I shared Ashes and Blood by Katie Zaber for a tour, but I didn’t read and review it until the author asked me if I would like a copy. Of course, I said yes and I am so glad I did.
I have a thing for trees and love the cover. How about you?
I was first drawn to Ashes and Blood by Katie Zaber when I saw the cover. I love trees, whether real or fantasy.
What would you do if you are ambling along a familiar trail, and all of a sudden, you find a tree that was never there before? I think I would run, but before they can decide to do the same, things begin to change with every step they take and they are whisked away, into another world.
Sarah, Dana, Ciara and Megan are in for the time of their lives and I am along for the ride. Katie Zaber did a fantastic job creating a world filled with wonder and magic. I quickly became immersed in her world, created in vivid detail with characters I immediately became involved with.
Of course, we have to have one who is in the spotlight and that will be Megan, though all peripheral characters have very important parts to play to make this book a whole. Each has their own personalities and talents that will come in handy. They are tight and their ‘family’ grows as the adventure moves along.
Action and adventure abound and they find their destiny in a place they never could have imagined. Of course, we have to have a bad guy, and he hits very close to home, but there is someone involved who never shows their face. Are they there to save her, or want her for themselves. AND why do they want her? I am curious about who this ‘person’ is and maybe I will find out in the next book, which I hope Katie is rapidly writing.
As I searched around, Ashes and Blood is the only book I have seen by Katie Zaber. If this is her debut novel, she did a bang up job and I can only imagine what is to come. I plan on being along for the ride.
If you are looking for a story to get lost in and escape the real world for a while, I highly recommend Ashes and Blood by Katie Zaber.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Ashes and Blood by Katie Zaber.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
“I’ll start at the beginning. Long ago, before roads, before we built structures, before medicine was discovered, before the government was created, before man gained any knowledge, there were The Five. Independent from each other, The Five had a mutual respect for one another. They knew their roles in the world and their duty. They were gods…”
An adventure begins when an otherworldly tree captures the attention of Megan and her friends. The environment morphs around them, transferring them to an exotic planet. Stuck in a rural town still maimed by the plague, a chance encounter with a familiar face gives Megan and her friends some security during their adjustment period.
While settling into new, promising lives, they are attacked and stalked by planet Dalya’s humanoid inhabitants, who focus on Megan. One dark night, after an epic, magical attack, the Fae King’s knight is sent to fetch Megan. When she wakes up a prisoner, she learns that there is much more to this strange world, and it is oddly more like her own than she ever would have expected.
ABOUT KATIE ZABER
Katie Zaber is originally from Southern New Jersey. Her childhood home is just minutes from the Long Beach Island Bridge. When not writing, Katie can be found at wine tastings, sun bathing at the beach, going for hikes, screaming at Six Flags, reading, or in her favorite place, her kitchen, baking desserts and breads. She currently lives in Morris County, New Jersey with her boyfriend.
Such a great cover and tagline for Laying Ghosts, The Secrets of Selkie Moon #0.5 by Virginia King, I couldn’t resist grabbing it. It’s a quick read at 48 ebook pages.
Selkie’s home along, after declining an invite to spend time at a beachside resort with her honey, Andrew, who has to attend a conference. She has no use for beaches, other than to fear them and stay as far away from them as she can BUT…
She ends up at the beach anyway, when she receives a text:
Help me at Crystal Cottage. Rina.
She had lost touch with Marina, when she left with Frank and his band to go to London. Something doesn’t feel right and she has very bad memories of Crystal Cottage, but that won’t stop her.
Most of the characters leave a lot to be desired, even the possessive Andrew, who monitors her every move.
Wow, that was every which way of weird and surprising. I was tossed here and there, never knowing where I was going until I got there. I want more of Selkie…a lot more.
Love it!
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Ghosts used to moan. Now they … pho-o-ne.
A strange message, a deserted beach house, a shocking incident from the past … Selkie Moon’s life with change forever.
When
a text message from a long lost friend lures Selkie Moon to Crystal
Cottage, the chilling events from a house-party four years earlier wrap
her in ghostly fingers and turn her life upside-down.
A prequel to the Selkie Moon Mystery Series plus your bonus first chapter of The First Lie.
Read Laying Ghosts for a standalone 60-minute adrenaline rush or as a taste of the Selkie Moon Mystery Series: The First Lie, The Second Path, The Third Note and The Fourth Door
ABOUT VIRGINIA KING
When a voice wakes you up in the middle of the night and tells you to write a mystery series, what’s a writer to do? That’s how I came to create Selkie Moon, after a massage from a strange woman with gifted hands was followed by this nocturnal message. I sat down at the keyboard until Selkie Moon turned up — a modern woman with a mythical name. Soon I was hooked, exploring far-flung places full of secrets where Selkie delves into psychological clues tangled up in the local mythology.
Before Selkie Moon invaded my life, I’d been a teacher, an unemployed ex-teacher, the author of over 50 children’s books, an audio-book producer, a workshop presenter and a prize-winning publisher. These days I live in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney with my husband, where I disappear each day into Selkie Moon’s latest mystery. Bliss.
Mr Wonderful and I are frequent visitors to The Florabama, which is known as the Refneck Riviera. We have spent many wonderful hours drinking Bushwackers and Bloody Mary’s, alone and with friends, watching the waves roll in. Every year they have one of the world’s largest beach parties, the Mullet Toss, where people come from all over the world.
One day I walked in and immediately stopped at Chris Warner’s table…books…
Saved at the Alabama Florida Line jumped right off the table and into my hands. I loved signed copies and bought two books, hoping to see him again some time and buy more.
Have you every visited The Florabama on the Gulf Coast?
I love books that take place in a familiar location and Saved at the Alabama Florida Line by Chris Warner describes the place perfectly. I have visited The Florabama many times and we always take any visitors we have to share a cocktail and enjoy the view.
I walked into Florabama one day, me and Mr Wonderful were there for our Florabama fix and a delicious Bushwacker. I walked in the door and saw Chris Warner with his books and I immediately snatched a couple, getting them both autographed. With Covid going on, my hope to see him again and grab some more books from him went out the window.
All that being said, Saved at the Alabama Florida Line brought back memories of when I first moved to Alabama. I packed my dog and everything that would fit in my car and I drove to….Alabama.
I have visited the Redneck Riviera many times, I worked at Trinity’s and have the T shirts and sweat shirts to prove it, bought my first Mardi Gras ball gown at a small specialty shop in Fairhope, went to a party for the Kenny Stable Golf Tourney at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, spent a Mullet Toss weekend on Ono Island, have traveled 65 to 59 into Bay Minette and on to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, had a cocktail at Pink Pony Pub and bought the sweat shirt (it was chilly that day), went to a Jimmy Buffet concert on the Gulf Coast to raise awareness of the BP oil spill.
I remember my first glimpse of the white, sugary sands of Florida and thought, oh man, that looks so much like snow. It’s hard to describe unless you see it and walk through it yourself.
We travel from Point Clear to Seville Quarter here in Pensacola, with many stops along the way, enjoying cocktails, music and fun. After a little bit of partying, the Waffle House is a must stop to soak up the alcohol. Luckily, there is one right across the street from The Florabama.
Saved at the Alabama Florida Line has so many factual truths with a love story on the side. Who knows how many people have met there and gone on to have a love story of their own. I personally know of one couple, a good friend of ours and a woman we met at the Mullet Toss are still going strong years later. Ya just never know.
I loved traveling down memory lane, especially because I cannot be there due to Covid. I miss those moments of relaxation, with no cares, now worries. I long for those times and maybe a reread is in order because it will be a long time before I step through the doors again.
4 Stars
GOODREADS
Johnny Glass has had it with Nashville. Its many posers, pimps and politicians preyed on him for four difficult years, leaving him disheartened. A talented, struggling singer-songwriter, he still yearns to make a living doing what he loves, writing and singing songs. A former band mate lives in a broken down Airstream camper on the Florida-Alabama State line near the sparkling Gulf of Mexico—for free. Playing music and singing songs at the world-famous Flora-Bama Lounge and Package Store on the beach is his everyday gig. Johnny has a standing offer to join his buddy anytime, as the owner of the place is a lover of singer-songwriters, and could certainly use someone with his skills. Lucy Whitman is a sophomore debutante at the University of South Alabama and the privileged daughter of an Alabama State Senator. Uninterested in her life as a university student and sorority girl, Lucy tilts to the wild side on the weekends where she sings, unbeknownst to her overbearing parents, in a bona fide honky-tonk band at America’s Last Great American Roadhouse, the Flora-Bama. Instead of planned summer school, she has decided to spend the entire tourist season singing; and if it goes well, she likely won’t go back to South. For Johnny and Lucy, it’s love at first sight. Through joined artistry their relationship grows, and they become a popular on-stage duo. They enjoy each other and the creative fulfillment the partnership brings. However, Lucy’s mother and powerful father want nothing of their daughter playing a honky-tonk joint in Orange Beach. After gently trying to win her favor, they make their strongest, connected attempt toward altering her brazen life path; and it has devastating consequences—not only for Lucy’s music, but for everyone living on Pleasure Island: The beloved Flora-Bama may be shuttered—for good. Lucy’s father uses his political connections to deploy an army of state government agents against the beach bar, trumping up dozens of unfounded charges resulting in its indefinite closure. Already in financial trouble stemming from bad outside investments, a great recession and an unprecedented manmade environmental disaster, the bar cannot afford to be closed during the lucrative tourist season. Johnny and Lucy, the locals and the rest of the musicians join forces with the Flora-Bama’s loveable owner and come up with a plan to save the quintessential beach bar, and the community it faithfully supports. In doing so, Johnny and Lucy realize the grand futility of commercial success, and the bountiful wealth they already possess—from living and enjoying life, making music and many friends, in a beautiful, unforgettable place like no other. Saved at the Alabama-Florida Line is a romantic, satirical tale of forbidden love that seeks to draw semblance to Southern living, art, failed politics and pop culture.
Kathryn Meyer Griffith is a prolific writer and her Spookie Town Murder Mystery series has been a big hit for her. She is currently working on Book 7. Woo Hoo. Congratulations Kathryn.
Interview with Kathryn Meyer Griffith
What’s
next for you as a writer?
I am in a very different place than most
younger writers. I’m at a different part of my life and my writing career. I’ve
been writing now for over 48 years (that’s not my age…that is how long I have
been actually writing) and I’m slowing down. The feverish obsession to write
has faded some and I am very aware of the preciousness of time in a person’s life.
I’m almost 70 now and I want to enjoy my everyday existence as well as play in
my make-believe worlds. So…will I write my 30th novel, or 14th short story? I
do not know. If God allows me to, I will. I have been writing Dinosaur Lake and
Spookie Town Murder Mysteries now for over 10 years and I do miss my horror.
Perhaps I’ll write one more really scary vampire/witch/demon/ghost book before
my curtain comes down. Perhaps.
What
is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up. Keep writing. Write what you love to read.
Read. But…make time in between your writing to LIVE your life, make friends,
have fun. Believe me, life goes so quickly.
Anne Rice
Stephen King
Dean Koontz
Peter Straub
Michael Crichton
Jane Austen
Ray Bradbury
Robert Heinlein
Do you have
any unusual writing habits?
I love to write on my couch, on my laptop, with the TV on
and a cup of coffee or chocolate coffee to drink, or snacks. Some writers can
write with music playing…I can’t. But TV, yes.
What is the
name of your latest book and what inspired it?
All Those Who Came Before…is my 29th novel and the sixth
of my Spookie Town Murder Mysteries. People seem to love my quirky town cozy
murder mysteries so I just keep writing them, even though I am actually a horror/thriller
writer.
If you were
going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with
you what books would you bring?
The Bible
The newest Stephen King book
The newest/best-selling Murder Mystery
Newest best-selling SF book
What’s next
for you as a writer?
I am in a very different place than most younger writers.
I’m at a different part of my life and my writing career. I’ve been writing now
for over 48 years (that’s not my age…that is how long I have been actually
writing) and I’m slowing down. The feverish obsession to write has faded some
and I am very aware of the preciousness of time in a person’s life. I’m almost
70 now and I want to enjoy my everyday existence as well as play in my
make-believe worlds. So…will I write my 30th novel, or 14th short story? I do
not know. If God allows me to, I will. I have been writing Dinosaur Lake and
Spookie Town Murder Mysteries now for over 10 years and I do miss my horror.
Perhaps I’ll write one more really scary vampire/witch/demon/ghost book before
my curtain comes down. Perhaps.
Do you have
any advice for new authors?
Never give up. Keep writing. Write what you love to read.
Read. These days…advertise, advertise, advertise!
What is the
best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up. Keep writing. Write what you love to read.
Read. But…make time in between your writing to LIVE your life, make friends,
have fun. Believe me, life goes so quickly.
THE HISTORY OF MY 5 BEST-SELLING DINOSAUR LAKE BOOKS:
I started the first DINOSAUR LAKE over 28 years ago and it
(stupidly titled back then as Predator…a title I fought with my publisher to
change, but they wouldn’t) and Zebra Paperbacks was supposed to publish the
first one in 1994. Last minute, though, after it was slated to go on the stands
in 6 weeks, covers printed and final editing done, they dumped it; dumped a lot
of their so-called horror authors and my book (which was to be my seventh
published novel; fourth with Zebra). Zebra said “no one wants to read
about a dinosaur.” Yeah? Jurassic Park came out soon after that. Oh well.
Anyway, disgusted at that time with publishers and everything to
do with writing I stuffed the manuscript into a drawer. Then in 2012 I decided
to try self-publishing and remembered that old manuscript. I took it out, rewrote
it and used it as an experiment in self-publishing. And boy did my readers love
it and buy it. So, over the next eight years I wrote 4 sequels: Dinosaur Lake
II: Dinosaurs Arising, Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation and Dinosaur Lake IV:
Dinosaur Wars, and Dinosaur Lake V: Survivors. They are still among some of my
best-selling and beloved books; second only to my 6 Spookie Town Murder
Mysteries. Want to read more about my dinosaur books, look here: tinyurl.com/ycp5gqb2
The Prologue for All Things Slip Away filled me in on the highlights of the Spookie Town Murder Mystery Series Book I, Scaps of Paper, and thank goodness. It has been a while since I read it, so I needed a refresher. You could begin reading here, but I am loving this series so much, I would highly recommend beginning at the beginning. 🙂
NOW…it’s ten years later and Frank Lester, a Chicago Homicide detective that moved to Spooky town, has found the serial killer he thought he had taken out is back, and he is on the hunt…for revenge.
I read a lot of Young Adult novels, so it is refreshing to be meeting some older characters that carry baggage and memories, and lust does not override their emotions. The romance is a slow burn, but smolders throughout the pages.
There is so much more to the killer than meets the eye. He has his own issues and problems that he cannot overcome. He is driven to seek revenge. The villain is one of those bad guys that can evoke a moment of sympathy for him.
Abigail is Frank’s love interest, but he is not alone in his desire to date her.The sheriff has his eye on her too. Myrtle is a neighbor and she is quite the character. She gave me some laughs and I love some humor with my murder. My heart went out to Laura and Nick, and the rest of their family, two children whose mother is ill and they struggle to even feed themselves. The two kids broke my heart, yet put a smile on my face.
The suspense is ramping up as the pacing takes me to the next event and I am eager, yet apprehensive about HIS and Frank’s next meeting.
Kathryn Meyer Griffith’s has an ability to draw me into the story so deep that I feel like I am walking in Abigail’s shoes, being stalked, feeling like someone is following me, watching me, having me looking over my shoulder, ‘hiding out’, keeping low.
I love that Kathryn can stretch the story, all the while keeping me on edge. It has been months since HE has been seen…life goes on…but, we all know it isn’t over. The tension builds as I wait, wait for the explosion that is about to come.
Well, I guess you can tell how much I loved All Things Slip Away. The story is fabulous and kept me totally engrossed, the characters came to life on the pages through Kathryn’s words and I fell in love with them. The peripheral characters became just as important to me as the main ones. The mystery, yeah, we know who he is, sorta but that does not take away anything from the story.
I highly recommend any of her work. Kathryn has never disappointed me.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of All Things Slip Away by Kathryn Meyer Griffith.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Ten years ago Frank Lester, a Chicago homicide detective, thought he had rid himself forever of the Mud People Killer who’d kidnapped and murdered six people. Frank had shot him as he’d fled through a snowy night; had killed him, he believed, though a body was never found. But the killer wasn’t dead. He’d only been waiting to take his revenge on Frank and those he cares about now…ten years later. Frank retired early and is living back in his hometown of Spookie when the killer resurfaces to take up where he left off. Kidnapping more innocents and tormenting Frank and the people he cares about. Unless Frank and his artist girlfriend, Abigail Sutton, can find and stop him before he kills more people and perhaps both of them.
SPOOKIE TOWN MURDER MYSTERIES: FROM THE AUTHOR for Author Central:
I started writing this SPOOKIE TOWN MURDER MYSTERY (I called the town Spookie as a tip-of-my-hat to my horror roots…I began my career in 1984 as a Leisure & Zebra horror paperback writer) series way back in 2003 (that is why there are no iPhones and laptops in the first few books…I wanted to keep the timeline pure) for Avalon Books as hardcovers and since then, because people loved the stories so much, I have written six more and self-published them all in eBooks everywhere, paperbacks and audio books. Scraps of Paper (The First Spookie Town Murder Mystery), All Things Slip Away (The Second Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Ghosts Beneath Us (The Third Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Witches Among Us (The Fourth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), What Lies Beneath the Graves (The Fifth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), All Those Who Came Before (The Sixth Spookie Town Murder Mystery), When the Fireflies Returned (The Seventh Spookie Town Murder Mystery, which will be out in December 2020). Since 1984, I have published 29 novels (horror, romance, time-travel, paranormal and thrillers)and 13 short stories.
Thank you, the author Kathryn Meyer Griffith
ABOUT KATHRYN MEYER GRIFFITH
Kathryn Meyer Griffith has been a writer
for over forty-nine years now and has had twenty-nine novels and thirteen short
stories published since 1984. She began her writing career as a paperback
horror author in 1984 with Leisure and Zebra Publishing, but has since moved on
to write paranormal horror, romantic historical time-travel, suspense, romance,
thrillers, and murder mysteries. Her horror novel The Last Vampire, and her
thriller Dinosaur Lake (now a best-selling five book series), were both Epic
eBook Awards Finalists in 2012 and 2014. Kathryn Meyer Griffith rdgriff@htc.net
NOVELS: Evil Stalks the Night, The Heart of the Rose, Blood Forged, Vampire Blood, The Last Vampire (2012 Epic eBook Awards Finalists in their Horror category), Witches, Witches II: Apocalypse, Witches plus Witches II: Apocalypse, The Nameless One erotic horror short story, The Calling, Scraps of Paper (1st Spookie Town Murder Mystery), All Things Slip Away (2nd Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Ghosts Beneath Us (3rd Spookie Town Murder Mystery), Witches Among Us (4th Spookie Town Murder Mystery), What Lies Beneath the Graves (5th Spookie Town Murder Mystery), All Those Who Came Before (6th Spookie Town Murder Mystery); soon, a 7th, When the Fireflies Retuned, out in December 2020, Egyptian Heart, Winter’s Journey, The Ice Bridge, Don’t Look Back, Agnes, A Time of Demons and Angels, The Woman in Crimson, Human No Longer, Four Spooky Short Stories Collection, Forever and Always Romantic Novella, Night Carnival Short Story, Dinosaur Lake (2014 Epic eBook Awards Finalists in their Thriller/Adventure category), Dinosaur Lake II: Dinosaurs Arising, Dinosaur Lake III: Infestation and Dinosaur Lake IV: Dinosaur Wars, Dinosaur Lake V: Survivors, Memories of My Childhood, and a biographical short story Christmas Magic 1959.
I have had my eye on the Lizzie Borden: Zombie Hunter series for some time now and was sooooo happy when she asked me if I wanted to review the books. YAY!
Are you ready? Let’s start by checking out this fabulous cover by Jaun Villar Pardon.
I have been following C A Verstraete for a little while now, and was ecstatic when she asked if I wanted to review Lizzie Borden: Zombie Hunter and my reply was a resounding…YES.
Want to know what really happened in the Borden household on that fateful night? It’s not what you’re thinking and I love what the author has done with this familiar story of murder and betrayal. Sooooo, be prepared for a savage tale of survival.
Lizzie Borden: Zombie Hunter by C A Verstraete was a lot of what I expected, but the author has treated me to some twists and turns, suspense and savage do or die fighting that makes this an action packed story that kept me flipping the pages.
I loved watching Lizzie grow and change throughout the story, becoming the zombie hunter she knew she could be. The battles to survive are savage, brutal, with blood and heads flying along with the bullets.
I wondered how Christine would twist the story, and a conspiracy fits very nicely.
I love the ending and want to see what happens in the next sword slashing, gun blazing zombie killer story.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Lizzie Borden: Zombie Hunter by C A Verstraete.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Every family has its secrets…
One hot August morning in 1892, Lizzie Borden picked up an axe and murdered her father and stepmother. Newspapers claim she did it for the oldest of reasons: family conflicts, jealousy and greed. But what if her parents were already dead? What if Lizzie slaughtered them because they’d become zombies?
Thrust into a horrific world where the walking dead are part of a shocking conspiracy to infect not only Fall River, Massachusetts, but also the world beyond, Lizzie battles to protect her sister, Emma, and her hometown from nightmarish ghouls and the evil forces controlling them.
ABOUT C A VERSTRAETE
Christine (C.A.) Verstraete is an award-winning author and journalist from Wisconsin who loves writing odd little stories with a touch of the macabre!
* New stories in 100 Word Bigger Zombie Bites! New stories in anthologies – 100 Word Horrors 3 and 100 Word Zombie Bites.
Now out! LIZZIE BORDEN, ZOMBIE HUNTER 2: The Axe Will Fall!!! – Lizzie is back, swinging her axe again! Sequel to LIZZIE BORDEN, ZOMBIE HUNTER!
* COMPANION NOVELLA: * Was Lizzie Borden’s doctor haunted by what he saw that day – and by Fall River? THE HAUNTING OF DR. BOWEN, A Mystery in Lizzie Borden’s Fall River
* My story, “Thirteen Horses” is in the anthology, Descent Into Darkness. (#1 Bestseller!)
** Check my website for news, https://www.cverstraete.com and my blog, http://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com. Or see my minis blog: http://candidcanine.blogspot.com.
When she’s not writing (when is that?), Christine also enjoys creating in miniature. She is author of DOLLHOUSE DECOR & MORE, Vol. 1 with Joanna Campbell Slan and IN MINIATURE STYLE II. (MSII will be re-published and updated later.)
It’s good to be back with the girls, watching how they have grown since being sold into slavery by their parents.
Diamond had awakened in the mansion the girls had been brought to, but they had been quickly separated, so she has no idea if they are still there or sold off to some pathetic excuse for a human. She thought of escape, but it was impossible, considering the metal collar she wore was chained to the wall. Diamond is the oldest and feels responsible for her sisters, but how could she save them, if she can’t even save herself? She has been abused and tortured, but she will not give up.
Then….she heard voices.
Jane Blythe’s ability to tell a story keeps me flipping pages, eyes rapidly scanning the pages as the suspense builds and I wait for the next tragedy to befall one of these wonderful women who strive to find a bit of happiness after the tragedies that Jane heaped on them.
The characters come to life on the pages, making me worry and fret about who will be hurt next, how badly, and why?
Diamond won’t quit. She has kept HOPE alive through her worst moments and even more so since she has Elijah and Archer.
Jane Blythe does not make it easy to figure out who wants Diamond dead, and the pacing creates a sense of urgency. Action packed. I took a moment in the lull of the action to catch my breath while I was allowed to see Diamond and Eljah’s innermost thoughts and fears, but I knew Jane Blythe had much more to come.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Fractured Diamond by Jane Blythe.
4 Stars
GOODREADS BLURB
Betrayed. Sold. Tortured. Now she’s fighting to rebuild her life.
Diamond Hatcher was always the quiet girl—the shy one. Her ordeal at the hand of human traffickers left her more reserved, expressing through her paintings what she cannot put into words. She took the biggest risk of her life when she let Detective Elijah Newton know she was interested in him, but he didn’t return her feelings.
Elijah’s life was turned upside down in a way he never could have expected, and although he has feelings for Diamond, there is no way he’s going to drag her into the mess his life has become. Until fate forces his hand. When someone starts using Diamond’s paintings as inspiration to commit murder, there isn’t anything he won’t do to keep her safe, including tell her his biggest secret.
↝ Trigger warning – mature content, issues of sexual assault/abuse, violence ↜
ABOUT JANE BLYTHE
Jane
has loved reading and writing since she can remember. She writes dark
and disturbing crime/mystery/suspense with some romance thrown in
because, well, who doesn’t love romance? She has one completed series,
Detective Parker Bell, and one new series, Count to Ten.
When she’s not writing Jane loves to
read, bake, go to the beach, ski, horse ride, and watch Disney movies.
She has a black belt in Taekwondo, and a 200+ collection of teddy bears.
She has the world’s two most sweet and pretty Dalmatians, Ivory and
Pearl. Oh, and she also enjoys spending time with family and friends!
Cate Beauman’s Aftermath Of Secrets Release Celebration!
AFTERMATH OF SECRETS
The Carter Island Trilogy, Book 2
RELEASE DATE: June 4, 2020
MY REVIEW
Aftermath by Cate Beauman is Book II of the Charter Island series and picks up where book one left off, though it is Molly and Brad’s turn to be in the spotlight. I don’t know why Aftermath fell a little flat, unless it was because I was blown away by Secrets in the Glass and read it immediately after, and it didn’t grab me, like the first one. Could it be because I wasn’t as invested in the characters and their outcome, like I was with Callie and Nate?
One drunken night had ruined Molly and Brad’s lifelong friendship. Molly, Brad, and Molly’s brother, nate, had been like the Three Musketeers. They both missed it, though they didn’t know how to fix it. With romantic suspense a lot comes down to communication. Who would make the first move?
When the characters mentioned watching Friends reruns, I thought, isn’t Friends always on cable somewhere. LOL I watch them all the time. I love little touches like this that make it easy to relate to moments in the characters lives.
Molly is easy going, but she is a tomboy and not shy about saying what she thinks. I love Molly thoughts about fashion…sneakers, jeans and a sweat shirt. And makeup? What’s that? She is the opposite of Callie and I think that’s why they make such great friends. Sounds like someone I could be friends with too. They can fill in the blanks and help navigate some of their troubles, all while building a friendship.
Molly’s sister, Gwen, is the opposite when it comes to fashion. I love when she is dressing her for a New Year’s ball and she looks in the mirror, all glammed up, and says,”Holy crap.” I busted out laughing. Been there, done that.
Brad’s brother, Jordan, appeared, I thought his timing highly suspicious and Brad is leery.
I knew a shitstorm was brewing, it’s just, what kind of shit storm will it be.
I have read a lot of Cate Beauman’s books and love them. I’m not sure what happened with Aftermath. The beginning seemed a little choppy. I was already invested in the characters and wanted the best for Molly and Brad, but, for me, it never reached the level of Secrets in the Glass. I would recommend reading Secrets in the Glass first and feel Aftermath keeps Carter Island on the map.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Aftermath by Cate Beauman.
4 Stars
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
When The Secrets Of The Past Threaten To
Destroy The Future…
Boston’s Most Eligible Bachelor has it all:
good looks, a great career, and plenty of wealth and prestige. But Bradley
Sanderson’s charmed life quickly falls apart when scandal rocks his famous
family. Arrests have been made; the media circus has begun, and Brad’s been
tasked with the daunting chore of restoring the Sandersons’ good name. Moving
back to Carter Island and picking up the pieces hasn’t been easy, especially
when the one person he needs the most won’t give him the time of day.
Bakery owner and island resident Molly Carter
is loyal to her core, but that doesn’t mean Brad’s homecoming hasn’t left her
torn. Brad’s darkest days aren’t lost on Molly, but reaching out to her
lifelong friend isn’t so simple when she’s forced to guard her heart. Everything
changed when she woke up alone after their sexy summer night.
The complications keep coming when Brad’s
long-lost brother shows up in town, bringing the remnants of his checkered past
with him. Forgiveness and redemption are possible for all, until new secrets
come to light that may have dire consequences.
*A contemporary romance with twists of mystery and suspense
5
Stars!“I’m
a big sucker for a good love story, especially one that has drama. Aftermath Of
Secrets by Cate Beauman provided both in a beautiful way. I was swept in by the
characters, their wants, and desires.” -Shannon Winings, Readers’
Favorite Book Awards
EXCERPT
“So,
what now? The tree’s officially decorated. It’s just you, me, hot chocolate,
and…a movie?”
“Scrabble,”
Brad decided. His family wasn’t going to ruin one more moment of his night.
Molly’s
left brow winged up again. “Scrabble?”
He
nodded. “By the Christmas tree—something we’ve never done before. I didn’t get
a chance to kick your ass after Thanksgiving dinner this year.”
She
flashed him one of the grins that lit up her face and made his pulse race.
Damn, she was spectacular. “I’ve kicked your ass the last two years in a
row, which is odd because didn’t you go to Harvard?”
He
laughed, rolling his eyes at the ceiling. “You’ve gotta come up with something
else.”
“But
it was Harvard, right? And Harvard Medical School after that?”
“Yeah,
it was both of the Harvards.” He reached out, tugging gently on her hair.
“Let’s do this, brat.”
She
pulled the game out of the basket beneath the coffee table. “Oh, let’s indeed.”
They
brought their mugs and plate of treats with them as they moved to lie on their
stomachs across from one another and set up the game under the lights of the
tree.
He
selected his preliminary tile and grinned when he drew a letter A and
Molly a G. “Looks like I go first.” He drew his seven tiles and let out
a hoot as he studied his selection. “And here we go.” He laid out quit in
the center of the board. “That looks like fourteen points.”
She
glared as she pulled her tiles and looked at her pieces. “Beginner’s luck.”
He
sent her a mischievous smile. “We’ll see.”
Molly
beamed. “Got one.” She laid out an S, L, and T.
His
brow shot up. “Slut?”
“And a double word score for eight points.
Don’t be jealous.”
“I’m
not. First move, and I’m winning.”
“For
now, but it’s early days, Ivy League. Early days.”
He
laughed as she did. Christmas tree decorating, Scrabble, and plenty of smack
talk with Molls. Her five nights of fun idea was turning out to be the ultimate
gift.
ALSO PART OF THE CARTER ISLAND NOVELS SERIES
SECRETS HIDDEN IN THE GLASS
The Carter Island Novels, Book 1
MY REVIEW
Secrets Hidden in the Glass is a looooong book and I have a lot to say. Once I started, I only put it down to eat, use the facilities, and sleep. The characters quickly became my friends and I went on one hell of a ride, filled with danger and suspense. It has so many elements I love in a book, my page and a half of notes is going to have to be severely edited.
Callie desperately needed a vacation and felt the magical affects of the island her first day there. She was in desperate need of sleep and it found her as soon as she sat down. She awoke more refreshed than she had felt for months.
She had already met the sheriff and, like the island, she felt an immediate attraction when he poked his head out from under the sink he was fixing in the home she was renting. He felt the attraction too and, seeing he was her landlord and neighbor, felt he would have many opportunities to get to know her better.
Callie is an artist, working in stained glass, and fame has not been kind to her. She prefers spending her time working on her art to hobnobbing with those who want a piece of her. She built a very high wall to protect herself.
Nate slowly dries the mortar that holds the wall,allowing it to fall and the light, along with her emotions were coming out in a slow way, relaxing in the small moments of getting to know someone. She steps outside herself not knowing why, just that it felt right. Their romance is a slow build with many uncertainties and danger.
The island life was what she needed. The people are real, easy going and not overbearing, even though they know she is famous, though she has no idea they know and is surprised by it when she finds out. All this reminds me soooo much of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
Callie is relaxed, happy, but knowing Cate Beauman this is foreplay for the danger lurking in the background. I keep waiting and waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. The slow, subtle buildup is spent getting to know everyone, including the dark memories that put a bullseye on Callie. It does get hot and heavy, but not in the ‘I like you, let’s do it” manner.
I am soooo curious how she came to be abandoned at four years old. She has all the issues that go along with it. That explains why she holds people at a distance.
...love and attachment meant fear and pain for Callie.
When Callie’s adopted mom told Nate that as a child she would get up in the night and sleep in front of the door so she would know if they tried to leave her, it broke my heart. It’s the little details that Cate Beauman adds to the story that allows me to SEE what is happening.
“It crossed my mind to knock him out a couple of times, but then I would have needed to arrest myself…” says Nate.
Be prepared for tears, laughter, passion, danger, and hours of nonstop reading, because Secrets Hidden in the Glass by Cate Beauman is the complete package. I am BLOWN AWAY.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Secrets Hidden in the Glass by Cate Beauman.
5 Stars
BOOK DESCRIPTION
The secrets of the past are always closer than we think…
Stained glass artist Callie Davis is in desperate need of a
vacation. Burnt out and on the edge of a nervous breakdown, she’s fleeing the
pressures of her career and is taking refuge on Massachusetts’ tiny Carter
Island. Callie yearns for long, lazy days and pretty walks on the beach—blessed
solitude and an escape from the complications of her life. Then she bumps into
gorgeous Nate Carter and everything changes.
Sheriff Nathan Carter couldn’t be happier now that the height
of the summer season has finally come and gone. After four endless months,
tourists have packed their bags and headed for the mainland. The quiet days of
autumn are about to befall the town—the way Nate and his fellow Sandersonians
like it best.
But nothing ends up quite the way Nate expects when he meets
the beautiful blonde with the big blue eyes. Callie’s pretty smiles hide
secrets—deep, dark mysteries that could cost them both their lives if they
continue digging into the past and cross a killer’s path.
*A contemporary romance with twists of mystery and suspense
“Great
character’s, fantastic plot, it is a book to sink into. You feel the magic of
the island…” Amazon Verified Review
“Even throughout the nail-biting scenes, and
moments of terrible sadness, you feel the rise of love sneaking back into the
picture.” Amazon Verified Review
Amazon Rating: 4.5/5
Goodreads Rating: 4.4/5
ABOUT CATE BEAUMAN
Cate Beauman is the multi-award-winning, international bestselling author of The Bodyguards of L.A. County series and the Carter Island Novels. She is known for her full-length, action-packed romantic suspense and contemporary stories.
Cate’s
novels have been named Readers’ Favorite Five Star books and have won the
Booksellers’ Best Award, Maggie Award for Excellence, the Holt Medallion Award,
two-time Aspen Gold Medal, two-time Readers’ Favorite International Gold Medal,
three-time Readers’ Favorite International Silver Medal, and the Readers’ Crown
Award.
Cate
makes her home in New Hampshire with her family and their St. Bernards, Bear
and Jack.
I received an email from Nick’s Reader’s Club with all those beautiful covers lined up in a row. Do you wonder who’s watching you now? LOL
Also, Dead Meat: Day 1 is free, while Nick has heavily discounted Day 2 And Day 3, so now is the time to jump in. You can also read for free on Kindle Unlimited. Happy reading.
The Dead Meat series by Nick Clausen covers the apocalyptic/dystopian world he has created on a day by day basis. I highly recommend reading the series in order as each book picks up where the previous book left off.
It is so easy to visualize and relate to the storyline because we are going through it now, sans the zombies. I began reading this before Covid-19, but the characters careless actions read too much like real people’s disregard for others in spreading the disease. All it take is one person to break the rules, one moment of carelessness, others thinking, oh, it will be alright. It only takes one person to set off an explosion.
Day 4 is longer than the other books. It seems to grow as I meet new characters and keep up with the old ones.
I could not stop reading this action packed, heart in my throat, nonstop suspense with tension that left be a bit sore from my muscles being clenched so tight.
OMG…you better be prepared to lose some of your friends along the way, because Nick Clausen doesn’t hesitate to kill them off in gruesome, tragic, heartbreaking fashion.
AND…he ends with my emotions reeling as I mourn, yet I have hope.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dead Meat: Day 4 by Nick Clausen.
5 Stars
AMAZON SYNOPSIS
The dead have awakened. Driven by insatiable hunger. In eternal search of fresh meat. The infection spreads like the plague. Nothing stands between the undead and humanity. Is it too late to save the world from disaster?
The end of the world one day at a time
In this new apocalyptic zombie series from the author of They Come at Night and Human Flesh, we follow events day for day as the world slowly decends into mayhem and the zombies take over. Don’t miss the thrilling ride!
For fans of The Walking Dead and The Orphan Books.
Day 4 of the zombie apocalypse
The story picks up from Day 3. Dorte, a young doctor, desperately tries to find a cure for her sister, who got scratched by one of the infected. It’s a race against time, and it’s only the beginning of another day in hell.
By Day 4, the infection begins to spread across nation
borders, and it looks like none of the governments will be able to
contain it. Is it too late to save the world?
★★★★★ “Definitely the best day yet!”
★★★★★ “This series just gets more and more exciting”
★★★★★ “had me hooked from the first page”
EXCERPT
Henrik has turned away to go back inside the bedroom and pack a fresh set of clothes, when Kirsten screams.
He
spins around and sees Finn come lunging out from Jennie’s old room,
throwing himself at Kirsten, who backs away into the wall in a vain
attempt to get out of reach. But it’s too late, and Finn bites down hard
on her neck.
Kirsten’s scream turns even higher and more piercing.
Oh, Jesus Christ!
Henrik
runs down the hallway and grabs Kirsten’s flailing arm. He begins
tugging hard to get her away from Finn, but Finn acts like a predator
who just caught his breakfast and isn’t intent at all on letting it go.
He bears down harder with his teeth, growling and blowing bubbles in the
blood from Kirsten’s throat. He also reaches up and grabs her by the
grey hair, yanking her head sideways.
Kirsten screams again, very
high-pitched, but a little weaker than before, and for an awful moment,
she looks like a piece of toy torn between two big kids, as Henrik pulls
her one way, while Finn pulls her the other.
“Let go of her!”
Henrik shouts, and then, without thinking, he lets go of Kirsten with
one hand in order to throw a punch at Finn. His knuckles connect with
the old guy’s temple, and his jaw pops open for a moment, as he blinks
his dead eyes and staggers backwards, loosening his grip on Kirsten’s
hair and allowing Henrik to pull her free. She almost collapses into his
arms, and Henrik half drags, half lifts her backwards down the hallway,
away from Finn.
But the neighbor quickly regains his bearings and
comes waddling after them, arms stretched out, the lower part of his
face smothered in blood …
ABOUT NICK CLAUSEN
Born 1988 in North Jutland,
where I still live with my wife, who also happened to be my earliest
childhood girlfriend. From 2017 I have lived as a full-time writer. Up
until then, I had different jobs beside the writing. I have been
studying as a carpenter for three years, and have also read two years of
psychology at Aalborg University. It turned out that the writing had a
much more powerful pull on me.
I decided early on that I would be an author when I grew up. In
fact, the decision came to me already when I read my first book,
Snevampyren by Dennis Jürgensen. My first “real” stories I wrote at
14-15 years of age. They were rejected by the publisher, but still got
praise. There were some years when I was busy with being a teenager and
trying to get an education before I suddenly remembered that I should
be an author.
That day I made a promise
to write 1,000 words a day until I got a book published. I sat down and
started writing. I continued to write every single day for a year and a
half. I sent the finished manuscripts to different publishers, and the
rejections piled up. Twelve of them by the end. But each time I could
feel it was a little bit better. The criticism became more positive. The
thirteenth story was called Tidevandet, and it was adopted by the
publisher and came out a year later.
I have always enjoyed writing, although in the beginning I put a lot
of pressure on myself. My approach to the process has become much more
free over the years. For example, I no longer plan my stories. That
way, I feel that I’m experiencing the story while writing it and the
characters feel like real people. I do not know where the ideas come
from, but I’ve never had trouble finding them.
Pippin had been snatched by her mentally ill father. It’s a miracle, and thanks to Agent Matt Lalor, that she is alive today. Even Monty, his dog, had known that fate was calling.
My heart jumped out of my chest when Matt bade Monty to FIND Pippen…and he jumped. Great writing. That had me racing through the pages, and, even though I felt I knew where the journey would end, I was looking forward to the ride.
Ten years later…and Pippin returns home. It’s time to visit the past and put it behind her…forever. Yeah. Right. I don’t think that’s going to happen.
Matt Laylor is known as a cold fish, a loner, a recluse, a hard man.
I loved spending time with Vallor on Snow Lake, as he taught Pippin the fine art of ice fishing. I love a book that brings memories roaring back. I remember those huts on the frozen lake, like a small city on the ice, that appears and disappears at nature’s whim.
Lydia is Pippin’s editor for the mystery series she has been writing, and when she comes to town the action knows no limits. I knew she would add some good times…and maybe some bad times…to the equation. She has a very strong personality, but she’s one of those kind of people that make your life a richer place if she is in it.
I laughed out loud when she reached the cabin. I could see it playing out like a scene in a movie.
Levi, may be a bit slow, but he has a big heart. He comes and goes throughout the novel and I am worried what Lawna Mackie has in store for him. He is so sweet. She couldn’t kill him off, could she? At this point, every time I see his name, I feel a sense of impending doom, like he has a part to play and I don’t want anything bad to happen to him.
James? Chance?
I didn’t spot the villain right away. He sure has a lot of patience, waiting in the shadows for THAT moment.
Yes there were a few teary eyed moments. I even felt a Pretty Woman moment adding some good feels, which we always want in a romance…don’t we?
Predictable? Sure. Suspenseful moments? You bet. Laughs and love? For sure.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Forget Me Not by Lawna Mackie.
4 Stars
AMAZON SYNOPSIS
He was dead…or so she thought.
At the age of twelve, Pippin
Bartlett, is abducted by her mentally ill father who goes on a killing
rampage. Fortunately she is rescued outside the small town of Snow Lake,
Manitoba by ex-sniper and CSIS Agent Matt Lalor, who shoots and
reportedly kills the man although the body is never recovered.
Fast-forward
ten years and we find Pippin writing successful novels in New York
under the alias of Avery Woods. Her words help lessen the impact of the
terror she lived through. That is until a series of fan letters arrive.
And not just from any fan, but one who sounds a lot like her father and
is determined to finish the failed job from ten years ago.
Matt
Lalor has secrets of his own. A career that ended badly and one he
wishes to forget. He lives his life in a remote cabin in Snow Lake
where, whenever possible, he avoids people. With two notable exceptions
he mostly succeeds. The first is the day he is required to rescue a
twelve-year old girl. Never missing a shot he believes whole-heartedly
the man is dead. The second is the day twenty-two year old Pippin drives
into a snowbank on his property to turn his world upside down. She’s
being hunted by a killer for a second time, and Matt refuses to let harm
come to her. What he doesn’t expect is for the fearless and sassy
beautiful young woman to capture his heart in the process.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lawna
Mackie was born in Jasper, Alberta. After finishing high school and
post secondary she moved to Calgary, Alberta, married her husband and
settled in the small town of Didsbury, Alberta.
Lawna would tell you that a lot of her
creativity comes from her mother, who could design and build, just about
anything. Her mother never lacked the talent for hand-making toys. “She
always amazed me. My brother and I were never bored because she made us
flutes, toy cars, and even parallel bars in the trees,” she explains.
Her other creative inspiration comes
from her husband Jeff, and the many adventures they have had. It was on
one particular trip to British Columbia, when she stopped at the
Enchanted Forrest that the fairy tale world called to her to write a
story.
Along with the love she has for her
husband and family, is the deep admiration and compassion she has for
animals. “They bring so much joy and inspiration to my life I don’t know
how I would ever live without them,” she says. Alaskan Malamutes are
near and dear to her heart. With one Malamute, one Bichon Shih Tzu, one
farm cat and a Bengal, her house is never quiet.
Lawna writes contemporary romance and
paranormals. One fan writes, “Lawna’s books are well-written and are
impossibly good! The scenes are unexpected and very creative. I highly
recommend her books!”
Isn’t this such a cute cover for Bad Fairy by Elaine Kaye?
Title: Bad Fairy
Series: A Bad Fairy Adventure (Book One)
Author: Elaine Kaye
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Fantasy Middle Grade
Length: 66 pages
Age Range: 8-12
BLURB: Thistle Greenbud is not a bad fairy. She
simply doesn’t like rules, and it’s just her luck that her homework is to
create a new rule for the fairy handbook. But first, she has more important
things to do. Like figure out how to get back at Dusty and Moss for playing tricks
on her.
Before she can carry out
her plan, though, disaster strikes and she finds herself working alongside the
very fairies she wanted revenge on. Can they work together and trust each
other, or will things go from bad to worse?
As we watch the boys,
the wind picks up, making the fern lay flat, exposing us. We gasp and make a
dash for the closest tree. Behind it, we huddle together.
“Boogles! A branch just
hit me,” Weedy says.
The sky turns black.
Wind swirls dust and leaves, and spits pebbles at us. This is not good. We have
to get going now or else our payback will get blown away.
“Let’s go!” I scream and
lead the group from behind the tree, but the wind makes it hard for us to move
forward.
Rose and Lilly grab
hands as they run, screaming, toward the creek. Lacey stumbles over a fallen
twig, landing flat and hitting her face hard on the ground. When she doesn’t
move, I race to her as sand and pine needles prick my skin.
I help Lacey to her
feet. Luckily, she only has a few cuts on her face. A tiny bit of blood streaks
down her forehead. She looks at me. Fear is bright in her eyes. She needs help.
We all need help. I peer toward the creek. The boys are still there, frantically
trying to lift the bag full of stones.
Shouting a warning and
waving my arms, I hurry to the creek, trying to get their attention. Finally,
Dusty sees me. He looks as if he’s been caught with his hand in the pixie jar.
I point to the sky and
wave them to come our way. Rain starts to fall. Dusty pulls Moss from the
creek. Fat drops of water pelt my head and wings as I wait for the boys to
reach me.
“It must be a twisty!”
Dusty screams. “We better find shelter.”
GIVEAWAY:
3 Signed Paperback Picture Books –
Pea Soup Disaster, Doctor Mom, The Missing Alphabet
Eligibility: International
Number of Winners: One
Giveaway Ends: July 1, 2020 12:00am Eastern Standard Time
Elaine Kaye is the author of A Gregory Green Adventure series. She first created Gregory Green after her son, who loved her homemade pea soup, thus inspiring the story Pea Soup Disaster. Bad Fairy is her middle grade debut and the first of A Bad Fairy Adventure series.
Kaye has worked as a
library assistant and teacher’s assistant in elementary schools in the Sunshine
State. She currently lives in Florida, but she has called Michigan; Honolulu,
Hawaii; and Okinawa, Japan home. She is a grandmother of three boys.
![Forget Me Not by [Lawna Mackie]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51PXgMZZD-L.jpg)
