Monday, December 16, 2019

Book Review: Inherent Truth (Blood Secrets #1) by Alicia Anthony

Inherent Truth (Blood Secrets, #1)
Title: Inherent Truth (Blood Secrets #1)

Author: Alicia Anthony

Stars: 4

Review:
Alicia Anthony first book in the Blood Secrets that has character who is able to reach out and talk to those who have died.  The author tries to add her own little twist to this type of genre and while she writes a good book that readers find themselves unable to put down. Once the book is down they could get this book confused with several others that have similar them or story lines.
Alicia Anthony has a great start to a series that will be able to find it voice as the series progresses.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Alicia Anthony Inherent Truth.

Synopsis:
When Liv Sullivan’s dead grandmother beckons for help from beyond the grave, the reluctant psychic is forced back to her small Ohio hometown. Scrambling to make sense of her grandmother’s legacy, Liv finds herself face to face with undercover Agent Ridge McCaffrey.
Assigned to protect the woman whose gifts unnerve him, all for a covert psychic intelligence operation he doesn’t understand, Ridge struggles to place duty over desire. But when a body is found at Sullivan Farm and Liv’s allegiance is called into question, Ridge’s mission becomes clear.
Can Liv unearth family secrets that are best left buried before the ghosts of her past destroy her dreams of a normal future?

About The Author:
Alicia Anthony's first novels were illegible scribbles on the back of her truck driver father's logbook trip tickets. Having graduated from scribbles to laptop, she now pens novels of psychological suspense in the quiet of the wee morning hours. A full-time elementary school Literacy Specialist, Alicia hopes to pass on her passion for books and writing to the students she teaches.

A two time Golden Heart® finalist and Silver Quill Award winner, Alicia finds her inspiration in exploring the dark, dusty corners of the human experience

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Book Review: Murder, She Encountered (Murder, She Reported #3) by Peg Cochran

Murder, She Encountered
Title: Murder, She Encountered (Murder, She Reported #3)

Author:  Peg Cochran 

Stars: 4 

Review:
A murder mystery set at the NY World's Fair in 1939. Our heroine is a fledgeling news photographer who has been teamed up with a seasoned reporter. A call out, to a mysterious death, at the fair leads them to several characters with a less than Sterling reputation. However, bearing in mind, this is the tail end of the depression and prior to WWII are the characters anything less than average. Another, seemingly unrelated death, soon have the unlikely pair involved in several facets of each death which seem to point in the same direction.

I have rated this book 4 stars and recommend it to anyone who prefer their murders without all of the gory details that are usually prevalent in a modern murder mystery.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.
Thank you Frank.

Synopsis:
A gutsy Manhattan socialite encounters murder and corruption at the World’s Fair in this captivating historical cozy mystery for readers of Victoria Thompson, Susan Elia MacNeal, and Rhys Bowen.

New York City, 1939. A rising star at the Daily Trumpet, Elizabeth “Biz” Adams has been sent to the World’s Fair—billed as the “World of Tomorrow,” a look toward a brighter future even as the drumbeats of war grow louder—to cover a robbery. What she stumbles upon instead is a dead woman, dumped into the Aquacade’s pool with a nylon stocking wrapped around her neck.

Elizabeth snaps a photo as the police arrest Joey Dorman, a gentle young hot dog vendor who made no secret of his obsession with the murder victim. Even though she’s thrilled that her photo makes the front page, the fear and confusion evident on Joey’s face are haunting. So Elizabeth vows to prove his innocence—or his guilt—with her partner at the Daily Trumpet, Ralph Kaminsky. Meanwhile, her romance with Detective Sal Marino is heating up, and Elizabeth is more determined than ever to follow her heart.

But when Kaminsky’s efforts to expose the real killer land him in the hospital, Elizabeth is forced to continue the investigation on her own. And as she tries to narrow down the long list of suspects, she discovers a dark secret running through the Fair—a secret some would kill to protect.



Kindle Edition
Expected publication: December 3rd 2019 by Random House

About The Author:
Peg Cochran
Mystery writing lets Peg indulge her curiosity under the guise of "work" (aka research). As a kid, she read the entire set of children's encyclopedias her parents gave her and has been known to read the dictionary. She put pen to paper at age seven when she wrote plays and forced her cousins to perform them at Christmas dinner. She switched to mysteries when she discovered the perfect hiding place for a body down the street from her house.

When she's not writing, she spends her time reading, cooking, spoiling her granddaughter and checking her books' stats on Amazon.

A former Jersey girl, Peg now resides in Michigan with her husband and Westhighland white terrier, Reg. She is the author of the Murder, She Reported series, the Cranberry Cove series, the Farmer's Daughter series, the Gourmet De-Lite series, the Lucille series and the Sweet Nothings Lingerie series (written as Meg London).

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Book Review: THE UNUSUAL INCIDENTS SECTION by K P Lawrence

THE UNUSUAL INCIDENTS SECTION
Title: THE UNUSUAL INCIDENTS SECTION

Author:  K P Lawrence

Stars: 4

Review:
A series of Incidents, which in total, make up an interesting story. It is told by one of the characters in a straight forward manner and is meant to be entertaining and humourous at the same time. I must say I was entertained and brought to chuckles by this smooth writing author. He is British and has a quirky sense of humor that you must know and appreciate to fully understandand. Fortunately, I feel that my background and lifestyle, fill the bill in both catagories. I liked this book and the manner it was written enough to overlook some, what I consider, minor discrepancies.

I have rated this book 4 stars and would read his other offerings.

I obtained this book from Amazon in Kindle format and have provided this review without recompense.

Synopsis:
Out of work and practically penniless, Dave Armitage is forced to take a job as the civilian partner of cantankerous, old Detective-Sergeant, Hasdrubal (Harry) Higgins. Together they make up the Unusual Incidents Section of the Stoneville police.
The newly-created Section is the brainchild of State Attorney-General Sweetapple, Harry’s enemy. Its official mandate is to handle cases where the law doesn’t appear to have been broken, but its real purpose is to force Higgins to retire through boredom.
However once they start investigating the unusual incidents that other police don’t want to waste their time on, including the manager who walked into his office and vanished, the freeze-dried leg found in a snow bank, and the snowman who acted like a Peeping Tom, they find that real crimes are involved.


Kindle Edition352 pages
Published April 16th 2019

About The Author:

https://www.amazon.com/DECEPTION-WEEK-K-P-Lawrence-ebook/dp/B07QWWDSHR/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=K+P+Lawrence&qid=1575245859&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

Monday, December 9, 2019

Book Review: The Last Real Cowboy (Cold River Ranch #3) by Caitlin Crews

The Last Real Cowboy (Cold River Ranch, #3)
Title:  The Last Real Cowboy (Cold River Ranch #3) 

Author:  Caitlin Crews

Stars: 4

Review:
A modern day love story set in a small town in Colorado. A young (22) lady, who was raised and lives on a ranch, with her 3 much older brothers and parents sets forth to declare herself independent. In her quest, to be independent, she takes a second job at a not so respectable bar on the wrong side of town. This job enables her to obtain her own apartment, over the bar, which is meet with the disapproval of the family. An older brother then asked a friend to keep a brotherly eye her for them. As she has always had a fantasy crush on him the fun begins. Can our stalwart maintain his distance or will she be the winner of all her heart desires? 

This is a feel good romance that will keep your interest from the beach until the end.

I have rated this book 4 stars.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

Synopsis:
Perennial good girl Amanda Kittredge knows that her longtime crush on Brady Everett was never really supposed to go anywhere. But when Brady comes home to Cold River during Amanda's first attempt at independence, well, who better to teach her about rebellion than her older brother's bad-boy best friend?

Brady's plans did not include being forced to work the family homestead for a year--and yet, here he is. And, to make matters worse, his best friend's innocent little sister is making a menace of herself in the most grown-up, tempting ways. When Amanda begs Brady to teach her about men, he knows he should refuse. But could Brady's greatest temptation be his salvation?


Mass Market Paperback384 pages
Expected publication: January 28th 2020 by St. Martin's Paperbacks

About The Author:
Caitlin Crews
Caitlin Crews discovered her first romance novel at the age of twelve, in a bargain bin at the local five and dime. It involved swashbuckling pirates, grand adventures, a heroine with rustling skirts and a mind of her own, and a seriously mouthwatering and masterful hero. The book (the title of which remains lost in the mists of time) made a serious impression. Caitlin was immediately smitten with romances and romance heroes, to the detriment of her middle school social life. And so began her life-long love affair with romance novels, many of which she insists on keeping near her at all times, thus creating a fire hazard of love wherever she lives.

Caitlin has made her home in places as far-flung as York, England and Atlanta, Georgia. She was raised near New York City, and fell in love with London on her first visit when she was a teenager. She has backpacked in Zimbabwe, been on safari in Botswana, and visited tiny villages in Namibia. She has, while visiting the place in question, declared her intention to live in Prague, Dublin, Paris, Athens, Nice, the Greek Islands, Rome, Venice, and/or any of the Hawaiian islands. Writing about exotic places seems like the next best thing to actually moving there.

She currently lives in Oregon with her animator/comic book artist husband and their menagerie of ridiculous animals.

Friday, December 6, 2019

Book Review: Secret Remains: A Coroner's Daughter Mystery by Jennifer Graeser Dornbush

Secret Remains: A Coroner's Daughter Mystery
Title: Secret Remains: A Coroner's Daughter Mystery 

Author: Jennifer Graeser Dornbush 

Stars: 3 1\2

Review:
I am not sure what I was hoping for maybe a mix of the TV show Bones and something new? The story is predicable as well as the romance. Readers will pick up on the killer right away and feel as if they are being drag alone a mystery but the characters are still working on.
The author has the ability to bring readers into her locations as if the town its self is a characters in the book.  
The romance works with the story but at times isn't convincing.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the advance copy of Jennifer Graeser Dornbush Secret Remains

Synopsis:
It's been 12 years since Sandi Parkman went missing after being dropped off at home by her schoolmate, Nick Larson, now the Sheriff of Freeport, Michigan. When a construction crew unearths Sandi's bones--along with Nick's letterman jacket and one of his hairs--Nick becomes suspect number one in the murder.

Dr. Emily Hartford, the daughter of Freeport's medical examiner, is called in to investigate, but the case is about to get personal. Nick was Emily's high school love, and now she has to either clear his name--or contend that he's the killer. As she delves into the case, a host of other suspects emerge: a coterie of Nick's jock friends from high school; Sandi's sister, Tiffany, now a dancer at a local strip club; and James VanDerMuellen, a trust funder who's recently returned to Freeport.

As the autumn skies darken over Freeport and the holiday season looms, Emily must sift through more than Sandi's brittle bones to solve the case. Can she exonerate Nick--and rekindle their long-smoldering romance? The race is on to find the truth.



Kindle Edition
Expected publication: January 7th 2020 by Crooked Lane Books

About The Author:
The television or movie screen is the closest most people will ever come to witnessing the forensic world. But Jennifer Dornbush actually lived it. As a daughter of a medical examiner, whose office was in her home, she investigated her first fatality, an airplane crash, when she was 8 years old. Since that first case she has had decades of on-sight experience in death investigation and 360 hours of forensic training through the Forensic Science Academy.

Today, Jennifer is a screenwriter, author, speaker and forensic science specialist. Her mystery novel, The Coroner, was released in 2018, with the sequel, Secret Remains, coming in early 2020.

Her feature film, God Bless the Broken Road had a wide release in theaters in 2018. She also penned the novel adaptation for Howard Books/Simon & Schuster (released 2017).

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Book Review: A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram #1) by Darynda Jones

A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram, #1)
Title: A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram #1) 

Author: Darynda Jones 

Stars: 4 1\2 

Review:
A very interesting story about a newly elected Sheriff of a small town in New Mexico. Sunshine, her nickname, is a single mother with one teeage daughter. She has returned to her home town and has a secret that she keeps from her daughter and friends. The tale is told primarily by these two individuals as multiple events occur and the plot thickens. As the action occurs will secrets be revealed and justice served or will there be a subsequent novel to wrap up any loose ends? I know I am looking forward to another novel but I am rather the curious sort who hates to leave anything unsolved. So readers I will leave it up to you to reach your own conclusion as to whether the story has concluded or not? The overall story line was excellent with a few red herrings thrown in to keep the amateur detectives on their toes.

I have rated this book 4.5 stars and look forward to what I hope will be another story about Sunshine and her daughter.
Thank you Frank

Synopsis:
Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, its strong cups of coffee—and a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff--an election her adorably meddlesome parents entered her in--and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of it's reminding Sunny why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that trouble at her daughter’s new school and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and Sunshine has her hands full.

Enter sexy almost-old-flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky US Marshall, both elevens on a scale of one to blazing inferno, and the normally savvy sheriff is quickly in over her head. Now it’s up to Sunshine to juggle a few good hunky men, a not-so-nice kidnapping miscreant, and Doug the ever-pesky flasher. And they said coming home would be drama-free.


Hardcover400 pages
Expected publication: April 7th 2020 by St. Martin's Press

About The Author:
Darynda Jones
NYTimes and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious RITA, a Golden Heart, and a Daphne du Maurier. As a born storyteller, she grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. She currently has two series with St. Martin's Press, the Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of more than 25 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Book Review: Why She Ran (Detective Iris Locke #2) by Geraldine Hogan

Why She Ran
Title: Why She Ran (Detective Iris Locke #2)

Author: Geraldine Hogan

Stars: 3 1/2

Review:
The Synposis will have reader picking up the book the story will not hold readers attention.  Why She Ran is slow paced mystery that lacks focus, the story has many plot holes and readers are left wondering if this was the same book their had wanted to read.  
It is a stand a lone novel yet this readers is wondering if the information lacking in book two is found in book 1.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Geraldine Hogan Why She Ran.

Synopsis:
Twenty-year-old Rachel McDermott was your typical girl-next-door. She loved her job as a nurse, was close to her family in the small Irish town of Corbally and seemed to have no enemies. So when she is brutally murdered, the local community reels in horror and Detective Iris Locke is put on the case.

The main suspect is her close friend, sixteen-year-old Eleanor Marshall, a tearaway teenager with addiction problems whose parents have long since turned their backs on her. Eleanor was last seen fleeing the scene where Rachel’s body was found and is now missing in the woods near the Comeragh mountains.

Eleanor’s sister Karena insists Eleanor wouldn’t have hurt her best friend, but a day later, when Karena is found dead in the area Eleanor is hiding, Iris knows things don’t look good for the runaway teen. She doesn’t want to believe that Eleanor is her sister’s killer, but all the evidence seems to point that way.

But Iris can’t let go of the elements of the case she doesn’t have answers for. The fact that Rachel’s father died in suspicious circumstances. The strange company that Rachel was keeping the night before she died. Was it guilt or fear that made Eleanor run? And can Iris find her before it is too late?


Kindle Edition295 pages
Expected publication: December 19th 2019 by Bookouture

About The Author:
Geraldine Hogan is an Irish award-winning and bestselling author of four novels. Her books have featured as Book Club Favorites, Net Galley Hot Reads and Summer Must Reads. She writes grown up women's fiction which is unashamedly uplifting, feel good and inspiring.

Geraldine Hogan was born in Ireland. She gained an Honours Degree in English Literature and Psychology from Dublin City University and a Postgraduate Degree from University College, Galway.

She is the author of several well received women's fiction novels under the author name, Faith Hogan.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Book Review M-9 (Chelmin & Spaulding CID Mysteries Book 1) by Marvin Wolf

M-9: A Chelmin and Spaulding CID Mystery (Chelmin & Spaulding CID Mysteries Book 1)
Title: M-9 (Chelmin & Spaulding CID Mysteries Book 1)

Author: Marvin Wolf

Stars: 5 1\2 

Review:
This is the first, in a new series, and the first time for my reading of a book by this author. I was more than pleased with the characters and story line. He was able to get my attention in the first few pages of the book and retain it until the last page. There is action from the beginnings to the last page. I felt there was literary license taken in some parts but it did not detract from the overall story or prevent me from enjoying the story immensely. I read the teaser for the second book, in the series, and look forward to reading it when it comes out. If you are a fan of action adventures stories you will not want to pass this one by.

I am a retired military Special Agent and I would purchase this book for myself and friends. I have rated this book 4.5 stars.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.
Thank You Frank

Synopsis:
Who killed Kendra Farrell and left her bound, dehydrated body on a boxcar loaded with Army boots?

Army CID agents Rudy Chelmin and his rookie partner, Will Spaulding, trace the train’s route back to Barstow, CA, and the Marine Corps Supply Depot. Before they can begin a joint-service investigation, they come under attack by a determined and heavily armed international gang. As they try to unwrap the mystery of Kendra’s death they must take out a sniper, escape from an RPG attack that levels a city block, and dodge a car bomb—and that’s just the first few days.

To find Kendra’s killer they must learn why she was killed. As they unravel a mind-twisting snarl of nefarious, intertwined networks, they must also battle the bureaucracy—The FBI, Homeland Security, and the Barstow police want their share of the case.

Then Chelmin vanishes and Spaulding has only three days to learn if his partner will suffer Kendra’s agonizing fate.

Kindle Edition425 pages
Published August 20th 2019 by Rambam Press

About The Author:
Marvin J. Wolf

I began my media career in the media as a U.S. Army combat photographer in Vietnam. Assigned to a public information section, it took a week escorting Nobel laureate John Steinbeck before I realized that writing was an important adjunct to my photo work. In Vietnam I had the great good fortune to meet and become friends with some of the world's greatest reporters and photographers, including Nobel laureate author John Steinbeck, Jonathan Fenby, Peter Arnett, Horst Faas, and many others. These men were generous with their time and wisdom and helped put me on the path to becoming a writer.

As I made the transition from magazine writing to longer forms, I was encouraged to specialize but found that I was interested in so many things that I found it impossible to choose only one. Instead I became a frequent collaborator, helping such notables as Native American leader Russell Means and former South Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky with their autobiographies. I also developed an appreciation for suspense and intrigue that inevitably led me to write about crime. About 2001 I took a segue into film, and had a short but interesting career writing for television. That helped me to create a character that I've put into the Rabbi Ben Mysteries. The first of these books, "For Whom The Shofar Blows," debuted on Amazon.com in November 2011.

My second series is "Chelmen and Spaulding CID Mysteries." Chelmin is loosely based on A CID agent whom I knew while serving as a US Army company commander in South Korea. He is conservative in dress, content to eat that which he has always eaten rather than try new things, and in general a guy who resists change. All that goes out the window when he meets Chelmin, a civilian police detective before he enliste. Together as a team, they are constantly challenging and changing each other.

My book M-9 chronicles their first adventure as a team--and how they barely survive it.
Book two, Papa Two-Niner, will be published in 2020. Look for it in late winter.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Book Review: Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison

Good Girls Lie
Title:  Good Girls Lie 

Author:  J.T. Ellison

Stars: 3

Review:
The story starts off with the mystery right away but slowly turns into endless inner dialogue with to much telling read what is happening and not enough showing them what is happening.  The story drags on in certain area.  This book was a struggle as the thriller seemed to lack any sort of point and left readers scratching there heads wondering what is the purpose of the story?
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of J.T. Ellison Good Girls Lie.

Synopsis:
erched atop a hill in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia, The Goode School is a prestigious prep school known as a Silent Ivy. The boarding school of choice for daughters of the rich and influential, it accepts only the best and the brightest. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing exceptional young women for brilliant futures at Ivy League universities and beyond. But a stranger has come to Goode, and this ivy has turned poisonous.

In a world where appearances are everything, as long as students pretend to follow the rules, no one questions the cruelties of the secret societies or the dubious behavior of the privileged young women who expect to get away with murder. But when a popular student is found dead, the truth cannot be ignored. Rumors suggest she was struggling with a secret that drove her to suicide.

But look closely…because there are truths and


Kindle Edition384 pages
Expected publication: December 31st 2019 by MIRA

About The Author:
J.T. Ellison began her career as a presidential appointee in the White House, where a nuclear physicist taught her how to obsess over travel itineraries and make a seriously good pot of Earl Grey, spawning both her love of loose leaf and a desire for control of her own destiny. Jaded by the political climate in D.C., she made her way back to her first love, creative writing. More than 20 novels later, she is an award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with thrillers published in 27 countries and 15 languages

Friday, November 29, 2019

Book Review: Disney's Land: Walt Disney and the Invention of the Amusement Park That Changed the World by Richard Snow


Title: Disney's Land: Walt Disney and the Invention of the Amusement Park That Changed the World 

Author:  Richard Snow

Stars: 4

Review:
Are you a Disney Fan you will want to pick up your copy of Disney Land.  If you know the history of Walt Disney this book will really not bring too much more information out but you will still enjoy the little bits that people have come to know as Disney Land as well as the man Walt Disney.
Richard Snow gives readers a chronological order of Walt and his life along with the creations of the different Theme Parks that have changed the world of theme parks.
The author did a wonderful job of giving readers a inside look at Disneyland as well as the creator of the parks and how amazing and difficult it can be.
This will have readers want to visit this amazing park.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Richard Snow Disney's Land.


Synopsis:
But Walt persevered, initially financing the park against his own life insurance policy and later with sponsorship from ABC and the sale of thousands and thousands of Davy Crockett coonskin caps. Disney assembled a talented team of engineers, architects, artists, animators, landscapers, and even a retired admiral to transform his ideas into a soaring yet soothing wonderland of a park. The catch was that they had only a year and a day in which to build it.

On July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened its gates…and the first day was a disaster. Disney was nearly suicidal with grief that he had failed on a grand scale. But the curious masses kept coming, and the rest is entertainment history. Eight hundred million visitors have flocked to the park since then. In Disney’s Land, Richard Snow brilliantly presents the entire spectacular story, a wild ride from vision to realization, and an epic of innovation and error that reflects the uniqueness of the man determined to build “the happiest place on earth” with a watchmaker’s precision, an artist’s conviction, and the desperate, high-hearted recklessness of a riverboat gambler.


Hardcover432 pages
Expected publication: December 3rd 2019 by Scribner

About The Author:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/28337.Richard_Snow

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Book Review: Manhunters: How We Took Down Pablo Escobar, the World's Most Wanted Criminal by Steve Murphy and Javier F. Peña

Manhunters: How We Took Down Pablo Escobar, the World's Most Wanted Criminal
Title: Manhunters: How We Took Down Pablo Escobar, the World's Most Wanted Criminal 

Author:  Steve Murphy and  

Stars: 4

Review:
If you are a fan of Government Three Letter  agencies History. This book is a can not miss book about the men and women who brought down Escobar.  The story will show what this case meant to the men and women as well at what happened after the take down and how their lives changed.
Readers will be seeing life thought the eyes of these Manhunters.  This is a can no miss story at readers will be hooked by the true events.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of Steven Murphy and Javier F. Pena copy of Manhunters.


Synopsis:
Readers will go deep inside the inner workings of the Search Bloc, the joint Colombian-US task force that resulted in an intensive 18-month operation that tracked Escobar. Between July 1992 and December 1993, Steve and Javier lived on the edge, setting up camp in Medellin at the Carlos Holguin Military Academy. There, they lived and worked with the Colombian authorities, hunting down a man who was thought by many to be untouchable. Their firsthand experience coupled with stories from the DEA's recently de-classified files on the search for Escobar forms the beating heart of Manhunters, an epic account of how two American agents risked everything to capture the world's most wanted man.

Hardcover352 pages
Published November 12th 2019 by St. Martin's Press

About The Author:

The explosive memoir of legendary DEA agents and the subject of the hit Netflix series Narcos, Steve Murphy and Javier F. Peña.

In the decades they spent at the DEA, Steve and Javier risked their lives hunting large and small drug traffickers. But their biggest challenge was the hunt for Pablo Escobar in Colombia. The partners, who began their careers as small-town cops, have been immortalized in Netflix's Narcos, a fictional account of their hunt for Escobar. Now, for the first time ever, they tell the real story of how they brought down the world's first narco-terrorist, the challenges they faced, and the innovative strategies they employed to successfully end the reign of terror of the world's most wanted criminal.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Book Review: Ash: A Novel by James Rayburn


Title: Ash

Author:  James Rayburn

Stars: 4

Review:
This is the first book I have read by James Rayburn.  The author is able to bring to life every parents fears.  Danny Ash will have readers following him though his desperate attempt to find his child.  The story has readers hooked to finding his missing child and as well as almost to forced they might miss the littlest detail.
The story has everything and more that readers will be looking for in a action pack thriller.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of James Rayburn Ash.

Synopsis:
Agents of the state murdered his wife and took his son. Now they’re coming for Danny Ash.
Framed as a terrorist, the mild-mannered stay-at-home dad, desperate to find his child, has to evade both law enforcement and killers in the pay of shadowy vulture capitalist Victor Fabian, whose influence reaches deep into the White House. Fabian, battling political enemies and the creeping dementia that has him in its grip, is determined to silence Ash who has linked him to his wife’s murder. As he tracks his son through an American heartland scarred by poverty and opioid addiction, Ash has to confront a dark secret from his past even as he fights to save the boy’s life.
Kindle Edition, 320 pages
Published November 5th 2019 by Blackstone Publishing

About The Author:
James Rayburn is the pen name of crime writer Roger Smith.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Book Review: Wolf Rebel (SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team #10) by Paige Tyler

Wolf Rebel

Title: Wolf Rebel (SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team #10) 

Author: Paige Tyler 

Stars: 3

Review:
While the author has a great way of explaining why someone turns into a werewolf and the processes of accepting the events. The story its self falls just a little flat an lacks the drive of the others in the series.
The characters are from other books are brought together completing a secondary story line from at least two other books.
 The author keeps the story as a stand alone and makes it perfectly easy to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Sourcebooks Casablanca for the advance copy of Paige Tyler Wolf Rebel


Synopsis:
She let him get away
SWAT werewolf Rachel Bennett is hounded by nightmares after a vicious attack left her with PTSD. Not knowing who or what she can trust anymore, she's relieved to be assigned to a high-profile protective detail. Diving into work might be the distraction she needs, until she notices the mysterious hunk who seems to follow her wherever she goes—and recognizes him.
Now he needs her help...
After he's badly injured, former Navy SEAL Knox Lawson seeks out Rachel when he realizes he's turning into a werewolf. He'd once been part of the group hunting her kind, but he knew he had to quit when he found Rachel in his crosshairs. Now he desperately needs her help.
Rachel isn't sure she trusts Knox, but having him around keeps the nightmares—and the monster creating them—away. Knox might not know much about being a werewolf, but there's no doubt he'll do everything in his power to win her trust and keep her safe.
Paperback320 pages
Expected publication: November 26th 2019 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

About the Author:
Paige Tyler is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, romantic suspense and paranormal romance. She and her very own military hero (also known as her husband) live on the beautiful Florida coast with their adorable fur baby (also known as their dog). Paige graduated with a degree in education, but decided to pursue her passion and write books about hunky alpha males and the kick-butt heroines who fall in love with them.

Represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Handspun Literary 

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Book Review: Defending Everly (Mountain Mercenaries #5) by Susan Stoker

Defending Everly (Mountain Mercenaries #5)

Title: Defending Everly (Mountain Mercenaries #5)

Author: Susan Stoker 

Stars: 4

Review:
The story moves quickly and has the same rhythm and flow as the others in this series. Ball is a alpha who goes for what he wants and doesn't give Everly a chance to really think about anything more than how he makes her feel and trying to find her sister.
The story works well and is a fast easy read with the same warning that everyone should give their children you never know who is on the other side of the chat you are using. Parents know what apps are out there because not all are what they seem.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for advance copy of Susan Stoke Defending Everly. 

Synopsis:
As tough as Everly Adams may be, the Colorado Springs SWAT officer is near a breaking point. Her fifteen-year-old half sister, Elise, has disappeared from Los Angeles without a trace, and the window to find her is closing fast. Committed to the search is Mountain Mercenary Kannon “Ball” Black. He and Everly already have a history—of rubbing each other the wrong way.

Still, Everly has to admit the man is heart-stopping. His brash alpha swagger takes her breath away. And most importantly, as a former Coast Guard first responder, Ball has what it takes to bring Elise home.

Nobody’s buying the LAPD’s “runaway” theory. And the fear that Elise is the victim of a human trafficking ring is a gut-punch that Everly and Ball can’t ignore. If only the trail were that clear cut. Because the one they’re following is more insidious and intimately dark than they could have imagined.

Now as the bond between Everly and Ball grows stronger, so does the heat. And as the stakes rise, so does the danger


About The Author:
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http://www.stokeraces.com/contact-1.html

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Tennessee where she lives, but this all American girl has also spent the last fourteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, Indiana, and Tennessee. She's married to a retired Army man who now gets to follow her around the country.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Book Review: Dukes, Actually (12 Dukes of Christmas #5) by Erica Ridley

Dukes, Actually (12 Dukes of Christmas # 5)
Title: Dukes, Actually (12 Dukes of Christmas #5) 

Author: Erica Ridley

Stars: 2

Review:
This is the #5 book in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series. I am normally a fan of this author and look forward to her offerings. However, in this instance, I felt the storyline was very weak. It failed to obtain my interest much less to keep me enthralled. I am sure this is just an off story by this author. I look forward to reading her next offering as this is not indictive of her excellent writing style and story telling.

I have rated this book 2 stars.


I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review. Thank you Frank

Synopsis:
The Duke of Azureford isn’t the arrogant, aloof lord his peers perceive him to be. Yes, he’s awkward, but he has a plan to fix it. In order to woo a respectable lady, he must learn how to flirt. The completely inappropriate girl next door would make a perfect instructor, but a terrible duchess. So why can’t he walk away?

Incorrigible hoyden Miss Carole Quincy likes fast carriages, carom billiards, and the beautiful, buttoned-up Duke of Azureford. She’d be delighted to help him out of his shell and into her arms. Who cares if they’re just pretending to flirt? The heady, breath-taking, soul-consuming feeling inside her runaway heart surely can’t be love


Kindle Edition200 pages
Published October 22nd 2019 by WebMotion

About The Author:
When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rainforests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest. 

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Book Review: An Everyday Hero (A Heart of a Hero #2) by Laura Trentham

An Everyday Hero (A Heart of a Hero #2)
Title: An Everyday Hero (A Heart of a Hero #2) 

Author: Laura Trentham 

Stars: 4.5 

Review:
Our main characters in this delightful modern day romance are individuals who for different reasons have hit rock bottom. Having attended high school together, ten years previously, they find themselves back at home and living with their parents. She considers herself to be a failure as a singer/songwriter and had to finally pawn her prized Martin guitar and move back home. He is a disabled Army officer, who lost a leg in combat, and is wallowing in self pity, has a huge chip on his shoulder, and only wants to drink his problem(s) away. Her court ordered community service has thrown them together. The big question is can they be the salve that the other needs? An excellent story that moves well and will keep the readers attention. I read the book in two sittings as it held my interest from beginning to end.

I have rated this book 4.5 stars.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

Thank you Frank

Synopsis:
At thirty, Greer Hadley never expected to be forced home to Madison, Tennessee with her life and dreams of being a songwriter up in flames. To make matters worse, a series of bad decisions and even crappier luck lands her community service hours at a nonprofit organization that aids veterans and their families. Greer cannot fathom how she’s supposed to use music to help anyone deal with their trauma and loss when the one thing that brought her joy has failed her.
When Greer meets fifteen-year-old Ally Martinez, her plans to stay detached and do as little as possible get thrown away. New to town and dealing with the death of her father in action, she hides her emotions behind a mask of bitterness and sarcasm, but Greer is able to see past it and recognizes pieces of who she once was in Ally. The raw and obvious talent she possesses could take her to the top and Greer vows to make sure life’s negativities don’t derail Ally’s potential.
After Greer is assigned a veteran to help, she’s not surprised Emmett Lawson, the town’s golden boy, followed his family’s legacy. What leaves her shocked is the shell of a man who believes he doesn’t deserve anyone’s help. A breakthrough with Ally reminds Greer that no one is worth giving up on. So she shows up one day with his old guitar, and meets Emmett’s rage head on with her stubbornness. When a situation with Ally becomes dire, the two of them must become a team to save her—and along the way they might just save themselves too.

Paperback336 pages
Expected publication: February 4th 2020 by St. Martin's Griffin

About The Author:
Author of smart, sexy Southern contemporary romance, Regency historicals, & heartfelt Women's Fiction
Series include:
Sweet Home Alabama
Cottonbloom
Spies and Lovers
Heart of a Hero
Highland, Georgia

Monday, November 18, 2019

Book Review Restless Hearts (Montana Justice #1) by B.J. Daniels

Restless Hearts (Montana Justice #1)
Title: Restless Hearts (Montana Justice #1) 

Author:   B.J. Daniels 

Stars: 4 1\2 

Review:
From start to finish the book is a who is Blazes father protecting and why.  The story feels as if something is missing a back story as to who the Judge is or when Blaze and Jake first met. The start of the series is great but the ending leaves the readers with a quick ending and not as satisfying as expected.
Restless Heart is a second chance romance with a ending that ties everything up in a nice little bow.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher HQR for the advance copy of B.J. Daniels Restless Heart.

Synopsis:
He’s fighting for a second chance with his first love…before it’s too late.

The last time PI Blaze McClintock was on her family’s ranch, she left in handcuffs. She vowed then to never go home again…until her estranged father is accused of murder. He’s not a good man—this entire Montana town knows that. But Blaze believes her father is innocent and she’ll do anything to prove it, even ask the one man who broke her heart for help—the only man in town who’s on her side.

No matter how hard he tried, Jake Horn could never forget Blaze. As teenagers, their passion ignited, leaving destruction in their wake. Now, years later, it’s obvious little has changed. But as they work together to unravel what really happened that night, a dangerous secret threatens to separate them for good. This time, though, Jake won’t let Blaze go without a fight—even if it means risking his own life.


ebook384 pages
Expected publication: November 26th 2019 by HQN Books

About The Author:
B.J. Daniels' life dream was to be a policewoman. After a career as an award-winning newspaper journalist, she wrote and sold 37 short stories before she finally wrote her first book. Since then she has won numerous awards including a career achievement award last year for romantic suspense.

She lives in Montana with her husband, Parker, two Springer Spaniels, Jem and Spot, and a temperamental tomcat named Jeff. When she isn't writing, she snowboards, camps, boats and plays tennis.

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