Category Archives: Reviews

Romantasy – Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken #alexandrabracken #immortalrose #netgalley

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immortal

 

immortal

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love the cover for Immortal Rose, but it is the author that made me request a copy of the book from NetGalley. It’s eye catching…and I do love a good fantasy. It’s a long book, but if I love a book, I want it to keep on going. BUT, I have grown to hate cliffhangers, unless I already have the books necessary to finish the series. I read so many books, it will get lost in the shuffle.

Viola Lockwood is a fantastic character. She’s strong and has morals that make her a trustworthy person. She is the last of a family of member of the Rosebourne family. Her being a fairy has given her the gift that enables her to infuse a perfume with magic. Of course, if something can be used for good, it can also be used for bad.

Hugh Thornton is the person responsible for her being imprisoned, because she is the only person who can help, when the kingdom is left vulnerable to a coup. Their attraction to each other builds as the danger heightens. The romance is slow burning.

I have read some of Alexandra Bracken’s work, so I felt confident that Immortal Rose wouldn’t let me down. The writing flows smoothly and the depth and detail of Viola and Hugh’s world bring the story to life. It’s not always easy to know who to love/hate, but I do love when a character struggles to redeem themselves. All in all, I can highly recommend Immortal Rose, but BEWARE, I knock off a star when there is a cliffhanger. I didn’t know it was going to be a duology. Would that have made a difference? It’s hard to say, because I love Alexandra’s writing style so much, I grab whatever I see.

 

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From Alexandra Bracken, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lore, comes a stunningly original adult fantasy. Set in a sumptuous world ruled by magical perfume, this achingly romantic, slow-burn love story will shatter your heart and leave you breathless.

Members of the ancient House Rosebourne have a strange gift born of a fairy ancestor: the ability to infuse fragrance with magic capable of manipulating mind, body, and emotion.

When a shocking murder leaves the kingdom of Albion vulnerable to a coup, royal spymaster Hugh Thornton seeks the one person who can help: Viola Lockwood, the last living Rosebourne and secret heir to a fraught legacy.

Livid at the silver-eyed aristocrat who had her thrown in jail to force her compliance, Viola nevertheless comes to an agreement with him. In exchange for crafting Immortal Rose, the singular perfume capable of saving Albion, illegitimate Viola can seize the life—and fortune—that should have been hers.

As Hugh and Viola race to find the perfume’s lost fairy ingredient, hidden deep in Albion’s dark underbelly, neither can deny the scorching attraction building between them—especially as the attempts on Viola’s life grow increasingly brazen.

But a terrible truth lurks in the heart notes of their kingdom—and while every bargain has a cost, Immortal Rose may demand more than Hugh and Viola can ever pay.

This deluxe limited hardcover edition features beautiful stenciled edges and illustrated endpapers —available on the first printing only!

  • Genre: Enemies To Lovers, Fae, Fantasy, Fiction, Romance
  • 489 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published August 18, 2026
  • Series: Immortal Rose Duology #1

ABOUT ALEXANDRA BRACKEN (from Amazon)

Alexandra Bracken is the #1 New York Times and internationally best-selling author of The Darkest Minds series and Lore. Born and raised in Arizona, she moved east to study English and History at The College of William & Mary in Virginia. Her work has been adapted for feature film and is available across the world in more than twenty languages.

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Psychological Horror – Ezra’s Secret by P D Alleva #pdalleva #ezrassecret

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

No doubt about it. P D Alleva can write a story that will ‘rip out the heart of humanity…to be feasted upon’. Ezra’s Secret is sure to take you to the depths of hell and back again. It’s not enough to say something is wrong with Ezra. Ezra’s Secret shares the origin story of Wren Field, the villain from The Sleepy Hollow Incident: A Gothic Tale.

In Ezra’s Secret, P D Alleva delves into the psychological trauma resulting from childhood sexual abuse, so brace yourself. His real life world as a trauma therapist makes the story stick to me. It makes me wonder how many times the abuse happens in real life. You had all my emotions roiled up.

P D Alleva, you amaze me with your ability to create such disturbing stories. I love wallowing in the darkness with you.

Ezra’s Secret is a fast paced novella that made me cringe, filled with many triggers for those faint of heart, so enter at your own risk.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

NYC. January, 1955.

Something is wrong with Ezra—and it isn’t the kind of wrong you can pray away.

Ever since her fifteenth birthday, the world has begun to slip. Questions about who she is are met with silence, while a strange hum follows her through the city and into her dreams. When a mysterious street vendor offers her a path to the truth, Ezra is drawn into the shadows of Central Park, where an ancient secret waits.

But some truths come at a terrible cost.

As Ezra peels back the layers of her reality, she uncovers a horrifying secret buried beneath years of silence and fear. And she soon learns that the greatest horrors aren’t hiding in the shadows.

They’re hiding in plain sight.

Ezra’s Secret is a chilling psychological horror novel about identity, trauma, and the terrifying cost of uncovering the truth.

  • Genre: Fiction, Horror, Psychological
  • 101 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published August 18, 2026 by Chamber Door Publishing, LLC

ABOUT P D ALLEVA

P.D. Alleva

I write books, that’s what I do. Horror, scifi, thrillers, fantasy, and sometimes a literary gem. Good ones, crazy ones, fun books, entertaining books, terrifying books that are absolutely insane, books with depth and thrills, and stories that rip out the heart of humanity and tosses it on a slab to be feasted on. Yeah, that’s what I do, I write books. Any questions?

My current projects include: the Pulp Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy series, The Dark Veil: The Rose Vol. III; the horror thriller novella series, Girl on a Mission; the supernatural thriller series, The Hypnotist; and a follow up to Jigglyspot and the Zero Intellect, tentatively titled The Sleepy Hollow Incident.

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WEBSITE LINKS

MY P D ALLEVA REVIEWS

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Hero Or Traitor – Fighting For Lucy by Jane Blythe #JaneBlythe #fightingforlucy

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Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Anybody that knows Jane Blythe’s work, knows she puts her characters through some of the most horrendous situations, and Fighting For Lucy is no exception. It picks up where Fighting For Scarlett shared a tease, but each characters story reaches a happy ever after before she sends the next characters on their perilous adventures.

A plane crash in the Mexican jungle? That can’t be good. Even worse, Lucy is stuck with her brother’s friend, Zander Madden. Zander, a former Delta Force operator, carries a lot of emotional baggage. His teammates had been killed, and, even though he was taken prisoner, he survived, and craves revenge.

Can he put all that aside and save Lucy?

I love that Lucy is a strong character with epilepsy. It adds an extra element to her personality and her determination to survive, no matter what. She uses physical fitness to compensate, but being an adrenaline junky could make you wonder if she has a death wish.

I love romantic suspense novels and Jane Blythe is a master of the genre. Sure, some things are predictable, but that’s okay. That’s the nature of the beast. The romance is forever and the danger makes them earn their happy ever after. So, be sure and fasten your seatbelt because this is going to be a very bumpy ride.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Is she lost with a hero or a traitor?

Having her plane crash in the Mexican jungle would be bad enough for Lucy Elrod if the man she was stuck with wasn’t her best friend’s supposedly dead brother. On the run from a weapon’s trafficker determined to get the formula for a new drug out of her, Lucy will do whatever it takes to stay alive, even if that means ending the life of her friend’s brother for real this time.

Former Delta Force operator Zander Madden lost everything. The only thing he has to live for is revenge. The darkness inside him urges him to do anything to avenge his fallen teammates, and he’ll have to decide how far he’s willing to go and what he’s prepared to sacrifice to do it. Can he allow himself to let Lucy’s light guide him or will he wind up snuffing it out?

  • Genre: Fiction, Military, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Thriller
  • 298 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published July 16, 2024

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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Action And Adventure – When The Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard @partnersincr1me #elizabethgoddard

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They only have one chance to trust each other and confront the truth no one wants them to find
Be swept away with Elizabeth Goddard’s series opener set in the Pacific Northwest

 

When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard Banner

WHEN THE SILENCE BREAKS

by Elizabeth Goddard

August 3 – 28, 2026 Virtual Book Tour

MY REVIEW

When The Silence Breaks is Elizabeth Goddards first book in her new Mercy Ridge series. It takes place in the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest. It’s light on the Christian fiction and heavy on the romantic suspense.

Sarah Ellison is an intelligence analyst who sets off on a dangerous adventure after her brother is murdered. She will need a guide and Ryder Goodwin, a former Navy Seal sense the danger. Of course, there is a winter storm moving in that adds to the danger. I love the added suspense a storm creates.

I love reading romantic suspense and Elizabeth Goddard is a pro at writing a book that is sure to entertain. She has the right blend of mystery mixed with the danger that creates building tension. The pace is constant, as they duck and weave their way up and down the mountain. The romance heats up at as Sarah and Ryder dodge the danger that dogs their every step.

I want to thank Revell and Elizabeth Goddard for the opportunity to share When The Silence Breaks.

4 Stars

Synopsis:

MERCY RIDGE

 

A deathbed confession. A decades-old secret. A mountain that holds the answers–and danger closing in.

When intelligence analyst Sarah Ellison learns of her grandfather’s deathbed confession connected to her brother’s murder, she’s determined to protect her remaining family. After further investigation, she discovers the disclosed information points to a decades-old government secret buried deep in the Cascade Mountains. With this knowledge, she looks for a guide who knows the terrain like the back of their hand.

After his father’s death in a tragic mountain accident, former Navy SEAL Ryder Goodwin no longer guides for the family business. At first, Ryder refuses to help Sarah, but he sees the trouble chasing her and can’t stand by while someone brings danger to his small-town mountain community.

Ryder and Sarah gear up to climb the mountain in a race against time and a looming storm. When the danger escalates, their search for answers shifts to a survival mission. Their only chance to make it through involves trusting each other and confronting the truth no one wants them to find.

This gripping romantic-suspense thriller set in the Pacific Northwest from USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard is a series opener that will sweep you away in a rush of adrenaline.

Praise for When the Silence Breaks:

“Goddard (Deadly Currents) kicks off the Mercy Ridge series with a gripping mystery brimming with buried family secrets, government cover-ups, and natural disasters… Goddard keeps her foot on the gas from start to finish”
~ Publishers Weekly

Book Details:

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense
Published by: Revell
Publication Date: August 4, 2026
Number of Pages: 352
ISBN: 9780800747688 (ISBN10: 0800747682)
Series: Mercy Ridge, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Christianbook | Audible | Goodreads | BookBub | Baker Book House

Read an excerpt:

 

 

Author Bio:

Elizabeth Goddard

Elizabeth Goddard is the USA Today bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of more than sixty-five novels. She is a Carol Award winner, a two-time 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.

Catch Up With Elizabeth Goddard:

ElizabethGoddard.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub – @ElizabethGoddard
Instagram – @ElizabethGoddardAuthor
Pinterest – @ElizabethGoddardAuthor
X – @bethgoddard
Facebook – @ElizabethGoddardAuthor

 

Tour Participants:

Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

Step Into the Suspense—and a Gift Card!

This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for When the Silence Breaks by Elizabeth Goddard. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
WHEN THE SILENCE BREAKS by Elizabeth Goddard

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MY ELIZABETH GODDARD REVIEW

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Review – Cinematic Destinies by Patricia Leavy #peatricialeavy #cinemticdestinies #shewritespress

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I don’t read a lot of romance, unless it has a suspenseful or paranormal twist, but I jumped on board Cinematic Destinies because of the publicity push. I don’t know if I missed out on anything because I haven’t read the previous two books in the Red Carpet Romance series. I sometimes grab a simple romance to cleanse my pallet. I read a lot of books and if I read too many of one particular genre back to back, they all seem to blend together. A refresher has me coming back raring to go.

Cinematic Destinies by Patricia Leavy is about the fairy tale Hollywood romance of the parents and how their children learn that everything is not always as it seems. As the children grow and work through their own problems, they strive to have a happy ever after.

Cinematic Destinies is pretty much what I expected. It makes for a great summer read.

3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

For fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace, Cinematic Destinies is a feel-good, contemporary romance about a trio of adult children searching for love and beauty in the shadow of their parents’ legendary Hollywood fairy-tale romance.

Legendary actor Finn Forrester and his wife philosopher Ella Sinclair Forrester met on the location shoot for Jean Mercier’s film Celebration. The world has been captivated by their fairy-tale romance since Finn famously proposed on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. As the couple now prepares to celebrate their thirtieth wedding anniversary, they wonder if their children will ever find love.

Eldest daughter Betty is excelling in a medical residency program in New York City—and has convinced herself that distancing herself from emotions is the path to success. Youngest son Albert, a recent college graduate, is trying to find his footing in Boston as he struggles with his identity. Free-spirited Georgia, her mother’s spitting image and an actress following in her father’s footsteps, has been cast in Jean Mercier’s final film, mysteriously titled Beauty. When she arrives on set in Iceland and meets her costar, sparks fly. Is history repeating itself? How has growing up in the shadow of the world’s most iconic love story affected each of the Forrester children?

In this highly anticipated conclusion to The Location Shoot and After the Red Carpet, we see how Finn, Ella, and their children fulfill their cinematic destinies.

  • Genre: Contemporary, Romance
  • 232 pages, Paperback
  • Published September 2, 2025 by She Writes Press
  • Series: Red Carpet Romance #3

ABOUT PATRICIA LEAVY

Patricia Leavy, Ph.D., is a bestselling author. She has published over fifty books, earning commercial and critical success in both fiction and nonfiction, and her work has been translated into many languages. Patricia has received over 100 book honors as well as career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2024 the London Arts-Based Research Centre established “The Patricia Leavy Award for Arts-Based Research.” She lives in Maine with her family. Patricia loves writing, reading, watching films, and traveling. These days, she’s focused on writing feel-good love stories.

Website

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Review & Giveaway – Sinister Remnants by Anita Dickason @dollycas #anitadickason #sinisterremnants

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Sinister Remnants: (A Tori Winters Mystery)
by Anita Dickason
About Sinister Remnants

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Sinister Remnants: (A Tori Winters Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – Texas
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mystic Circle  Books
Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 26, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 380 pages
Hardcover
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1958464139
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1958464137
Paperback
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1958464120
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1958464120
Digital
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1958464144
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0H4X16L1M

MY REVIEW

Sinister Remnants by Anita Dickason is the fourth book in the Tori Winters Mystery series. Anita uses her vast experience with law enforcement to deliver a complex mystery. As Tori Winters prepares for the grand opening of Red Door Inn, she learns of a rumor stating that she is not the true owner.

I love this group of ladies: Tori, Mia, Heidi, Tina, and Cammie are more than friends, they are family. I love their relationship and I am sure the Red Door Inn will be a success, until a remnant arises and threatens her ownership of the mansion. Of course, we have some wonderful men that stand beside them. At the moment, they are all single, but we shall see how long that lasts.

Tori and Mia play Sherlock and Watson, going off on their own investigations. They don’t always use their best judgment and that can land them in some awkward, if not dangerous, situations.

I love the pretty cover for Sinister Remnants by Anita Dickason. It foreshadows the mystery that lies between the pages. We do have plenty of villains that want to get their hands on the mansion. Murder and mayhem knock on the door. Anita writes a clean mystery, suitable for all ages. She follows her characters as they grow their life situations change. I look forward to spending more time with the ladies and their beaus. I am curious what kind of mystery Anita will come up with next.

My thanks for out to Great Escapes for the opportunity to share Sinister Remnantas by Anita Dickason with you.

4 Stars

ABOUT SINISTER REMNANTS

The Past Leaves Traces! Some Turn Deadly!

Ambushed during a press tour of the new Red Door Inn, Tori Winters is blindsided by an accusation that she doesn’t own the mansion.

The Metro reporter’s vicious rumor soon proves to be more than tabloid fodder. An attorney has the proof.

Ensnared in a ruthless legal battle, Tori’s desperate search for answers uncovers a chilling truth. Some things were never meant to be dug up. But someone had.

A remnant, long forgotten in the shadows of her inheritance, ignites a danger far deadlier than a courtroom fight.

One murder was only the beginning.

Who is the next victim?

Excerpt

Tori gestured toward her team. “On behalf of all of us, thank you for coming. We hope you enjoyed the tour.”

Tori moved to the foyer, while Tina distributed the packets.

Holding the front door open, she smiled and thanked each reporter as they filed out.

Polaski, the last to leave, shot her a smug little look. “Too bad you went to all this effort for nothing.”

Tori kept her expression steady, but the words hit like a blow as she closed the door. A knot of unease tightened in her chest. She turned.

“For cripes’ sake! What was that all about?”

About Anita Dickason 

Anita Dickason is a twenty-two-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department. Anita served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics detective, advanced accident investigator, and Dallas SWAT tactical officer and first female sniper. Her law enforcement experience and knowledge provide an endless source of inspiration for her characters and plots.

Author Links

https://www.anitadickason.com

https://www.facebook.com/AnitaDickasonAuthor

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anita-dickason-7b6b6650

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7396263.Anita_Dickason

An Author’s World YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@anauthorsworld

The  Book Cinema Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@bookcinema

Purchase Links – Amazon – B&N

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

August 4 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

August 5 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

August 6 – Romance Novel Giveaways – SPOTLIGHT

August 7 – Books1987 – SPOTLIGHT

August 8 – fundinmental – REVIEW

August 8 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

August 9 – Sarandipity’s – SPOTLIGHT

August 10 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

August 11 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – SPOTLIGHT

August 12 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

August 12 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

August 13 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

August 14 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW

August 15 – deal sharing aunt  – SPOTLIGHT

August 16 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

August 17 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

August 17 – Sarcastically Yours, Jen – SPOTLIGHT 

 

MY ANITA DICKASON REVIEWS

 

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Review – Getting Away With Murder by Shari Lapena #netgalley #sharilapena #gettingawaywithmurder

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Getting Away With Murder is my first Shari Lapena novel and I was not disappointed. The villains are no secret but the changes they go through after committing murder could be seen as Karma biting them in the ass.

Ted and his trophy wife, Jill, love the good things in life, but what happens when they run into a rough patch. They have spent as if they had a never ending supply of money. What happens when the money runs out? It’s hard to feel sorry for them. They are not the most likeable people and when they find that someone has been spying on them, they suspect everyone around them.

Their prize possession, their New York brownstone, has become a prison. Everything they worked for has turned to shit. Can their marriage survive the pressure put on it?

The mystery is alive and well in Shari Lapena’s Getting Away With Murder. It’s a different take on the usual mystery, and I love that Shari found a novel approach, keeping me flipping pages as I wonder…will they pay the price for what they have done? I invite you to pick up a copy and find out for yourself.

My thanks for out to NetGalley and Pamela Dorman Books for the opportunity to share my thoughts on Getting Away With Murder by Shari Lapena.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The tenth thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door

“Shari Lapena is far and away one of the best psychological thriller writers in the world. . . She is intensely bingeable.” —Lisa Jewell

Jill and Ted adore their New York brownstone the way others adore their children. They have carefully, expensively, made every inch of it their own. It reflects who they are, their status and tastes. With the grand mahogany staircase and state-of-the-art kitchen, it is the stuff of glossy magazines and real-estate dreams. It is their sanctuary.

So when Ted’s inheritance runs out and he makes a bad investment, they panic. How can they protect their beloved home and enviable lifestyle? 

The answer is obvious. Or at least, it is obvious to Jill and Ted. The death of one wealthy family member—from whom they stand to inherit millions—could solve all their problems. Together, they will get away with murder.

As long as they trust each other.
As long as neither makes a mistake.
As long as there are no surprises…

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • 352 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published July 28, 2026 by Pamela Dorman Books

ABOUT SHARI LAPENA

Shari Lapena is the internationally bestselling author of the thrillers The Couple Next Door, A Stranger in the House, An Unwanted Guest, Someone We Know, The End of Her, Not a Happy Family and Everyone Here is Lying which have all been Sunday Times and New York Times bestsellers. Her books have been sold in forty territories around the world. She lives in Toronto.

 

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Review – Fright by Kevin Bachar #kevinbachar #fright

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A book of scary horror short stories with ghosts haunted houses demons serial killers
Scary Horror Short Stories like Stephen King and Darcy Coates and Haunted Houses and Ghosts
Scary Horror Short Stories like Stephen King and Darcy Coates and Haunted Houses and Ghosts

Amazon / KindleUmlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Fright by Kevin Bachar is 218 pages of terror, horror, and fear. Great cover. You may want to brace yourself, turn on all the lights, and lock the door. I have read some of his work and it never fails to entertain me, leaving me wondering how he comes up with some of these short stories. He can take a rental car and a simple CD and make them deadly. These fifteen tales kept me entertained. Some I enjoyed more than others, and I do look forward to reading more of Kevin Bachar’s work.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A father and his two children visit a roadside attraction with a very special and very dangerous corn maze.

When a man rents a car with a CD stuck in its player, he decides to hit play and listen. Unfortunately, it’s a recording of a warning to the current driver, “Don’t leave the car.”

A lonely Fire Watch Ranger battles an unseen force that wants to enter her tower.

What happens when a NYC Detective interrogates a murderer who was supposedly executed years before?

From the writer who brought you the best-selling short story collections DREAD, CREEP, and CURSED comes a new set of tales that will force you to lock the doors and turn on the lights. FRIGHT is book three in the TRILOGY OF TERROR series.
FRIGHT is filled with the moments when our legs feel unsteady, and our hearts race, when the creatures and beings of the netherworld cross over and inhabit what we thought were safe spaces.

  • Genre: Anthology, Fiction, Horror, Short Stories
  • 218 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published July 1, 2026

ABOUT KEVIN BACHAR

Kevin Bachar is a national EMMY award-winning natural history documentary filmmaker and WGA writer. The elevated horror film he wrote – The Inhabitant – https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/the-inh… – was released through Lionsgate and is available on most streaming services.

If you’ve watched National Geographic, PBS, or The Discovery Channel over the years you’ve seen his work. He’s the idiot in the water filming sharks or crawling into caves to photograph vampire bats. You can see Kevin at work filming sharks here – https://www.imdb.com/video/vi2703407897/…

The natural world has always captured his imagination and the supernatural world inspires his stories. Through his journeys, he’s interviewed scientists who’ve enlightened him, heard folk tales that have frightened him, and seen quite a few things that have challenged his skeptical mind.

His collection of short stories that weaves together the natural world and the supernatural world entitled, DREAD, is available on Amazon. He’s currently working on his second collection entitled – CREEP.

Complimenting his writing, Kevin has lectured and given presentations at prestigious institutions such as Rutgers University, American University, and the Rubin Museum of Art.
To keep up to date with Kevin’s movies, documentaries, and books –
www.kevinbachar.com
https://twitter.com/KevinPangolin
https://www.instagram.com/kevinbachar/
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Review – Fighting For Scarlett by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor #fightingforscarlett #bearspotspublications

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Amazon / Kindle Unlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Fighting For Scarlett by Jane Blythe is the first book in a new series with a new team, the Athena Team. They don’t work in the field. They are primarily scientists. Jane definitely puts her characters through the wringer. Emotions run riot and just because the man is manly, that doesn’t mean he is free of any dysfunctionality (Is that a word? If not, it should be. LOL)

At times I find myself wanting to reach into my Kindle and throttle the hell out of Tate. Who’s to say how someone will react when they are saddled with as much baggage as Scarlett and Tate. Trust and communication are always an issue with Jane Blythe’s characters. Doesn’t that sound like real life? Tate may think life with a woman is a one night stand, but I think we all know that Scarlett will be the exception to that rule. Jane Blythe does love her happy ever afters, but it is the journey to the happy ever after that fascinates me.

Scarlett works for Prey Security, but working in the lab seems like a tame job. That is, until she has developed something that someone wants and will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. Well all know that something good can always be used for something bad.

Knowing Jane, I am waiting for the twist. Sure, there are things that trip me up, but I am able to let a lot of things slide and let an author take me where they want me to go. After all, they are the one giving the characters a voice. It’s nice to see some familiar characters, along with the new.

4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

How do you trust a man who hates you to help prove your innocence?

Life goes from bad to worse for Scarlett Madden. First she’s kidnapped from her bed in the middle of the night, then she’s accused of betraying her country. When the SEAL she had a one night stand with and hasn’t been able to get out of her head since is one of the men to rescue her she thinks everything is going to be okay. But it’s not, trouble has followed her home and she doesn’t know who to trust.

Navy SEAL Tate Laurier knows what it’s like to be betrayed and when he learns the woman who has been haunting his dreams is a traitor he’s determined to bring her down. But the more time he spends with Scarlett the less he can see her selling the miracle drug she helped create to her country’s enemies. If the two of them can’t learn to trust one another then not only will their lives be on the line but a dangerous weapons trafficker will get his hands on a powerful drug.

  • Genre: Fiction, Military, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Thriller
  • 346 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published May 14, 2024
  • Series: Prey Security: Athena Team #1

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!

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MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

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TechnoThriller – Force Nine by Chris H Stevenson #melangebooks #forcenine #chrishstevenson

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The main reason I chose to read Force Nine by Chris H Stevenson is because of the main character, Diane Nine. She’s twenty nine years old, a comic book artist, and a paraplegic.

Chester “Chet” Strauss is also an intriguing character. He’s an engineer…and a traitor. He has developed a combat exoskeleton. Immediately made me think of Avatar, though the storylines are nothing alike. It does, however, make it easier to visualize the workings of the exoskeleton. Chet has manipulated Diane into becoming his human experiment.

Diane has escaped Chet’s clutches with his exoskeleton suit and he will stop at nothing to get it back. Can she be rescued before he gets his clutches on her? Only time will tell. Enter a CIA weapons analyst who joins the party in Diane’s quest to escape Cuba, with the suit, during a hurricane. A great storm always adds a little something extra to a great story.

Force Nine was a refreshing break from the murder and fantasy mayhem that seem to be my mainstay. It mashes politics and terrorism into a technothriller that kept me rapidly ‘flipping pages’. The action is intense and the danger is off the charts.

My thanks go out to Chris H Stevenson for the opportunity to read Force Nine.

 

4 Stars

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

Twenty-nine-year-old Diane Nine, a nationally famous comic book artist and writer, has been a paraplegic since the age of five. Her life is upended when she meets the mysterious Chester “Chet” Strauss.

Chet is a brilliant freelance engineer who has created a revolutionary combat exoskeleton capable of reshaping global military warfare. But he is also a nefarious traitor. Through deception, he manipulates Diane into smuggling the suit out of the country and into the hands of a ruthless communist triad.

Accompanied by her massage therapist and her caregiving secretary, Diane finds herself stranded in Cuba, fighting for survival against terrorists and a Category Five hurricane. Bound to the exoskeleton, she becomes a walking weapon of mass destruction—driven by a single goal: escape the island with the suit.

Her only hope lies in a curious CIA weapons analyst who literally stumbles into her path and joins the melee. As the U.S. military closes in, deploying overwhelming force just short of declaring war, the situation spirals into chaos. The ultimate dilemma remains: the military must find the foursome before it can help them—if it’s not already too late.

  • Genre: Fiction, Politics, Suspense, Technothriller, Terrorism, Thriller
  • 319 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published April 13, 2026 by Melange Books

ABOUT CHRIS H STEVENSON

Check his Amazon Author Page for the lowdown on Chris H Stevenson.

 

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