WHAT ARE WE READING & REVIEWING IN AUGUST 2022?

Tell us your reading plans for August.

Everyone likes a good book. Maybe he's reading about humans.
🏖️ - ★
Carol's Reads For August
🏖️ Shades of Gray - Brooke McKinley - 4★ (Pick A Winner Make A Friend)
🏖️ I Will Find You - Amanda Rigby - 5★
🏖️ Neverland - Douglas Clegg - 5++★
🏖️ One Left Alive - Helen Phifer - 5★
🏖️ The Mystery of Ruby Lode - Scotty Cade - 5★
🏖️ Three Player Game - Jaime Samms -4★
🏖️ The Movie-Town Murders - 4.5★
🏖️ Long Shadow - Elle Keaton - 5★
🏖️ Black Moon - Elle Keaton - 5★
🏖️ Savior - Rhys Ford - 4★
🏖️ 'Nother Sip of Gin - Rhys Ford - 5★
🏖️ No Quick Fix - Mary Calmes - 3.5★
🏖️ The Murder House - Michael Wood -5★
🏖️ Hiatus - L. A. Witt -4★
🏖️ To My Future Number 1 Fan - L. A. Witt -4★
🏖️ What He Left Behind - L. A. Witt -3.5★
🏖️ Double Indemnity - Maggie Kavanagh -3★
🏖️ Can't Live Without You - Andrew Grey -4.5★ (Pennsylvania/California)
🏖️ Best Laid Plaids - Ella Stainton -5★
🏖️ Floodgates - Mary Calmes -3★
🏖️ The Tarkington Treasure - Evelyn Cullet
🏖️ Simon Says... Hide - Dale Mayer -5★
🏖️ Hold My Hand - M.J. Ford -3★
🏖️ The Land Below - William Meikle - 4★
🏖️ River Home -Elle Keaton -5★
🏖️ Book Boyfriend - Kris Ripper -4★
🏖️ Fire and Sand - Andrew Grey- 5★
🏖️The Big Dark Sky - Dean Koontz - 4.5★
🏖️ Scratch The Surface- Mary Calmes - 5★
🏖️ Never Stay Gone -Tal Bauer - 5★
🏖️ Punk 57 - Penelope Douglas - 2.5★
🏖️ Sightings - Mark Lukens - 4★
🏖️ The Murder Between Us - Tal Burer 5+++- ★
🏖️ Fire and Ice - Aiden Bates - 4★
🏖️ Love Me Again - Max Walker -5★
🏖️ Fish In A Barrel - Amy Lane - 5++★
🏖️ Husband Material - Alexis Hall - 3.5★
🏖️ Invitation To the Blues - Roan Parrish - 5★
🏖️ Where Memories Lie - Sibel Hodge - 1★
🏖️ The Family Across the Street - Nicole Trope - 5★
🏖️ Vampire Claus - Robert Winter - 3★ (Will reread)
🏖️ Ready To Roll - Suzanne Brockman - 4.5★
🏖️ Hard Job - Annabeth Albert - 5★
🏖️ From Out In The Cold - L.A. Witt - 4★
🏖️ The Throat - Peter Straub - 5★
🏖️ In A Fix - Mary Calmes - 4.5★
🏖️ Fettered - 3★
🏖️ Fix It Up - Mary Calmes - 5★
🏖️ Down Among The Dead Men - Peter Lovsey - 4.5★

Shades of Gray - Brooke McKinley
4★
Miller Sutton, a by-the-book FBI agent, is starting to see some troubling shades of gray in his black-and-white world. He comes face-to-face with his doubts in the person of Danny Butler, a mid-level drug runner Miller hopes to use to catch a much larger fish: Roberto Hinestroza, a drug lord Miller has pursued for years. Danny has no interest in being a witness against his boss, both out of a sense of twisted loyalty and because he knows double-crossing Hinestroza is a sure death sentence. He reluctantly agrees to cooperate, and as he suspects, it doesn’t take long for Hinestroza to figure out the betrayal. Miller is surprised to discover Danny's not the career-criminal lowlife he expected; at the same time, Danny finds himself helplessly attracted to Miller's innate goodness. They barely begin to explore the sparking attraction between them when Hinestroza's hitman tracks them down, and then they're on the run, both for their lives and for any kind of love.

This is a psychological thriller with a lot of action. Miller Sutton is an FBI agent with absolute strong morals and views. He is now being forced to confront new perspectives when his sexuality is questioned. Miller views all of life as either being good or bad...black or white...hot or cold. He's been constructing a case against the drug lord Hinestroza and has finally gotten a break when one of Hinestroza's drug runners, Danny Butler, is brought in for questioning. A bad choice now occurs. Danny and Miller have an immediate attraction...to each other...and Miller never admitted that he might be gay. Even took it so far to find himself engaged to a woman. Miller realizing that his perspective could be, and more than likely was probably...wrong. Things in life are more than black or white and there are many "shades of gray". I didn't give it 5 stars since I found their actions during the romantic scenes slightly uncharacteristic based upon what we already knew about them.... but it was interesting and well worth the reading time. Wish we could have learned more about their life together but maybe there will be another book.

The Big Dark Sky - Dean Koontz (Montana/New Mexico
4.5★
As a girl, Joanna Chase thrived on Rustling Willows Ranch in Montana until tragedy upended her life. Now thirty-four and living in Santa Fe with only misty memories of the past, she begins to receive pleas―by phone, through her TV, in her dreams: I am in a dark place, Jojo. Please come and help me. Heeding the disturbing appeals, Joanna is compelled to return to Montana, and to a strange childhood companion she had long forgotten. She isn’t the only one drawn to the Montana farmstead. People from all walks of life have converged at the remote ranch. They are haunted, on the run, obsessed, and seeking answers to the same omniscient danger Joanna came to confront. All the while, on the outskirts of Rustling Willows, a madman lurks with a vision to save the future. Mass murder is the only way to see his frightening manifesto come to pass. Through a bizarre twist of seemingly coincidental circumstances, a band of strangers now find themselves under Montana’s big dark sky. Their lives entwined; they face an encroaching horror. Unless they can defeat this threat, it will spell the end for humanity.

This story takes on several genres in it's telling, but Dean Koontz can always be counted on to produces a suspenseful, action filled story. He seems to be returning to some of his earlier writing styles with stories that have more of a supernatural feel, and like those early books this one was a more than average entertaining read. There are lots of twists and turns to keep the reader turning pages, but there is also a very large cast of characters to keep up with. Our heroine, "JoJo" Chase began to have memories of her childhood when she lived in Montana...then the mysterious phone calls started. The last straw was the mysterious dreams and other strange experiences that sent her returning to her childhood home. Tied into the plot is a cult-like leader and a serial killer bomber and behind everything is a puppet master controlling it all. It starts out slow but picks up rapidly making this suspenseful read one of Dea Koontz's best.

The Kill Artist – Daniel Silva
Book on CD narrated by George Guidall
3***

From the book jacket: Former Israeli intelligence operative Gabriel Allon is being called back into action and teamed with an agent as beautiful as she is deadly. Their target: a cunning Palestinian terrorist who played a dark part in Gabriel’s past.

My reactions
This is the first in a series starring Gabriel Allon, whose cover is that of an art restoration specialist. He’s paired with Jacqueline Delacroix, an international fashion model whose been groomed for just such assignments.

The action is fast and furious and sometimes confusing, as is to be expected in an espionage thriller. There are more twists and turns than a casual reader can keep track of. And a basic knowledge of of Israeli / Palestinian relationships and politics is necessary.

I’ll admit to losing interest in some of the more political scenes, but the basic intrigue and heart-stopping thriller scenes were very good. Silva definitely knows how to keep the reader turning pages, with virtually every chapter ending in a cliffhanger.

This is a long-running series, with over twenty books by now. But I doubt I’ll pick up another. Just not my cup of tea.

George Guidall does a reasonable job of performing the audio. He’s very good with different accents and does all the men very well, but his naturally deep and gravelly voice is not well-suited to voicing the women.

Much Ado About You – Samantha Young
Digital audiobook performed by Imani Jade Powers
3***

Evangeline Starling feels her life in Chicago has stagnated. She’s thirty-three and has just been passed over for a promotion... again. She needs to evaluate and regroup, so she plans a holiday in a quaint English fishing village. A lover of Shakespeare, she finds the perfect opportunity when she agrees to run a bookstore – Much Ado About Books – and rent the above-the shop apartment, while the owner takes a month-long vacation.

Evie loves the village, and the lovely shop. She’s a natural at bookselling and the villagers seem friendly and welcoming, especially handsomely rugged sheep farmer Roane Robson, who charms Evie each day with his flirtatious remarks.

This was a fun rom com, which happens to end at Christmas time, but isn’t otherwise very Christmasy. All the tropes are here – she’s sworn off men, he’s devastatingly handsome, his dog is even more attractive, they’re in a quaint village full of colorful characters. Of course there will be bumps in the road to HEA. He’s keeping a secret (with the help of all the other villagers), she’ll be hurt when she discovers it, and break everything off. But, of course, the HEA is powerful and cannot be denied.

This is the first book by Young that I’ve tried; I may have to look into others by her.

Imani Jade Powers does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. She has a good pace and her diction was clearly understandable even when I was listening at increased speed.

TAGS: audio, books about books, concierge, dog, England, library, romance

River Home - Elle Keaton - (Washington)
Shielded Hearts series Book #5
5★
Miguel arrived in town a broken man, having barely escaped an abusive relationship with his life. Since then, he's buried his deepest desire for family and taken what life doles out; one-night stands are as close to a relationship as he's going to get. Federal Agent Nate Richardson: focused, reliable, career minded. No time for relationships outside work. Nate doesn't care about sex and doesn't believe in love. He's also never met Miguel Ramirez—until now. Nate is a force Miguel doesn't foresee; a red-haired officer of the law with a galaxy of freckles splashed across his face, he encompasses everything about relationships Miguel has rejected as out of his reach. Outside forces drive Nate and Miguel apart, they'll need to work together to conquer their demons and win the fight for their love.

This story starts while Miguel and Nate are still at the Buck and Joey's wedding. Miguel is sure that he isn't interested in any relationship that is permanent that is until he spies Nate. Nate thinks that they could just be friends, so he offers to help Joey find a place to live. Miguel hasn't had an easy life. He was at odds with his father through his childhood, for reasons he never understood but learns later in the story, and he spent his teen years in the foster system. He was in Washington state to try and escape an abusive ex-boyfriend. So, friendship was okay with him, and he liked Nates company. Nate is a Federal Agent and is interested in Miguel and thinks he might try for a bit more than friendship. Along the way Nate and Miguel both learn that family isn't always defined as blood relations, but by the people you meet along the way showing how much they care about you that matters the most, even when you make mistakes. I really liked how Elle Keaton offers readers a realistic picture of her characters. It puts them in a different light and explains why they act a certain way. Nate was just so comfortable in his own skin. You knew he would keep Miguel grounded, showing that he was worthy of love no matter what he thought. Nate finds himself facing some heart-wrenching secrets also. Buck was just a big, solid presence throughout this story. He showed so well how he appreciated and treasured his friendship with Miguel. The plot was well written with really wonderful characters, some from the other books in the series. I have always been a fan of books that bring back familiar, well-liked characters. This series is a must for any fan of M/M romances.

A little late with the review but did manage to squeeze this one into "Christmas in July"


Dashing Through the Snow – Debbie Macomber
Digital audiobook read by Allison Ryan
3***

Ashley Davison makes a last-minute decision to go home to Seattle and see her Mom over Christmas. Dashiell Sutherland has a job interview in Seattle and must arrive by December 23rd. Both are out of luck when trying to book a last-minute flight out of San Francisco; every flight is full and there’s only one rental car left. They reluctantly agree to share the car. They start out in silence but eventually begin to open up, learning they have more in common than they originally thought.

Of course, there are more than a few twists and turns on the road to HEA. An abandoned puppy, a couple of petty thieves, a threatening snowstorm, and a case of mistaken identity (that has the FBI on their trail) cause more than a few delays. But never fear, it’s a holiday rom com and the duo will find true love with one another! So, curl up in a comfy chair, with a warm blanket and the beverage of your choice and enjoy.

Allison Ryan reads the digital audiobook with charm and grace and an infectious enthusiasm that had me smiling throughout.

I Will Find You - Amanda Rigby - (Ohio)
5★
Three sisters…One terrible secret!
Ashleigh: A creative, free spirit and loyal. But Ash is tormented by her demons and a past that refuses to be laid to rest.
Jessica: Perfect wife and loving mother. But although Jessica might seem to have it all, she lives a secret life built on lies.
Grace: An outsider, always looking in, Grace has never known the love of her sisters and her resentment can make her do bad things.
When Ashleigh goes missing, Jessica and Grace do all they can to find their eldest sister. But the longer Ashleigh is missing, the more secrets and lies these women are hiding threaten to tear this family apart. Can they find Ashleigh before it’s too late or is it sometimes safer to stay hidden?

A real roller coaster ride of a story. One that when you start you just can't find a way to stop reading. I finished this last night or rather in the wee hours of the morning. We begin learning about the life of Jessica, a strong, well put together mother and wife. Doing everything she can to keep her life as perfect as it can be, unfortunately her big sister does her best to turn Jessicas well-crafted life upside down. I began feeling sorry for Jessica as it seemed she worked so very hard to keep everything on track. She didn't deserve the drama and turmoil that occurred when her sister went missing. Once I began to read Ashleigh's story, I found myself almost heartbroken for her. She had had so much disruption in her life at such a young age. her life contained many "demons" that she tried to silence with over drinking. The more I read about the sisters the more enthralled I became with them...and then came the addition of a third point of view and another sister...Grace. She was almost an outsider to the family drama, yet still was a very large part of all that had happened. The story takes the point of view of all three sisters. As we get further into the story more and more secrets are revealed and all three sisters are still connected to them. Now we are learning that no one is really what they appear to be, they all have secrets to hide. This was such a compelling story that I found myself hooked from the start. And the end? I never saw it coming. The author gets a word of thanks for keeping me reading and very, very surprised at the end.

'Nother Sip of Gin - Rhys Ford - (California)
Short stories with the Sinner 's Gin series characters - Book #7
5★
For Crossroads Gin rock stars Miki, Damien, Rafe, and Forest, life is a Möbius strip of music, mayhem, and murder. Through it all, the sweet, hot moments between tours with lovers, friends, and family keep them sane, healthy, and happy. This Sinners collection features short stories spanning the entire series, from before the first note to after the lights go out.

You have to have read the first six books in this series, or these short treasures will just be short stories...they will not bring back the memories that they are meant to. Each is a short reflection, either a part of the story it refers to or a short recollection about what might have been, or what did happen with a bit more added to it. Every character appears in at least one short telling. Even Dude, Miki's dog, has his own section that is so funny hearing how he interpreted things that "his humans" saw in an entirely different way. Of course, his story is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The entire collection is a roadmap that will take you back through this delightful series, with the Sinner's Gin guys, later known as Crossroads Gin, and their Morgan clan lovers. I've never seen a series end like this, but I thoroughly enjoyed every last minute of it. It was like going home to visit family or old dear friends.

The Tower of the Swallow
Andrzej Sapkowski
3/5 stars
"Child of Prophecy", Ciri is in trouble. She is being hunted by friends who want to help her and her foes who want her dead. Her goal is to get to the Tower of the Swallows alive. Will she make it? Witcher Series

Book Boyfriend - Kris Ripper - (New York)
4★
There are three things you need to know about Preston "PK" Harrington the third:
1. He’s a writer, toiling in obscurity as an editorial assistant at a New York City publishing house.
2. He is not a cliché. No, really.
3. He’s been secretly in love with his best friend, Art, since they once drunkenly kissed in college.
When Art moves in with PK following a bad breakup, PK hopes this will be the moment when Art finally sees him as more than a friend. But Art seems to laugh off the very idea of them in a relationship, so PK returns to his writing roots—in fiction, he can say all the things he can’t say out loud. In his book, PK can be the perfect boyfriend. Before long, it seems like the whole world has a crush on the fictionalized version of him, including Art, who has no idea that the hot new book everyone's talking about is PK’s story. But when his brilliant plan to win Art over backfires, PK might lose not just his book boyfriend, but his best friend.

Kris Ripper is a good writer, but he has a tendency to do long drawn-out narratives that make me lose track of what is or has taken place. Preston (PK), and Art have been best friends since...well almost forever. When the breakup between Art, and what to me, sounded like the worse "boyfriend" in the world...I knew that PK was going to try to make him see what he could have, offering Art a place to mend his broken heart was icing on the cake. Problem #2 was that PK couldn't just come out and tell Art how he felt...how he had always felt...so PK decides the best way is to write a book. The conversations that PK has with himself are absolutely hilarious. Too bad he couldn't just say these things to Art... but, that would have defeated the entire idea of the book:) I agree with some other reviewers that the ending needed something more It was an intriguing story with a kind of an offbeat plot line, and I would consider it to be "low-heat"...but well worth the time to read.

Vampire Claus - Robert Winter - (Massachusetts)
3★
’Twas the night before Christmas, but what’s stirring is a little more dangerous than a mouse.Taviano is nearly two hundred years old and never wakes in the same place twice. Weary and jaded, the vampire still indulges in memories of childhood Christmases in Naples. He lingers in shadow, spying on mortals as they enjoy the holiday. When Taviano spots a handsome young man in Boston loaded down with presents and about to be mugged, he can’t help but intervene. Soon he’s talking to joyous, naïve, strong-willed and funny Paul, a short-order cook who raised funds to buy Christmas presents for LGBTQ children. Before he knows what’s happened, Taviano is wrapped up in Paul’s arms and then in his schemes to get the presents delivered by Christmas morning. A vampire turned into a Christmas elf… What could go wrong?

Robert Winter is one of my top three favorite M/M romance authors. I have read and own almost everything he has written...so when Hoopla offered this short little Christmas tale by Robert Winter, and actually READ by him, I didn't care if it was August, I had to hear it. Audio was the only format that they had, and I wasn't fussy. The story, what I could hear of it, was delightful as I wouldn't have expected anything less from this author. The book was recorded badly. The audio was like listening to it being read in a big hollow drum. This was not in any way the fault of the author. I'm going to order the book and see what I missed. I thought the idea of the story was brilliant. I never met a gay vampire...well truthfully, I've never met a vampire or any orientation:) If there is one out there, I want it to be like Taviano. In spite of the bad recording, I did love the entire concept and I gave it 3 stars ...because, after all it IS Robert Winter.

The Mummy Case – Elizabeth Peters
Digital audio narrated by Susan O’Malley
3***

Book three in the popular Amelia Peabody cozy mystery series. Amelia and her handsome husband, Radcliffe Emerson, want permission to dig in a specific area for a long-lost pharaoh’s tomb. But the authorities were not pleased with Emerson’s past behavior and give him a site far from the desired pyramids of Dahshoor. They bring along their incredibly precocious son, Ramses, who wants a dig of his own. Ooh, isn’t he cute!

I’m beginning to really enjoy the complete send-up of so many explorer stories of the past. Amelia does not suffer fools gladly; she’s intelligent and resourceful and has a sharp tongue. Emerson is oh, so “veddy British” in his sensibilities and mannerisms, while Amelia is sometimes far more adaptable to the “less civilized” conditions they find themselves in. They make a good team.

But when it comes to their son … Amelia seems a bit perplexed by Ramses’s talent at getting completely filthy the moment she turns her back – whether he’s covered in jam or the mud of a dig. But Emerson is unexpectedly besotted with the boy. I love how Peters describes their household. For example:
At the age of three Ramses had informed us that he did not need a nanny and would not have one. Emerson agreed with him. I did not agree with him. He needed something – a stout healthy woman who had trained as a prison wardress, perhaps – but it had become more and more difficult to find nannies for Ramses. Presumably the word had spread. .

Susan O’Malley does a fine job narrating the audiobooks. She IS Amelia. I can’t imagine anyone else doing a better job.

Fire and Ice (Vanguard Towers) - Aiden Bates
Vanguard Tower Series Book #4
4★
It hurts to love a straight guy. Cam’s all smiles and dimples. He doesn’t have a clue what he does to me. I’ve loved the guy for years, but to him I’m just a friend. Every time I try to move on, all I can think about is Cam. But is there a possibility of anything more? I’m straight. How can I love a guy? Richie is my best friend. He’s the best guy in the world. So why do I feel so weird when I see him out with a guy? It doesn’t take long for me to realize it’s jealousy. Damn it. Maybe I’m not as straight as I thought. One kiss with Richie and all thoughts of straight fly out the window. I want to see where our feelings take us. But will life with Richie be enough when I’ve always craved a family and a white picket fence?

I started reading this series several years ago when I found book #1 in the box of books that my guys that bring me books, brought to me. The series is about a group of eight guys that grew up in foster care together and always had each other's backs. When they aged out of the system...one of them from book #1 who had become a successful doctor, had the idea to build an apartment complex from an abandoned warehouse and provide a place that they all could live their individual lives but be there for one another, as they had in childhood. Each book in the series builds on and includes the characters from the previous book. This one is about Richie. He is the only one of the eight foster brothers that is bisexual. He's mostly dated women including the self-centered gold-digger, Patrice. Richie is very attracted to his fire fighter partner, Cam. Cam and Richie are best friends as the story starts, with Cam claiming he's straight and often coming to blows with the fire station's homophobe, Shane, who I hated from the start. Richie's brothers understand his feeling for Cam. The conflict centers around Cam's self-image. Patrice doesn't like being casted aside, so she waltzes back in with a bombshell package of complication which only adds to Richie's turmoil. The brothers at Vanguard Tower, of course, rally around Richie as Cam finally comes to term with himself making Richie the first Vanguard brother to announce a very special occurrence. This story had so many good surprises. I only gave it 4 stars because of all the turmoil before the Happy ending.

Best Laid Plaids - Ella Stainton - (Scotland)
5★
Dr. Ainsley Graham is cultivating a reputation as an eccentric. Two years ago, he catastrophically ended his academic career by publicly claiming to talk to ghosts. When Joachim Cockburn, a WWI veteran studying the power of delusional thinking, arrives at his door, Ainsley quickly catalogs him as yet another tiresome Englishman determined to mock his life's work. But Joachim is tenacious and openhearted, and Ainsley's intrigued despite himself. He agrees to motor his handsome new friend around to Scotland's most unmistakable hauntings. If he can convince Joachim, Ainsley might be able to win back his good name and then some. He knows he's not crazy - he just needs someone else to know it, too. Joachim is one thesis away from realizing his dream of becoming a psychology professor, and he's not going to let anyone stop him, not even an enchanting ginger with a penchant for tartan and lewd jokes. But as the two travel across Scotland's lovely - and definitely haunted - landscape, Joachim's resolve starts to melt. And he's beginning to think that an empty teaching post without the charming Dr. Graham would make a very poor consolation prize indeed.

I enjoyed the historical aspects of this story almost more than the romance between the two main characters. I later learned that the author is a history teacher, teaching history’s "scandals" to teenagers near Richmond, Virginia. Where was she when I was going to school? Probably not born yet:) Three things attracted me to this book...the setting...my grandfather came from Scotland only two years prior to the 1928 setting of the story... the characters of Ainsley and Joachim...who couldn't love two hot guys?... and the ghosts...I am the ghost story junkie after all. The guys meet by accident, literally. Jochim is expecting a romantic hook-up, not a hot-as-all-get-out ghost hunter, but the ghosts are the stars of the show...they are simply hilarious. If you can read books with same sex couples this one should be on your list.

The family Across The Street - Nicole Trope - (Australia)
5★
Sometimes, the most perfect families are hiding the most terrible secrets. How well do you know the people next door? Everybody wants to live on Hogarth Street, the pretty, tree-lined avenue with its white houses. The new family, The Wests, are a perfect fit. Katherine and Josh seem so in love and their gorgeous five-year-old twins race screeching around their beautiful emerald-green lawn. But soon people start to notice: why don’t they join backyard barbecues? Why do they brush away offers to babysit? Why, when you knock at the door, do they shut you out, rather than inviting you in? Every family has secrets, and on the hottest day of the year, the truth is about to come out. As a tragedy unfolds behind closed doors, the dawn chorus is split by the wail of sirens. And one by one the families who tried so hard to welcome the Wests begin to realize: Hogarth Street will never be the same again.

It's a psychological thriller...and what a thriller it is. After about 20 pages the reader is caught up in the story hook, line and sinker. The story is told from the perspective of several characters, so be patient. We hear from former bad boy Logan, nosy neighbor, Gladys, and Katherine and her captor. We learn from the prologue that a dangerous situation is taking place in Katherine’s house and then we go back in time over the past few hours to see how events came to unfolded. I was drawn to the characters of Logan and Gladys. Their lives have been full of difficulties which made them intensely vulnerable. Logan’s life has been ruled by his bad choices and a terrible childhood. He is often judged for his criminal background and has feelings of guilt for his previous behavior. Gladys cares for her husband Lou who has Parkinsons. They have no children, and her world revolves around trying to make human connections to combat the loneliness. From Katherine and her captor’s viewpoint show the crisis within their family, with 5-year-old twins in danger which heightens the tension. It's a shocking story of a family being held in acute fear by someone that should love them. Be aware that there are some extremely intense and violent scenes that may greatly impact some readers.

Lady Oracle
Margaret Atwood
4/5 stars
Written in 1976, Margaret Atwood relates the fictional tale of author Joan Foster, a woman who writes gothic romance novels but her real life is more bizarre than her books. I like Atwood’s books and this doesn’t disappoint!

One Left Alive - Helen Phifer - (England)
5★
"She knelt down by the side of the first girl. She had to force herself to breathe as she lifted the soft white cloth covering the girl’s beautiful face…" When the body of a woman is found hanging from a tree in her front garden, rookie Detective Morgan Brookes is first on the scene. But Olivia Potter is past saving. And when her husband and daughters cannot be traced, Morgan knows there is more to this tragedy. And then she finds them. Lying huddled together in the dark basement, each of their faces covered with a small cotton cloth, their bodies cold to the touch. But as Morgan kneels beside the family, she realizes that one of the girls is still breathing. As she holds Bronte’s fragile hand in hers, begging her to hold on, she vows to find out who has done this. Every day Morgan wakes at 4.25 a.m., her old insomnia now mixed with a new fixation on the case. But every clue about the murdered family leads to a dead end. Until, trawling through old files, she discovers a link to a cold case from years ago. Another family was murdered in this house, and the killer was never caught. When Morgan returns to the scene of the crime to discover more about this forgotten case, she finds another body. With Bronte still unconscious in hospital, Morgan must act fast to solve this case and lay two families to rest, before the killer returns for the girl left alive.

Morgan Brookes is new on the job as a Police Officer but that doesn't keep her from being thrown into the deep end on her first ride with Detective Sergeant Ben Matthews. The scene is an apparent suicide. Olivia Potter is suspended from a tree in the front yard, no one else is at home. Saul, Olivia's husband, can't be found. Neither can the two daughters, Bronte, and Beatrix, so no death notification to next of kin has been made. Harrison Wright, the boyfriend of one of the daughters is the one that made the discovery and appears to be very upset. His behavior in the days that follow appear to the police to be is questionable. The reason no one can find the other family members soon becomes an even more tragic event. The story was very well written and there were many, many suspects to choose from.... almost too many. I didn't get it right, but I had a great time unraveling it. I always consider it a plus when I don't figure out "who done it" before the author exposes him or her. The author used a clever way to introduce the next book. unbeknownst to Morgan, or any of her colleagues, she is now in the sights of someone very dangerous and it may not be just her time in CID which comes to an abrupt end. Stay tuned.

The Murder Between Us - Tal Bauer - (Iowa)
Noah & Cole series Book #1
5+++★
It was just one night. It was just one mistake.... FBI Agent Noah Downing had questions about his sexuality that a single night in Vegas should have answered. But dawn finds him on a plane back to Iowa, back on the trail of a vicious serial killer who disappeared six years ago and has suddenly resurfaced. There’s nothing like a murder investigation to escape an existential crisis. FBI profiler Cole Kennedy is still reeling after finding a heart-stopping connection with a seemingly perfect man, only for him to vanish. When he’s sent to Iowa to profile the killer terrorizing America’s heartland, he finds more questions than answers - both about the murderer and about Noah, the last man he ever expected to see again. A twisted secret stretches between Cole and Noah, tangled with questions they both have about each other. But now, thrown together, they’ll have to unravel the killer’s profile and follow his trail... back to the very beginning, to where everyone’s questions are answered once and for all.

I am so glad I bought books 1 & 2 in this series so that i can visit with Noah and Cole as often and whenever I want to and I don't have to share them with anyone:) The series is in the M/M romance genre, but the murder mystery is as good as in any other murder mystery series if not better. I never guessed the killer although I began to suspect that it was just too perfect for the case to be entirely finished. To sum this series up, think of it as Tal Bauer bringing a CSI-like mystery, thriller, suspense to life… while mixing it with a bit of romance and two guys that are very much in love. I hope that Tal Bauer finds himself driven to write more about Noah and Cole.

Reflections of Eden: My Years with the Orangutans of Borneo / Birute Galdikas
4 stars

Birute Galdikas is the Jane Goodall of orangutans. Like with Jane (but 10 or 11 years later), Birute was recruited by Louis Leakey to do field work. So in 1971, Birute and her husband Rod headed to Borneo to study orangutans. Once they arrived, they found that – although illegal – people also kept orangutans as pets. Birute decided immediately that she wanted to also start a sort of nursery/sanctuary/rehab where these once-captive orangutans (mostly infants) could come, then head back to the wild when they were ready. And as with all great apes, the habitat is disappearing around them, making it very difficult for them to survive, so Birute and Rod also tried to get help creating and enforcing the boundaries of the reserve that held many of the orangutans.

The book was published in 1995 and at that time, Birute was still in Borneo doing her orangutan studies. The book also goes into detail about Birute’s personal life – her marriage(s) and children. I’ve read lots about Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, but except for one graphic novel that included all three, this is the first I’ve read about Birute. Her book alternates chapters between some of the orangutans and the other topics in the book (though, of course, they all overlap). Very good book, but know that there is a lot more to this one than “just” the animals.

Hamnet / Maggie O'Farrell
3 stars

It’s the 16th century. 11-year old Hamnet and Judith are twins and have an older sister, Susanna. When Judith becomes ill, Hamnet tries to find someone to help.

I didn’t like the characters. The story was told as it followed different characters and in fact, went back and forth in time. I found it hard to follow at the start, maybe the first 1/3 of the book or so: who was who and how are they connected to each other? I wasn’t a fan of the writing style: everything felt detached to me – maybe this is why I didn’t like the characters? Why oh why did we need to include the magical realism (did NOT like that at all!): in addition to Agnes’s (the mother’s) foresight, which wasn’t bad, there was another part that changed a huge part of the story, and I thought it was stupid! I really did.

I thought there were “spoilers” given away in Historical Note at beginning of book! Given this, I assume they weren’t meant to be spoilers and I had heard before I read it, but I feel like I might have enjoyed it more if they had remained unknown until revealed in the book. I feel like with everything I didn’t like, I should rate it lower, but I am rating it ok, based on the story itself.

American Gods – Neil Gaiman
Book on CD performed by George Guidall
2.5**

Gaiman is a hit-or-miss author for me. I’ve loved some of his works, others, not so much. This one clearly falls into that last category. In fact near the beginning I was tempted to DNF it entirely. Am I glad I persevered? Not exactly.

The basic premise is that America, being a fairly new land (at least in terms of population and written history), has only new gods: technology, media, etc. But all the immigrants who settled this land brought their old gods with them: Norse, Irish, Russian, Greek. And, of course, the indigenous tribes had their gods as well. Seems that the new gods are ready to take over from the old gods. Americans, after all, have all but forgotten the old gods, making them weak and vulnerable, while we worship the new gods. It’s that veneration that gives the gods strength.

The format Gaiman uses is that of a recently released convict, Shadow, hired by a mysterious old man, Wednesday, as a body-guard, driver, general assistant, while they take a road trip across the middle of this vast land. Wednesday takes Shadow to a number of “sacred” sites (i.e. roadside attractions) where they encounter others of the old guard.

Along the way, Shadow has very disturbing dreams, collects a few talismans, and is frequently visited by his dead wife.

I have to say that I really enjoyed the time they spent at The House On the Rock, an attraction that I have visited and which Gaiman describes in great and accurate detail. On the other hand, there are some horrifically violent scenes that I found disturbing.

I listened to the audiobook, performed by George Guidall. His gravelly, deep voice was perfect for most of the gods, but the way he voices the women … well, his voice just isn’t well-suited. As a bonus, the audio includes a separate disc with an interview with Gaiman. That interview actually made me up my rating by a ½ star, for I understood a bit more of what he was trying to accomplish.

Neverland - Douglas Clegg -(Georgia)
5++★
Douglas Clegg blends dark suspense and gothic horror in Neverland, a novel of deadly secrets and innocence corrupted. What lurks within the shack? What kinds of dangerous and deadly games do the children play there? For years, the Jackson family vacationed at their matriarch's old Victorian house on Gull Island, a place of superstition and legend off the southern coast of the U.S. One particular summer, young Beau follows his cousin Sumter into a shack hidden among the brambles and windswept trees near bluffs overlooking the sea. And within Neverland, the mysteries and terror grow.

I am diffidently a fan of Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Bentley Little and Robert R. McCammon...so this story was written for me. It was written also for you if you love the work of any of these authors. The account is told from the point of view of 10-year-old Beau Jackson. It's what occurred on his last vacation on Gull Island off the coast of Georgia. This is not anything like the Hawaiian Islands. No lovely oasis in sight...never has been and never will be. It's an unhospitable, unwelcoming, sparsely populated, humid, hot and swampy mess, but his "granny" lives there in her large, creepy old house. Beau is not alone. His cousin, Sumter, (I never want to meet this kid), shares his summer on the island. To say Sumter is strange and a little "off", is an understatement. At times he's just downright disgusting. I actually had chills and shutters to some of his antics...and nothing usually bother me unless an animal is being mistreated. Beau always seems to suffer from Sumter's actions, from following behind him through prickly bushes to the larger escapades that Sumter draws him into. The two boys may seem like opposites, but they share a gift...a startling, vivid imagination. The adults in this story are a classic example of why some people should never be allowed to reproduce under any circumstances...so the boys are basically on their own, and they take full advantage of it. I love creepy, scary movies but they don't scare me...this book, Neverland,DID! What existed in that shack the boys played in had waited eons for just the right souls to come along...and the two boys were perfect for IT...an innocent one and a tainted one. Neverland is one of the most compellingly creepy, horrific, stories I've ever read, and I have read hundreds by some really good writers but this one is...I can't find a word that truly fits it.

#1 - author's initials (both first and last) can be found in FORMULA ROSSA - (R &F)

Savior - Rhys Ford -(California)
415 Ink series Book #2
4★
A savior lies in the heart of every good man, but sometimes only love can awaken the man inside the savior. The world’s had it out for San Francisco firefighter Mace Crawford from the moment he was born. Rescued from a horrific home life and dragged through an uncaring foster system, he’s dedicated his life to saving people, including the men he calls his brothers. As second-in-command of their knitted-together clan, Mace guides his younger siblings, helps out at 415 Ink, the family tattoo shop, and most of all, makes sure the brothers don’t discover his darkest secrets. It’s a lonely life with one big problem—he’s sworn off love, and Rob Claussen, one of 415 Ink’s tattoo artists, has gotten under his skin in the worst way possible. Mace’s world is too tight, too controlled to let Rob into his life, much less his heart, but the brash Filipino inker is there every time Mace turns around. He can’t let Rob in without shaking the foundations of the life he’s built, but when an evil from his past resurfaces, Mace is forced to choose between protecting his lies and saving the man he’s too scared to love.

It's a serious understatement to say that fire fighter Mace is just a bit tortured. It was almost painful to listen to him. To complicate the situation Rob, a talented tattoo artist at 415 Ink, is attracted to Mace big time. The usual complications go through Mace's head...it's too complicated, he doesn't deserve a guy like Rob...he's not good at relationships etc. Rob is frustrated with the mixed signals that he keeps getting from Mace...and so was I to some extent. They do of course eventually get their act together. Usually, Rhys Ford gets 5 stars for anything she writes but this was too much like walking through either a mine field or a field of molasse. The book was good, and I’ll definitely re-read it at some point and will go on with the series.

Husband Material - Alexis Hall - (England)
Boyfriend Material Book #2
4★
WANTED: One (very real) husband, nowhere near perfect but desperately trying his best In BOYFRIEND MATERIAL, Luc and Oliver met, pretended to fall in love, fell in love for real, dealt with heartbreak and disappointment and family and friends...and somehow figured out a way to make it work. Now it seems like everyone around them is getting married, and Luc's feeling the social pressure to propose. But it'll take more than four weddings, a funeral, and a hotly contested rainbow balloon arch to get these two from "I don't know what I'm doing" to "I do". Good thing Oliver is such perfect HUSBAND MATERIAL.

It was a sweet, charming and sometimes witty offering. I liked the characters of Luc and Oliver in Boyfriend Material so was really looking forward to seeing what they were up to in Husband Material and if a wedding was actually going to take place. I thought at first that Luc was going to propose to satisfy social pressures, but then I began to hope he would just bite the bullet and do it. It was a good enough read but it just didn't, for some reason that I can't define, produce the same feelings as the first book. It does confirm that Luc and Oliver have definitely found their "happily ever after" with one another and this story was the perfect way to send them off.

Love Me Again - Max Walker - (New Hampshire)
Stone Wall Investigations Blue Creek Book #1
5★
AUSTIN ROMERO:
No one’s fast enough to outrun grief. Trust me, I’ve tried. I ran away from the city and took a job as the lead detective back in my old hometown of Blue Creek, New Hampshire. I expected to bump into past ghosts, but I never expected those ghosts to reopen old wounds. The biggest ghost of them all: Charlie Marsh. The man who pushed me out of this town in the first place. He was also the man who had stolen my heart when we were teens, and who now couldn’t even remember a single day we had spent together. Which makes it exceptionally awkward when he becomes my first client.
CHARLIE MARSH:
An accident stole seven years of my memories, robbing me of experiences, lessons, people. It robbed me of my first love. I couldn’t remember who Austin even was, much less when and where we shared our first kiss. So when I bumped into the most jaw-droppingly handsome man I’d ever seen, I had no idea we already shared an entire galaxy’s worth of history between us. Second chances aren’t always easy, and this one only gets more complicated after finding out that my ‘accident’ wasn’t an accident at all, and it seems like someone wants to finish the job. Good thing I’ve got a hot detective’s number on speed-dial.

I loved the Stonewall Investigation series that was set in New York, so I was very excited to see that the series was going to continue, but in a new location, New Hampshire. Austin and Charlie’s second chance at love was going to be, without a doubt, a big challenge. I wondered what Austin was going to do when Charlie returned into his life. This was the man who not only ripped his heart out but stomped on it and then left town. He was willing to listen to Charlie and was really glad he did because it turns out that Charlie had had a terrible accident and didn’t even remember Austin... the man he had spent three years of his life with. Their journey of re-discovery and falling in love again was up and down but headed for fantastic. Someone in Blue Creek didn't want Austin remembering anything and was determined that his stay would be short and if possible, fatal. As with all Max Walker’s books there is lots of hot and steamy sex worked around an interesting plot. There is a twist at the end that you never see comings but will make you anxiously await book #2.

Remembering the Bones / Frances Itani
3.5 stars

79-year old Georgie is on her way to the airport as she has been invited by Queen Elizabeth to their shared 80th birthday celebration. Unfortunately, Georgie’s car goes off an embankment and lands in a ravine. Georgie is alive, but too hurt to move from where she landed and she and her car are not visible from the road. As she waits for rescue, she goes through memories of her family and her life.

This was good. The initial crash brought me in and although the memories initially weren’t as interesting, I found it picked up a bit when Georgie got married, so I liked the second half of the story better. I also liked the comparisons to “Lilibet’s” (Queen Elizabeth’s) life and the little royal tidbits brought in that way. I thought it was amusing that all the women in Georgie’s family had names that shortened into “male” names: Phil, Fred (she had an Aunt and Uncle Fred when her Aunt Fred married a Fred), Grand Dan… (ok, not quite all, but most).

The Tarkington Treasure - Evelyn Cullet - (Illinois)
Charlotte Ross Mystery Series Book #4
5★
"In the world of logic, it's always our assumptions that lead us astray." A spooky old house, rumors of a hidden Civil War treasure, a neighbor’s murder, and an ex-fiancé falling unconscious at her feet—Charlotte Ross has her hands full when she’s invited to stay at her friend, Jane Marshall’s home while her apartment is being renovated. Jane and her new fiancé have sold everything to move to the large estate she’d just inherited near the small town in Illinois, where she grew up. She’s always loved the house, but the cost of living in, and fixing up, a deteriorating old mansion is more than both their incomes combined. If she can’t come up with the money for the next property tax payment, she’ll be forced to give it up. Charlotte is intent on winning back her ex, but her efforts are stymied when he’s suspected of Jane’s neighbor’s murder. The two couples soon discover the rambling old house holds more than one secret when they join forces to find the real killer—and the elusive, Tarkington treasure.

I choose this book for a very simple reason...it had a gold cover...and it covered a challenge category. Well...two simple reasons. As it turned out, it did so much more. It was more than entertaining, and it made me buy the first three books just to see more of Charlotte Ross. To say that I really enjoyed this intriguing read would be an understatement. The mystery of the hidden treasure was so well plotted and the characters very realistic. There were a couple of subplots that added depth, and a red herring added into the story. There was enough background given that it easily qualified as a standalone read. There are at least two love stories...one of them is a love triangle. Then there is the interesting American history, and then there was the occasional dead bodies popping up in the cellars. With a story was so full of mesmerizing occurrences that are so well woven into one another that you just have to keep turning pages. Who needs sleep anyway?

Where The Memories Lie
Sibel Hodge - (England)
1★
Chilling family secrets, obsession and decades-old lies. How well do we really know the ones we love? A gripping psychological thriller from the #1 bestselling author of Look Behind You. Twenty-five years ago, Katie ran away from home and never came back. But now she’s suddenly reappeared in her best friend Olivia’s life―in the form of a chilling confession. Olivia’s father-in-law, wracked with guilt, says he murdered her all those years ago. Tom suffers from Alzheimer’s and his story is riddled with error and confusion. Except for one terrifying certainty: he knows where the body is buried. As Olivia and the police piece together the evidence, they are left with one critical question. They have a crime, they have a confession, and now they have a body―but can any of it be trusted?

I had a hard time deciding on a rating for this book. I detested the main character from the beginning. I could find nothing about the story that rated anything other than the 1 lonely, solitary star that I gave it. Olivia, the heroine, and I use the term loosely, was a despicable character that I just couldn't find any reason to even begin to try to like. Her father-in-law suffers from Alzheimer, but he confesses to a murder. A murder that only may, and probably is, only in his jumbled mind, but Olivia disregards the advice of everyone...her husband, her brother-in-law...her sister-in-law who all said he was a sick old man, and the "murder", if it indeed there ever was a murder, was supposed to have happen years ago. Off Olivia goes to the police with the information. The police determine that no murder had occurred. The father-in-law divulges additional confessions and Olivia is off and running once again. Oliva thought that the supposed murder victim was a former friend of hers, so she decides it is her "duty" as the former "best friend" of this person to solve the mystery. Sometimes things are best left alone as Olivia soon learns that her "best friend" was not all who, or what, she thought she was, but hey, let's rally to her defense anyway. What added to my dislike of Olivia was that every time she thought she had a clue she immediately jumped to the most negative response that went from her weak little mind to her uncontrollable mouth. Anyone who was associated with the new clue was immediately determined, by her, to be guilty. Even her husband was accused of some horrific crimes. As for Olivia...Can we say "sanctimonious"? By the middle of the book, I had thoughts of closing Olivia and her goody two shoes' opinions, tightly between the pages, but I wanted so badly to see her get everything that she deserved. Sadly, I was disappointed. I do believe this was the worst book I have EVER read. I'm going to post this before I take the 1 star away.

The Nursing Home Murder – Ngaio Marsh
2**

Book number three in the Roderick Alleyn mystery series by renowned New Zealand writer Ngaio Marsh. This time Inspector Detective Alleyn is called to investigate the death of a Britain’s Home Secretary. Sir Derek O’Callahan had been complaining of abdominal pain for some days, but it wasn’t until he collapsed that he went to hospital. By then his abscessed appendix had burst and emergency surgery was needed. The operation was a success but Sir Derek died shortly thereafter. His wife insisted on an inquest and the results showed an overdose of a particular drug. But who administered it?

As is typical of Marsh’s writing there is little exposition or description and a lot of dialogue and repetition. There are plenty of suspects – including a vengeful surgeon, a nurse (whose a former lover), an unhappy wife, and a host of political foes - and more than few red herrings. There’s also a subplot involving Bolsheviks that clearly places the reader in the timeframe.

Marsh is frequently compared to the other “Queens of Crime” of the early 20th century (Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers for example). Her work has endured for nearly a century, but I am not much of a fan. This is the third of her books I’ve read and the third time I’m giving one of her books two stars.

The Mystery of Ruby Lode - Scotty Cade - (Colorado)
5★
After six months of research, adventure seekers Bowen McAlister, Cyrus Curran, Duff Gentry, and Lockhart Dawson make their way to Boulder, Colorado, to explore the abandoned gold mine Ruby Lode. But when they arrive, Duff, a born psychic, senses something isn’t quite right―and the closer they get, the more his unease grows. Something long buried in the deep shafts and drifts of Ruby Lode makes its presence known by exposing dark, guarded secrets. Preying on the adventurers’ weaknesses and insecurities, Ruby Lode’s own destructive secret threatens their sanity, friendship, and ultimately their lives. Bo, Cy, Duff, and Lockey must work together to unravel the century-old mystery before they become another footnote in the mine’s history.

I believe I have read and enjoyed everything that Scotty Cade has ever written, and this one, even though it was different from his usual stories, was not in any way disappointing. The history of the mine and the history of the first two couples to explore it in 1914, is told in the first two chapters and then in the remainder we meet the two couples in present time. It has adventure, romance, and spookiness in spades...what more could you ask for? The past and the present come together when their lives collide with one couple from the past. A large part of the book shows how we sometimes allow other people's prejudices and past circumstances to affect us so deeply that we lose our self-worth and often our entire beings, but if we allow it, love, compassion and understanding can heal. As I said in the beginning, this story is different in some ways from Scotty Cade's usual but in some ways, it contains what makes his books so compelling. He takes the reader through difficult and emotionally draining truths with each of the main characters, but I have never seen his characters not come out with a happy ending.

Balzac And the Little Chinese Seamstress – Dai Sijie
Audiobook narrated by B D Wong
5*****

What a delightful book - beautifully written - poetic. During China's Cultural Revolution, three young men are sent to a mountain villages for re-education. The area is near the border with Tibet, and the local peasants subsist on treacherous terrain. The high mountain passes make travel from one town to another difficult and dangerous. Two of the boys are settled in Phoenix in the Sky, where they live in a stilt “house” that is really the village’s storage facility. Their friend, “Four eyes” is in a different town, and they discover that he has a secret horde of books. They are captivated by the books and also by the little seamstress, daughter of the district’s tailor.

The boys proceed to try to win the little seamstress – and her protective and watchful father - with their story-telling, relating the works of titans of Western literature: Balzac, Dumas, Hugo, Flaubert, etc. The outcome is not what they had expected.

Sijie gives us descriptions of the harshness of the terrain and of their forced labor. The scenes in the coal mine were particularly harrowing. But there are many humorous scenes, as well.

I have read this little gem of a novel several times. It is luminously written, and even makes me want to read Balzac (although I still haven't done so). For me, it answers the question, "Why do you read so much?"

The audiobook is masterfully performed by B D Wong. He really brings these characters to life.

There is also a movie, originally produced in French (Sijie who, himself, was “re-educated” during the ‘70s, now lives in Paris and originally wrote the book in French). I saw it as part of a film festival. The cinematography is gorgeous. But the ending is different and was a huge disappointment to me.

Hiatus - L A Witt - (California)
4★
Three’s a disaster when things come unraveled. Rock star Nate Keller is on top of the world, but his headlining tour has one drawback. It keeps him away from his boyfriends Theo and Cameron for weeks at a time. They make every effort to come see him as often as possible, though, and after four and a half years as a trio, things are still going strong. But then Cam comes alone, bringing news that stops Nate’s world on a dime—after seventeen years together, he and Theo are separating. It’s a trial separation, but nevertheless, Nate is devastated. He tries to pull them back together, but there’s only so much he can do from the road. At home, Cam tries to carry on, but feels like his whole life is spiraling out of control. Theo struggles to cope with the split and his worsening depression. They’re both quickly losing hope for a reconciliation… and keeping the man they, both still love. When Nate makes a desperate last-ditch attempt to pull their trio back together, it’s make or break time. Is their trial separation just a temporary hiatus? Or is this the end?

Possible Triggers: Severe anxiety & depression, serious relationship issues
I really like this author's work. I've read all of her series and loved how she interacted her characters...so when I saw that this was an M/M/M romance, which I haven't read many of, I thought I'd give it a try. It has a little bit of humor, but it also has a boat load of angst. Be aware that the story deals with severe anxiety and depression as well as the ups and downs that come with serious relationships. If you read or have ever read this genre then you know that the MC's always go through some type of trauma before things usually level out...but be prepared... with this book, you’re going to read about a 15-year relationship that resulted in a marriage that has literally fallen apart...and the impact that it has on their third. While there are some flashbacks to happier times, they are overshadowed by the depression on the third guy who loves them both. The story does have a "happy ever after" ending but you will have to read a lot of very sad things that are unfortunately also very realistic, before you get to it. L.A. Witt's books always get 5-star ratings from me, but 4 stars for this one. I momentarily thought about 3, but she did pull it out in the end... but I had already spent a lot of time literally aching for the third guy.

Simon Says, Hide - Dale Mayer - (Vancouver, Canada)
Kate Morgan series Book #1
5★
Newly promoted detective Kate Morgan stands up for the victims in the world, never backing down or giving up. From a family of victims, Kate will not tolerate those who take advantage of others. The worst prey on the hopes of desperate people to line their own pockets. And when Kate finds a connection between more than a half-dozen cold cases to a recent case--where a child's life is in jeopardy--she'll make a deal with the devil himself to protect the child. Having the gift of "Sight", Simon St. Laurant knows that once he uses it, he can never walk away. But when nightmares of his own past are triggered, Simon can’t stand back. Determined to help, Simon vows to save these children--even if it means dealing with the cranky and critical Detective Kate Morgan.

Seem I have hit the proverbial jackpot this month with "new to me authors". I will be searching out more books by Dale Mayer. I didn't like Kate Morgan to begin with, but I had to admire her devotion to the victims and how determined she was to solve the many cold cases that were piling up, especially those that involved children. It's personal to her. Her younger brother was abducted while she was watching him. She was 7. While I have to wonder who in their right mind leaves a 7-year-old to watch a younger child, the events that followed has given her the drive that fuels her chosen career. She is dedicated and committed to finding victims, which of course would include her brother. Then we have Simon St. Laurant... I loved him from the start. Simon has a past of his own that he works hard to hide but his fellow cops often find convenient and useful. Simon has the sometimes unwelcome, gift of sight, so he tells Kate that he is having visions and feels compelled to give her information he hopes is helpful. The interaction between Kate and Simon was unusual, yet it worked. I loved the banter between them, and I can't wait to see where this partnership takes them. It was not what I expected at all...but perfect for the beginning of what has all the makings of an addictive series.

The Children’s Train – Viola Ardone
Digital audiobook narrated by Tim Campbell
3.5*** (rounded up)

NOT to be confused with The Orphan Train or other books on that subject, this is a story based on true events, set in post-WW2 Italy. Children from impoverished families in the south were sent north to wealthier communities / families who could care for them. Amerigo, the central figure in this novel, is one such child.

I was not previously aware of this effort in post-war Italy, but I can understand how some parents would make the wrenching decision to send their children away for a chance at a better future. It is interesting to see how these actions by adults were interpreted by the children who were placed – for their own good – in far flung area with complete strangers, some of whom did not treat the children well. But Amerigo is lucky in that the family he joins welcomes him and his foster father recognizes and nurtures Amerigo’s love of music. But this nurturing environment is temporary, and as the country recovers from the deprivations of war, Amerigo is reunited with mother.

A child’s love for his mother may be unwavering, but who can blame him for wanting more than his mother can give, especially once he’s had a taste of those riches? How can the mother reconcile her original selfless decision to send her child to safety with the result of a child who is returned so different from the one she sent away – a child who has been exposed to “more” and naturally wants more now?

While the novel raised some interesting questions (and I look forward to my F2F book club discussion), I was left somewhat dissatisfied. The novel is told in four parts. The first two parts take place in 1946 chronicling Amerigo’s journey north and his experiences there; Part three covers his return to his mother, still impoverished; and Part Four jumps forward to 1994 when 50-year-old Amerigo returns for a visit to Naples. I wish Ardone had spent some time on the intervening years to give us more insight into Amerigo’s development. As it was I didn’t fully understand the person Amerigo became.

Still, there were several scenes that really captured the emotion of the situations both young Amerigo and middle-aged Amerigo experienced.

The audiobook was narrated by Tim Campbell, who did a fine job. He’s believable as both a seven-year-old frightened and impressionable young boy and as a 50-year-old man reflecting on his relationship with his mother.

The story does remind me of other similar situations of which I’m aware. Of course, the aforementioned orphan trains in Depression-era USA, but also the millions of children who were evacuated during WW2 to other countries, in efforts to spare them the horrors of war. One woman I know through a mutual professional association was a child when, first, she and her mother had to leave their Jersey home to avoid the Nazi occupation of that island, and later when her mother sent Jayne from London to the US to avoid the worst of the Blitz. Nine-year-old Jayne landed in a suburb of Milwaukee with a well-off family, where she lived for her formative years. When she returned to England to rejoin her mother, she was a 16-year-old teenager and not at all happy to be uprooted from her friends in the USA. Once she was of age, she wrote to her foster father in Wisconsin, who welcomed her back and agreed to help her get established here. Our book club read her memoir - This Token Of Freedom - in 2015. The same book club discussed Ardone’s book in January 2022.

Fish in a Barrel - Amy Lane -(California)
Fish Out of Water series Book #7
5 ++★
Jackson and Ellery face their toughest case yet—against the criminal justice system itself. Jackson Rivers and Ellery Cramer have worked difficult jobs before, but usually it’s getting the facts that’s the problem. For their newest client, the trouble isn’t finding the truth—it’s corruption at the highest levels of the justice system. It isn’t enough to find the actual perpetrator and unveil a heartless plot—not when the DA is the bad guy and he’s using cops as his goons. Keeping their vulnerable client alive and out of jail takes blood, sweat, and tears. When one of their major antagonists is killed and the DA tries to pin the death on Jackson, he’ll need every ounce of luck and all his resources to clear his name—and to find the perpetrator before the DA can use the murder to further his own agenda. They soon find that it’s easier to spot an honest man in a field of thieves than it is to shoot fish in a barrel—and both the man and the fish will be lucky to survive.

I can't even say how excited I was to see this book. This was the first M/M romance series I had ever read when several years ago the first book in the "Fish Out of Water" series appeared in a box of books that my 'BBB's - ("Book Bringing Buddies"), brought to me. I thought after book #6 that I had said "see you later"...but never goodbye, since I would read those books over and over until the either the covers fell off or the print disappeared. But here are Ellery and Jackson again and they have brought lots of friends who I have had the pleasure of meeting through Amy Lane's "Johnnie" series. One big happy family now. Everyone has a part to play here, as Ellery and Jackson take on several corrupt members of the police department who thought it would be a grand idea to drug an encampment of peaceful homeless people, put them on a bus in the middle of the night and move them to "Heaven Only Knows Where"...oh, and one of them wanted to shoot a homeless man's little dog. Loved seeing how they made the "bad guys" pay, and something very special happened for Ellery and Jackson as soon as Jackson got out of hospital...AGAIN. I hope that there is going to be a book #8. Amy Lane can't, wouldn't, couldn't just leave us hanging and waiting. If you like this genre...and I know it's controversial to some and I respect that fully, but if you like it and haven't read the first six books, do so before reading this one. It is SO worth the time.

Reading Up a Storm – Eva Gates
Digital audiobook narrated by Elise Arsenault
3***

This is book three in the Lighthouse Library Mystery series, starring Lucy Richardson, chief librarian at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Shortly after a major storm, a man is found dead in his wrecked boat. Lucy had seen the craft floundering during the storm, but she’d also seen mysterious lights on shore, seemingly guiding the boat onto dangerous shoals. Was this an accident? Or was it murder?

I read this out of order, because book # 4 arrived before book # 3 at the library. The mysteries are fast and fun, with some colorful supporting characters added into the mix. And, while I’m not a cat person, I do love Charles Dickens, Lucy’s Himalayan.

Elise Arsenault does an adequate job of reading the audiobooks. Although, the voices she uses for the male characters are really bad. Still, she sets a good pace and has diction clear enough to be understood even when listening at double speed.

Natural Causes: An Epidemic of Wellness, the Certainty of Dying, and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer
Barbara Ehrenreich
4/5 stars
I have read Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed and enjoyed that book. In this book she talks about how we spend more time worrying about living a long life as we put our bodies through dieting, fitness and medical tests. But science shows that the cells make those decisions on how long we live and not us. That maybe we should live our life fully and not worry about what we cannot control. I thought this was very thought provoking!

The Murder House - Michael Wood - (England)
DCI Matildia Drake series Book #5
5★
It’s the most disturbing crime scene DCI Matilda Darke has ever seen. The morning after a wedding reception at a beautiful suburban home in Sheffield, the bride’s entire family are stabbed to death – in a frenzied attack more violent than anything DCI Matilda Darke could have imagined. Forensics point to a burglar on the run across the country. But cracks are starting to appear in Matilda’s team, someone is playing games with the evidence – and the killer might be closer to home than they thought.

I actually have managed to read this series in order. I really like the character of Matildia Drake and how she sorts out the evidence she has to work with to solve the crime. Her team is well oiled and work together without the feuding and fighting that is found in many books of this genre. This one is a bit gorier than the first four, so, if this bothers you, you may want to skip it...if not...it's a great mystery and a really good read. I could see some significant character growth since the first book, especially with DCI Drake. This case wasn't by any means "a walk in the park". An entire family, except one small child had been brutely murdered. The investigating team isn't perfect. They made mistakes in their logic details of the investigation as well as in some personal ones. Their mistakes are really what keeps you reading. The author gives you some clues as to "who-done-it" fairly early on, but he leaves you to try to sort out the "why". For a while, you, the reader, are the only one privileged to that information. This is a true mystery in every sense of the word. It's definitely a book that you will want to continue to read until the very last page. The series can be read out of order but book 1 will get you better acquainted with Matilda and her team.

Sightings - Mark Lukens - (Minnesota)
4★
In 1988, Lydia Conner was taken from her cabin near Specter Lake, Minnesota while her husband lay in bed, temporarily paralyzed. She screamed at him for help as she floated up to the ceiling in a blinding flash of light ... and then she was gone. In 2009, four film school students journeyed to the Specter Lake cabin where the abduction of Lydia Conner took place. They hoped to capture proof of an alien visitation on film; they hoped to re-create events from the abduction; they hoped to use themselves as bait ... ... but they encountered much more than they ever could've imagined.

Possible Triggers: Animal Mutilations, Alien Abduction
Seem that i have struck the proverbial jackpot with interesting stories. If you like stories that pull you in a wrap you up...this is one of those. It's a fairly solid, almost believable, alien abduction story. The characters are skillfully portrayed and drawn out so that the reader gets to know and care for each of them. There are some extremely frightening moments, especially near the end. I had to pretty much skip over the animal mutilating. The book lost a 5 star rating because of it. I can read the goriest murder descriptions but don't kick the dog or anything else with fur and four legs...or feathers and two...or scales and none. I would pay to see this made into a movie.

What He Left Behind - L.A. Witt - (California)
3.5★
Josh Carver would do anything for Michael Adair, his childhood best friend. In the five years since Michael finally left his abusive ex-partner, Josh and his husband Ian have helped him leave that horrific past behind him. Michael seems to have adjusted well enough…until he admits he’s afraid to date because the abuse has left him terrified of physical intimacy. Josh is stunned again when Ian proposes a solution—Josh can help Michael learn to enjoy sex again. It isn’t like it would be the first time. After all, Josh and Michael lost their virginity to each other years ago. Michael hesitates, but then takes him up on the idea. It isn’t long before Ian’s getting involved too… and it’s all fine and dandy until emotions come into play that threaten their friendship, as well as Josh and Ian’s marriage.

Possible Triggers - Domestic Violence
Just a warning: If you aren't a diehard M/M romance fan this one might be a bit too much. Even if you are...there are parts of this that are very hard to read. I've never read anything by this author that was quite like this. Josh and Ian have been happily married for a decade. They have a friend, Michael, who has been through a violent experience that left him physically and mentally devasted and afraid to trust anyone again. I did like the life that Michael & Josh had made along with their rescue dog and cat, before the arrival of Michael. Michael coming into their lives changed everything and not always for the better. I had a lot of trouble with the execution of this story. I love L.A. Witt's work...I own several of her books, so she has written m/m/m romances before that I thought were much better than this.... but none carried the impact that this story carried. The ending was realistic although very different from others but then they were dealing with a man that was becoming more than a friend to both of them. They didn't have all the answers...and they knew that Michael may never be "Okay "again ...but they were willing to try and work it out. What Ms. Witt did manage to do was to get across in spades the damage, both physical and emotional, that domestic violence leaves behind, and that NO ONE DESERVES IT, no matter if its victim is a woman or a man...straight or gay.

Ready To Roll - Suzanne Brockmann - (Colorado)
A Troubleshooter Novella
4.5★
The only easy day is yesterday. BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) training is known for being the toughest, meanest, most physically punishing program in the entire U.S. Navy, and a new crop of tadpoles have arrived in Coronado eager to prove their worth—to make it through Hell Week and become U.S. Navy SEALs. Although Izzy prefers assignments out in the “real world,” he’s glad to be an instructor for the current BUD/S class, because it allows him to spend time at home with his wife, Eden, and her lively and lovable extended family. Eden’s sixteen-year-old brother, Ben, is dealing with a new crush and a homophobic bully in his high school, but it soon appears that things are not as they seem. Meanwhile, Eden’s other brother (and Izzy’s SEAL teammate and former frenemy) Danny Gillman and his wife Jenn have just had a baby who has colic and cries constantly. As Ben deals with the type of too-serious high school drama that could involve a body count, and Danny and Jenn juggle a new baby, lack of sleep, and postpartum blues, Izzy is intrigued by “Boat Squad John,” a misfit team of young SEAL candidates all named John, including the intriguing young Seagull, his swim buddy Timebomb, and Seagull’s nemesis Hans. Does Seagull have what it takes keep Boat Squad John still standing when the dust of BUD/S Hell Week settles, or will they ring out?

It's been nearly seven years since I read a Troubleshooters book. I saw this short novella on the library table and thought I'd pay the guys a long overdue visit. FBI guy, Jules Cassidy and his partner, former Hollywood star, Robin Chadwick, were always my favorites of the gang, which shouldn't surprise anyone at all...but they must be busy figuring out married life since they didn't show up, but it was still a welcome mix of low steam romance, suspense, and humor...so it was a warm, familiar visit. The guys all have growing families...some have family members that have grown into young men and women ready to start families of their own...and some of the old timers are beginning to take live easier and think about letting the younger guys take over. But not just yet. It's Hell week and Izzy has the U.S. Navy's future to put through their paces. Some will make it, and some will "ring out." Readers are privy to the thoughts of several of the new guys as well as several old favorites. As in other books in the series, there are multiple plot lines ongoing...something that I have always loved. We get an update on past favorite couples and see several good set-ups for another book. One of the plot lines in this story features Ben Gillman, Danny & Eden’s 16-year-old brother as he experiences “first love" and learns how to handle both a homophobic bully and a big disappointment. I enjoyed Ben’s story and the character development he showed. Also, the role Izzy plays in this one lets us visit inside his head. That's always an adventure. The little book is 178 pages that allows several past favorites to slide in to take part in a visit that was way too short. Whoever said, "You can't go home again". obviously never knew these guys of the "Troubleshooter" series.

The Castleton Massacre: Survivors' Stories of the Killins Femicide / Sharon Cook, Margaret Carson
4.5 stars

In May 1963, Robert Killins, a very intelligent man and a former United Church minister, murdered his (estranged) wife, his daughter, his sister, and his wife’s youngest daughter. He’d been stalking his wife and daughter for years since wife Florence tried to leave and travelled across the country from B.C. to Ontario to get away. His wife and daughter were both pregnant at the time of the murders. Two more of Florence’s children watched in horror as the murders happened, and were able to get away. They were 12- (Margaret) and 10-years (Brian) old at the time.

The book backs up in time to give a biography of both families – beginning with Robert’s and Florence’s parents, then Robert and Florence and their siblings and everything leading to 1963. It also included a section after the murders where Margaret and Brian came to live with their Uncle Harold and his wife and their youngest daughter (a teenager, the only child still living at home), Sharon, and the two tried to come to terms with what had happened and what they’d witnessed. The last bit of the book also talks about domestic abuse in Canada, in general. Margaret and Sharon are the authors of the book. They undertook a lot of research and got oral histories from many of the people still alive who remember it.

Wow! First a bit of advice – don’t read the chapter that describes the murders close to bedtime! It was terrifying and violent. With one of the authors having been there and the oral histories given by her brother who was also there and a couple of other people who tried to help, all put together, you get an awful feeling of being hunted (as I’m sure both Margaret and Brian felt)! That being said, I am a fan of true crime, and I do like biographies, so all put together, a very very good book. And murders I had never heard of before this.

The Witches: Salem, 1692 / Stacy Schiff
3.25 stars

This is a detailed history of the witch accusations and trials in Massachusetts in 1692, not just in Salem, but in neighbouring areas, as well.

I listened to the audio and did miss parts. What I heard more of, I would rate 3.5 stars “good”. But it’s unfortunate I missed the stuff I did as I got distracted from listening. I do feel like I might have taken in more if I’d read it. I don’t think I’d previously read as much of the aftermath as this book included, not just in the surrounding areas but about the people after everything died down. I did like that the narrator also read the footnotes.

The Secret, Book & Scone Society – Ellery Adams
Book on CD read by Cris Dukehart
2.5***

From the book jacket: The first in a new series set within a quirky small-town club where the key to happiness, friendship—or solving a murder—can all be found within the pages of the right book . . . Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is a place of healing. Strangers flock here hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked “comfort” scone from the Gingerbread House bakery, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That’s Nora’s special talent—prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person’s deepest pain and lighten their heaviest burden.

My reactions:
I really like Adams’ “Books By the Bay” mystery series and thought I’d give this one a try, though I was skeptical about the “comfort scones” and Nora’s ability to cure someone’s ills by recommending the right book.

Nora and her friends – Hester (who owns the bakery), Estella (who owns the beauty salon) and June (who works at the spa pools) – form the society to read and discuss books that will help each of them get over past traumas and move forward with courage and grace. But they are immediately intrigued by the tragic death of a partner in a real estate development, and more so by the sheriff’s quick assessment that it was suicide. So, they decide to investigate.

That decision made little sense to me. They had no vested interest in the development or in this relative stranger to town. Yes, he’d spoken to Nora (who’d given him a book recommendation), and she’d referred him to the bakery so Hester could concoct one of her special comfort scones for him, but that was the extent of their involvement. Of course, once a second murder occurs, and one of their group gets arrested, they have every reason to continue looking for clues.

By the end of the book we’ve learned each of the women’s terrible secret, and there are a couple of promising romantic relationships. But I just got the feeling that Adams was trying too hard.

Still, I did really love all the book references!

Cris Dukeheart does a good job of narrating the audio book. She has a lot of characters to interpret and she has the vocal range to differentiate them, for the most part. (I had to pay close attention when three or four women were meeting together, to be sure I understood who was speaking.)

Long Shadow - Elle Keaton - (Washington, Piedras Island)
Veiled Intentions series Book #2
5★
Niall’s known nothing but betrayal. All Mat wants is Niall’s heart. Mat and Niall are stronger together than apart. When will Niall realize that truth? Will he ever? Since the night on the beach Niall's been avoiding Mat like a bad case of the flu--which, ironically, most of his deputies have come down with. What will it take for Niall to truly believe Mat wants him for who he is? Mat's overworked, Niall's unnerved, and then things really go sideways. Someone wants the sheriff dead. Niall's not about to let that happen, even if he doesn't think Mat should waste time on him. Will Niall unlock the fortress around his heart, or will he push Mat away permanently?

Niall has softened some in this one and I liked him much more because of it. I understood that he was afraid of showing too much of how he felt about Mat but he should have seen enough of Mat and his family to know he could risk it. This is not only an M/M romance, it's also a murder mystery, it has an arson case, and a whole train load of action. Niall is more committed to staying on Piedras except since his grandparent's cabin burned, he now doesn’t have a place to live. The hotel where he has a room is a far cry from the Hilton, but the owners don't care much for his wolf hound. Fenrir, who is without a doubt my favorite character in the entire series. The motel people are crazy to not like him since he is better behaved than most people's children. Of course, since he has fur and four legs, I'm a bit prejudice. In order to not miss too much and see how the relationship between Niall and Mat develops, the books should be read in order. Unfortunately, it seems there are only 3 of them, but I have found that the characters have a tendency to reappear in some of Elle Keaton's other books. Each book solves the current mystery while introducing the next book, so they keep you coming back for more.

Three Player Game - Jaime Samms
4★
Vince’s life has improved immeasurably since he moved to Bluewater Bay two years ago. He’s gone from working for a man he hated, to helping found a company he believes in. And he and his boyfriend, Pete, have built a delicate balance of power between them that keeps them both grounded and thriving.
Almost, anyway. Pete’s job on the set of Wolf’s Landing is demanding. He needs lots of downtime off set, and that’s where Vince’s firm but gentle control isn’t always enough. And for Vince, Pete’s constant high-energy needs are turning out to be more than he can handle alone. It’s no surprise to either of them, then, that sparks fly when Vince’s coworker Lee enters the picture. Outwardly, Lee is tough and confident, but when a bad back confine him to Pete and Vince’s spare room, the cracks start to show and his desire for connection begins to peek through. Pete and Vince both like what they see under Lee’s prickly outside, but now the three men must learn that love isn’t about beating the game — it’s about balance, trust, and letting each other in.

Creating a three-way relationship in a romance series could have been a tricky endeavor, but Jaime Samms did it effortlessly. The author takes three incredibly complex characters and works them into a realistic, believable relationship that is fraught with all sorts of interesting and often complex situations while ensuring that they each have a happy ending...and while remain together. I don't know that I would want this to be the theme of very many stories, but it worked well with this one. This book is a of part of the Bluewater Bay series that features M/M romances that are each written by a different author.

The Movie Town Murders - Josh Lanyon - (California)
The Art of Murder series Book #5
4.5★
Murder: Live and in Technicolor: Working undercover gives FBI Art Crime Team agent Jason West the illusion that he's safe from his stalker, Dr. Jeremy Kyser. Though film history and preservation are not Jason's area of expertise, he's intrigued by the case of a well-connected UCLA film studies professor whose family believes she may have been murdered after discovering a legendary lost 1950s film noir. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, BAU Chief Sam Kennedy gets disturbing news: the Roadside Ripper, the serial killer Sam believes murdered his college boyfriend, may not have been working alone.

I sincerely hope not...but I think Josh may be having a bit of difficulty in her life. This book has been 3 long years in coming and her Secrets and Scrabble series is missing books being released in paperback format, and they also have been way past the advertised release dates. I was really glad to get this one as I had almost forgotten what Sam and Jason had been up to...so I went back and read up to this one. The last book left us wondering and slightly on edge about their very fragile relationship. Sam was more than furious with Jason about his work on the last case, and it doesn't help at all that they often find themselves on opposite sides of the country from one another. Good thing that Jason is the more patient of the two and Sam is finally beginning to acknowledge his feelings for Jason. Now we have Jason posing as a professor of art and film at UCLA to investigate the possible murder of an ex-senator's granddaughter, while Sam is again on the opposite side of the country investigating a serial killer case that he thought had been closed. Dr Jeremy Kyser, the killer that has been stalking Jason and giving him sleepless nights is still on the loose. I believe, (hope...fingers crossed), that there has to be another book somewhere in the future. Josh can't be so cruel as to leave us with Jason and Sam still not having worked out some solution to their relationship, not to mention that both men are still in the killers' plans. Please, please, don't make us wait another 3 years, Josh.

Hold My Hand - M.J. Ford - (England)
D.S. Josie Masters series Book #1
3★
How long do you hunt for the missing? A horrible vanishing act. When a young Josie Masters sees a boy wearing a red football shirt, Dylan Jones, being taken by a clown at a carnival, she tries to alert the crowds. But it’s too late. Dylan has disappeared. Thirty years later, Josie is working as a police officer in Bath. The remains of the body of a child have been found – complete with tatters of a torn red football shirt. Is it the boy she saw vanish in the clutches of the clown? Or is it someone else altogether? And then another child disappears.

It had the makings of a good book, and the story had a promising plot, but there was just too much going on at once. It read like stories within stories. You would have thought the author was never going to get a chance to write another book "so let's get it all in here". I did begin to understand though, why I hate clowns. The beginning and about 30% of the book was the best parts. The story covers a span of roughly 30 years. Starting with the kidnapping of a little boy at a carnival, which happened to be witnessed by a little girl. Thirty years down the road; that little girl is now a detective assigned to another case of a kidnapped little boy. Many pages later we come to the ending. It needed...well, something more believable. The "big reveal" was over the top. It felt as if the author wanted to come up with something that was so bizarre and so out in left field that the reader would be overly, even shockingly, surprised. I know this was this author's first book...heaven knows I have never had a first book or any book for that matter...but there was so much that really "bothered" me and didn't fit well together about the entire layout of the story. I gave it 3 stars...because first of all, I DID NOT HATE THE BOOK. Those stars are also for the author's first efforts, she is a good writer...for the idea of the plot...and for the first part of the story which really was very good...but someone in charge of the editing or the finished product, really let this author down somewhere along the way. Of course, I have probably done more with this review to get people to read it than the editor ever could have hoped to have accomplished:)

The Creation of Eve – Lynn Cullen
4****

Based on the true, but little known, story of the first renowned female artist during the Renaissance period, this is a captivating work of historical fiction. Sofonisba Anguisola (Sofi) studied under Michelangelo, though, as a woman, she was not allowed to draw the naked figure. Still, her reputation garnered her an invitation from King Felipe II of Spain to join his court as a drawing instructor for his young bride, Elisabeth of Valois, the daughter of King Henri II of France and his wife, Catherine de’ Medici.

I knew nothing about this extraordinary woman, and only a little about the court of King Felipe II. I had not realized the extent of his empire or how very powerful he was. I also was unaware of his relationship to the infamous Don Juan.

Cullen crafts a compelling story that includes intrigue, romance, mystery, politics and the frustration felt by a woman shackled by society’s conventions. Sofi is a strong woman: intelligent, observant, loyal, talented, and determined to live her own life. Her role in the novel, however, is mostly as observer to what is going on in the court, especially in regard to Elizabeth and her flirtations with Felipe’s son, Don Carlos, and with Don Juan.

The author’s notes at the end include more information about Sofonisba herself. I want to look up all her paintings now.

Black Moon- Elle Keaton - (Washington - Piedras Island)
Veiled Intentions series Book #3
5★
One corpse, two corpse, old corpse, new corpse. Summer is crashing into fall, Mat and Niall have a wedding to overthink. A body is discovered floating in the harbor and this time it's the missing ex-Piedras Marine officer Duane Copper. Who, aside from Niall, wanted Duane dead? He's been on the run for months, why would he turn up dead now?

This series is way too short, but luckily the characters from Elle Keaton's other books set in the same general area of Washington state keep reappearing...so there are always familiar friends. Niall and Mat are trying to get married, but explosions and dead bodies keep getting in their way. This is definitely a romantic suspense story and Niall and Mat are one of my all-time favorite couples. The first two books introduced the two character and gave them depth. it also pathed the path to get them together, Now they just have to learn how to be a couple. Niall can’t quite give up his "do it by myself" investigating attitude, even when he doesn't need to. Mat wants to wrap Naill in bubble wrap and put him in a cupboard and lock the door...but he understands that is just the way this big Norseman that has just become his fiancé, is...and it's useless to try and change him. Mat is the sheriff of the Piedras Island community where everybody knows everybody and will always put differences aside and gather together in time of trouble. Mat is determined to keep his little part of the world safe, and it doesn't matter that Naill has also had thoughts about how to keep Mat safe..."wrap him up like a burrito", I believe is how he phrased his idea. Ms. Keaton has created two wonderful, interesting, adorable, sexy, sweet characters. They argue sometimes but they are honest about all their insecurities, and they are respectful of the choices that they each make. There is always a mystery in each book, Mystery and adventure play a huge role in this series. It seems at times, that there are more dead bodies on the island than living ones. Anyone that wants a good "who done it" will get their money's worth here. Elle Keaton introduces these new mysteries to Piedras Island and then expertly weaves them into the storyline. The suspense builds slowly and every piece of the puzzle links together, until suddenly you find yourself in the middle of one of the best romance and mystery stories you could ever want.

Dance of Death / Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child
3.5 stars

A professor uses his fingers to rip off his own face in front of a class of horrified students. Someone falls from stories above a restaurant and falls through into the restaurant – this one sort of looks like a suicide, but there are lots of odd things about it. Possible spoiler for previous book(s) in series NYPD detective (?) D’Agosta is surprised to learn the his friend and FBI agent Pendergast is still alive. Pendergast tells D’Agosta that his brother, Diogenes (also thought to be dead) is actually alive and has the perfect crime planned for a week away; Pendergast needs D’Agosta’s help to stop it.

The chapters follow a lot of different characters. I find it sometimes jars me out of the story, and I tend to lose focus at the start of many of the chapters as we are reintroduced to whomever we are following this chapter and what is happening at that moment with them. Oddly, even though in reviews of previous books in the series, I commented on characters I liked, I’m not sure I really liked any of the characters in this one. However, I do like that so many of the characters come back from previous books. Characters that initially don’t seem connected (or maybe that’s just my fuzzy memory!). There was a twist near the end and the epilogue set up the next book in the series. I did like this enough to continue the series.

Invitation To The Blues - Roan Parrish - (Pennsylvania)
Small Change series Book #2
Middle of Somewhere - Book #5
5★
Eight months ago Jude Lucen fled his partner, his career, and a hospital in Boston after a suicide attempt. Now back in Philadelphia, he feels like a complete failure. Piano has always been his passion and his only escape. Without it, he has nothing. Well, nothing except a pathetic crush on the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen. Faron Locklear came to Philly looking for a fresh start and has thrown himself into tattooing at Small Change. He’s only met Jude a few times, but something about the red-haired man with the haunted eyes calls to him. Faron is blown away by Jude’s talent. What he isn’t expecting is the electricity he feels the first time they kiss—and the way Jude’s needs in bed speak directly to his own deepest desires. Jude and Faron fall fast and hard, but Jude has spent a lifetime learning that he can’t be what the people he loves need. So when the opportunity arises to renew his career in Boston, he thinks he has to choose: music, or Faron? Only by taking a huge risk—and finally believing he’s worthy of love just as he is—can he have the chance for both.

I have tried to read everything that I can find that was written by Roan Parrish. This one had been rather evasive but all of a sudden, I found it in paperback at a yard sale. It's an emotional tale...as often her stories are...about accepting yourself, even when the person you are is imperfect and you may not like that person very much. Thankfully I have no personal experience with depression, but I thought that Roan Parrish wrote about Jude's experience so well that the reader had no problem understanding the spiraling nature of depression and anxiety and how unpredictable and sometimes unexpected, the triggers can be. The story follows Jude Lucen and Faron Locklear's friendship and then attraction that eventually turns into a very meaningful connection. Jude fights it at first because by experience he has reason to believe that his depression is a burden to anyone that would or could possibly love him. Faron shows Jude that he is someone who understands him even when Jude can’t find his words. Faron is someone that makes him feel calm, even when his anxieties wage a war inside his head.... when he feels ugly and unlovable. Those are the times that Faron uses his artist skills to show Jude how beautiful he sees him. Faron shows Jude that he loves all parts of him, the good and the bad, because all those parts are what makes him who he is. A sweet and touching love story. I loved the way Faran summed it up...“I don’t want you out of generosity, or because I’m some kind of angel or savior. I want you because something inside you vibrates just right with something inside of me.”

The Land Below - William Meikle - (Austria)
4★
A treasure hunt into the deepest cave system in Europe takes a turn for the worst. Now rather than treasure it is survival that is at the forefront of the spelunkers' thoughts. But their attempt to escape out of the dark deep places is thwarted. Men are not at home in the depths. But there are things that are, pale terrifying things. Huge things...Things red in tooth and claw.

A very, very short story, only 151 pages. If it had been a bit longer, I believe the plot could have been built up more and the characters could have been rounded out and given the reader a better sense of what the "things" actually were. When the party started to enter the cave, they found the remains of the last two unlucky explorers. I would have thought they would have been a bit more apprehensive. Again, another reason why the story could have been built up more if it had been longer. The character of Stefan was another lost opportunity. The ending was a bit abrupt, but it was a fairly good start to what I understand are two more books. Perhaps they will explain things more and move the story on. I gave the book 4 stars because it was well written...it was a great idea...and I really wanted those "things red in tooth and claw" to be just as scary as they sounded...and they were. I also loved Elsa, the dog. I will try the second book and hope the little band of treasure hunters won't be the "welcome party" at the entrance for the next group.

Fire and Sand - Andrew Grey - (Pennsylvania)
Carlisle Troopers series Book #1
5★
Can a single dad with a criminal past find love with the cop who pulled him over? When single dad Quinton Jackson gets stopped for speeding, he thinks he’s lost both his freedom and his infant son, who’s in the car he’s been chasing down the highway. Amazingly, State Trooper Wyatt Nelson not only believes him, he radios for help and reunites Quinton with baby Callum. Wyatt should ticket Quinton, but something makes him look past Quinton’s record. Watching him with his child proves he made the right decision. Quinton is a loving, devoted father—and he’s handsome. Wyatt can’t help but take a personal interest. For Quinton, getting temporary custody is a dream come true… or it would be, if working full-time and caring for an infant left time to sleep. As if that weren’t enough, Callum’s mother will do anything to get him back, including ruining Quinton’s life. Fortunately, Quinton has Wyatt for help, support, and as much romance as a single parent can schedule. But when Wyatt’s duties as a cop conflict with Quinton’s quest for permanent custody, their situation becomes precarious. Can they trust each other, and the courts, to deliver justice and a happy ever after?

I was really excited to see that another of my favorite authors had a new book out and that it was the first book in a new series. I have never found a book by Andrew Grey that wasn't deserving of a 5-star rating. He seems to find the best in his characters and brings it to the forefront in spades. He must have a strong love of families since nearly all of his stories find families of all combinations of people, making homes, raising children and finding love. I loved Wyatt and Quinton's interaction especially with Quinto's infant son Callum. I didn't doubt for one minute that Quinton would get everything that he deserved because he was such a fantastic father and cared so much for his baby son. Wyatt was perfect for Quinton and Callum. So glad to see where their relationship brought them at the end. I've read all of Andrew Grey's other Carlisle police series and loved them as much as this one. I can't wait for the next one in this series, especially after reading the first chapter that was given to us as a gift in this one. Andrew Grey is an awesome storyteller.

Unfriended – Rachel Vail
2.5***

With friends like these, who needs enemies?

Gabriele “Truly” Gonzalez is a smart eighth-grader who is liked by most everyone. But when she’s invited to join THE Popular kids’ table, she unthinkingly leaves her best friend behind. And the drama begins.

I found this in the YA section but it’s more middle-school than young adult, in my opinion. Vail gives each of the central kids a voice, changing narrators from chapter to chapter. Some are told as a series of text messages. All are told in first person, and I occasionally lost track of which kid was narrating: Natasha? Brooke? Jack? Clay?

Being a middle-school drama there’s the expected “mean girl” behavior and cyber bullying. But I was surprised by how one of the moms gets involved in this cyber bullying.

I did really like Truly, her mom, and her friend Jack. (I’d love to read a novel centered on him.) But I thought it took far too long to get to a positive message. Just not my cup of tea at all, though I could see why tweens might like it.

Annabel / Lauren Oliver
3 stars

This is a short story set in the “Delirium” dystopian series. It follows the mother of Rachel and Leah who is in prison for some reason. Despite how short the story is, it flashes back and forth in time to when Annabel is “cured” (nothing really explains what she is cured of – love, I think? There are hints, and my vague memory of other books in the series), then is matched with her husband.

As noted in the summary, I don’t remember much of the rest of the series, and this one is so short, it’s hard to fill in the blanks with anything to refresh my awful memory. Overall the story was ok, but I would have liked to be able to fit it in with the rest of the series better. Plus, it didn’t really end, but this was meant to be .5 in the series, so set before the first book, so maybe the first book followed up? I don’t recall.

Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell
Audiobook read by the author.
3.5***

Subtitle: The Story of Success.

Gladwell looks at hugely successful people who are “outliers” … far out of the norm. Examples include Bill Gates and The Beatles. He tries to explain how luck, opportunity, and the right birth year or month help these people succeed. Of course, ten thousand hours of practice is also a key element. (Not that I ever wanted to be a hockey star … being a girl from south Texas, I didn’t even see a hockey game until I went to college … but apparently, I was doomed from the start because I was born in December. So, if I HAD been interested, I would probably have been better off practicing the piano more often.)

I was interested in what Gladwell had to say and found the various essays easy to absorb and understand.

Gladwell narrates the audiobook himself. I cannot imagine anyone else doing a better job. However, the audio lacks the graphic depictions (charts, or sample IQ test questions), so I was glad I had a text copy of the book for reference.

To My Future Number 1 Fan - L. A. Witt - (California)
4.5★
Struggling actor Adam Jacobsen was ready to pack up and leave Hollywood when a stranger gave him the encouragement he needed. Five years later, he’s made it, and when he wins his first major award, he dedicates it to the man who said “It could be you.”Brian Stewart is stunned by the acceptance speech, and so are Adam’s fans. Immediately, both men find themselves swept up in a media frenzy. Everyone wants to know the man who gave Adam that much-needed boost—including Adam. When the guys finally meet again, a single talk show appearance isn’t enough. Before long, they’re flying to see each other at every opportunity. However Adam’s career means living in a fishbowl. When word gets out that America’s biggest crush has a new boyfriend, the press and the public descend on Brian. Adam can’t protect him. Brian can’t handle the constant attention. Something has to give before fame costs each man the love of his life.

It was so easy to get completely caught up in this story. It had good writing, a solid plot, and extremely likeable characters. I have to say that this is an easy read but a bit different to LA Witt's usual fare. It's a low angst, cutesy love story. The two characters consist of a famous actor and an ordinary fan. While there are certain obvious things that come between them, this story is good for lots of "feel good" feelings for the reader. If you're looking for or need drama in your books... this one is very low in that department. It's a perfect book for just relaxing and enjoying.

Hard Job - Annabeth Albert
A-List Security series Book #2
5++★
How hard can it be to guard the country’s biggest rockstar? As a SEAL officer, I’m no stranger to danger, but running my own security firm is a new challenge. Finding the right bodyguard for each client isn’t easy. Our next gig? My little brother’s best friend, rock god Ezra Moon, has a security crisis. Ezra is convinced I’m the right man for the job, but I’m not so sure. From crowd surfing to infamous pictures, Ezra is known for taking risks. It’s no wonder his record label thinks he needs a keeper on tour. But there’s not a tour bus big enough to contain our incendiary attraction. Ezra and his antics push every last one of my buttons, but the real problem is how much I want to kiss some sense into him. He’s a client, and angry make-out sessions aren’t the answer. Yet we keep finding ourselves alone and burning up the sheets until our secret fling threatens to scorch both of us. I’ve spent my whole life running from the spotlight, trying to distance myself from my notorious father. Ezra wants to live his best life on the biggest stage. A future seems impossible, but our feelings are undeniable. Can I admit how hard I’ve fallen for Ezra without losing everything's a SEAL officer, I’ve spent my whole life running from the spotlight, trying to distance myself from my notorious father. Ezra wants to live his best life on the biggest stage. A future seems impossible, but our feelings are undeniable. Can I admit how hard I’ve fallen for Ezra without losing everything?

Another great series from a really, really good writer. I've read Annabeth Albert's stories for years now and always look forward to something new from her. I don’t think I will ever find anything by Annabeth Albert that I don’t love. This addition to the series is just superb...a story of two people who didn’t realize they were lost until they found each other. I loved how Annabeth kept the two characters as just "common people". Ezra, the rock star wasn't full of himself and Duncan, the ex- Navy SEAL and Ezra's bodyguard, wasn't a superhero. They were just two sweet, lovable guys that saw a possible future in one another. Ezra's parents were an absolute breath of fresh air and Duncan's father was a rich, playboy that never suspected anyone...much less his own son, would ever turn him down for anything. The only thing that seemed a bit over the top and unrealistic was the reaction of Duncan and Ezra's friends, and Duncan's business partner when they found out about them...but it didn't take anything away from this delightful book. As is usual for me, I think I will read the FIRST book in the series now:)

Can't Live Without You - Andrew Grey - (Pennsylvania/California)
Forever Yours series Book#1
4.5★
Justin Hawthorne worked hard to realize his silver-screen dreams, making his way from small-town Pennsylvania to Hollywood and success. But it hasn’t come without sacrifice. When Justin’s father kicked him out for being gay, George Miller’s family offered to take him in, but circumstances prevented it. Now Justin is back in town and has come face to face with George, the man he left without so much as a good-bye… and the man he’s never stopped loving. Justin’s disappearance hit George hard, but he’s made a life for himself as a home nurse and finds fulfillment in helping others. When he sees Justin again, George realizes the hole in his heart never mended, and he isn’t the only one in need of healing. Justin needs time out of the public eye to find himself again, and George and his mother cannot turn him away. As they stay together in George’s home, old feelings are rekindled. Is a second chance possible when everything George cares about is in Pennsylvania and Justin must return to his career in California? First, they’ll have to deal with the reason for Justin’s abrupt departure all those years ago.

The story of two men who should never have had to live apart. I felt so sorry for Justin. He had returned home after being gone for 7-years, after someone had notified him, that his father was dying, (The long absence was not by his choice) ...only to find out that his mother had died and several years ago and no one in his family had thought he "deserved" to know. After all being gay is such a horrible crime??? When George and his mother take Justin and his personal assistant, Ethan, into their home...George and Justin have a chance to have some long talks that help them to know that they have never stopped loving one another. But...they know that it could never work with them living 3,000 miles away... and George's Mom needs him. I didn't really see George's Mom being all that needy...but... anyway, the purpose has been served, and you find yourself wanting to gather the entire cast of characters together and give them a big group hug. Just when you think that George and Justin might as well hang it up...you remember...hey, this IS Andrew Grey. He never lets his wonderful characters suffer for very long and he always makes them see reason and find a solution to anything including world peace. That's why I love this author so much. I understand that George and Justin are back in the next book, Never Let You Go...so guess I better pay "Mr. Amazon" a visit.

The Case of the Missing Books – Ian Sansom
3***

From the book jacket: Israel Armstrong is a passionate soul, lured to Ireland by the promise of an exciting new career. Alas, the job that awaits him is not quite what he had in mind. Still, Israel is not one to dwell on disappointment, as he prepares to drive a mobile library around a small, damp Irish town. After all, the scenery is lovely, the people are charming – but where are the books?

My reactions
This was an enjoyable diversion, full of quirky characters and unlikely scenarios. Israel is as far from a hero as one could imagine – rumpled, decidedly UNambitious, content to do just enough to get along. But he does manage to rise to the occasion, despite more than a few setbacks and missteps.

I’m not sure I’ll bother with reading another in the series, as I like a little more actual mystery in my cozy mysteries. But I did enjoy the references to books!

Something to Hide by Elizabeth George
691 p. - ★ ★ ★ ★

Havers and Lynley are back! The Met is called in to solve the murder of Detective Teo Bontempi. She had been working as a member of a special task force working with London's Nigerian community. Race and culture both come in to play with their investigation, which focuses on female genital mutilation.

Another good entry into the series. The best parts of book are the interactions among Barbara, Thomas, and Winston Nkata. I also like Nkata's family and Tani, the young man whose refusal to marry a procured bride sets a lot of the action in motion. The not-so-best parts of the book include the extremely large cast of characters. We were almost a hundred pages in before we met up with the crew at the Met. And while I appreciate George giving the location for each section, there were a lot of locations, and having no clue where they are in London makes them kind of meaningless. I really would like a map in her next book.

No Quick Fix - Mary Calmes - (Montana)
Torus Intercession series Book #1
3.5★
As a nanny…Fixer. Bodyguard. Advocate. Brann Calder is expected to play all these roles and more as a member of Torus Intercession, a security firm guaranteed to right what’s wrong. In the military, catastrophe was his specialty. Five months out of the service, Brann is still finding his way, so a new assignment might be just what he needs. Unless it includes two things sure to make a seasoned, battle-trained veteran nervous: life in a small town and playing caregiver to two little girls. Emery Dodd is drowning in the responsibility of single fatherhood. He’s picked up the pieces after losing his wife and is ready to move on now, hopeful that his engagement to a local patriarch’s daughter will not only enrich his community but will grant his daughters some stability too. The only thing standing in Emery’s way is that he can’t seem to keep his eyes—and hands—off the former soldier he’s hired to watch his girls until the wedding. Emery’s future is riding on his upcoming nuptials but being with Brann makes him and his family feel whole again. Too bad there’s no way for them to be together.

I have avoided this series for a long time, since reading the book description I thought it contained all the things that i hate in any book and especially in a M/M romance book. I am also not a fan of children in this genre since the remaining parent usually has more responsibility that just figuring how to form a relationship with anyone of any sex. I don't mind my book characters having a few problems, but this sounded like a no-win situation no matter how you played it out. I found that there were quite a few things that I did really like about the book. There was a good mystery going on in the story...the characters were sometimes so funny when communicating with one another and they were really trying to see if there was a possible way that they could hope to have a night together much less a lifetime. Overall, the story turned out to be funny, cute, touching and sexy. I'm still rather on the fence about continuing the series but I do like this author...I loved her Marshalls series...so I may give this one another try.

I have completed two very enjoyable books so far in August (slow reader that I am).
First there was the amazing and enthralling Win by Harlan Coben. Featuring none other than Windsor Horne Lockwood the Third. I have wanted to see this character front and center for the longest time and he did not disappoint. For me Win has always been a fascinating personality, think a real life Batman without cape and cowl. And in this book, being written in 1st person we really get into the mind of WHL3. This being a Harlan Coben book of course the plot is serpentine and the expected twist is not quite what you would expect. A solid 5 star for me and highly recommended especially if you are already a fan of Mr. Coben's works.

Which takes us to The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths which is an entry in the Ruth Galloway series and very English in its style. It's very reminiscent of the well known British series Midsomer Murders. Ruth is an archaeologist an is surrounded by a very eclectic cast of characters and a quite complicated personal life. And yet Ms. Griffiths does quite a skillful job in keeping us attuned to the matter at hand. Which in this case is basically determining the guilt or innocence of an already incarcerated maybe serial killer, the well written Ivor March. While not as serpentine as Mr. Coben it does take on an interesting journey and while you may or may guess the final conclusion it is an enjoyable sojourn. I gave 4 stars only because there is a bit of a lag in the middle and it feels as if the author is doing to much to get us to look the other way. But I still recommend it very highly. It was my first foray into this series and will not be my last

>66 ColinMichaelFelix: It is sooo good to hear from you!!! It's been, well, forever. After the two years our world has been through, we have to wonder how our friends are doing. Hope things are going well in your world and that you won't be a stranger here. I've read both the books that you reviewed and of course loved them both. You have to go some to beat Harlan Coben and Elly Griffith. Hope to hear from you again.

All Around the Town / Mary Higgins Clark
4 stars

Laurie was only 5-years old when she was kidnapped. Two years later, she was let go, but she had blocked out everything from the time she was with her abductors. When Laurie is in the early 20s and her sister Sarah, a lawyer, now in her late 20s, their parents die. More trauma. Laurie is now in college and has a good relationship with one of her professors, but when he is found murdered, signs point to Laurie. She doesn’t remember.

It wasn’t fast paced, but many psychological “thrillers” aren’t. This was much about the psychology. Really interesting read; I imagine the author would have had to do a chunk of research on this. I’ve not read much about it; I think I have only one other book tagged multiple personality disorder, which is actually surprising as I do find it fascinating.

Five Little Indians / Michelle Good
3.5 stars

This book follows a few First Nations people who went to a residential school in B.C. when they were young. It follows them from the school, as they leave, and as they try to make lives for themselves after the traumas they experienced at the school. They wind in and out of each other’s lives.

Lucy is 16 when she is put on a bus to Vancouver from the school; luckily she knows Maisie who left the school a year earlier; unfortunately, she does get into a sticky situation before making it to Maisie’s place. Kenny managed to escape the school when he was younger, but he and Lucy had crushes on each other back then. Carla is a friend of Maisie’s. Howie gets into trouble with the law when he encounters “Brother” from the school as an adult.

I listened to the audio book. It was good. I wasn’t as interested in Carla’s story, so I missed a few things there. I also don’t think I liked Carla very much; she was very pushy. The book jumped between characters, and it often jumped forward large amounts of time, so at the start of some of the chapters I needed to try to figure out how many years later it was (and there was one bit with Carla that felt like the timing was out of sync with her character vs the rest of the story… but I’m not sure – that’s where I lost a bit of interest and missed a few things). And of course, there were memories of the school for all of them. There was at least one event that I think I missed altogether and when it was mentioned later in the book, I wondered what exactly had happened about that, so not sure if I missed it or it just wasn’t detailed or what happened there.

Floodgates - Mary Calmes - (California)
3★
Tracy Brandt considers himself a lucky man. He has a wonderful family, good friends, and a dependable job. His love life, however, features a cheating ex who, though out of the house, is not yet out of the picture―with a past that just might get Tracy killed. Homicide inspector Cord Nolan wants nothing more than to show his best friend’s little brother that he’s a reliable man, but to do that he’ll have to get Tracy to look past the player he used to be. It'll be a tough sell; reputation is everything, and Cord's is tarnished by his past indiscretions. Tracy and Cord have spent five years trying to suffocate their fiery attraction under a blanket of grudging antagonism. When Tracy finds himself with a target on his back, Cord finally has the chance to ride to the rescue and break through the dam of Tracy's reserve. But he’d better be careful: if Cord is breaking the floodgates to wash away the past, he's going to have to hold tight to Tracy to make sure they're still standing when the tumult recedes.

I love Mary Calmes writing and her characters...she's rather like Andrew Grey is for me...a big cup of comforting hot chocolate. Not so much with this one. It wasn't by any means a bad book, Mary couldn't do that even if she tried, and this one started out like her others...great. Somewhere about halfway along, it slowed down and almost stopped. Her character of Tracy was an emotional roller-coaster. Separated from his cheating ex, that wants him back...his life being threatened...and a new attraction in police chief, Cord Nolan. Tracy wants forever but Cord just wants a good time. The villain was a crazy person that had held a grudge for literally years. I guess in the long run that this one was just too much all over the place. I may try it again in a few months. Things change for me sometimes and what bugged me before smooths out.

Ashfall / Mike Mullin
4 stars

When 15-year old Alex’s parents leave him alone for the weekend for the first time, little do they know that (literally) disaster will soon follow. Alex is in the house when something hits it and suddenly there is a fire. Not only that, part of the house heaves and collapses and he is underneath a desk. He manages to pull himself free and get out, but with no phones working (cell or landline), he runs the few blocks to the fire department. The power is also out. Luckily, Alex’s neighbours are willing to take him in, but no one really knows what’s going on. The “thunder” is ridiculously loud and continuous throughout the night. They wake up to utter darkness, inside and out (it’s daytime). Things happen (that I won’t go into), but Alex later finds himself travelling toward Illinois (he is in Iowa) via skis to find his parents and younger sister. Hopefully they made it to his uncle’s place.

This was really good. It drew me in right away. I thought the author did a really good job of the descriptions – of the noise, of the dark... It’s scary the kinds of things people will do following a disaster like this (the characters – and the reader – did find out the next day what had happened, although I’ve left that out of my summary). Some of the people Alex comes across are helpful, but many are not. I believe this is a trilogy, so it didn’t fully finish. There was a short author’s note at the end, as well, to talk about this kind of potential disaster.

Punk 57 - Penelope Douglas
2.5★
"We were perfect together. Until we met." Misha, I can’t help but smile at the lyrics in her letter. She misses me. In fifth grade, my teacher set us up with pen pals from a different school. Thinking I was a girl, with a name like Misha, the other teacher paired me up with her student, Ryen. My teacher, believing Ryen was a boy like me, agreed. It didn’t take long for us to figure out the mistake. And in no time at all, we were arguing about everything. The best take-out pizza. Android vs. iPhone. Whether or not Eminem is the greatest rapper ever…And that was the start. For the next seven years, it was us. Her letters are always on black paper with silver writing. Sometimes there’s one a week or three in a day, but I need them. She’s the only one who keeps me on track, talks me down, and accepts everything I am. We only had three rules. No social media, no phone numbers, no pictures. We had a good thing going. Why ruin it? Until I run across a photo of a girl online. Name’s Ryen, loves Gallo’s pizza, and worships her iPhone. What are the chances? F*ck it. I need to meet her. I just don’t expect to hate what I find. Ryen He hasn’t written in three months. Something’s wrong. Did he die? Get arrested? Knowing Misha, neither would be a stretch. Without him around, I’m going crazy. I need to know someone is listening. It’s my own fault. I should’ve gotten his phone number or picture or something. He could be gone forever. or right under my nose, and I wouldn’t even know it.

I read the book for a challenge. I needed a book with the number "7" in the title and this one sounded like it not only would work for the challenge but might also be something different than I usually read. I can't say that I really didn't like it. The idea of the plot was interesting and realistic enough that I could actually see this situation happening. Pen-pals??? Do people still have pen pals? Do people still use pens? Actually, still write on paper? Making 5th graders in 2016 actually write a physical letter could have been the idea for another book:) Possibly a murder mystery. The author seemed to have almost gone out of her way to make the characters of Misha and Ryen as unlikeable as possible. When they finally do meet, Misha is nothing like the person he was in his letters. He’s nasty, fake, and pretentious. Reyne is almost as bad. I raised two teens and spent 28 years going into schools, some of which were high schools. I know that times and kids have changed over my almost 3 decades of experience, but I can say that I didn't meet a single high school kid that did the things that Misha and Ryen did. Their actions were way beyond their ages even if they had been raised by a den of feral dogs. I hesitate to call them bad characters, but they’re on the edge of being unredeemable, and that made me uncomfortable. It's presented as a YA book but be warned that some of the sex is very explicit and graphicly described in living color details.

Double Indemnity - Maggie Kavanagh
Stonebridge Mysteries Book #1
3★
Sam Flynn dreamed of being a journalist, until a car accident killed his parents and put his brother into a long-term coma. Now Sam spends his days as a landscaper, toiling in the New England sun, and his nights drunk in bed with the closest warm body. In his limited spare time, he writes about Stonebridge’s local crime and politics on his blog “Under the Bridge.” Then Sam’s favorite client is found dead in her home―shortly after telling him someone has betrayed her trust. Sam can’t believe her grief-stricken husband, Nathan, would be a suspect, but the investigation focuses on him. Sam has always admired handsome Nathan from afar, but now he puts his libidinous feelings aside to help clear his name. But the closer he gets to Nathan, the more he’s told to keep away from him and the investigation―by the fatherly police chief, by an officer on the case who's hated him since school, and by Nathan himself. Sam is determined to expose the real reason his friend died and to clear Nathan’s name―even if it’s the last thing he does. Which, considering how fast the death toll is rising in Stonebridge… it might be.

Mystery, murder and mayhem combine into the adventure of a lifetime for Sam Flynn. His life took an unexpected turn for the worse when Sam began caring for his younger brother, Tim, who was left in a coma after the accident that claimed their parent's lives. His dreams of becoming a journalist are set aside and he now works as a landscaper. Consumed with guilt and dedicated to his brother's care, Sam doesn't have time for a real relationship and instead makes do with casual hook-ups... and drooling over the very married Nathan from afar. When Nathan's wife is unexpectedly murdered, and all signs point to Nathan as the killer, things don't quite add up to Sam's way of thinking. After all, a part of him never stopped hungering for that unique high that investigative journalism provided, and he can't stop worrying over this case. It's more a murder/mystery than a romance with a plot that twists and turns from start to finish. The characters are engaging, although it took me a while to decide about Sam. Author, Maggie Kavanaugh gave us the rougher side of Sam in this one but threw in enough of his good side that we were able to develop compassion as well as curiosity about this character and want to learn more about what makes Sam tick. I will get the second book in this series.

Artemis – Andy Weir
Book on CD performed by Rosario Dawson
4.5****

I wondered if Weir could possibly top The Martian, or at least equal it. Well, now I know. And I love that this time he features a feisty, intelligent woman as the lead character.

Jasmine “Jazz” Bashara has lived practically her entire life in Artemis, the city constructed on the moon and run by a Kenyan conglomerate. She could have joined her father’s welding business, but teenage rebellion led her down a different path and now she’s a porter – delivering goods to residents, including contraband she smuggles in. Smuggling is a relatively prosperous endeavor, but Jazz is still living on the edge. And then she is offered a unique opportunity.

I love a good crime caper, and this is one. Lots of twists and turns that kept the action moving and my interest high. Lots of obstacles to this “impossible task” that our heroine must figure out how to overcome, and even when she’s covered all the basis … well, if things CAN go wrong they WILL go wrong.

I really liked how she put together a very unlikely team of helpers.

My favorite quote: “I left without further comment. I didn’t want to spend more time inside the mind off an economist. It was dark and disturbing.” I live with an economist, so that really resonated with me … LOL!

Rosario Dawson is fantastic performing the audio. She really brings Jazz (and the other characters) to life! 5***** for her performance. Brava!

Never Stay Gone - Tal Bauer - (Texas)
Big Bend Texas Rangers series Book #1
5★
Six bodies in a single grave… in the same West Texas country where Dakota left everything behind. "Every beat of my heart belongs to you". Thirteen years ago, Dakota Jennings thought he'd found his forever when he fell in love with Shane Carson. But one afternoon shattered their love story, and both Dakota and Shane left Rustler, Texas, with broken hearts. Even now, Dakota is still feeling the agony of losing Shane. Sure, he's a Texas Ranger, but that's not how he wanted to live his life. All he ever wanted was to love Shane. "Loving you is the only time I feel alive". Shane's life was supposed to be different than this. There'd been a plan, ever since he was knee-high to his father. But falling for Dakota spun Shane's world upside down, and for years, Shane has had nothing but the memories of all that he lost: Dakota's gentle touch, and the sweetness of his lips, and the star-strewn nights they spent wrapped in each other's arms. "West of the Pecos, there is no law". When the Rangers get the call about six bodies being pulled out of a mass grave in West Texas, the governor sends Dakota to run the investigation. Dakota heads back to his hometown and comes face-to-face with the last man he ever expected to see again: only now, he’s Deputy Shane Carson… Dakota's local partner assigned to the case. There's nothing Dakota wants more than a second chance with Shane, but so much is stacked against them: six corpses, a murderer on the loose, and history that refuses to stay buried. And the bodies keep piling up as Dakota and Shane try to run the killer down across the West Texas plains. In a moment, everything changes: the hunters become the hunted, the past fractures, and all Dakota thought he knew comes tumbling down. Secrets break wide open as Dakota remembers..."This is West Texas, and out here, nothing is as it seems".

I just recently added Tal Bauer to the list of my favorite authors and just counting I already have five of his books. When I saw that this was the first book in a new series, I bought it right away. It's an M/M Romance book but the romance is built around a really, really good murder mystery. I had the murderer in the right place, but I had the wrong person...but I sure enjoyed getting there. The main characters of Dakota and Shane were absolutely perfect for this story. They were not strangers to one another. Shane was the love of Dakota's life, but 13 years of heartbreak had separated them, and these had murders thrown them head-to-head...and heart to heart, again. It's a love story, it's a murder mystery, it's a book that you cannot stop reading. I have not found a Tal Bauer book that was not absolutely gravitating. If you don't mind a same sex couple in your story...this will hit all the right places. A phenomenal book all the way around written by an incredibly, insanely talented author. Can't wait for another Dakota and Shane.

From Out In The Cold - L.A. Witt - (Illinois/Iowa)
4★
Possible Triggers: PTSD
Neil Dalton’s foundation is already cracking. Grief, guilt, and PTSD have ruled his life since a terrible crime tore his world apart last year, and he’s dreading a holiday visit with the family he simultaneously needs and resents. Then someone from his past shows up and rattles that shaky foundation right out from under him. First a war nearly destroyed Jeremy Kelley, then his family threw him out when he needed them the most. Now he’s barely holding on emotionally. He spends his last dollar to get to Chicago and prays his former best friend won’t leave him out in the cold. Neil and Jeremy spend the holidays with Neil’s family in their hometown of Omaha. They struggle to deal with families, flashbacks… and feelings that haven’t even begun to fade since their last failed attempt at more than friends. As they try to repair their fractured psyches and rebuild damaged bridges, they rely on each other more than ever, but they can’t deny the mutual attraction that’s existed since before they were both emotionally battered and scarred. If they couldn’t make it work back then, how in the world can they pull it off now?

So much personal turmoil that it's almost overwhelming, and I don't suffer from PTSD. L.A. Witts books are not usually like this. I was happy that the two characters didn't torment one another and came to a satisfying conclusion...but the trip there was something else. I hated Jeremy's parents. I just don't get how people that have loved and raised a child can do these things. If you like L.A. Witt's books...and I do...you will stay the course with this one...otherwise, probably not.

Scratch The Surface - Mary Calmes - (California)
5★
Sometimes things look one way, but when you scratch the surface, there’s more than meets the eye. Jeremiah Wolfe: has always done what was necessary to survive. On top of working two jobs, he’s going to school to become a social worker so he can give kids the help he never got when his mother left years ago. When a rare night off finds him with the chance to make a quick buck, he jumps on it. But his evening goes sideways, and he’s about to head home when he’s propositioned by a stranger. A meaningless one-night stand is simple and easy, so he steps into the hotel room—as he has many—without expectation. But the man behind the door is a surprise, as is the instant connection that builds along with passion and a glimpse of his heart. Small wonder that Jere can’t get the nameless man out of his head. Cameron Gallagher: has never been accused of being spontaneous. He’s an introvert whose life is about schedules, plans, and lists. He’s always been the careful one, so inviting a stranger into his bed on the lure of his gorgeous smile and warm brown eyes isn’t only out of his comfort zone, it’s entirely out of character. Surprisingly, when he wakes in the morning alone, it’s not regret he feels, but the need to find the man who held him in his arms all night. It seems crazy, but he can’t get the man out of his head. When they’re brought back together, each man believes it’s more than luck. They feel as though they’ve gotten a second chance. Sure, love at first sight is just a myth, the stuff of romance novels, but the more they scratch the surface, the more they realize they’ve got a shot at something lasting.

I like the connection between Jeremiah and Cameron and how they complimented one another although they were worlds apart in almost everything else in their lives...except their mutual love and respect. I believe that is what made the story of their growing relationship so comfortable, for lack of a better word. They were honest with one another about everything...the past men in their lives...their ambitions and hopes for their futures, which they sincerely hoped would be together...as lovers and a family. Their story is wonderful, filled with warmth, excitement, and heat. What makes it all so fabulous is how the new and different feelings and the level of comfort and ease they have with each other just seem to fall into place. Jeremiah and Cameron fit together like pieces of a puzzle. On a personal note, the character of Cameron reminded me so much of our son-in-law when he and our son first met. A really great story and it will diffidently become one of my favorites by Mary Calmes. sigh...so many favorites. Where will I put them all? :)

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? – Caitlin Doughty
3***

Subtitle: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals About Death (hardcover edition) /or/ And other Questions about Dead Bodies (paperback edition)

Doughty, a funeral home director, answers questions posed by kids about death, dying and funerals. She’s forthright and honest, but also sprinkles her remarks with some lighthearted banter. It’s a pretty fast read, and quite informative. One of my favorite questions: “What would happen if you swallowed a bag a popcorn just before you died and then were cremated?”

Dianne Ruz provides the illustrations. I have to say that I was not a fan of her art work.

>78 BookConcierge: Well...what would happen? Would you need to take a movie with you?

>78 BookConcierge: “What would happen if you swallowed a bag a popcorn just before you died and then were cremated?”

LOL!!

These Happy Golden Years / Laura Ingalls Wilder
4 stars

Laura is now 15(?) years old and has her first teaching job. But it’s taking her away from her family and she needs to board with people near the new school… and the wife/mother doesn’t seem to like her much. Lucky for Laura, Almanzo decides to come bring her home on weekends. And the job is only for a couple of months. Once she is done, she can go back to her own schooling.

This is the start of this installment of Laura’s childhood/growing up in the late 1800s. The rest of the book follows her to more teaching jobs and with her and Almanzo’s courtship.

I really enjoyed this one, as well. It feels like not as much happened in this one as in some of the others, but we followed the seasons through a few more years as Laura (and Mary) grow up and are branching out on their own. From the title of this one, I always thought they would be much older (“Golden Years”) in this book, but I suppose the meaning of the phrase might be different now. I found it interesting that she could go back and forth between teaching and being a student (with her regular class!). Obviously she didn’t need to finish school to become a teacher. I really do love the descriptions of the prairie and of the weather.

The Throat - Peter Straub - (Illinois)
Blue Rose Trilogy Book #3
5★
The Throat...Tim Underhill, now an acclaimed novelist, travels back to his hometown of Millhaven, Illinois after he gets a call from John Ransom, an old army buddy. Ransom believes there’s a copycat killer on the loose, mimicking the Blue Rose murders from decades earlier—he thinks his wife could be a potential victim. Underhill seeks out his old friend Tom Pasmore, an aging hermit who has attained minor celebrity as an expert sleuth, to help him investigate. They quickly discover that Millhaven is a town plagued by horrifying secrets and there is a twisted killer on the loose who is far more dangerous than they ever imagined.

I started this trilogy several years ago but got waylaid somewhere along the way and realized that I had never read how it ended. I corrected that right away. I'm really glad I still had all the books. Tim Underhill and John Ransom once again are solving a mystery that starts in Vietnam and ends in Millhaven, Illinois. What became known as the "Blue Rose" murders of years ago are being imitated by another killer, who may be an admirer of the original killer. Tim Underhill returns to his hometown to do what the police can't...solve the crimes. I think of the 3 books, this one is the most disturbing...although all three are griity and scary. They can also be read as a trilogy or as standalones. Peter Straub keeps you guessing and at some point, you will suspect every character in this book until you finally find out who it is. An amazing climax to a really outstanding trilogy. If you would like to read the trilogy in order the books are Mystery, Koko, and The Throat.

The Lady of the Lake
Andrzej Sapkowski
4/5 stars
Ciri has been trying to get home after escaping from the Tower of the Swallow. For all that she has gone through she needs to rely on her inner strength to return to her family and friends. Will she be able to get away for good from Bonhart, the man who hurt her? One more book to go in this series!

In A Fix - Mary Calmes - (Nevada)
Torus Intercession series Book #2
4★
Croy Esca is a fixer at Torus Intercession, paid to guard, advocate for, and help those in need of the services his boss, Jared Colter, provides. But that doesn’t mean he’s willing to expend the energy to invest himself in the people he’s assigned to help. Professionally, Croy goes in, gets the job done, and doesn’t allow for anything that might resemble interest—which mirrors the way he handles his personal life as well. He’s been described as aloof, apathetic, and incapable of feeling anything approaching empathy despite his boss’s continual mentoring. Those lessons aren’t easily learned, though, when you’ve been taught that you’re expendable. When Croy is assigned to act as bodyguard to a billionaire during a long weekend trip to Las Vegas, he expects another in and out job made all the more tedious by the company he’ll be keeping, and his loathing of Sin City. What he ends up with, however, is far more than he bargained for.
FBI Special Agent Dallas Bauer is good at what he does, some might even say he’s consumed by his work, to the point of insomnia and at the cost to anything resembling a full life. Hit it and quit it is Dallas’s grind. Then Croy Esca comes crashing into his life, and it doesn’t take long before he’s struck by how desperate he is to make sure the fixer doesn’t become the one that got away. When Croy’s assignment evolves into something so much more dangerous and complicated than he could have ever predicted, and his and Dallas’s lives collide, the fixer finds himself in a fix. One Croy is not altogether sure he wants to escape.

The story was excellent in Mary Calmes' usual fashion. I don't believe that I have ever had one of her books that wasn't good. The 4-star rating came from my irritation with one of the main characters. I listen to the book, and that, I'm sure, also produced my rating. The reader gave Cory a gruff, "know-it-all, having it my way or no way, "attitude that just never went away. The character of Cory was also an "over-thinker". He even had to overthink what he was going to have for breakfast and dinner. One thing was undeniable though... Cory and Dallas love each other. They found themselves in a partnership that is highly stressful and packed full of heat. You could almost feel the sizzle. The one thing that overrode the annoyance with the reader and the attitude of one of the characters, was their intensity for one another. They needed each other like they needed to breath. Readers will love the ending. On to the next one, which i see has a different reader.

>79 Carol420: LOL!

You'll have to read to book to find out ....

The Confessions of Frannie Langton– Sara Collins
Digital audiobook narrated by the author and Ray McMillan
4****

“I used to be called Frannie Langton before I was taken from Paradise to London and given by Langton as maid to Mr George Benham, who then gave me to his wife. It wasn’t my choice to be brought here, but very little in my life ever was. I was Langton’s creature. If I pleased him, I pleased myself. If he said something was to be, it was. But Langton was a man who’d named his own house Paradise despite all that went on there, and named every living thing in paradise too. What more do I need to tell you about him?”

This work of historical fiction looks at slavery, colonialism, drug addiction, medical experimentation and lesbianism in early 19th century England. Frannie is a slave / housemaid and narrates her story. Collins begins the novel in 1826, with Frannie writing her “confession” from prison in London. And then goes back to 1812 in Jamaica as Frannie remembers her youth as a slave on a sugar plantation, and her transformation and education as an assistant to her master. All this leads to her current situation: accused of murdering both Benham and his wife, Marguerite.

This is Collins’s debut novel and it’s an ambitious one. Frannie is a marvelous character – educated, observant, loving, strong and yet vulnerable. Her race dooms her to a life of servitude and a lack of opportunity, and yet she finds ways to feed her mind and her soul. I really can’t say more without giving away key plot points, but Collins drew me in and kept me in her grasp. The story was as addicting as the laudanum that Frannie and her mistress relied on .

The author narrates along with Ray McMilan. Collins does a fine job of bringing Frannie to life, while McMilan’s role is to narrate the official court transcripts that are sprinkled throughout the story.

The Fall (Love in O'Leary) - May Archer - (New York)
Love i O'Leary series Book #2
5★
“I was in free fall the moment we met, and I just keep falling.” Small town police officer Silas Sloane knows every resident of O’Leary, New York. He’s earned the love and respect of its citizens, though living under the small-town microscope grates on him. But though he’s good at his job, there’s one thing he’s not good at: commitments… Until Everett. Widower Everett Maior, O’Leary’s newest citizen, came to the small town kicking and screaming. He never wanted to become primary caretaker for his grandfather and has no interest in living the provincial life. Snarky and superstitious, he’s proficient at keeping people at a distance... Until he lays eyes on Silas. Strange disappearances are plaguing O’Leary, though, even as Silas and Everett find their growing attraction undeniable. Can they find their way to a future together, even as ghosts from the past threaten to tear them apart?

At first, I wasn't at all sure about this book. Not only was it the first book that I had read by May Archer, but the setting was a smalltown in New York. I have not had much love for M/M romances that are set in small towns since most of them present the townsfolks as homeomorphic and not particularly open minded. Not that that's true by any means, but it's usually how the story goes. First, we meet Everett Maior, an art teacher that had two-years ago, lost his husband of nine years. Everett is on his way to O'Leary, New York to help his grandfather who had recently broken his leg. It didn't appear that he was very excited to be doing this, but his overwhelming, and demanding mother made the case that he would be perfect for this task. He wrecks the car when he thinks his seen a ghost in the road, and was rescued by Police Chief, Silas Sloane who is loved by almost the entire little town. Now we have our two main characters that were not very charmed by one another...yet. To say these two are complicated would be a major understatement. Everett is trying to get control over his new life as well as that of his grandfather Henry (Hen) who is humorously cantankerous, and nothing like Everett remembers him but then Everett had only been 9-years old at their last meeting. Silas has his flaws and troubles to conquer also. He is a commitment-phobe whose first encounter with Everett sets the stomach and other parts rumbling and roiling and which eventually drives him into something that can certainly be described as more than lust. These two spend almost the remainder of the book dancing around each other. I just wanted to glue them together and lock them in a room. There is a mystery here as well that involves the disappearance of two young men in the area where Evertt had his car crash/ghost spotting. These events provide the set-up for a disturbing, but cleansing and healing, in the end... and our two guys get the chance to work out what we all knew was going to happen along.

The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, And American Royalty In The Nation's Largest Home
Denise Kiernan
4/5 stars
This was quite an interesting story of George Vanderbilt, his wife and the building and history of the Biltmore House on 125,000 acres in North Carolina. The author takes us through the good and bad times of the family including what happened to them from both World Wars and the Depression. I have never been to the estate but I really enjoyed this book.

Fettered - Lyn Gala
3★
Dylan Carter has always played second fiddle to his perfect older brother, but now that brother is implicated in a terrible crime, and Dylan's family is imploding. Dylan can’t hide anymore. Knowing he’s falling apart; he searches for something or someone to hold him together―and lands in a BDSM bar called the Stonewall. Dylan doesn’t understand Miss Dolphinia, the hard-drinking queen who seems determined to play matchmaker. But more confusing is the way the powerful men in leather make him feel. In her wisdom, Miss Dolphinia sends Dylan off to a back room for his introduction to the world of erotic spankings and bondage. Dylan’s teacher―for want of a better word―is the very dominant Vin Hauser. Vin likes to play hard, but he’s honest with himself―he knows all those men want is a strong hand, not a long-term relationship. Yet Vin can’t help but hope Dylan might be different. With controversy over his brother’s sins stirring up danger around him, Dylan needs Vin’s support more than ever. But until he and Vin learn to trust each other, Dylan will have to face his fear and the growing threats alone.

This book is diffidently NOT for everyone...even if you are huge fan of M/M romances. There is romance between the two characters of Dylan and Vin, but not the kind that will appeal to everyone by any stretch of the imagination. I have to say that I had a great deal of admiration for Dylan and the courage he showed dealing with his brother, and Vin was sexy and lovable even if some of his tastes did run to the unimaginable. With that being said I have probably just sold a hundred or more copies to those folks that are now curious:) The story also deals with a lot beyond romance and self-discovery. Dylan's family had some very deep-rooted issues and dynamics. I wanted to just kill his brother and shake some common sense into his mother. Then we come to what happened to Carmine, his sister. I didn't expect it but can't say I was really surprised. There were several other twists that introduced many more conflicts that felt far too real and totally possible. I loved the old "drag Queen", Miss Dolphina. I don't believe I have ever had a character quiet like her appear in a anything I have ever read. She is so much more than I ever imaged her to be. I have read bondage themed books before but none as graphic as this one. The entire story reiterated that sometimes, for some people, it can be more than hard to find yourself and your place in this world. That family isn't necessarily always biological but can be made up of those who accept you for who and what you are, and that being true to yourself is the key to finding your happiness, and no one should be judged for it, whatever form that it may take.

Fix It Up - Mary Calmes - (Montana)
Torus Intercession Series - Book #3
5★
How will a man who doesn’t believe in fairy tales ever hope to recognize when he’s found the love of a lifetime? Locryn Barnes knows what it means to be a fixer for Torus Intercession. Torus is the place that people in need turn to for everything from bodyguards to chaperones, and God knows Loc is the kind of man who’d rather play human shield against a bullet than spend even a moment of his life as a glorified babysitter. Which is why he tells a prospective client, in no uncertain terms, that he’s not the right fixer for the job when Torus is tapped to play what amounts to a life coach for a spoiled, burned out, fresh-out-of-rehab rock star. Nick Madison has been living on the edge since he was seventeen—drugs, booze, men, women . . . you name it, Nick has done it. Now, at twenty-six, aimless and on the verge of losing everything, he can’t seem to give a damn. When he wakes up one afternoon, hungover and strung out, to find a stranger in his house ordering everyone around like he owns the place, Nick is sure he’s woken up in his own little corner of purgatory. When he realizes why Locryn Barnes has invaded his life, Nick is determined to prove he doesn’t need anyone’s help, least of all from the walking, talking definition of infuriating. Through weeks of recovery, of rebuilding his life and facing his past, Nick comes to realize that Loc is not the enemy. Nick has met every challenge and is finally ready to spread his wings and fly, but not alone, which means another daunting challenge to face. Now, Nick needs to convince the fixer that the rock star is his happily-ever-after. Which could prove to be Nick’s biggest challenge yet.

A story of what love can do if given the proper chance. I love the two characters of Locryn and Nick. Well...not Nick so much at the beginning, but as he matured and wanted to change his lifestyle, he became a dream come true, not only for Locryn but for the reader. The remainder of the story was fantastic. The reader will need to start at book #1 because each book builds on the last one and introduces the group of men, fixers from Torus Intercession, who are more than mere bodyguards. In each of the following books they all find their "only one." with a really beautiful story. There is always a nice twist to the relationship development. Each of the men is supposed to leave when the job is done, but after the first book you figure out that that just isn't going to happen...nor do you want it to. That's not a spoiler because that's what good romance writing is all about...a great "Happy Ever After" after the turbulence of reaching that goal. If you have never read a Mary Calmes book, check out all her others... if you are okay with a same sex couple...you have a real treat in store.

The Library of Lost and Found – Phaedra Patrick
Digital audio performed by Imogen Church
3***

Martha Storm volunteers at the local library and would love to have a permanent paid position there. She has a degree in English literature and has applied several times, but the man in charge prefers “younger apprentices.” She’s clearly unappreciated, but soldiers on. And then one day a book of fairy tales is left for her, and she discovers that it is dedicated to HER by her late grandmother. As she tries to puzzle out where the book came from and how it came to be in her possession, she uncovers family secrets.

Patrick writes quirky characters with hidden secrets very well. These are nearly broken people who keep their heads down and try to exist without much support or joy in their lives. And yet …

My heart broke for Martha … especially for the Martha who was a child clearly on the outs with her parents and sister. When she finally uncovers the full truth behind the book of fairy tales, and her life, she gains a new sense of herself and the possibilities she’s longed for are finally in her reach.

This is the second book by Patrick that I’ve read. Both were heart-warming and enjoyable.

Imogen Church does a find job of voicing the audiobook. She sets a good pace and has clear diction that is easily understood even when listening at increased speed.

Down Among The Dead Men - Peter Lovesey - (England)
Peter Diamond series Book #15
4.5★
A nightmare discovery in the boot of a stolen BMW plunges car thief Danny Stapleton into the worst trouble of his life. What links his misfortune to the mysterious disappearance of an art teacher at a private school for girls in Chichester? Orders from above push Peter Diamond of Bath CID into investigating a police corruption case in the Chichester force, and he soon finds himself reluctantly dealing with spirited schoolgirls, eccentric artists and his formidable old colleague, Hen Mallin.

I found that the plot was more complicated than it really needed to be and involved not only murder, but some disappearances, some drugs, as well as students and teachers at a local girls' school. It's listed as a "police procedural" but it is also a book about relationships. I hated Peter's superior, Chief Constable Georgina Dallymore. She's an overbearing individual that is constantly on a self-proclaimed pedestal when it comes to her rank and doesn't let her underlings ever forget exactly who is in charge here. She spent the majority of the book bossing Peter around as well as anyone else that came into her view. If she makes no effort to conceal that she certainly disapproves of Peter's sometimes "unorthodox" ways, she is more than happy to employ his talents as a detective to boost her "look how good I look" record. Peter has no desire to make the trip to the school, especially under the thumb of his irritating superior. The saving grace here is that the exchange between them is comical at times. The story slipped off into the realm of slapstick comedy when Peter was faced with, not weapons of mass destruction, but weapons of the household variety...like a frying pan and a chainsaw. The mystery is excellent, and the story is well told. You could describe it as entertaining as well as suspenseful and well worth the reading time.

Just finished Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka and all I can say is wow!! What a thrill ride and an eclectic cast of characters? The book is fun from beginning to end. And it goes through so many ebbs and flows and keeps you engaged and engrossed. It's like what they say about a trainwreck: you just can't look away. But this is no train wreck it is truly an entertaining ride. In my humble opinion a definite 5 *****. Unfortunately I am now scared to go see the movie because there is no way they don't mess this up. But the book is highly recommended.

Abundance / Sena Jeter Naslund
3 stars

This is a fictional account of Marie Antoinette’s life, as she moved from being a princess in Austria to the queen of France before the French Revolution overthrew the French monarchy.

I listened to the audio and it just didn’t draw me in much, so since I was often distracted, I did miss much of it. I have read only one or two other books on Marie Antoinette. I found some of the vocabulary used in the book a bit… “pretentious”? I can’t think of a good word – “high-falutin’”? (LOL!) I suppose pretentious works. That certainly didn’t help get me more interested. I am still rating it ok, as it did pick up a bit toward the end during the Revolution. I did find interesting what happened to Marie and Louis’ son and daughter after their parents were put to death. I likely did read of that previously, but I had forgotten.

Down on Ponce by Fred Willard
4****

A hard-boiled action novel that takes place on the seedy side of Ponce de Leon Avenue (pronounced "Ponss" or "Pon-cey" by Atlanta natives) during the late 1990's. The diner on the front cover is the (in)famous Majestic Diner which, until 2022 or so, bragged "We Never Close" and was a great site for after-bar-hopping food. It's open during daylight hours these days; hoping it can return to its seedy greatness.

This crime novel is told from the POV of Sam Fuller, an ex-con living in a trailer on Lake Lanier, with biting commentary and sardonic wit on Fuller's history and those he meets. He's approached early on by a slick lawyer who wants his wife killed, at which point Fuller goes and warns the wife. Then decides to take a long vacation only to find that events have skyrocketed past what would be a normal murder-for-hire situation.

Joined at a Single-Room-Occupancy hotel on Ponce by a double-amputee, a giant man with limited speech, and a driver for a mortuary service, Fuller decides to look into who is trying to kill him and why. And while some of the wry humor and sardonic wit work, there's also a whole lotta detail of one group tied into another tied into a third that makes it almost but not quite work. It reminds me a lot of the Burke novels by Andrew Vachss, and it is wonderfully refreshing to see modern Atlanta as a setting for novels of all genres.

The Alienist by Caleb Carr
5*****

The year is 1896, the place, New York City. On a cold March night "New York Times" crime reporter John Schuyler Moore is summoned to the East River by his friend and former Harvard classmate Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, a psychologist, or "alienist." On the unfinished Williamsburg Bridge, they view the horribly mutilated body of an adolescent boy, a prostitute from one of Manhatten's infamous brothels.

What a fantastic book and well worth pulling off the shelves for a re-read (I know it was a re-read because the bookmark was still in place!). Told with all the grime and opulence and change that was 1896 New York City, it also describes the work of an early psychologist or Alienist, as the title was at the time.

The book opens (after a chapter giving the details of their lives told over dinner decades later) with John Schuyler Moore, a police beat reporter, and his friend, Laszlo Kreizler, investigating what becomes a string of murders of young boy prostitutes. The burgeoning idea of speaking to the insane without the use of drugs and recognizing the effects of abuse on children has influenced Kreizler to use his methods to find this killer.

Woven into this story is the new Commissioner of Police, Theodore Roosevelt, and a woman who wants nothing more than to investigate crimes with the police department. On her own terms. A pair of brothers rounds out the investigative team and their methods that are commonplace today: finding an isolated room for their research, writing ideas onto chalkboards to find commonalities, and knocking on door after door to find and track down possible clues. Each new set of ideas brings different aspects of New York's City life to the growing investigation.

Putting together the pieces of this murderer, what motivates him to choose his victims, what his childhood was like, and when he might strike next are brilliantly done. I have not seen the TV series based on this book so there were no spoilers for me. Just good, gritty, historical story-telling at its finest.

The Cardinal of the Kremlin by Tom Clancy
3***

For all its detailed research into the weapons and technology of the time, this book did not hold up well for me. To read about the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 2022, and all the events that are going on just in the past year, is interesting from a historical perspective. Yet there is also the patina of the "noble savage" motivated by a Holy War that is jarring in a post-9/11 world. And confusing the authoritarian rule of the USSR with the economic thought of Marxism is just bad scholarship.

That said, the insights into Soviet machinations and a quest for absolute power for its own sake are fascinating. The passing of secrets, tiny little film cartridges and the great detail that Clancy put into every single hand-off are great. What the spies do to maintain their cover and how they are found out are also brilliant. But Clancy constantly trots out the "Marxist-Leninist doctrine" as motivation for the non-US characters in ways that don't fit either the characters or the overall story arch. The women who are mentioned by name at least have some depth or motivation: the good ones are mothers and are US citizens; the bad ones are single and Soviet citizens.

Unlike "A Perfect Spy," this book has just not held up well over the decades when it was written and the events that take place in it.

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
5***** and a heart

One of my all-time favorite books as a horse-mad girl, even though my riding days were cut short by family dynamics. I loved getting into the mind of a horse as best one can, and to see what good treatment vs. unkind treatment yields. I often thought of Ginger and her views on humans, and how many adventures Black Beauty had throughout his long years.

As an adult reading this book I was struck by many things that I didn't notice at the time: the cause of Black Beauty's accident that ruined his knees being caused by the evils of drink. And there were many instances of lectures against alcohol, what was called in the US "Prohibition," together with many instances of an effort for more humane treatment of animals.

The story of Old Captain in what was probably the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War is now something I have historical reference to; then, it was just simply a horse charging into battle. The care of horses' injuries being warm bran mash points out the strides in veterinary medicine since this book was written. But I was glad to read the many instances both animal and human characters advocated for the better treatment of the horse. I just wish there were more of them around!

>98 threadnsong: I read this when I was a kid and reread it a few years back. I also loved it!