This is one of the few times where a title catches my attention before the cover. If you want to know what is wet warm and noisy, well, you’ll need to read the book for yourself.
I have been recovering from a serious illness and wanted a book to blow me away. Wet, Warm And Noisy didn’t do it, but the blend of law enforcement and the supernatural kept my attention. The things Jake Ward goes through has me wondering what will be left of him when all is said and done. It is suitably creepy and I did find myself cringing as he was poked and prodded.
As Jake Ward follows Belle Anderson down the rabbit hole, the danger rises. He has no idea what’s in store for him….and neither did I. It didn’t end the way I thought, and I love it. I look forward to going on more adventures with Jake Ward and David A Willson.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wet, Warm And Noisy by David A Willson.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
A supernatural crime thriller set in Alaska, the Last Frontier…Surrounded by the unforgiving climate of the frozen north, Jake Ward, a tenacious Alaska State Trooper Investigator and cancer survivor, is on a relentless quest to regain his health and return to full-duty status.
But Ward’s world takes a bone-chilling turn during a routine polygraph examination when a woman escapes custody, leaving an officer critically injured. What started as an ordinary investigation transforms into a complex web of intrigue, where medical experimentation and consciousness collide.
In “Wet, Warm, and Noisy,” Willson masterfully blurs the boundaries between law enforcement and the supernatural, leading readers on a heart-pounding journey through a realm where the tangible and the mysterious intersect. With time slipping away, can Ward decipher the enigmas that defy reason, or will forces that transcend human experience overwhelm him?
Author David A. Willson, with over two decades of experience as an Alaska State Trooper, brings a rare authenticity to crime fiction that will both enlighten and captivate you. Prepare yourself for an electrifying thriller that challenges the very foundations of our reality.
Genre: Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction
Format: 244 pages, Paperback
Published: February 7, 2024 by Independently published
English
ABOUT DAVID A WILLSON
David A. Willson is a father, husband, pancreatic cancer survivor and a retired Alaska State Trooper. Taught by his mother to love books at a young age, he spent his childhood exploring magic, spaceships, and other dimensions. In his writing, he strives to bring those worlds to his readers.
Much of his material is inspired by the ‘Great Land’ of Alaska, which he has called home for over 40 years. He is passionate about technology, faith, and fiction—not necessarily in that order.
When not writing, he enjoys traveling, woodworking, brewing beer and wine, and playing acoustic guitar.
I won a hardcover of The Unfailing Light by Robin Bridges a long time ago and am just getting around to reading and reviewing it.
This is one of those books that is hard to rate because it is Book II and I don’t have Book I or III, so I don’t get the full story, BUT the more I read, the more I enjoyed the story and the more I became involved with the characters, wishing I would have had the entire series and read from the beginning.
3 Stars
.I won two books in the Star Canyon series, paperback novellas, by Tina Leonard.
I wasn’t expecting a lot from this quick read, because romance and ‘westerns’ are not high on my reading list, but we do have a little bit of romance and a little bit of mystery, the characters steal the show, and I would love to know more. 🙂
2 Stars
I am so glad I had Branded by Fire hanging around because with each novella I read, the more I become involved with the family, the more I wanted to know what the heck is going on, get involved in their simple romance, become a part of their tight knit family, and the more I get the know them, the more I want the mystery solved and for them to have their happy ever afters. 🙂
WOW, what a fabulous cover.All I had to do was see the cove”r and know I wanted to read And With Blood In Their Eyes by Keven Cady. I love the blood dripping from the skull, screaming horror is coming your way. AND, I say, “Bring it on!”
I did follow Kevin into the mountain and there was plenty of horror to be had.
This is one of those books that I find hard to rate and review. I do like the dark, but I never quite got the urgency of finding out what comes next. I was reading this after a long illness, so that may have something to do with it.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Kevin Cady, so even though I was just getting back into reading and blogging again, this was on the top of my stack of books, waiting to be read. It called to me, and I listened.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
A gripping novel by the award-winning Dark Mystery author—Kevin Cady
Ancient Springs is dying. A little girl sees things with blood in their eyes. A young boy is left helpless in a storage unit. People are disappearing in the mountains west of town. And someone is stalking across the country, cutting out people’s eyes and heart. No matter how it calls to you, avoid the pikes of Aladiza. The only place to run is away.
Genre: Fiction, Horror
Format: 364 pages, Paperback
Published: October 23, 2023 by Independently published
Language: English
ABOUT KEVIN CADY
A Book Excellence Awards Finalist in 2022. Featured in the Marquis Who’s Who In America Publication in 2023! Kevin lives in Colorado with his wife, Caitlin, and their pup, Saloon. When he’s not writing, you’ll find him in the mountains or at the local concert venues.
Great cover, title and story is found in the prequel, Life Among The Tombstones by H R Boldwood. I was super excited when I received three more books in the Allie Nighthawk Mysteries series. MMMMMM! Zombies may want brains, but I want more of Allie.
Allie comes home to Cincinnati, Ohio, to murder, mayhem, and zombies. Her past rears its ugly head…wanting revenge. I’m not too worried about her, because she is a kickass womance who runs towards danger, instead of away from it.
Life Among The Tombstones was a pretty quick read. It kept me flipping pages, leaving me wanting more. It’s a good thing I was able to get the next three books in the series. I am eager to share them, so let’s get to it.
In this prequel to The Corpse Whisperer series, financially challenged zombie hunter, Allie Nighthawk, returns to her hometown of Cincinnati and finds herself knee-deep in murder, mayhem, and zombies. Can she solve not one but two murders, and get away unscathed — when the good guys might not be so good, and a presence from her past returns for revenge?
H.R. Boldwood, author of the Corpse Whisperer series, countless short stories, and Imadjinn Award finalist, is a writer of horror and speculative fiction. In another incarnation, Boldwood is a Pushcart Prize nominee and winner of the 2009 Bilbo Award for creative writing by Thomas More College. Boldwood’s characters are often disreputable and not to be trusted. They are kicked to the curb at every conceivable opportunity when some poor unsuspecting publisher welcomes them with open arms. No responsibility is taken by this author for the dastardly and sometimes criminal acts committed by this ragtag group of miscreants.
I want to thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read Mind Games by Nora Roberts. I have been reading her work for decades (oops, showing my age a bit).
The cover of Mind Games looks so adventurous and peaceful, but the story is anything but…and I was pleasantly surprised. I love when an author mixes mystery and suspense with the paranormal and Nora Roberts wove them together seamlessly.
I never used to be so interested in the romance of a story, but that has changed since I have gotten older. I love romantic suspense and paranormal romance. Nora hid the nail on the head…we have all the romance we could want in Mind Games.
The villain is a great villain, sufficiently evil and, even though he is locked up in supermax, he manages to haunt Thea. Thea made the mistake of creating an opening, but she was only twelve years old, so we can understand how her need to make the villain pay would override her need to keep a distance from him. He is more dangerous than she knew.
There’s plenty of fun dialogue, along with the grown up talk. At times, I found myself laughing out loud. Kids are little sponges and pick up those grown up words we wish they would never hear…know what I mean?
I know the book is a stand alone, not a series, but I grew to care so much about the characters, I would love to visit them again. Nora Roberts brought them to life and I don’t want to see their story end.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
The #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Identity presents a suspenseful new novel of tragedy and trauma, love and family, and the evil that awaits.
As they do each June, the Foxes have driven the winding roads of Appalachia to drop off their children for a two-week stay at their grandmother’s. Here, twelve-year-old Thea can run free and breathe in the smells of pine and fresh bread and Grammie’s handmade candles. But as her parents head back to suburban Virginia, they have no idea they’re about to cross paths with a ticking time bomb.
Back in Kentucky, Thea and her grandmother Lucy both awaken from the same nightmare. And though the two have never discussed the special kind of sight they share, they know as soon as their tearful eyes meet that something terrible has happened.
The kids will be staying with Grammie now in Redbud Hollow, and thanks to Thea’s vision, their parents’ killer will spend his life in supermax. Over time, Thea will make friends, build a career, find love. But that ability to see into minds and souls still lurks within her, and though Grammie calls it a gift, it feels more like a curse―because the inmate who shattered her childhood has the same ability. Thea can hear his twisted thoughts and witness his evil acts from miles away. He knows it, and hungers for vengeance. A long, silent battle will be waged between them―and eventually bring them face to face, and head to head…
Expected publication May 21, 2024 by St Marin’s Press
Setting: Redbud Hollow, Kentucky (US) Fredericksburg, Virginia (US)
ABOUT NORA ROBERTS
Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 — The Becoming — the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
I have gotten on a huge apocalyptic/dystopian reading binge and when I saw In The Doldrums by Simon Dieppe’s cover I got even more curious. Without looking, what do you think is on the cover?
BOOM
Someone pushed the button and hell and chaos was released. Will humanity be able to survive? If you don’t die from the bomb, what about the fallout? Would you want to be one of the survivors? It’s not just the power grid being obliterated, food, water, and medical supplies becoming scarce, but you know it will be survivor against survivor.
Donal O’Brien is one of the 27 survivors on the Thalassa, a container ship with a vast ocean separating them from land. They had parked themselves In The Doldrums, a belt around the Earth that allowed them to tread water, saving their fuel. But, how long can they survive, before they have to find somewhere to replenish heir supplies?
I had also remembered that Kirk, Spock and Bones were always accompanied by at least two junior members of the crew, who were invariably cannon-fodder for humanoid lizards and aggressive robots.
In The Doldrums was a bit different from my usual apocalyptic/dystopian reading, considering it takes place on a ship at sea. We all know that sooner or later they are going to have to seek out other survivors. Will they be hostile?
Simon Dieppe didn’t waste any time getting into the crisis. He supplied food for thought, seeing we are living with so much instability all across the globe. Are you of the ilk that no one would be cruel enough to push the button? Myself, I go back and forth on the subject. We have so many volatile leaders, it’s hard to not think about it.
The pacing kept me involved and I loved the ending. After all, we need hope to keep us putting one foot in front of the other. So….if you are looking an intriguing read that is sure to keep you guessing, it would be hard to go wrong with In The Doldrums.
Thanks Simon, for the opportunity to read and review a free copy of In The Doldrums.
4 Stars
GOODREAD BLURB
A strategic, manmade global pandemic. A nuclear response. A new, dark age for humanity.
Two weeks before, washed-up writer, Donal O’Brien, boards the container ship Thalassa. In a last-ditch attempt to gain literary immortality, he has left his life behind to immerse himself in a new world – a world he hopes will inspire him to create his masterpiece. He is to tell the story of those who live at sea, those whose work invisibly greases the cogs of modern consumerism. It is a world of ingrained inequality, a melting pot of nations, a soup of stories.
Then, as the ship reaches the quiet of the Mid-Atlantic Doldrums, humanity implodes.
Unsure of what remains of the world they left behind, the crew of twenty-two must find a way to survive – not only from the catastrophe that surrounds them, but from each other.
In the Doldrums is a speculative psychological thriller, murder mystery and examination of the human condition all rolled up into one.
For lovers of literary dystopian, post-apocalyptic fiction who enjoyed novels such as Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven and Hannah Jameson’s The Last.
★★★★★“A beautifully written post-apocalyptic tale. The juxtaposing themes of hope, despair, loneliness, fear, paranoia and friendship are all explored and navigated expertly. The geographically, scientifically and historically accurate facts grounds the story in realism and allows you to truly picture the settings and places from the story.” John Athan
★★★★★”Clever writing in a future that is entirely believable.” S.Bowsher
★★★★★”Really good, chillingly appropriate for the times.” N.J. Blake
Simon Dieppe lives near Worcester in the UK. He has been a lawyer, worked in the international conference industry and was a Director in a UK PLC, but has now settled down as an English and History teacher – a career that he loves. Simon started writing in the first lockdown, and hasn’t stopped. In the Doldrums is his third novel, but the first that he has published. He is currently re-working the first two books with the aim of publishing them later this year. He has an eclectic taste in literature, but has always been drawn towards dystopian fiction. He lives with his wife, two children and dog, Bernie.
I felt like I was visiting worlds like Grimm (the TV show), Harry Potter (that speaks for itself), and Stephen Henning’s Class Heroes series. So much fun for me, so I feel middle graders would love to go on fantasy adventures with the twins, Willow and Jake. And, how about that amazing cover created by Alexander Jansson. I have an affinity to trees, so it speaks to me.
I am very familiar with Michaelbrent Collings’ thrillers, and I am a huge fan of his. This is a step outside his normal genre, but all I had to do was read the blurb to put a smile on my face. With his ability to spin fantastic stories, I anticipate an entertaining read. Good writing is good writing, so the fact this is middle grade fantasy instead of a dark and dangerous thriller, doesn’t put me off in the slightest. I feel Grimmworld will be easy to read, so I can relax and enjoy the fun.
Willow and Jack Grimm are twins, living in Los Angeles and they are happy with their lives. Their parents tell them they will be moving to New Marburg, Idaho. What? From glitzy glamorous Los Angeles, their friends, the beach, the library, to a town only a select few have ever heard of, will be a huge adjustment.
Their parents are scientists and will be working at the Tank. It’s all very hush hush.
I love that Willow and Jack are friends as well as siblings. They are opposites, that complement their abilities, which they will need when they enter their new world. The combination of their skills will allow them to overcome the obstacles put in their path. Their teacher seems to have it out for them. What a way to start their new life.
Things and people are not always what they appear to be and first impressions and assumptions can be misleading, as with Mr Eli.
Of course, we have the age old question, just because you can do it, should you?
I love that Willow and Jack are Grimmwalkers. I have been watching Grimm on TV and it allowed me to let Michaelbrent Collings stretch my imagination and travel to Grimmworld with him and the kids. We have monsters of every persuasion, fairies and witches and more.
“The Brothers Grimm weren’t ‘fairy tale guys.’ They were Grimmwalkers like me…People who see the truth…”
You will never look at mushrooms the same way.
Instead of a chip on her shoulder, Willow has a cricket. LOL
I love a book that allows me to let my imagination run wild and be there in the moment. I love to let an author take me wherever they want me to go, see what they want me to see and Michaelbrent Collings has that ability. I loved being in his magical world as he brought it and the characters to life with his mad writing skills. The impossible becomes possible in The Witch in the Woods of Grimmworld.
The first adventure into Grimmworld, The Witch In The Woods by Michaelbrent Collings, may be over, but Willow and Jack have a new reason to return…….
At the end of the book is a Reading Guide and Discussion Questions.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Twins Willow and Jake Grimm are not prepared for the bizarre gadgets and scary changes in their new home of New Marburg, the location of the top-secret Think Tank where their parents now have jobs as scientists. In this town, people jetpack to work, robots direct traffic, and senior citizens duel with laser swords.
Yet nothing compares to what happens the day after lightning strikes the twins’ house. Their school building transforms around them, becoming a medieval castle—complete with moat, drawbridge, and a dangerous giant who looks strangely like the school’s overly aggressive hall monitor.
Barely managing to escape before a massive beanstalk lifts the castle above the clouds, Willow and Jake learn that their ancestors, the original Brothers Grimm, were more than storytellers. They were Grimmwalkers, able to travel from our universe to the universe where all fairy tales dare born.
Somehow, Willow and Jake have been transported to Grimmworld as well. But before the twins can figure out how to get back to their own universe, they discover that their best friends, Hank and Pearl, have morphed into the fairy tale characters Hansel and Gretel and been captured by a candy-obsessed witch deep in the Cursed Forest.
Now, aided by a mysterious wizard with shimmering golden eyes and a befuddled, talking naked mole-rat named Chet, the twins must trust in each other, believe in themselves, and find the courage to face their darkest fears in order to save their friends, return to their family, and maybe—just maybe—save the world.
Published: March 6, 2024 by Shadow Mountain Publishing
ABOUT MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS
Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally-bestselling novelist, multiple Bram Stoker Award nominee, produced screenwriter, and one of the top indie horror writers in the United States.
He hopes someday to develop superpowers, or, if that is out of the question, then at least to get a cool robot arm.
Michaelbrent has a wife and several kids, all of whom are much better looking than he is (though he admits that’s a low bar to set), and also cooler than he is.
Michaelbrent also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MichaelbrentC… and can be followed on Twitter through his username @mbcollings. Follow him for cool news, updates, and advance notice of sales. You will also be kept safe when the Glorious Revolution begins!
I don’t read a lot of fairy tale retellings, but when one comes my way by an author I enjoy, bring it on. That is the case with Only Until Midnight by Michael B Chikondi. It’s always fun to see what kind of spin an author can put on an oft told tale and Michael did a great job.
The mice running around the house added a fun touch.
There is not a lot to say on a subject that has been written about so much, but Michael added this and that, making the story his own. The Prince…that was nice touch, even though I had immediately caught the twist.
A quick, fun story that is sure to entertain, and it left me with a smile on my face.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
There are battles in this world which most people never see.
Sometimes the need to preserve our spirit, hope and dignity is the trial that we face, and love just the prize. This is one such tale.
Retelling the classic fairytale, this story focuses not on the quest to win the handsome prince, but on Cinderella before the ball, and the reality of life with a narcissist – the stepmother in whose ‘care’ the young girl is left after she becomes an orphan.
How does a person maintain their optimism and their sense of self in a hopeless situation that they cannot control, when even other people living in the house cannot see what is going on right under their noses? Some conflicts are fought over many years, lost and won without anyone knowing that a war was happening at all.
Only Until Midnight is at once a return to the traditional values of the fairytale and an unflinching look at the reality behind it, making the magical princess more relatable than ever as a woman in an impossible situation.
Genre: Fairy Tales and Folklore, Fantasy, Fiction, Romance
193 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 15, 2024
ABOUT MICHAEL B CHIKONDI (from Amazon)
Michael B. Chikondi is not to be trusted, but the creature agrees to a meeting in its burrow. We enter with trepidation, given that the thing has no doorbell. As we crawl through the narrow tunnel, gored out by its own teeth, by the texture, we hear what can only be described as a hacking cough.
“Can we approach?” we call.
“No soliciting.” the voice returns.
“You sent for us; you told us to ask you questions. You know, for promotional reasons.”
“Ask.” the dread voice responds.
“Alright, who are you?” we try.
“A creature of mist and shadow, half-mad, I used to go out, I did, and know those…humans. Not now, not since…the pen.”
“You found a pen? That’s why you became a writer?” we ask, now terrified, trying to gauge how fast we can leave the burrow. The photographer has already left us, chewing off his own watch, caught on a tree root.
“Yes, but now…I hunger…”
We are not proud; we turn tail and flee, before it can leave its den. We aren’t paid enough to get a full bio. We can only pray someone buys its books, so that the thing never comes out on its own.
Ed. What the hell is this? This isn’t what we requested. Just some nonsense and an artist’s rendition of what one of my people saw before he contracted rabies? Eh, whatever. Plenty more writers in the sea.
I really mean it nowadays too. Life has a way of taking us on journeys that we didn’t want and maybe didn’t even need. but those journeys make up the essence of who we are. I, for one, will always look back and remember those fragments of time. Those pieces of memory.
The quote was at the end of the book, but I thought it was so pertinent to life, that I had to share it in the beginning.
Richie Sterling comes from a broken home. He felt he was on the outside, looking in, until…
A group of boys, in a Trailer Park, become fast friends and discover that life is not always as it appears to be. Richie, Jose, Roberto and Frankie are on the adventure of a lifetime.
The rumor is, the old man next door is a vampire. Of course, curious kids are intrigued and their imaginations run wild. Jose begins to act differently and the kids are on the case. They never could have anticipated what they would discover. I feel I should have known what Mr Rosen was all about, but I never stopped reading long enough to figure it out. A bit of a rhyme there. Maybe I could be a rapper too. :-).
When Richie’s dad comes clean and starts rapping, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Trailer Park by C D Kester is perfect for teen and young adult vampire lovers. A light, yet gruesome adventure sure to peak their imagination.
C D Kester’s writing is amazing. He can write some of the most in depth, gruesome horror for adults, and some of the most fun and adventurous mystery horror for teens. We have a great ending that is not all unicorns and rainbows. Trailer Park was a quick read but chock full or horror goodness and I couldn’t put it down. I thought of two ratings, a four for adults and a five for teens and young adults, so a five it is and I’ll leave it up to you to decide.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Sometimes blood isn’t family, and family isn’t blood.The boys at Los Hermanos Trailer Park are no strangers to a good urban legend. The legends and reality collide when they begin to notice strange activity with Val Rosen in the trailer down the street. As times grow harder Richie, Jose, Frankie, and Roberto are getting sucked into some things that they probably shouldn’t. Sometimes that’s the way that it goes when you’re passing the time with your brothers in the trailer park.
ABOUT C D KESTER
C. D. Kester is an author of fiction who does most of his work in the horror genre. He lives in Kingwood, Texas with his wife and two children. Kester recently published his first full length novel, Chasing Demons. His first self-published work is a novella titled The Bunker. He has also had many stories published in anthologies, ezines, and read in podcasts and YouTube videos.
Keeping Janie is the sequel to Call Her Janie by S R Fabrico. It takes place in Southport, North Carolina. Lizzie Levine has just been reunited with her daughter, Janie. Her relationship with Gray Stone is riddled with problems. Will they get married or are their problems insurmountable? I’m not telling.
The past tends to follow you everywhere you go, and that is no different for Lizzie. I swing back and forth on whether she will end up with Gray, or if her ex husband can lure her away, claiming he is a different guy than he used to be. The danger lurking in the background has me on edge, so I hope they are staying alert.
I never saw the ending coming and I love when an author can surprise me. I was shocked, not sure how to feel. I had to think about it for a while.
Keeping Janie is filled with danger, mystery, love, secrets, lies, deception, and so much more.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Keeping Janie by S R Fabrico.
4 Stars
BLURB
Embark on an exhilarating journey with Lizzie Levine, the beloved character from the award-winning novel Call Her Janie. In this riveting sequel by S.R. Fabrico, set against the picturesque backdrop of Southport, North Carolina, the stakes soar, twists abound, and the drama intensifies.
Reuniting with her daughter, Janie, should be the start of Lizzie’s picture-perfect life. Behind the scenes, however, is a different matter. The happiness of having her daughter back is overshadowed by the fear and distrust of her ex-boyfriend, billionaire Gray Stone.
Amidst the tapestry of wedding preparations, the custody fight looms. The story unfolds in a battleground of secrets, lies, and deception. In this gripping narrative, love and lies entwine, danger lurks in the shadows, and the courage to confront one’s past becomes paramount. Can Lizzie gain custody of her daughter, marry the man she loves, and have her happily-ever-after, or will the mistakes of their past destroy them all?
S.R. Fabrico is a 16-time award-winning author. Her debut novel The Secrets We Conceal was published in March 2022. She has also written a series of sports journals for athletes, including the Amazon best-selling My Dance Journal.
A 25-plus-year professional in the business, marketing, and sports world has taken her to numerous places throughout the course of her life and provided countless life experiences. She is a World Champion Dance Coach, coach of the year recipient, and speaker and various conferences across the United States.
S.R. Fabrico works and writes from her home in Knoxville, TN, where she lives with her husband and two children. She appreciates the beauty of the mountains, but her favorite place to visit is the beach. She is a lifelong math nerd and enjoys good puns. When she isn’t writing, she likes to read books, wife hard, and mom hard.
