WHAT ARE WE READING & REVIEWING IN APRIL 2025? This will remain up until May 5th

TELL US WHAT ARE YOU READING AND REVIEWING IN APRIL.

What I Plan to Read in April.

☂️★
48/48
M/M ROMANCE HOOPLA
☂️Deck the Fire Halls- N.R. Waker - 4.5★
☂️Home Improvement - Tara Lain - 4.5★
☂️Sunshine for Sale- Cora Rose - 3.5★
☂️The Boyfriend Subscription - Steven Salvatore - 3★
☂️Kinky Sprinkles - L.A. Witt- 4.5★
☂️Other Than Honorable - Parker St. John -5★
☂️Mine - Riley Hart - 5★
☂️Tempting Tristan - Melissa Foster - 4.5★
☂️Wrangled - K.C. Wells - 5★
☂️Protective Behavior - Cari Z (L.A. Witt) - 5★
☂️Cuddly Behavior - L. A. Witt & Cari Z - 5★
M/M ROMANCE BOOKS
☂️Corpse at the Captain's Seat - Josh Lanyon - 5★
☂️I Buried a Witch - Josh Lanyon - 3★
☂️The Ghost Between Us - Brigham Vaughn -5★
☂️How to Raise an Honest Rabbit- Amy Lane - 4.5★ (Novella)
☂️The Keeper - Aimee Nicole Walker - 5★
☂️Thunder Road - Morgan Brice - 5★
☂️Midwinter Night's Dream - Eli Easton - 4★
☂️Push & Pull - Brigham Vaughn - 5★
☂️Dungeon Master - Alex Silver - 4.5★
☂️Picture Perfect - Alex Silver - 3★
☂️Kept in the Dark - Charlie Cochet - 5★
☂️In the Cards - Charlie Cochet- 4.5★ (Novella)
☂️Raising the Ante - Charlie Cochet - 4.5★ (Novella)
☂️Birthday - Meredith Russo - 5★
☂️B is For Beg- Colette Davidson - 5★
☂️C is For Comfort - Collette Davidson - 5★
☂️Stand in Place - Mary Calmes - 5★
☂️More Than Life - Mary Calmes - 5★
☂️Cabin Fever - Brigham Vaughn - 5★
☂️Display Me - Kota Quin - 3★ (31)
*****************************************************
BOOKS - OTHER GENERA
☂️The Smoke Jumper - Nicholas Evans - 5★ (Friend #1)
☂️Genesis - Chris Carter - 5★ (Group Read)
☂️A Watermelon, A Fish and A Bible - Christy Lefreri - 2.5★
☂️The Lost Story - Meg Shaffer - 4.5★
☂️The Witch of Tin Mountain - Paulette Kennedy - 5★
☂️The God of the Woods - Liz Moore - 5★
☂️Small Sacrifices - Ann Rule - 5★
☂️A Killing Cold- Kate Alice Marshall - 5★
☂️The Husbands - Holly Gramazio - 5★
☂️Devil's Creek - Todd Keisling - 5★
☂️The Frozen River - Ariel Lawhon - 5★
☂️The Wrong Family - Tarryn Fisher - 3★
☂️You Shouldn't Be Here - Lauren Thoman - 4.5★
☂️The Demon in the Freezer: A True Story - Richard Preston -3★
☂️The Good Mother Myth - Nancy Reddy- 3★
☂️The Grip of It - Jac Jemc - 5★
☂️The Thirteenth Tale- Diane Setterfield -5★ (17)
*******************************************************

Corpse at Captain's Seat - Josh Lanyon - (Rhode Island)
Secrets and Scrabble Series Book #8
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/M/M Romance
5★
To celebrate finishing the essential renovations of stately Captain’s Seat, Ellery Page decides to invite all his old college theater friends to stay for the weekend and throw a house-warming party. When a freak snowstorm leaves the house-party cut off from the village of Pirate’s Cove, there’s nothing to do but drink, reminisce, and play board games. Only those reminiscences lead to more uneasy remembrances.
"Captain’s Seat", is an 18th century mansion that’s been in the Page family since it was built. Ellery has been slowly fixing the place up, as money permits. "Central heating operates at the house's will". Living with a Rhode Island winter and being sometimes cut off from the mainland...heating seems to be more important than your next breath.

When the story opens, we learn the tale of Edwin Dolph, a patient who has escaped the Rhode Island State Psychiatric Hospital. Cyril Dolph, an ancestor, had been a suspect in a theft. With the approaching storm...the scene has been set...but it "kind of drifts" around only making occasional reappearances when explanations or a "bad guy" is needed. It worked...so I'm not complaining.

A group of Ellery's college friends who haven’t seen each other in a while, visit in the middle of an expected blizzard, to reminisce and to meet Ellery's boyfriend, police chief, Jack Carson. Talk takes many turns by the group of friends who are catching up on one another's lives as they reminisce, and soon they are reminded of a friend who had died in an auto accident while they were in college. Seems that they all felt at the time, and still do, that there was something suspicious about the "accident". But that was years ago and "water under the dam". Still... It also seems that they are an incestuous group with several of them either having dated or married one another in the distant past. Some have been great friends but currently aren’t. Then again, there's that tragedy from their past that they all try to ignore. The blizzard keeps Jack in town and Ellery alone with his friends. It was then that one of them is murdered.

One friend...the dead friend, Chelsea is the "not very likeable" character. All her friends say she’s a great actress with little interest in “artifice”, that is, until this reunion. Chelsea is one bitter lady.

This, the 8th installment of Josh Lanyon's series comes with a snowstorm and a house party with everyone socializing, cooking together, eating together, and playing games. The perspective comes mostly from Ellery's point of view....and sometimes. Watson's. I have loved the little character, Watson, throughout the first 7 books and he is still just as adorable 6-years later in book #8. Josh Lanyon must be or had been, owned by a "Watson", because her interpretations of his actions, are hilarious. Pure, "fur-legged", adorable snark.

We, the fans of this author and this series waited a L-O-N-G- time for this book...close to 6 years, though it was no fault of the author...blame that pesky virus known as Covid. I did enjoy the atmosphere of this series as a whole and the clearing up of that old mystery. Mystery fans will enjoy the series. If you are a steady reader of very many M/M Romance books...you will find this series extremely "Mild". I don't think Ellery and Jack even kissed until book 6 or 7...but from the start Josh Lanyon expressed that she wanted to write a series that would "be for. and please everyone"...which we all know is next to impossible...but I believe she has may have accomplished her goal with this series.

Thunder Road - Morgan Brice - (South Carolina)
Badlands Series Book #7
Genera: M/M Romance/Paranormal
5★
Simon and Vic are home from their honeymoon, just in time for a brand new case! Mysterious missing person reports, a cursed motorcycle club, and an ancient entity add up to trouble.
Simon & Vic are married now but that certainly doesn't mean their paranormal adventures have come to an end. Throughout this thus far, 7-book series, we have seen the bonds form and strengthen for the Myrtle Beach police detective, Vic and the physic book-store owner, Simon. Their relationship has grown to be a strong defense against supernatural issues...and this time it's no different.

They have returned from their honeymoon in time for the Halloween season, and with that, they face another adversary; one that tests them and their paranormal friends, almost to their very limits. A troll is feeding on the residents in order to remain on this side of the physic plane and continue to carry out the ritual that keeps it alive. This was something that was put in place years ago between the creature and the area motorcycle club. Every year a club member would be sacrificed...but new members and a different "feel" has made the current club members say "enough"...they want the ritual to stop and be sent back to wherever it came from. All of Simon's witchy friends and all others with any physic abilities, join to help Simon to strength the bonds on the area lighthouses...bonds that will keep the troll from ever coming beyond those boundaries and will also cancel its pact for the yearly sacrifice with the club.

It seems that with each story that Simon & Vic's, bond deepens. It's beautiful to see how accepting Vic and all of Vic's co-workers at the police department have become of Simon's abilities. It enables Simon to have their support and their help whenever the need arises. With each story Morgan Brice gives us more history of South Carolina along with suspense/some chills, and lots of steamy scenes throughout.

I own nearly all of Morgan Brice's books, not just the ones in this series, but this one is my favorite, and I will always come back to this series as long she keeps this wonderful series going, which I am hoping that I will one day buy book #100 in the Badlands series.

The Smoke Jumper - Nicholas Evans - (Montana)
Genera: Adventure, Fire Fighters
5★
She has brought them here by court order on a youth program to help them find themselves. But one among them will be lost forever. For soon the cocoon of fire will hatch to engulf the entire mountain and exact its deadly toll. And into this inferno will come ...The Smoke Jumper.
Smoke jumpers are used in many states such as what recently plagued California, to fight almost impossible infernos. They are dropped by parachute into the mouth of Hell. These two smoke jumpers were the epiphany of unlikely friends...Connor Ford, a cowboy and photographer, and Ed Tully, a musician and son of a wealthy family, pair off on a regular basis to be dropped into the hot spot. The heart of a raging fire...every summer.

One day Ed meets Julia, a counselor for troubled teen-agers, and he falls in love. She thinks she loves him. too, that is until she meets Connor. If this sounds like a romance novel, it is, but there’s more to it than that. The author has given us another heart-pounding adventure and a slightly different take on the usual search for happiness.

A terrifying mountain fire results in them having to make terrible choices. The result of those choices sends Connor into war-torn Bosnia. He also spends time wandering through Europe, Asia and Africa, while taking award-winning photographs and searching for his peace of mind. The ending is somewhat contrived, but satisfying; this is easy summer reading, after all.

Nicholas Evans has a gift for descriptions and good dialogue that made this story a pleasure to read. The story felt especially significant after the rea-life raging fires that took place this year in California. Noone wants to view any this in reality, but it would make a fantastic movie. Oh...what happens with the 3 main characters...Julia, Connor and Ed??? You'll just have to read it to find out...or wait for the movie:)

Deck the Fire Halls - N. R. Walker - (Montana)
Hartbridge Christmas Series book #5
Genera: M/M Romance
4.5★
There’s a new doctor in town; not Soren’s usual type, but there’s something about him that Soren just can’t ignore. A friendship sparks between them and Soren can’t help but wonder if that Hartbridge Christmas magic that some others joke about, maybe really is real. The small spark leads to larger flames, and this is certainly not a fire Soren wants to extinguish.
Rob is the town's new doctor who is recovering from a bad case of "too much work and not enough play". Burn-out has left him with very little opportunity for any kind of life away from his job. It’s become so bad that he was considering just walking away from medicine all together. Then a good friend suggests that he move to the small town of Hartbridge, Montana, and work there as a general practitioner. He could probably even set his own hours...have some complete days off...maybe even get a dog. It sounded like something that would be so-o-o perfect without him having to leave the occupation that he loves.

Hartbridge, Montana is one of those picture-perfect small towns where everyone is incredibly friendly. Rob meets his next-door neighbor, Soren, who happens to be a muscular, sexy firefighter. Even though the last thing Rob wants is to jump into a relationship so soon, he thinks that he really wouldn’t mind jumping Soren!

Soren has never been attracted to an older man before, even a slightly older one...but Rob drives him crazy. He has lived in this little town for two years and really loves that there is an actual gay community, but there has not thus far, been anyone for him...that is until now...until Rob’s arrival.

The more time Rob spends getting to know the town, the more he falls in love with it. There's something, or rather someone else that he's falling in love with also. The sparks of attraction are hot enough to set the whole town up flames. While each of them has said that they want to take things slow to see if it's something real, see if it will develop, it’s becoming impossible to resist simply giving in. You know that they can't and won't do anything else. Get the fire extinguishers ready!

I love the setting of this series and all of its lovely, zany characters that call this small western town, home. The banter is sometimes loud, sometimes silly, and often times just plain funny. Their circle of friends are people you would like to know, and... for lack of a better description, entirely, "something else". This is a steamy story but it’s also a "happy ever after", romantic one.... but then, it IS, N.R. Walker.

The Demon in the Freezer: A True Story - Richard Preston - (Maryland)
Genera: Non-fiction, Bio Warfare
3★
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide from microscopic infectious agents? Welcome to Mr. Preston’s frightening neighborhood.
Smallpox is one of the diseases that we don't think about much anymore. Just one of the many things that we all got vaccinated for before starting school. We might have learned about the devastation it caused throughout history; how it wiped out several of our Native American tribes when the Europeans came and spread something the tribes how no knowledge of, and if they had, they would have had no way to stop or prevent it. But hey...that was "just a scary story right? I also learned that it was one of the causes of the collapse of the civilizations in South and Central America after the arrival of the conquistadors who brought it with them. But that was centuries ago and it's not something to worry about anymore, thanks to the miracles of modern science...right? Wrong! You can scratch that part. Thanks to that same miracle of modern science that took the fear away, it has found a way to resurrect smallpox again.

Biological warfare...that should be "nightmare fodder" for every human on the planet. As the author suggests in his last paragraph...these diseases have become "the new atomic bomb" and asks the question; "is this the new threat of human self-annihilation"? It was interesting that there was such a heated debate over whether or not to preserve smallpox in the lab vs. entirely eliminating it as a species. This has left scientists and public health officials conflicted. On one hand, they wanted to be rid of every last particle of smallpox on Earth so that it would be erased forever. However, they also didn’t know whether hostile countries might have their own hidden stashes, or even some bio-engineered smallpox somewhere, so to actually get rid of our smallpox might leave us at a high disadvantage.

As a person that worked with animals...I worked at a zoo for 28-years...I hated the animal experimentation parts. I've read other books by Richard Preston, and he usually glosses over the animal parts that's carried out during the development of treatments for all these horrible "human" diseases. In this book, he spends a lot more time talking about the emotional implications of "murdering" lesser primates to gain information about smallpox and other horrors. More than enough about that subject.

Unfortunately, as Preston explains, once it had been eradicated...guess what? Surprise! Humans then decided that smallpox would make a really great weapon... especially if it could be created in a country where several labs were already in operation and had the capability to build weapons that could deliver the smallpox particles to hundreds of thousands of people. Preston also discusses the recent anthrax outbreak and mentions that at first the government was concerned there could be smallpox particles hidden among the anthrax spores. Fortunately, this turned out to not be the case.

The most alarming part of the entire book is the part that Preston discusses a "bioengineered smallpox weapon", a biologically "changed" form of smallpox that could easily infect and kill people even if they had been recently vaccinated. Really helped to enforce the idea that humans are, without question, the most dangerous animals on Earth.

This is not what I actually set out to read. The title was intriguing, and I expected a bit more "frozen demon" fiction...silly me. Having read this author before I should have known that he writes "horror" but not the fictional kind. This is an excellent book about a terrifying subject. Smallpox is something all of humanity should understand, so that we know what we are dealing with and why we tried to eradicate it in the first place. The book, though sometimes overly technical, will help people better understand....and will literally scare the "beegees" out of you and do it so much better that anything Stephen King ever thought of doing...and Stephen is pretty darn good at that! It includes an overview of smallpox and its history, its impact on humanity and the terrifying consequences should mankind decide to intentionally bring it back in the form of a weapon. 3 stars...not because it wasn't well written or interesting but simply because the subject and the ramifications are just too horrifying.

The God of The Woods - Liz Moore - (New York)
Genera: Mystery, Thriller
5★
POSSIBLE TRIGGERS: Spousal abuse
"Don't go into the woods" takes on unsettling new meaning. Many years after her older brother, Bear, went missing, Barbara Van Laar vanishes from the same sleepaway camp he did, leading to dark, bitter truths about her wealthy family.
In 1975, at Camp Emerson, an Adirondacks summer camp owned by her parents, it's discovered that 13-year-old Barbara isn't in her bed. Barbara could be called a "problem child "...her unhappy parents disapprove of everything from her goth appearance to her stormy, uncontrolled temper. One of Barbara's bunkmates knows that she secretly slips out every night shortly after bedtime. No one knows or seems to really care, where's she's now disappeared to. Speculation arises that she was taken by a local serial killer known as "Slitter".

"Slitter" was known as Jacob Sluiter, when he was convicted of 11 murders in the 1960s and has recently broken out of prison. Most people say that he's who should have been prosecuted for Barbara's brother, Bear's, abduction, and not the gardener who was convicted.

The young assistant investigator, Judy Luptack, pushes on to uncover the truth. She's not convinced by her bully of a father...I wished he would have disappeared, nor her male colleagues...who I hated sight-unseen, that questions if "a little woman is really cut out for this work." GERRRR!

The Van Laars are not going to be wining the "Family of The Year" award, either. It comes to light that the children's father regularly abuses their submissive mother, who is so traumatized by the loss of her son...and the possible role she played in his disappearance...that she has not an ounce of love or concern left for her daughter, Barbara.

I like this author...a lot. She seems to like basing her books on the "lost families in search of themselves", theme. She's used it in several previous books, and I will admit that it draws sympathy to the characters who have been subjected to spousal, parental, or psychological, abuse. The mystery element could easily be lost in this story, but somehow it isn't.... remaining solid until the end. This is an expansive, intricate, and emotionally engaging story that always seems to appear to have each piece of the puzzle neatly falling into place, and every character, be they major or minor, leaving a lasting imprint. Overall: There were many twists and turns that made the characters interesting and the ending unpredictable...but be aware that the story is loaded to the gills with trauma.

Tempting Tristan - Melissa Foster
Harborside Nights Series Book #3
Genera: M/M Romance
4.5★
Tristan Brewer is taking a break from men to try and figure out where he keeps going wrong. He knows his biggest fault–he leads with his heart, not his head–and that’s never going to change. But after several introspective weeks, he’s beginning to get a handle on things. That is, until badass heartthrob Alex Wells walks into his bar…
All of the books in this series can be read as a standalone, but the series is built around a group of friends that references to, and voices are heard throughout each book.

This, book #3, is a sweet romance story that follows Alex and Tristan. They are two seemingly opposite men who both have pasts that have left them scarred. Tristan’s scars are internal while Alex’s are both external and internal. When they first meet, despite Tristan’s unsuccessful attempt to avoid relationships, and Alex’s struggle to accept himself and his present situation, the chemistry is there, and they can’t help but act on it. As they navigate their new relationship, they both have to face things about themselves and admit their weaknesses and let each other to be their strengths.

I really liked seeing the Tristan character, through Alex’s eyes. Tristan has a way about him that forces Alex to confront his buried pain, fears, and ultimately to accept himself as he is now. He is a natural "giver" and seems to be able to find ways to make not only Alex, but the group of friends to always feel better. He is bluntly honest...sometimes too honest...but never malicious. Sadly, as often is the case with people who are more inclined to help others emotionally, people have often taken advantage of his kindness and his desire to help.

Alex not only has physical scars but is an emotional "train-wreck". He's buried so much of himself that he is now has bad mood changes. Tristan, however had no problem calling him out about his behavior without, for the most part, turning it into a disagreement. Though Alex has so much physical and emotional trauma to overcome, he is constantly fighting to come to grips with his “failings” and to become the man he wants to be for Tristan. Alex has no problem saying he was wrong when he sees his mistakes. I liked how he stuck up for Tristan, even when he felt Tristan’s friends had crossed lines and made comments that were hurtful even if they were unintentional.

There are a lot of secondary characters that help the two men along the way, with an ear to listen and advice to offer. They don’t take up a big part of the story, just enough to give the book and the characters more dimension and feed the reader bits of their personalities, especially the ones that have future books in the series. The banter and the jokes they shared with Tristan, and, eventually, Alex, helped to break up some of the more serious parts of the story.

In a nutshell...it's the story of two men who meet and form a new relationship, and all the "bumps in the road" they face on their way to their "happy ever after". If you enjoy contemporary romance with likeable characters and no heavy angst, and don't mind same-sex couples then this book is worth your reading time.

Murder on Black Swan Lane
Andrea Penrose
3/5 stars
The Earl of Wrexford, is a scientist who has been accused of murder. Along comes the widow Charlotte Sloane who takes over her dead husband's persona to help solve the murder of Josiah Holworthy and tries to clear the Earl. Mystery

The Ghost Between Us - Brigham Vaughn - (Oregon)
West Hills Series Book #1
Genera: M/M/Romance/ Grief/ (lots of angst)
4.5★
His brother's funeral will change everything. As a psychiatrist in a hospice facility, Dr. Christopher Allen helps people cope with loss. But his job doesn't prepare him for the sudden death of his devil-may-care brother, Cal. Or that Cal wasn't as straight as everyone thought.
This is over 500 pages with enough tear producing dialog to float a battalion. I hate stories with angst. I want my guys to be happy or at least find happiness. I love this author, and this is the first of her books that it was page after page of heartbreaking things. The characters were absolutely wonderful, but they were all SOOOO miserable. But since I have always loved Brigham Vaughn's books, I gathered my box of Kleenex and kept reading. It became an absolute imperative that I find out if Chis and Elliott were going to make it out together.

Dr. Chris Allen is a psychiatrist who works with hospice and palliative patients and their families. He’s very good at his job, but that doesn’t prepare him for the sudden death of his well-loved younger brother, Cal. Chris first sees Elliott Rawlings at Cal’s funeral and later starts to meet him fairly regularly, beginning a troubled relationship between the two of them. Chris learns some things about his brother that he suspected but didn't for certain know. He learns that the brother he thought to be straight was actually bisexual and was in a relationship with Elliot. Cal had been hiding Elliott from their parents. Chris is hurt that Cal didn’t share this with him, and Elliott is angry that he was being kept a secret. A night of drinking after the funeral finds Chris and Elliott sharing a bed.

Chris is horrified and guilty over what happened. While the men go their separate ways the next morning, they later find themselves working together to clear out Cal’s apartment. Elliot doesn’t trust easily and is reluctant to help but agrees to answer questions about the part of Cal’s life that Chris didn’t know about, and, despite their circumstances, the men begin to fall for each other.

Chris’ parents are shattered by Cal’s death, and Chris is struggling with where he now fits in with them. Due to the circumstances, Chris is not ready to let people know that he is now with Elliot, and Elliot has no patience left to ever again be another someone's secret. The situation is complicated, and Chris thinks he has time to figure it out, but both men know how short life can be and they have to decide if the only thing between them is Cal’s ghost, or if they truly are meant to be together.

This book packs a lot into it. Chris is devastated after the sudden death of his brother. Cal's absence leaves a giant hole in everyone’s lives, but we find that it also reveals more secrets that Cal was hiding. Cal is deceased when the book opens, but the author does a fantastic job of bringing him back "to life" between the pages. Chris is further devastated that the brother he thought he was so close to didn’t confide in him and he can’t let that go. Chris is somewhat of a loner and his closest friends was also several of Cal's friends. Chris’ entire life currently revolves around his work and he's trying to make a place in it for Elliott. In spite of the growing relationship, he's still lonely. Elliot's in love with Cal but refuses to ever be Chris's or anyone's secret again. While Elliot resists at first, Chris might "get" him better than anyone ever has, including Cal...and he's trying hard but still struggling to being able to tell friends and family about him and Elliott.

This story is told mostly from Chris’ point of view, and we get to know him very well. We understand his relationship with Cal and Cal’s friends, his past relationship, his place in his close family, and his career. The career aspect went a bit too in depth for me as I didn’t need to meet as many of Chris’ patients. However, it did build a strong character image of him. Elliott was an interesting character, and I would have liked more from him. Some parts were way too long and others, not long enough. The two guys did truly care about each other and Ms. Vaughn did a great job of drawing us into their intimate moments, as well as their pain and Chris’ journey to face life without his brother.

The ending became a little predictable, but Chris and Elliott were allowed by Ms. Vaughn to be happy along with a little bit melancholy. Chris learns to live his life for himself. This is definitely a book that I would recommend, along with any of this author's other series. It's about grief and as well as finding love on the other side.

A Watermelon, a Fish and a Bible - Christy Lefteri - (Cyprus)
2.5★
It is July 1974 and on a bright, sunny morning, the Turkish army has invaded the town of Kyrenia in Cyprus. For many people, this means an end to life as they know it. But for some, it is a chance to begin living again.
I should by now, know better than to choose a book just because it fits a challenge. Evidently, I am a S --L- O - W learner, or a glutton for punishment. I really didn't care for any of the book...nada, zero, zip! It was no fault of the author. It was the...well I really don't know... just couldn't get into the whole thing.

The best part of the story is the very beginning and the end. It starts off with an almost fairy-tale like sequence, full of symbolism. It's beautiful, and sad, setting the reader for a journey through war-torn Cyprus in 1974. The author moves you along through the capture of Kyrenia through several different viewpoints: Maroulla's, with childish innocence, Adem Berker's with his loss and guilt, Richard's with longing, Commander Serkan Demir's with anger and hatred, Koki's with fear. By this time, it was just all too much. I'm not sure but I would say that the core of the story was Koki's, the way she was caught between the Greeks and the Turks, but an outcast to both groups and her deep ties to both.

The middle dragged even more with the events playing out over five days. There's an immersion in memories of the past, both a sense of longing for what was as well as a lingering regret over how things have played out over the years. Everybody, on all sides, were against each other, but I guess this is the norm in most wars. In retaliation, the Turkish soldiers rape the women and murder the men on a massive scale of revenge. It didn't matter that these specific women had done nothing to them personally. Again, I guess another fact of war. The story seemed to meander and lost intensity on numerous occasions and there was a lot of repetition, particularly in the many descriptive parts. The ending was predictable. I suppose it was a good piece of historical fiction, as well as a reminder about the fragility of peace in some parts of our world.

The Witch of Tin Mountain - Paulette Kennedy - (Arkansas)
5★
In Depression-era Arkansas, something wicked has come to a haunted mountain town. Blood and power bind three generations of women in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. So does an evil that’s followed them across the decades.
The story is not a M/M or a F/F romance, but it does have a LGBTQ theme. It's told through the perspective of three women living in the Ozark Mountains who are bound together by not only family ties, but an uncomprehensible, unspeakable evil.

Anneliese was burned to death as a witch in 1831. She's the author of the Grimoire...a book that has been passed down through the generations by the women. The book is part diary, part recipes, and part spells and curses.

Fifty years later, in 1881, we meet Deirdre, a woman living in the village of Tin Mountain, Arkansas. She adds entries to the book. Then in 1931, there is Gracelynn who finds the Grimoire and reads the history of the first owner of the book, Anneliese. She asks Deirdre about Anneliese and the book, but Deirdre is very reluctant to talk about anything in the past, which Gracelyn finds rather strange. Afterall the previous owners are dead and it's all just history...right?

Eventually, Gracelynn realizes that there is something strange that is reoccurring...a demon that has taken the form of a traveling preacher. He retunes to their village like clockwork, every fifty years and seems to be searching for something. Then when Gracelynn eventually figures out that the reason the demon preacher comes back is he's searching for a child. Now that she has this knowledge, she is more determined than ever to try and save her village.

This was absolutely one of the best books that I have read thus far this year. It was "spooky", chilling and almost impossible to put down. The entire story is well paced, and the characters all have such unique stories, and each one has one, though each story is a slight bit different.... but all with a common theme. The demon goes by three different names, a different one each time he reappears, and the author has created him so well...so eerie and incredibly real. This entire story is so real, that images may remain in your mind for days.

A word of caution to future readers...There are some scenes and/or references to sexual assaults, violence, sex, incest, abortion, murder, and demonology. Yeah...that's a lot, but it's what adds to the believable horror of the entire story. Some reviewers even called it historical horror...and some were not 100% sure that it even "was fiction." Overall: If you enjoy tales of the supernatural, or witches and demons, you will certainly enjoy this one.

Push & Pull - Bingham Vaughn - (Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota)
Midwest Series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance/Friends to Lovers
5★
It seems to be a fact, at least for Brent and Lowell, that opposites certainly do attract...and sometimes something very special develops and grows.
We first met Lowell and Brent in book #1 of this series, Bully & Exit. One, is a bit of diva and the other is a hockey player and every bit, a real jock. I liked them both from the start...although to begin with they were a bit leery of one another.

Brent had plans for a long road trip around Lake Michigan for several months, but at the last-minute, those plans slightly changed. Brent was expecting his best friend, Nathan, to accompany him on this adventure...but love had come into Nathan's life, and he didn't want to leave his new boyfriend all alone for the entire summer...so without asking, he arrives with Lowell to take his place. Brent has to either cancel the whole trip or accept Lowell's company. He accepted...how bad could it possibly be? Lowell knows nothing about camping, very little about nature, so he starts out as a reluctant traveler...but Lowell begins to grow on Brent, and despite the rocky start, they turn out to be a perfectly good match.

I loved the humor in this one; Lowell could be really snarky. Their relationship developed rather quickly but it was fun to watch it happen. The story had relatively low angst and that was also another good thing it had going for it. I have collected and read almost all of this author's stories because they mostly take place in my adopted, and well-loved state of Michigan, with locations and other things that I am more than familiar with; Western Michigan University, (my daughter graduated from there), Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, the Detroit Lions...this one even featured the two guys shopping in a Meijer store! (pronounced Meyer, it's Dutch), and my town of Battle Creek, has two of them). It was definitely a fun road trip...not just for Lowell and Brent but for me also.

The Lost Story - Meg Shaffer - (West Virginia)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Fantasy
4.5★
As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived.
Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell are a seemingly unlikely pair. Jeremy is a well-bred boy from England, while Rafe is a small-town, West Virginia boy with a smaller-minded father who doesn’t support much of Rafe's ambitions but mostly not his passion and artistic talent. During their freshman year of high school, they become inseparable...the best of friends. It is because of this that the two go missing together in the Red Crow State Park Forest of West Virginia. They are gone six months and are presumed to be dead. Imagine the shock when they emerge from the woods not only alive, but "changed"...physically stronger, very well-fed, and somehow much taller than their 6- month absence should account for. The authorities are unable to get much information from the boys. Rafe seems to have returned with short-term memory loss, post-traumatic stress, some unexplained scars on his back, and sleepwalking issues. Jeremy returns to England with his mother.

We move forward fifteen-years and learn that Jeremy is a bit of a celebrity, famous for finding lost or missing women and girls, and Rafe has become a recluse, sequestered in his family's old cabin deep in the woods. After over a decade of no communication, Jeremy has to seek out his long-lost friend when Emilie, an eccentric, antisocial young vet-tech, asks Jeremy to help find her missing half-sister, Shannon. The catch? Of course, there is a catch...Shannon’s last known whereabouts also happen to be the very same Red Crow State Park, where Jeremy and Rafe disappeared a few years after Shannon. This was one of my first questions with the story...why was Emile only just now trying to find her sister? Oh well...I shouldn't ask too many questions.

Emilie, Rafe, and Jeremy...along with Emilie’s pet rat, Fritz...form a "motley crew" and set out in the woods. Their trapse through the woods leads to the unfolding, of magic, enchantment, beauty, and pain. We discover there is more to Emilie and her lost sister’s story than she had told Jeremy. There are reasons why only Jeremy remembers their missing time and why he had to sever ties with his once best friend, Rafe.

The unfolding of all their stories, while watching them find their way back together, is what is at the core of this present-day fairy tale. What some may find off-putting and brought the story down to 4-strs for me was the constant entrance of the "Storyteller". Every few chapters, the "Storyteller" breaks in and presents a third-person point of view. It might be more tolerable in audio...but is distracting in print. Still a good, interesting, and unusual story.

I Buried a Witch - Josh Lanyon - (California)
Bedknobs and Broomsticks trilogy Book #2
Gener: M/M Romance, Mystery, Fantasy
5★
Something old, something new, something borrowed…something blacker than the darkest night.
This is the 2nd book in the Bedknobs and Broomsticks series set in and around San Francisco that features the witch and antique dealer, Cosmo Saville and his husband, John Joseph Galbraith, the Police Commissioner. This series needs to be read in order, since there are over-lapping storylines. The previous book actually raised more questions than it answered, so if you haven’t read book one, Mainly by Moonlight, you’ll be a bit lost if you start with this one; and also, there will be spoilers.

Book #1, Mainly by Moonlight introduced us to the world of "the Craft", as Cosmo and his fellow witches refer to themselves, and to its hierarchy. Cosmo is fairly high up in the order, since he's the son of the witch who is next in line to be "Crone", or the "Chief Witch". Cosmo is preparing to marry the man he’s fallen head-over-heels in love with in just a few short weeks, and to say that the "Chief Witch" is not at all happy about her son’s decision to marry "just an ordinary mortal" would be the most massive understatement of the year! She then tells Cosmo that John is just under a love-spell; to which Cosmo becomes furious and loudly and firmly insists that the spell be lifted immediately, if not sooner, even if it does mean that there’s a chance that he’ll lose John, the man that is the "love of his life". As the day of the wedding draws closer, Cosmo is relieved to discover that John doesn’t want to call everything off, even though Cosmo can’t ignore the little changes that have started to take place in their relationship. He’s so deeply in love that he carelessly ignores all those warning signs; the ones that are telling him that perhaps entering into a marriage without having told John the truth about himself, was perhaps not the best idea he's ever had.

At the beginning of this story...book #2, Cosmo and John have returned home from their honeymoon in Scotland and are starting to settle into their new home. Sadly, however, it’s not long before things between the newlyweds become rather strained and Cosmo is forced to admit that he has no-one but himself to blame for the mounting tension between them. He then discovers that several members of the local Wiccan community have been murdered in a verity of very gruesome ways, and he wants to be allowed to help with the investigation. His knowledge of Wiccan customs, together with his "witchy" insights and understanding of the possible motives should surely make him the best person to provide the information the police will need; however, John makes it very clear, that in no uncertain terms, that Cosmo is NEVER going to be anywhere near that investigation. When has Cosmo ever listened to or followed reason? He's having none of John's nonsense, and when, during a heated argument, Cosmos does what he's been avoiding...he tells John the truth about himself. John is shocked...stunned... and much more than merely furious at Cosmos's deception...so, in spite of still loving Cosmos, John packs his bags and leaves.

Cosmo is of course, devastated but he's certainly not ready to give up on his marriage, even though John refuses to see or speak to him. He tries to find a way to repair the damage, while he continues to look for solutions to the various "magical problems" that surround him. Who is the "Witch Killer" and how are they connected to the murder from the first book, that of Seamus Reitherman? Who is responsible for the hit-and-run that almost killed his friend? But worse yet...who is now trying to kill him?

Combined with some of the questions left over from the first book, there’s a lot now to solve, and clearly some of these questions won’t be answered until the final book in this 3-part series. Above all else, would Josh Lanyon actually allow our newlyweds to suffer this separation? I really, really want Cosmos and John back together and happy.

You Shouldn't Be Here - Lauren Thoman - (Pennsylvania)
4.5★
Two strangers search for the truth behind bizarre occurrences no one else dares to discuss―only to discover that they’re connected by secrets that could destroy them both.
I love a good ghost story, so was excited to get this one. That being said...I'm rather on an edge about it. There were things that I really liked...who doesn't love a ghost story? But at the same time some things that I simply didn't "get" and there was no further explanation for them. I won't go much into those "things" because it will ruin the story for those that want to explore it for themselves.

The story starts with an employee, Angie, in a realty office, having just discovered a deep, dark secret about her employer. Unfortunately, her employer catches her at this and before she can escape, her world goes dark.

Madelyn Zhao is a young woman in her twenties, who finds herself in East Henderson, Pennsylvania. She's just recently broken up with her toxic boyfriend and struggled through the "lockdown", she’s ready for a new start. This new start also includes another agenda, that of finding her cousin, who has gone missing. Though her cousin’s friend and colleague sought help, the search came to a halt when she was fired from her job.

Angie hears a woman singing in the bathroom. With her mother having walked out two years ago and her dad never home, Angie wonders if she is just lonely or maybe a bit "looney". She decides to do some ghost hunting and, with Bas’s help, tries to uncover the mystery behind the singing voice. This was my first confusion...who the heck is Bas? The author is obviously an excellent storyteller and capable of producing likeable characters make a compelling read...so why can't I find Bas mentioned before? Okay...Back to Madelyn. She finds herself drawn to a male colleague, and their relationship takes off quickly. But then things start get a lot "murkier" for both Angie and Madelyn. and for me. The twist in the middle of the story left me surprised and again... a little confused. I read the paragraph twice to make sure I got it right.

The entire story opened a little slow...but that wasn't particularly a "bad" thing. We had to meet the two women and learn why they were where "something" didn't want them to be. It took a while for me to put the pieces together, but overall, it was an interesting take on a ghost as well as a ghost story. The multiple perspectives managed to keep the story moving along. I also liked the little news blurbs, articles or text chains at the beginning of each chapter. That was clever on someone's part. The villain could have used a bit more depth and a little more wrap-up, but Angie and Madelyn turned out to just be "fun" people.

While the twists were engaging, some were just predictable in any ghost story. The overall mystery and the dark, unsettling vibes are really what saved this story and only lost it 1/2 a star in the rating. It's a solid "must read" for fans of psychological thrillers. So....If you enjoy mysteries involving ghosts, this story is diffidently waiting for you.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret – Brian Selznick
5***** and a ❤

Hugo Cabret is an orphan who lives in the Paris Train Station, taking care of the clocks as his uncle trained him to do. His secret project, though, is finishing the invention his father was working on when he died. He steals parts from a toy shop – small gears and screws and springs. But when he’s caught, he gets embroiled in an even bigger mystery.

What a treasure! This inventive, unusual novel in words and pictures won the Caldecott medal for illustration. The reader really needs to spend some time pouring over these intricate drawings, for they forward the story. The text skips from section/chapter to section/chapter, with the intricate illustrations filling in the plot.

The book is intended for children, but will delight adults as well. The story of Hugo, Isabelle and Papa Georges is enthralling, and kept me guessing. But the drawings … oh, the drawings! They are rich and subtle and complex and detailed, showing incredible depth of field and use of light and shadow.

The latter sections of the book explore more of the early history of motion pictures, especially the contributions of Georges Méliès. This part of the book is probably more interesting to adults.

It's a hefty book - some 525 pages, and the paper is thick. But it's a very fast read. The first time I read it straight through in just a couple of hours. But on subsequent readings I took more time to pour over the illustrations, really studying the detail.

Midwinter's Night's Dream - Eli Easton - (Pennsylvania)
Unwrapping Hank Series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance, Christmas
4★
When Micah gets the hottest kiss of his life from a cute guy during a game of ‘spin the bottle’, he turns into a puddle of anxious goo. Sure, Micah’s always been a little bi-curious, but he never thought he’d pursue a guy, much less a guy who doesn’t seem to be interested in getting caught.
Micah is the "coolest" guy on campus. He never loses his temper. He just "chills" about everything... and the ladies...even though he's not interested... are always chasing after him. Micah never has to work very hard to get any kind of attention. That is until he goes to a campus party and a game of spin-the-bottle leads to Micah kissing Leo, who was never an easy subject.

I liked Leo. He's an "out-and-proud" gay rights activist and a passionate actor, who is, not only talented but always focused. Leo has one rule that he has thus far lived by... only gay guys that are out. The rule is always in effect regardless of any and all attractions. No bi-curious straight dudes or men staying locked in the proverbial closet. Leo tries to forget the kiss; Micah can't forget the kiss, and now the game is on.

Leo is directing a play as part of his studies, Shakespeare’s "Midsummer Night’s Dream". In the middle of rehearsals, he loses his stage venue to a homophobic guy, so Micah offers his barn at his family's farm, as a theater. Micah also hoped that his offer would perhaps show Leo that his intentions are sincere.

This book is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone. It's good to read the series in order, since some of the characters from the first book, Unwrapping Hank, are mentioned quite frequently in this one.

Eli Easton is one of my many favorite M/M Romance authors. Her writing is always exciting, realistic, and easy to read. As usual, the characters feel real and most are sympathetic. It makes the reader "feel" for them and want only the best of everything for them. When Micah lost his cool over the kiss with Leo...that change in his personality is described well, as is all his thoughts and the reactions that he gets from his friends and family. Leo’s strong personality and his professionalism also comes through beautifully...plus he’s so cute and sweet that you can’t help but really like him. His past and straight lover was actually the one that explains Leo through a big part of the story. It's not a very long story, just a little over 100 pages...but one that you'll remember with fondness.

The Boyfriend Subscription - Steven Salvatore - (Louisianna)
3★
What happens when a simple deal gets...complicated?
I didn't have many feelings at all about this book...neither good nor bad. The chapters are way long and there's very few of them considering the length of the book. It’s all dual POV that switches within the chapters, sometimes multiple times, and that, at least to me, bogged down the storyline.

Somehow the mix of a horticulturist who lost his blooming plant business to his ex-husband’s family and is now financially broke and even more spiritually broken and the high-profile owner of a sex-positive app, who is also the app’s top-earning worker, did somehow manage to work. We have Teddy who grew up poor and built his business through years of hard work and his love of plants. Then we have Cole who grew up ultra rich and was always expected to step into his father’s shoes to take over the family business. Instead, Cole went his own way and became a success. These two men just seem to understand each other. Their first meeting and the ensuing night together is sweet and builds an intimacy between them that carries out through the rest of the story.

When things got rough, the reactions were completely understandable on both their parts, considering all their insecurities. Yet somehow...sometimes, they managed to keep each other from most of the things that others thought or said about their relationship. As a result, they weren’t irrational or immature, but they didn’t always think before speaking or acting. There was a lot of realistic emotions involved in their story...so what was the problem?

There were so many times when the background characters got to be entirely too much. They just took away too much from the story.... even though many of them were an integral part to how things ultimately played out. It became hard to remember where the story was supposed to be going. I had to try and remember who was talking, who was being talked about and what "big new thing" was happening. That may have all been an issue with me and not with the writing.

Ultimately the romance was good...and the two sweeties have their "happy ever after"...although Cole's father would probably disagree with me:)

Mine - Riley Hart
Genera: M/M Romance /Ds Relationship
5★
The truth is, other people don’t have to understand us, they just have to give us the freedom to be who we are and love us regardless.
The plot is based on mainly an age gap and a "father's best friend" theme. A theme that usually either REALLY works or totally bombs. This time it REALLY worked! The book opens with an anonymous kinky text being exchanged and a lot of "green flags" in their kink communications. The D/s relationship was amazing, and the chemistry was completely "off the charts". You just knew or at least hoped that these two guys would see that they belonged together...nothing else would do!

Despite him being young, J.T. had really thought it through and knew what he wanted in, and from a relationship and goes full speed ahead after it, overcoming the many obstacles life tried to throw in his path. The way that the two guys handled the outside adversity when it reared its head, further enforced the idea that they were in it for keeps.

This author did an excellent job of blending the kink, the romance, the communication and the total commitment into a wonderfully satisfying story of love, devotion and a very happy ending. It's Riley Hart so I wasn't really too surprised. If you read and enjoy M/M Romances, you'll truly love Mine

Find a Way
Diana Nyad
4/5 stars
This was an amazing autobiography of Diana Nyad, a professional long-distance swimmer who would never give up on her goals. She swam from Cuba to Florida after several failures and was able at the age of 64 to secure her goal. Biography

Small Sacrifices - Ann Rule - (Oregon)
Genera: Non-Fiction, True Crime
5★
Ann Rule's shocking and powerful account of the destructive forces that drove Diane Downs, a beautiful young mother, to shoot her three young children in cold blood.
Possible Triggers: The true account of a mother that shoots her own young children. The book also has some very graphic pictures.
I vividly remember how interested my cop husband and his partner at that time, was in the movie about this crime when it first came out and I remember watching it with them. At that time, I didn't really think much about it being based on a true crime. When I discovered this book, I had to see how the two venues did on "the truth and nothing but the truth" level. I was surprised that both venues remarkably agreed in the portrayal of this monster, who dared to call herself a loving mother.

I read a lot of books about strange, and sometimes horrible things that human beings are capable of...so I'm hard to be surprised by reality...but I believe this story just about tops anything fiction could ever have dreamed of coming up with. It was one of the most harrowing, yet, in its own way, fascinating, books I've ever read. Diane Downs is a mother who is so self-obsessed and pleasure loving that she actually drove her three young children to a dark country road and shoots them in cold blood. She then shoots herself in the arm to support her fabricated story of a random attack from a "bushy haired stranger". The two cops in my living room had a "field day" with this info.

Diane Downs was obsessed with regaining the affections of the married man that she had been having a relationship with, but who didn't want the "hassle and inconvenience"...her word to the police, of children. She then makes the decision to "eliminate" her two daughters and her son while concocting a false story about hers and the children's injuries. She sealed her own fate with her lies and inappropriate behavior during police questioning and court appearances. It all showed her to be a scheming and totally amoral narcissist.

One of her daughters died from her injuries, the other two children survived and were adopted by the DA and his wife. All I could think of was "bless those two people".

Be aware that this is a hugely, almost unimaginable, upsetting true story that is so unbelievable, that it's hard for any mother or father to imagine that it's actually true. Ann Rule has come up with yet another masterpiece. Take my advice and by-pass on the movie. reading about it is one thing...seeing it is a whole new ballgame.

Find a Way
Diana Nyad
4/5 stars
This was an amazing autobiography of Diana Nyad, a professional long-distance swimmer who would never give up on her goals. She swam from Cuba to Florida after several failures and was able at the age of 64 to secure her goal. Biography

Picture Perfect - Alex Silver
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM/ genderqueer character & 1 cute dog
3★
Is it too much to ask for a whirlwind romance that sweeps me off my feet? I’m fed up with one-off scenes at the club. Online dating has become an endless conveyor belt of rejection. Enter Jax, the "picture-perfect" friend with all the benefits I crave, and none of the drama I can’t stand.
I like Alex Silver and own many of her books, and while this wasn't a bad book by any means, it was among my "least favorites" of all the many, many M/M Romances that I own and have read. There were a lot of characters, because of Connor's huge family...but the majority of the story takes place between Jax and Connor.

Jax was an interesting character. He is a genderqueer Dom that has his own photography business. He takes both regular photos and kinky boudoir shots. Connor is a trans man struggling to find what he is looking for through online dating. He found what he was looking for when he hooked up online with Jax.

Although this is the fourth book in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. Some of the characters do cross over...but it doesn't take anything away from the story. The interactions between Connor and Jax was really sweet. I liked how they were able to talk openly with each other and define how their relationship was going to work and how they themselves wanted to be defined. They respected one another's boundaries with no questions asked. Some of their scenes together were really intense. I don't know if that would be considered a "trigger"...but just a word of warning.

The entire story was sweet, and Gia was one of the best characters in the whole thing. Gia is a dog. Even though it wasn't my favorite M/M Romance or even my favorite Alex Silver story, I did really enjoy reading it.

Home Improvement - Tara Laine
Genera:M/M Romance
4.5★
When an intensely shy and strange young man named Jerry needs help at the home improvement store, Gabe is drafted to assist.
The guy shouldn’t attract Gabe, but for some reason he just does and when he begs Gabe to become the project manager on the massive home renovation job he has, Gabe finds himself agreeing just to get to know more about the elusive Jerry. The mansion in question may need a huge overhaul, but the place is still gorgeous, and Gabe can’t wait to get started. Then he discovers that Jerry is living on takeout and sleeping on a mattress on the second floor. Can the guy actually afford to redo the house he seems to love so much?

Gabe decides to help Jerry as much as he can, but his first priority is still his daughter, Ellie. Her mother is constantly looking for the perfect opportunity to take custody away from Gabe, who is gay, and cut him completely out of her life. When secrets about Jerry are revealed and spill over to threaten not only Gabe, but Ellie, the tentative relationship that has begun to build between the two men looks like it may be over before it even has the chance to start. Even worse yet, Gabe may lose more than Jerry, he may lose Ellie as well.

Jerry stole the entire story for me. Watching him grow into the one that took control of his own life...and starting to love who and what he was. His personal growth in this story was what allowed Gabe to finally realize that putting his own life on hold due to the constant fear of losing Ellie wasn't helping neither of them. Jerry not only showed Gabe that he was still a real “catch,” but also that when the chips were down there was someone who would fight for and with him and Ellie.

Gabe was the best dad ever. He and Ellie had all the love and respect in the world for each other. They took care of each other. Ellie wasn't a small child, but a very mature seventeen-year-old high school student that showed both vulnerability and a lot of savvy. She was a side character that really added to the story in positive ways. This story seemed to have everything going for it...romance, a big reveal that was both shocking and realistic, a conflict that we were alswys aware of in the background; the threat that Ellie could be taken away.

It was a beautiful romance with just a bit of angst.... a story that I will be rereading in the future.

Death of a Pumpkin Carver– Lee Hollis
2**

Book # 8 in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series has Hayley’s ex-husband Danny back in town and suspected of murder. She does NOT want him back in her life, but she doesn’t want him convicted of a crime he didn’t commit.

This is only the second book from this series that I’ve read. I was singularly UNimpressed with the first one, but I was looking for something quick to read that fit a particular challenge, and this one fit that bill.

I just cannot get into the life of Hayley Powell. Based on the review I wrote for book one, I guess she is more together and competent now, but the plot is still rather thin and I’m not sure I understand the town dynamics at all.

There are several recipes, some of which I thought sounded delicious. But I thought that using pumpkin in each and every one of them was overkill. (Anyone find the idea of a Pumpkin Mojito remotely appealing?)

Lee Hollis is a pen name for a brother-sister writing team. Perhaps the disconnections in the book are a reflection of having more than one author contributing to the effort.

Sunshine for Sale - Cora Rose (Kansas)
Homegrown Hearts Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance
3.5★
He’s a thief. He’s stolen something from me. My breath, my heart, my sanity.
I can truly say that the story in itself, was good, and it was well written. The characters were both likeable. This is a new author for me, but I will diffidently read another of her books. So why the 3.5-star rating? In a word... "Jimbob"!! I ask you in all sincerity...who would actually name their kid Jimbob? Who, over the age of 10, would allow themself to be called Jimbob? That name was the main thing that reduced the book, to a 3.5-star rating. I seriously doubt that anyone who is remotely sexy or considers themselves to be sexy, would ever allow or want themselves to be called Jimbob. Try yelling "Jimbob" in the heights of passion, with any partner...male or a female... and watch your partner nearly collapse with laughter... and you yourself may expire from terminal embarrassment.

I didn't find the story to be especially, what I would call romantic either...but that probably depends on what you consider to be romantic. I'm sure there are many different definitions of the word to many different people. If sex alone is romance in your opinion, then this was romantic. The two main characters didn’t know much of anything about each other, they didn't exchange very many words or even complete thoughts, but that didn't stop them from falling into the nearest bed and having sex...and there are A LOT of sex scenes in this book. Don't get me wrong...I have nothing against sex or sex scenes, I own over 300 M/M Romance books, but I would like the participants to at least say "hello...my name is Jimbob", (well, maybe not the Jimbob part:), before they find and fall into the nearest bed. At least a "thank you" afterwards would be the polite thing before starting the whole show all over again. Those guys must have had superlative superpowers:)

it wasn't at all a bad or an unreadable book. I have nothing but the highest admiration for anyone that can sit down and write a story, manage to get it published, have people buy it and then have them actually read it. I will certainly read this author's work again...but I really hope that the next main character is Joe or Jack....anything but Jimbob! (My sincere apologizes if your son's name is Jimbob.)

A Killing Cold - Kate Alice Marshall
Genera: Mystery & Suspense Thriller
5★
A woman invited to her wealthy fiancé’s family retreat realizes they are hiding a terrible secret―and that she’s been there before.
The story focuses mainly on Theodora Scott, a woman with a, shall we say "shady past". She kept secrets from her new fiancé, Connor. Connor Dalton is a handsome, wealthy guy that Theo has recently become entangled with six months ago. Theirs was a whirlwind romance that led to a rushed engagement...but there's a catch...isn't there always? Before there are going to be any wedding bells, there is one more thing they have to do – they have to have the approval of Connor’s family. We already know this is going to probably go downhill fast.

Connor's family...the Daltons, are a strangely reserved bunch and certainly don’t take kindly to strangers entering their "sacred grounds"...Idlewood, an isolated winter retreat reserved and "ONLY" for the family.

When Connor and Theo arrive, the threatening messages start. I almost began to feel sorry for Theo. Her mother-in-law "perhaps to be", is less than thrilled, to put it mildly. Frosty and standoffish describes her demure well. We learn that there are secrets here that are tied to Theo’s past. As the story progresses, those secrets slowly start to "rear their ugly heads". This leads the story to a shocking, very dramatic conclusion as the truth rolls out.

Almost the entire story is told from Theo’s perspective and it's not too long before the reader begins to question everybody. There's Connor’s sister, Alexis, and the shady Nick to name a few but all the characters are complex, and you know that they are holding onto secrets of their own. In fact, it reaches a point where Theo even starts to question Connor, letting to a paranoid edge to ooze through every remaining page of the book. Theo’s past is enticing. The little snippets of her backstory are sprinkled throughout the book, broken up by small chapters. Sometimes we "see and hear" snippets while she’s asleep. Some of her thoughts are marked with stars placed in the middle of individual chapter. That actually worked quite well. The books characters are what makes the standout. A Killing Cold is an enticing read with a clever ending. If you’re looking for an easy thriller to add to your pile of books, this one is well worth your time.

Kept in the Dark - Charlie Cochet - (Florida)
Locke & Keyes Series Book #1
Genera: Agency Operatives, M/M Romance
5★
Former Army Ranger turned government assassin Álvaro Montero and CIA Officer Caiden Cardosa crossed paths two years ago in Vienna, where their encounter ended less than amicably—despite the explosive sexual chemistry between them. Now Caiden is riding a desk at Langley after his cover is blown. And Álvaro—who was “killed”—has a new identity and purpose as Delta/D, an operative for the Locke and Keyes Agency, under the leadership of the mysterious Alpha Orion. When D and Caiden team up in a deadly black ops mission, the urge to kill each other will have to take a back seat to the desire for revenge against the man who betrayed them both. Surviving the mission won’t be easy. Resisting the passion between them—that might be impossible
Álvaro Montero, "D", is legally dead, having been killed two years ago during his job as a government assassin. He was saved by Alpha Orion, leader of the Locke and Keyes Agency, a black ops organization that works to expose criminals and see them brought to justice. He is now known as Delta (or D for short) and works for Alpha and his organization as one of their elite team members.

The same night D was betrayed and shot; he had a night of passion with CIA agent Caiden Cardosa. It was also the night Caiden’s life fell apart, as well. He was turned in to the Austrian police, then accused of being a terrorist. While he managed to escape custody, Caiden’s cover was blown, and he hasn’t been able to do his job since.

When Caiden gets a mysterious call promising him answers to who betrayed him, he never expects to see D again. The two men are at odds after D walked out on Caiden that night two years ago. But Alpha has a lead on someone who may have information on who betrayed both men and so they are forced to work together if they have a chance of finding the culprit. Along the way, Caiden and D begin to realize the feelings they had for one another are not gone. But even as they act on their attraction, D is wary, worried that eventually Caiden will tire of someone with D’s past. However, before the men have a chance to even find out if things can work between them, the case heats up and their lives are on the line. Now D and Caiden are realizing they are truly meant for one another, but they must fight to make it out alive.

Kept in the Dark is the first book in Charlie Cochet’s new Locke and Keyes Agency series, and things are off to a great start. I was drawn in right away by the interesting set up and two really engaging characters in D and Caiden. We get an "enemies to lovers" vibe right from the start as the men are at odds but forced to work together if they have any hope of finding out who betrayed them. It is clear that the chemistry between the men is strong, even as they bicker with one another. And when they finally give in to their attraction, it is intense and super sexy. Cochet gives us a great backstory for the guys, and I enjoyed seeing how the story unfolded as we slowly learn the truth about what happened to each of them that fateful night. The relationship does move very quickly when the guys finally give in, given the short time they are together. I liked that it happened, but it did feel a bit rushed to me. They did make one hot, fun couple.

The story has a nice mix of suspense and playfulness, something that can usually be counted on of most of Ms. Cochet’s books. The guys have some fun snarky banter, and D is a bit of a tease, so there is a bit of a light tone that is mixed in with the more exciting, thrilling moments. There is good, believable depth to the investigation with some fun twists and turns. We get a solid resolution to the main case and to D and Caiden’s individual stories, but the ending does open up some interesting directions for the series as a whole.

I’ll note that you really just have to go with the setup as their mysterious boss Alpha is basically omnipotent, possessing limitless resources, and capable of accomplishing virtually anything. It is over the top and pretty unrealistic, but I found myself being able to go with it as it makes the story fun.

I am really excited about this series from Charlie Cochet. The story is great and there is so much potential for, I hope...many future books in the series. D and Caiden were super good for the storyline as well as each other. and I am so very much looking forward to more.

Other Than Honorable - Parker St. John - (Texas)
Cabrini Law series Book # 3
Genera: M/M Romanced/Law Firm
5★
Revenge is a risky business… but nothing is more dangerous than love.
Meet Matt... a character that is as "prickly as a porcupine". He holds himself far apart, afraid of letting anyone "in" too close, or allowing them to know the "real" him. He's an emotionally wounded man with a "take nothing" attitude.

Then we have Reese who doesn’t allow Matt to get away with hiding anything, and he sees and understands a lot about Matt. What they have both had to live through and how they have avoided their emotions has totally been what has shaped them. Their individual pains will break your heart...and you will really hate Matt’s father. What a horrible person...but his character helps us to understand and sympathize that much more with Matt.

Reece tells him, “You’re a bomb waiting to go off....and I’ve been caught in too many blasts already...” part of Recess's charm is that he is always honest with Matt, and he's not at all wrong. I liked how Matt and Reese sniped at and teased one another. They were not only entertaining, but you could see that there is also loads of sexual tension sparking between the two of them. “Just let go...I’ve got you.” That statement proceeds a very intense office scene. These two light up every scene whenever they’re close together. It’s a bit like a wildfire. My favorite parts of the book were every time that they made each other laugh. Neither man had ever had much to laugh about and now they finally did.

The story is filled with suspense, sarcasm and two very lovable characters. You won't be able to resist falling hard for the men of the Cabrini Law Firm. The people at the firm are a wonderful "family" with extremely strong bonds. I am looking forward to revisiting with them and learning more about each of them. The next book in the series is Looking at You, Travis and Miguel's story. This is yet another fantastic series.

Risk Assessment: Elliott & Lucus's story, is Book #1 and Murder Aforethought: Valentine's and Maksim's story, is book #2 The characters do overlap and visit and work with one another in each book...but if you aren't a "must be read in order" person...they can easily be read in any order without causing too much emotional trauma.

The Husbands - Holly Gramazio - (England)
5★
Love the one you’re with” is the song’s advice, but is that really still the best approach?
This has to be strangest, yet most cleverly compiled story that I have ever read. When Lauren, a single woman living in London, returns home a little wobbly after having attended a friend’s party, she encounters a strange man in her apartment, (flat). It appears that he knows her, and, despite her concerns, he doesn’t seem to represent any type of threat. Now here's where it gets off the wall "weird"...a good weird though. Lauren finally figures out that he actually IS her husband...only he's the husband she’s somehow acquired in another life. She also, after a bit of searching and trying to remember if she really remembers marrying him, she comes to the conclusion that the attic over her apartment (flat), thanks to a recent electrical malfunction, will now be sending her an endless stream of husbands.

Yep...another one will appear once she sends the previous one back upstairs to the attic. There's no bigamy taking place...no cheating, she is actually, at the time of their appearances, married to each one. Lauren finds her own circumstances, her job, her hairstyle, her dress, the decorating scheme of her flat, all changed with the appearance of each subsequent spouse, and she soon realizes that this is not a “time loop” .... time is actually advancing as she works her way through all her possible spouses.

The husbands all differ from one another. Some are tolerable, some are quite attractive, some are completely “no way". Who, in their right mind, would ever want to spend a lifetime with someone whose idea of hot romance is when nestling, (I couldn't in a thousand years make this up), is to place "the tip of their nose in the corner of your closed eye"?

The author of this mad-cap adventure, Holly Gramazio, has presented a comical fantasy rom-com based on an unlikely premise, but the plot has allowed her to explore the current attitudes and approaches to dating and mating from a really weird, entirely unusual, but still....fresh perspective: When you take into consideration the infinite variety of people there are in the world, how can you really, 100%, know for sure “the one” when there may be a better "one" just around the corner...or descending the attic staircase?

Lauren’s madcap romp with the parade of spouses takes a few serious turns, particularly when one is more than reluctant to climb back up those stairs, a truly comical romp is all here. A really fun take on a very big question.

The Cloud Searchers – Kazu Kibuishi
3***

Episode 3 in the Amulet series of graphic novels for the pre-teen crowd.

The adventure continues with Emily, Navin and Leon enlisting a ship’s captain to take them in search of Cielis, the city hidden in the clouds, where they hope to find and join the Council.

The plot gets more convoluted, with the addition of the Elf King’s son and prince. Or is he? Whom to trust? Can Emily channel the amulet’s power without being corrupted by it?

Kabuishi’s imagination runs wild, with more fantastical creatures either attacking or coming to the aid of Emily and crew. I really appreciated the map at the end, though it makes me think the series is far more complicated than I originally expected.

The Wrong Family - Tarryn Fisher - (Washington)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
3★
Have you ever been wrong about someone? Juno was wrong about Winnie Crouch. Before moving in with the Crouch family, Juno thought Winnie and her husband, Nigel, had the perfect marriage, the perfect son—the perfect life. Only now that she’s living in their beautiful house, she sees the cracks in the crumbling facade are too deep to ignore.
It’s hard to describe this book. I liked parts of it and was bored with other parts. I really didn't care much for any of the characters. I'm not going to pick the story apart...so will just say that I will stick with the 3-star rating...but it is a bit "generous".

We meet the Crouch family and Juno who lives with them. Prior to moving in Juno thought Winnie and Nigel Crouch had an absolutely perfect life. She quickly learns just how wrong she was. Everything about the Crouch's was a façade.

One thing that made this a difficult story is that it's told in the third person, with everything in the beginning feeling rather vague. You don’t know the entire situation, and it’s very wordy as well as a little slow paced. But as the story progresses and the secrets are revealed, I started to feel more interested. This book is filled with twists and turns, and it's very dark. Quite honestly, I wasn’t sure what I had expected but at about the 50% mark, I was starting to feel entertained. The complete opposite of what I thought would happen in this story kept happening. I really liked that it was so unpredictable.

In a nutshell: the Crouch family is trying to uphold the delusion of the "perfect family" while harboring a deep, dark secret. The story really makes you think. Then out of almost nowhere, towards the end, it got just plain crazy. A stronger and more memorable ending would have been appreciated.

Sadar's Keep by Midori Snyder
5*****

Following up on the events of "New Moon" and the remains of Beldan, the voyage that began onboard Faul's ship reaches its destination and we are introduced to the third member of the Queen's Quarter Knot. And the story culminates at the ruins of a fortress known as Sadar's Keep.

The sea voyage with former Firstwatch of Beldan's troops, Faul, aboard the Marigold is not the easiest thing for Jobber and her element of Fire. Her connection with Lirrel grows through Lirrel's element of Air and atunement to thoughts. When they sail to their destination, the town is much emptier of residents but full of Silean troops who have also seized Faul's family lands. The group escapes into the surrounding marsh.

Meanwhile, we meet Shedwyn and her paramour, Eneas, son of a Silean lord on whose lands Shedwyn works. They, too, face assault and possible capture by Sileans and they, too, escape into the marsh where Shedwyn's connection with the element of Earth keeps them safe.

In her palace in Beldan, Fire Queen Zorah is feeling the movement of these elements and inserts herself to cause dissension between Earth and Fire, Shedwyn and Jobber, just as there was friction between herself and her sister, the Earth element Huld. Fortunately in this group of young women, there is Lirrel, sworn to the peace of the Ghazali peoples.

The wanderers journey to the lands where the New Moon have come together in the Avadares mountains. As refugees and rebels, they must rely on what the land has to give them for nourishment and what they can teach one another about fighting. Eventually, the group heads to Sadar's Keep where the final battle with the Silean Guards takes place in the last few chapters.

How to Raise an Honest Rabbit - Amy Lane
Granby Knitting Series - Book 2
Genera: M/M Romance/Novella
4.5
Everything about Jeremy has always been a lie, including his last name. He's desperate to grow up, because Aiden starts looking to him for things that Jeremy doesn’t know how to give. Being honest is terrifying for a man who’s learned to "rabbit" at the first sign of conflict
At first glance you have to wonder what could the story possible be about? The bunny on the cover is rather cute, so you read on. You will probably think that it's a rather strange title, but you stay the course, it does eventually explain itself.

This is the story of a man whose second chance at life is "born" at the moment of his father’s death, and whose redemption is found in a place of pure simplicity, friendship and longing. He is a man whose bravery shows up when his past comes knocking on the door of his new life, just in time for him to realize that where he is, who he has become, and what the love of his life, Aiden, has come to mean to him. These are all the things that he could possibly have ever dreamed of because they all mean that he is home, and home means freedom. All this from a cute bunny tale. it's an amazing little story...and whether you knit or not, there are things you will learn about knitting, about bunnies, but most of all...about second chances and love. What more could any Amy Lane fan...which I 100%, am; possibly ask for?

This can be read in its entirety in about 2-hours.

See Jane Run
Joy Fielding
4/5 stars
Jane Whittaker, married with children in Boston, finds herself lost with blood splattered on her and $10,000 dollar in cash on her. She ends up in the hospital and a nurse recognizes her and her husband comes to get her. But she is still not sure why she is not getting better. I really enjoyed this book and the ending. 1991

The Wind Knows My Name– Isabel Allende
Book on CD performed by Edoardo Bellerini and Maria Liatis
4****

Allende explores the immigrant experience, and particularly the heart-wrenching separation of children from their parents with a dual timeline. In 1938 the Adlers send their son Samuel to Britain from Austria after the events of Kristallnacht make it clear that Jews are no longer safe in Nazi-occupied areas. And in 2019 in Arizona a Anita Diaz and her mother seek asylum after an arduous journey from their native El Salvador, only to be separated. How these two children handle the trauma is the focus of the novel.

My heart broke for both these families, though Allende gives us a dedicated social worker and attorney who passionately advocate for the disadvantaged youth. I particularly liked how the two storylines eventually connect, improbable though that may be.

Still, this was an emotionally difficult book to read. It pains me to recognize the similarities in the ways governments treat “others.” Apparently, we have learned nothing from history.

The audiobook is marvelously narrated by two very talented voice artists. Edoardo Bellerini handles most of the novel, while Maria Liatis gives voice to the seven-year-old Anita.

In the Cards - Charlie Cochet - (Florida)
Four Kings Security Series Book #4.5
Genera: M/M Romance Novella
4.5★
What could be more romantic than a Valentine’s Day wedding?
As this story shows, there are a few things that would make it better...a stunning location in south Florida, a group of handsome, hunky men all working in the same security company, a group of their closest friends and family, and a little sprinkle of Valentine’s Day romance on the side for two of the grooms. I have read all the full-length books in this wonderful series, o was so happy to find there was not just one, but TWO novellas in the series...it was almost like Charlie Cochet couldn't bear to say goodbye to the "Four King's Security" guys either.

Ace and Colton are about to say "I do"...and it's Valentine's Day, so even better. At least neither will ever forget their anniversary:) They've been together for a while. It has always been clear that they love each other deeply...so a wedding is about to take place...and there is also lots of dancing, excellent food and drink, and of course, some good-natured teasing by their "brothers of the heart" and their good friends. It seems idyllic; that is until one of the grooms goes missing and the whole King's team is off on a mini adventure to solve the mystery...which turns out to not be much of mystery after all. Groom is found...wedding takes place,

If you like glimpses of characters from a wonderful series in new settings, and if you think that even a wedding might need a -highly trained security team, or if you’re just looking for an entertaining story with a touch of suspense and lots of love, then you will probably like this short story.


Raising the Ante - Charlie Cochet - (Florida)
The Kings Wild Cards series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance Novella
4.5★
Former firefighter Frank Ramirez has never been afraid of the heat, until it came in the form of the sweet and sinful Joshua Sterling.
Can you guess that I do love these guys? I was wondering when Frank was going to "get his forever man"? This was perfect to have this little novella to let us see Frank finally get forever happiness too. He's been such a nice tangential character to the "Four Kings" stories. It was great to see him finally accepting that Joshua was always going to be "his"... be his well-deserved, forever happiness.

They're a perfectly matched pair and this story has just enough of the "Four Kings" action to throw these two into a situation where they're going to have to talk to each other and "figure it all out".

Frank just needed a little time to get over his worries about the nearly 20-year age difference and realize that Joshua was always going to choose him over anything or anyone else. Charlie Cochet has been hinting at them, teasing us, for such a long, long time, and now she has finally given us their story...and she's given them, each other.

I so very much don't want this series to end, or for these any of these guys to just fade into the ink on the pages. Good thing I own all this series, and I never mind rereading about my guys. Some of the characters appear and reappear in all the "Four Kings" series, so it really doesn't matter if you overlap a bit in the reading.

Devil's Creek - Todd Keisling - (Kentucky)
Genera: Horror
5★
About fifteen miles west of Stauford, Kentucky lies Devil’s Creek. According to local legend, there used to be a church out there, home to the Lord’s Church of Holy Voices...a death cult where Jacob Masters preached the gospel of a "nameless god". Like most legends, there’s some truth buried among its roots and bones
If you like "cult horror" you sure won’t go wrong with this one. The writing is more than engaging and the setting of the small Kentucky town, stuck in the past, is perfectly portrayed. Jacob is a charismatic and totally terrifying character as the head of a death cult and is intent on spreading his influence. His whispered voice reaches his devoted followers from the "beyond", and it is nothing short of creepy and terrifying. Be aware that this is a no holds barred, super dark read. The characters engage in occult and Satanic rituals. Child abuse, sexual depravity, and incest all make an appearance. The story itself does have a tad of humor, believe it or not, and some heart as well. Just enough to allow the characters to leave a lasting impression.

The theme of fatherhood also is big, and important, to the storyline. "The Stauford Six", as they call themselves, all share the same father, Jacob. However, they all have different mothers. The six struggle to come to terms with where they come from, and who they are. Jack takes the lead, and we meet the others...Steph: the owner of a hard rock radio station, Chuck: a lawyer, Bobby: a pastor, Susan: who is estranged with plans all her own, and Zeke: who is most of the time, high on drugs. Bobby is also the father of a rebellious teenage son, Riley, who is pulled into his father’s past when his friends go missing. In addition, Jack’s late grandmother, Imogene, plays a large part in bringing the entire story together through notes that she left behind...hoping to end Jacob Masters’s "unholy reign" once and for all. I was rooting for Jack and the good guys just to make it out alive and in one piece.

"The Lords's Church" in the story is of course fictional; but like all fiction, there is usually a base somewhere in reality...and some similar religions do exist. They aren't always "this in your face" as the one in this story...but they are out there, and they have followers just as faithful and willing as this fictional one did.

The history of the founding of the "Lord’s Church" was interesting. The book touches some of the town's racist past and how they had hidden it like a "dirty little secret". I also wished that we could get a better idea of how that little secret had affected Jacob. We needed more information about his childhood and his turn to "the dark side". The book was a bit repetitive at times, and I wanted the ending to be a little "more" after we were let in on so much. I could, however, definitely understand how and why the story ended the way it did.

Overall, I really, really enjoyed this book...and believe me, it will kill any desires you might EVER have had, to join any cult of any kind.

Genesis - Chris Carter - (California)
Robert Hunter Series Book #12
Genera: Mystery & Suspense, Thriller
5★
A killing like no other. A killer more twisted than he’s ever seen before. A case that will test him to the limit. Has Robert Hunter finally met his match?
"Do you believe the Devil exists, Detective?", the officer at the end of the line asks. "Because if you don’t . . . I’m sure you will once you get here".
A word of warning: The story has LOTS of gore.
Book 12 in one of my favorite series and possibly the grisliest and most disturbing to date. If you have read any of the previous books, then you will know that they were pretty gruesome, but this one has the number one place. This is not a book or even a series for anyone that is even a bit squeamish. The violence in this one is much more than merely shocking and the book comes with several trigger warnings.

Detectives Robert Hunter and Carlos Garcia are back again, in possibly their most brutal and vicious cases of their careers. The body of a young woman has been found...bringing us "sick murder" #1. The police, of course call Robert Hunter as he is the head of the LAPD’s "Ultra-Violent" Crimes. When they arrive on the scene even Robert & Carlos are more than just shaken by it. They have a very sick killer on the loose and soon more bodies begin to turn up, making it obvious that they have a serial killer with an unknown agenda, who needs to be stopped.

If you have read any of Chris Carter’s books before, you know these are very fast paced, hard gripping thrillers and this one is not the exception. The violence and the crimes have definitely been escalated to an entirely new level of horror and terror.

In spite of the gore element, I really did enjoy this book. It was the book for a group read that takes place on the Mystery & Suspense group on LibraryThing each month. In spite of the gore that is present in most of this authors books, Chris Carter has managed to deliver a highly entertaining, raw and brutal thriller that addresses some very real and important issues from suicide and depression to the sad but real dangers of bullying. I also believe that there are many who will appreciate the page of contacts for people who may be struggling.

The Keeper - Aimee Nicole Walker - (Colorado)
Redemption Ridge Series Book #5
Genera: M/M Romance /Secomd Chances
5★
When the truck Rueben Sanchez was driving went off the road, he thought he was going to die. But the gorgeous sheriff showed up like an angel and made him believe he would live until he was rescued. The connection between Rueben and Seth Burke was instant, and neither man could deny it. But with a pending investigation, they knew their one weekend together was all they could have.
Nine months later, the case is finally coming to trial. Seth can’t get Rueben out of his head and would give anything for the case to conclude so they can explore what’s between them. Rueben has always known that he’s the one for Seth, and though he will wait as long as he has to, he doesn’t want to. The lawyers for the leaders of "Salvation Anew" are ready to do everything they can to delay things, and it might be years before it’s fully resolved. Neither Ruben nor Seth can wait so they start meeting in secret.

As the days pass, they fall more in love. But each moment they spend together could put the case, and Seth’s reelection, in jeopardy. With a nosy reporter, who happens to be Seth’s ex, sniffing around and Seth’s opponent climbing the polls, they do their best to be discreet. But it all comes to a head when one of the suspects is found dead. Seth can’t hide his love for Rueben anymore, and Rueben is ready to step up as well. Their love is real and lasting, and together, they’ll make sure it all works out.

This is the fifth book in Aimee Nicole Walker’s Redemption Ridge Series. This is a series that absolutely should be read in order. While each book features a different couple, the plot of the "Salvation Anew" troubles ties all of them together. Seth and Rueben met much earlier in the series, and a bit of their story has been in the background of the other books. I was so looking forward to them finally getting their "happy ever after"

There's a lot going on here besides the romance and the case. There is also the mystery of Seth’s cousin’s murder that’s gone unsolved for twenty-five years. The "big ending" for this book, and much of the action, ties both of these things together. I really, really enjoyed this book. Ruben and Seth have really carried this whole series throughout. It was great to see them finally getting everything that they deserved.

I’m a fan of both this series, and this author. I love her complex characters, and the twisting and turning storylines. If you haven’t yet, and don't mind romance between same-sex characters, you might want to give either this series or one of her other series or standalone books.... a try.

The Frozen River - Ariel Lawhon - (Maine)
Genera: Historical Mystery
5★
When a man accused of rape turns up dead, an Early American town seeks justice amid rumors and controversy.
It was really interesting how this story came into being. Its historical fiction but was inspired by a true story along with the diaries of midwife Martha Ballard, of Hallowell, Maine, a character that is brought to life brilliantly here.

The story opens in the year 1789 and we first hear from Martha, the midwife, who tells her patient, “You need not fear….In all my years attending women in childbirth, I have never lost a mother.” Her track record seems stable except for one particularly questionable scene in which Martha cleans up after the mistakes of a pompous, Harvard educated, doctors...one of her nemeses in a town that is filled with gossip and disrespect for any woman’s abilities.

It seemed that the only time a midwife could testify in court is when it is regarding paternity...when a woman gives birth out of wedlock; but Martha also is called to testify in a rape case against a dead man, Joshua Burgess and his living friend Col. Joseph North, whose role as judge in local court proceedings has made the victim, Rebecca Foster, reluctant to make her complaint public.

Further complications are numerous: it seems that Joseph North has control over the Ballard family's property lease; and Rebecca is pregnant with the child of one of her rapists. Martha’s son was also seen fighting with Joshua Burgess on the day of his death. The author cleverly weaves all this into a most stirring, satisfying drama that moves suspensefully between childbirth, the courtroom, and the banks of the Kennebec River.

The romance between Martha and her husband, Ephraim, adds a bit of a "racy" flair to all the proceedings. Knowing how rare the quality of their relationship is, especially at that time period, only adds to the intensity of Martha’s outlook on life as she watches the romantic lives of her adult children unfold. The author has created a clear, stirring and vivid portrait of a real-life heroine and, she also includes an endnote with more detailed background.

Be sure to read her notes. One of the things that I felt was the most amazing from the notes was that Martha delivered over a thousand babies and never lost a mother in childbirth.

The Grip Of It - Jac Jemc
Genera: Paranormal/Haunted House
4.5★
Touring their prospective suburban home, Julie and James are stopped by a noise. Deep and vibrating, like throat singing. Ancient, husky, and rasping, but underwater. “That’s just the house settling,” the real estate agent assures them with a smile. He is wrong.
It's an intoxicating and enchanting from the very beginning. The story revolves around a couple from the city, James and Julie, moving to the countryside to escape the drama surrounding them and to get a fresh start. James suffers from an addiction to gambling and the couple relocates to try and rid themselves of this horrible dilemma. Insert typical introduction to all haunted house stories: couple finds a cheap house that is way too big for them but provides them rustic charm and latches onto their egos and dreams, couple purchases the house and decides to not do any research into why the massive house is so cheap, couple moves in immediately.

Once they move in, they realize that things aren't quite what it seems. There are shadows lurking around the house...random horrific growls coming from who knows where, and we're not sure we really what to know from what...little hidden rooms leading to areas of the house that would have no value or use for the average person...and a neighbor who won't stop watching them. This is just the start for the naive couple. The questions we need answers to are, 1. What exactly is wrong here? 2. What has James and Julie done to invoke these nightmarish plagues? And 3. Can they live long enough to find the answers?

It's not what would typically be called your every-day horror story...one that would have a lot of "in-your-face" gore and fright...however, the fright part is diffidently there, just not so much of the "gore". This is actually, mostly a psychological thriller, that is mixed with some paranormal...some suspense, and a domestic component that are all beautifully blended together with some minor horror-story features. The slow build-up is absolutely engaging. It will demand that you read to the very end

Birthday - Meredith Russo - (Tennessee)
Genera: M/M Romance/Transgender & Cisgender Characters
5★
Two best friends fall in love despite the changes in their lives and social pressures that threaten to tear them apart.
They were inseparable childhood friends, transgender girl Morgan and cisgender boy, Eric. They spend every birthday together. It was a rare September snowstorm that brought their families together in the hospital on the day that they share...the day of their birth. As they grow up and go through the difficulties that are often faced, such as high school; Morgan struggles to understand and like, much less love, herself.

Mogan feels trapped. Her mother has died of cancer, and she is afraid that she'll be rejected by her best friend, Eric and her father, the football coach, if she dares to tell them her "secret"...the secret she has kept since she was 5-years old...She's NOT a girl...She's a boy. Eric also has family tension and worries. He worries about his friendship with Morgan, as well as hiding his own concerns about his sexuality and his future. He identifies as "cisgender". Being cisgender isn’t the same thing as being "straight", but the two sexualities can overlap. People can be both "cisgender" and "straight". If this is confusing to you...think how confusing it is to an 8-year-old.

The narrative follows Morgan and Eric from year to year on their birthday. The author captures every last ounce of the intense feelings of these two young people who feel trapped in their small, football-obsessed town. Morgan’s self-acceptance is an intimate, honest journey with a hopeful resolution that acknowledges the struggles and experiences of transgender people. While the story ends on a happy note, grief, economic struggle, abuse, discrimination, suicide, and divorce all play significant roles in the story and how they affected the development of the two main characters.

It's not a very long book but it is packed to the gills with so many emotions...emotions that most people will not understanding...but hopefully will at least try. The slow-burn romance between Eric and Morgan is so worth the wait.

Side note: I work with a group of LGBTQ kids from ages 7-17. Two of them are transgender...so I have heard about and seen some of the difficulties they have already encountered. Hopefully the world is changing. Noone has been given the "God-given" right to stand in judgement of anyone. They are children that have hopes and dreams like everyone else.

B Is for Beg - Colette Davidson - (England)
Alphabet of Love Series Book #2
Genera: M/M/M Romance
5★
A photographer, a rope artist, and a model. Can three create a beautiful romance? Blake: Apparently, I'm a disaster...no steady job, brothers who have to help me manage my money, and I'm constantly late. When two very different men command me to be theirs, how do I pick? Or can I make them see I’ve enough love for both of them.
We met Blake in the first book. He's considered the one of the triplets that doesn’t quite have it "all together". In some ways that is true, but Blake is trying and has grown up a lot. He's still often still seen as the person he was back in school.

While the main focus of the series is mostly on the triplets, we also now meet Gabe and Calvin. The two men have been close friends, but never "involved" in anything sexual, just close friendship. With Blake being very interested in both men we see them talking through what it would mean to actually get involved with one another and forming a threesome. There was nothing presented as being a potential impediment to this arrangement...so the three guys start exploring a threesome...2 Doms and a sub.

I hated Blake's parents in the first book and how they made him feel.... nothing has changed. They have no faith in him, respect none of his privacy, and have a negative opinion about anything he wants to do or does. Everything from his modeling job to what he wears. Archie went through a bit the same thing in the first book so maybe it's just they don't want their "little boys" to grow up. Blake is heart-broken and frustrated after meeting with them to tell them that he was moving in with Gabe and Calvin. He did have the good sense to call his two Doms...and things soon got better... so basically this is a light easy story... one without too much conflict.

There is also some light BDSM, but the story is definitely "kink heavy", however the intensity is fairly mild. Gabe is a ropes expert, so the kink element is primarily focused on tying Blake up...which he loves. The rope scenes are very well done. The descriptions of the various rope designs and how Gabe does them are interesting. We should have had pictures.

The relationship isn't the typical "Daddy/boy" dynamic you might expect. Gabe does tend toward a little more nurturing as a Dom than Calvin does, but there is not much "domination" beyond that. I enjoyed the relationship among the three men and believe that it worked very well.

Overall, this a really enjoyable second book in the "alphabet of Love" trilogy. We get a few glimpses into the next book... Corey’s story. I assume Corey's will be the last book. If Ms. Davidson is using the ABC for Archie, Blake & Corey instead of the alphabet itself, then the next one will end the series...but it doesn't have to be. Ms. Davidson....you have 25 more letters to work with:)

C Is for Comfort - Colette Davidson - (England)
Alphabet of Love series Book #3
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
A single dad, a doctor, and a one-night stand. Is there room in their lives and hearts for one another?
Corey is stressed out and overwhelmed. He is a single dad, raising his 5-year-old daughter, with the help of his two brothers. He's also a new art teacher, struggling to deal with an intense workload. He sees no end in sight. Then he reluctantly agrees to go to a "play party" with his brothers, Archie and Blake. We visited these parties at Hamish's house in book #1. He's not looking for a hookup, just a chance to get out. When he meets Spence, Corey changes his mind about a lot of things and decides to just go for it. Their encounter is incredible, and Corey and Spense both more than merely "wants" for their "meet ups" to somehow continue.

Spence thinks that his one night with Corey is incredible also, but he sees no way it could possibly ever happen again...could it??? Spence is a busy doctor, and his changing shifts make having a relationship difficult. But when the men unexpectedly meet again, Spence decides to take a chance and suggests that they meet up for another night. Soon, they are spending stolen moment possible together, in between their work and family responsibilities. For Spence, as a ""Daddy Dom", he gets to enjoy taking care of Corey and helping to ease some of his stress. For Corey, Spence helps him relax like no one else ever has before. He also supports Corey and helps give him the confidence to believe he is doing a good job at work.

Things are going along great for them, and what had started as casual hookups begins to turn into something much more serious. But Corey has Lexi to think about, and Spence is the first person he has dated seriously since Lexi’s mother left them. Spence and Corey now have to figure out if they can transition their relationship into something more, and if there is a chance that the three of them can become a family.

I have really enjoyed this trilogy. The books do diffidently need to be read in order, as the stories seem to all blend together and the characters wander in and out of each other's stories. Corey and Spence are such a likable pair, as are the other two paired couples, and their relationship develops nicely and believably here. This is a fun and sexy trilogy. I still believe you could and really should do something with the remaining 25 letters of the alphabet, Ms. Davidson.

The Last Council – Kazu Kibuishi
3***

Book # 4 in the Amulet graphic novel series has Emily hoping to join the Guardian Council, a group of the most powerful stonekeepers. But she has to endure several challenges to prove herself worthy, and in order to succeed she needs to find a way to trust others. The key is trusting the correct source / entity.

She finds that she has her own strengths, and that she has both allies and enemies where she didn’t expect them.

Kibuishi continues with his extraordinary illustrations. The fight scenes are particularly effective, but I enjoyed the few humorous moments more.

Kinky Sprinkles - L.A. Witt
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM
4.5★
Andre has wanted Joel since the first time he laid eyes on him, and finally Joel is single. But Andre is a Dom and a sadist, and Joel is unapologetically vanilla. There’s no happy medium—either Andre reins in the kinky side that took him years to accept, or Joel grits his teeth and subjects himself to kinks that aren’t his thing. No matter who bends, someone’s going to be unhappy.
It's a short story...and it's from one of my all-time favorite M/M Romance authors, L. A. Witt.

Joel and Andre have been secretly attracted to each other for several years, but until recently, Joel was in a relationship. Now both men are unattached and able to act on their mutual attraction, but Joel has learned from his disastrous previous relationship that kink is not his thing, and he knows he not only can’t, but won't, try to change who he is just to please someone else. He's been there and done that before and now says and means, "never again".

Andre is a Dom and a sadist, who is very much attracted to Joel. Like Joel, Andre knows who and what he is, and can’t, nor does he want to deny that part of himself just to please a partner, no matter how much he cares for that other man.

L.A. Witt has put her reader in difficult position. I really liked both of these men...and I could understand both of their views and what the problem was. Neither of them was wrong; both knew that they wouldn’t be happy living a lie; but there was that big part of one's life that the other knew he could never be a part of. As I read their story, I found myself trying to figure out how, or if, a compromise was possible. How were they going to make a relationship between a "vanilla" man and a sadistic Dom, ever work?

Their story was filled with many emotional highs and lows. It was obvious these two cared deeply for each other, and I really wanted them to find a way to be together and still stay true to themselves.... but was that even possible? The story is very much about BDSM and one partner...no matter how much they love one another...just not being into it. Throughout the story the reader has to hope that the attraction and love between these men will give them the means to find a way to make it work.

Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
5*****

I'm always amazed when I read from this series how much I like it. And I must start buying more in this series on my own, instead of waiting for birthday and Christmas to enlarge on it.

This book starts in mid-1930, when the Great Depression is making itself known and Maisie Dobbs is called to help with a young girl accused of killing her uncle. In order for this girl to receive the lawyer-ing she needs, Maisie takes a case from a recent widower. It seems that his son, Ralph, died during the Great War, yet his late wife insisted that Ralph was still alive.

Maisie goes to several of the mediums the late Lady Lawton contacted, only one of whom seems to have the Gift and who is the medium who assured Lady Lawton that her son still lived. Sir Cecil Lawton, who has agreed to help Maisie with the young girl's defense, never believed his wife and never was close to his son.

Intertwined as cases can be, Maisie is also called upon by her friend from Girton days, Priscilla, to see about her brother Peter's death in the war. Priscilla lost all three brothers to the War and both parents to the Flu Pandemic of 1918, but still managed to rebuild her life.

What Maisie must do to solve these cases and keep Sir Lawton as the defense of the young girl is to return to France and revisit scenes of both heavy fighting and picturesque holiday. Meanwhile, Maisie assigns her assistant, Billy, to go to the girl's hometown and research her life before she arrived in London. He does, with surprising results. And Maisie finds out that sometimes war brings both a new lease on life and strong friendships amid the carnage.

Electra by Euripedes
4****

The play "Electra" was my choice as a re-read, from way back in 2004, to fulfill a LT group challenge. It concerns events in the life of Electra, daughter of Agamemnon and Clymnestra and her desire for revenge.

Electra is be-moaning her fate, that of an unwanted daughter who is forced to marry beneath her station to a field worker. She has been separated from her brother, Orestes, for a decade; has seen her sister, Iphigenia, killed by her father, Agamemnon; and her mother, Clymnestra, marry Aegisthus in an adulterous affair. And oh yes, when Agamemnon makes it home with a second wife, Cassandra, Clymnestra has him killed so that she can continue her own affair/marriage to Aegisthus.

So Electra has no love lost for her mother and step-father, and a great deal of self-pity. In the introduction, Vellacott seems to point to her self-pity as her one indulgence in her life. I would posit her self-pity as a normal reaction to an extraordinarily traumatizing series of life events.

At any rate, she is re-united with her dear Orestes and agrees with his decision to kill Aeschylus as an act of vengeance. And once this deed is done, they also conspire to also kill their mother for the crimes she has committed. It seems that Orestes, while reluctant to commit matricide, has received a message via a Phoeban oracle to fully revenge his father's death. And it is Electra who urges him to commit this act of revenge and listen to the gods' words instead of to his love for his mother.

What Euripedes does with this final act of revenge is to point out the futility of their deed. They are both ravaged and wracked with guilt over the double murder, even though their anger at their mother (especially) was justified. And Electra is as much the instigator of their mother's murder as the Phoeban oracle was, and now both she and Orestes will have to live with this deed for the rest of their lives. And they will also be separated, so their longed-for reunion is quickly over.

Wrangled - K.C. Wells - (Montana)
Salvation Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/Ranch
5★
Toby Merrow needs a change of scenery, and two weeks at a dude ranch seems the perfect solution, even though it’s a far cry from the scenes of San Francisco. Not much chance of finding anything like that out in the wilds of Montana. Robert had lost his Dom unexpectedly 5 years ago and he hasn’t been the same since. He's lonely but now that he has finally found closure maybe he can be someone's submissive again.
When Toby first appears at the Salvation Dude Ranch, he expects there to be horse-back riding and beautiful wide-open spaces, but what he doesn’t expect was Robert.

Robert needs a "connection" and pushing all of Toby’s "Dom buttons" might be one of his new "buttons". Remember that Toby is on vacation, and he diffidently never does emotions...nope...not ever. However, he and Robert do agree to a short-term agreement to just play together, but those messy "emotion" feelings keep getting in the way even though, both men know that Toby is going to...has to, return home.

The story centers mostly around Robert’s backstory and introducing the Salvation Ranch with all the characters that will become the main characters as the series progresses. There is an immediate connection between Robert and Toby, the trust is fast, which is common with most stories involving BDSM relationships. Toby is a patient and generous Dom fulfilling a lot of Robert’s emotional as well as physical needs. They are sweet together; they have mature conversations; and steamy interactions.

Overall, it's an entertaining read and a great introduction to a new series that I am more than looking forward to.

The Storm We Made – Vanessa Chan
Digital audiobook read by Samantha Tan
3.5*** (rounded up)

A Malayan mother falls into a role as a spy under the spell of Japanese General Fujiwara. Cecily is unhappy with the British colonization and is lured by Fujiwara’s promises of an “Asia for Asians.” But, of course, the occupying forces of Japan during WW2, are not what she had in mind. Now in 1945, her family is in danger. Her fifteen-year-old son, Abel, has disappeared. Her youngest daughter, Jasmin, hides in the basement to avoid being forced into service in one of the comfort stations. And her older daughter, Jujube, serves tea to drunk Japanese, becoming angrier by the day.

This is work of historical fiction tells the story of the Pacific Theater with a different focus. In the forward the author comments that her grandparents tell lots of stories – of their youth, of falling in love, of early marriage – but they steadfastly refuse to expound on “those four years” when the Japanese occupied Malaysia. Pressed, they were more likely to respond “we lived, like everyone else.” Still, with persistent questioning she was able to learn some of what happened and of how they survived the ordeal.

Chan explores personal choice, desires, memories, anxiety, desperation and the relationships between oppressors and the oppressed. She also writes about “the ambiguity of right and wrong when survival is at stake.” She has the four members of the family narrate in turns, giving the reader slightly different perspectives on what was happening.

Her images are stunning, at times frightening. And the tension never left this reader. Even during scenes of relative peace, one knew that danger was just around the corner.

Samantha Tan does a marvelous job of narrating the audiobook. She has clear diction and set a good pace.

Stand in Place - Mary Calmes - (Texas)
Genera: M/M Romance/Homecoming/A bit of Magic
5★
Kaenon Geary was done fighting the small minds in his sleepy Texas town when he made his escape and never looked back. But now, for the first time in more than a decade, he’s returned to Braxton to spend the summer with his beloved grandmother—her final summer—and no longer recognizes the home he’d left behind all those years ago. Everything has changed. Everything but the man he’s never stopped wanting.
Kaenon Geary (Kae) came out to his parents when he was fourteen years old. To say they were not thrilled was a gigantic understatement. Being the “good Christian people” that they were, they told him that he was an evil, depraved sinner and threatened him with bodily harm. His grandfather, grandmother, and an aunt intervened. They took him in and gave him all the love and care that his own family were obviously not capable of. Kaenon still sometimes had to suffer alienation and ridicule from some people in the little Texas town.... but surprisingly, not very many. Kaenon finally escaped to New York and swore to never come back. When his grandmother, Jo, was diagnosed with cancer and told she only had a short time left, she needed Kaenon to come home for what was to be her last summer.

Kaenon owed his very life to his grandmother and would do anything for her but coming back to the town that caused him so much heartache is almost too much to ask. He knew that he owed his grandmother for him being the person that he became, so of course nothing could stop him from going to his grandmother and his aunt. He was prepared, but the unwelcome tension he expected to feel just wasn't there. The town's people were actually anxious to see him...anxious to catch up and apologize for their role in causing him so much misery when he was young, including his brother and sister and their families. Their acceptance, and generosity were actually overwhelming.

The one person he never expected to see again was Brody Scott....his "crush" for as long as he can remember. Brody never teased or was mean to Kaenon, but he never stood up for him either. That resentment almost kept Kaenon from accepting Brody’s apology and his confession of love for him. Brody and Kae decide to take the chance, however Kae is still determined to leave at the end of the summer.

You know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and men? Kae's many excuses for not staying begin to disappear and he reasons for him to stay there grow. Even the land seems to be happy that he is there. The plants and flowers he and his aunt and grandmother had planted had begun to die when he left. Now that he is back, they begin to almost magically flourish. Everyone tells Kaenon that it is his magic, but he insists that it is not. Slowly but surely, Kaenon’s resolve begins to weaken.

Mary Calmes has created a deeply moving, slightly magical story, full of love and redemption. Kaenon, not without all good reason, wants to avoid the town where he endured so much pain. What he doesn’t realize, at least at first, is no matter where he goes, this is the only place he will ever really feel at home. This story is not only magical but very thought provoking.

Just Mercy – Bryan Stevenson
Digital audiobook read by the author
4****

Subtitle: A Story of Justice and Redemption

Adapted from the book jacket: Bryan Stevenson was a young attorney when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man sentenced to die for a murder he insisted he didn’t commit.

My reactions:
This was compelling and inspiring. The young Stevenson was definitely idealistic and perhaps naïve, but he was not about to take no for an answer. He was tenacious in finding evidence and insisting that the courts did the right thing for his clients. He championed the cases that no one wanted, and focused on the men, women and children (yes, children) disproportionately condemned to die because they were poor and Black. This is not to say that everything turned out well. Stevenson was up against a system that had been born of deeply entrenched fear and hatred and racism. Some went to their deaths before sufficient evidence could be brought before a sympathetic judge. And yet, for Stevenson “liberty and justice for all” are not just words but a call to action.

Stevenson narrates the audiobook himself. I cannot imagine that anyone else could have done a better job of it. His passion and compassion are evident.

Protective Behavior - L.A. Witt (Cari Z)
Bad Behavior Series Book #5
Genera: M/M Romance/Detective & Doctor
5★
Detective Mark Thibedeau is perfectly happy doing his job in Internal Affairs and going home to his cat. Still, when his assistant wants to set him up on a blind date, he can’t help but be intrigued. Dr. Ryan Campbell loves the frenetic pace of working in an emergency department. He likes his life and doesn’t need anyone. But that guy his colleague wants him to meet does sound pretty interesting. It’s instant chemistry when they meet—and instant chaos.
We get to know Mark Thibedeau from the previous books. There is so much more to him than we ever could have imagined. Anyway...on to this one. The romance takes somewhat of a "back seat" this time, and the story focuses more on the investigation, the political and the matters of prejudice and racism among the police department rears "it's ugly head". The subject is relevant to today, and I found it interesting...but then L.A. Witt has a habit of bringing current topics into her stories.

The chemistry between the two men, Ryan and Mark, is undeniable and their brief encounters are charged with emotions and intense longing. Both men have just begun their journey to something long and serious, when everything is suddenly "shut down" between them, and justice still needs to be served. I liked the investigation parts, along with Mark's work ethics and attention to detail, and how despite wanting Ryan almost more than his next breath, he withstood the temptation in order to take a killer off the streets.

Ryan is a doctor who is used to making lightning quick decisions in often intense situations where one wrong move can cost someone their life. When he finds himself caught up in a world of corruption and deadly secrets, he flounders badly. The worst part is that at the top of the most important investigation is the man that he had only just found and already has developed very strong feelings for. Ryan has shown that he can take care of himself while still being compassionate and gentle. I really liked Mark and Ryan as a couple. Despite their busy and sometimes dangerous lives they just fit. They have so many common interests as well as friends that respect them. If you are looking for a story that is filled with steam...this probably isn't what you are looking for. The steamy level is fairly mild compared to other books by this author...but what there was can only be described as awesome.

Overall, this can take its place as a wonderful addition to the series. Characters from previous books made appearances. I aways like the reappearances of past characters. Another good offering by one of my many favorite authors in the M/M romance genera.

The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Horror
5★
Sometimes, when you open the door to the past, what you confront is your destiny.
Curious things begin to happen at Angelfield, and all are explained away by a ghost. Outside the family it is blamed on those strange twins Adeline and Emmeline. These two assumptions take the reader back and forth as to who, or what is actually responsible for mother being committed to an asylum, which has forced her brother into a sort of solitary confinement until his death...or the death of the gardener...or the fire destroying Angelfield estate itself?

This is a really dark story that immediately will make you think of "Wuthering Heights" or "Rebecca"...both of which almost everyone in my 8th-grade class bemoaned our teacher of "torturing" us with...all except me. I ate them up and searched the libraries for more.

It's only a few pages in until we have an orphaned unwanted cousin, the slow demise and shrinking number of occupants in the moors, and an unknown lead character whose last name bears a strong resemblance to another well-known character from another well-known tale. You'll have to find out for yourself.

"The Thirteenth Tale" is not just for lovers of mysteries and suspense or classic ghost stories, but also for those that have a passion for classic literature. This one will have the reader that stays with it mesmerized by the intricate, weaving story. This is the second time i have read this book and I'm happy that several years have not dimmed my delight with this tale.

More Than Life - Mary Calmes - (Wyoming)
Genera: M/M Romance/Cowboys
5★
Hart Jarrett was only supposed to be passing through Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He wasn’t supposed to get involved, no emotional entanglements to tie him down. There’s a dead man on Hart’s property, a man he knows, and the questions are piling up. As if that weren’t enough, his ex has reappeared out of the blue, with plans to reclaim what he willingly gave away.
Hart Jarrett was only supposed to be passing through Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He wasn’t supposed to get involved, no emotional entanglements to tie him down. There’s a dead man on Hart’s property, a man he knows, and the questions are piling up. As if that weren’t enough, his ex has reappeared out of the blue, with plans to reclaim what he willingly gave away.
I’m a big Mary Calmes fan. I've read and reread almost everything she has written, but somehow, I had missed this one. This is a book that readers seem to either really like or really dislike. I'm on the "really like" side. Like most of her books, I wouldn’t change one single thing about it. The story, the characters; I had no problem with any of it. I just never wanted it to end. But then, I never want a good story with good characters to ever end:)

Hart is a very successful ranch owner...a ranch that he came by in a rather odd way. Six years ago, his boyfriend beat him to a pulp...signed over the ranch and land to Hart and left. Hart made a success of the ranch by hosting weddings and other events that gave folks a little taste of what "cowboy and ranch life" was like. They even made and sold candles and donated part of the sales to charities in the town. Everything is going along nicely and then "trouble" comes back. Hart is determined to not let his ex's return or his demands for Hart to "give him back the ranch", interfere with his life or that of the people that live on the ranch and make up his "found family".

Hart hadn't heard a single word from his ex until the day he returned asking to be allowed to take back what he had so willingly gave away; what he never ever wanted to begin with.

Along comes the man that will take over and live in Hart's heart...Morgan. He's grumpy, he's damaged, and he's harboring feelings for Hart that he never ever imagined that he could act upon because of his past. Eventually he got to the point that he just didn’t care about any of that anymore, he just HAD to have Hart. It was perfect when they did finally get together. They were one another's "other and best half". Then a dead body is found on a disputed piece of the ranch property...things again become complicated.

As usual with one of this author's books, there is a lot going on. We have an unsolved murder, a land dispute, an angry ex-boyfriend, with an angrier father that wants his ranch and land back, but it all works out well in the end.

Cuddly Behavior - L.A. Witt (Cari Z)
Bad Behavior Series Book #6
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
As most of you know, I have a group of mostly senior citizen's that read and then meet each month to discuss the chosen book...and I, somehow, became their designated...leader. We've read some really good books which the head librarian usually chooses, but sometimes the group rebels against her choices and they "vote", if you can call it that, for what they actually WANT to read. Several of the ladies have asked to read an M/M romance book...really!! Some were a bit skeptical...but most o>f them didn't know that this genus even existed...OH...THEY DO NOW! I knew that there were some of these books that most of the group wouldn't even understand what was happening and some others that would have the ability to give them a heart attack. As my 92-year-old lady told me..."We know what sex is, honey". I knew there were several authors that the "same sex romance" novels they write would be just a bit "unusual" to most of these folks but wouldn't send any of them to the nearest emergency room....so I chose the author. I gave them a choice between Tal Baurer, Mary Calmes or L.A. Witt; authors, that from my many, many readings of this genera knew were usually pretty mild compared to some others. They chose L.A. Witt's Cuddly Behavior because they liked the title...and they loved the cover with the big Maine Coon Cat. Now those of us that read this genus for more than the cover picture, though I will confess, I have chosen books for their covers...know that looks can sometimes be deceiving...but I trusted this author to be kind and gentle to my "know what sex is" friends. So Cuddly Behavior it was, and I really can't remember when these people had more fun.

The Review
Detective Andreas Ruffner is less than thrilled when his husband and partner, Detective Darren Corliss, announces that they’ll be "cat-sitting" for a couple of weeks. He’s even less pleased when he realizes the cat in question is a large grumpy thing with razor-sharp claws and absolutely no regard what-so-ever for personal space, except, of course her own. When Darren uses the "puppy dog" eyes, Andreas is a pool of melted butter...completely powerless to say no, so they’re on "kitty detail"… and despite his best efforts, Andreas is a sucker for this critter that's shedding all over the apartment and stealing his husband’s affection. Hey...It’s only for two weeks. Plenty of time for the cat to get on his nerves, but not nearly enough for her to trick him into falling in love with her. Right?
After everything Mark and Ryan had gone through together finally seeing them in such a domestic relationship was truly heartwarming. Their biggest decision in life had become what, and if, they were going to order takeout, or if one or both of them was going to fall asleep on the couch with the cat using the sleeping one as it's bed...or should they just to keep on working on the endless paperwork. You couldn't have asked or ever expected anything more from these two, so adding the cat to the mix was cute and so very much fun. If you are, or have ever been, "owned" by a cat you will understand completely.

My library group of senior folks, read this book a bit out of order, but I had previously read the series that this novella is a part of, so I filled them in about Mark having been injured on the job and that he had wanted Harley, his cat, to be with him while he was recovering. Oh...I forgot to mention that Harley is a "she cat", not a "he cat". Like most members of the species, she had total disregard or respect for Mark's stitches that covered most of his stomach from his surgery after his injury. Darren, Mark's friend and coworker... who had been feeding Harley while Mark was in the hospital, had suggested that he and his husband, Andreas, take her for a week or so until Mark is healed more.

At first Andreas wasn't too pleased with the situation. Cats, as you know, will be cats...doing whatever THEY want regardless of what the "only on Earth to serve me", lowly human wants, much less what, said human...expects of them. If most people were getting a "roommate"...no matter how many legs she, he, or it had... would probably want something that, at least was a tad more considerate of your wants and feelings...maybe a dog, or a horse, a cow, a giant tarantula...but a cat??? probably not...though I personally have been "owned" and well "trained" by several members of the feline species. But surprise!! it somehow actually worked for them. Oh, there were a few little glitches at the beginning, but soon a routine started to form, and the cat certainly made a big difference. Andreas and Darren, as well as Mark and Ryan, found that a cat actually was what they needed, and Harley the perfect cat for the job! Well, as perfect as most humans see a cat. Once they got to know her and she got to know them....and they recognized her "Majestic Greatness" and got over that "no sleeping on the bed" or "clawing the carpet" nonsense...well, you can see who the new "owner of the house" and of their hearts is now.

The ladies of my group, and even the guys, loved seeing the three of them together or in pairs, as long as the cat was included. The ladies in the group especially, were very happy Andreas and "Harley" had got this part of their lives together, and it was mostly stress free, at least on Harley's part. I did warn the group that not all... well, actually not most, of this genus is as "mellow" as this one was. I think there will be some rapid searching of the book section on Amazon for those authors that write a "bit more". The emergency rooms may soon be a lot busier:)

Likely To Die – Linda Fairstein
3***

Manhattan DA Alexandra Cooper gets a high-profile case when a leading neurosurgeon is brutally murdered in her office at a major medical center. It appears to have been an attempted rape, but things don’t quite add up. With thousands of people coming in and out of the medical center each day, including numerous homeless vagrants who make themselves at home in the center’s tunnels, Alex and her team have their work cut out for them.

I really like that Fairstein has given us such a strong female heroine. Alexandra is an independent, intelligent, strong (physically and mentally) woman who excels at her job and has a wide range of colleagues and friends who support and admire her. I particularly like her relationship with detective Mike Chapman. Their banter shows the deep affection and regard they have for one another. What an excellent team!

While this takes place almost exclusively in Manhattan, the two do have a chance to take a trip across the pond to London for a conference, where they come across some important information for their case.

Fairstein gives us a number of plausible suspects. I was sure I had it figured out, then second-guessed my original assumption, then was certain that I was right from the beginning … only to be completely surprised at the reveal. Good job!

Cabin Fever - Brigham Vaughn - (Indiana, Michigan)
Genera: M/M Romance/Age Gap
5★
It may be cold outside, but inside, the temperature is rising.
With Kevins family so far away in Washington, Jason invites, Kevin...his best friend and room/mate, to spend Thanksgiving with him and his father, Drew, at his father's house in Michigan. When it doesn't work out again at Christmas that Kevin can see his family, Kevin again goes to Drew's, this time by himself, and Kevin and Drew spend the time at a cabin in the woods in northern Michigan. There is no denying the attraction these two have for each other and this is where things get really hot and a bit difficult.

I really, really liked the characters of Kevin and Drew. In spite of there being a considerable age difference between them, it was a pleasant surprise to see how well the author let them comfortably just "be together" and get to really know one another. I was afraid that there was going to be the usual difficulties of acceptance that is often thrown into stories with this older man/younger man type of relationship but thank you Ms. Vaughn for letting this relationship develop so naturally.

The two men soon feel so much more for each other than just mere friendship. There may have years in age between them, but they discover that they have so much in common and feel secure and comfortable in each other's company. However, there is a slight problem hovering over their happiness...Kevin's best friend and Drew's son ...Jason.

I thought when Kevin asked indirectly about Jason's views of younger/older guys relationships that he took what Jason said way too literally...he should have just told Jason straight out that he was falling for Drew. drew and Kevin re going to spend Christmas at a cabin in the woods of northern Michigan, and Jason is spending his holiday with his girlfriend, Penny, that he's going to ask to marry him. Then Jason makes a surprise appearance at the cabin... and not knowing the truth about his dad's and Kevin's relationship...things get heated and not in a good way. The atmosphere is now no longer hot in the cabin; it's freezing cold.

Again, I thought Drew and Kevin would come to the conclusion that they would have to end things...but all's well that ends well...and this, like all of Brigham Vaughn's books, allowed her characters of Drew, Kevin and Jason, to use common sense, and talk things out. She allowed all these wonderful characters to all have a happy life with the one that they love.

It's a beautiful setting...my state of Michigan...in the winter with snow, some "cabin magic", and a hot tub. Add a generous dose of Christmas magic, mix well with lots of emotions, and you have another absolutely delightful story by one of my favorite authors.

Display Me - Kota Quinn - (California)
Part of the Bear's 4-U, 9 book series
Genera: M/M Romance/Daddy Dom & Boy/Power Exchange
3★
Who falls for their enemy?
Kingston Foxe, (King), is a "Daddy Dom" that loves his job of helping others to plan their perfect wedding. A friend suggests to him that he could find a "boy" of his own to love and spoil, if he tried the kinky dating site, "Bears-4-U". What did he have to lose? He signs up but he gives himself one rule; to not fall for anyone who reminds him of his neighbor, Jamison Parker, (Jamie)

Jamie and Kingston appear to hate each other even though they had each secretly always wanted each other. A plan becomes set into motion... a plan to use the "Bears-4-U" app and find a perfect man. All Kingston and Jamie have to do is follows a few rules and they will each find someone who believes in love and romance and is open to exploring kink with them. Jamie doesn't want a another "Daddy"...never again...as he refuses to be hurt by any "Daddy Dom", ever again...and Kingston just wants a "boy" to love and care for. Rules in place...should be simple.

I don't mind there being a little "kink" of any type in my stories. To each his own...live and let live...so I didn't at all mind the subject. I have read stories before with this particular type of kink before. Overall, it was enjoyable and believable how Jamie and Kingston eventually blended together and how their individual kinks aligned. The thing that became a bit annoying was the beef and the pranks that were constantly going on between them. Their so-called "practical jokes" soon became altogether too many...and way, way too much. I do have to say that the restaurant scene with the ex-boyfriend was loads of fun though. It gave me hope for Jamie and Kingston, as well as something to finally cheer for.

This is a story filled with content that some might not be familiar with, as well as a BSDM-like DD/LB relationship complete with voyeurism and exhibitionism. It's not just a M/M Romance...actually there is very little real romance until nearly the end. It's a read that is certainly worth the time if the subject matter doesn't bother you. The hot wax scene did produce a bit of cringing:)

This Is Going to Hurt – Adam Kay
Book on CD narrated by the author
3***

Subtitle: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor (or “..of a Medical Resident” in the USA)

Adam Kay wanted to be a doctor. He was drawn to the idea of helping people in distress. When he was a medical student and a “junior doctor” (residency in the USA), he kept a diary of his experiences. This memoir is based on those entries.

I’ve always been interested in medicine and the work done by medical professionals. This promised humor along with information. He delivered on both those promises, but …

I really didn’t much care for the format of diary entries. It lacked narrative flow for me. The last chapter is an essay on the aftermath of a horrendous case that changed his outlook forever. Kay is no longer a practicing physician, but instead makes his living as a comedian and writer for television and film.

Kay narrates the audiobook himself. He was quite effective. Though for American ears, there are some acronyms he uses that took a while for me to figure out. (A&E in the British term for ER; “accident & emergency” = “emergency room”) The audio also includes a bonus section of additional diary entries that didn’t make the cut in the first edition. It served to bring the humor back in focus, rather than ending on a down note.

The Lost Bookshop - Evie Woods - (Ireland)
Genera: Mystery, Magic
4★
"The thing about books, is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of." On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…
We learn the story through 3 people's POV's and over a dual timeline. Opaline, Martha, and Henry. We follow their lives and Henry’s dogged determination to find a missing bookshop. You didn't misread...the book shop is gone, no longer where it should have been or where it was yesterday...poof, vanished into thin air.

We start with Opaline’s story and return to 1920’s Dublin, Ireland. We learn of her struggles to escape her claustrophobic family life and the arranged marriage that her brother has lined up for her. Her love of books takes her to France as she begins working in a bookshop there. Her new life is threatened; she returns home and tries once again to make her life her own. Martha finally had the courage to leave her abusive husband and find work as a housemaid to a very reclusive lady who appears to have some strange habits. Despite that, she does seem to actually care about Martha, and we see that this becomes evident further along into the story.

The present-day account is told by Martha and Henry. Henry is a bit "over focused"...but he is a true academic. He is absolutely determined to find out what has happened to the bookshop that should have been located right next to the house where Martha is now working. He is totally convinced that he has actually physically been inside that very shop, and now there is no trace of it whatsoever.

As the story goes on you can see similarities between Opaline and Martha and their circumstances. Although times had somewhat changed, it showed that for some people, the attitudes certainly had not. The way "strong" women; women that thought for themselves and didn't bend to the will of others, especially the male sex, was thought of at that time, was never going to end well. As we become involved in the stories of these three characters, you are always holding out the hope that they will all eventually find what they are looking for.

I thought to start with that Henry was going to be the character that I mostly admired and related to. He was so sure and so focused on finding what he wanted, but I soon found that he had almost no thought for others, and when he simply disappeared from Martha’s life for a short while, it was almost a relief.

What mostly attracted me to the book, other than my friendly librarian handing it to me and saying "here, read this"....and what mostly kept me reading was that diffident magical and mystical element that runs throughout the past and into the present-day timeline. The further I got into the story the more I looked forward to these "magical" parts, and as more and more is revealed, the timelines merge together. Folks have so many different reading tastes that I almost never recommend books...but if you like stories to have that bit of mystery, myth and magic, then you may like this one.

The Man Who Died Twice – Richard Osman
Digital audiobook performed by Lesley Manville
3***

From the book jacket: Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim – The Thursday Murder Club – are still riding high off their recent real-life murder case and are looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet at Coopers Chase, their posh retirement village. But an unexpected visitor arrives, desperate for Elizabeth’s help. He has been accused of stealing diamonds worth millions from the wrong men, and he’s seriously on the lam. Then a body is discovered, and the group soon find themselves up against a ruthless murderer who wouldn’t bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can our unlikely friends catch the killer before the killer catches them?

My reactions
This series has the major hallmarks of a cozy mystery – amateur sleuths too nosey for their own good and a cast of eccentric characters that help or hinder. But the crimes are more front-and-center than most cozies.

I really loved the initial book in the series but was less enamored with this sophomore effort. I’m sure it’s partly due to all the stuff going on in real life right now which keeps my brain occupied elsewhere than in the pages of a good story.

Still, the group is just as endearing as they were in the first outing, and, of course, they still get the best of the bad guys. There are some moments of humor to break the tension, and a very satisfying ending.

Lesley Manville does a marvelous job of narrating the audiobook. She has a lot of characters to handle, and she is up to the task.

Bronwyn's Bane by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
2**

Oh. My. I think now I know that I heard the name of this author and why I did an impulse purchase of 3 books in this series. She is mentioned often in connection with Anne McCaffery, and I think I've seen her name on panels or in connection with other panelists at DragonCon.

Still, I'm going to send this book into the wild. The subject sounded like a good one: a tall girl with fighting abilities and a curse to only tell untruths is sent to a cousin's for safekeeping while her country is at war. The problem is, the interesting premise quickly goes off the rails at an attempt at farce? humor? too many plot elements?

I do love me some Terry Pratchett, who is able to frolic in his worlds. But this book and series are just not my thing and I definitely did not enjoy them.