Book Review: Agent Under Siege (The Justice Seekers #2) by Lena Diaz

 

Title: Agent Under Siege (The Justice Seekers #2) 

Author:  Lena Diaz 

Stars: 5

Review:

Book two in the Justice Seekers but it can be read as a stand alone or part of the series. 

While the Justice Seekers is about a group of people looking to redeem themselves for their past decision.  As the author is writing you can see the start of the different books and characters that will be having their own books in the future.

The author pulls readers in with a feisty female lead who will not stop until she is able to get the truth out there and will not take No.  The male lead is the tradition broken down man who can't see past his own weaknesses.

The story flows well the characters stay true to who they are from the beginning to the end.

While this might be a HQR series you would never guess.  The talented author Lena Diaz gives readers a pulse pounding mystery with a romance readers will enjoy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Lena Diaz Agent Under Siege.

Synopsis:

The Kentucky Ripper is in prison…or is he? When no one will help Teagan Ray find the man who really abducted her, former profiler Bryson Anton agrees to investigate. But soon their search takes two jolting turns—brutal attacks from a cunning suspect…and a powerful mutual attraction.

ebook, 256 pages

Expected publication: January 1st 2021 by Harlequin Intrigue

About The Author:

Romantic suspense author, Lena Diaz, is a four time winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence in Mystery and Suspense. She's also a former Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® finalist and has won numerous other awards.

Her popular Buchanan brothers family is highlighted in the Deadly Games Series, beginning with HE KILLS ME, HE KILLS ME NOT. Her EXIT Inc. series features assassins-turned-heroes who work to bring down the corrupt company they used to work for and save the innocent civilians in the company's crosshairs.

Book Review: The Princess and the Rogue (Bow Street Bachelors #3) by Kate Bateman

Title: he Princess and the Rogue (Bow Street Bachelors #3)

Author: Kate Bateman

Stars: 4

Review: 

A regency tale of treachery, deception, murder and lust which bring a runaway Russian Princess and an English Earl together in a very unusual first meeting. He is unaware of her elevated status, and thinks she is just a beautiful light skirt, as he first meets her in a bordello. His interest is aroused and his passion is left unsatisfied after she turns down his very high priced overture. He later learns she is his Aunt's companion and her purported status. Although he is still unsure of her status he takes her under his protection and enlists her help in identifying a Russian traitor. Their passions become even more enflamed during this time period and both have to make a decision on the correct and appropriate course of action to take

I have rated this book 4 stars and recommend it to all readers who enjoy a Regency romance romp.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review. The above remarks are my thoughts and not influenced by the author of publisher.

Synopsis:

Bow Street agent Sebastien Wolff, Earl of Mowbray, doesn't believe in love―until a passionate kiss with a beautiful stranger in a brothel forces him to reconsider. When the mysterious woman is linked to an intrigue involving a missing Russian princess, however, Seb realizes her air of innocence was too good to be true.

Princess Anastasia Denisova has been hiding in London as plain 'Anna Brown'. With a dangerous traitor hot on her trail, her best option is to accept Wolff's offer of protection―and accommodation―at his gambling hell. But living in such close quarters, and aiding Wolff in his Bow Street cases, fans the flames of their mutual attraction. If Anya's true identity is revealed, does their romance stand a chance? Could a princess ever marry a rogue? 

Expected publication: December 29th 2020 by St. Martin's Paperbacks

About The Author:

Kate Bateman (also writing as K. C. Bateman) wrote her first historical romance in response to a $1 bet with her husband who rashly claimed she'd 'never finish the thing.' She gleefully proved him wrong. Her Regency and Renaissance-era romances all feature her trademark feisty, intelligent heroines, wickedly inappropriate banter, and heroes you want to both strangle and kiss.

When not traveling to exotic locations 'for research,' Kate leads a double life as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several TV shows in the UK, each of which has up to 2.5 million viewers. She splits her time between Illinois and her native England and writes despite three inexhaustible children and a number-loving husband who still owes her that dollar.

Kate loves to hear from readers. Contact her on Twitter @katebateman, Facebook, or via her website at www.kcbateman.com

Book Review: Wrong Alibi (Murder in Alaska #1) by Christina Dodd

 

Title: Wrong Alibi (Murder in Alaska #1) 

Author: Christina Dodd

Stars: 3 1\2 

Review:

Wrong Alibi is the beginning of a new series by Christina Dobb which means lots of characters are introduced while moving a story forward.  The "twist and turns" work but at the same time readers will figure things out faster than the main characters due to the romance that is more distraction than helping more the story forward.

The story is over the top at the beginning but soon finds a flow that will engage readers.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Christina Dodd Wrong Alibi

Synopsis:

WRONG JOB

Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Jones lands a job in small-town Alaska, working for a man in his isolated mountain home. But her bright hopes for the future are shattered when Donald White disappears, leaving her to face charges of theft, embezzlement—and a brutal double murder. Her protestations of innocence count for nothing. Convicted, she faces life in prison…until fate sends her on the run.

WRONG NAME

Evelyn’s escape leaves her scarred and in hiding, isolated from her family, working under an alias at a wilderness camp. Bent on vengeance, intent on recovering her life, she bides her time, patiently searching for the man who took everything from her.

WRONG ALIBI

At last, the day comes. Donald White has returned. Evelyn emerges from hiding; the fugitive becomes the hunter. But in her mind, she hears the whisper of other forces at work. Now Evelyn must untangle the threads of evidence before she’s once again found with blood on her hands: the blood of her own family…

Paperback, 384 pages

Expected publication: December 29th 2020 by HQN

About The Author:

When Christina’s first daughter was born, she told her husband she was going to write a book. It was a good time to start a new career, because how much trouble could one little infant be?
Ha! It took ten years, two children and three completed manuscripts before she was published.

Book Review: Embrace the Suck: The Navy SEAL Way to an Extraordinary Life by Brent Gleeson

 

Title: Embrace the Suck: The Navy SEAL Way to an Extraordinary Life 

Author: Brent Gleeson

Stars: 4

Review:

While this book isn't perfect it does give readers great nuggets that can help in everyone personal life. the author is a Navy Seal and he likes to remind readers how physical and mentally strong than the average person. 

The author uses his background to create and help people in their every day lives. Yet at the sometimes at times the author gives unrealistic ideas or goals for people to take on.  Embrace the Suck can  and will help individuals figure out to deal with the crap that is thrown at them. 

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Brent Gleeson Embrace The Suck

Sysnpsis:

During the brutal crucible of Navy SEAL training, instructors often tell students to "embrace the suck." This phrase conveys the one lesson that is vital for any SEAL hopeful to learn: lean into the suffering and get comfortable being very uncomfortable. In this powerful, no-nonsense guide, Navy SEAL combat veteran turned leadership expert Brent Gleeson teaches you how to transform every area of your life--the Navy SEAL way.


Can anyone develop this level of resilience? Gleeson breaks it down to a Challenge-Commitment-Control mindset. He reveals how resilient people view difficulties as a Challenge, where obstacles and failures are opportunities for growth. Next, they have a strong emotional Commitment to their goals and are not easily distracted or deterred. Finally, resilient people focus their energy on the things within their Control, rather than fixating on factors they can't impact.

Hardcover, 224 pages

Expected publication: December 22nd 2020 by Hachette Go

About The Author:

http://www.brentgleesonspeaker.com/

Brent Gleeson is a Navy SEAL combat veteran with multiple tours to Iraq and Africa.

BrentGleeson is a Navy SEAL combat veteran with multiple tours to Iraq andAfrica and other theaters of war. Upon leaving SEAL Team 5,Brentturned his discipline and battlefield lessons to the world of business and has become an accomplished entrepreneur, bestselling author and acclaimed speaker on topics rangingfrom leadership and building high performance teams to culture and organizational transformation. Youcan learn more about his leadership philosophies in his weekly columns on Inc.com andForbes.com.He is the bestselling author ofTakingPoint: A Navy SEAL’s 10 Fail Safe Principles for Leading Through Change, which was a #1 New Release in the categories of Organizational Change and Business Structural Adjustment.

Brentis the Founder and CEO of TakingPoint Leadership, a progressive leadership and management consulting firm with a focus on leadership development, business transformation and building high-performance cultures. With degrees in finance and economics from Southern Methodist University, certificates in English and History from Oxford University in England and a graduate business degree from University of San Diego, Gleeson’s extensive experience is both academic and real-world in nature. Gleeson has won awards for business leadership and was named one of the “Top 10 CEOs” in Entrepreneur Magazine’s October 2013 issue for his exemplary approach to building high-performance teams in business.

Book Review: Cold Wind (Alaska Wild Mysteries #2) by Paige Shelton

 

Title:  Cold Wind (Alaska Wild Mysteries #2) 

Author:  Paige Shelton

Stars: 4

Review:

Paige Shelton book two in her Alaska Wild Mysteries series keeps readers going as Beth isn't ready to move forward.   The author is able to keep readers up to date even if this is your first time reading her books.  The story is easy read with a mystery that will keep readers wanting more from Paige Shelton.

At times readers will wonder if they are reading a different story as the book has three different story lines going on but soon the readers is able to tie everything together bring the story to a amazing end.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy of Paige Shelton Cold Wind.

Synopsis:

Beth Rivers is still in Alaska. The unidentified man who kidnapped her in her home of St. Louis hasn’t been found yet, so she’s not ready to go back.

But as October comes to a close, Benedict is feeling more and more like her new home. Beth has been working on herself: She’s managed to get back to writing, and she’s enjoying these beautiful months between summer and winter in Alaska.

Then, everything in Benedict changes after a mudslide exposes a world that had been hidden for years. Two mud-covered, silent girls appear, and a secret trapper’s house is found in the woods. The biggest surprise, though, is a dead and frozen woman’s body in the trapper’s shed. No one knows who she is, but the man who runs the mercantile, Randy, seems to be in the middle of all the mysteries.

Unable to escape her journalistic roots, Beth is determined to answer the questions that keep arising: Are the mysterious girls and the frozen body connected? Can Randy possibly be involved? And―most importantly―can she solve this mystery before the cold wind sweeping over the town and the townspeople descends for good?

Hardcover, 304 pages

Expected publication: December 8th 2020 by Minotaur Books

About The Author:

Paige Shelton is the New York Times Bestselling author of the Farmers' Market, Country Cooking School, Dangerous Type, and Scottish Bookshop mysteries. She's lived lots of places but currently resides in Arizona

Book Review: Don't Look Back (Texas Justice #3) by Christie Craig

 

Title: Don't Look Back (Texas Justice #3)

Author: Christie Craig 

Stars: 5

Review:

Readers will fall in love with Bree Ryan as she searchers for the truth behind who killed her sister.  Bree comes off the pages and a strong female lead who has a heart of gold.  She does everything she can to protect those she cares and to bring justice to those responsible for killing her sister. Connor Pierce is your typical broken character who can't find peace in his sins in life.  The cast of characters from the different detectives to Bree's watchful father figure everyone perfect fits into the story and has a reason without wasting a page.

The story has a important message about communication, redemption, fear and love.  This story is for mystery, romance and thriller readers alike.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy of Christie Craig Don't Look Back.

Synopsis:

FBI agent Bree Ryan's latest mission is personal. She's posing as a waitress at the Black Diamond strip club, the same club where her estranged half sister worked until she turned up dead. When Bree's undercover assignment is compromised, she turns to the only man she knows who can help her: Connor Pierce, a too-sexy-for-his-own-good, rule-breaking cop with a knack for solving cold cases.

When someone breaks into Bree's apartment, Connor's detective skills aren't the only things that kick into overdrive. Although his job demands he remain detached, now he finds himself tempted not only by Bree's beauty but also her intelligence and bravery. As the investigation-and their attraction-grows more intense, lives are in jeopardy, and Connor finds the most important rule he must break is his own. But can he put his heart on the line?

Mass Market Paperback, 416 pages

Expected publication: December 15th 2020 by Forever

About The Author:

Christie Craig, an Alabama native, is an award-winning, multi-published writer, multi-published photo journalist, motivational speaker, and writing teacher.. Her non-fiction articles and photography have appeared in almost three thousand national magazines. A Golden Heart finalist, and a finalist in more than fifty RWA-sponsored contests, she has gained a well-deserved reputation for writing romance fiction that has both witty humor and a suspenseful, sexy tone. Published by Silhouette in the 90s, she recently broke back into fiction in a big way, making four book sales in one day. Her seventh humorous single title romance novel, published by Dorchester, will hit the stands in June 2010. Her non-fiction book, co-authored by Faye Hughes, released September 08, is The Everything Guide To Writing A Romance Novel and their second non-fiction book, a humorous self-help relationship book, Wild, Wicked and Wanton: 101 Ways to Love Like You Are in a Romance Novel is scheduled to be released December 2010. Craig’s latest writing adventure is the sale of a young adult paranormal romance series, Shadow Falls Camp, that will be published by St. Martins Press in the near future. 

Book Review: Trusting Skylar (Silverstone #1) by Susan Stoker

 

Title: Trusting Skylar (Silverstone #1) 

Author: Susan Stoker

Stars: 2

Review:

Susan Stoker has been using the same predictable story line for the last several series.  As a reader and reviewer I like to see if the author changes up their style of writing.  Susan Stoker uses the same story lines just change them enough to sound like a new story or series. 

Her stories are unbelievable and over the top at the best.  This new series isn't anything new and it neither add to her current book list.  The story is all introduction to the new characters, their past and what the future will be focused on.

The story works for those who are fans of this authors writing style.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of Susan Stoker Trusting Skyler.

Synopsis:

Former military operative Carson “Bull” Rhodes hasn’t dated seriously since he and his teammates left the army. Since then he’s opened Silverstone Towing—which is a front for his other job: hired killer. When kindergarten teacher Skylar Reid calls for help while stranded on the side of the interstate, the attraction is instant. The problem is Bull’s career has jaded him. Skylar’s innocent, and he wants to keep her that way.

Cautious by nature, Skylar never expected to fall in love with her tow truck driver. Even so, once Bull reveals what he really does for a living, she’s not sure she can handle it. When Skylar faces threats that have nothing to do with Bull’s job but are just as deadly, the stakes are higher than ever.

With the help of the Silverstone team, Bull will use everything he’s learned over the years to bring the woman he loves home—because the alternative is unthinkable.

Kindle Edition, 317 pages

Published December 1st 2020 by Montlake

About The 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.

Book Review: A Shattering Glimpse by Nicole Putter

 

Title: A Shattering Glimpse

Author: Nicole Putter 

Stars: 1

Review:

This is the first book in the a series by a new author Nicole Putter.  It takes courage to write and publish books and sometimes those stories comes to life and other times they do not quite make it.  This book is one of those stories.  The story has an interesting premise of a girl who sees the future that can change the future depending on how she reacts to the information.  Claire has a dream she can not ignore and a person she needs to warn even though she has never met that person.

The story is very slow moving even when Claire finally meets the man in her dreams who can't decided if she is crazy.  While Claire comes off as a young girl naïve who fell in love with a FBI agent from her dreams. When in fact she should be more level headed young adult who is trying to prevent the end of the world.

While the two try and stop the world they have sex. Her first sexual experience because after all they have sex before the world ends.

A Shattering Glimpse fails to delivery what readers are giving in the synopsis of the story. The story lacks excitement, characters who connect and realism needed to have a convincing story.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy of Nicole Putter A Shattering Glimpse

Synopsis:

The dreams: For years, Claire Baxter has been haunted by ceaseless dreams of an FBI Agent.

The dilemma: She has no idea who he is or if he even exists.

The death: Right before she’s set to graduate from college, a dream reveals him dying in a brutal explosion.

One touch and not-so-normal Portland girl, Claire Baxter, can get a glimpse of your nearby future. She considers nothing about her clairvoyance a gift, it’s a curse, to say the least. Her parents raised her with the rule that she is to keep the secret at all cost, leaving little room for relationships of any kind. As if the burden isn’t enough, FBI agent Byron Black becomes the phantom of a series of sinister dreams.

The night before her final college exam, she has another dream, except in this one, he dies in a nuclear explosion. Does he exist? Will she find him? If so, can she save the countless lives affected by a blast that can crush steel like it’s a piece of paper, or… is this something her lost, psychic mind conjured up?

About The Author:

Welcome to Nicole Putter Books where fellow writers and readers become friends. I’m Nicole Putter, a novelist, proud wife, and mom of a seven-year-old and a Jack Russel named Striker. I started out writing stories on free websites (they were terrible), but I soon found my passion and focused more on a writing career. It took me several years and four creative writing and journalism courses (completed with honors) to become the writer I am today.

Book Review: Impact Zone by Julie Anne Lindsey

 

Title:  Impact Zone 

Author: Julie Anne Lindsey 

Stars: 5

Review:

Impact Zone is a second chance romance where the father realizes everything he gave up because he decided his job was more important. 

The story moves fast with as Allie is trying to keep her life moving forward selling her children's wear clothing in the mall.  When bombs start going off in the city Allie does everything she can to stay safe for her child and her Ex husband.

Max realizes everything he has been missing but didn't know how to fix it until life threw him and Allie back together.

The story is a quick read and readers of Julie Anne Lindsey will be able to put in their collection of her books.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy of Julie Anne Lindsey Impact Zone.

Synopsis:

Veteran TCD special agent Max McRay is the definition of unflappable. But when a serial bomber wreaks havoc in the town where his ex-wife, Allie, and infant son live, suddenly a high-profile case becomes personal. The bomber is ruthless…and now Max’s family is in his sights. Can the TCD stop this killer’s deadly rampage before Max and Allie pay with their lives?

Paperback, 256 pages

Expected publication: December 29th 2020 by Harlequin Intrigue

About The Author:

Julie Anne Lindsey is an award-winning and national bestselling author whose bookish heart was once torn between the love of her two favorite genres: toe-curling romance and chew-her-nails suspense. Now, she gets to write both, and she's loving every minute. She’s published more than thirty novels since her debut in 2013 and currently writes series as herself, as well as under multiple pen names, for Harlequin, Kensington, Sourcebooks and Crooked Lane Books. When she's not creating new worlds and fostering the epic love of fictional characters, Julie can be found carpooling her three kids around Northeastern Ohio and plotting with her shamelessly enabling friends. Julie is represented by Jill Marsal at the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency and is a member of the International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime and Romance Writers of America. She is the 2019 Director of PAN for RWA’s Kiss of Death chapter. Learn more about Julie at julieannelindsey.com

Book Review: Wildflower Graves (Detective Ellie Reeves #2) by Rita Herron

 

Title: Wildflower Graves (Detective Ellie Reeves #2) 

Author: Rita Herron

Stars: 5

Review: 

From first page to last this book will keep readers needing answers just as much as Ellie Reeves.  From the characters to the story this book will keep readers hooked wondering if they even know who the killer is even when reader see it though the killers eye.

The story uses a pome that is recited over and over though the story realizing that 7 women will die if the killer isn't stopped. 

Characters authors enjoyed from the last book will come back. Readers will learn more about their past as well as the heart ache Ellie deals with every day.  Readers are caught up so they won't have to start with book one unless they want to.  Believe me you will want to read book 1 because it is just as great of a story that will keep readers excited for the next in Rita Herron Detective Ellie Reeves series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Rita Herron Wildflowers Graves.

Synopsis:

Detective Ellie Reeves heads into the wilds of the Appalachian Mountains when she wants to get lost––to forget the whispers chasing her and the past that keeps her up at night. She’s sick of having to prove herself to her small town.

But hiking in the endless miles of woods isn’t the escape she was hoping for. One night, as dusk falls, a gust of wind blows some petals on to Ellie’s path. Following the trail, she finds a golden-haired young woman dead on a bed of daffodils, with a note: Monday’s child is fair of face.

When Ellie emerges from the forest, there is a message on her phone. Someone has sent her a picture of her colleague, Officer Shondra Eastwood, with the words: Can you find her, Detective Reeves? Ellie is racked with guilt––while she was busy hiding from life a killer was on the loose, and he has taken her beloved friend.

The wilderness, and its shadows, are the perfect hunting ground for a criminal––but what does the sinister nursery rhyme mean? It soon becomes clear when another dead woman, Tuesday’s Child, is found.

Ellie is up against a serial killer who will claim a victim for every day of the week, and in the next twenty-four hours there will be another body. As this ruthless murderer closes in on her, can she save more innocent women––and Shondra––from his clutches? Or will he get to Ellie first?

Kindle Edition, 439 pages

Expected publication: December 3rd 2020 by Bookouture

About The Author:

USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author Rita Herron fell in love with books at the ripe age of eight when she read her first Trixie Belden mystery. But she didn’t think real people grew up to be writers, so she became a teacher instead. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job.
With over ninety books to her credit, she’s penned romantic suspense, romantic comedy and YA novels, but she especially likes writing dark romantic suspense and crime fiction set in small southern towns.

Book Review: Breathe Your Last (Detective Josie Quinn #10) by Lisa Regan

 

Title: Breathe Your Last (Detective Josie Quinn #10) 

Author:  Lisa Regan 

Stars: 4

Review:

Book 10 in the Josie Quinn series the story starts off quickly bring readers into Lisa Regan world he has created full of mystery.  The characters have grown throughout the series developing as strong female character that is willing to do what it takes to find the killer.  

The story will have readers even shocked at a moment in the story that will stop them from reading forward.

Lisa Regan creates a cast of characters and a story that can be read as a stand alone or part of the series. 

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy of Lisa Regan Breathe Your Last.

Synopsis:

Josie presses her hands into the center of the drowned girl’s chest and pumps, counting off compressions. She takes in the girl’s beautiful face, her brown eyes glassy. The memory of a champion swimmer on the podium with her teammates—a red swim cap on, her head thrown back in laughter—a stark contrast to the cold, still body before her. Breathe. Just breathe...

The body of a young girl lying face down in a swimming pool—white tennis shoes still on her feet, chestnut hair fanned out like a halo—is the last thing Detective Josie Quinn expects to find on an early morning visit to see her brother before class at Denton University. But when she recognizes the girl’s face as she drags her limp body from the water, there’s only one question racing through Josie’s mind: how does a champion swimmer accidentally drown?

Nysa Somers’ family is distraught. She was a model student, beloved daughter and everybody’s friend. There’s no way she would do anything reckless enough to put her scholarship at risk, let alone her life. It’s up to Josie and her team to piece together what happened in the hours leading up to Nysa’s death, and that begins with finding her missing backpack.

But the bag, discarded in the woods on the nearby campus, contains nothing more than empty food wrappers, Nysa’s phone and a cryptic calendar entry telling her to be a mermaid.

The next day, a terrible housefire envelops the nearby home of a retired fireman, nearly killing his two granddaughters. The last words the little girls heard him mutter before he set the blaze were, be a match.

As the body count rises, it’s only Josie who can see the deadly pattern forming. Can she convince her team that the wrapper found in Nysa’s bag that everyone overlooked is the crucial link they’re missing? Not while her partner, Noah, is avoiding her calls and acting so coldly towards her. Josie knows she must go it alone if she’s going to stop this silent and calculated serial killer before any more precious lives are taken.

But with the killer finally in her sights, Josie takes a deadly risk and finds herself hanging onto life by her fingernails. Can she trust her team to save her, and before it’s too late?

Kindle Edition, 350 pages

Expected publication: December 9th 2020 by Bookouture

About The Author:

Lisa Regan is the USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series as well as several other crime fiction titles. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She is a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America, Crime Writers’ Association, and International Thriller Writers. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband, daughter and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip.

Book Review: Don't Look (Pike, Wisconsin #1) by Alexandra Ivy

 Title: Don't Look (Pike, Wisconsin #1) 

Author: Alexandra Ivy 

Stars: 5

Review:

I will start off I really like Alexandra Ivy romantic suspense stories. This story will not disappoint even though at times readers will want to strangle certain characters that is what creates a good story telling. 

The story is fast moving and readers will have to keep up with who is whom and who is dying and what is the connections.

This is book one of a new series with lots of questions and a few moments of come on really! Don't look is a great start to a new series.  There are a lot of characters readers are introduced which I am sure will have bigger parts in the stories to comes.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the advance copy of Alexandra Ivy Don't Look 

Synopsis:

IF YOU'RE ON HIS LIST
A woman's naked body is discovered, cold and pale as the surrounding snow--except for the crimson scarf around her neck. The weeks that follow bring more victims and evidence of a terrifying pattern. The killer has a list. And every woman on it will get what she deserves . . .

YOU'RE AS GOOD
Dr. Lynne Gale followed in her father's footsteps to become a vet in Pike, Wisconsin. For years, she's had little contact with Kir Jansen, son of the town's late sheriff. Suddenly he's back, insisting that Lynne's in danger. She can't believe anyone would target her, but someone is hunting the women of Pike, savoring every last moment.

AS DEAD
Kir hoped that his father's frantic calls about a serial killer were just an old man's delusions. But the body count doesn't lie. In this quiet town, a monster stalks and kills. And soon, Lynne's will be the last name on his list .

Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages

Expected publication: December 1st 2020 by Zebra Books

About The Author:

I'm not exactly sure when I fell in love with books. Probably on my mother's knee listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me. I do remember that I was barely old enough to cross the street by myself when I discovered the delights of the local library. Could anything be more wonderful than spending summer days surrounded by stacks of Nancy Drew mysteries? Over the years I fell in love with Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few. I read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays. In fact, I read anything I could get my hands on.

Years later (no, I'm not admitting how many) I'm still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy. For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!

I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.

Book Review: Dark Highway (Jessica Shaw #3) by Lisa Gray

 

Title: Dark Highway (Jessica Shaw #3) 

Author: Lisa Gray

Stars: 4 stars

Review:

Dark Highway would have gotten 5 stars but the authors style of writing or choice of writing from so many different points of view will have readers trying to remember what happened or read the same scene over again with a "Different point of view." Really its the same story and nothing much was added to the story.  The flash backs sometimes helped move the story forward but most of the time just stalled out the movement of the story.

Readers will enjoy the lead characters and be able to enjoy the read. 

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of Lisa Gray Dark Highway.

Synopsis:

LA-based artist Laurie Simmonds disappeared two months ago, her campervan abandoned on the isolated Twentynine Palms Highway, miles from anything—or anyone. With the police investigation stalled, her parents put all their faith in private investigator Jessica Shaw to find out the truth of what happened.

Jessica and her partner Matt Connor discover that two other women are missing, their disappearances connected to the same highway. When a link emerges between these women and a group of former college friends, Jessica feels certain they’re closing in on their target.

But no sooner do they follow this up than Laurie’s parents get spooked and drop the case. Jessica is blindsided but determined not to give up: three women are missing, and many more may be at risk. She can’t turn her back on them. But the more she pulls at the threads of the truth, the closer she comes to danger. Can she find out who’s behind these crimes before they come for her?

Kindle Edition, 318 pages

Published November 19th 2020 by Thomas & Mercer

About The Author:

Lisa Gray is a writer and journalist, and the author of the PI Jessica Shaw thriller series.

She decided at a young age that she wanted to write features for magazines and somehow ended up working as a football journalist for 14 years instead.

After too many winters spent freezing at matches and worrying about dodgy wi-fi connections, Lisa gave up football to work as a content writer at a national newspaper, where she had a spell as their books columnist.

An avid reader, she was hooked on Sweet Valley High and Point Horror books as a youngster, before turning to crime. Her favorite authors include Michael Connelly, Lee Child and Karin Slaughter.

Book Review: The Awakening (The Dragon Heart Legacy #1) by Nora Roberts

 

Title: The Awakening (The Dragon Heart Legacy #1) 

Author: Nora Roberts 

Stars: 4

Review:

Nora Roberts is able to bring readers into her new world of supernatural discovery. Breen is the female lead which the story revolves around and her new found discovery.  Readers struggle along with her in her journey that she isn't sure is real at times.

Keegan the male lead is a little hard to like due to his strong desire to protect everyone pushing the unknown Breen away.  

There are many different side characters that will bring readers into this amazing story and world demanding the next book in the series from this author.

If readers have never been interested in the supernatural/Paranormal this series will change their minds.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Nora Roberts The Awakening.

Synopsis:

When Breen Kelly was a girl, her father would tell her stories of magical places. Now she’s an anxious twentysomething mired in student debt and working a job she hates. But one day she stumbles upon a shocking discovery: her mother has been hiding an investment account in her name. It has been funded by her long-lost father—and it’s worth nearly four million dollars.

This newfound fortune would be life-changing for anyone. But little does Breen know that when she uses some of the money to journey to Ireland, it will unlock mysteries she couldn’t have imagined. Here, she will begin to understand why she kept seeing that silver-haired, elusive man, why she imagined his voice in her head saying Come home, Breen Siobhan. It’s time you came home. Why she dreamed of dragons. And where her true destiny lies—through a portal in Galway that takes her to a land of faeries and mermaids, to a man named Keegan, and to the courage in her own heart that will guide her through a powerful, dangerous destiny

Hardcover, 448 pages

Expected publication: November 24th 2020 by St. Martin's Press

About The Author:

Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown and coming in November 2020 -- The Awakening -- the first book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print. 

Book Review: Custom Built (Fast & Fury #1) by Chantal Fernando

 Title: Custom Built (Fast & Fury #1) 

Author: Chantal Fernando

Stars: 1 1\2  stars

Review:

The beginning of the book starts of well and soon falls apart into a mess. The story is completely a disconnected with the loss of individual characters are we suppose to care about but are never given a chance to.  Towards the end of the book it skips time by months and years which gives a lack of cohesion to to complete the story.  Bronte is an odd duck that readers could enjoy if the author had a better editor.  The characters are flat and boning at best.  Yet the characters are a in a biker gang which you would think would have a element of action or even suspense.

This story made absolutely no since with its lack of direct, flat characters, zero drive as to why or the reason why the characters are on the pages.  The writing could use another once over with an editor to fix mistakes that cause the story to slow down or well at times make zero since.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher of the advance copy of Chantal Fernando Custom Built.

Synopsis:

After losing her job, saying goodbye to a lifelong dream and having an all-around cruddy year, Bronte Pierce needs a break. A job at Fast & Fury might be just the thing to reset her life, even though she knows nothing about custom motorcycles. But taking a job isn’t the same as keeping it, and her fresh start quickly turns into a fresh nightmare.

Starting with her boss. Crow is hardheaded, stubborn and brutally honest. He may be easy on the eyes, but he runs with an MC and he’s anything but friendly to Bronte. She suspects he has a softer side—just not for her.

Her whole life, Bronte has known that the only person she can truly count on to save the day is herself. But when a single murder turns into a conspiracy and the threat to her life is more than she can handle alone, it’s Crow who comes through—and her newfound family might just become her greatest strength.

ebook

Published November 23rd 2020 by Carina Press

About The Author:

New York Times, Amazon & USA Today Bestselling Author Chantal Fernando is thirty years old and lives in Western Australia.

Lover of all things romance, Chantal is the author of the best selling books Dragon's Lair, Maybe This Time and many more.

When not reading, writing or daydreaming she can be found enjoying life with her three sons and family.

Book Review: Wolf Untamed (SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team #11) by Paige Tyler

 

Title: Wolf Untamed (SWAT: Special Wolf Alpha Team #11) 

Author: Paige Tyler

Stars: 4

Review:  

I have to admit that I like Paige Tyler's take on Werewolves.  She is able to bring a believable side to the supernatural world. The author explains the difference between the wolf packs and bring readers up to date in the world some are just starting to read and other will love the story that continues. 

The mothers reactions and love for her son is naturally written.  

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Paige Tyler Wolf Untamed.

Synopsis: 

SWAT werewolf Diego Martinez has always had a protective side, so when he meets a newly turned teenage werewolf, and the kid's intriguing mother, he readily offers to help Brandon learn what it means to be a werewolf. He also readily falls for for Brandon's mother, Bree, and the attraction is mutual.

But as SWAT's biggest case starts to converge with Bree's family, Diego and Bree find themselves in danger they could never have imagined. It'll take everything they've got to discover the truth and keep each other safe.

Paperback, 320 pages

Expected publication: November 24th 2020 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

Book Review: A Broken Bone (Widow's Island #6) by Melinda Leigh

 

Title: A Broken Bone (Widow's Island #6) 

Author: Melinda Leigh 

Stars: 4 1\2

Review:

Melinda Leigh is a talented author with a gift of story telling in this short novella series. Each story builds on the next so if you missed one in the series you will be completely lost.  

The story is quick pace and a whirlwind story that readers will be able to enjoy in a afternoon. 

The characters will come to life and readers will fall in love with each one.  Even the island plays a character in the books.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy of Melinda Leigh A Broken Bone.

Synopsis:

On Widow’s Island, the secrets are dark…and everybody has one. So when Deputy Tessa Black responds to a call about an explosion in a quiet neighborhood, she gets more than she bargained for: the body of a teen who went missing weeks ago.

Until recently, Gavin was living in a reputable foster home. But now that he is found dead—Tessa can’t help but wonder if sinister forces are at play. Who would want to hurt him, and why?

With the help of her partner, Park Ranger Logan Wilde, Tessa tries desperately to decipher what happened to Gavin before another life is cut short. Someone on Widow’s Island knows the explosive truth. Will Tessa find the answers she needs before someone else turns up dead?

Kindle Edition, 90 pages

Published November 3rd 2020 by Montlake

About The Author: 

 Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker who learned that writing books is way more fun than analyzing financial statements.

Book Review: The Mutant Project: Inside the Global Race to Genetically Modify Humans by Eben Kirksey

 

Title:  The Mutant Project: Inside the Global Race to Genetically Modify Humans

Author: Eben Kirksey 

Stars: 5

Review:

The Mutant Project bring readers into the real work of genetic research and the questions that need to be asked before we try and even more detail gene editing in the world. What would a perfect human be? Well it before everyone who only the wealthy nations to choose who is deserving of the research and science. 

As a teen many of have read the book Brave New World and if that book taught us anything at all is that no matter the "protection of information" it will never be as peaceful or perfect as people will hope for.

The author looks at all sides of the debate the pros and cons as well as the many different political, financial, religious aspects of  gene editing. 

The author is able to bring readers to find their own decision though the research that has been done.

This book is for science nerds to stay at home moms because some day this will effect everyone.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Eben Kirksey The Mutant Project 

Synopsis:

At a conference in Hong Kong in November 2018, Dr. He Jiankui announced that he had created the first genetically modified babies—twin girls named Lulu and Nana—sending shockwaves around the world. A year later, a Chinese court sentenced Dr. He to three years in prison for "illegal medical practice."

As scientists elsewhere start to catch up with China’s vast genetic research program, gene editing is fueling an innovation economy that threatens to widen racial and economic inequality. Fundamental questions about science, health, and social justice are at stake: Who gets access to gene editing technologies? As countries loosen regulations around the globe, from the U.S. to Indonesia, can we shape research agendas to promote an ethical and fair society?

Eben Kirksey takes us on a groundbreaking journey to meet the key scientists, lobbyists, and entrepreneurs who are bringing cutting-edge genetic engineering tools like CRISPR to your local clinic. He also ventures beyond the scientific echo chamber, talking to disabled scholars, doctors, hackers, chronically-ill patients, and activists who have alternative visions of a genetically modified future for humanity.

The Mutant Project empowers us to ask the right questions, uncover the truth, and navigate this brave new world. 

ebook, 288 pages

Expected publication: November 10th 2020 by St. Martin's Press

About The Author:

EBEN KIRKSEY is an American anthropologist and Member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. He has been published in Wired, The Atlantic, The Guardian and The Sunday Times. He is sought out as an expert on science in society by the Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Democracy Now, Time and the BBC, among other media outlets. He speaks widely at the world’s leading academic institutions including Oxford, Yale, Columbia, UCLA, and the International Summit of Human Genome Editing, plus music festivals, art exhibits, and community events. Professor Kirksey holds a long-term position at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. 

Book Review: Murder in Old Bombay by Nev March

 Title: Murder in Old Bombay

Author: Nev March 

Stars: 4.5

Review:

I always enjoy reading books, historical or otherwise, that are located in an area I have visited. This book is no exception as it takes me back to a beautiful area during the day of the British empire. The death of two wealthy young Indian ladies fails to be resolved by the British authorities and justice is not seen to be done. A recently retired Indian Captain, of the British Army, is hired by the husband of one of the ladies to investigate for a period of 6 months. As he begins to investigate a series of events unfolds which puts him on the right track to find the killer(s). The story is masterfully told and the descriptions, of both the locations and people, are vivid and believable. It makes you feel you, the reader, are there on the hunt for justice. The ending is both happy and sad at the same time. I will leave it to you to decide which is the one you feel.

I have rated this book 4.5 stars and recommend it to anyone who enjoys both mysteries and romance stories.

I was provided an electronic Advance Readers Copy (ARC) by Netgalley for my unbiased review. The above review is my honest review and is not influenced in any way.

Synopsis:

In 1892, Bombay is the center of British India. Nearby, Captain Jim Agnihotri lies in Poona military hospital recovering from a skirmish on the wild northern frontier, with little to do but re-read the tales of his idol, Sherlock Holmes, and browse the daily papers. The case that catches Captain Jim's attention is being called the crime of the century: Two women fell from the busy university’s clock tower in broad daylight. Moved by Adi, the widower of one of the victims — his certainty that his wife and sister did not commit suicide — Captain Jim approaches the Parsee family and is hired to investigate what happened that terrible afternoon.

But in a land of divided loyalties, asking questions is dangerous. Captain Jim's investigation disturbs the shadows that seem to follow the Framji family and triggers an ominous chain of events. And when lively Lady Diana Framji joins the hunt for her sisters’ attackers, Captain Jim’s heart isn’t safe, either.

Based on a true story, and set against the vibrant backdrop of colonial India, Nev March's Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award-winning lyrical debut, Murder in Old Bombay, brings this tumultuous historical age to life.

Hardcover, 400 pages

Expected publication: November 10th 2020 by Minotaur Books

About The Author:

Leaving a long career in business analysis in 2015 she returned to her passion, writing fiction. She is a member of MWA, the Hunterdon County Library Write-Group and volunteers with non-profit organizations.

A Parsee Zoroastrian herself, Nev lives with her husband and two sons in New Jersey. Murder in Old Bombay is her debut novel.

Book Review: They're Gone by E.A. Barres

 

Title: They're Gone

Author:  E.A. Barres 

Stars: 3 1\2

Review:

They're Gone starts off quickly pulling readers in with lots of different characters with different backgrounds that will make for a interesting read until a little over halfway through the story things change.  Leaving readers wondering if they are reading the same book? The twist wasn't WOW its was more head scratching and what the purpose of the twist.

The more "Twist" the more the story puzzle pieces didn't fit together. Somewhere so left field leaving this review and reader confused as to why. If the author was looking for reaction from readers the one "BIG" reveal or twist didn't work and will leave readers wondering this books was written in parts and pulled apart and put back together.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy of E.A. Barres They're Gone

Synopsis:

Two men from vastly different backgrounds are murdered one after another on the same night, in the same fashion with two bullet wounds: one in the head, another in the heart. The two slayings sends their wives on a desperate search for answers--and a desperate attempt to save their families' lives.

Grief takes a heavy toll on northern Virginia freelance editor Deb Linh Thomas when she learns of her husband's murder. And utter dismay sets in when, just a week after the funeral, she discovers that he had been the subject of an FBI investigation after withdrawing a large sum of money from their shared accounts.

Elsewhere, Baltimore bartender Cessy Castillo is less bereft when her abusive husband, ex-cop Hector Ramirez, is killed. But it turns out that he was deep in hock--and now Cessy's expected to pay up.

Deb and the FBI agent assigned to her case start digging into her husband's murder and learn that he had been the target of criminals. As Deb and Cessy join forces to learn the truth, their investigation reveals an ever-darker web of clues, but if they're not careful, they may just end up like their husbands. 

About The Author:

E.A. Barres' most recent thriller, The Unrepentant, was published in 2019 by Down and Out Books (written under E.A. Aymar). His other thrillers include the anthologies The Swamp Killers (March 2020) and The Night of the Flood (March 2018); in both anthologies, he served as co-editor and contributor. His column, "Decisions and Revisions," appears monthly in the Washington Independent Review of Books, and he is also the Managing Editor of The Thrill Begins, ITW's online resource for aspiring and debut thriller writers; he also serves on the Board of ITW as the Vice President of Author Programs. In addition to ITW, he is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Crime Writers of Color, and SinC. Barres also runs the Noir at the Bar series for Washington, D.C. He was born in Panama and now lives and writes in the D.C./MD/VA triangle.