As I read the history of Flint, Michigan, much of my life flashed before my eyes. I worked for General Motors for 15 years before taking early retirement. I took some college classes at Mott Community College. I very much remember when Michael Moore’s documentary came out about General Motors, sharing its faults as they left a city, perhaps an entire state, that was build on the automotive industry.
A haunted library
A party shoppe
The Genesee County Jail (I used to go to an A&W right across the street)
Crossroads Village and Huckleberry Railroad
A movie, Fatal Desire, made from a book, Fatal Error, is about a murder in Clio. It was also on Forensic Files, Season 9, Episode 4, and I do remember watching it. It was, possibly, the first murder where the internet played a part.
A salvage yard
Hurley Hospital (I was born there)
Linden Hotel (I lived in Linden after I got married, but that was a looong time ago, so I can’t remember it)
The Game Station in Fenton
Fenton Hotel Tavern & Grille (most haunted bar in Michigan)
White Horse in Metamora
Lapeer State Home (I found the history fascinating)
And more
I traveled many familiar roads, through familiar towns, and never had a paranormal adventure. I hate to think I am missing out on something.
Ghosts and Legends of Genesee & Lapeer Counties is chockfull of sites, with information and photos to lure you in. Lots of research and documented sources.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Ghosts and Legends of Genesee & Lapeer Counties by Roxanne Rhoads and Joe Schipani.
5 Stars
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Roxanne Rhoads is an author, book publicist, mixed media crafter, and lover of all things spooky. Her books include Haunted Flint and Pumpkins and Party Themes: 50 DIY Designs to Bring Your Halloween Extravaganza to Life. She is the owner of Bewitching Book Tours, a virtual book tour and social media marketing company and she operates a Halloween blog- A Bewitching Guide to Halloween. She sells handcrafted jewelry, art, and home decor through her Etsy store The Bewitching Cauldron. When not reading or writing, Roxanne loves to craft, plan Halloween adventures, and search for unique vintage finds.
Joe Schipani is an integral part of Flint’s art community, with ties to local artists, galleries, bookstores, and the Flint Cultural Center.
As
the executive director of Flint Public Art Project, he has curated an outdoor
mural gallery in the City of Flint, with over 200 murals from artist all around
the world. He also serves as the one of Flint’s Historic District Commissioners
and loves learning about the history of old buildings. In 2019 he co-authored Haunted
Flint with Roxanne Rhoads.
I first saw the Mind Hackers series when a tour popped up for Dark Waves, a novella, by Amanda Uhl for Goddess Fish. I am happy to say I read both of them and will have them reviewed before the Dark Waves tour on 9.6.22. So be sure and check back.
Cross Waves by Amanda Uhl is the second book in the Mind Hacker series. I must say, the books just keep getting better.
Peter is in charge of the CMU unit, the US government’s Cognitive Mind Unit, responsible for guarding the minds of scientists and leaders across the world.
Geneva is the most powerful trainer. Trainers aid Hackers while entering the minds from a distance. Every hacker works with a trainer.
Geneva and Rolf are a perfect match, though they both fight working together. Her brothers have no use for him, but his dark reaches for her light.
Now, Rolf’s sister is missing. Geneva has an extraordinary tracking ability, able to read someone’s aura, and is a human lie detector. They will have to work together if they hope to find her. All Rolf’s senses scream danger, but he and Geneva continue on.
The legend of the crystals: some of which were stolen from Geneva’s murdered mother. Julia had a dream talent and dreamt of Geneva’s mother’s murder. She is also Geneva’s best friend and Rolf’s sister.
At times, I worry about the CMU. Are they legit? Do they have an ulterior motive, an agenda of their own? Of course, any secret, clandestine government organization can be corrupted.
I am only half way through and my emotions are getting ramped up. I can’t relax and enjoy the book. I’m too tense, eager to read on, faster, gotta know. I can’t figure out what’s going on. Who is doing what? Who’s good? Who’s bad?
Geneva’s brothers really tick me off…dismissing her. It’s a wonder they don’t get her killed. But, they will sacrifice their lives to keep her safe. Will it come to that? There are more characters that have a role to play, some good and some bad. You will need to read Cross Waves for yourself if you want to know it all. 🙂
But, I will tell you that I love a good villain and we do get to know his thoughts and feelings while he is doing all his badness. I was kept in the dark for a long time about who he was, but I had plenty of time to revel in his badness. A good bad guy makes the story so much more interesting for me.
WOW! I could only quit reading to do the necessities. I quit taking notes and ignored Mr Wonderful and everything else that was going on around me. If Paranormal Romantic Suspense is your cup of tea, this is a must read series.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Cross Waves by Amanda Uhl.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
She can kill with a thought. Gifted with an explosive psychic talent, Geneva Ericksen can’t risk letting Rolf Jorgensen in her life. If she does, she might accidentally kill him. But when Rolf’s sister goes missing, Geneva and her extraordinary abilities may be his only hope to find her.
He’s hiding a deadly secret. Rolf‘s not about to let Geneva slip away from him, even if it means protecting her from his dark gift. As Rolf and Geneva trail his sister, they soon uncover a life-threatening plot: someone is attempting to profit from stealing and trapping their power in crystals.
To outsmart the enemy, it will take all their combined strength. But can they trust each other enough to survive?
ABOUT AMANDA UHL
Award-winning author Amanda Uhl has always had a fascination with the
mystical. Having drawn her first breath in a century home rumored to be
haunted, you might say she was “born” into it. After a brief stint in
college as a paid psychic, Amanda graduated with a bachelor of fine arts
in theatre and a master’s degree in marketing. Over the past twenty
years, she has worked as an admissions representative and graphic
designer, owned her own freelance writing company, and managed
communications for several Fortune 500 companies, most recently
specializing in cyber security. Amanda is an avid reader and writes
fast-paced, paranormal romantic suspense and humorous contemporary
romance from her home in Cleveland, Ohio. When she’s not reading or
writing, you can find Amanda with her husband and three children,
gathering beach glass on the Lake Erie shoreline or biking in Cuyahoga
Valley National Park. Visit her online at www.amandauhl.com.
I love a good Prologue. It can hook me quick, and Abigail Owen has done it in The Liar’s Crown. I am a huge fan of hers and she did not let me down.
Hesperia served Eidolon, the King of Tundra. He is a charming liar who has tasked her with cursing the child. The child is one of two, a twin, and Hesperia defies the king, cursing the other child. Twins: one is Enfornae, who she blessed, and the other is Hylorae. What does it mean? I shall have to read on to find out, but I am very curious of what the repercussions will be, for the children and for Hesperia. We shall find out when Eidolon comes for the Queen of Aryd.
One twin will rule, the other is a secret body double in dangerous situations…to die in her place. Sounds sucky to me.
I am Mereneith Evangeline XII of Aryd. There are six dominions, each named for their ruling goddess. She is a tool. A nonperson. She turns her back on Cain, her best friend, when the Queen dies. She has things she needs to do, and he can’t help her.
The Shadowwraith, alone, villified.
I loved traveling the vividly created dominions, the magicals and the humans. I want to share so much about the characters, Raven…and Meren…but that would spoil things for you. I will say, they are magical, lonely, tools to be used. A man made of evil shadows. A woman who is an echo of the queen to be. I love when peripheral characters are as important to me as the main characters.
OMG. I was swept away with the shifting sand, hiding in the shadows, filled with fear for Meren, a heroine that will sacrifice herself ,while trying to save others and her new found love from the evil that is determined to rule the dominions. Nonstop action. Pacing that brought so many chilling thrills that made me want to read until I reached the end…I got lost and didn’t want to come up for a breath of air.
The story is not finished, but it did stop at a good place, if that is possible. I hope you are writing fast Abigail.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Liar’s Crown by Abigail Owen.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
One born to rule. One to forfeit…
Everything about my life is a lie. As a hidden twin princess, born second, I have only one purpose—to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her. I’ve been living under the guise of a poor, obscure girl of no standing, slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present.
Now the queen is dead and the ageless King Eidolon has sent my sister a gift—an eerily familiar gift—and a proposal to wed. I don’t trust him, so I do what I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation. Which is why, when a figure made of shadow kidnaps the new queen, he gets me by mistake.
As I try to escape, all the lies start to unravel. And not just my lies. The Shadowraith who took me has secrets of his own. He struggles to contain the shadows he wields—other faces, identities that threaten my very life.
Winter is at the walls. Darkness is looming. And the only way to save my sister and our dominion is to kill Eidolon…and the Shadowraith who has stolen my heart.
ABOUT ABIGAIL OWEN
Multi–award-winning paranormal romance
author, Abigail Owen, loves plots that move hot and fast, feisty
heroines with sass, alpha heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles
of sexy shifters! Other titles include wife, mother, Star Wars geek,
ex-competitive skydiver, spreadsheet lover, eMBA, organizational guru,
Texan, Aggie, and chocoholic.
Abigail grew up consuming books and
exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a
practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in
English Rhetoric (Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered
that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with
it.
Abigail currently resides in Austin,
Texas, with her own personal hero (who she totally married!) and their
two children, who are growing up way too fast.
WOW…Ashley Fontainne and Lillian Hansen can sure pen a novel. I only have a half page of notes, because the power of Doodahville was so intense, gripping me, not letting me stop to even jot a note or two. All my emotions came to life, at times overwhelming me.
An impending death, and Gail, Kevin, and daughter, Kassandra are off to Daltville, Arkansas. A small town, small minds, small everything.
I quickly grew to love Gail. She is badass, take no prisoners, kick your ass, leave me and mine alone. At times she cracked me up, other times I wanted to be beside her fighting the good fight.
Kevin and Lurlene are no slouches in planning ahead. Kassandra is a teenager moving from Southern California to small town Daltville, as if teenage angst isn’t already enough. It is a culture shock. At times she feels like life is over for her, but there are also many benefits, which she will learn in time.
The kitten…HA HA HA HA HA.
Racism rears its ugly head on many of the pages. It is the south, so I find that is no surprise and I love the way she handled it in the novel, along with all the nasty secrets and ongoing issues from them.
I have read a lot of Ashley Fontainne’s work, and she easily crosses genres. Her mother, Lillian Hansen did a fabulous job in this collaboration.
Looking at the fun cover, I underestimated the power of Doodaville. Southern living, fraught with danger and secrets that come to light with disastrous results for some, for others freedom. The marvelous characters rise above their situations, sharing love and hope with those who need it. I also went down memory lane from the 1980s. Many scenes were taken from Ashley’s personal experiences, so maybe that’s why they read like true life.
I CAN SEE THIS AS A GRAND MOVIE (along the lines of Gone With The Wind) OR A TV SERIES.
WARNING: Tissues may be required.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Surviving Doodahville by Ashley Fontainne.
5 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
“Filled with powerful scenes and great characters! Brings the ’83 Old South to vivid life. One of my all-time favorite reads! Loved it! ~ Janelle Taylor, NY Times Bestselling author
The summer of 1983—the era of big debt, big hair, and big dreams. Seventeen-year-old Kassandra Lawson is excited about starting her senior year of high school. She has a crush on a local hunk, and her best friend, Valley Girl extraordinaire, Liz Hendricks, insists on helping her snag the hot guy—for sure!
July starts out uneventful for Kee and her parents. Her father, Kevin, is a partner at a CPA firm, and her mother, Gail, works as a secretary at the police department. The small family lives an idyllic life in sunny Hacienda Heights, California.
1983 also brings upheaval and strife for the Lawson clan. A death in the family forces Kevin and Gail to make the painful decision to pack up and move to Kevin’s hometown of Daltville, Arkansas.
Each face daunting challenges adapting to their new lives. Gail and Kee aren’t quite sure they can handle the culture shock. They encounter social and racial issues they never faced on the West Coast, strange food, weird dialects, odd customs, and wicked secrets that have the potential to destroy their family.
More than just a coming-of-age story, Surviving Doodahville explores family bonds, racial barriers, and just how much a person is willing to sacrifice for others. The tale is full of humor, action and a touch of mystery, making it a fun romp into the past.
ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE
Award-winning and International bestselling author Ashley Fontainne enjoys stories that immerse the reader deep into the human psyche and the monsters lurking within each of us. She writes in numerous genres including mystery, suspense, horror, sci-fi and sometimes poetry.
Ashley lives in Arkansas with her husband and is the proud mother of one son and grateful daughter of co-author, Lillian Hansen. To learn more about her books please visit https://ashleyfontainne.net/
Sue Coletta has created one of my favorite villains of all time in the Mayhem series and Grafton County has its share of evil. Join her community to get 2 free killer reads. If you love thrillers, villains, and serial killers, I highly recommend checking her out.
I have been to Grafton County and spent time with Sage Quintano, her Sheriff husband Niko, their son Noah and his deputy and Sage’s best friend Frankie Campanelli. It is a pleasure to be back, though, I am sure there will be an evil villain waiting for us.
Sage recognized the pattern, when a string of murders came to the small town of Alexandria, New Hampshire. She thought it fit the profile of the Romeo killer, a serial killer who had died eight years ago…or did he?
Niko, her Sheriff husband chalks it up to PTSD, because of all the trauma she has suffered in the past years. It bothers me that he is too quick to dismiss her, but he loves every tiny piece of her, so I feel he will quickly come around. She also has rheumatoid arthritis. Being an author, means she doesn’t have, nor is she able to do, excessive manual labor.
Noah, their sweet boy, and her furbabies have their roles to play.
Frankie Campanelli, Niko’s deputy and Sage’s best friend, makes me think of a combination of Rizzolis & Iles from the TV show. She has the fashion sense of Moira Iles and the attitude and fierceness of Jane Rizzoli. Frankie is a good cop, but she walks a line that puts her career and her life in danger.
Sue Coletta does her research. In this mystery, police procedural, suspense, thriller, she show how technology has made their job more difficult. I find it terrifying how easy it is for be framed for something you didn’t do.
A feeling of menace hangs on every page. I know he’s coming for her, whoever he is. The question is: How much will he tease and torture her before he does. He is intelligent, yet obsessed, which may be hid downfall.
It doesn’t matter where Sue Coletta’s next book is located, I will be there. She can pen a story that is filled with moments of light and love, with times of distress and evil. She creates some of the best villains I have ever met, sure to delight those of us who like to walk in the dark.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Haloed by Sue Coletta.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
She may be paranoid, but is she right?
A
string of gruesome murders rocks the small town of Alexandria, New
Hampshire, with all the victims staged to resemble dead angels, and
strange red and pink balloons appearing out of nowhere.
All the clues point to the Romeo Killer’s return. Except one: he died eight years ago.
Paranoid
and on edge, Sage’s theory makes no sense. Dead serial killers don’t
rise from the grave. Yet she swears he’s here, hungering for the only
angel to slip through his grasp—Sage.
With only hours left to live, how can Sage convince her Sheriff husband before the sand in her hourglass runs out?
ABOUT SUE COLETTA
Sue Coletta is an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. Feedspot and Expertido.org named her Murder Blog as one of the “Top 100 Crime Blogs on the Net” (Murder Blog sits at #5) for four years in a row. And recently, she appeared on an Emmy award-winning true crime show.
Sue also blogs at the Kill Zone, a multi-award-winning writing blog, and writes two serial killer thriller series (Tirgearr Publishing) and narrative nonfiction/true crime for Globe Pequot, trade division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group.
For readers, she has the Crime Lover’s Lounge, where members will be the first to know about free giveaways, contests, and have inside access to deleted scenes (if available). As an added bonus, members get to play in the lounge. Your secret code will unlock the virtual door.
BONUS: When you join Sue’s community you’ll receive two free killer reads!
Sue lives in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire with her husband, and begins each by feeding all the wildlife in her yard. Her favorite “pets” are a murder of crows who live free but come when called by name.
Saronna is being sold. It may sound harsh, but it works for her. Freedom. No veil, no division of men and women. Off Worlders have a different outlook on life than here on Kruegar’s World. The Threecon World travels the galaxy, each planet sharing their culture.
Saronna was being purchased for Duncan by his father. She had used her gifts to keep her father from getting rid of her, but it hadn’t worked on Vladimir Trushenko. She’s kept it secret…She’s a witch.
The cover tells of the life Saronna was born into, that women had only one purpose in life, to please man. Cruel customs, obedience, no education….unless taught secretly, and Saronna’s mother had taught her to read. There was a purpose to it.
Duncan has introduced Saronna to electronics, including an ereader, encouraging her to read and get an education. He even hires a tutor for her. I loved watching Saronna, her struggle, her sacrifice as she grew, learned, changed and became her own person, no matter the pressure put on her. I have a feeling that will be a good fit, once she figures out how she is being manipulated by those she is supposed to be able to trust.
I would surely be dead if I was born under such an oppressive system…my mouth would have been the end of me. LOL
And to think this goes on today makes me say, “I can’t believe this is happening in the twenty first century”. People can change, and I was happy to be along for Saronna’s ‘coming of age’, and she comes a long way, baby.
Carmen Webster Buxton has created a world for Saronna that is rich in detail, the characters are riveting, drawing me in, making me feel…almost…as if I am there with them, through the good and bad, wishing, hoping for the happy ever after ending that I have come to love so much.
Unputdownable. I read 463 pages in one sitting.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Saronna’s Gift by Carmen Webster Buxton.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Saronna Maynard never expected to be sold into an off-world household. She and Duncan Trushenko, her new protector, have very little in common. Saronna grew up in a small village outside of New Jerusalem, the largest city on Krueger’s World. Duncan grew up on many worlds, and has traveled the galaxy. He is dumbstruck to return from a business trip and find that his father has purchased a companion for him.
Saronna is terrified by the strangeness of the house and her sense of powerlessness, but in a very short time she realizes she might be better off—and safer—in Duncan’s house than in her father’s. For one thing, Duncan doesn’t believe in witches. Also, the more time she spends with Duncan, the harder it is for her to believe all men are as evil as her mother taught her. But safer or not, Saronna is still intent on keeping her secrets. After all, she’s still on Krueger’s World.
ABOUT CARMEN WEBSTER BUXTON
Carmen Webster Buxton spent her youth reading every book published by
Ursula LeGuin, Robert Heinlein and Georgette Heyer. This combination of
far-future worlds, alien cultures, and old-fashioned courting customs
influenced her writing, especially in her ThreeCon series.
Carmen
was born in Hawaii and experienced a peripatetic childhood, as her
father was in the US Navy. Having raised two wonderful children, she now
lives in Maryland with her husband Charlie, and a beagle named Cosmo.
She writes science fiction (often including a romance, and mostly set in
the far future), and the occasional fantasy.
Carmen has published many books:
WAKANREO SERIES Alien Bonds Alien Vows Alien Skies
HAVEN SERIES The Sixth Discipline No Safe Haven
THREECON SERIES (can be read in any order) The Nostalgia Gambit Saronna’s Gift Shades of Empire Tribes Worlds Apart
ALTERNATE HISTORY King of Trees
YOUNG ADULT SCIENCE FICTION Turnabout Drifters
FANTASY Where Magic Rules Bag of Tricks Hidden Magic
THE NAMELESS WORLD SAGA (coming in 2021) The North Edge of Nowhere Oaths and Promises
Carmen
often blogs about ereaders, digital publishing, writing, and
speculative fiction. Visit her blog to see what’s coming out next! To
ask questions or to provide feedback on her books, send email to
carmen.webster.buxton (at) gmail.com.
Jane Blythe is a must read author for me, as you will see at the end of the post. I have read the first book in the Prey Security series and am eager to being Protecting Raven.
Protecting Raven is part of the Operation Alpha Fan Fiction for Susan Stoker’s SEAL of Protection, Delta Force Heroes, and Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes Worlds. They all have at least one of Susan’s characters in them.
Protecting Raven by Jane Blythe is part of Susan Stoker’s Fan Fiction World. I have read numerous books by several different authors in the series and love what they have done with Susan Stoker’s characters. Jane Blythe hits a home run with Protecting Raven.
Max Hathaway left Raven after the abduction of their daughter by a Colombian sex trafficking ring. He had turned his back for a moment…and she was gone. His feelings of guilt haunted him and destroyed his marriage.
Prey Security is owned by all six of the Oswald siblings. I love them all being named after birds, a very creative and cute idea.
A new clue has come in and Raven is on her way to Colombia. She planned to call in reinforcements when she found the location of the auction. Max followed her to Colombia and will stick to her side like glue. So much danger, he vows to not let her out of his site.
Neither Max nor Raven have been able to move on in the ten years since Cleo has been missing. Could they have a second chance? Could they find Cleo after ten years? If they did, what would she be like? How damaged would she be?
I remember Raven from an earlier Jane Blythe book. She’s a badass, a survivor, a computer genius, but has vowed never to use violence again. It doesn’t mean she’ll go quietly into that good night.
I think Protecting Raven has more bite than Protecting Eagle. I do love the dark and gritty world Jane Blythe has created, which revs me up.
Most of the time I know what’s coming in most of the novels I read, but Protecting Raven did have those moments where I held my breath. There was a point where I began to devour the words, having to know…The horrors of sex trafficking, the disgusting traffickers, the tragedy the girls go through..Cleo was taken at three years old. I cannot imagine how I would feel, the rage, frustration, the terror of knowing your little one is being used horribly.
I know a lot of people are turned off by this kind of novel, but I dive right in. It is a fact of life that these things happen every day in the real world. Jane Blythe’s novels ring of truth, her characters of reality and I grieve with them.
I think one of the reasons I love romantic suspense so much is because amongst the danger there will be love, loyalty, romance and a happy ever after.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Protecting Raven by Jane Blythe.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Their daughter’s abduction destroyed their marriage.
Raven Oswald has never given up on her daughter, for ten years she’s used her computer skills to try to bring down the trafficking ring responsible for Cleo’s abduction. When she finally gets a viable lead she heads straight to Columbia to check it out. The last person she expected to follow her was her ex-husband. He left her not long after their daughter was taken and she hasn’t heard from him since, she doesn’t want or need his help.
Max Hathaway knows he messed up when he took his eyes off his three-year-old daughter that day at the park and guilt has been slowly consuming him ever since. But when Raven recklessly puts herself directly on the dangerous trafficking ring’s radar, the pararescueman has no choice but to follow after her. Whether she likes it or not he’s going to keep her safe, and maybe earn her forgiveness before the guilt eats him alive.
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!
I want to thank NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to meet Linda Hurtado Bond through her novel, All The Broken Girls. Then, I saw PartnersInCrime had a tour, so I added their info for your chance to win a Gift Card so you could get a copy of your own.
#1 – Florida…Any books that take place in Florida garner my attention.
#2 – The Title…It reeks of suspense and badness.
All The Broken Girls is my first book by Linda Hurtado Bond, but I will have my eye on her from here on out. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop.
Crime reporter Mari Alvarez is coming back to work after her suspension. Her serial killer story brought a law suit against the station. Her first call out, she arrives at a murder scene and all she wants to do is go to the two girls that have been broken. Someone dear to them had been taken away. She wanted to tell them everything would be okay, but that is not always the case. She can relate to them, because she had lost her mother and the case was never solved.
I love the element of Santeria, and the fact that she is an empath. She had given her azabache charm to one of the girls in hopes that the blessing will pass to her. It was an impulsive act, but she felt the girl needed it more than she did. I wonder what it will mean for Mari. Is she no longer protected?
Linda Hurtado Bond did a great job of sharing Cuban life, the food and customs. She made the Santeria religion shine with light, not darkness, though any religion can be twisted and used against someone and Mari has a feeling…if she doesn’t figure out what is going on, someone she loves will die. She feels the Evil Eye watching her.
I love serial killers, I mean I love reading about them, studying them, trying to figure out what goes on in their heads. I love vigilante stories, the innocent making things right in the only way they can.
The writing and pacing kept me flipping pages. Linda Hurtado Bond managed to throw some twists and turns my way and I definitely will be on the lookout for more of her work.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of All The Broken Girls by Linda Hurtado Bond.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
When one falls
Crime reporter Mari Alvarez was never able to solve her
mother’s murder ten years ago. But when a woman is gunned down on the
doorstep of her West Tampa neighborhood, Mari can’t shake the eerie
sense of connection.
The others will break
Now there have been two murders in two days. Each crime
scene awash with arcane clues—and without a trace of DNA from the
killer. And for each victim, a doll. The first is missing an eye. The
second is missing a heart. But are these clues leading to the killer…or
messages for Mari?
Unless she plays the game…
Caught up in a maelstrom of Old-World superstition, secrets,
and ties to her own past, Mari has only one option. Put the puzzle
together before someone else dies—even if it destroys her career. But
there’s no escaping the hungry spider’s web when it’s been made just for
you…
EXCERPT
I’m running fifteen minutes late after driving my Abuela Bonita to her doctor’s appointment. But that’s not bad, actually, for Cuban time. Of course my statement high heels click on the uncarpeted floor like my abuela’s disapproving tongue and all I can think of is that silly commercial with the tagline “Wanna get away?” Except I can’t escape. It’s my first day back at the TV station after two weeks at home with no work and no pay. I’m still on probation, and I need this job like I need water and air.
Speaking of which, the thought makes me notice how parched my throat is and I’m afraid my voice will crack when I talk. My lungs are so empty I’m not sure I can deliver any story pitches, even if my job depends on it.
Which, it does.
Reporting is in my blood.
But my paycheck—also a necessity.
I rub my right wrist. The red rope bracelet is there. The pea-sized, black gemstone dangles from it. I roll the azabache charm between my fingers, silently going through my routine: twist the stone three times to the right, three to the left. Six times in all. My lucky number. I swear I’ll never go to a crime scene again without the charm. I’ve learned my lesson. Asi es. Truth. That’s how it is. I pull out the chair across from Mr. Payton and accidentally scrape the floor. It’s loud. Que escandalo!
More stares cut my way. The air conditioning kicks up a notch, but that means nothing to the sweat rolling down my back, sliding into the most inconvenient places. I ignore the wet tickle and stand even taller before taking a seat.
My boss drills me with that intense stare that says everything he’s not allowed to vocalize for fear Human Resources will reprimand him. “Thanks for joining us, Ms. Alvarez.”
“Had to drop off my grandmother at her doctor’s office. She doesn’t drive.” I sit and twist the water bottle on the table until the label faces me. I look at El Jefe and force the corners of my mouth up. Abuela Bonita always told me, no matter what’s going on inside, you can win over the world with a warm smile.
“Let’s continue.” Mr. Payton looks at Paul Johnson, our political reporter.
Paul clears his throat. “As I was saying, the governor is going to hold a press conference on the opioid crisis at a local…”
I cross my ankles to keep my leg from bouncing. It’s clear my boss doesn’t trust me anymore. Not since my serial killer story got the station sued.
I catch the ambitious, crime reporter wannabe eyeing me from the right corner of the room. Bet she’s dying to know what happened to warrant my suspension. She probably already knows. Secrets don’t stay secrets for long in a newsroom.
What the hell had gone wrong?
Abuela Bonita calls it mala suerte. She insisted I wear the azabache bracelet today to ward off the bad luck following me. I find the charm again and twist.
I will fix this. Don’t know how. But I will repair my damaged reputation.
“Alvarez?”
I flinch in my seat.
“You have anything to add to the meeting?” El Jefe taps his engraved pen on the table in a slow, rhythmic pattern.
“Well, Mr. Payton.” He likes it when we use his last name. “I thought I’d do a feature on a young girl in New Tampa Hospital who needs a kidney transplant.”
“That from the crime beat reporter?” I hear the words he isn’t speaking.
“I know.” I answer in my head. “Eleven Emmys, and I still messed up that last crime story, didn’t I?” Out loud I say, “She’s an artist—truly amazing gift— and she’s willing to auction off her paintings to raise money so people can get tested to see if they’re a match. We could save her life by sharing her story.”
My boss nods but says, “Busch Gardens is showing off a new baby sloth this evening.”
My cheeks burn. I sit back. The heat floods down into my chest. “A baby sloth?” I’m pretty sure this is what a public castration feels like.
“We have enough crime, corruption, death, and destruction today. We need something positive after Weather. Sloth baby it is. Can’t go wrong with baby animals,” he says.
Can’t get the station sued again, you mean.
“You’re on that, Alvarez.”
“Gracias.” I close my eyes and visualize a sloth picking at El Jefe’s bushy, needs-to-be-cut eyebrows with those two big claw-like toes. In slow motion, of course. “If our viewers see what I’m envisioning, they’re going to love it.” I smile. Warmly.
Whatever. It will keep me employed for at least one more day. My sister Izzy and Abuela are counting on me.
My phone goes off. I look down, fumbling it as I try to flip off the ringer. “Sorry. Sorry.” It’s not someone calling. It’s my home RING security camera alerting me. My pulse takes off like an F-16. Someone is at our front door. My heart stalls. And falls.
“An important source?” El Jefe asks.
A scoff from the right corner of the room. “Baby sloth police calling?” Crime reporter wannabe gets the room laughing.
Wannabe must have missed her café con leche this morning. I join the laughter and wink at her, despite the slow scalding heat I’m feeling. Abuela Bonita also taught me you get more with honey than vinegar. “No. No. Sorry.” Just my sister’s boyfriend of the week, who is not supposed to be at our house. I shake my head.
“Alvarez?”
My spine straightens. “Yes?”
“You can take the new photographer, Chris Jensen.”
That pulls me back to the moment. “But I always work with Orlando.” A big eyeball fills the RING camera at the front door, but it isn’t Izzy’s new boyfriend. His eyes are as blue as the Florida sky. Isabella’s are dark brown, so dark you can’t tell where the pupil ends, and the iris begins. Izzy pulls back and yells at the RING camera, “Stop spying on me! De conseguir una vida!”
My younger sister is telling me to get a life of my own.
Snickers flicker across the room.
Every hair on the back of my neck rises. The audio on my iPhone is still on. Wanna get away?
I glance at my friend Kiara. She smiles and shakes her head. I appreciate her support. Time to turn the sound off my iPhone.
“Everything okay?” El Jefe’s features remain constant. He doesn’t chastise me for my sister’s outburst, even though she interrupted his busy news meeting.
“Yes sir, I’m fine.” Wait till I get home, Isabella Alvarez! “I’m fine.”
He nods, but his eyes narrow.
I sit through one of his nerve-wracking, wish-I-knew-what-he’s thinking pauses.
He says, “You can take Orlando.”
I exhale.
El Jefe is throwing me a peace offering, I think. Or maybe he believes I can’t even handle an animal story with the newbie photog, so giving me Orlando is like tossing out a safety vest.
Wow.
Two weeks ago, I would have rolled my eyes at the insult of such an easy, nonrelevant assignment. I would have been deeply offended by the shade of making sure I had a veteran babysitter with me.
Tonight, I’m grateful for it.
Even though I know I can’t possibly screw up a baby sloth story, right?
Author Linda Hurtado Bond is an Emmy award winning TV news anchor and an author of romantic thrillers.
She’s worked as a television news reporter and anchor in Fort Myers, Orlando and Tampa Florida. For the past twenty years, she’s shared important information with viewers on the latest medical breakthroughs and has written emotional, human-interest stories on those who have the courage and spirit to fight for their lives.
She writes every day, under deadline, but has always loved losing herself in a good fiction story. Her love for writing fiction actually started in high school, but a thriving, busy professional life, along with five kids ( 2 step-kids, an adopted son from Cuba and 2 daughters ) kept her busy for many years.
Entangled Publishing released three romantic adventures Alive at 5, Cuba Undercover and Flatline. Think James Bond meets Romancing the Stone. Cuba Undercover is based on her own true life love story.
She has received numerous writing awards for Alive at 5 , Flatline and Cuba Undercover.
Her latest book, All the Broken Girls, releasing in 2022, features two Cuban American characters and a deep dive into Cuban American culture.
Linda has won 13 Emmy awards, numerous Society of Professional Journalist awards, Associated Press awards, as well as a Florida Bar award and an Edward R. Murrow award.
This former baton-twirling beauty queen from The University of Georgia, now lives in Tampa Florida with her husband and kids.
I am trying to remember how I found Scarlett West….Somehow I had grabbed a free copy of Stolen In The Dark and after I reviewed it, she offered me Hunted In The Dark and a chance to join her ARC list…and I jumped all over it.
Enemy In The dark is the fourth book (out of five) in the Fae Bureau of Investigation series. I love being in their magical world, fighting and romancing. I love action packed books, and we have plenty.
Steamy romance…is it erotica? All these genre distinctions confuse me.
The Oracle has decreed that Adalee must kill her fated mate, Damien, but she is determined to find a way to prevent that from coming true. I have a thought and I am curious to see how it all comes about.
A false king. Faery kidnappings. A Black Hole.
They have to find the missing Ancients and the relics to close the rift.
Adalee has been finding herself as a Fae, learning her magic and the skills necessary to be a valued member of the FBI. The characters learn to function as a team, one just as important as the other.
In the first half, we have lots of hot steamy romance, as Adalee and Damien finally commit to being together. About half way through, the action picked up, the suspense rising as the pace flows smoothly to the dangerous cliff hanging ending and I can hardly wait for Fated In The Dark (expected publication December 2, 2022. I know what I want Santa to bring me for Christmas. 🙂
Books in the series do not stand alone. I recommend beginning with Stolen In The Dark, and all five books will need to be read to get the full story.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Enemy In The Dark by Scarlett West.
4 Stars
AMAZON SYNOPSIS
He’s my fated mate, and I’m destined to kill him.
When
I was forced into the dark Fae world, I never expected to fall in love
with my boss, Damien. With our relationship deepening, an Oracle has
decreed I must murder my beloved to save our people. While I wrestle
with having to murder him, the kidnappings are spiraling out of control
but the culprits leave no trace of evidence. To crack the case, I’ll
have to go undercover surrounded by hidden enemies.
To
make matters worse, our kingdom has been plunged into darkness. We
don’t know if our King is the enemy and war between our clans is
hurtling toward us. And now the King has threatened to execute court
members unless we turn ourselves in.
In a race against time, can we stop the destruction of Faery, or will I be forced to choose between my people and Damien?
Readers
who enjoy Karen Marie Moning, Laurell K. Hamilton, Amelia Hutchins, and
Lindsay Hall, will love this dangerous and sexy urban fantasy.
Enemy in the Dark is a steamy, urban fantasy romance that is book four out of five. Scroll Up and One Click to start reading this hot paranormal romance today!
ABOUT SCARLETT WEST
Scarlett West writes steamy, paranormal romance featuring sexy Fae. Deep characters and hot romance are her thing.
An
avid reader and writer who will never stop dreaming, Scarlett has
traveled to many countries and been on tons of adventures. She draws her
stories from these places, life experiences, and her grand
imagination.
Besides writing, she’s a hobby herbalist and a
dancer. If she’s not by the computer typing these things up, she can be
found in a forest, on a mountain, or by the ocean.
Scarlett West would like to thank her three F’s: Fans, Family, and Friends. Thank you forever for your support.
This action packed, demons running amok, kill or be killed paranormal and supernatural thriller had me intrigued from the first sentence of the blurb: Bound to destroy the woman he loves…but I kept tripping up over the tense and I felt like I was missing something…is this a spinoff from a previous series…was it Abel’s turn to tell his story?
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Bound to destroy the woman he loves…
Abel
hasn’t seen Lizzie in at least seven years, and his experiences since
then have changed him significantly. He’s sure he’s moved past his
earlier crush, that he’s immune to her carefree and bubbly personality,
but the moment his eyes land on her, he knows he’s still in love.
Instead of a joyful reunion, though, he only suffers agony at being in her presence again.
Because he’s being blackmailed into murdering her.
And
there’s no way out. The Shadow Prophet has vowed to kill everyone Abel
holds dear if he doesn’t complete the job. Abel has tried everything he
can think of to break the contract, but nothing has worked, and he has
nowhere else to turn.
Complicating things further, he gets
recruited by a second client to help Lizzie achieve an impossible
mission. One where they must work closely together while hunting
immortal demons. One that will either destroy him or force him to kill
her before he’s found a way out—before he’s ready to do it.
But how can a man ever be ready to murder the woman he loves?
If you enjoy high-stakes fantasy action, romance with a hint of angst, and fast-moving paranormal stories, you’ll love Shadow Prophet, book one in an addictive fantasy series
