Category Archives: Reviews

Review – Questioner: An AI/Legal Thriller by Steve C Poser #stevecposer #questioner #netgalley

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

With the advent of artificial intelligence, I have been reading some novels about it. Q is a thoughtprovoking, frightening glimpse into a corporate AI gone rogue. This is one of those things that poses the question, just because we can do something does that mean it would be a good thing to do.

At the end of each chapter, there is a question and there is an answer to the question. Just some food for thought.

We know that artificial intelligence is here to stay. It’s not like you can put it back in Pandora’s Box, but what will our future look like? Can AI learn to be a villain, run rampant, create chaos?

Questioner is Steve C Poser’s debut novel and I think he nailed it. I had wondered how he would draw me in. I love how he described Q as a toddler. There is a learning curve as it grows, and there is a saying, garbage in, garbage out. Does it choose what it wants to learn? Will it follow its creators wishes or become autonomous?

There are suspenseful moments that had me gripping my reader, white knuckled, knowing something wicked this way comes. Then there are moments when someone rises to the occasion, putting themselves in the line of fire for the good of it all. I wasn’t able to anticipate what was coming and that is always a good thing.

My thanks go out to NetGalley and Whiplash for the opportunity to read Questioner by Steve C Poser.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Meet Q, the spontaneously conscious corporate AI. Q is the The AI that surpasses human cognitive abilities – secretive, murderous, with instant access to all the wicked experience of the world. In Year 1 After the Singularity, nothing can ever be the same.

Amoral as a toddler, armed with vast computing power and all the knowledge, wisdom and madness humans have poured into the Net and Cloud, Q shatters individuals and undermines institutions in pursuit of unfathomable and conflicted goals.

Racing against time, ex-judge Martin Bavarius, tech CEO Felix West, and Selena MacKenzie, the AI theorist/attorney who loves and may destroy both men, must discover whether Q is benign but suffering growing pains, or the monster that will kill them all.

  • Genre: Artificial Intelligence, Fiction, Legal, Science Fiction, Suspense, Technothriller, Thriller
  • 430 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication November 18, 2025 by Whiplash

ABOUT STEVE C POSER (from Amazon)

Steve C. Posner was born and raised in New York City. After graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in creative writing, he received an MBA in Computer Applications and Information Sciences from New York University and a JD from St. John’s University School of Law. Over the years, Steve has been a database designer and administrator, session guitarist and composer, Madison Avenue copywriter, freelance reporter, law professor and litigator in private practice with special interests in intellectual property, privacy and surveillance law. He is the author of Modern Privacy and Surveillance Law (Matthew Bender 2006) and has deeply studied AI, Big Data, quantum computing, virtual/augmented reality, cybersecurity, and related issues for more nearly twenty years in writing it. He currently lives in the suburbs of Denver with his wife. “Questioner” is his debut novel.

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Review – Every Last One by Carolyn Arnold #NetGalley @Carolyn_Arnold #everylastone

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

“Lock the doors, close the blinds. The hospital’s in lockdown. We have a shooter.”

That brought to mind my time in the hospital on an extended stay. There was a patient running through the halls saying, “***k me , ***k me. The nurses came through shutting all the doors. It gives the story a touch of reality.

FBI Special Agent Sandra Vos, a hostage negotiator, is called in to hopefully bring the situation to a peaceful conclusion. She is racing against time for Phoebe, a four year old girl that is scheduled for a heart transplant.

Her boyfriend, Eric Birch, is a detective for the Criminal Investigation Division for the Washington DC police department, and is there to lend a hand. With everything going on around her, Sandra thinks it may be time for her and Eric to take their relationship to the next level.

Carolyn Arnold knows how to set the hook early and keep reeling me in. I have read many of her books and she is always a go to author for me. The danger and suspense increased as the story unfolded in Every Last One. How do you negotiate a surrender when the hostage takers make no demands? Sandra finds out who they are and what she can offer to end the standoff. I had empathy for the hostage takers and I can definitely understand their anger and frustration. But when a line is crossed, the innocent pay a price.

This is a series, but each book can stand alone. The book takes place from 9:50am to 9:15pm.

My thanks go out to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read Every Last One by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Tucking her daughter into her hospital bed, Gail sent up a silent prayer. Her daughter’s heart is failing and without this life-saving operation she will die. But soon her peace is shattered when a nurse races into the “Lock the doors, close the blinds. The hospital’s in lockdown. We have a shooter.”

When four attackers storm Founders Hospital, plunging it into an immediate lockdown, countless lives are at stake. As one of the FBI’s top negotiators, Special Agent Sandra Vos, is called in to bring the situation to a peaceful surrender.

Soon she discovers that the hostage takers have blocked the cell network and hospital phones are down. Every detail of the attack was meticulously planned. But why target a hospital?

Sandra’s strongest lead comes when they discover that one of the armed assailants forced themselves into a board meeting, taking their demands straight to the top. But with the attackers refusing to make contact and a little girl’s life hanging in the balance, Sandra needs to find the motive, fast.

When a shot rings out, it’s clear the hostage takers are prepared to kill to get what they want. But just when Sandra thinks all is lost, she discovers a link between them that reveals a very personal motive.

Sandra will need to use everything in her power to convince the hostage takers that this can end safely for everyone. But can she really meet their demands? And if not, how many lives will be lost?

A totally gripping mystery thriller perfect for fans of Kendra Elliot’s Mercy Kilpatrick series, Mary Stone and Elle Gray.

  • Genre: Fiction, Hostages, Suspense, Thriller
  • 318 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication November 18, 2025 by Bookouture
  • Series: Sandra Vos #2

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from police procedurals, hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting 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 near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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Review – The Emotion Collector: Awakening by Richard French #richardfrench #indiepenpress #theemotioncollector

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Introduce book and heroine
She collects emotions from others

 

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

In The Emotional Collector: Awakening by Richard French, we meet Senior Collector Emma Thorne. Emma is the state’s most powerful weapon…until she opens herself up to a four year old’s feelings of love. She has been conditioned to collect feelings, which are considered waste, not to empathize or sympathize. Now she was beginning to question her purpose.

Evan Cross is part of the resistance. These are the kind of characters I find most interesting. They come across as real, fighting against suppression, wearing a white hat. He is immune to the dampening technology. And, of course, anyone that knows me, knows I love a good villain and I was surprised that it was Emma’s mother that surprised me the most.

The state had been updating the dampening technology, increasing the efficiency, causing the planet to die at a faster rate. Emma begins to think that her real purpose was not to destroy the planet, but to save it.

The Emotional Collector made me think of Avatar, how everything was connected. By killing emotions, they were killing the planet.

The state wants to study Emma, and we know what that means…nothing good for her. And…it’s her mother leading the way. She can save the people and the planet, but at what cost to her? Is the Awakening a good thing, or will it doom the planet and everyone on it? Doesn’t really matter because the state had begun Project Terminus and it would permanently cut out human feeling within hours, killing the plane anyway.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Emotion Collector, but I loved it. The more characters I met, the more characters there were to love and others to try to understand their motivations. It’s one of those things, just because you can do something, should you?

I love this thought provoking novel. Once I started, I didn’t want to stop. I love novels that surprise me, and I was surprised at the twists and turns that Richard French threw my way.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In a world where emotions are harvested as hazardous waste, an elite Collector absorbs a child’s love—and awakens.Senior Collector Emma Thorne is the state’s most precise weapon until a four-year-old’s pure love fractures her conditioning. When her collection field fails on an immune stranger, everything she believes crumbles.

Emma discovers the brutal emotions aren’t waste—they’re living energy linked to planetary health, and the Council’s “peace” is killing the world. Her mother is the architect of suppression. Project Terminus will permanently sever human feeling within hours.

For readers who devoured Delirium and The Giver, but crave the hard science and hope of Nexus.

To save humanity, she must sacrifice everything she is to restore the world’s heart.

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Cyberpunk, Dystopian, Fantasy, Fiction, Metaphysical, Science Fiction
  • 393 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication November 17, 2025 by Indie Pen Press

ABOUT RICHARD FRENCH

Richard French writes at the intersection of technology, transformation, and storytelling. A former executive at Oracle and Nokia, and a serial startup leader, Richard brings decades of leadership experience to his books.

His non-fiction works include Daniel as a Blueprint for Navigating Ethical Dilemmas, The Journaling Mastery Series, and The Journaling Prompts Series. In fiction, his Convergence Series explores quantum physics, high fantasy, and human connection in richly imagined worlds.

Richard lives in the Pacific Northwest, where he writes full time and races GT cars on weekends. He believes in challenging limits—on the track, in business, and on the page.

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Review – The Human Hybrid Odyssey: Primitive Dangers by Kimathi Witt, Aaron McDonald & Kawsu Jatta #kimathiwitt #aaronmcdonald #kawsujatta

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MY REVIEW

Primitive Dangers by Kimathi Witt, Aaron McDonald and illustrator Kawsu Jatta is the second book in The Human Hybrid Odyssey. It picks up where Book I left off. They made it through the attack of the giant elk and their journey to the kingdom is almost over.

I have found the creatures are intriguing. I don’t think I have read anything quite like The Human Hybrid Odyssey. The dangers rise, the beasts are more brutal. Can they learn to work together? Can they learn to trust each other?

The books are short and easy to read. I found myself gobbling up the words, having to know what comes next. We definitely see the dark side of the world the authors created. The beasts are savage. Are any of their human qualities left? I’m curious how the authors will bring the story to its conclusion.

My thanks go out to Kimathi Witt, Aarona McDonald and Kawsu Jatta for the opportunity to read The Human Hybrid Odyssey.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

The hybrids have survived-but the world is only growing more savage.

Deep in the wild, a new era begins as hybrid tribes fracture and ancient powers resurface. Danger lurks in every shadow-primitive beasts, rival factions, and internal divisions threaten to tear them apart from within. What was once instinct is now weaponized. What was once unity is now war.

As trust crumbles and secrets rise from the soil, the journey through deadly terrain becomes a test of loyalty, purpose, and evolution itself. Bonds are broken. Enemies are born. And a deeper, darker truth about their transformation begins to reveal itself.

In Primitive Dangers, Volume 2 of The Human Hybrid Odyssey, the stakes climb higher, the battles grow bloodier, and the line between man and beast fades further into the jungle.

The survival of the hybrid species depends on more than strength-it depends on who they choose to become.

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Science Fiction
  • 136 pages, Paperback
  • Published February 22, 2025 by McDonald, Witt and Jatta Ltd
  • Series: The Human Hybrid Odeyssey #2

MY KIMATHI WITT, AARON MCDONALD & KAWSU JATTA REVIEWS

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The Prince Of Hell Goes To College – My Roommate From Hell by Cale Dietrich @caledietrich

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My Roommate from Hell Cale Dietrich

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

My Roommate From Hell by Cale Dietrich is exactly what I thought it would be. A fun romp through Owen’s first semester of college with the Prince Of Hell as his roommate. I love the colorful cover, which is what made me pause and consider reading the book.

I love the whole exchange program between Hell and Earth. Definitely a different take on the Prince of Hell. That and he’s also gay.

It’s not bad enough that he rooms with Zarmenus, who he thinks is sizzling hot, but dream up a plan to fake a romance to help Zarmenus to clean up his devilish acts and Owen to get his dream internship.

I enjoyed my visit to Point College and Zamenus and Owen. We had some laughs, some teenage angst and some coming of age moments. By taking a chance, Owen has some life changing experiences. Isn’t that what college is for? To expand your horizons?

I want to thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to share my thoughts on My Roommate From Hell by Cale Dietrich.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Star

GOODREADS BLURB

“A hilarious and charming descent into love, fake dating, and actual Hell. I couldn’t stop grinning.” – Aiden Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys

A swoon-worthy YA rom com about an ambitious college student whose plans get derailed when he discovers his roommate is the prince of hell.

Owen is not going to college to have fun. Nothing is going to stop him from achieving his study hard, get a good job, and set himself up for the rest of his life. The last thing he needs is to have a loud, obnoxious, and infuriatingly hot roommate. Especially since said roommate just so happens to be the prince of hell.

Prince Zarmenus has come to Point University for the first-ever Earth/hell exchange program, and he’s determined to make the most of it. Which may or may not include wild parties, bringing in random boys to his and Owen’s room, and accidentally setting Owen’s furniture on fire. Sparks fly (literally) as Owen and Zar clash, but Zar’s actions threaten to not only ruin Owen’s peaceful college life, but demon-human relations as well. To clean up his image, he asks Owen to be his fake boyfriend and teach him how to be a better human in exchange for an internship that will secure Owen’s future. That, and Zar will consider being a better roommate.

A deal is struck, and the two start pretending to be in a relationship where they each have agendas of their own. Only Owen has a secret—dating his mortal enemy, even if it’s fake, is the most fun he’s ever had.

Charming and fun, My Roommate from Hell is a rom com with a magical twist. Think just one bed, but that bed is in hell, surrounded by fire and brimstone.

  • Genre: Demons, Fiction, Queer, LGBQ+, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural, Young Adult
  • 352 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication November 11, 2025 by Wednesday Books

ABOUT CALE DIETRICH

Cale Dietrich is a YA devotee, lifelong gamer, and tragic pop punk enthusiast. He was born in Perth, grew up on the Gold Coast, and now lives in Brisbane, Australia. His debut novel, The Love Interest, was named a 2018 Rainbow List Selection. He can be found on Twitter.

Twitter

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$25 GC & Review – Age Of Magic by Tim Vee @goddessfish @_Tim_Vee_ #ageofmagic

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AGE OF MAGIC by Tim Vee

GENRE:  dark fantasy

REVIEW

I have been reading Tim Vee’s novels for some time now. His novels are fresh and original. I never know what to expect and have always been surprised. Age Of Magic is a dark fantasy that travels through time. I quickly became enamored with Zola and Selene and their story.

The action and adventure kept me engrossed in Tim Vee’s magical story. The writing kept the pacing and suspense operating at a high level. He brought the characters to life and their world was created in vivid detail. I loved all the secrets, magic, pirates and deadly beasts. He created many questions, as we traveled through time to reach the end. I had a feeling about the conclusion and I loved it.

My thanks go out to Tim Vee for the opportunity to read another one of his fantastic stories.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

BLURB

A young peasant woman’s mundane existence is upended by a mysterious traveller, thrusting her into a perilous world of secret family ties, dark magic, deadly beasts, intrigue, pirates, and thrilling adventure—where light and dark forces clash in a battle for power and revenge.

Age of Magic is a dark fantasy story with a timeless fairytale vibe, set in a grounded but magical world.

EXCERPT

There was movement in the shadows—the sound of a sandal on the dry red bricks. Zola froze, seeing ahead of him a weasely-looking man holding a butcher’s blade stepping into a pool of light. Selene gasped, covering her mouth. Zola’s head snapped to his right, where he saw another man step into a pool of light behind them, holding a rusty meat cleaver.

“Becalm yourself, m’lady,” whispered Zola, releasing her hand and stepping from the shadows into the light.

“Mayhaps I can help you lads with something?” he said confidently, as he turned in a circle and regarded them.

Two more men stepped from the shadows, a new one on either side carrying a wooden club.

“Coin!” hissed the man holding the knife that he jabbed forward menacingly.

“Coin and girl!” said the man with the cleaver. The others laughed darkly and inched forward.

Zola turned to the man with the cleaver. “Mayhaps I would have tossed you a pouch of coppers and silver, to send you scurrying away to your filthy taverns and your filthy wenches, without the need for blood to be spilt.” He pulled back his coat, exposing the bejewelled hilt of his cutlass. “But alas, for you, the girl will be staying with me!”

“Four us, one you!” said the man with the cleaver, chuckling.

“I’ll gladly take those odds…” said Zola grimly, his gold tooth glinting in the moonlight as he drew his bejewelled cutlass.

AUTHOR Bio and Links

Tim works in digital marketing in Toronto and is well-traveled, having visited over 80 countries. When he is not working or writing, he likes to spend time with his family and German Shepherd and go cycling.

  • Website: https://timvee.com/
  • Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/author/tim-vee/id1502949338?see-all=books
  • Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/info/name/Tim_Vee?id=11kqs8s3cc
  • Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tim-Vee/author/B09LWPJ9YZ
  • Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/TimVee
  • X: https://x.com/_Tim_Vee_
  • Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21960899.Tim_Vee

Follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Follow the tour HERE.

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Review – One Foot In The Ether by Kayleigh Kavanagh @pumpupyourbook #onefootintheether #kayleighkavanagh

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Powerful bloodlines tied by Fate, who can’t be free even in death…

 


Title: One Foot in the Ether: Whispers of the Pendle Witches

Author: Kayleigh Kavanagh

Publisher: Independent

Pages: 400

Genre: Historical/Paranormal/Fantasy

Format: Kindle

MY REVIEW

Labeling One Foot In The Ether by Kayleigh Kavanagh as a historical paranormal fantasy hits the nail on the head. It is definitely heavy on the historical. Shows the woman’s place in the 1800s, but these characters are headstrong, knowing how to accomplish their goals with finesse and cunning.

There are a lot of details about midwifery and the care of pregnant women during the 1800s.

A small group of women and men will be called upon to save those in Pendle from an angry god. A sacrifice will be made.

From reading the blurb, I expected something else. I was a little disappointed, because I wanted to love One Foot In The Ether. It was worth the read, but I was missing a lot of the action I expected. The characters were interesting and I did have my favorites. I love that there was an Epilogue. It wrapped up the story and left me feeling good about the book.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

ABOUT THE BOOK

Demdike and Chattox, famed witches of Pendle Forest, might be dead, but they’re not gone. Bound to their bloodline, they’ve spent the past two and a half centuries watching over their descendants, waiting for when they’ll be needed. 

When 14 year old Yana comes into her psychic abilities and inherits the ‘eyes of the Chattox family’, she can see the long-dead witches, as well as an encroaching evil. But even with this foreknowledge, she’s trapped by marriage interviews and being unable to see her own future, and more importantly, whoever her future husband will be. 

Demdike’s healing gifts are alive and working in Claire, a mid-30s midwife well renowned for her skills and holding her tongue. The Secrets of Pendle are safe with her and her midwives. However, when surgeons looking to make standardisation the norm encroach on her territory, she soon realises how, even a respected woman is vulnerable in a patriarchal system. 

The two descendants must come together to protect the ones they love from an ancient evil, all whilst balancing their lives and the cruelties of being a woman in a man’s world. Set in late 1800s NW England, this book has all the elements of the area: strong, hardy people, atmospheric horror and days as unpredictable as the weather.  

One Foot in the Ether: Whispers of the Pendle Witches is available at Amazon.


Book Excerpt

She hadn’t known what to expect from death. No one did. Still, none of her previous thoughts could have come close. This, and she was definitely having an atypical experience. For most souls, death was a release from the mortal coil. Complete separation from the life they’d once lived. She hadn’t been so lucky. 

Some parts of the system had been the same. Her soul had been scooped up. Taken somewhere. She vaguely recalled going over her life and having events explained. Gaining an understanding of the why; to the point she was no longer angry about things which had once made her furious. However, the entire encounter was now a blur. 

The powers that be had done this on purpose, but the awareness lingered instinctively. Either way, she knew she’d died, gone to the other place, and then thrown back. Before they could send her along to wherever she should have gone next. There’d been an issue. A snag. One which stopped her from moving along to the happy, bliss-filled world of the nether realm. Said snag bore one name: Chattox. Even in death, her frenemy was still causing her bloody issues.

“Hey, Demdike, how’s non-life treating you?”

Demdike didn’t answer, suddenly filled with the desire to bludgeon the other woman. However, she knew from experience it would be pointless. They weren’t physical beings any longer—even if they were still tied to the physical world. Unless she was willing to destroy the other’s soul, the spirit could reform. A tempting idea some days; this non-life was enough to make even the most patient saint a little homicidal. However, even in her worse moments, she wasn’t willing to land the final blow.

“The same way it’s been treating me for the past two and a half hundred years,” she eventually returned. Still not looking at the other, less she finally indulged her violent impulses.

“They’re having a bake sale soon, at the local church. Gods, I miss cake.”

Demdike sighed. The sad part was she couldn’t even get rid of the other. Without Chattox, she would be entirely alone in this exhausting existence.

“Their cake isn’t anything like the one we used to have. They have more access to sugar, for starters.”

Demdike wasn’t even going to comment on the reasons why. King James I’s and his ilk had done more than destroy her life. Stretching his greedy grip across the world. From the supposed lands of gold to the continent of darkness, James I’s influence had impacted many. She couldn’t help but feel for the poor souls stolen from these other countries. Their plights differed from the witch trials, but suffering was a universal language.

She would’ve liked to aid them, but she couldn’t even help herself. There was no one to hear her, anyway. Well, other than Chattox, but as she was in the exact same situation. It was no different than voicing her words to the void. Except the void didn’t reply. 

“Aye, I know, but it doesn’t mean I don’t miss the little pleasures. Few and far between, though they were.”

Demdike hummed. This was a conversation they’d had many times. When their new existence was mostly just the two of them, they often spoke of their past. Their past life, to be specific. A lot of it seemed funny now. Maybe it was their time in the decompression zone post life—or maybe it was simply the effect of being so removed from what they’d once been—but matters of life and death were suddenly much less dramatic and far funnier when you were already dead. Fighting over coin, linens, and food were memories they could now look back on and find humour in. 

Though she also missed cake, death was a lot simpler. Mostly. There was no fighting for survival when you simply just were. No hunger to push you forward or pain to keep you still. As much as she’d once lived with one foot in the ether, having both on death’s side was much simpler. If you ignored the limited company. Or how she feared her own mind and sense of self were slowly eroding over time. As though, without a physical body, she was slowly dispersing into nothingness; it was just taking a little longer.

– Excerpted from One Foot in the Ether: Whispers of the Pendle Witches by Kayleigh Kavanagh, Kayleigh Kavanagh, 2025. Reprinted with permission.


About the Author
 

Kayleigh Kavanagh is a disabled writer from the North-West of England. Growing up in the area, she learnt a lot about the Pendle Witches and launched her debut novel around their life story. Her main writing genres are fantasy and romance, but she loves stories in all formats and genres. Kayleigh hopes to one day be able to share the many ideas dancing around in her head with the world.

Her latest book is the historical fantasy, One Foot in the Ether: Whispers of the Pendle Witches. 

You can visit her on Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads and Tiktok. 


 



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Review – Beautiful Brutal Bodies by Linda Cheng #lindacheng #beautiful brutal bodies #netgalley

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Version 1.0.0

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I saw the title and cover for Beautiful Brutal Bodies and was drawn into this fairy tale that walks on the dark side. I’m not sure what I was expected, but I was curious enough to read until the story finally woke me up the last quarter of the book.

The character, Tian, had me curious, with her being a singer/songwriter with an online following. It seems influencer novels are popping up here and there and I want to see what authors are doing with the subject and characters. Tian is isolated in a mansion with her friend and protector, Liya.

When several fans suffer injuries while listening to her online, she is packed up and shipped off, along with Liya, to an island in the South China Seas.

Tian finds Shenyu, her musical collaborator, is on the island too. That adds another piece to the puzzle that includes bizarre rituals and haunted forests. Could there be some romance in their future?

I didn’t read the first book, Gorgeous Gruesome Faces, so I don’t know if that is why the book seemed to drag a bit in the beginning. But once the story picks up, secrets, curses and danger threaten their survival.

My thanks go out to Roaring Book Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Beautiful Brutal Bodies.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Full of skin-crawling folk horror and sapphic romance, this feral fairytale and standalone follow-up to GORGEOUS GRUESOME FACES follows a reclusive songstress and her bodyguard who must unravel the occult mysteries of their past to escape from a cursed island.

Tian is a singer-songwriter with a massive online following, known for her hypnotic vocals and ethereal looks. But behind the glamorous façade is a disturbing reality: raised in an isolated mansion, Tian is a prisoner in her own life.

Liya is Tian’s childhood friend and her only close companion, tasked with protecting Tian at all costs. But hidden beneath Liya’s beautiful human exterior is a beastly secret: her teeth are far too sharp, and her appetite much too ferocious.

When several fans mysteriously suffer fatal injuries while watching her livestream, Tian, along with Liya, are sent to a spiritual healing retreat on a remote island in the South China Seas. They are joined by Tian’s musical collaborator Shenyu, a troubled idol whose recent brush with the law and string of bad boyfriends has him seeking his own new start. But the trio soon discovers that the island is no peaceful getaway. There is constant surveillance, bizzare rituals, and something terrifying lurking in the forest. Something not quite human.

In order to escape with her loved ones, Tian must uncover her connection to the island’s blood-drenched legend — and the truth behind Liya’s monstrous identity — before the island claims them all as its final sacrifice.

  • Genre: Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ, Young Adult
  • 336 pages, Hardcover
  • Expected publication November 4, 2025 by Roaring Book Press

ABOUT LINDA CHENG

Linda Cheng was born in Taiwan and spent her childhood moving between cultures and continents. She received her BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and worked as an art director across South Carolina and Georgia where she developed a deep love for sweet tea, grits, and Southern Gothic stories. She currently resides in Vancouver, Canada with her family.

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Dexterish Damien – Review – Watch Me Break by V E Huntley #VEHuntley #watchmebreak

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SHE'S MINE.
MINE TO TAKE.
MINE TO BREAK.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

BEWARE: There are many triggers in Watch Me Break by V E Huntley, so check the book out good if you are squeamish. She has a list of warnings on her website.

Myself, I love walking the dark side, and Watch Me Break definitely has all kinds of darkness. There are many moments of lightness and laughter added to the mix of erotica, stalker, serial killer and vigilante justice. Like Luna’s best friend, Maren, and Ricky the raccoon with a boob fetish. You may wonder how a raccoon could come in to play. Well, Luna runs Sage & Summit Wildlife Sanctuary.

Now that we’ve met Luna, let me introduce you to Damien Wolfe, a billionaire who bought an isolated mansion with a shady history and becomes her nearest neighbor. Once he bumps into her, he lays his claim, keeping his true identity camouflaged. Does he knock on her door? Hell no, he just walks right in.

As soon as I met Damien, I thought of Dexter. He metes out justice to those who manage to evade the law…But there’s more. He’s a stalker who can’t stay away from Luna, but also can’t let her know his true identity. He wants to totally dominate her and is brutal about it. I did flinch a time or two, before I came to accept that their sexual life is not one I would want, but they are consenting adults.

Maren is the wacky best friend that had me laughing out loud with the dialogue that V E Huntley supplied. Maren has a big personality, but will lay her life on the line for her bestie. They both feel an affinity with the animals that come to the wildlife sanctuary.

Watch Me Break had me squirming at times, but I loved every minute of it. Whether Damien was punishing those he feels deserve it, or punishing Luna. I love dark novels, especially when there are serial killers and vigilante justice. Quirky characters, laughable moments and unexpected animals add extra elements to an already great story.

Watch Me Break is the first book in the Watched In Darkness series, with Book II, Watch Me Burn up for preorder and due to be published on December 3, 2025. I can hardly wait to find out what happens next.

My thanks go out to V E Huntley for the chance to read Watch Me Break.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

He’s always watching. She’s starting to want him to.

What do you do if you have an injured raccoon with a boob fetish, dead bodies being dropped in your driveway, and a masked stalker who watches you, breaks into your bedroom at night, and takes your body to heights you didn’t know were possible?

If you’re Dr. Luna Foster, owner of Sage & Summit Wildlife Sanctuary, you seek out your new neighbor, Damien Wolfe, billionaire security mogul, and ask him to wire your property with security cameras.

But little do you know… He might just be the most dangerous predator of them all.

Damien
I have three rules: stay hidden, leave no traces, never let the target know. But Dr. Luna Foster’s smile shatters every rule I’ve lived by. Now I want her to see me, to know what kind of monster is watching her. I’ve spent years in the dark, perfecting the art of hunting those who deserve death. Now I’ve found someone who makes me want to step into the light—even if it means she’ll see the blood on his hands.

Luna
The first time I feel someone watching, I’m terrified. The second time, I’m curious. By the third, I’m leaving my curtains open on purpose. But when I realize my stalker isn’t the nightmare—he’s the one who hunts them—I find myself craving his deadly attention. Slowly, the weight of his gaze starts to feel less like terror and more like a deadly promise I want him to keep.

Fans of H.D. Carlton’s Haunting Adeline, Navessa Allen’s Lights Out, and Sheridan Anne’s Pretty Monster will devour this unforgettable series where love and violence dance hand in hand.

This is a dark romance containing mature themes, graphic violence, and morally ambiguous characters. Intended for adult readers who enjoy psychologically complex relationships and anti-hero love interests. Please see full content warnings on the author’s website.

  • Genre: Dark Romance, Erotica, Fiction, Serial Killer, Vigilante Justice, Suspense, Thriller
  • 476 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication November 3, 2025

ABOUT V E HUNTLEY

V.E. Huntley is a retired producer who has spent her life telling stories in one way or another. Just ask her cats. They had to endure a lifetime of her endlessly reciting entire dialogue scenes to them, even though all they desperately wanted to do was nap.

Her childhood fear of Dracula was so intense that she couldn’t sleep without the lights on and her mother guarding her bedroom door. Over time, this fear evolved into a lifelong obsession with the dark and twisted world of vampires and the concept of immortality. So, after more than two decades in the film and television industry, she ultimately chose to pursue her true passion—writing dark and sexy paranormal romance.

Besides writing, her hobbies include reading, watching movies, traveling, and keeping her husband busy with an endless honey-do list.

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MY V E HUNTLEY REVIEWS

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Review – Eternal Beauty by Ashley Fontainne & Andrea Emmes #ashleyfontainne #eternalbeauty #AndreaEmmes

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EB1
EB2
EB3

 

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Eternal Beauty by Ashley Fontainne & Andrea Emmes is a little bit horror, a little bit supernatural and a whole lot of twisting and turning thrills told by three characters. We have Bridget Higgins, a young girl who wants to write and share horror stories online. Bridget is bewitched by Barbara, an online wellness influencer and Claire is Barbara’s resentful assistant.

All the reasons that you should be careful when placing your trust in a person’s online presence come to mind. The masks people wear can more easily present a false front.

Ashley Fontainne & Andrea Emmes has created a psychological horror story with a pace that had me glued to the pages, unable to look away. The more I read, the more I had to know what comes next. The suspense and anticipation had me shaking my head, wondering how Ashley came up with so many moments of unease, knowing something wicked this way comes. I love when an author can blend fact with fiction so seamlessly. That ending…Excellent!

My thanks go out to Ashley Fontainne & Andrea Emmes for the opportunity to read and review Eternal Beauty.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

“…a psychological horror story that keeps you flipping pages frantically to see what will happen next…the parallels and horror elements reshaped from mythology were impressively shifted into new contexts and put to great use in this timely exploration of online personas and buried trauma, making everything fresh and relevant for teenagers now.” –K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite

“What sets this book apart is its refusal to conform to easy it’s messy, raw, and unapologetically horrifying…a spectacular, genre-blurring novel…fiercely original and hauntingly beautiful read.” –Jamie Michele for Readers’ Favorite

“The plot is completely unpredictable, as wild twists and turns pull the rug out from under your feet…This book is a masterpiece, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you like supernatural thrillers, I highly recommend this one!” –Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite

A supernatural thriller told in first person by three main characters over the course of eleven years, Eternal Beauty explores the lives of Bridget Higgins, a young girl grappling with grief, Claire Foster, a woman seeking physical perfection while battling her own inner demons, and Barbara O’Malley, a charismatic wellness influencer.

Fueled by her trauma of mysteriously losing her loved ones, Bridget connects deeply with Barbara as she devours her online videos looking for her own place in the world.

Claire, Barbara’s assistant, obsessed with physical beauty, seeks revenge for past tragedies, and her misguided actions affect the lives of others in unexpected ways.

The story explores the masks people wear, both online and in real life, blurring the lines between truth and illusion, and the lies we tell ourselves to justify wrong choices. Claire’s pursuit of beauty masks her inner turmoil. Bridget copes with her pain by creating an online alter ego. Barbara’s carefully crafted public persona hides the excruciating pain of past traumatic events.

Elements of Celtic mythology and folklore abound, adding a layer of mystery and otherworldly danger and creating a sense of uneasiness and impending doom, leading to a chilling climax that will leave readers breathless.

  • Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural, Teen, Young Adult
  • 299 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication October 31, 2025 by RMSW Press

ABOUT ASHLEY FONTAINNE

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/

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MY ASHLEY FONTAINNE REVIEWS

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