Tag Archives: 4 star review

Review – Find Her by Chris Patchell @chris_patchell

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I meant to have the Find Her by Chris Patchell review done around the November 16th release date, but life got in the way. It in no way reflects on my thoughts about the book, which I have a page plus of notes. I am sure I will be editing that down.

I love the cover, how about you?

Find Her (Lacey James #1)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love the cover for Find Her by Chris Patchell. I have a love of trees, naked or dressed, but naked is the best. Look closely at the branches. What do you see? To me it is like looking at clouds in the sky and deciphering the images that pass overhead.

Sadie saw the man in aisle four of the hardware store. All her spidey senses went on high alert, but he managed to lift the hammer and leave without being nabbed for nonpayment. Nine thousand eight hundred and fifteen people lived in the small town of Sweet Home, and she knew he wasn’t one of them.

Police Officer Lacey James is on the case. She was ‘this’ close to nabbing him, and after seeing what was in the back of the car….

Lacey James is married to a soldier who is in Fort Hood. She has two young boys and it looks like she will be raising them on her own.

Hmmm…at the end of Part I the story took a twist I didn’t see coming. Chris…whether you know it or not, you get me. Your books are right up my alley and give me hours of suspenseful reading pleasure.

I don’t know what is going on, or where we are going, but Noah and security at the Mall leaves a lot to be desired. A second storyline comes into play and I am curious how the parts will mesh together. I am on the hook and OMG! The quickness of the end of Part II caught me so offguard I can hardly wait to see what Part III has in store for me.

I so want to peek ahead, BUT no cheating. I know it will be worth the wait and I don’t think I will be able to put my Kindle down until the last word is read.

WHY? That is my question, as much as who, how…

Lacey is great, and if anything were to happen to me or mine, I would want her on the case. With her dogged determination and common sense, she won’t quit until the job is done.

There was one part that I was disappointed Lacey didn’t catch, but sometimes the author needs that creative license to make the story sing. Chris Patchell did wrap up the story nicely, bringing all the elements together. Though it seemed to end a bit abruptly, I was satisfied…AND…OMG…the cover for Save Her, the second book in the Lacey James series is to die for. Bring it on!

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Find Her by Chris Patchell.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars
Save Her (Lacey James #2)

Up for Preorder and will be published on 1.4.22

GOODREADS BLURB FOR FIND HER

A simple heist at a hardware store uncovers a brutal crime spree leaving a police officer dead, several innocents murdered, and the small Oregon town of Sweet Home shaken to its core.

Veteran police officer Lacey James answers the call. The robbery suspect has fled, but the items she finds inside the car at the scene raise the hackles on the back of Lacey’s neck: a hammer, a tarp, zip ties, and a stolen gun. This discovery pushes her suspicions to an all-time high and has her questioning what dark and dangerous crimes this man may be involved in?

Eden Mills is smart, kind, and fun-loving. Not the kind to make enemies or run away. But Eden has a stalker, and when Lacey discovers that Eden is missing, possibly kidnapped, there is plenty of reason to fear the worst. As Lacey peels back the layers of the suspect’s crimes, her pursuit of the truth leads to unthinkable tragedy.

A colleague is dead. Her suspect isn’t talking. And time may be running out for Eden.

Can Lacey find her before one man’s obsession destroys more lives?

ABOUT CHRIS PATCHELL

Chris Patchell

Chris Patchell is the bestselling author of In the Dark and the Indie Reader Discovery Award winning novel Deadly Lies. Having recently left her long-time career in tech to pursue her passion for writing full-time, Chris pens gritty suspense novels set in the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her family and two neurotic dogs.

Website  /  Twitter  / Facebook

 MY CHRIS PATCHELL REVIEWS

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Review – Lord King by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @MimiJeanRomance

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MY REVIEW

WHEW! (swipes hand across sweating forehead) What a cover for Lord King by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff. This ought to be fun. Mimi Jean Pamfiloff writes her stories with wit and creativity. Even though I have missed a book or two in the series, I feel it did not affect my enjoyment of Lord King, but I do recommend beginning at the beginning.

Ansin is evil…and was dead. Now, he’s back…with a hot new body. He is evil, on a par with King. Jeni is a seer, the last of her kind, as is Ansin…so, he demands she marry him and give him children. He thinks they are destined to be together and carry on their bloodlines, even though it is King she wants.

King had lost his love, Mia, and his children. Even though he’s incapable of dying, that doesn’t mean he can’t suffer. The heart wants what the heart wants, no matter how evil. Jeni is there to help him die and go to his family. She wants revenge and he is paying penance, so they each have their own agenda.

“I’m sorry, King.” I reached out, covering his heart with my hand, “but, like it or not, you can’t hide from me. I see you. You see me. We are Connected.”

They are together until his situation is resolved. She is a human lie detector and they could read each other’s thoughts. I’m not sure I would care for that.

It was wonderful watching meek and mild Jeni grow up.

Soooo, two badass alpha males, evil and magical, want her for their own purposes. What to do.

NO! Mimi! I didn’t see that coming. That’s on me. With all the twists and turns, betrayals and double crosses, I shouldn’t have been THAT surprised, but I loved that I was…by the ending. We do have a cliffhanger…sort of. Yes…there are so many questions and I plan on being around to see the ending.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Lord King by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

From New York Times Bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a Paranormal Suspense, Lord King.

A curse he cannot break without her… KING Before I became evil, I was king of a great people. Now I am cursed to walk the earth until I pay for my misdeeds. After three thousand years, I have much to answer for.

Then along comes Jeni, further complicating matters. She claims to love me, though I could never reciprocate. Her loathsome people placed me in this predicament, and frankly, I gave my heart to another woman long ago. But I am about to discover that meeting Jeni is no coincidence. Our true connection will shock even me.

A power she didn’t know she had… JENI I am what they call a Seer, an ancient people with unusual gifts, and I’m the last of my kind. Surprise! Because up until recently, I thought I was a regular person. But meeting King changed everything. He opened my eyes to the world around me, filled with more darkness than I could’ve imagined. And King? He’s the darkest of them all. That’s why I can’t wrap my head around my feelings. With every moment we spend together, I’m falling for a man who can never love me back. His heart belongs to his dead wife. That’s when I meet Ansin. The only man on earth who could rival King for darkness and ruthless ambition. Like me, Ansin is the last of his bloodline, which is why he demands I marry him and give him children. Do I get to choose, or has fate already chosen for me?

GET YOURS: AMAZON US / AMAZON UK / AMAZON CA / AMAZON AU / APPLE BOOKS / B&N / PAPERBACK

ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dreams.

Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

MY MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF REVIEWS

MY M O MACK REVIEWS

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A Slow Ruin by Pamela Crane Review @MentalMommyPam

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Amazon says A Slow Ruin by Pamela Crane is….

AN INSTANT BESTSELLER!

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Little Deadly Secrets comes a highly anticipated novel that weaves an ancient family mystery and tense drama into a page-turning psychological thriller. Perfect for fans of Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere, Laura Dave’s The Last Thing He Told Me, Lisa Jewell, and Ruth Ware.

I love the contrast from black and white to purple on the cover for A Slow Ruin by Pamela Crane. This is not my first book by this author and she has never failed to give me hours of reading pleasure. That being said…let’s see what she has in store for us with A Slow Ruin.

A Slow Ruin

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I love when a story begins with an assault to my senses and A Slow Ruin by Pamela Crane does just that. Pamela does a great job of grabbing my attention and keeping me flipping pages, having to know what happens next.

A missing woman in 1910. 111 years later, a missing teen. What could they have in common?

Once we get going, I found myself being taken through each characters point of view. It has its good and bad points when done this way. I do like knowing what each character is going through, but it feels a bit choppy. Having read some of her work, I feel confident she’ll bring everything together as all their secrets are revealed. Secrets that haunt them. Secrets that dictate their feelings and actions every day.

No matter what, don’t become complacent. There is more going on than meets the eye.

If you are looking for dysfunctional, damaged characters, secrets, lies and betrayal, mystery and danger, life and death, all while clinging onto the edge of a roller coaster, jerked willy nilly, then A Slow Ruin by Pamela Crane is for you.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of A Slow Ruin by Pamela Crane.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

April 1910. Women’s rights activist Alvera Fields mysteriously vanishes from her home one night, leaving her newborn baby and husband behind, the case never solved.

April 2021. On the anniversary of her great-great-grandmother’s disappearance, Alvera’s namesake Vera Portman vanishes in an eerily similar manner.

Six months later, the police recover a girl’s body. While the family waits in the horror of finding out if it’s Vera, Felicity Portman clings to hope that her missing teenage daughter is still alive. Despite all odds, Felicity senses a link between the decades-apart cases—a mother feels such things in her bones. But all suspicion points to the last person who saw Vera alive: Felicity’s sister-in-law, Marin.

Marin, with her troubled past.
Marin, the poor woman who married into the rich family.
Marin, the only one who knows Felicity’s darkest secret.

As Felicity makes a shocking discovery in Vera’s journal, she questions who her daughter really is. The deeper she digs, the more she’s ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed their ancestor in a terribly slow ruin.

ABOUT PAMELA CRANE

Pamela Crane

PAMELA CRANE is a USA TODAY best-selling author and professional juggler. Not one who can toss flaming torches in the air, but a juggler of four kids, a writing addiction, and a horse rescuer. She lives on the edge (her Arabian horse can tell you about their wild adventures while trying to train him) and she writes on the edge…where her sanity resides. Her thrillers unravel flawed women who aren’t always pretty. In fact, her characters are rarely pretty, which makes them interesting…and perfect for doing crazy things worth writing about. When she’s not cleaning horse stalls or changing diapers, she’s psychoanalyzing others.

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Review – Beyond Atlantis by Lucius Beauchamp @RoxanneRhoads

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Beyond Atlantis: An Epic of The Ancient Americas
Lucius Beauchamp

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure
ISBN: Paperback 978-0-6488929-0-8  
ISBN: E-book 978-0-6488929-1-5
ASIN: 0648892905 
ASIN: B01I4OMBVY
Number of pages: 448
Word Count: 158,240 
Cover Artist: Flametree Creative

Tagline: Greater Atlantis, where The Guardian Tribe roam

MY REVIEW

First off, Beyond Atlantis by Lucius Beauchamp has an amazing cover and I love anything to do with Atlantis. Add in some magic and angels, what more can I ask for?

The world I entered holds many things that our world does…love, desire, betrayal, greed, power, lust, good and evil, light and dark.

Priests are people too, with all the foibles the rest of us have.

Galen and Zithia are soulmates, but there is much to be risked for them to be together. I’m not so sure about Galen, but have no doubts about Zithia.

She struggles to build a life for herself. She is bright, determined, giving, an asset to any community. Her struggles and are richly detailed, brought to life through Lucius Beauchamp’s words. I had no idea what was coming, I was just along for the ride.

Sometimes things are so simple…right or wrong. It’s the people that make it complicated.

Will Galen learn in this lifetime, or, will he be doomed to return and try again?

Epic love story…Lucius Beauchmap pulled my heartstrings, drawing me in on this wild adventure.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Beyond Atlantis by Lucius Beauchamp.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars
Book Description: 

10,000 years ago, ancient Atlantian Tribes of magicians flourished in the lower Americas and along the Mississippi. 

Galen, an Atlantian magician priest is locked in a relentless power struggle with an envious sorceress who blackmails, lies, and manipulates. A prince of the blood, Galen is determined that nothing will stop his becoming an Archpriest.

Eten, blackest witch and high priestess sees angels and seeks a forbidden treasure. She finds Galen’s curse of having a soulmate particularly helpful. 

Half a millennia ago the Island of Atlantis sank off the Biminis, the 13th Tribe was held responsible for the demise of Atlantis. The surviving Atlantians stripped the 13th of all technology and exiled them. 

Vengeful, the 13th Tribe wishes to return but the 13th’s warlocks fear crossing into Greater Older Atlantis. They do not dare set foot on the Guardian-protected land. The great Guardian Tribe possess a formidable circle of psychics who roam North America keeping constant vigil to keep Greater Older Atlantis safe for all Atlantians. 


Excerpt:

    With lightning rushing to greet the barbarians, not only sulphur made their guts wrench. That most feared God, the God of lightning, was among them. Sheets of power forked across the ground, felling dozens of the pure race. Repeatedly, the riverbed exploded and sprayed molten sand. Dripping glass sculptures remained and pressure waves threw barbarians into the glowing glass pools. Where some lay stuck, in death or dying.
     The false day reached the refugees, the sky pulsing green. From the Safety of the hillside they saw it all, with deafening thunder rocking them. Dodging lightning bolts, the barbarians ran when they could to slid into super-hot streams of glass where their flesh seared so completely that bare-bones were exposed among living tissue. There was screaming at newly blackened limbs and sizzling holes within a shoulder or thigh, created by actual lightning strikes. And then more astral screams as the black shadows of the underworld chased and fell upon the freshly dead. Only a handful survived. It was another mist-night.

                                                               *

Tancah. Ten ships comprising another fleet had landed. Gold. Mounds of gold was being turned into ingots for shipment to the Far World.
     The gangplanks were sunk into the pink sand by the tread of disembarking
warriors.
     The scarred pyramids were towers with large stone tablets standing
on top. Not very wide, with ladder-like stairs, each had an almost sheer
drop at the back. Saplings burst forth in unexpected places among the ruins.
     The seventh ship to dock was grander than the others. Its occupants always liked to be seventh, from superstition. Rhaim, the commander-in-chief hurried to meet these new arrivals. They were the main reason he’d come back to Tancah. After all, he didn’t want their leader to take offense. In black clothing with wide purple edging, the thirteen glided down the gangplank. Weary soldiers made hasty signs in the group’s direction while dropping their eyes. Even with a close trimmed mustache, the outlines of the first face were a death mask. Udo, the leader. Tall, white-haired and eyes robin’s-egg blue. The whole group was from similar molds.
     Not on land yet, Udo glanced at Tancah. A connoisseur, he breathed
deeply of the destruction. Then he put a foot hard on the sand and dogs began to howl. A flock of monarch butterflies, resting on their way to their wintering ground, filled the air. Raising his hand to the sky, Udo cut a swath through the gossamer wings. The lovelies rained down among the pyramids, while the coven roared with laughter.
     Invisible to everyone, a watcher hovered over the beach within sight of the ships. As one, the black-garbed group turned to look at him, eyes burning. Languidly, Udo said, ‘Kill.’
     Two men vacated their flesh so utterly that their bodies fell to the ground. Their spirits were shadow hounds. Instantly the temple flyer telepathed the sight to his temple, then spirit claws were on him. Dying, screams filled the heads of other flyers.
     The murdered watcher’s body, seated in the temple chamber, spasmed and went limp. A high priest wiped the corpse’s brow, ‘Where is the other?’
     Simultaneously, Udo’s face was in the room, hanging in mid-space.
Gloating, he disappeared. Then he was back at the beachfront. ‘Find the other watched.’
     The two dark hounds pounced forward, but Udo’s snarl sent them scurrying into their bodies. He believed in sharing and signaled a fresh pair.  

 

About the Author:

Like Plato, Lucius believed Atlantis existed. Interpreting Plato’s description of location, backed up by Edgar Cayce’s readings, the Island of Atlantis was off the Biminis. Therefore, for him, the Continent of Atlantis (Greater Older Atlantis) was North America.





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I Have Been Waiting For Dragon Clan by Kristie Clark #KristieClark

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I am excited to be sharing Dragon Clan by Kristie Clark. I want to thank Kristie Clark, Delphi Imprint and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review a copy.

Don’t ya just love that cover?

Dragon Clan (Order of the Dolphin, #3)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

It is fantastic to be back in Roatan with Eva and the gang to find out what happens next in this creature feature. No slow start. Action from the getgo.

Now, they are being moved from Roatan, Honduras to Hawaii, courtesy of DARPA and the US Navy.

Kaili is the guardian spirit of the Dragon Clan. She is a Komodo Dragon like no other.

Eva is worried about her dolphins. They have dealt with a mutant Tylosaurus, drug lords, mutant CobiX fish ad Julian Gulliver. It’s hard to tell which is the most dangerous. As if that isn’t enough, now we have to deal with tsunamis.

Kristie Clark does insert ecological, climate change as it applies to the events in the story. She doesn’t get preachy, just includes the pertinent data, just like any other part of the story. I find, when an author does that, it adds that real element and makes the story richer.

You may wonder how someone can write a series with dolphins as the stars. Ask Kristie Clark. She has managed to keep me eager for more and surprises me with how quickly I become involved. She blends fact and fiction seamlessly.

I caught the hint, but was still surprised when she hurt her arm.

I am soooo loving this series. Kristie Clark does her due diligence when it comes to research, sharing the rich history, myths and legends of Hawaii.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dragon Clan by Kristie Clark.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A dragon will kill her creator to protect her family.

Dr. Eva Paz wants only a peaceful life on Roatán for herself and her dolphins, continuing their research in dolphin communication and educating children on the importance of caring for the reef.

But when the Navy reactivates Taffy and Finn for exercises in Pearl Harbor, that all changes. For she finds Julian is there as well, and he is armed with yet another genetically modified creature. This time, it has the spirit of an actual dragon.

Thankfully, Eva has her friends and her family—and Thomas—on her side. Not to mention a whole host of new friends: the members of Dragon Clan.

Join Eva as she works with Thomas and her dolphins to save the Hawaiian Islands from an environmental disaster that could destroy them all.

For fans of Michael Crichton, Dragon Clan is book three in Kristie Clark’s Order of the Dolphin series.

Book club questions included. May be read as a standalone, but Dragon Clan is best enjoyed with the other Order of the Dolphin series books: Killing Dragons and Dragon Gold.

ABOUT KRISTIE CLARK

Kristie Clark

KRISTIE CLARK, a pediatrician, lives on the High Plains with her husband, sons, border collies, and a cat named Bonsai. An avid scuba diver, she holds a Roatan Marine Park Bay Islands Lionfish Spearing License.

You can see more about Kristie on her WEBSITE.

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Tis The Season – Toymaker by Tony Bertauski @tonybertauski

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HAPPY HOLIDAZE AND A NEW RELEASE

Toymaker: Return of the Lost Toys (A Science Fiction Adventure) (Claus Universe Book 9)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Is there a Santa Claus? Elves? Reindeer? Do they live at the North Pole? Why haven’t humans ever found them? If you have been following the series, you may have some of the answers already.

Avery Neva (Snow) Tannenbaum was born on her Nana Rai’s birthday and they celebrated it together every year. This year is different. Her Nana has passed away and left a last request.

Toymaker is all about him, and the Hunt for him. But there is so much more going on the just a game and there is more to the Hunt than win or lose.

I love the unique characters and the world they live in. Dangerous and magical, good and bad…and TOYS. Thank you Santa.

Tony Bertauski has a way with words and has written of a fantastical, magical fantasy world, filled with imagination and creativity, weaving the real world, the future, the past, and the present into a present (?).

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Toymaker by Tony Bertauski.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

AMAZON SYNOPSIS

The 9th standalone novel in the Claus Universe.

One Christmas morning, a mystery gift appeared under trees around the world. It was the exact same gift, inscribed with the maker’s initials in tiny letters: BT and Company. It was months before anyone knew exactly what the gift did.

Avery Tannenbaum’s brother was one of the lucky few to receive one. It was on her birthday when the mysterious gifts came to life. A contest was announced. It was also on that very same day Avery’s grandmother passed away.

An eccentric, wealthy woman, Nana Rai left detailed instructions on how to commemorate her passing, a celebration to be held on Christmas morning, which just so happened to be the same day the contest was set to end. Avery’s family travels to a cold and snowy land to honor her grandmother’s wishes. And it’s here she uncovers the true purpose of the mystery gift, and why the makers launched a global contest.

As Nana Rai’s celebration nears, Avery follows clues her grandmother left behind. BT and Company are searching for the Toymaker. And Avery knows what they’ll do when they find him. She becomes part of her grandmother’s plan to stop them. The real mystery isn’t where the Toymaker is hiding.

It’s why he’s hiding in the first place.

REVIEWS FOR THE CLAUS UNIVERSE

  • “Amazing rewrites that will astound you!” –Ruth Jackson, Amazon Reviewer
  • “Best Santa Story Ever!” – Bob, Amazon Reviewer
  • “Simply lovely.” –jl, Amazon Reviewer
  • “MY HEART GREW THREE SIZES…” – Amazon Reviewer
  • “Couldn’t Put It Down.” – Amazon Reviewer
  • “Fantasy at it’s [sic] finest.” –Carol, Amazon Reviewer
  • “Absolutely phenomenal!” –JayFly, Amazon Reviewer
  • “A++” –TKJ 131, Amazon Reviewer
  • “Absolutely Awesome.” –Dee greusel, Amazon Reviewer
  • “I absolutely love this series…” –Kara McCabe, Amazon Reviewer
  • “Tony is an excellent story teller!” jjjlake, Amazon Reviewer
  • “I want MORE!” –J. Bunch, Amazon Reviewer
  • “Awesomely engaging!” –Janice Everett, Amazon Reviewer

ABOUT TONY BERTAUSKI

Tony Bertauski

Get my books FREE. Tell me where to send them at http://bertauski.com

My grandpa never graduated high school. He retired from a steel mill in the mid-70s. He was uneducated, but he was a voracious reader. I remember going through his bookshelves of paperback sci-fi novels, smelling musty old paper, pulling Piers Anthony and Isaac Asimov off shelf and promising to bring them back. I was fascinated by robots that could think and act like people. What happened when they died?

I’ve written textbooks on landscape design, but that was straightforward, informational writing; the kind of stuff that helps most people get to sleep. I’ve also been writing a gardening column with a humorous slant. That takes a little more finesse, but still informational for the most part.

I’m a cynical reader. I demand the writer sweep me into his/her story and carry me to the end. I’d rather sail a boat than climb a mountain. That’s the sort of stuff I wanted to write, not the assigned reading we used to get in high school. I wanted to create stories that kept you up late.

Fiction, GOOD fiction, is hard to write. Having a story unfold inside your head is an experience different than reading. You connect with characters in a deeper, more meaningful way. You feel them, empathize with them, cheer for them and even mourn. The challenge is to get the reader to experience the same thing, even if it’s only a fraction of what the writer feels. Not so easy.

MY TONY BERTAUSKI REVIEWS

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Inferno Rising Review – The Cursed King by Abigail Owen @AOwenBooks

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It is a pleasure to be back with the dragons in Abigail Owen’s latest novel in the Inferno Series, The Cursed King. Want to know why he was cursed? Gotta read the book. LOL

The Cursed King (Inferno Rising, #4)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Angelika: A phoenix with no flame.

Airk: a dragon afraid to shift, king of the White Clan

I am sure sparks will fly in the conclusion to the Inferno Rising series and it sure has been one wild ride with the characters as they find their destiny.

High King Pytheios wants Angelika.

Angelika Amon’s three phoenix sisters are happily mated with their dragon counterparts. She wonders if she will ever find her mate? It seems she has spent her whole life waiting for this or that and she was done with it. She wants something. In this case, it s Airk and she was going after him. Their innocence in the sex department is sweet, sexy, and HOT, as they discover each other.

Abigail Owen has a way with words and this was only one of Angelika’s comments that cracked me up:

“Oh, Gods, do not think about fucking the hot, lonely, dangerous dragon shifter.”

I have spent some time with the dragon clans in their world and loved every minute of it. Not only do we have dragons, but we have many other wonderful supernatural characters that are well represented: phoenix, werewolves, gargoyles, hellhounds, witches, trolls…and when one is taken I mourn them.

I am so happy that I was there at the beginning for the Inferno series by Abigail Owen. She did a wonderful job of wrapping up the series in a spectacular fashion. Do I want a happy ever after? You bet! Did I get it? Yes, but it came at a cost. Even you may shed a tear or two or three.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Cursed King by Abigail Owen.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

He will burn. She will rise.

Airk Azdajah, the rightful King of the White Clan, spent half a millennium being tortured by the false High King Pytheios. The only reason he’s alive is a curse— the man to kill Airk will be consumed in his own fire. Which is why Pytheios kept Airk alive, barely, unable to shift in his prison cage, driving the creature half of him into madness. Airk escaped, but he’ll never be truly free. What good is a king who can never let his feral dragon loose, never fly, and never lead his people? He’s better off dead.

Angelika Amon is the last unmated phoenix. The problem? She has no powers. Zip. Zilch. Angelika hates being dormant, especially now that her three sisters are blissfully mated to powerful dragon shifter kings and are very much part of the fight to take down the rotting king Pytheios, their parents’ killer. What good is a useless runt of a phoenix in a battle to save the dragon kingdom?

Desperate to find some way to help, she offers herself to Airk as a mate — just for political leverage. But a dormant phoenix is no damn use to him just like a dragon who can’t shift is no use to her. Until Pytheios sets his sights on Angelika for himself…

ABOUT ABIGAIL OWEN

Multi–award-winning paranormal romance author, Abigail Owen, loves plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, alpha heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of sexy shifters! Other titles include wife, mother, Star Wars geek, ex-competitive skydiver, spreadsheet lover, eMBA, organizational guru, Texan, Aggie, and chocoholic. Abigail grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it. Abigail currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own personal hero (who she totally married!) and their two children, who are growing up way too fast.  

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New Release – One More Kill by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold @HibbertStiles

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YEAH! TODAY IS RELEASE DAY FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD’S LATEST BRANDON FISHER FBI NOVEL, ONE MORE KILL

One More Kill (Brandon Fisher FBI #9)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Carolyn Arnold’s opening pages for One More Kill made me cringe and I love that she pulls me into the story so quickly.

FBI Special Agent Brandon Fisher of the BAU, along with his cohorts, Paige Dawson, Kelly Marsh, their new boss, Tony Manning, and, of course, we cant leave out Nadia Weber, the gang”s Penelope Garcia from the Criminal Minds TV show, are called in. As they discuss their next case, Jack, their boss before he was temporarily replaced by Tony Manning, steps through the door and says, “”Wheels Up.” They believe The Leopard is back and the higher ups have let Jack return for the case. He was there when The Leopard first hit their radar. It was his first major case and it haunts him. For Jack, it’s personal. Could his career be on the line?

The Leopard has not been heard of for fifteen years, and Jack has been diligent about keeping his ears open and constantly on the alert for anything that could hint he was active. He is back and they are headed to Huntsville, Arkansas.

His targets are Caucasian couples and his modus operandi is always the same. His signature is cats eye marbles and he puts them to a gruesome use.

The Leopard is a chameleon, easily shedding one persona for another. He is charming, but his life is a facade. He kills for the sheer joy of it. He felt life was survival of the fittest and he doesn’t shy away from a challenge. In fact, it gets his blood boiling. For Jack it was personal, and before it’s over, it will be for The Leopard too.

One More Kill unravels like a Criminal Minds episode, as does much of Carolyn Arnold’s Brandon Fisher series. Does she do her research? That is a definite YES. That is also why she is highly respected by law enforcement. I have watched and still watch reruns of Criminal Minds, so it is easy to follow along and visualize their journey, beginning to end.

While the story was quick to grab me, it slows down as the investigation begins. We have to do some research of our own for the case and things are not always action, action, action. Carolyn Arnold paints an accurate description of events through her words. She is a must read author for me.

I voluntarily reviewed and ARC of One More Kill by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

He told her to run. And she did. As fast as her legs would take her, but it wasn’t fast enough…

The bodies of a husband and wife are found in a patch of woods in small-town, rural Arkansas by a neighboring farmer. They were shot with an arrow, gutted, and left to bleed out. The killer also removed their eyes and replaced them with large cat’s-eye marbles. The murder method and signature are too bizarre to point toward an isolated incident, and FBI Special Agent Brandon Fisher recognizes this right away. His boss with the Behavioral Analysis Unit, Supervisory Special Agent Jack Harper, confirms that he’s crossed paths with this killer several years ago, and he has a voracious appetite for blood. In fact, Jack’s seen his work firsthand—six times, three couples, in three states.

Brandon, Jack, and the rest of the team head to Arkansas for one purpose: to bring down the ruthless and elusive serial killer who calls himself “the Leopard.” Versatile and adaptive, this madman hunts his prey like a wild, hungry cat—tracking them, then striking with swift viciousness. But just as the FBI think they might finally be getting closer to the Leopard’s true identity, he adapts his method and starts killing people faster than ever before.

Racing to catch up, and struggling to get one step ahead, the FBI comes to uncover buried family secrets that aid the investigation—while at the same time, flipping it on its head. Suddenly, the hunters are now the hunted. And while this case has haunted Jack since he joined the Bureau, things are about get more personal and dangerous than he ever would have imagined. If he and his team aren’t careful, one of them—or someone they love—may become the Leopard’s next victim.

A totally gripping and heart-pounding crime thriller. Perfect for fans of Lisa Regan, Robert Dugoni and Catherine Coulter.

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has four continuing fiction series—Detective Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher FBI, McKinley Mysteries, and Matthew Connor Adventures—and has written nearly thirty books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from cozy to hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures.

Carolyn Arnold

Both her female detective and FBI profiler series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining, leading her to adopt the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives just west of Toronto with her husband and beagle and is a member of Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:  Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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The Teacher is … Malignant by Michaelbrent Collings @mbcollings

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COMING SOON

Expected publication: October 25th 2021 by Written Insomnia Press

Malignant

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Michaelbrent Collings writes some amazing novels and I never hesitate to say YES when I see a new one to read. Gimme Gimme.

…for this lesson he would be called teacher…death, destruction, instruction.

Already I have chills running up and down my spine at 4%, because from past experience with Michaelbrent Collings writing, his villains are at the top of my worst ever list. I am shoring myself up for the Teacher’s visit…I know it won’t be a pleasant one.

I began my journey into blackness thinking this is like a Criminal Minds episode and Michaelbrent Collings can take me to a place I have never been before, so dark and disturbing that sometimes I have to wonder what my fascination is with such criminals, psychopaths and sociopaths. They fascinate me.

“Is it just me or did he actually act like a human?” “He did….

But, the human monster can be the worst monster of all, the one you may not see coming. For me, I like reading about monsters and I like my stories dark and disturbing, hitting on humanities best and worst traits, making me uncomfortable and questioning…why…what is my fascination with the human mind, a human’s ability to inflict so much damage to another human being baffles and intrigues me.

I want to warn you…read the Prologue. Check out some reviews. This may not be a book for you…graphic brutality and triggers.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Malignant by Michaelbrent Collings.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Global bestseller and multiple Bram Stoker Award and Dragon Award Finalist Michaelbrent Collings brings you his most thrilling tale yet!

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When armed commandos storm an elite boarding school, the police think it’s a plot for ransom, or an attempt to extort favors from the teens’ powerful parents.

But the men, led by a killer who calls himself ‘‘Teacher,” have much darker plans in mind.

Teacher intends to give a lesson unlike any taught before. Written on flesh, inked in blood.

A lesson about monsters.

The bell has been rung, the lesson begun. And the lesson is this:

The monsters are real, and to them… you are just a plaything.

ABOUT MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS

Michaelbrent Collings

Michaelbrent Collings is an internationally-bestselling novelist, multiple Bram Stoker Award nominee, produced screenwriter, and one of the top indie horror writers in the United States.

He hopes someday to develop superpowers, or, if that is out of the question, then at least to get a cool robot arm.

Michaelbrent has a wife and several kids, all of whom are much better looking than he is (though he admits that’s a low bar to set), and also cooler than he is.

Michaelbrent also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MichaelbrentC… and can be followed on Twitter through his username @mbcollings. Follow him for cool news, updates, and advance notice of sales. You will also be kept safe when the Glorious Revolution begins!

STALK MICHAELBRENT: Website / Twitter

MY MICHAELBRENT COLLINGS REVIEWS

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New Release – Some Trust Can Be Rebuilt by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor

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Some Trust Can Be Rebuilt (River's End Rescues #5)

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I feel like I am on the verge of reading burnout. Soooo, I am going to a tried and true author that never lets me down…Jane Blythe and the next book in the Saving Seals series, Some Trust Can Be Rebuilt.

I have met Mia and Shark before and I am excited to get their story. Shark caught my eye early in the series, and even though the books can stand alone, I have enjoyed getting those early glimpses of him and Mia before their story was told.

Mia is the head of Search and Rescue in Rivers End. She has been involved in hundreds of searches, but there was something different about this one. They were looking for a ten year old boy. She knew what he was going through, because she had been lost in a forest for ten hours when she was eight years old.

STCBR teaser 1

Mia feels as if someone is watching her. You know, those feelings that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up and goosebumps rise on your arms. Knowing Jane, someone probably is…and who will be the one to come to her rescue? Julian, better known as Shark to his Seal teammates.

STCBR teaser 2

If you have been following the series, you will know why he had blown it with her. Can he win her back? They were high school sweethearts and he wants her, asking himself why has hasn’t gone after her? What is holding him back? What does he have to lose by trying to woo her back into his arms?

The break up was mutual. At least that is how Mia saw it. She missed him terribly, but, like him, she won’t make the first move. Why do WE make it so complicated? Communication seems to be at the center of many a misunderstanding.

The flowers….

A second boy goes missing…

Some Trust Can Be Rebuilt is like a Criminal Minds episode rolling through my mind. Hey Jane, I think you could be a writer for their show. Or how about having a movie of your very own? I can see Mia walking through the forest, trying not to show her unease. Would we pan around to see if…

I love visiting River’s End, but I’m not to sure about living there. For a town of a little over ten thousand people, they sure do get their fair share of evil dropping by. Thank goodness my friends are still in one piece.

Even though each book can stand alone, which I love if I find myself reading a series out of order, I love this series so much, I highly recommend beginning at the beginning for hours of suspense, love, tears, and laughter.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Some Trust Can Be Rebuilt by Jane Blythe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Trust is fragile.

Mia Taylor-Black loves her job as the head of the River’s End search and rescue team. When the children of the town start going missing, turning up unharmed in the forest, she starts feeling like someone is watching her. She’s been there before, had a stalker whose reign of terror ended up costing her everything, and the idea of going back to that dark time in her life terrifies her.

Julian Black loves his wife but guilt over not protecting her tore them apart. Seeing his brother get a second chance with the woman he loves makes him hope that he might get that same chance with Mia. He knows it won’t be easy to regain her trust, but nothing worth having in life is easy and he vows that nothing and no one is going to stop him from reclaiming his marriage.

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!

Website  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

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