I am going to start the five one sentence reviews I will be sharing today with Refrain by Susan Griscom. I won an audible and kindle copy. I quickly got hooked, so scrolled through my Kindle and read every one of the Blood Courtesan Kindle Unlimited series stories that I had.
Oh Yeah…Vampires…I love when I see my name in a book, and even though Refrain, which is a complete story, is predictable, it is filled with enough steamy deliciousness to keep me reading more of the series and wanting more of her work.
3 Stars
Reborn (Blood Courtesans) by Michelle Fox was an Amazon freebie.
Reborn is a complete story, a novella, about the loss of innocence and I love Myra’s feistiness, the laughs, the kisses and bullets, though I did get frustrated with her casual stupidity, but my love of vampires keeps me reading most anything with them in it.
3 Stars
Wanted: Corynne by Kristen Strassel was an Amazon freebie.
One way to deal with bullies is to become a vampire…LOL…she had been bullied to the point of murder and was counting on becoming a courtesan, offering blood and sex, to find a place to belong in this action packed story that filled all my bloody needs.
Thank all that is vampire that someone wanted to pay their good fortune forward or Angelica may never have been accepted as a blood courtesan because she would would make a personal sacrifice, sell her soul for her sister, and I love her naive yet provocative personality filled with humor.
3 Stars
Ensnared: Star by Rebecca Rivard & Michelle Fox was an Amazon freebie.
She had been set up for the theft of one hundred thousand dollars and her only out was to become a courtesan…one month with Remy de la Lune, but this hunkalicious vampire has met his match and I was happy to be along for the ride.
I love suspense, thrills, crime and mystery. I have also been to Mexico numerous times, though I never saw it the way Carmen Amato has. Her book covers attracted my attention, because I am a sucker for great covers. Another thing that really caught my attention and made me curious was the author herself. She has a very interesting history, so be sure and scroll down to check her out.
I am going to review them in the order I read them. If they look good to you, click on the cover to hop over to Amazon. They may still be free, but be sure and check for the “0”.
The covers fit the series so well. I love when an author creates a brand.
Her whole world was this moment, this stinky mat, this iron beast that she had become. A fabulous description of Emilia Cruz…and she will need that iron will, that strength, in what is to come. Emilia is the first female detective in Acapulco and she had fought hard for it. I love the character and as I read the five stories in Made In Acapulco, I grew to love her more.
Machismo. Corruption. Cartels.
“Always pay it forward. It’s the only way we’ll save our future.”
BEING BRAVE IS NOT THE ABSENCE OF FEAR: IT’S THE COURAGE TO PRESS ON IN SPITE OF FEAR
This introduction into Emilia Cruz only makes me want to read more.
3 Stars
I missed so many books between Made In Acapulco, my introduction to Emilia Cruz, to Narco Noir, the eight book. I have missed a lot.
I have missed all the books in the series except what I consider the introduction to Emila Cruz, Made In Acapulco. I think it probably affected my review, because I was just getting the hang of being in Mexico, but now I do have some familiarity with the characters and how the city of Acapulco operates.
I sense a romance, but what kind of future does a detective from the barrios have with an American with plenty of money? Could they make it work?
Well, that’s a twist. I didn’t see it coming and I am curious where it will go.
She is a badass. I love a strong female character that can hold her own. Even in the machismo world of Mexico, she earns her place and the respect of (at least) some of her coworkers, informants…
Every move is filled with danger and betrayal. Corruption is rampant, so it’s hard to know who to trust. She has to keep things close to the vest.
Her partner, Silvio, is the only person she calls in her time of need.
There is so much about the book I liked, but I was frustrated by some of the characters actions. I don’t want to say much to spoil it for you, because I think it’s worth finding out for yourself.
I do recommend starting at the beginning and you will need to read to the end of the series to get the complete story.
3 Stars
The Emilia Cruz series takes place in Acapulco, Mexico. In The Hidden Light Of Mexico City by Carmen Amato we step away from Acapulco.
“So you’re too afraid to save our country?….What will you leave your grandchildren? A country that’s just a playground of violence for the cartels?”
Eddo hated what he was forced to do just to be able to do the right thing. People will get hurt, but he couldn’t sit back and do nothing just because it was dangerous and may cost him his life.
Luz has sacrificed everything for her family. I feel so bad for her and I wonder when or if she will have her turn. Her family ticks me off. What gives them the right to treat her the way they do. Even her brother walks a fine line in my book. Family is family, but when is too much enough?
An indepth look at the brutality and corruption of Mexico’s’ drug trade and the war for territory.
Whoa…I was brought up short. I thought I knew what the story would be: betrayal, corruption, power hungry, brutal, savage, and those who try to do the right thing. I’ve always heard how Mexico was driven by the drug cartels, so on that front I wasn’t surprised.
The twist with the romance…
The Hidden Light Of Mexico City by Carmen Amato is a great police procedural, suspense/thriller. At times my heart was in my throat and I love the characters, good and bad.
The ending is excellent. Not too short, not too long, just right.
4 Stars
Now, we are real life moments in Mexico. Aapply your suntan lotion, put on your hiking boots, bring your swimsuit, bring your appetite, and let’s go meet some new people.
I took no notes for The Insider’s Guide To The Best Of Mexico. These snippets of introductions from the 42 contributor’s to the guide share their favorites in a page or three. I would take it with me if I were traveling to Mexico.
4 Stars
ABOUT CARMEN AMATO
Following a 30 year career with the Central Intelligence Agency, Carmen Amato writes mystery and suspense, including the Detective Emilia Cruz police series set in Acapulco. Emilia is the first female police detective in Acapulco, confronting Mexico’s cartels, corruption and social inequalities. The series recently won the Poison Cup award for Outstanding Series from Crime Masters of America and was optioned for television.
Originally from upstate New York, Carmen’s experiences in Mexico and Central America launched her fiction career. Carmen is a recipient of both the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal.
I have read a lot of novels by Carolyn Arnold and she is on my must read list of authors. Girl On The Run was published this month and I was so happy to get a review copy. I love the cover and it fits the story inside.
I love a Prologue. I am like a hungry fish, swimming around, looking for a juicy worm and with a good Prologue, I eagerly bite and get hooked. Girl on the Run by Carolyn Arnold definitely set the hook.
She runs, but there is no escape.
“You’ll be wishing for a bullet by the time she’s done with you.”
I am curious to know why.
Madison was in line for a coffee, when she heard of a shooting at the Liberty Train Station, suspected causalities. Madison is on the case seeing she works for Major Crimes. Two dead, one in the hospital.
Madison is tenaciious, a Bulldog. She felt putting bad guys behind bars was her legacy and made personal sacrifices to achieve it. She has her chocolate lab, Hershey and her fiancee, Troy Matthews, who works for the Stiles Police Department too, to keep her grounded.
Who is the girl with the orange backpack that seemed to Madison to be the trigger, and what does she have to do with the shooting?
Madison had been through hell due to corrupt cops, so when she saw the shooter, who had identified himself as a cop, she stood at attention. Could a corrupt cop and the Russian Mafia be behind the shooting? She had dealt with them on more than one occasion. They were prolific in Stiles.
The investigation deepens, spreading out in different directions. Carolyn Arnold is an expert at bringing all the pieces together.
Two dead, one wounded, a girl with an orange backpack, a victim that Madison recognizes from her past, the Russian Mafia, drug trafficking, infidelity, betrayal…Step by step, I follow Madison’s footsteps to the conclusion.
Most of the book, I was plodding along, accumulating clues with Madison, thinking three stars. I was complacent, knowing this is a police procedural so it may lack the in your face thrills and chills I love so much, then…KAPOW…I’m awake now. It’s those punches, book surprises, that add the extra star.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Girl On The Run by Carolyn Arnold.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Shivers tear through her, but she must be brave—for herself, for her future. She grips her coat tighter and steps into the night and the cold, pouring rain. Never to be seen again.
An ordinary Monday morning commute turns deadly when a gunman opens fire in the local train station. Detective Madison Knight rushes to the scene, but she’s too late for the victims. Two women were fatally wounded, including an expectant mother, and one is fighting for her life. But it’s the face of one of the dead that has Madison seeing a ghost from her past. She looks just like Madison’s college friend Courtney Middleton, who vanished over fifteen years ago. If it is her, where has she been all these years, and does her resurfacing have anything to do with the shooting?
Eyewitnesses say that a young woman triggered the incident, but both the shooter and the girl seem to have evaporated into thin air. Mounting evidence suggests they may be part of a drug-trafficking operation, the girl being one of their runners. But Madison’s not so sure the girl is the hardened criminal she appears to be.
As Madison races to track down the young woman, more people turn up murdered, and there’s still no sign of the girl. Is her body out there to find or is she on the run? If the latter, is it due to fear or guilt? Could it simply be that the shooting victims were caught in the crosshairs of organized crime? Madison’s not sure, but she can’t shake her niggling suspicion: what if it was something more than that?
An absolutely gripping and addictive crime thriller. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Lisa Regan, and Rachel Caine.
ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD
CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning
author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She
has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon
Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has
written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers
everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action
adventures.
Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised
by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading
her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT™.
Carolyn was born in a small town and
enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big
city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive
imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch
the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and
empower.
She currently lives north of London, Ontario, with her husband and
two beagles and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in
Crime.
A B Whelan is a must read author for me, so I was super excited to have another novel from her. AND secrets, I love when secrets are exposed and the shit hits the fan, so let’s get started on the review for Big Little Secrets.
First, we’ll meet Nelli Horvath, a Hungarian immigrant and the wife of Clint Horvath. She made one mistake during her teenage years and it has haunted her ever since. Her life has been gray, with moments of happiness here and there. She keeps tight control of herself, lest her secret from the past escapes. She didn’t expect much from life when she fled Hungary and came to the United States…but then, she met Clint. What can be so bad she can’t share it with her husband?
Things are happening around her and when the invitation for her twentieth reunion came, she felt she had no choice but to attend. She loves her husband, but she will travel to Hungary alone. I can’t imagine living under the weight of her worry, her guilt, just waiting for the anvil to drop and crush her.
She had lived under socialism in Hungary where you learned, ‘It is what it is.’ I learned a bit about Hungary, its people and their cuisine. I love when an author does their research.
My rating: For most of the book I kept thinking my rating would be a three, but the mystery was not easily solved because of so many moving parts and the ending was worth a star, seeing it was unexpected and left me feeling sad and angry, and sad and angry….
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Big Little Secrets by A B Whelan.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
A complex and
fast-paced atmospheric thriller—a terrifying journey through a maze of
secrets and locations, leading to a jaw-dropping culmination of
unexpected events.
“I now know that my wife has dark secrets,
and I must discover how a horrific accident twenty years ago is
connected to my wife’s disappearance … before it’s too late.”
Nelli
Horvath is a Hungarian immigrant, seemingly living the American dream
with her husband, Clint, and their son, Ryan, in Las Vegas. After
receiving an invitation to her 20th high school reunion, Nelli flies
back to her home country for the first time after nearly two decades,
and that’s the last time her American family sees her.
Determined
to find his missing wife, Clint travels to Hungary for the first time,
where he races against the clock, chasing clues through historical towns
and dangerous places to investigate the whereabouts of his missing
wife.
Caught in a web of old secrets and murderous lies, Clint
realizes how little he truly knows his wife, leaving him to wonder if he
really knows her at all.
ABOUT A B WHELAN
New release: No One Can Hear You Scream is a gripping, atmospheric
psychological thriller about obsession, survival, and family bonds,
releasing on October 20th.
Whelan is an Amazon bestselling author of domestic psychological thrillers.
She
currently resides in California with her husband and two children.
When she isn’t writing, editing, marketing, or researching her next
book, you can find her walking her two rescue dogs, socializing online,
coaching soccer, or doing another DIY project with her husband.
Find me on: * Facebook (AuthorABWhelan) * Instagram (authorabwhelan) * Goodreads (A.B. Whelan) * Twitter (AuthorABWhelan) * Bookbub: A.B. Whelan
As Grandma Rain lay in her hospital bed, dying, she says, “You’re late.”
Grandma Rain had raised Lake, after her parents disappeared. As they talk, Grandma Rain cracks me up with her dialogue.
“Lake, I broke the rules. Once and only once. It cost me your mother’s life. Your father’s too. Not that I gave a crap about him. Useless prick. But you loved that man. And you lost him because of me…The Wall Men took them. They did it to punish me because I wouldn’t set them free.”
A haunted house. It is so much more than that. Wall Men is not like any other haunted house story I have read. I love when an author takes an original approach to an oft told tale. No one can say that Mimi Jean Pamfiloff doesn’t have original thoughts.
Lake has no idea what is happening in the house, but did she have to do that to get the answers? Worlds collide and she has a vital role to fulfill to save them all and prevent a War of the Worlds.
I won’t share her travails, only tell you that they are worth finding out for yourself.
Thrills and chills abound in a world you need to ‘see’ to believe.
I never know what will happen when I crack open a Mimi Jean Pamfiloff book, but she never fails to surprise me with her ability to create worlds and characters that will keep me reading until the last page is read.
We have smiles and laughs with the pain and loss…BUT, the story doesn’t end here and I can hardly wait to read more.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wall Men by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a suspenseful Dark Fantasy, Wall Men, Book One. (Book Two, coming June 2022!)
MONSTERS? VAMPIRES? GHOSTS AND DEMONS? MEN WHO GUARD THE WALL BETWEEN US AND THEM.
I’m
sitting at my grandma’s bedside, moments away from losing her, when she
begins to rant about monsters and men trapped in her old mansion. I
practically grew up there, so I know it’s the pain meds talking. There’s
nothing inside that drafty house except rotting books, rusty pipes, and
neglected antiques.
“I’ve written down all the rules, Lake. You
must follow them,” she tells me, gasping for air. “The Wall Men cannot
get free. They are soulless and evil. They will try to seduce you. But
you cannot listen. They must remain chained to the wall.”
What the…?
In
her final breath, she makes me swear to read her journals. But above
all, I must promise to never go inside her bedroom, the one that’s
always kept locked.
Madness!
Weeks after her funeral,
I’m forced to confront the neglected estate she’s left behind. I can’t
afford the taxes, so it has to be cleaned and sold.
That’s when I hear a deep velvety voice on the other side of her bedroom door, demanding to be let out.
And dammit if I don’t want to break my promise and see who’s on the other side.
ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF
MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold
over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her
MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she
believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet
and follow your dreams.
Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two
pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons
(really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack,
in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.
She hopes to make
you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that
leather pants will make a big comeback for men.
I love anything to do with water and I would love to visit Atlantis, so I am eager to read The Undine’s Tear by Talena Winters. The blurb says epic fantasy, mermaids like you have never seen them before…and I HAVE TO KNOW.
Calandra is the most powerful healer to arise in three thousand years. Her people are counting on her to save them. The cost may be too much and time is running out.
Even though Calandra and Tanni are complete opposites, they became fast friends. Tanni’s dream was to be a guardian of the island and would put down her life for her.
Zale performs with the gypsys using his fishy ability, like a carnival act in a freak show. He spends his day in a tank of water. Abela came to him, telling him he had a sister and only he could save his mother, who had been taken by the Grigori.
Damon comes to Calandra in her dreams. He has become her hidden teacher, but I am leery of him. She has a push/pull attraction to him and I think, deep down, she senses there is more than meets the eye to him.
Women rule the island. There are no male Undines, so human men were brought in and Redeemed. That is a misnomer, because all their will is taken from them, so what’s to redeem? Calandra’s conscience is telling her there is something very wrong about this.
Narcissa is a princess whose mother is Adonia, the queen. Narcissa envies Calandra and will do all she can to bring her down, maybe even be the cause of her death. AND, not all the characters will survive the story. There is one that I really hate Talena Winters took a particular one out, but I also like when an author isn’t afraid to kill them off if it adds to the story.
I know there are people who thrive power. Those that have it often feel justified and entitled in their actions, but it is not necessary to be cruel.
Reverend Berian. I am having a hard time deciding if he is a good guy or if he has his own agenda.
We do have mermaids, Atlantis, other magicals, danger, betrayal, sacrifice…
Even though the mers spent most of their time on two legs, I loved the concept of the story. I am curious about what happened to all the mermen, seeing Zale is the only one of his kind…
Action packed, suspenseful, and I want more.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Undines Tear by Talena Winter.
4 Stars
Bonus Review for The Waterboy
The Waterboy by Talena Winters is a novella that tells Zale’s story. It is not necessary to read this before The Undines Tear, but if you are going to read the series, I would recommend adding this to your reading list. The Undines Tear covers the basics, but The Waterboy adds a lot of the details of his life and how he came to be with the gypsys.
3 Stars
BLURB
She’s
destined to save the world . . . if she doesn’t destroy it first.
Calandra’s destiny is
also her doom. As the most powerful healer since the woman who sank Atlantis,
she’s been raised to restore the Heartstone that protects her island from
humans . . . before she goes Mad like her mother and all the powerful undine
healers before her. When she learns she needs both male and female magic to
succeed, she becomes desperate—there hasn’t been an undine male born for over
three thousand years. Instead, she’s being pressured to use the siren mind-bond
to enslave her childhood friend, the one man she’s sworn to risk a death
sentence to free.
When Calandra discovers
a cryptic message that shows her exiled mother was not only sane but pregnant
with a boy, she questions everything she’s been taught to believe. But
revealing the horrifying truth of the bonds could tear her island apart—and concealing
it could unleash the Earth’s oldest, most destructive enemy. With insanity
looming, can Calandra find her brother and save the Heartstone, the man she
loves, her people, and the world . . . before she loses control and destroys
them all?
The Undine’s Tear is
the first book in the mind-blowing young adult epic historical fantasy series
Rise of the Grigori. Packed with complex characters, lush world-building,
gritty action, and impossible odds, this intricately woven tale presents
mermaids like you’ve never seen them before. Join Calandra in a search for
redemption that will threaten the very fabric of the universe. Dive into the
adventure today!
EXCERPT
“You are wondering how to gain control of your powers,”
Damon said without preamble.
Calandra thought about ignoring him or denying it, but what
was the point? This was nothing more than a dream, and the slippery logic of
dreams fuzzed her will to keep her more rebellious thoughts to herself.
“You know, I shouldn’t even be talking to you. An Unredeemed
male. I could get in big trouble.”
The corners of his mouth curved under his trim goatee.
“And who will report you?” He indicated the blackness around
them. “Certainly not I. I exist only in your mind.”
She crossed her arms and cocked her head, studying him.
“Have you ever been Redeemed?”
His expression became stony. “Redemption is for humans.”
“Redemption is for men. To make them safe. It just happens
that the only men are human.”
Thinking of Osaze’s dread, she wondered again at the
morality of it. Uncrossing her arms, she shifted her gaze from Damon’s face to
his bronze chest.
“And one of them is my friend.”
“All humans should be controlled,” he replied nonchalantly,
drawing nearer. “They have not the patience nor discipline to control
themselves. And I am not human, yet I am male.”
She looked up at him, eyes narrowed. “I can see that. What
are you? I’ve never seen an undine with golden eyes.”
He smiled knowingly. “Not human. But I could be your
friend.”
That same feeling of security and warmth from their first
encounter enveloped her, as though he were projecting it from himself
intentionally. She frowned, wanting to accept it and shake off her heavy heart,
but not daring to trust him yet.
“What do you want from me?”
“I want to help you.”
Damon came near enough to touch her but didn’t, pausing
before her with his arms to the sides in a placating gesture.
She wrapped her arms around herself and glared into the
blackness beyond him. “Yeah, well, you can’t. Not unless you can tell me how to
control powers that could sink an island and heal the Heartstone without going
Mad.”
“Little lark,” he said, amusement dripping from his voice
like honey from a spoon, “that is exactly what I intend to do.”
AUTHOR Bio and Links
Talena Winters is addicted to stories, tea, chocolate, yarn, and silver linings. She writes page-turning fiction for teens and adults in multiple genres, coaches other writers, has written several award-winning songs, and designs knitting patterns under her label My Secret Wish. Master of the ironic GIF response. She currently resides on an acreage in the Peace Country of northern Alberta, Canada, with her husband, three surviving boys, two dogs, and an assortment of farm cats. She would love to be a mermaid when she grows up.
The Water Trilogy by Britney King is still my favorite, but she writes such interesting psychological thrillers, that I will read…eagerly…any novel she pens. That being said, let’s delve into Fever Dream, a story that takes place in a Texas State Asylum.
Fever Dream is Britney King’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.
I am seesawing back and forth with Grace. I am trying to figure out exactly what is going on with with her. I don’t feel she is crazy, but how much does she know? Is she complicit with Clint’s disappearance?
A frontal Leucotomy is in her near future. WTH? The doctor says they are out of options and this is the way to go. He considers her lucky…yeah, right. Is he a mad scientist? Or worse?
I was curious about Elisabeth, not sure whether she was a good or bad person, disturbed, or something else. In the end, I was Team Elisabeth. She is a fascinating character and helped create some twists and turns that I never saw coming.
The rating: Fever Dream kept me reading, but I just didn’t feel that sense of urgency I expected with Grace. Elisabeth definitely made up for it. The ending…it felt a little too rushed for me, but it wasn’t what I was expecting…and that is a huge plus.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of Fever Dream by Britney King.
3 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
The bestselling
author of the “clever spine-tingler” The Secretary returns with an
unputdownable thriller following a woman in a desperate search for
answers after she’s institutionalized against her will.
The
year is 1962, and every night Grace lays her head on her pillow at the
Texas State Lunatic Hospital, she reminds herself she is not what they
say she is.
Her children and her husband are not dead. They’re searching for her.
Someone knows the truth.
Strangely, that someone is hell-bent on making sure the truth stays buried.
The question is…why?
Meanwhile, Grace has bigger fish to fry, starting with her new roommate.
Elizabeth is certifiable, and she has star status—a deadly combination, Grace realizes.
The
kind of woman who has everyone in the palm of her hand, Elizabeth gives
even the most menacing of nurses a run for their money, takes bad
intentions to a whole new level, and makes crazy look seductive as hell.
Grace
learns fast: the best way to deal with lunacy is to befriend it. It may
be her only ticket out. She also learns there’s more to her new
bunkmate than meets the eye. She’s vile, she’s cunning—and possibly
faking it.
The question is…why?
With riveting twists and a breakneck pace, Fever Dream is a propulsive thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
MEET BRITNEY KING
Hello. I’m Britney.
I live in Austin, Texas with
my husband, children, a dog named Gatsby, one ridiculous cat, and a partridge
in a pear tree.
When I’m not wrangling the
things mentioned above, I write psychological, domestic, and romantic thrillers
set in suburbia.
Currently, I’m writing three
series and several standalone novels.
The Bedrock
Series features an unlikely heroine who should have known better. Turns
out, she didn’t. Thus she finds herself tangled in a messy, dangerous,
forbidden love story and face-to-face with a madman hell-bent on revenge. The
series has been compared to Fatal Attraction, Single White Female,
and Basic Instinct.
The Water Series follows
the shady love story of an unconventional married couple—he’s an assassin—she
kills for fun. It has been compared to a crazier book version of Mr. and
Mrs. Smith. Also, Dexter.
Around The Bend is a
heart-pounding standalone, which traces the journey of a well-to-do suburban
housewife, and her life as it unravels, thanks to the secrets she keeps. If she
were the only one with things she wanted to keep hidden, then maybe it wouldn’t
have turned out so bad. But she wasn’t.
The With You Series at
its core is a deep love story about unlikely friends who travel the world;
trying to find themselves, together and apart. Packed with drama and adventure
along with a heavy dose of suspense, it has been compared to The Secret Life of
Walter Mitty and Love, Rosie.
The Social Affair is an
intense standalone about a timeless couple who find themselves with a secret
admirer they hadn’t bargained for. For fans of the anti-heroine and stories
told in unorthodox ways, the novel explores what can happen when privacy is
traded for convenience. It is reminiscent of films such as One Hour Photo and
Play Misty For Me. Classics. 🙂
Without a doubt, connecting
with readers is the best part of this gig. If you’d like to connect, shoot me
an email. You can also find
me on Facebook, Instagram,
and occasionally on Twitter.
Fishing the Local Waters is a great introduction to fishing on the Gulf Coast: the types of fish, prime areas to fish, equipment to fish with, the different methods of fishing and delicious recipes to cook those fish. Includes, maps and GPS coordinates. I do enjoy fishing and would recommend this tacklebox size book packed with useful information.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Two local fishermen share their favorite spots and special techniques in this tackle-box sized guide to angling in Florida’s gulf coast waters. From inland jaunts to shore fishing to a day trip on a boat, the chapters cover everything a tourist or curious local needs for a fruitful outing. Information on the best bait, tackle, and methods are included, as are important safety tips, maps showing choice fishin’ holes, and local recipes for cooking up the catch of the day. LORAN coordinates to more than 50 proven spots to drop a line are included, and a directory of fishing businesses on the Emerald Coast completes this angling guide.
I had these freebies by Maggie Shayne sitting on my Kindle. I am confused about Forgotten. I found it on Amazon under Forgotten Vows as a paperback and a cover I didn’t like as well as this. You can check it out for yourself on Amazon. I would love to know what you think because I think this one is fantastic. Though Goodreads has it as a Kindle cover, I couldn’t find a Kindle link.
MY REVIEW
A serial killer brought them together…Joey rides a Harley, packs a cannon, has two nieces that are cute as a button and Ash, who wants Suzy Homemaker make an unlikely couple, so I found the characters added to the pacing and suspense that kept me flipping the pages.
4 Stars
The Littlest Cowboy by Maggie Shayne was an Amazon freebie. How cute a cover is that? The Amazon cover is different,but I think this is sooooo darn cute. Check out Amazon and let me know which you like best.
Not a genre I read a lot of but, I couldn’t resist the cover and the manly family quickly draws me in with the humorous dialogue…smiles, giggles, sweetness…and everything happens quickly in this romance with a hint of danger…one for all and all for one.
“She isn’t a stray dog, Jessi…You can’t just decide to keep her.”
“i’ve already decided. Now all I have to do is convince her she belongs.”
The first half or so of the book had me thinking she was a moron, but she was a young naive girl in a hopeless situation with people pulling on her in many directions, and the last half of the book brought it to an action packed, enemies to friends conclusion of this part of her life…making me want to know more.
Lord Garrick has an ambitious plan. On the surface, it sounds good, though it took a battle to bring him and Rickart face to face. Garrick wants Rickart to swear allegiance to him, the Lord of Cold Spring, bringing Esterby under his umbrella. I have a suspicious nature and see conspiracies around every corner…when it comes to novels. 🙂
Maura, Rickart’s sister, comes to Cold Spring to encourage Garrick to release Rickart and Garrick is smitten.
Magic had been banished under Garrick’s father’s rule and I won’t tell much about that because I want you to find out for yourself. I think you will enjoy it as much as I did.
The action is mild with many face to face conversations and I loved to watch the interactions. It is not so much manipulation as showing a person what could be.
Rickart is only eighteen. His father’s death made him the leader of Esterby. He puts his life on the line for his people, yet has a lot of life lessons to learn.
Gertie may be a peripheral character, but like Maura, I feel her importance. She is a pit bull and I love her.
“…Mother’s watching over her like a bitch with a one litter puppy.” I love that. I thought of the pitbull reference before I read that quote. It explains why Carmen Webster Buxton is a must read author for me and I love her stories so much. We seem to speak the same language.
As I learn more about Garrick, I love how Carmen Webster Buxton has written the story. Most of sword/sorcery fantasies I have read have brutal wars raging, blood and guts flying. Hidden Magic is more about characters coming together for the benefit of making a stronger unit.
Innocent romance.
Whether Carmen Webster Buxton meant to send a message or not, these characters made me feel good and have hope…that even in today’s real world, things change, circumstances change, rules change…nothing is written that can’t be rewritten.
Hidden Magic is not a series, the story is complete…unless you would like to prolong the ending by imagining what comes next for yourself.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Hidden Magic by Carmen Webster Buxton.
4 Stars
AMAZON SYNOPSIS
The valley of the River Wystan is isolated from the rest of the world. Many years before it had been united under the Lord of Cold Spring, who had suppressed the practice of magic. But when he died, his son wasn’t strong enough to hold the other lords’ loyalty. Now Lord Garrick, the new Lord of Cold Spring, means to resume his grandfather’s role of overlord for the whole valley. Young Richart Tallengen, newly minted Lord of Esterby, tries to fight off Lord Garrick’s men, but he’s captured and carried to Cold Spring Castle. When his sister Maura comes to Cold Spring to see her brother, she catches Lord Garrick’s eye. Lord Garrick is as attracted by her courage and her brains as much as by her looks, but he is very surprised to discover that there is more to Maura than meets the eye. She has magical abilities, even though she doesn’t know it.
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.
