going to come at them and it does. Hard and fast.

Jo Cattrel had been hiding out on the Washington coast, until a message from her father had her hightailing it away from the safety of the lodge, determined to track him down. She doesn’t even make it off the ferry before witnessing a murder, making her a target.

Perilous Tides by Elizabeth Goddard is a complex, convoluted mystery with bullets flying and bodies dropping and the danger rising as Jo and Cole search for answers. The pacing moves at a steady clip, sometimes not even giving me enough time to catch my breath. I find it hard to believe I haven’t read any of Elizabeth’s work, but she is now on my radar.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Three years after her mother’s suspicious death, forensic artist Jo Cattrel is in hiding, working at a storm-watching lodge along the Washington coast. When her father sends her a disturbing and cryptic message, Jo leaves the safety of the lodge to find him. But during the ferry crossing, Jo witnesses a murder–and becomes a target.

More surprising to Jo than being in danger is the identity of the person who steps in to protect none other than her ex, former Green Beret Cole Mercer. Now a private investigator, Cole has been looking into her mother’s death. If he can just uncover the truth, maybe Jo can end her self-imposed captivity and the two of them can pick up the pieces and build a future together.

As Cole and Jo search for answers, the past rushes in like a dangerous tide to sweep them away before the truth can be revealed.

In this action-packed thriller, USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard serves up a complex plot and the sizzling romance readers have come to expect.

  • Genre: Christian Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • 352 pages, Paperback
  • Expected publication July 15, 2025 by Revell

ABOUT ELIZABETH GODDARD

Elizabeth Goddard is the PW, ECPA, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of over sixty novels, including the Missing in Alaska and Rocky Mountain Courage series. Her books have sold more than 1.5 million copies. She is a Christy Award, Carol Award and Reader’s Choice Award winner and a Daphne du Maurier Award and HOLT Medallion finalist. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with her family, traveling to find inspiration for her next book, and serving with her husband in ministry. For more information about her books, visit her website.

To get book news sign up for her newsletter at her website: http://elizabethgoddard.com
Follow her on Bookbub! https://www.bookbub.com/authors/eliza…
You can connect with Elizabeth on Facebook: http://facebook.com/elizabethgoddarda…
or Twitter: http://twitter.com/bethgoddard

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Review – The Flower Once Wilted by R M Demeester @rmdemeester #thefloweroncewilted

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GOODREADS

REVIEW

I have been reading The Girl Once Known series by R M Demeester from the very beginning. I had wondered if Lotus would get her own story…and, I’m happy to say the answer is yes. I knew it would be interesting an interesting story, because Lotus is an interesting character.

Lotus Oliver, more or less, raised herself. Her mother was lost to drugs and it created an inability to trust others in Lotus. She and Joseph Oliver are in love. When she turns up pregnant, all her insecurities rise to the forefront. Joseph wants to marry her, telling her he will support her and the baby, he will not desert her…BUT, he’s a bit of a mama’s boy…and mama is one nosy bitch to Lotus.

R M Demeester sure knows how to break a girl’s heart. I love a book that makes me grip my ereader so tightly that my knuckles turn white, that leaves me teary eyed, empathizing with the characters.

My thanks go out to R M Demeester for the opportunity to read The Flower Once Wilted.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Lotus Oliver learned early that survival meant pretending.

Lie when you’re scared. Smile when you’re cornered. Trust no one. Never let your guard down. Because wanting something only ever meant one thing: losing it.

Then she met Joseph “Jo” Oliver. He didn’t just see her. He unraveled her, layer by layer, until there was nothing left to hide. And somehow, she gave him everything: her fire, her fight, her heart. A marriage. A family.

But the voice inside her never went quiet. It kept whispering that she wasn’t safe. That it could all slip away.

And maybe, just maybe, it was right. The question is: will Lotus be able to stop it?

  • Genre: Fiction, Psychological
  • 364 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication July 11, 2025
  • Series: The Girl Once Known #4

ABOUT R M DEMEESTER

R.M. Demeester, from Saskatchewan, loves being a mom, reading books, and writing. She’s been writing since she was very young. Today, she’s known for her stories in women’s fiction, romantic suspense, and thrillers. She also has a rescue dog named Gainer, a chocolate lab who passed away recently, but is still very much loved and missed. Her newest book, “The Girl Once Known”, comes out in February 2024.

MY R M DEMEESTER REVIEWS

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Review – The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos #thebluehorse @bruceborgos #netgalley

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GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

I love horses and I think they are magnificent creatures, so when I saw The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos on NetGalley, I clicked the request button. I was not disappointed.

In all my trips to Nevada, I never got to see a wild horse, but I did hear about them and it wasn’t good. The Blue Horse deals with those who would rather shoot them dead than marvel at their beauty.

Many landowners, especially out west, use government owned land for grazing cattle, etc. They fight over who gets to use what, but it seems to me the horses would have more rights than the landowners. After all, they were there first.

The Blue Horse centers around a wild horse roundup and all the controversy that entails. Murder of human and horse alike create a mystery that kept me guessing. We have lots of suspects and more than one villain. That leads to intriguing characters.

We also have a group of troubled kids on a wilderness retreat and they will become involved in the mystery of the Canadian Lithium mining company. When push comes to shove, one of those most troubled kids will rise to the occasion. I love when a character redeems themselves.

If you love animals and a good mystery, The Blue Horse by Bruce Borgos may be for you.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A controversial wild horse round-up in the high desert of Nevada results in two murders and too many suspects for Sheriff Porter Beck to deal with.

A helicopter driving a controversial round-up of wild horses suddenly crashes and the pilot is found to have been shot. Then the person coordinating the round-up for the Bureau of Land Management is savagely murdered, buried up to her neck and then trampled to death by the very same wild horses. And there’s no lack of suspects—with the wild horse advocacy group having sworn to protect the horse At Any Cost! Now the state and federal agencies are showing up looking for answers or at least a scapegoat.

Sheriff Porter Beck has had better days.

Porter Beck’s new girlfriend, Detective Charlie Blue Horse, arrives to help with the investigation, which leads them to Canadian Lithium mining operation near the round-up area that sets off Beck’s mental alarm bells. Brinley, Beck’s sister, is leading a group of troubled kids in a wilderness program, when one of them, Rafa, bolts one night. When Brinley catches up to him, they’re just outside the mine—in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

With his personal life in turmoil, too many suspects and too many secrets, the feds pushing for a quick resolution, and his impetuous (if skilled) sister in the mix, one wrong step could be deadly for Porter Beck.

  • Genre: Animals, Fiction, Horses, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Western
  • 368 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication July 8, 2025 by Minotaur Books

ABOUT BRUCE BORGOS

Bruce Borgos is the author of several novels, including the Porter Beck Mysteries. His latest, THE BLUE HORSE, is the third in the series starring Sheriff Porter Beck of Lincoln County, NV. and is scheduled for publication in July, 2025. https://bit.ly/TheBlueHorse

Visit his website at: https://www.bruceborgos.com/
or on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BruceBorgos
or catch him on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/bruceborgos…. or on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/authorbruce…

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Review – Pointless by Michael Geczi @MichaelGeczi #pointless

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GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

I have read several of Michael Geczi’s books and loved them. Pointless did not disappoint. It’s rare when the villain is exposed from the opening pages, but it works, revealing his motivation for revenge. We start out with a car wreck, then move to poison laced bottles, then on to the assassination of the FBI agent put in charge of the investigation. Each piece of the puzzle is carefully planned. The mystery is muddled and characters are betrayed. Who’s doing what to who? Michael Geczi keeps the answer close.

Project Les Talionis – An Eye For An Eye

We have a diverse group of characters, and not all will survive. As the body count increases, so does the level of suspense. The pacing of Pointless keeps the story moving at a steady clip. The suspense mounts as we approach the final pages, and, no sooner do I breathe a sigh of relief…The ending is worth a star of its own, because as much as I hate it, I love it.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

POINTLESS – THE FIRST BOOK IN THE REVENGE, UNHINGED SERIES!

Poison-laced bottles of water are sent to three states in the U.S Southwest. A bottling plant employee is killed in a questionable traffic accident. The first illnesses – and the initial death – surface, and the FBI takes over the cases.

Just as the perps planned.

The agent in charge is assassinated, and Senior Special Agent Kari Dineh, a rising star, is put in charge. She’s encouraged to include a former agent, a felon she helped drive out of the agency years earlier, as an advisor. The case immediately takes on political overtones, spurred by poems sent by the perps, opportunistic pundits rallying pro- and anti-FBI supporters, and aggressive media reporting.

Violence erupts and cities burn.

Dineh, a brilliant investigator, at first struggles with her new role, as memories of misogyny and Indigenous prejudice resurface. But she overcomes them, ultimately figuring out the real intentions of the criminal group behind the crimes.

However, the U.S.’s 50-50 split on the rule of law is above her pay grade.

REVENGE IS A RATIONALIZATION, NOT A MOTIVATION.

  • Genre:
  • 294 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published May 10, 2025 by Tierra Buena Publishing

ABOUT MICHAEL GECZI (from Amazon)

Former Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, Associated Press and Dallas Morning News writer and editor; Wall Street executive; best-selling author; communications/crisis consultant and university instructor (University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism). Also author of Futures: The Anti-Inflation Investment. Lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his wife, Lisa.

Website / Twitter / Facebook

MY MICHAEL GECZI REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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  • 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!