WHAT ARE WE READING AND REVIEWING IN MAY 2026?

What Are You Planning to Raed in May?

Carol's Reads for May
🌸 - ★
MAY
32/32
M/M ROMANCE
🌸His Every Move - M. (Max) Walker - 5★ (Georgia)
🌸Without Limits - M.A. Innes - 4★
🌸Step Daddy- Morticia Knight - 4.5★ (Nevada)
🌸Heart Unbroken - Andrew Grey - 5★ (Wisconsin)
🌸Fire and Granite - Andrew Grey - 5★ (Pennsylvania)
🌸Fire & Agate - Andrew Grey - 5★ (Pennsylvania)
🌸Tanner - Shaw Montgomery - 4.5★ (Alabama)
🌸Embracing Faith - M.A. Innes - 5★
🌸Ocean's Lost Octopus - Della Cain -5★
🌸Creek - Nora Phoenix & E.M. Lindsey - 5★ (California)
🌸His Every Move - M. Walker - 5★ (Georgia)
🌸Falling Embers - Romeo Alexander - 5★ (Colorado)
🌸Held Hostage - Morticia Knight - 3.5★ (Nevada)
🌸In His Sight - K.C. Wells - 5★ (Massachusetts)
🌸In Plain Sight - K.C. Wells- 5★ (Massachusetts)
🌸Marriage Rules - Jacki James - 4.5★ (Texas)
🌸Stranded - Andrew Grey - 5+★ (New York, California)
🌸Red Line- L.A. Witt - 5★ (Washington)
🌸Personal Changes - K.C. Wells - 5★ (England)
🌸Take - Ella Frank - 5★ (Illinois)
🌸Trust - Ella Frank - 5★ (Illinois) (21)
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OTHER GENERA
🌸The Blood Pit - Kate Ellis -5★ (Group Read) (England)
🌸The Body Finder- Kimberly Derting - 4.5★ (Friend)
🌸Afraid - Jack Kilborn -5★ (Wisconsin)
🌸Cold, Cold Bones - Kathy Reich -4★ (North Carolina)
🌸The Night Birds - Christopher Golden -5★ (Texas)
🌸In the Lonely Hours - Shannon Morgan -5★ (Scotland)
🌸The Fields - Erin Young - 4.5★ (Iowa)
🌸My Wife is Missing - D.J. Palmer -5★ (New York) (Missouri)
🌸The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years - Shubnum Khan -5★ (South Africa)
🌸A Corpse Called Bob - Benedict Brown - (Spain)
🌸The Curse of Oak Island: The Story of the World’s Longest Treasure Hunt - Randall Sullivan 5★ (11)
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His Every Move - M. Walker - (Georgia)
Series: Stonewall Investigations (Midnight) Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance/Private Detectives
5★
Elijah Grant is being watched...and Detective Benji Morrison may be the only one who can save him. When the popular adult content creator starts receiving disturbing messages and signs someone is tracking his every move, he turns to Stonewall Investigations for help. That brings him to Detective Benji Morrison—quiet, intense, and all too eager to take the case. Benji claims he’s there to protect Elijah. And he is...but he’s not telling the whole truth. As the stalker’s threats escalate, Elijah finds himself drawn to the man assigned to keep him safe. Their chemistry is electric, their connection immediate—but something about Benji feels... familiar. Like this isn’t the first time their paths have crossed. And the closer they get, the more dangerous things become. Because as secrets unravel and obsession turns deadly, Elijah must decide: Is he falling for his protector… or trusting the wrong man with his life?

Eli comes to Benj asking for help with a stalker, he doesn’t know that Benji also has a secret. Eli is a camboy and Benji has been one of his viewers for months. His enthusiasm for Eli borders on obsession, but when Eli explains what’s happening, Benji will do anything to keep him safe. As time passes, the instant chemistry and the pull between them ignites into a bonfire. But Benji’s secrets start to unravel as the threat stalks closer to Eli, but can Eli trust Benji either? This workplace romantic suspense has darker elements and passion woven into a story that will keep you on your toes.

I devoured this story and Max presents readers with so many red herrings that it’s so hard to figure out who is actually threatening Eli. I loved the dynamic between Eli and Benji and even when things fell apart, the scene following was wonderfully heartfelt and sweet. This story is also very "steamy" making it not a total "swoon-fest" even if Benji’s devotion will hit you right in your heart. This story has the same wonderful edge and forbidden elements that I loved about the first book, Edge of Control. It was hard to put this book down.

Drama– Raina Telgemeier
3***

Callie loves theatre, especially musical theatre. But she can’t sing, so instead she joins the stage crew as scenic designer. She’s determined to give her school’s production of Moon Over Mississippi a set worthy of Broadway, on a middle-school budget.

Of course, most of the book involves the drama OFF the stage. Two cute brothers join the crew; Callie has a crush on first one boy, then another, then a third. One boy comes out to her. Her best friend is trying to work miracles in the costume department. The lead actress has a meltdown over a failed romance. And WHO (if anyone) will ask Callie to the 8th-grade formal?

I’m certainly glad to be past that stage in life, but I just enjoyed watching it happen in the pages of this lovely graphic novel for the middle-school set. I know a couple of girls in the target age group who would love this story.

The illustrations are great; very clear and with easy to read dialogue bubbles.

Cold, Cold Bones - Kathy Reichs - (North Carolina)
Series: Temperance Brennan Book #21
Genera: Mystery & Suspense, Forensics
4★
Forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan who, after receiving a box containing a human eyeball, uncovers a series of gruesome killings eerily reenacting the most shocking of her prior cases.

Tempe has taken some time off to spend with her daughter, Katy, who is moving back to the area after several years in the military. Early in the story Tempe tells us that people are either fascinated or completely repulsed by her profession. She has feels she is fortunate that her daughter, Katy falls is residing in the "former camp". However, she will soon learn the hard way, that there are those who are neither a fan of her work...or of her.

A package is delivered to Temperance's house. Inside it is a human eyeball with numbers and letters etched onto its sides, which Tempe soon figures out are GPS coordinates. Her longtime boyfriend, private detective Andrew Ryan, who usually pitches in with his expert knowledge is this time out of the country on another assignment, so she calls on her former colleague Erskine “Skinny” Slidell. Slidell is now retired but still volunteers with the cold case unit. The GPS coordinates take them to a Benedictine monastery where they make another grisly discovery; a human head.

Tempe and Slidell bring their gruesome finds to the police, where they review them with Detective Donna Henry sending the body parts away for analysis. They don’t have to wait long before the next odd case finds its way to them...this time, a mummified body that is found in a park. It looks to be a suicide that is at least three years old. As the identity of the victim is being determined, Slidell begins having a weird feeling about the cases.

These "incidents" ... and a few others that they are aware of .... all in some way, look like prior cases that Tempe has worked on. To make matters even worse, she's afraid for Katy, who finally tells her that she has a "creepy stalker" at her new job where she's working with the homeless. More disturbing is that Tempe has not been able to make contact with Katy for several days now and thinks that something could be wrong...not to mention the possibility that her daughter might be dealing with her PTSD.

The finale of the story will bring all of Tempe’s personal business out in the open, which will be used against her by someone from her past who has some really serious problems with her as well as with themselves. This story was not so much about the forensics or about anthropological expertise; it’s about how Tempest handles the pressure when SHE is the "bug" under someone's microscope.

I gave the book 4 stars because I had two problems with this one. The first one is just the seemingly different way this author writes now. The snappy, truncated sentences and random jumping thoughts that all seem to have found a permanent home in Tempe’s head. It’s always been somewhat like this, but it seems like it's either gotten much worse, or my tolerance for it has simply reached its exploration date.

Secondly, some of these bodies had been taken or killed three years ago and it’s only now that things start happening? It seemed a bit unreasonable that it took three years for the killer to react. That's a long time to wait between murdering someone and waiting for it to catch Tempe’s attention. Most readers will probably guess who the perpetrator is and yet when it was revealed it felt like such a letdown. It was presented as if it was the least interesting and least possible outcome, which I found disappointing.

Step Daddy - Morticia Knight - (Nevada)
Series: Command & Care Book #4
Genera; M/M Romance
4.5★
Kit has two questions: When did he start being attracted to men? And why does that man have to be his stepbrother? When Kit’s mom got married to Gareth’s dad, six years and zero interest in each other existed between them. But that all changes when Kit starts noticing what a cool guy Gareth is. A bit of hero worship sets in, but that’s the extent of his feelings toward his brother. Or so he thinks… Gareth never paid much attention to the little brother he inherited when his Dad got remarried. The kid was nice enough, but whatever. He had plenty of fascinating activities to capture his attention—the type of activities that a teen becoming a man hides from his family. After a stint in the Marines and a growing career in Motocross, Gareth has set himself up nicely in Vegas. All his favorite pursuits are at his fingertips. And as much as he loves racing bikes, he loves his downtime as a respected Daddy Dom even more. One night, Gareth is stunned when his younger brother shows up at his door unannounced. He’s even more shocked at how much Kit has grown in all the best ways possible. How will he keep his greedy hands off his hot stepbrother? If only Kit didn’t need his help so badly, maybe Gareth would stand a chance.

I didn't at first know what to make of Kit and Gareth. I also had some rather mixed feelings about their journey together. The idea of two stepbrothers reuniting after years apart and discovering their mutual attraction sounded like it should have been a good topic to base the story on, and so did the "Daddy/boy" dynamic. I did thoroughly enjoy those elements, but something about Kit's nervousness and helplessness really bothered me I completely understand how Kit's upbringing shaped him into the kind of man that he is, but I was also expecting to see more self-growth after he escaped from that toxic environment.

So much of this story was about Kit's introduction to the world of kink and exploring the caring side of a "Daddy/boy" relationship that somehow, I felt that I had missed seeing Kit grow into himself. There was the underlying expectation that Kit would embrace his inner "boy" making him more comfortable in his own skin, but the way he handled that confrontation with his father seemed to me that he still had a long way to go.

None of that didn't took anything away from all the beautiful moments he and Gareth shared, but I wish I'd gotten to see Kit stand on his own instead of falling back on his old habits. That aside, I really did enjoy the relationship Gareth and Kit had formed. Their chemistry was incredible, but it was the sweeter, caring aspects of their romance that really made me fall in love with them. 4.5 stars.

The Body Finder - Kimberly Derting
Series Body Finder Book #1
Genera - Mystery & Suspense, YA
4.5★
The first book in the Body Finder series from Kimberly Derting is equal parts friends to lovers romance and paranormal mystery.

Sixteen-year-old Violet is hiding two secrets. The first is her confusing new feelings for her childhood best friend Jay. The second is her unusual ability to sense the dead...and the people who killed them. Violet has never considered her morbid ability to be a gift, but when a serial killer begins terrorizing her small town, she realizes she may be the only person who can stop him in this young adult thriller.

Ever protective of her, Jay agrees to help Violet search for clues. As they hunt for a killer, a task filled with supernatural suspense, they realize their emotions for each other have changed. But as they fall in love, Violet is also getting closer and closer to discovering the killer...and becoming his prey herself.

The concept is compelling. A girl who can sense the resonance left by the dead, gets caught up in a local murder mystery. It had the perfect blend of paranormal and "whodunnit" that had me turning pages from the beginning to the end.

The book included a surprisingly good romance. The type where the characters already had a history of companionship and you could see and feel their draw to one-another throughout the book. It was based on connections and experiences without any insta-love trope in sight. I have to say that the drama may have played out just a little too long but when considering the overall pacing at the end of the day, it was still one of the most delightful ones I’ve read, especially when concerning that this genus is not my favorite. Maybe the next book will contain more mystery and magic and less emotional drama, but I do have to bear in mind that it is a YA book, so it’s probably just "par for the course".

I also liked that the main character wasn’t a total idiot. There were one or two questionable decisions, but for the most part she handled the situations shrewdly.
I don't read many YA books, at least not on purpose:) but I do really like this author. Her approach to the story and her sometimes rather dry sense of humor translates perfectly into her books. If you want a fun mystery infused with a cool paranormal magic on top of a compelling romance, then this is a great book.

Heart Unbroken - Andrew Grey - (Wisconsin)
Series: Hearts Entwined Book #4
Genera: M/M Romance/Opposites Attract
5★
Car restorer Dean Milford knows how to make damaged things beautiful again. Only, after a bad breakup, he loses sight of who he is, playing the field and distracting himself with any man he comes across. But now there’s only one guy who really matters to him. And maybe with his latest restoration job―a vintage Cobra―he’ll get the chance to let him know. Losing his sight wasn’t the worst thing to happen to Lee Studer...losing his independence was. It’s taken a while, but he’s finally found his place in the world―in a garage. Funny enough, his acute hearing allows him to pinpoint engine problems just by listening. And even better, he’s going to have a chance to help his long-time crush, Dean, rebuild his fantasy car. As the restoration comes together, so do Lee and Dean, building a friendship that quickly turns into so much more. But before they can think about a future together, they have to deal with the past. Only that turns out to be more dangerous than either one ever dreamed.

Car restorer Dean Milford had a horrible break up with his boyfriend, Chuck. This caused him to distract himself with drinks and one-night stands. His friends Trevor and Brent had found love which leaves Dean feeling he was the odd man out, especially as they have not been able to spend time together. When he first saw Lee a few years ago it was instant attraction, but he thought he was too young and innocent for him.

Lee Studer had lost his sight not long ago and is learning to navigate the world in a new and different way. He's tired of his family’s overprotectiveness as he really wants to be independent. The one thing that he loves to do is work on cars at a friend’s garage. He is able to tell what is wrong just by listening to the engine. He' happiest when he's working with his best friend, Scott, who is deaf because of an accident. Lee was a good friend and was helpful in helping him deal and adapt to public life again. Lee now is trying to learn to navigate the world in a completely new way. It’s not easy and he's frightened at times along with being overly worried about what others think of him.

The "love dance" between Lee and Dean is slow and a bit clumsy, but their relationship got them through the hard times when uncertainty and trying to keep whoever is trying to drive Lee off, away.

I love Andrew Grey's work. I have read and own almost everything that he has written. I'm happy to give it 5-stars and add it to the collection.

Without Limits - M.A. Innes
Genera: M/M Romance
4★
Best friends. Boyfriends. Now lovers looking to discover a new side of their relationship, all they want is to be together and to get out of the poverty that surrounds them at every turn. Unfortunately, Trent knows that with family stacked against them and the secrets Hayden must hide, it won’t be easy. But he’ll protect Hayden with everything he has. No matter what he has to hide from everyone else, all Hayden has ever needed was Trent’s love and acceptance—and he’s always had it. No matter how different he felt or what he confessed to Trent, Hayden has always known Trent would be right there beside him. But with wolves closing in at the door and desperation rising, he knows finishing high school and getting away might be harder than they’d ever expected. Surrounded by anger and people who would never understand their relationship, they know college will be their safe haven, but only if they can fight the deck that seems to be stacked against them.
A good story of acceptance and complete devotion. Nothing can come between Trent and Hayden...life had simply meant for them to be a couple. It was interesting how they worked together and discovered their individual kinks.

I had a little trouble with the ending, and after a lot of debate with myself I decided on the 4-stars. Other people may or may not have my reaction to it...and it is NOT by any means a bad or unbelievable story otherwise. It was the whole thing with the lottery win, and the age play. That just seemed to me to have been a little far-fetched. I wanted to see them work together and manage to overcome their problems without the money, and 18-year-old boys doing "age play" just didn't seem realistic. If they had been "littles"...I would have said that was totally possible. With these two I believe that they would have still been just fine and happy to just be together. I also liked how this story was fairly angst free. It was overall a short, but sweet story.

Afraid - Jack Kilborn - (Wisconsin)
Genera: Mystery/Thriller/Horror
5★
WELCOME TO SAFE HAVEN, POPULATION 907...Nestled in the woods of Wisconsin, Safe Haven is miles from everything. With one road in and out, this is a town so peaceful it has never needed a full-time police force...until now.
The idea behind the plot totally intrigued me. We learn that Safe Haven is a small Wisconsin town, which has thus far only needed a sheriff and a drunk tank in order to keep the peace. However, now it's going to find itself very much lacking in any defense. A helicopter has crashed in the backwoods and in doing so...has unleashed a terrible, almost unimaginable horror that no one in the town is safe from. It attacks in the method it knows best...isolate... terrorize...and annihilate. The town is now cut off from all other civilization, but a few find out that the terror does have a purpose and they try, against all odds, to fight back.

This book is nothing but...action. From the first page to the last, the terror and the horror continue non-stop with a lot of blood, gore, and pure excitement. It's the type of horror that uses science for its basis making the possibility of it becoming a reality that unfortunately is not entirely beyond reasoning. The book also plays on our modern society's fear of terrorism, thus creating a breath-taking read. The actions of the heroes are a bit over-the-top at times and the characters are mostly two-dimensional with little depth or the ability to capture the reader's emotion...but all its terror is in the events possible reality.

Afraid is well titled. It's a non-stop horror story which is so worth the ride if you enjoy this genus. I hadn't read this author before, but I would certainly read another of his books....as soon as I catch my breath from this one:)

In the Lonely Hours- Shannon Morgan - (Scotland)
Genera; -Mystery & Suspense, Paranormal
5★
The new inhabitants of a centuries-old castle perched on a remote island in northwest Scotland must confront its tragic and terrifying history. On a small island in a remote corner of northwest Scotland lies Maundrell castle, owned by its wealthy namesake family for centuries—until now. Edwina Nunn is shocked to learn a relative she never heard of has bequeathed the castle and its land to her. What awaits Edie and her teenage daughter, Neve, is even more startling, for the castle is home to a multitude of ghosts. Yet there’s a strange beauty in the austere architecture and the eerie, bloody waters of Loch na Scáthanna, "the Lake of Shadows". Beguiled by a frightened ghost who gazes longingly out of the castle’s windows, Edie and Neve are drawn to the legends shrouding the island and the mystery of the "Maundrell Red"....a priceless diamond that disappeared decades before. Is the gem really cursed, and the cause of the family tragedies that have all occurred on Samhain—Scottish Halloween? As Samhain approaches once more, Edie and Neve race to peel back the dark secrets entwining the living and the dead. A twisted story of bitter cruelty and hidden love—or they will become another Maundrell tragedy trapped in the lonely hours.

Edie discovered that she has inherited a castle. A genuine, towering stone fortress, an "honest to God"; CASTLE! Impossible! It can't be true...she can't believe it. She's an orphan and has no family, so how could it possibly be true, and who could have done this? Just in case it IS true...she and her daughter head to Scotland to check it out. Soon they discover there is indeed a genuine castle; but there are also a lot of secrets; many of them dark. More unsettling is when they learn the tale of abuse and forbidden love.

The setting is perfect for this story…an island in Scotland with an old castle. If you love "ghosty" dark, mysteries then you certainly will be able to get into this tale. Now add in lots of family secrets, the ghost, and some lost jewels, and you have a perfectly haunting and intriguing story. Too bad it was May that I chose to read this and not October, since this would have been a perfect Halloween read.

The ghosts quickly become the real stars of the story, each with their own strange story to tell. Edie is hoping she can learn which one of them is the parent she never knew...but nothing is happening the way she thinks it should be and she discovers a lot more than she could have ever bargained for. There are a lot of "voices" in this tale. If you're in the mood for an atmospheric, ghost story…then no matter what month of the year it is...then look no further...this is your book.

Fire & Granite - Andrew Grey - (Pennsylvania)
Series; Carlisle Deputies Book #2
Genera: - M/M Romance
5★
The heat is growing from the inside, but danger is building on the outside. Judge Andrew Phillips runs a tight ship in his courtroom. He’s tough, and when he hands down a sentence, he expects to be obeyed. So, when Harper...a fugitive, escapes and threatens his life, Andrew isn’t happy about the "twenty-four/seven" protection… especially not if it's from Deputy Clay Brown. They have a past, one that could cause problems in their careers. But with Clay assigned to Andrew and the two of them 'joined at the hip" and together every minute, there’s nowhere to hide from their attraction, or from the fact that there’s much more than chemistry blooming between them. As the threat intensifies, Clay knows he’ll do anything it takes to protect the people who are taking their places in his heart: Andrew and his young niece and nephew.

This series has been a wonderful combination of romance and action-packed thriller; but then...it IS Andrew Grey! We first meet Andrw Phillips, the judge who is being threatened, and Harper, a prisoner who we learn right away is the culprit. I'm not giving anything away. It takes place in the first few pages of the book, and the story is built around that event.

When Harper, the prisoner, escapes in a well-planned event, he had no plan of stopping his on-going threats to Judge Andrew Phillips. Our judge Phillips is a handsome, solidly built, brown eyed guy. His deputy and assigned protector while he's "on the job" is big, blue eyed, muscled, tough, Carlisle Deputy, Clay Brown. Thrown together by circumstances, the two men get closer...much closer...and start to hang out even when they are "off their jobs". While all of this stress is going on, Andrew's sister gets sick and he helps her out by taking her two kids into his home. Clay and Andrew step up to care for them while all the time the search for the escaped prisoner is still going on. I loved "Petey". He's Clay's adorable little Corgi, who is a sweetheart and a big help to everyone...sometimes more than the "two-legged" ones:)

Clay takes Andrew and the kids to a safer location, and also where the men get time to explore their budding relationship. There are lots of hot "sexy times" and we get more action and suspense right up to the end. I loved the characters. The story was very well written and the epilogue is wonderful...but I would expect nothing less from Andrew Grey. Did you guess that he's a favorite of mine? This is my second "go round" with the Carlisle Cops series. Even though it is a "series" the books can easily be read as standalones. I highly recommend this series or absolutely ANYTHING that bears Andrew Grey's name.

Fire & Agate - Andrew Grey - (Pennsylvania)
Series: Carlise Deputies Book #3
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
When Chris Anducci is moved off jail duty and into the sheriff’s office, he doesn’t expect his first assignment to be protecting a witness against a human trafficking ring. Knowing the new sheriff doesn’t abide screwups, Chris reluctantly agrees to work the case. Pavle Kasun has spent the last four years of his life at the mercy of others. When an opportunity presented itself, he took it, resulting in his rescue. Now the safe houses he’s placed in are being threatened and he needs protection if he is to have any sort of chance at a life. Chris opens his home to Pavle, but he doesn’t expect Pavle and his story to get under his skin… and stay there. Soon they discover they have more in common than either of them thought. Slowly Pavle comes out of his shell and Chris finds someone who touches his heart. But as the men looking for Pavle close in, they will stop at nothing to get him out of the way. But even if Chris can keep him safe, he might not be able to protect his heart if Pavle moves back home.

Chris Anducci got lucky, when he desperately needed a change of assignment from jail duty. Now, he’s front and center to the new political appointee, Sheriff Vitali, whom many seem to dislike. The Carlisle Police Department has busted a human trafficking ring, and Chis is assigned to protect a man who had been held prisoner for four long years.

The former kidnapped prisoner, Pavle Kasun, is frightened of everything. He doesn’t know how he should act or how he even is supposed to feel. Noises, people, thinking that he has to submit to anything simply frightens and shames him. He's had a long, traumatic experience, and he needs protection. Being from Serbia, as well as being isolated for four years, also makes communication for him a problem...but he can vividly describe, and even draw his tormentors, every last one of them.... every single feature with his drawings and wants to help bring the guilty to justice. Chris takes Pavle "under his wing" and soon discovers that Pavle is blessed with a magnificent talent for gardening and loves being outdoors. As protecting Pavle becomes more hazardous, the more Chris and Briggs are sure that they have an information leak in their department. Chris now goes above and beyond to keep Pavle safe and to ensure him that he is, and will always be, a free man.

Andrew Grey did a magnificent job of handling the awful subject of human trafficking and the entire ordeal Pavle had faced. He made you actually feel the mental and emotional toll it took on Pavle and how it also affected Chris, without being overly explicit. He treated it delicately as the growing relationship between Chris and Pavle developed. He also didn't make this an "instant love" romance. There were so many obstacles that the average person would never have thought of for both Chris and Pavle to overcome, along with a language barrier. Pavle had suffered four long years of torture and the shame that he may never recover from, and Chris had to be very careful of every fragile situation and other unknown dangers that simple everyday events that we all take for granted, could produce for Pavle.

There were a number of really great supporting characters who were vital to the storyline; Chris’s Nanna; without her, the doors of love and understanding may have taken longer to open. Briggs was also a major force; he gave support to Chris and Pavle at every turn. Then there was always Red and Terry, who never failed to be there when they were needed.

This one was "different", in a good way, from the first two books in this series. It was much more delicate, and, as always, Andrew Grey’s characters step up to give love and support. 5 big beautiful, bright and shiny stars for another wonderful Andrew Grey offering.

Tanner - Shaw Montgomery - (Alabama)
Series: Romance and Resolutions Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/Alpha/omega
4.5★
Sometimes a risk feels too big to take. Tanner is smart, wealthy, and head over heels for his administrative assistant. That doesn’t mean he’s going to do anything about it, though. Some gambles are just too big for an omega to take, even one who seems to have it all. Omegas are supposed to be family-oriented, go-getters at work, and equal in every way. The one thing they’re not supposed to be is submissive.

Shane is organized, built like a tank, and passionate about making his boss’s life easier. He also might be in love with Tanner, but he’s always been careful to keep that safely tucked away. Tanner could be the perfect man, but he’s never even looked twice at Shane until secrets start coming to the surface. When everything is riding on one confession, is the risk just too much?

Tanner is a successful businessman. He's a strong independent "omega" (submissive). He also secretly wants a big strong alpha (dominate) to dominate him, including dishing out punishment sometimes. He's lucky to have a strong group of omega friends who all feel the same way he does, so they together decide to start a secret BDSM club. This was certainly a new take on dominance and submissiveness. When Tanner’s assistant, Shane, learns about these plans, Shane is shocked to say the least. He has learned that as an "Alpha" he cannot hover or dominate an "omega", that’s so wrong. However, it looks like his boss wants exactly that. So that’s why Shane decides to show Tanner he might be the "Alpha" that Tanner has been looking for.

The book had a lot going for it. There was something to like about all of these guys, and the romance progressed nicely and never felt forced. At the same time, I was also a little bored at times, and I couldn’t stop being irritated at this "society" and how they dictated how "Omegas" and Alphas should behave. It’s nice that Omegas were no longer being taken advantage of, but the whole "alpha/Omega" thing just seems a little ridiculous.

Overall, it was a sweet angst free story. As I've said, I'm not crazy about, and don't read much of the Omega/alpha universe, but I liked this one enough to give it 4.5 stars and will probably get the rest of the series:)

The Night Birds- Christopher Golden -(Texas)
Genera: Horror
5★
The setting is in a deteriorated, half-sunken freighter ship off the coast of Galveston, Texas. Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill have history. After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, they never expected to see each other again. Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. Over many years, a massive forest of mangrove trees has grown up through the deck of the ship, creating a startlingly beautiful enigma Book calls the Floating Forest. As a powerful storm churns through the Gulf, he intends to sleep on board as usual. But when he arrives at the dock, he's stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. And she's not alone. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn't the police who are after them, it's a coven of witches the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans...or so Mae claims. It's lunacy and Book wants nothing to do with it. But after the way he and Ruby ended things, and the unspoken pain between them, he can't refuse. Yet even as he brings them out to the ruined ship and its floating forest, there are shadowed figures looming back in Galveston, waiting out the storm. And despite the worsening wind and rain, the night birds are flying, scouring the coastline for their prey"

Off the coast of Texas lies the semi-submerged wreck of the Christabel, sunk in 1900 and now resting on the seabed in the Gulf. Over the years without human interference a mangrove forest has grown up through the old freighter and now Charlie Book and his team have set up a small research facility on board. "Can you say bad idea"? Everyone on board is in for a nightmare that none of them will be able to forget...and I'm not too sure we readers aren't also.

Book... (who would name their kid "Book"?) ....is heading out to the ship, where he’s been mostly staying as the team’s research continues, when he is approached by Ruby, his ex-wife, who he hasn’t seen in well over a year. With her is Mae, their daughter and baby son Aiden. Ruby says that they need somewhere to hide out where no one would think to look for them, and the Christabel seems to be the perfect place. Book is willing to help out...after all he still loves her, and he would be willing to risk taking them aboard the ship since the predicted storm is nearly there. A little something that Ruby and Mae failed to mention is that something incredibly evil and powerful is stalking them.

Over the course of the night, Book’s life changes forever. The story starts to build tension right from the start; with the violent weather and how helpless the isolation the characters find themselves in makes them feel. Once they're all out in the middle of the ocean, there’s no turning back as the storm inexplicably gets stronger and stronger cutting them off completely from everything and everyone. Meanwhile...back on land, the rest of Book’s team start to worry. The weather isn’t "normal" and no one can get in touch with Book, nor have they heard anything from him, which is unusual.

Having had very little sleep, and still very suspicious of what Ruby and Mae aren’t telling him, Book starts to realize that something is very, very, very wrong. I could have told him that two chapters ago. Finally, when birds that should be sheltering from the storm begin to arrack the people on the boat, and things really start to escalate; the two women finally tell him that they’re being hunted by a circle of "night weavers" in service to an evil entity from some period of pre-history. Despite his disbelief, events in the story quickly convince Book this threat is real, and it’s coming straight for them. Does anyone but me think our Book might be a few bricks short of a full load?

There is a lot of action but also some really gruesome scenes. The characters are all put to the test, and before passing judgement, you have to ask yourself; just how far would you go for those you love? All the characters, even those that you would call "side characters" stand out and have integral parts in the unfolding of this supernatural horror. If the shipwreck of the "Christabel" wasn’t haunted before this dark and stormy night, you can bet good money that it certainly is now.

Embracing Faith -M. A. Innes
Series: Embrace- Book #1
Genera: M/M/M Romance
5★
Two’s company and three’s a crowd, right? Not when you’ve got a genius who knows that sometimes it takes more than two people to make a family. Cody’s been waiting years for his sexy former professor to take the leap and ask him out. Unfortunately, Cody’s youthful looks and the fact that Jameson has known him since he was fourteen aren’t helping the situation any. When the precocious student finally decides that the slightly reluctant Jameson needs a little push to move him in the right direction, Cody knows just what to do—follow his curiosity. When Ford is introduced to Cody at Bound & Controlled, he’s interested but a little wary. Just because the funny little thing says he’s looking for a "Daddy" doesn’t mean Ford is the one for him. Guys are usually hesitant when it comes to getting close to an asexual "Daddy Dom". But the unpredictable Cody seems to think that’s the perfect combination. A little patience and a bit of research have helped Cody find his "Mr. Right". He’s just not sure what it will take to get his nervous professor and his loving "Daddy" to see that all they really need is each other.

Cody is sweet, adorable, smart, and has a maturity in so many ways. He also has a curiosity and an innocence that almost instantly makes him a likeable and an adorable character. He is not afraid to try new things and new ways and readily explores anything that attracts his interest.

Then there was Jameson. He really needed a little push and shove to start to see Cody differently than the child he was when they first met...but he is always careful of doing things, as well as being sexy and protective.

Then we have Ford...he was the most interesting and he was such a wonderfully loving "Daddy Dom".

I really liked this story from the very start.... but it's M. A. Innes, so what else could I expect? It's funny, sweet, sexy, and kinky...all the things that I like in a story, so I had no doubt that it had to be a good one. Not everyone that writes M/M Romance/Daddy/little, books can write "age play" well. I have read some very good ones but also some that really made me cringe. This author has never been one of the "cringy" ones. M.A. Innes will always give the reader a well told story with loveable characters. I definitely recommend this one or any of her other books to anyone looking for a sweet kinky age-play story.

Creek - Nora Phoenix & E.M. Lindsey - (California)
Series:Honorably Discharged Book #1
Genera:M/M Romance
5★
Accepting my career in the Army is over after losing my leg is hard. But the obnoxious, good-looking, glass-half-full surfer in my physical therapy sessions is worse. And God help him if he doesn’t stop trying to give me advice. Living in a home with three of my closest veteran buddies is a challenge as we all have our crosses to bear and wounds to heal from, but mine only seem to be getting deeper with every step forward I take. I already have to adjust to a new life as a civilian. I don’t need a sexuality crisis to go with it. But Heath is making me question everything I thought I knew about myself. And while that should terrify me, somehow, he’s helping me feel braver than I ever have before.

Someone not paying attention caused the accident and Creek losing his leg. He's still angry and wishes/wants his old life back. Our Creek is a career military man, and he never imagined that he would ever be doing anything else. As an amputee, he knows he can’t go back on active duty, and he is struggling to come to terms with what his injury means for the rest of his future.... actually, the rest of his life! Things aren’t any easier that he is not adapting to his prosthesis as quickly as he had hoped. Everyone keeps telling him that it takes time, but he's used to excelling at everything and his expectations for himself are for a much faster recovery. It also doesn’t help that the other guy at physical therapy' the same time as him, is further along in his own recovery and the guy’s endlessly sunny attitude just irritates Creek; every time single time they meet.

Heath has also lost a leg. He and his motorcycle were hit by a car. Heath was a surfer, and not being able to get back on the water is hitting all his hard spots. He fully intends to surf once again. While getting used to his new reality hasn’t been easy, Heath’s job as a teacher means he has regained some sense of a norma life, and he is working hard to get used to his prosthetic leg. Being around Creek at PT isn’t all that much fun, since Creek is constantly snapping at him and everything that he does just seems to annoy Creek. At the same time, Heath finds Creek "hot", but he refuses to fall for another straight guy who will never be interested in him "that way".

As Creek and Heath spend more time together at PT, the relationship slowly begins to thaw and grow. Heath starts to see the softer, more caring side of Creek, and Creek realizes his anger and frustration are misplaced toward Heath. As a friendship grows, so does Heath’s attraction, but to his surprise, Creek begins to recognize his own attraction to Heath. While he has always considered himself straight, Creek is having very intense feelings about Heath, and he begins to re-evaluate his own sexuality. As the men grow closer, they start to imagine what a future between them might bring. But both men still have a lot to work through with their recovery; Creek, in particular, needs to address his feelings about the direction his life has taken. But as they both work to move forward, they may be able find a way to do it together.

Creek is the first book in the "Honorably Discharged" series. I am a huge fan of both Nora Phoenix and E.M. Lindsey. I have enjoyed this story just as much as their individual singles. I would call this a "bi-awakening" story. We learn that Creek lives with three friends from the military in a shared house, so I hope at least some of them will be featured in future books.

Ocean's Lost Octopus - Della Cain & Kaytea Kat
Series: Found by Daddy Book #15
Genera: M/M Romance /Daddy/little Relationship
5★
Ocean lost his octopus and found his new daddy. To look at me, you’d think I was a daddy. I wear my custom suits to my corner office, where I’m vice president of one of the largest companies in the city. I’m the boss, the one telling everyone else what to do and when. I’m great at what I do and love my job.
But when I go home, I long for nothing more than to put on some footie jams, snuggle my octopus stuffie, and let someone else take care of me. I had a daddy once, and it was wonderful…until he decided he wanted to settle down and have a family, one that would include a stay-at-home spouse. In other words, someone who wasn’t me. Three years later, he is married with kids and the stay-at-home husband he always wanted, and me? I’m alone in my fancy apartment every night, including the one a faulty fire alarm has me evacuating, my octopus tucked in my pocket. Only when we get the all-clear and I go back upstairs, I discover my octopus is missing.

I've read and own almost all these "little" stories. They're short and all are sweet, even though they are basically about a “little" that loses a favorite something, a "Daddy" finds it, the "little" and "Daddy" get together and live happily ever after”. Although they may seem the same, each one is very unique. You'll get drawn into the story, while anxiously waiting for what comes next.

This one is Ocean's story. I love that name. I wish we had learned how he came to have it. Ocean had been without a "Daddy" for three years now. He wants really wants and needs one but he's a little bit leery and cautious after his last one. He’s also busy with his work. Ocean is the CEO of one of the largest companies in the city and he’s just not sure if a "Daddy" would fit into his life again. Then the fire alarm goes off one night and Ocean loses his stuffed octopus, "Tennie". A neighbor finds "Tinnie" and is very happy to give it back to Ocean.

More is happening than returning an octopus...there is an attraction between Ocean and his good neighbor. They accidentally meet again at the BDSM club Chained and Donovan; the neighbor/Daddy, asks Ocean to go on a date. Things progress from there as they get to know each other to see if they are compatible, then move on to see how they work as a "Daddy/little". They work out as both "little" and "big" and are soon on their way to their "happy ever after". No surprises, but lota of fun in the details.

These little, (no pun intended), low angst, light-hearted, short, sweet stories are always a delight to read; not just this book but the entire series. If you have an hour or two, to sit back, put your feet up, and get lost in a book, you might want to try this one or any of the current 14 others in this "Daddy/little" world as they all find their "forever Daddies".

The Fields - Erin Young - (Iowa)
Riley Fisher Series Book #1
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
4.5★
Some things don't stay buried. It starts with a body―a young woman found dead in an Iowa cornfield, on one of the few family farms still managing to compete with the giants of Big Agriculture. When Sergeant Riley Fisher, newly promoted to head of investigations for the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, arrives on the scene, an already horrific crime becomes personal when she discovers the victim was a childhood friend, connected to a dark past she thought she’d left behind. The investigation grows complicated as more victims are found. Drawn deeper in, Riley soon discovers implications far beyond her Midwest town.
It starts with the body of a young woman found dead in an Iowa cornfield, on one of the few family farms still managing to compete with the giants of "Big Agriculture". When Sergeant Riley Fisher, the newly promoted head of investigations for the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, arrives on the scene, an already horrific crime becomes very personal when she discovers the victim was a childhood friend, connected to a dark past she thought she’d left behind. As Riley works the homicide cases, she must also face the emotions that arise from her past that she shared with the victims.

This is one of the most uniquely plotted books that I have read in a long time. Beside the murders, the plot explores "Big Agriculture" and its effect on people, politics, and food system. While this may not sound exciting to some, I assure you that it affects you more than you realize. It's a cleverly plotted story...a blend of police procedural, murder mystery, and crime thriller. Consequently, the pace is slow to start and speeds up as the plot forms. I won't take you long to became immersed in the story.

I really enjoyed that it is more descriptive than average.... although that often can slow down the plot, this time it only added to the mood and the setting. I will warn those who are sensitive to graphic details that this is a crime novel with descriptions, and is, therefore, inherently graphic. I'm finding this to be true more and more now than it used to be.

The characters are well developed, especially the protagonist. We learn a lot about Riley’s life and her past, but not everything. I hope that with the second in the Riley Fisher series, we will learn more and get a better sense of who she is.

Overall, this was a solid debut novel with a clever, original plot. I don't recommend it to those who don't like or can't handle graphic scenes.

A Corpse Called Bob - Benedict Brown - (Spain)
Series: Izzy Palmer Book #1
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
5★
Izzy's boss has just been murdered, and all her dreams are coming true!
Miss Marple meets Bridget Jones in a fast-paced and funny new detective series with a wicked resolution you'll never see coming. Nobody at work liked Bob Thomas, but who hated him enough to finally do him in? When Izzy Palmer finds her brutish manager stabbed to death in his office, she knows she’s the only one who can solve the case. Izzy is a crime fiction devotee, a life-long fan of whodunits and she’s determined to find the killer. Okay, the police have zero interest in her help, her best friend is acting super suspicious and she might sort of, possibly be falling for one of the suspects, but she won’t let any of that get in her way. Will a detailed knowledge of every golden-age mystery be enough to work out who killed Bob or could Izzy be the next victim? A Corpse Called Bob provides all the intrigue of a classic Agatha Christie novel combined with a modern sense of humor and a cast of oddball suspects who will keep you in the dark right to the dramatic last chapter.

As many of you know, I have a group of senior citizens at my local library who meet to discuss their monthly group read. Somehow, I once said, "that sounds interesting: and the head librarian heard "Gee...that sounds interesting. Please let me be in charge of them". They sometimes remind me a lot of a group of over-grown kindergarteners, but they are such a "hoot" and most of the time, a real joy. I have been putting their comments together and leaving their opinions about their monthly books on this site and sometimes on Goodreads. There are now 14 ladies and 10 guys in the group and their individual opinions are sometimes better that than the book they've read:) This is one that they actually all pretty much agreed on...which in itself was a minor miracle, and yes, they chose it just for the title.

The guys all gave in 5 stars. The ladies were a mix of 4 and 5. They all said that Overall, the story is well written and engaging. They thought that was strangely a bit odd for being a murder mystery. The ladies thought that the female main character was way too smart to hold the position in her employment that she did, and the guys thought she was just overpaid and had something on the side with her boss. We never found the answer to either of these questions. One of the ladies did say she thought she was being decimated against because she was tall...what that had to do with the "price of peaches in Georgia" I still don't know...but it did add a bit of humor. They all complained to varying degrees about the ending. Overall, they all agreed that the book was fun and the characters were unique. Bob was not popular around the office and just about everybody was a target of his insults and harassment. All my little group are big Agatha Christie mystery readers as was the story character of Izzy, so none of them were surprised at who was able to solve Bob's murder.

Foe next month the ladies want a "juicy, sexy romance... (their words not mine), and the guys want something with cars in it...that might be a challenge. Do they want a dead car or a racy car??? The ladies want another M/M gay romance. I'm not sure I will ever want them to have that again! Let's just say they all learned something.

Falling Embers - Romeo Alexander - (Colorado)
Series:Part of Men of Fairlake (8 books)
Genera: - M/M Romance
5★
My whole life, I've kept my mouth shut and my head down. It works. Until the house fire. Isaiah Bently goes back into a burning building for a trapped kid. I go back in for him. We both come out. I come out with two broken arms, and Isaiah comes out having decided he's not leaving my apartment until I can manage on my own. I've never been into guys. I've always been sure of that. So I don't know what to do with Isaiah showing up every morning, cooking breakfast I didn't ask for, fixing my pillows without being told, and looking at me like I'm worth the trouble. Like I'm something he actually wants to be around. He's patient in ways no one's ever been patient with me. Funny in ways I don't see coming. And every time my father's voice starts up, every old word he had for men like me, Isaiah is right there. Quieter than the noise. Then my brother shows up. I already took a felony charge for Tristan once. Gave up my clean record so he could keep his future. Now he wants me to end things with Isaiah, or he tells our mother the truth. She's never known, and I've made sure of it. I've paid his debts before. I don't know if I can do it again. Not when Isaiah is the first person who's ever made me feel like I'm worth more than what I've already given away.

I am a huge fan of Romeo Alexander, and I always enjoy his work but Falling Embers is a whole new level of any of his other work. It is definitely going to be one of my favorites.

Julian and Isaiah have such a wonderful and interesting story. I really liked watching them go on their journey from coworkers to close friends and of course then to lovers. Julian experienced so much growth, and it was heartbreaking but also wonderful to witness.

One of my favorite things about this book is that while Julian and Isaiah kept their relationship a secret for Julian’s sake, Julian actually talked to Isaiah about where his head was.... what he was thinking, and where he envisioned their relationship going.

I have read many books where there is a secret relationship and the one partner always avoids talking about coming out, but not here. There was actual communication. The arguments they had were talked through; they didn’t just disappear. I really think this is one of Romeo Alexander’s best. Read any of his books...they're each wonderful in their own special way,

What Ever Happened to Eddy Crane? A Memoir and a Murder Investigation
by Kate Crane 4/5 stars 5/15/2026
This is the true story of Kate Crane's father, Eddy Crane and the lengths that she went to find her missing father. This book was a great book and interesting! Non-Fiction

Held Hostage - Morticia Knight - (Nevada)
Series: Sin City Uniforms Book #4
Genera: M/M Romance, Police
3.5★
SWAT officer Cole thought he could handle anything—until he handles Brett. As lead sniper of the Las Vegas Police Department's SWAT team, Cole has faced plenty of danger but has never risked love. He lives hard and plays harder, so settling down isn’t on his radar. Then, a deadly hostage situation arises, and Cole is stunned by his attraction to the brave and beautiful man he saves from a bullet. Brett has been burned before, most recently by Officer Parker of the LVMPD. He's hoping to forge a new life in Vegas and perhaps find love. However, the last thing Brett's looking for is another man in uniform—which makes fighting his desire for the hunk who rescues him from death that much tougher. What begins as nothing more than two people sharing a sizzling night together spirals into something deeper. Can Brett handle the stress that comes with having a partner whose life is in constant jeopardy? And will Cole risk his heart on an everyday hero? A lethal SWAT call might make the decision for them.

Cole, is a SWAT officer, who is in a "friends with benefits" relationship with one of his co-workers. He in no way wants an exclusive relationship. All of a sudden, his friend starts avoiding him and he soon finds out his friend has found someone that he wants to be exclusive with and the "friends with benefits" come to an end. Meanwhile Cole has seen someone that he can't get out of his mind. He sees Brett again when Brett turns out to be a hostage and a call to his SWAT team is made.

Cole and Brett start a relationship, if that is what it could even be called. Cole tells Brett he doesn't want a "boyfriend relationship", but then he starts giving Brett all kinds of mixed signals.

The story is there but I just couldn't connect with the characters. I don't see them as a couple, only as hooks up material. So, 3.5 stars because I love this author but not so much this story.

Almost Friends – Philip Gulley
3.5 ***

UPDATED on second reading.

I love Gulley's style. His writing simply calms and inspires me; and he makes me laugh out loud.

This is book six in the Harmony series, featuring Sam Gardner, the Quaker pastor of the Harmony Friends Meeting. As usual, Sam is worrying about his flock, in particular the two hornets that are the bane of his existence – Dale Hinshaw and Fern Hampton. Dale has decided the meeting is not evangelizing as it should, so he takes it upon himself to fix that. And Fern has her undies in a bundle of the Friendly Women’s Circle Chicken Noodle dinner.

But Sam has other worries. His father has had a heart attack, and Sam asks for a sabbatical so he can help his parents. The elders ask the nearby seminary to send a student to be their interim pastor. When Krista Riley arrives they are surprised they got a woman pastor. But she quickly wins (most of) them over. Now Sam is worried they’ll opt to keep her and fire him.

Things will work out, as they always do. And sometimes we just have to trust that the Lord will see us through, and give us the grace to accept the things that surprise us.

I’ve read this one before – in 2008. But I didn’t remember much about the details, just how much I enjoy visiting with the folks in Harmony. I was happy to spend some time with them again.

Witchcraft: A Very Short Introduction / Malcolm Gaskill.
3 stars

My Wife Is Missing - D. J. Palmer - (Missouri, New York)
Genera: - Mystery & Suspense
5★
Why did she run so suddenly? Why is he searching so desperately? A family vacation turns into a nightmare for Michael Hart when he discovers his wife and two children have disappeared from their New York City hotel room. Horrified, he fears they’ve been kidnapped. Michael’s frantic search to find them takes a shocking turn when he discovers that his wife, Natalie, appears to have left quite willingly, taking their children with her. The police want to know why, and so does Michael. But there may be a reason why Natalie ran, something Michael can’t tell the police...the truth about his past. While untangling his deceptions might be the key to locating Natalie, Michael knows it could also be his undoing. To find his wife, he must now turn to the one person capable of exposing all that he’s been hiding. Natalie thinks she has Michael all figured out and has hatched a plan to escape from him permanently. One detail, though, threatens to derail her efforts: sleep...or more accurately, the lack of. Since the moment the shocking revelations about her husband came to light, Natalie’s insomnia has worsened to the point that she now suffers from delusions. Are her fears about Michael valid, or a symptom of her condition? With her children’s lives at risk, the stakes for Natalie could not be higher. On her own, running low on energy and resources, avoiding increasingly close calls with Michael, who is on the hunt and closing in fast, Natalie needs someone to turn to for help. But who can she trust when she can’t even trust herself?

It was supposed to be a fun family vacation. That’s what Michael Hart keeps telling himself, even while dealing with the real fact that Natalie, his wife and their children are missing. They just disappeared from inside their hotel room; Or so it seems. While looking into his missing family, certain truths begin to come to light. Such as the fact that his wife may have left entirely on her own, and that Michael’s past may have played a part in her disappearance.

My Wife Is Missing is a slow-burning thriller with a lot of family drama. You can't be in a rush to solve this mystery, just be assured that this mystery does get solved...eventually, and probably not by you. I found this to be a unique read. I always like to try to figure out where the story is taking me, but I found with this one patience was a mandatory requirement. This story just has to play itself out no matter how slow it seems or how impatient you become. In spite of how the book description makes it sound the story is multi layered...told from two very different perspectives...that of Michael and of Natalie. This helped that slow burn to steadily build suspense as we got to truth.

I read D.J. Palmer's Perfect Daughter two or three years ago and remembered how much I had previously liked his writing style. I look forward to many future reads by him.

In His Sight - K.C. Wells - (Massachusetts)
Series:Second Sight- Book #1
Genera M/M Romance/Murder Investigation
5★
Random letters belong on Scrabble tiles, not dead bodies. But when a demented serial killer targets Boston’s gay population, leaving cryptic messages carved into his victims, lead detective Gary Mitchell has no choice but to play along. As the body count rises, Gary gets desperate enough to push aside his skepticism and accept the help of a psychic. Dan Porter says he can offer new clues, and Gary needs all the insight into the killer’s mind he can get. Dan has lived with his gift–sometimes his curse–his entire life. He feels compelled to help, but only if he can keep his involvement secret. Experience has taught him to be cautious of the police and the press, but his growing connection to Gary distracts him from the real danger. As they edge closer to solving the puzzle, Dan finds himself in the killer’s sights.

The book diffidently was a page turner and if I could find a way to not sleep, I could have read it in one go. I'll just have to start earlier on the 2nd book in the series:) This one will grab you and not be in any hurry to let go.

“Detective Gary Mitchell took one look at the naked dead man lying face down on the bed and his day officially went to shit. Aw Christ, not another one.”

From this opening line of the story, I knew I was in for something special. The "world building" for this story was well thought out, both detailed as well as well planned. A lot of detail went into the creation of the world of Boston's law enforcement; as well as that of the psychics, and the killers. The sheer amount of detail alone is astonishing and adds so much additional atmosphere to the story. Ms. Wells has taken us to Boston, Massachusetts for our story's setting and then creates a group of detectives to try and solve the murders. She gives them some help from a psychic. It's not just a murder mystery; it's also a romance so she throws in some two hot guys and a bi awakening to top it all off. You can count on this author to get it all right.

The murders are centered around Boston's gay population. There is a twist in the story that may require a large box of tissues. The additional depth of one of the main characters that brought this twist about was nothing less than totally impressive; but then I’ve come to expect this from this author. Her character development is top notch. They are all well-defined and deeply emotional. She sees to it that they haven't travelled an easy road to get to where they are. Her side characters get the same treatment and that gives her stories that well-rounded feel. The plot of this story will keep you on your toes trying to solve it along with the two main characters, Gary and Dan.

The story is one that will stick with you long after you turn the last page and close the cover. I highly recommend this book or ANY of this authors' many writings. If the cover bears the name of K.C. Wells you can count on it being a fantastically written book.

In Plain Sight - K.C. Wells - (Massachusetts)
Series: Second Sight- Book #2
Genera M/M Romance/Murder Investigation
5★
Detective Gary Mitchell and psychic Dan Porter are now investigating cold cases that are literally falling from the sky—a headless body in 2006 and a carpenter who fell from a roof two years ago. The first case leads them into dangerous territory. The second feels like a dead end. But what if they’re connected?
Gary has a lot of balls in the air; his work, his new relationship with Dan, his personal quest to discover more about his brother’s murder…. And the more he looks into these two cases, the more convoluted the path becomes. Everyone is hiding something, and some people would do anything to make sure Gary and Dan don't uncover the truth. Dangerous territory indeed.

Like the first book, this one is also a perfect blend of mystery & suspense and hot romance. It centers around the two characters from book one, detective Gary Mitchell and psychic Dan Porter. They are now not only "partners in crime" but also working on being true partners in life to one another. This story is built around the subjects of trust, betrayal and the search for truth.

We find our two detectives, Gary & Dan, with two puzzling cold cases...a headless body that falls from the overhead of a tunnel that dates back to 2006, and a deadly rooftop fall from two years ago. One case pulls them into dangerous depths, but the other one seems to be hitting a dead end...that is until a potential connection emerges. Along with all that we have Gary juggling his work, his new relationship with Dan, (from book #1) and the ongoing search for answers concerning his brother's murder. Layers of deception and danger begin to close in., and secrets lurk around every corner. It seems that uncovering the truth might come at a very steep and dangerous cost.

I loved this story as well as the first in this, of what I hope will be a LONG, LONG series. The tension between personal vulnerability and professional risk make the story smoke and simmer. The cold cases and the potential people involved only add to the tension as Dan and Gary deal with what seems to be long and well-hidden secrets. The new relationship between Gary and Dan seems to be building in strength, which was a really good thing.

This one, as well as all K.C. Well's other books are always easy to read and hard to put down. This was not the exception. In order to understand the "how" and "why" of what is happening in this you will need to read the first book, In His Sight, before this one, and this one before book 3. In simpler words, just read them in order:)

It’s Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake – Claire Christian
Digital audiobook narrated by Ione Butler
3***

Noni Blake is having a really bad time. Her long-term relationship has ended, and a person with whom she’s just had a fling has died in a tragic accident. Reeling, she flits from one-night-stand to one-night stand and finds that sex with any available partner just isn’t the cure for what ails her. She decides on the spur of the moment that she just needs to get away, examine her life, and take care of HERSELF. So, she takes an extended leave from her job and books a flight to England.

It's an interesting coming-of-age story for a thirty-something. I was somewhat turned off by the meaningless sex, and some of the more graphic descriptions, but ultimately I did like Noni’s journey of self-discovery.

Ione Butler does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. She sets a good pace and has clear diction. And she does a good job of the various accents from Aussie to British.

Marriage Rules - Jacki James - (Texas)
Series: Breaking the Rules - Book #3
Genera: M/M Romance
4.5★
After one incriminating photo outs him to his parents, Stevie loses everything: his family, his home, and his shot at finishing his degree. He’s at a loss what to do until a friend; the guy he’s been crushing on makes him an offer he can’t refuse. Coming off a jilted engagement, Casey is done with relationships, swearing off marriage forever. But when he discovers sweet, sexy Stevie in financial trouble, Casey can’t help but step up and offer to marry him so he can qualify for finical aid and fulfill his dream of becoming a teacher. They’re determined to keep this marriage a temporary arrangement by setting firm rules and sticking to them. The most import rule of all? Absolutely no falling in love. But the longer these two are together, the closer they get to crossing the line. Once emotions get involved, who will break the marriage rules first?

I loved the Casey and Stevie characters; their personalities and their dynamic together as well as how they had so much in common; they just really worked as a couple. They were also really cute; you just couldn't help but love them. Of course, the dog was cuter than any of the humans. :) And that ingenious way they solved the 'Horrible Family of the Year" problem!!! Well done, Ms. James!

Not always but sometimes; it's fun seeing two people pretending to be in a fake relationship, especially when we all know they really secretly, deep down, want it to work out. I enjoyed the "fake boyfriend" marriage theme in this one. Jacki James did her usual "good job" of writing this. I liked how she gives each set of guys in this series the “rules” that they swear they won’t break, only before the story ends, they manage to break every single one.

The storyline for this one moved along at a really good pace from start to finish. Also, a tiny bit of angst and a little drama, along with the family issues was thrown in, but still we had a fun group of friends that threw in some laughable comments and moments. I have to say that I admire how, through every book in this series thus far, this group of men have stood up and been there for one another. The only "bad" thing that I found was when Stevie and Casey had the miss communication that caused them to have to think hard about the state of their marriage. I really wanted them to happily continue on as a couple.

If you are like me and don't care for a lot of drama in your romance books, you'll be glad to learn that things turned out okay for our two guys.... but the "drama" while it was happening was enough to cost the story a half star. Still, as with all Jackie James books, it was an absolutely beautifully written, worthwhile read.

May Group Read

The Blood Pit - Kate Ellis - (England)
Series: Wesley Peterson Book #12
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
5★
DI Wesley Peterson has never witnessed such a bizarre crime scene. A man has been brutally murdered by two precise wounds to his neck and his body drained of blood. It seems that the victim was not a popular man in the Devon area and Wesley doesn't have a shortage of suspects. But then two more victims are found killed in an identical fashion. As if Wesley didn't have enough to investigate, Wesley's friend, archaeologist Neil Watson, begins to receive disturbing anonymous letters about macabre events at a medieval abbey. The gory details bare resemblance to the recent deaths and Neil fears they are being sent by the killer. Wesley and Neil are forced to face shocking revelations as they come face to face with a murderer scarred by past sins.
DI Wesley Peterson, in all his long career, had never seem a murder scene quite like this one. There was almost no blood left in the victim's body, since it had all been drained. The scene appeared to have been almost ritualistic. As Harry and his team investigate, they realize that they have never come across a victim that so many people described as “evil”. There is no shortage of people who are not at all unhappy with this event. Wesley’s friend: Neil Watson has been getting some very disturbing letters, about a monk on his latest work site, but the references to blood and the ritual aspects to the site concern both Neil and Welsey. The question is...can they figure out what is really going on?

I've read all the books in this series, and I've really liked them all, but I believe this one might be my favorite thus far. There are two or three plotlines that cleverly twist around one another. it was a fun puzzle to try to work out... who was responsible for what and how it all fit together. The author did a really good job weaving everything together and keeping the pace going smoothly. It was fast enough to keep the tension up and the readers anxious to learn more.

Neil’s part in this one was also different, and I really liked seeing so much more of this character. There was a solid connection to the past and the history of the site that he was excavating, yet it was very clear from the letters it was closely linked to someone right there in the present and focused on Neil. This was a different turn to his usual plotlines and I felt it really added to the tension and interest in the story. I was very happy with this new aspect to his character and his connection to Wesley and the plot.

Readers who enjoy a mixture of history and archaeology along with their police themed mystery stories should find this a really good and interesting read with a solid plotline and a well written cast of characters.

Stranded - Andrew Grey - (New York, California)
Series: Stranded, Book 1
Genera: M/M Romance
5+★
Kendall Monroe is handcuffed to a car in the desert. Is this life imitating art or art imitating life? The only thing he’s sure of is that the situation he finds himself in is a copy of a scene he filmed earlier, only this time, there is no director yelling “cut” and no crew to rescue him. Terrified for his life, Kendall takes comfort remembering happier times with his longtime lover, Johnny. He hasn’t seen Johnny in weeks since Johnny stayed in New York to finish writing his latest next best-selling novel. As Kendall attempts to survive scorching-hot days and freezing nights, he tries to figure out who did this to him, but mostly he just tries to survive. Could it have been Johnny, or maybe the research assistant that he suspects Johnny is having an affair with? Both options fill him with bitterness. Or is there a closer more likely suspect? Kendall has been having a stalker who sends him flowers and always seems to know exactly where he is. What would this stranger have to gain by leaving Kendall stranded in the heat in the middle of nowhere?

This one is an amazing combination...a cross between an intense stalker story; a sizzling hot romance; with tension and drama enough to bring out the worst as well as the best, in both of our main characters. It's also an entertaining account of a Broadway stage actor's experience of making his first movie, and now he's being stalked. We also get a look at a successful writer's career taking a slight detour as he struggles to figure out what's really important. The story opens with Kendall stranded in a car in the desert...you'll come back to that after learning about his time on the movie set in California, and how he got there. When we join him in the car in the desert, he's not just stranded...he's helplessly handcuffed to the steering wheel. Yeah, it's enough to make you extremely nervous and you've only just begun reading. I've visited my daughter who lives in Mesa, Arizona so I didn't have to imagine how hot he must have been...I KNEW! especially when the air-conditioning "gives up the ghost"....and that didn't take long. The description of what Kendall goes through when it happens to him were certainly very realistic. It made me wonder if Mr. Grey had firsthand knowledge or if he went out and sat in a car in the middle of a desert:) I really hope not. Last I knew there are no deserts in Pennsylvania:)

Anyway...on with this. At the start of the story, we learn that Kendall is a successful Broadway actor that has starred in several plays and musicals. Making a movie is something new to him, but when the right offer comes along, he jumps right in. In this movie several scenes will require him to be locked in a car in the desert...not something that will be easy for him to do since, to make matters even worse, he hates confined spaces. The initial back "n" forth with the director about how to play certain scenes was laughable, but they figure out how to work together pretty quickly. The one drawback about being in California while his partner is in New York City, is that Kendall is lonely and he has plenty of time to think about their relationship. For a while now it hasn’t been as good as it had use to be, and, like most lonely people with too much time to think, he starts to doubt everything. When his stalker first appears, Kendall suspects everybody, and the situation turns into a screaming nightmare when he ends up, not in a movie scene, but REALLY locked in a car in the desert. Andrew Grey did a more than simply good job, he did an EXCELLENT job of making us feel Kendall's thoughts and feelings during those almost three days he spends in total isolation and fear.

We don't want to overlook Kendel's lover, Johnny. Johnny is a historian that decided to be an author instead of going for a teaching career. This story is told entirely from Kendall's point of view, and it was interesting to see and experience Johnny through Kendell's eyes. At first there was a lot of doubt. The phone calls from "research assistant" on Johnny's phone. appeared to be "suspect", but as the story develops, so does Kendall's ideas about what is going on with Johnny, and how it affects their relationship. The whole situation was as fascinating as it was scary.

I can’t say too much about the way everything develops without spoiling it for you...there is a surprise, but you'll just have to wait for it! I can say that the suspense is high right up to the very end with A LOT of very tense moments. If you like stories filled with tension, not just from the plot but also from the characters' interactions, and if you enjoy reading about men managing their lives and personal relationships in stressful situations, or if you're just looking for a read that is intense, hot, filled with suspense, and full of passion, then look no further...you will like this book as much as I did, which was a whole lot! Pick up this one, or any book written by Andrew Grey...you WILL NOT be disappointed!

11/22/63 –Stephen King
Audio book performed by Craig Wasson, with an afterword by the author.
4****

Jake Epping is a high-school English teacher, who also teaches adults seeking their GEDs. One of those adults is Harry Dunning, the school janitor, who is obviously “slow” and walks with a limp. The essay he writes describing the “The Day That Changed My Life” stuns Jake. So when his friend Al Templeton reveals that there is a portal to the past in his pantry – a “rabbit hole” that will take the traveler back to Sept 9, 1958 at 11:58 a.m. – Jake decides to try to change Harry Dunning’s history. But Al has a larger, more important, historical event in mind; he just has to convince Jake to take it on.

The cover art and the title really tell the reader up front that the focus of this novel will be the Kennedy assassination. But King takes his sweet time getting there. Jake will have to live in the past from Sept 9, 1958 to Fall 1963 if he’ll have any chance to stop Oswald (or whoever it was who pulled the trigger, or conspired to do so). Among other things, he’ll have to actually determine whether Oswald was acting alone, or was just the “patsy” he claimed to be. But in those intervening years, Jake will find work and will meet and come to care for a variety of people – students, fellow teachers, neighbors, and one very special librarian.

I’ll admit I was a bit frustrated that it took King so long to get to the critical events of November 1963. I knew he had to have a good reason for this, but I wasn’t seeing it and I grew impatient. This is NOT to say that the book is slow. Far from it. King is a master at pacing a thriller to keep the reader turning pages. But if he told me one more time that “the past is obdurate” … well I was going to have to throw something at the CD player. However, I grew to care about all the events Jake experienced long before he got to Dallas. From the slang used to the fashions of the day and on to the small details, such as the price of gasoline, King immerses the reader in the “land of ago” and gives us a chance to recognize how very different that time was from 2011. He forces us to think about “what might have been” and “where might we be today” if only …

However convoluted and long the journey, I’m glad I went along. I was in tears (yes, in a Stephen King novel!) at the end of Chapter 31. I really wish he had ended it there. This is a novel that cries out for an ambiguous ending. The last chapter – Citizen of the Century – seemed like an afterthought, and while it was nice to have some of the loose ends tied up, for this reader the impact of Chapter 31 was lessened.

Craig Wasson was superb performing this audio. He even did a fair impersonation of real figures (Walter Cronkite and President John F Kennedy specifically), and had reasonably good regional accents. I also really appreciated that King read the audio of his afterword. The story was a sort of personal one for him, having lived through the events of that fateful day, and wondered “what if…”

Red Line - L.A. Witt - (Washington)
Series: The Games We Play Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance, Hockey
5★
Theo Mathis doesn’t regret defying the general manager during his brief stint on the Seattle Rainiers last season. The rainbow tape on his stick cost him dearly, but he’d do it again in a heartbeat… even though it means he’ll never get called up from the minors again while that GM is at the helm. Then a flood of injuries leaves Seattle desperate for players, and Theo gets called up after all. But he’s warned: provoke the GM again, and he will regret it. Except stick tape wasn’t the only line Theo skated over, and the temptation to cross it again has nothing to do with spite. Equipment manager Christian Hayes has had that hot minor league player living rent-free in his head ever since they hooked up last year. It wasn’t love, but it was fun, and he wishes they could do it again because they want to—not as an act of rebellion. If Christian’s dad ever finds out, there will be hell to pay. But it’s a non-issue, since his dad—the team’s GM—has vowed to never call up that player again no matter how bad the team needs him… and he doesn’t even know Theo and Christian hooked up. Now Theo’s back in the Rainiers’ locker room. They don’t dare risk a rematch—they both value their careers too much. All they have to do is ride this out for a few games until Theo’s sent back down. Easy enough. Right? But their mutual attraction refuses to be ignored. It looks like Theo’s going to be staying a while.

Red Line is a story about standing up for yourself and others and balancing what's right with what might be better for your career... oh...and while falling in love at the same time.

We first meet spicy, sexy Theo. From the very beginning we learn that Theo believes in standing up for what you believe in, even if it puts you in an unfavorable position with the General Manager of the club. I love that the homophobic General Manager is also the father of the Equipment Manager's "love interest"; Christian. This added several layers of complexity to our story and made their relationship all that more, fun, but also very much more "taboo".

I found myself feeling sorry for these two guys for having to sneak around because of "who they were". The story is told from both of their viewpoints, so there isn’t any question as to how these two guys feel about each other and the stress that they're under because of their jobs and Jack’s "hawk eye" trying to catch them making out so he can make them pay. The supporting characters were great and there are some surprises about Theo that added fun to the story. The team Coach ended up being a "standup guy" as well as the team owners. It was also good to see the 'bad guys" get what was coming to them, so, a really good ending.

There isn’t a lot of hockey minutiae in this, so even if you don't care for the game or are only a casual observer, you will 100% be able to understand this story. We see Theo and Christian both willing to fight for their relationship and try to make things work in the face of real adversity and bullying. I couldn't help but imagine a future book in this series that features some employment lawyer having a "field day" with a hostile work environment lawsuit for the owners, the management, and some of the players on this team:). Whether you like "sports themed romances and happy endings or not; I'm not crazy about hockey... but still, I think you’ll still enjoy this one. The ending was perfect and is sure to make you smile and cheer.

The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years - Shubnum Khan - (South Africa)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Haunted House
5★
A dark and heady dream story about a ruined mansion by the sea, the djinn that haunts it, and a curious girl who unearths the tragedy that happened there a hundred years previously.

Akbar Manzil was once a grand estate off the coast of South Africa. Nearly a century later, it stands in ruins: an isolated boardinghouse for eclectic misfits, seeking solely to disappear into the mansion’s dark corridors. Except for Sana. Unlike the others, she is curious and questioning and finds herself irresistibly drawn to the history of the mansion: To the eerie and forgotten East Wing, home to a clutter of broken and abandoned objects—and to the door at its end, locked for decades.

Behind the door is a bedroom frozen in time and a worn diary that whispers of a dark past: the long-forgotten story of a young woman named Meena, who died there tragically a hundred years ago. Watching Sana from the room’s shadows is a besotted, grieving djinn, an invisible spirit who has haunted the mansion since her mysterious death. Obsessed with Meena’s story, and unaware of the creature that follows her, Sana digs into the past like fingers into a wound, dredging up old and terrible secrets that will change the lives of everyone living and dead at Akbar Manzil. Sublime, heart-wrenching, and lyrically stunning, The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years is a haunting, a love story, and a mystery, all twined beautifully into one young girl’s search for belonging.

It's a haunted house story; but not like any haunted house story that I've ever read before. Seems that only certain rooms are haunted. They're haunted by old and odd smells that sometimes fall from the ceiling and run under the oven like crabs. This description was an act of genius by someone. I could only imagine what would come next from this author. Consider yourself warned that this is a tragedy, so be prepared. Overall, it was an excellent story, and I will certainly read whatever else that this author may have written or will write in the future. Thank you also to my one of my good friends on "LibrayThing", for this recommendation. I will certainly recommend and pass it on to anyone that loves a good, haunted house mystery.

Personal Changes - K.C. Wells - (England)
Series: - Part of the Personal Series
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
Rick Wentworth has had enough of one-night stands and quickies in clubs. It takes a night of uncharacteristic hedonism to make Rick admit what he really wants - someone to love him. But for that to happen, he needs to make some changes. Rick can do that. After all, what’s the alternative? And when he meets a guy who ticks all his boxes, he can’t believe his luck. His boss Blake Davis, and Blake’s fiancé Will Parkinson, however, aren’t convinced. They want to know more about Mr. Perfect, and their instincts are keener than Rick’s. Both men want to protect him. As it turns out, they needn’t have worried. Rick has a guardian angel…
When Angelo Tarallo sees Rick for the first time, it’s a match made in Heaven, as far as he’s concerned. And when he rescues Rick from danger, it gives him the opportunity to get to know the man who has captivated him. Before long, it’s plain to both men that this could lead somewhere. But when Angelo’s traditional Sicilian family finally discover what he’s been hiding from them for so long, an ultimatum spells heartache for the lovers...and worse.

It's a story about family, the family that they have created between themselves and especially with each other. Ed's character glowed in this story, and I loved how he thought of himself ...tough and gruff, even when he was saying loving words to Colin.

Then we have Will and Blake, who showed how deep the connection was that they had built. They supported one another when they had to face adversity. Angelo and Rick are still going strong, trying to balance practicalities with a traditionally minded Italian mother.

K.C. Wells is a talented writer. She delved deep into each couple's story, again illustrating her talent with each subject. I probably am a little biased, but I have to say I liked Ed and Colin's storyline the best of the two, but the storylines are neatly woven together to bring them all full circle to a very heartwarming epilogue. K.C. has done it again...no surprise!

Take - Ella Frank - (Illinois)
Series; The Temptation Series Book #2
Genera - M/M Romance
5★
Logan Mitchell is a man who’s always been more than happy to take what he wants. It’s a philosophy that’s proven lucrative in both his business and personal life, and never was it more apparent than the night he laid eyes on Tate Morrison. After pulling out all the stops and convincing the sexy bartender to give him a try...he’s hooked. Now, Logan finds himself in a predicament that demands more from him than a smart-ass answer and his innate ability to walk away when things get too deep. He has a choice to make, and it’ll force him to do something he’s never done before...take a chance.

Tate Morrison knows all about taking a chance. He took the biggest one of his life the night he showed up at Logan’s apartment to explore his unexpected reaction to the man. Ever since then, he’s thought about little else. At first, he was convinced his attraction was based solely on his body’s curiosity. But the more time he spends with the silver-tongued lawyer, the more Tate realizes that their physical chemistry is only the beginning. He’s starting to catch a glimpse of what life with Logan would be like, and it’s one full of excitement and satisfaction...a far cry from what he had in the past with his soon to be ex-wife. Now that they’ve found love where they least expected it, will they be brave enough to reach out and take it?

What to say about this wonderful book without giving a lot away? I'll just say that this story was an emotional experience that reaffirms family bonds as well as being bound to your heart's desire. Those are things you can never get away from while learning to face the one's you love in order to get back the strength you have lost. Tate and Logan will take you through these journey's...but you may need plenty of tissues. Also, you will get more out of this book if you read book #1 before this one. Overall, this is a beautiful and raw story, as is the one before it. If you are a reader of M/M Romances, just know that the characters and their journey through love and acceptance is an adventure you won't want to miss.

Trust - Ella Frank - (Illinois)
Series: Temptation Book #3
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
"TRUST – verb: to believe in the reliability, truth, or strength of another". Up until now, Logan Mitchell has never had much of a reason to trust anyone.
Having struggled with a self-identity crisis throughout college, he’s spent the years since then creating a sophisticated facade to present to the world.
It’s an armor he thought was impenetrable—until he met Tate Morrison. The gorgeous, headstrong bartender he’d sat across from only months ago has taken a tight hold of his heart, and Logan is discovering that it’s time to let go. It’s time to let someone inside.

After years of placing his dreams on hold for his family, Tate has finally chosen to do what makes him happy and follow his heart. The one thing he never would’ve imagined was that it would lead him into the arms of a man—and not just any man—the striking, never-takes-no-for-an-answer Logan Mitchell. Tate has fallen hard, and as his world is turned on its axis and they move forward together, he finds his life becoming more entwined with the confident, successful lawyer. Even though neither man expected the other, it’s time to trust in their relationship—but not everything comes so easily.

Logan and Tate have both changed and grown since the first book in this series. Logan's motto of “try, take, and top” has changed. He’d tried Tate all right, and they’d both done a lot of taking, but for once in his life, Logan didn’t feel the desire to win. He didn’t need to come out on top. What he found that he really wanted was Tate along with his absolute trust.

Out two men have made great strides in their relationship, but all is not smooth sailing yet. No doubt about it...they are diffidently in love, but is that enough to make and keep a long, happy and healthy relationship going? Ella Frank's writing style keeps the story flowing right to the end, and she has some dramatic surprises in store for our two gorgeous heroes.

I can recommend this series to all fans of contemporary romances.... especially M/M Romances. These stories were captivating and the characters are memorable. She had provided Logan and Tate, as well as her readers with a wonderful and satisfying ending. Logan and Tate are both trying something new, taking what they truly want and hoping that their trust in each other will lead to their future.

“No,” Logan finally said, and Tate felt his heart sink. “I’ll never see you that way again. Because before this, I didn’t know you were essential for me to feel alive.”

The Curse of Oak Island - Randall Sulivan - (Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada)
Genera: Treasure Hunters, Based on the TV Show on the History Channel
5★
In 1795, a teenager discovered a mysterious circular depression in the ground on Oak Island, in Nova Scotia, Canada, and ignited rumors of buried treasure. Early excavators uncovered a clay-lined shaft containing layers of soil interspersed with wooden platforms, but when they reached a depth of ninety feet, water poured into the shaft and made further digging impossible. Since then, the mystery of Oak Island’s “Money Pit” has enthralled generations of treasure hunters, including a Boston insurance salesman whose obsession ruined him; young Franklin Delano Roosevelt; and film star Errol Flynn. Perplexing discoveries have ignited explorers’ imaginations: a flat stone inscribed in code; a flood tunnel draining from a man-made beach; a torn scrap of parchment; stone markers forming a huge cross. Swaths of the island were bulldozed looking for answers; excavation attempts have claimed two lives. Theories abound as to what’s hidden on Oak Island...pirates’ treasure, Marie Antoinette’s lost jewels, the Holy Grail, proof that Sir Francis Bacon was the true author of Shakespeare’s plays...yet to this day, the "Money Pit" remains an enigma.

If you are a real fan of history or of strange and unexplained happenings...then this is your book!! The Curse of Oak Island is a fascinating account of the strange, rich history of the island and the treasure hunters who have driven themselves, literally, to financial ruin, psychotic breakdowns, and even death in pursuit of the answers. As Michigan brothers Marty and Rick Lagina were the latest to attempt to solve the mystery, as documented on the History Channel’s television show "The Curse of Oak Island", Sullivan takes readers along to follow their quest firsthand.

This book is a really good tie-in to the show which is, or was, on the History Channel. I'm not sure if it is still on or not. It reviews the history of the "Oak Island Mystery" from when the search started, up to the current season of the show at the time this book was written. My copy was written 2018. The author had spent time on the island and knew all the major members of the crew at that time and gives their stories facts beyond what was seen on the show. He states that detailed facts about a time that the author arrived on Oak Island and presented each of the Lagina brothers with a copy of this book. Randall Sullivan, the author appeared to be someone who tried to write about the story from both the inside and the outside, so it could be both knowledgeable and objective regarding the mystery and the people were and had been involved.

I found it interesting that Mr. Sullivan had spent time on the island even prior to the show when he was first writing an account for "Rolling Stone", about the mystery, and he had interviewed two of the principal actors in the search for the past couple of decades, Dan Blankenship and Fred Nolan. He was able to talk each of them and get their story and their viewpoint of the search. The author had also spent time with all of the current members, at the time of the witting of his book especially those of the search team. He was then able to give more background on each of the people that appears and gives their accounts on the show. I was particularly interested in his description of the actual experiences of one person...Dan Henskee, and all he has endured during his search for the treasure. Each person who is involved, or ever was involved with the search, has their own story and their own motivations and I felt that the author did a good job conveying all this information and individual opinions in the book.

Do I believe any of it? I have mixed feelings about the mystery and if there ever was or will ever be treasure found or not. However, you know the old saying about there being stranger thing between Heaven and Earth... If you are a fan of the mystery or have seen the show, I would highly recommend reading this book. You will get the whole story, or at least another "side" of the story from the very beginning. You'll learn all the theories, including some really strange, and "over-the top" ones. The author doesn't ask us to believe or accept any of it; but allows the reader to decide if any of them are in fact worthy of even slight consideration. You will close the book and come away with a better understanding of what has happened there and can make up your own mind if you believe in the treasure or not. Personally, I'm not getting any shovels or pickaxes out:)

The Country Girls – Edna O’Brien
4****

This is the first in a trilogy of short novels that tell the story of two young Irish girls as they grow to womanhood in the mid-20th century. They are frequently packaged as one novel, with this same title. I, however, only read the first book in the trilogy.

In this first novel we meet Caithleen (Kate) Brady and Bridget “Baba” Brennan … girlhood friends in their small village. Baba tends to be the instigator, with Kate following along. And Baba is frequently the “mean girl” to her supposed best friend. Over the course of this story, they girls go away to a convent school for a time, then wind up in Dublin working entry-level jobs and attending a “commercial course” with the hope of moving up into a civil service post. Kate has several crushes, all on unsuitable or unavailable men.

It's a wonderful coming-of-age story, full of drama and angst of teenagers everywhere and at any time. Who among us hasn’t “suffered” the pangs of unrequited love, struggled with awakening sexuality, rebelled against the restraints of our parents or society? The girls’ issues struck a chord with me, even if the specifics of our respective journeys differed. I wanted to warn them. I wanted to shake them. I wanted to applaud them. I wanted to buy them lunch. I wanted to lock them in a room until they reached their mid-thirties.

When the novel was first published in 1960 it caused quite a sensation. From the introduction: …banned by the Irish censor for sexually explicit content, publicly burned by a local parish priest in search of some post-rosary drama, and O’Brien herself subjected to a series of malevolent, anonymous letters, which in turn led to the author being hailed as a both cause célèbre and national pariah. … The moral hysteria which greeted the book’s first appearance has since ensured that both it and O’Brien have become era-defining symbols of the struggle for Irish women’s voices to be heard above the clamour of an ultraconservative, ultrareligious, and institutionally misogynistic society.

It seems pretty mild by today’s standards, though.

I don’t have time to read the other two novels right now, but I definitely want to do so in the future. I just have to find out what happens to Kate and Baba!

Thanks to my good friend Cindy, I can now post the pictures of my earlier reviews!

All that I could manage in the month of May were re-reads, so now I feel all cool and techie and stuff.

Tam Lin by Pamela Dean (Minnesota)

Still at 3 *** stars, and for much the same reasons: the story is told with the final culmination in the final 10 pages, while the first 3/4 of the book is taken up by details of Janet's freshman year in college and her roommates. And their boyfriends, who are part of the entourage of the Fairy Queen, including Tam Lin.

Winter Rose by Patricia A. McKillip (could be anywhere)
5*****

Still at 5*****, though I'm less inclined to think of this book as a direct re-telling of the Tam Lin story this time around. I think it is more of a branch from Tam Lin's rose bush that climbs the wall on its own.

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner (Riverside, a Strange and Unusual Place)

Still a 5***** read for me, and once again I understood even more of the intrigue and social underpinnings than I did the first few times I read it. Perhaps because I read it in the evenings over a week's time, the characters were more distinct and clear-cut (no pun intended) than earlier reads. And like some reviewers mention, the M/M partnership between Richard St Vier and the mysterious Alec was very matter-of-fact.

This time around, it was a much-needed comfort read and very, very enjoyable.