Category: book review

Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder by Steve S. Saroff

Publisher: Flooding Island

Date of publication: February 2nd, 2022

Genre: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Suspense, Mystery Thriller

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

While breaking into a financial network, a hacker falls for a dangerous artist.

Based on the buried events of one of the largest criminal frauds in history, Paper Targets digs into the motivations of criminals on the fringe. Critics and reviewers are calling it “Wonderfully written,” “A novel to read now,” and “A literary thriller with a soul.”

Set in Montana, Paper Targets simmers with greed and love before boiling over along the red-flagged path between lost and found.

First Line:

My first secret was that I could not read. And yet my earliest joy was listening to the murmuring of my mother as she read to me.

Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder by Steve S. Saroff

Enzi has struggled his entire life with dyslexia. Going through school without getting the help he needed, Enzi couldn’t read or understand numbers until he taught himself as an older teenager. By his mid 20’s, Enzi had gotten his life together and was running a successful company with a fellow coder. He also has gotten caught up in a scheme to fleece an international financial company. But that all changed when he met Kaori, the night she got arrested for assault after attacking her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. That starts a tumultuous relationship, ending with one in jail for murder and the other on the run. What happened?

When I agreed to read and review Paper Targets, I did it because of the need for more information in the blurb. A lack of information would have me skipping over the book. But in this case, it caught my attention and made me want to read it. I am glad I read this book because it was good.

Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder started slow. The author did that to show Enzi’s upbringing, his struggles with dyslexia, and his life before Kaori came into it. After Kaori was introduced, the storyline sped up to medium-fast pacing.

The main storyline of Paper Targets is centered around Enzi, Kaori, their relationship, and Enzi’s illegal hacking job for Tsai. This storyline was well-written, with well-fleshed-out characters. The author explained Enzi’s legal coding (and illegal hacking) job in a way I understood (I am not code-savvy).

Surprisingly, Enzi was a likable character. I thought he was sweet and he had a conscience. The whole hacking secondary storyline showed that-well, towards the end, it showed that. Also, this man had horrible taste in women. At the beginning of the book, he stays in a relationship where she mocks him for his stutter and job (a janitor), and then there is the relationship with Kaori. I do like that his character did grow during this book, and not only did he do the right thing, but he didn’t take credit for it.

I don’t know how to describe how I felt about Kaori. At a point in the book, I wondered if everything she did was in her head. She was also crazy talented. I liked how the author showcased her art as a confession once she and Enzi returned to Montana.

The storyline about the hacking and Tsai was interesting. I liked seeing how Enzi evolved from being involved with the whole thing to not wanting anything to do with it and, ultimately, helping the police. The author created a storyline that kept me guessing and kept my blood pressure up.

The end of Paper Targets was interesting. I liked how the author ended all of the storylines. Except for Enzi’s, they all ended in a way that satisfied me. But Enzi’s storyline, I wish that it could have ended a little better. I wish that he could have had a happier ending. But, in a way, I guess he was happy.

I recommend Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder to anyone over 21. There is language, sexual situations, and violence.

Many thanks to Flooding Island Press and Steve S. Saroff for allowing me to read and review Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Paper Targets: Art Can Be Murder, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Steve S. Saroff

Under Central Park: The Amulet’s Secret by Diana Wurfbain Spinola

Publisher:

Date of publication: January 10th, 2022

Genre: Middle Grade, Paranormal, Supernatural, Mystery

Purchase Links: Kindle | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

A shy orphan with peculiar eyes in search of his father. A mysterious vanishing. An ancient manuscript filled with strange potions. An underground brotherhood keeping the world safe from a looming horror. A world deep below Central Park where all the answers will be found, and the darkest secret will be revealed.

Join 12-year-old Matt Church as he plunges into a world of dark mysteries where he will face his worst nightmares and discover the truth. Self-belief, friendship, and the unbreakable bond of blood ties are at the heart of this enchanting and gripping saga. Under Central Park, The Amulet’s Secret is the first book of a trilogy. The e-book includes over 30 full-color illustrations.

First Line:

Araotz Zarimutz, his heart pounding furiously, stopped for a few seconds to catch his breath.

Under Central Park: The Amulet’s Secret by Diana Wurfbain Spinola

A shy orphan with a stutter and peculiar eyes, Matt Church is surprised when a renowned professor adopts him. Matt is thrust into a world where his every need is met, and he is not allowed to go outside. Sneaking out at night, Matt meets a young girl, Casseopia, who shares his interest in star gazing. But Matt’s life is soon upended again when his adoptive father disappears. With the threat of being returned to the orphanage looming over him, he tells Casseopia what is happening. Intrigued, Casseopia sneaks Matt into her school. After that, Matt is thrust into a world of secret societies training the next generation to defend the world against evil, a world that he couldn’t have even begun to imagine exists, and both found and biological family. Will the answers to Matt’s questions be answered? Or will more questions be raised?

I have read quite a bit of middle-grade books lately. My youngest child is nine, and I always look for books that interest her. So, when the author emailed me and asked if I wanted to read/review this book, I said yes. I wanted to know if this would be a book she would like, and the blurb also grabbed my attention. I am glad I did say yes to the book because this book was an excellent read. Unfortunately, this book isn’t on my daughter’s radar right now because she’s more into horse books (she is learning how to show jump hunter-style and do dressage and is reading books similar to that), but I will keep it on a short list of books that she can read.

The pacing of Under Central Park: The Amulet’s Secret flowed between medium to fast-paced. It was a good flow for the book. There was a little lag towards the middle of the book (when Matt was with his biological family), but that didn’t affect my enjoyment of reading or the book’s flow. The author was quickly able to get the book back on track.

Obviously, Under Central Park: The Amulet’s Secret is in New York City, mainly in Central Park. I loved that the author took such a prominent area and breathed new life into it. I liked that while nothing changed with the park, the author could add some things, like a secret elevator entrance in a fountain or a private school with a central entrance under a bridge.

The main storyline follows Matt Church, his search for his adoptive father, and his adventures throughout the book. The storyline was easy to follow, and it was a little one-dimensional. For a child, it would be perfect to read. For an adult, it was an OK read. I enjoyed reading about Matt’s adventures and thought that the author did a great job with his backstory (it was sad).

The school storyline was interesting. I got some Harry Potter vibes from it, but that was it, just vibes. I found that storyline fascinating because everything revolved around mushrooms and other fungus. I found the animal bonding storyline fascinating too. Now, that might be a little scary for younger readers (the kids get swarmed by bats, foxes, bees, or snakes to find what they are tuned to). But as an adult, I enjoyed it!!

The storyline that involved Matt’s background was heartbreaking. The author revealed why Matt’s father abandoned him when Matt met his biological family. That whole conversation broke my heart because Matt’s biological father seemed like a great guy, and he truly loved his son. Of course, there is a twist on what happened to him. As for Matt’s adoptive father, I wasn’t surprised that the author chose to go the way she did with that storyline. But I was surprised by what Matt learned about his adoptive father, and what he told the monks at the end of the book will come into play in book 2.

The fantasy angle of Under Central Park was wonderfully written. I loved that the author had a secondary world connected to this one by an elevator. And this secondary world was amazing. I couldn’t get enough from the different races to the social structures. Even the bad guys, who were at the top of the social hierarchy, were written well.

A bonus to Under Central Park was that the author included illustrations of some primary (and central secondary) characters. It was nice to put a face to who I was reading about. I will warn you that the bad guys are a snake/octopus/alien hybrid that creeped me out.

I loved seeing Matt’s character grow throughout the book. Initially, he was a bullied, introverted, timid child with a stutter. But, as the book went on, he started to come out of his shell. While still there, his stutter wasn’t as prominent as it was at the beginning of the book. By the end of the book, that shy child was replaced by a child who had grown in confidence.

The end of Under Central Park was interesting. The author did not wrap up any of the storylines. Instead, she left them open. Not only that, she added more questions to the main storyline. Seeing that this is a trilogy, I expect that any questions I had during this book will be answered in book 2 or book 3.

I recommend Under Central Park: The Amulet’s Secret to anyone over 10. There are no language or sexual situations, and there is mild violence.

Many thanks to D.W. Spinola for allowing me to read and review Under Central Park: The Amulet’s Secret. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by D.W. Spinola:

The Master of Demise by Nadija Mujagic

Publisher: Pioneer Publishing

Date of publication: June 15th, 2023

Genre: Mystery

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mitch Wegner had it all: a prestigious career as a professor, a loving wife, and a reputation as a brilliant academic. But when a student takes his own life and Mitch is blamed, his life quickly spirals out of control. As his marriage falls apart and his job is put on the line, Mitch finds himself descending into a dark and dangerous world.

Haunted by his past and fueled by his own narcissism, Mitch makes a series of increasingly desperate choices that lead him down a path of violence and betrayal. When another person on campus mysteriously dies, Mitch becomes the prime suspect, but the truth behind the killings is far more twisted than anyone could have imagined.

In this gripping psychological thriller, author Nadija Mujagic takes readers on a heart-pounding journey through the mind of a man consumed by his own ego and the dark secrets that he thought he had buried. With twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end, The Master of Demise is a chilling tale of obsession, revenge, and the terrifying consequences of our actions.

First Line:

Nothing give me a natural high like burning stuff, but killing comes close. This one was quick and painless.

The Master of Demise Nadija Mujagic

Mitch has a happy marriage, a beautiful wife, and a successful career. But, when a much-liked student committed suicide and mentions Mitch and his class as the straw that broke the camel’s back in his diary/suicide note. As his marriage crumbles and his mental health deteriorates, Mitch starts making choices that take him down a dark and dangerous path. This path is shrouded in lies, betrayal, and death. When another student dies, Mitch is the prime suspect. But did Mitch kill those students? Or is he being set up?

When I read the blurb for The Master of Demise, I knew I needed to read this book. I was curious about the plotline outlined. Plus, I like reading psychological thrillers. But I wasn’t expecting what I read, and I mean that in a good way. This book was a fantastic read from beginning to end.

The Master of Demise is a fast-paced book that takes place entirely in Vermont. The pacing of this book suited the storyline, mainly because everything takes place within a couple of months of the book’s beginning. The book had zero lag; the author kept this book moving. I enjoyed it and felt that if the book had slowed down for a minute, it would have been ruined.

There were two main storylines in The Master of Demise. The first storyline is the one following Mitch and his downward spiral. This storyline was exciting because of how disjointed Mitch got as the book continued. The more things started to happen to him, the more disjointed the storyline got, and I loved it!! The other storyline started early in the book, and I didn’t understand why it was there for a while. Once I realized it was the real killer’s backstory, I started paying more attention. I didn’t understand why the author wrote this until Mitch’s big “Aha” moment towards the end of the book.

Mitch was not a likable character. From the beginning of the book, he just came across as one of those guys whose ego preceded them into the room. So, when he was named as the reason why that kid unalived himself, he couldn’t handle it. It started his descent into paranoia and madness. I liked that the author started with little things with Mitch and worked her way up to bigger things. By the end of the book, Mitch is a beaten man willing to accept his fate. I was a little put off by that. I figured it would be better to keep him alive, but I understood why the mystery man did what he did.

The other main character of this book is the mystery man. All I have to say is that my heart hurt for that poor child. He was dealing with so much at home, and having even more piled on him at school was awful. The author didn’t hold back regarding the bullying scenes; I will admit they made me tear up. I also understood why the mystery man did what he did (and he did explain it at the end of the book).

Several secondary storylines fed into the main storylines. They added additional depth and background to Mitch’s storyline. The one with Emily did confuse me. I couldn’t tell if she was just an ice-cold person or if he had been abusing her, and the ice-cold persona was something she used to protect herself. I will say that I didn’t see what happened to Emily coming or the revelation that came from it. But it did show how much people disliked Mitch. Even Mitch’s in-laws, who professed to like him, turned around and told him to pound sand at the end of that storyline. The storyline with Sarah was similar. I saw it for what it was at the beginning (she let some hints drop). But, again, I didn’t even begin to imagine what happened to her would happen (if that makes sense).

The thriller angle of The Master of Demise was on point. Several scenes took me aback in the book. It also tied in beautifully with the mystery angle.

Like the thriller angle, the mystery angle was amazingly written. There were twists and turns within this angle that I didn’t see coming. The author combined the mystery and thriller angle at the end of the book to make for what I thought was an explosive ending.

The end of The Master of Demise wasn’t what I thought it would be. I thought the book was going one way; instead, it went the opposite. It shocked me, as did the confession chapter at the end.

I would recommend The Master of Demise to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to Nadija Mujagic for allowing me to read and review The Master of Demise. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of The Master of Demise, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Nadija Mujagic

One * Life: Ameno by Blaze Dendukuri

Publisher:

Date of Publication: March 27th, 2022

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Psychological Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

A power to be able control space itself .
That is what Artorius possessed . He possessed a power akin to that of a God. But he didn’t feel like one….
Waking up, seeing himself drowning in the ocean of emptiness, Artorius saw the world that he had to confront. The governments that he had to face. Unable to die, unable to live, seeing himself devolve into obscurity, aeons went by.
Seeking the world, becoming the villain in the face of it, he is going to topple it. In the face of such an existence, how are the world leaders going to react? How is the universe going to react….

One•Life is a story that goes through the life of a lone existence that was chosen by the universe. A gripping tale of geopolitical intrigue and cosmic wonder, Artorius takes his initial stride, ready to confront the notorious terror organization, ISII, and a world teetering on the edge. Containing psychological thriller elements as well as escalating action, One•Life displays the tumultuous life that one man can lead.

First Line:

WHAT IS THE COST OF LIFE? LIFE ITSELF.

One * Life: Ameno by Blaze Dendukuri

Artorius lives in the jungles of India, a solitary and lonely existence. One day, Artorius is called to leave the jungle. Once he does, it sets off a chain of events that will kill millions. Who is Artorius, and what does he want?

When I initially decided to read and review One * Life, I was intrigued by the storyline. A geopolitical, psychological thriller was right up my alley. But then I read it, and the storyline left me confused and unfulfilled.

I will do a quick review, different from the average in-depth review I usually do. As I said above, I was confused during Artorius’s parts of the book. The author gave no background about him other than that he was part of the void and had a daughter named Thalia, who died. As for his motives, they were just as murky. I couldn’t tell if he wanted to help people or if he wanted people to die.

As for feeling unfulfilled, that is mainly aimed at the end of the book. I wanted more from this storyline. There were sparks of something good when the author wrote about the world leaders and the blogger, but it was lost under everything else.

I would recommend One * Life to anyone over 21. There is extreme and graphic violence and language, but no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Blaze Dendukurri for allowing me to read and review One*Life. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by Blaze Dendukurri:

The Voinico’s Slayer (The Vanator Vampire Hunter’s: Book 2) by Sallie Cochren

Publisher: Sallie Cochren

Date of publication: February 10th, 2023

Genre: Supernatural, Vampires, Paranormal

Series: The Vanator Vampire Hunters Series

The Voinico’s Daughter—Book 1 (review here)

The Voinico’s Slayer—Book 2

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Now that Nicoleta knows her destiny is hunting vampires, she’s encountering them in places where she never expected to find them. However, that may be the least of her concerns. When she and her best friend, Tatiana, return to Romania to attend college, they soon learn that the unimaginable has happened. A voinico has been turned! Desperate to save the person she loves, will Nicoleta ever find a way to cure them, or will her true calling as a vampire slayer be put to the ultimate test?

This is book 2 in The Vânător Vampire Hunters series.

First Line

“Professor Cojori,” the girl said. “I was told that this would be a good time to see you.”

The Voinico’s Slayer by Sallie Cochren

Nicoleta (Nikki) and her best friend are wrapping up their summer. They plan to attend an international college in Romania together and spend the remainder of their summer with their family and traveling. Meanwhile, in Romania, the unthinkable has happened. A voinico has been kidnapped by Antansia and Varujan with the intent of trying and turning them into a vampire. And it works, much to Antansia’s delight and surprise. When Nikki arrives in Romania to start college, she is stunned to learn who that voinico is. Everything comes to a head in a bitter battle that pits friends and family against the former voinico, now a varcolac.

When the author approached me and asked if I wanted to read/review The Voinico’s Slayer, I immediately said yes. Having read The Voinico’s Daughter, I wondered what happened to Nikki once she returned to Arizona. So, yes, I was thrilled to read this book!

The Voinico’s Slayer is the second book in the Vanator Vampire Hunter series. You cannot read this book as a stand-alone. If you want to, go ahead, but I warn you that you must read book one first. It explains everything (the terminology, Nikki’s background, her parents’ background, and the vampire lore).

As with The Voinico’s Daughter, The Voinico’s Slayer takes place almost entirely in Romania. Romania is a country that I have heard very little about (other than the Dracula myth). Unlike the first book, the author didn’t spend much time on Nikki’s time in Romania (college and every day). I didn’t mind, mainly because I first read book one and knew what to expect.

I was so happy when I saw that the author had included a glossary at the end of the book. To help you with some of the terms, I am going to but brief descriptions of some of the words here:

  1. Voinico—A person who has survived being bitten by a vampire. Going three days without feeding, the person develops special abilities after being bitten. They also cannot be turned into a vampire (or so the legend says).
  2. Vanator—The child of a voinico. A vanator inherits strength and special abilities from their parent(s), which helps them fight and kill vampires. Vampires cannot turn them into vampires.
  3. Paznic—A vampire’s servant.
  4. Mijloc—A young vampire in the first stage of transitioning from human to vampire. They still have some of their humanity, and victims can sometimes use that to plead with them.
  5. Varcolac—A fully turned vampire. They have no conscience and do whatever they please. You cannot reason with a varcolac.

All the words for the vampire hunters and the vampires are Romanian.

There are two storylines in The Voinico’s Slayer. The first one centers around Nikki, Tatiana, her move to Romania for college, and her absolute rage regarding vampires. It was interesting to see Nikki going rogue as she did in Hawaii and Romania. The second storyline centers around Daciana, Antansia, Varujan, and Daciana’s kidnapping and turning. Both storylines were well written. The author did a lot of switching between the storylines within each chapter. But, she would make it very clear what storyline it was.

I liked Nikki, but I didn’t like her aggression at the beginning of the book. I understood and sympathized with her but felt she took unnecessary risks. I also felt she wasn’t ready to hunt for Daciana when she found out. She wasn’t trained enough, and it showed. My other beef with her is that she only told Tatiana about her nightmares. She didn’t tell her father or the other villagers because she listened to her friend. It frustrated me, but at the same time, I liked it because she was still a kid. A kid with some incredible abilities but still a kid.

I felt awful for Daciana. She endured so much while being held prisoner by Antansia and Varujan. Being forced to be turned into a vampire went against everything that she believed in. I liked that she held onto her humanity longer than the other vampires. There was one point in the book where I thought she might overcome it, and I was internally cheering her on. Also, during those same scenes, I thought she might finally eliminate the dynamic duo (Antansia and Varujan). That hope made the book’s last chapter entirely sad to read.

Antansia and Varujan need to go. If I didn’t like them at the beginning of the book, I loathed them at the end. It was funny that Varujan ended up being such a beta. For an older vampire, I did think he would have had more power than Antansia, but he didn’t. I wonder if his past as a murderer had something to do with it.

I wished a couple of characters had more time in the book. They are Revka (but she did get some time towards the end), Dr. Cojori (he knew a lot of vampire lore and legends), and the unnamed vampire that popped in now and then throughout the book. Along with their storyline (the cure storyline caught my attention), I hope they are featured more prominently in book 3.

The end of The Voinico’s Slayer broke my heart. While I figured what happened would happen, I wasn’t ready for how emotional I got reading it. I was also very intrigued by what was going on with Antansia and Varujan, and the unnamed vampire at the end of the book.

I recommend The Voinico’s Slayer to anyone over 16. There is violence and mild language, but no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Sallie Cochren for allowing me to read and review The Voinico’s Slayer. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by Sallie Cochren:

Playing with Fire (A Carrie and Keith Mystery: Book 3) by Flora McGowan

Publisher:

Date of publication: August 4th, 2020

Genre: Mystery, Romance, Cozy Mystery

Series: A Carrie and Keith Mystery

Material Witness—Book 1

Thirteen in the Medina—Book 2

Playing with Fire—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a prequel to ‘Material Witness’ and ‘Thirteen in the Medina,’ it’s the summer before she met Keith and Carrie’s holiday plans have been thrown into disarray by the political climate.
She ends up taking a trip to Sicily where she meets octogenarian Millie and a local Sicilian, Enzo.
Enzo appears to be following Carrie as she tours around the island; is he smitten, as Millie maintains, or does he have criminal intentions, as suggested by another of her fellow travellers?
And if so, is he responsible for a series of antiquities’ burglaries?
Or is he on the hunt for Excalibur, the legendary sword rumoured to be lost in Sicily, a sword forged by the ancient Roman blacksmith, Vulcan, god of fire?
Carrie and Millie decide to investigate, but their amusement palls when the adventure takes an unpleasant turn as someone, it seems, is playing with fire.

First Line:

The house was located in the midst of Lazio in central Italy, a region containing not only the country’s capital, Rome, with its ancient Forum, the Coliseum, and the more recent Baroque additions of the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps but also the Vatican, the spiritual and physical heart of the Roman Catholic Church; while of the coast sits Ostia with its ancient port.

Playing with Fire by Flora McGowan

Carrie had been planning on traveling to the Middle East when she was forced to look elsewhere to travel because of political unrest in the area. She decided to take a guided tour of Sicily. But her trip wasn’t the laid-back vacation she expected. Instead, she was pursued by a local named Enzo while ushering a King Author obsessed older woman around the island, all while trying to enjoy the island’s history. But, a string of burglaries throws a shadow over the tour. Who is robbing the museums and why?

When I read the blurb for Playing With Fire, I knew I needed to read this book. Not only does it take place in Italy, which is high on my list of places to visit, but it also offers an exciting view of where Excalibur and Camelot were compared to the legend. I am glad that I read this book because it was good. Plus, I loved reading the historical tidbits thrown throughout the book.

Playing With Fire started slowly and took a while to build up pace. But, once it got going, it flowed nicely. The book maintained a medium pace from the middle of the book to the end, which surprised me. I am used to mysteries having a more brisk pace. I liked it because it allowed me to process the information given.

Playing With Fire takes place entirely on the island of Sicily. I loved the author’s visuals of each town and the historical areas Carrie toured. I also liked the smattering of Italian given in the book.

The main storyline of Playing With Fire centers around Carrie, the tour, Enzo, and the burglaries. As I stated above, the book started slow. But, as Carrie traveled around Sicily and the mystery of Enzo/the art thefts deepened, the storyline gradually increased. This storyline was well-written and well-researched storyline. The author did not lose my attention for a moment.

I liked Carrie and admired her for traveling alone. I also liked that she gravitated toward people similar to her (her travel buddies). Millie and Joan were perfect for her. Vanessa, on the other hand, was not. She also had a good head on her shoulders and used it wisely during the book. Her instincts about Enzo and Vanessa were right on, well, for the most part.

The mystery angle of Playing With Fire was a slow burn. I wondered who the thief was. The author did use red herrings and misdirection to keep me from guessing. So, when the thief was revealed, I was shocked. Put it this way, that person was not on my radar.

There was a slight romance angle in Playing With Fire. The author kept it in the background and was brought up occasionally. But I wasn’t surprised at how it played out.

I want to mention King Arthur/Excalibur/Sicily’s history storyline. It was well-researched. I liked that the author threw some doubt as to where King Arthur was buried. I also liked that some of the mystery centered around Excalibur. And the history of Sicily was fascinating.

The end of Playing With Fire was standard. The author was able to wrap up the mystery in a way that satisfied me. I also liked how the author ended the romance storyline.

I recommend Playing With Fire to anyone over 16. There is no language, mild violence, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Flora McGowan for allowing me to read and review Playing With Fire. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Playing With Fire, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Flora McGowan

Carving Up Riley (Riley MacLeod Series: Book 1) by Paul Flanagan

Publisher: Independently Published

Date of Publication: March 27th, 2023

Genre: Humorous Fiction

Series: Riley MacLeod Series

Carving Up Riley—Book 1

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

Goodreads Synopsis:

Meet Riley MacLeod…loving husband…caring father…faithful friend…successful writer…and the world’s biggest idiot. Of course, in Riley’s insane mind he sees himself as the world’s biggest…well…hero. However, when Riley’s wife insists they take a romantic drive from Vermont to Minnesota to spend Thanksgiving with her family who is far from normal themselves, the man who is hated by his neighbors and loathed by an angry tom cat, sets out to prove that he isn’t an idiot…under duress, of course. The trip begins with Riley getting tied up by his best friend, his clothes stolen by a group of mischievous teenagers, and a tow truck driver with a happy gun finger. Determined to keep pushing forward, under duress of course, Riley continues down the road desperately trying to leave the state of Vermont only to encounter a killer truck driver, a girl with strange colored hair, and a pair of old people who turn out to be drug dealers. Yet, through it all, Riley somehow turns out to be a hero…well, kinda. Will Riley MacLeod and his wife make it to the Thanksgiving table in one piece or will they end up in a mental hospital locked away in little padded rooms?

First Line:

Thanksgiving had arrived again. And with those words, I will begin my story. Pity me.

Carving Up Riley by Paul Flanagan

A screenwriter, Reily uses his overactive imagination to create box office hits. But that same imagination has had the opposite effect in real life, translating to Reily having social issues. Take, for instance, Thanksgiving. Reily and his wife were offered a rare trip without their two children by Reily’s wife’s parents. They were to take a week and travel from Vermont to Minnesota, arriving in time for Thanksgiving. Easy, right? Not really. Because during this trip, Reily and Rebecca run into all sorts of issues. From teenagers who steal Reily’s clothes to trigger happy but mother-loving trucker to a hotel receptionist with different colored hair to an RV driven by a pair of elderly drug runners, they all make this trip to Minnesota impossible. Will Reily and Rebecca make it out of Vermont? Or will Reily’s habit of running his mouth and acting before he thinks end the trip before it gets underway?

I will admit that when the author approached me to read and review this book, I initially wasn’t going to accept it. I was super booked up with reviews. But then I read the blurb and got a chuckle, and I realized that I needed a book that could make me laugh (I had been reading some depressing stuff at this point). So, I accepted the invitation. I am glad that I did because this was a funny book.

Carving Up Reily is the first book in the Reily MacLeod series. So, anything I usually say about reading the books that come first in the series can be ignored. Feel free to pick this one up and enjoy it without wondering about background stories.

Carving Up Reily is a short book at 75 pages. It is also a fast-paced book. I did expect it to be fast-paced because of the length. There was no lag, which was great.

The main storyline of Carving Up Reily follows Reily, Rebecca, and their attempt at a romantic road trip without ending up in a padded room. It was a pretty straightforward comedy storyline, and I liked some of the jokes in the book. But, I will warn you that Reily has an imagination, and the author weaves it into his misadventures. I was slightly put off because I didn’t realize what was happening. Once it dawned on me, I started to understand some of the previous scenes in the book. For a while, I did think I was reading a take on a paranormal romance.

I didn’t like Reily. He was a self-centered idiot who only thought about himself. He couldn’t keep his mouth shut if you paid him. I could get why his wife was getting so upset. But, saying that, I did think the situations he got into were funny. There was a point where I had an internal bet going on with myself if he would survive this book.

I felt terrible for Reily’s wife, Rebecca. She was dealing with an overgrown man-child. I was right with her when she said, “He’s my idiot; I married him.”Of course, she did stoop to his level once in the book, and that was when she beat up the front desk clerk at the hotel. But she had a good reason, too (well, in her eyes). At various points in the book, I wondered if her marriage to Reily would survive.

The end of Carving Up Reily was standard. I liked how the author wrapped up the storylines. I was even more in awe that Reily ended up surviving everything.

I would recommend Carving Up Reily to anyone over 21. There is violence and language, but no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Paul Flanagan for allowing me to read and review Carving Up Reily. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by Paul Flanagan:

Trust No One (Blackhawk Security: Book 8) by Margaret Watson

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: April 18th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Suspense

Series: Blackhawk Security

With One Breath—Book 1 (review here)

Once Removed—Book 2 (review here)

Once Burned—Book 3 (review here)

Fool Me Once—Book 4 (review here)

Just This Once—Book 5 (review here)

Once and Always—Book 6 (review here)

Once a Killer—Book 7 (review here)

Trust No One—Book 8

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Mel and Dev are no longer a couple, but they run Blackhawk Security together. When being around Dev becomes too painful, she buys him out.

Dev knows she’s going after her old CIA boss Kingsley, so Dev makes her a deal – if she accepts his help on this last job, he’ll walk away.

But Kingsley is slippery. After he murders one man and almost kills a young woman, they realize he has a well-planned escape.

Can Mel and Dev stop him? Or will Kingsly eliminate them first?

First Line:

Mel walked down the hall to her office, still smiling. She’d just dropped Bree off at the Helena airport, and her security agent would be in Chicago in five hours.

Trust No One by Margaret Watson

While Mel and Dev are no longer a couple and haven’t been for years, it doesn’t mean that Mel still has feelings for him. When Mel’s feelings become too much, she tells Dev she is buying him out. Dev is stunned. But knowing that Mel is going after a corrupt CIA agent, he counteroffers with a deal: He’ll leave Blackhawk Security after they take Kingsley. But Kingsley is slippery and can take down any witnesses that tie him to nefarious activities. With Kingsley’s reach extended to the top of the CIA, Mel and Dev must take Kingsley down quickly. But can they do without bloodshed or anyone getting hurt? And, when the dust settles, will Mel and Dev be able to put their past aside and embrace their future together?

When the author contacted me to ask me to read/review Trust No One, I immediately said yes. Margaret is an auto-accept for any books for me. I have been reviewing and loving her books since 2017/2018 (not sure about the year and am too lazy to look it up). I was also super excited when I saw this was Mel and Dev’s story. I have read this series from the beginning and longed for their book. Now that I’ve got it, I am happy.

Trust No One is the 8th book in the Blackhawk Security series. This book is the series’s last book, but I could be wrong. I would classify this book as a semi-standalone book. You don’t need to read the entire series to understand Dev and Mel’s story or the series’ background. But I suggest reading book seven first (Bree and Jameson’s story). The author comprehensively explains the Kingsely storyline in that book.

Trust No One is a fast-paced book. It occurs within a few weeks of Mel telling Dev she wants to buy him out. The author doesn’t let up on the pace. The pacing suited the book, considering what Mel and Dev were up against. It didn’t slow until after the airport scene at the end of the book.

Trust No One takes almost entirely in Washington, D.C., with the beginning chapter in Montana and the ending in Seattle. The author perfectly captured Washington’s hustle and bustle while highlighting the city’s seedier parts.

The main storyline in Trust No One center around Mel, Dev, and Kingsley. It was a wonderfully written storyline that kept me glued to the book. While I knew how this storyline would end up, I still loved the ride it took me on. There was a twist in the plotline that did take me by surprise. And the author kept me guessing who dirty CIA agents were until almost the end of the book.

I liked Mel. She was feisty, headstrong, and determined to bring down Kingsley. Did I think she was silly for wanting to go after him alone? Yes. But it showed her dedication to keeping her agents safe and bringing down a bad guy. She was paranoid, but in her work, being paranoid was a given. That paranoia helped her and Dev out during several instances when Kingsley’s agents followed them. The only thing that I didn’t like about her was how she dealt with her feelings for Dev. It didn’t follow the strong woman the author had built up throughout the series.

Dev drove me up the wall during the book. I was in awe of his surveillance skills and contacts. I also wanted to know more about what he did during his SEAL/SpecOps days. But at the same time, I also wanted to smack him upside the head. He didn’t want to listen to Mel (though he had more experience in the field). It took him a while to admit that she had skills. As for his feelings for her, I was getting very frustrated with him about that. I knew his feelings for Mel from the beginning of the book. But it took him until almost the end of the book to discuss his tumultuous upbringing and to admit his feelings.

What do I say about Kingsley? He is a personification of any high-ranking official in Washington, D.C. He was overconfident, had connections that made my head spin and was willing to do whatever it took to cover up his mistakes. But, unlike real life, he was getting his comeuppance. I was left with a bad taste in my mouth every time he appeared in the book.

The romance angle in Trust No One was a slow-burn one. It was always in the background, with Mel’s feelings being more upfront than Dev’s. It did take a back seat to Mel and Dev’s investigation for a while, but you knew it was there.

The end of Trust No One was terrific. The author did a great job of having Kingsley get what he deserved. But how he got it and the events that led to it were fantastic and action-packed. I did get a giggle at the kid with the frog in the airport. It reminded me of my youngest daughter. That would have been something she did at that age. Of course, Mel and Dev got their HEA, and the lead-up to that was emotional. The epilogue was great, and I loved seeing them so happy!!

I recommend Trust No One to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to Margaret Watson for allowing me to read and review Trust No One. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Trust No One, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Margaret Watson

Will They or Won’t They by Ava Wilder

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell

Date of Publication: June 27th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Adult Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

On screen, they’re in love. Off screen, they can’t stand each other. Two co-stars with a complex history reunite to film the final season of a beloved paranormal drama in this tension-filled will they won’t they romance from the author of How to Fake It in Hollywood.

Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy are madly in love— at least, their characters are. As the stars of the hit paranormal TV show Intangible, they spent years pining for each other on-screen… until Lilah ditched the show at the end of season five in hopes of becoming a film star. With no such luck, she’s back to film the much-hyped ninth and final season, in which their characters will get together at last.

But coming back means facing one of the biggest reasons she left: Shane. Ever since their secret behind-the-scenes fling imploded at the end of the first season, the two of them have despised each other.

Now back on set together for the first time in years, with the world’s eyes on them and their post-show careers on the line, they’ll have to grit their teeth and play nice. But under pressure to give Intangible’s fans the happy ending they’ve been waiting for, Lilah and Shane are forced to get closer than ever. And if they’re not careful, they just might get blindsided by one final twist: a real-life happy ending of their own.

First Line:

Lilah Hunter knew better than to get her hopes up.

Will They or Won’t They by Ava Wilder

Lilah and Shane play a madly in love, but kept apart, couple on the hit paranormal show, Intangilble. In real life, though, they loathe each other. So, it was a good thing when Lilah left the show to make a movie and see what else was out there. But the film was a flop, and Lilah wasn’t getting any work because of it. So, when the producers approached Lilah with an offer to return to the show, she wouldn’t turn it down, even if that meant working with Shane again. But Lilah and Shane realize that maybe their hatred towards each other was more than that (thanks to a risque photo shoot). What will they do? Will they give in to their feelings? Or won’t they?

When I wished for Will They or Won’t They, I was on a huge contemporary romance kick. I hoped I liked the book because the blurb seemed rather bland. Unfortunately, I feel the same way now that I have read the book. This book didn’t create any strong feelings for it either way.

The medium pacing of Will They or Won’t They did suit the book. This pacing allowed Lilah and Shane to recount their past relationship (working and personal) on their own and with the therapist. There was some lag toward the end of the book, but since it was the end, it didn’t affect anything for me.

Will They or Won’t They takes place mainly in Hollywood, with a brief scene in New York City and a chapter in Canada. I was disappointed that the author mostly kept to where the show was filmed, convention centers and hotel rooms. I would have loved to see more of those cities and where they filmed in Canada.

The main storyline in Will They or Won’t They are Lilah and Shane’s love/hate/love relationship. The author did a great job of giving Lilah and Shane’s backstories in a way that didn’t seem forced. I could see a behind-the-scenes romance blowing up and causing issues. I could also see a producer wanting his main stars to get along and send them to couples therapy. But, once the book started focusing on the present day, I began to feel “meh” about it. The storyline seemed to be Lilah and Shane rehashing stuff from their past. Also, I wasn’t a massive fan of how their romance ping-ponged back and forth.

I didn’t care for Lilah. She came across as a neurotic pain in the butt who was also a bit of a diva. She self-sabotages almost every relationship she has had (and she admits this at one point in the book). But, at the same time, I felt terrible for her. Growing up, she had a horrible home life that caused her severe anxiety. Her mother got her into acting to overcome it, and things took off. I also felt how she treated Shane was pretty crappy, both past and present. Now, he was no angle, but she took it to another level.

I had no real concrete feelings for Shane. For most of the book, he came across as bland. He went out of his way to needle Lilah (the whole donut scene at the beginning of the book stands out the most to me). I did guess what his real feelings were reasonably early in the book and guessed what he would do with those feelings.

The romance angle of Will They or Won’t They bored me. While I like secret romances, I wasn’t a huge fan of theirs. How can a relationship flourish if they never go out together and always have sex? It can’t, and in the long run, if this were real, I would say they didn’t have a chance long term.

The end of Will They or Won’t They was pretty standard. The author surprised me with a twist towards the end of the book. The author explained the twist in the epilogue, and I was back to feeling “meh” about the characters.

I would recommend Will They or Won’t They to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell, NetGalley, and Ava Wilder for allowing me to read and review Will They or Won’t They. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Will They or Won’t They, then will you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Ava Wilder:

Shadowed Deliverance (The Guardians: Book 7) by Reily Garrett

Publisher:

Date of publication: May 19th, 2023

Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Suspense

Series: The Guardians

Shadowed Horizons—Book 1 (review here)

Shadowed Origins—Book 2 (review here)

Shadowed Passages—Book 3

Shadowed Spirits—Book 4 (review here)

Shadowed Intent—Book 5 (review here)

Shadowed Visions—Book 6 (review here)

Shadowed Deliverance—Book 7

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Family.
The Channon legacy entails keeping a well-guarded secret safe until the time arrives to face the psychopath bent on imprisoning psychics, studying genetic mutations for the purpose of creating an army, and dominating the world.

The psychopath is Brianna’s brother, a psychic with a following of murderous spirits and trained mercenaries.

Through the years, Nicholai Semenov has overseen a group of psychics intent on ensuring safety and peace among their kind. After discovering one of his team is a shifter, the group expands to include the entire pack.

Join the warriors in this final chapter as they take on the Order of Assassins and warrior ghosts determined to control the fate of humanity.

First Line:

In a singular twist of luck, fate assisted Roth’s effort in preparing for the most romantic evening of his life.

Shadowed Deliverance by Reily Garrett

Brianna Channon has finally been reunited with her children after twenty years of forced separation due to her deranged brother, Roth. Brianna is ready to confront Roth for everything he has done to her family. But first, Brianna must recover an amulet that will help with their battle against Roth and his allies. This amulet can only be used by a chosen one, but who that chosen one could be is unknown to Brianna. And unfortunately, Roth has gotten his hands on the amulet and is using it to rally spirits to his cause. At her side, also, is Nicholai Semenov, a powerful psychic and group leader. He has gathered and protected her children from Roth and his allies. But, even with Nicholai’s help, the battle against Roth will be hard. He thinks he is guaranteed a win with the Order of Assassins, the amulet, and the spirits on his side. But is he? Can Brianna and her family (biological and found) defeat Roth? Or will they all fall to his mad and psychotic delusions? And who will wield the amulet?

I was happy and sad when I got the email from the author asking me to read/review Shadowed Deliverance. I was delighted because I had reviewed this series from the beginning and enjoyed reading it. I was sad because this is the last book in the series. The author explained that while the Channon family’s story ends, it doesn’t mean the other characters’ stories would. But still. I had grown attached to the characters and struggled with change.

Shadowed Deliverance is The Guardians series’ 7th (and last) book. This book cannot be read as a stand-alone book. You need to read books 1-6 to read this book. If you don’t, you will be lost. I didn’t read Logan’s story (book 3) and felt I missed a lot (I will be reading it as soon as possible, though).

Shadowed Deliverance is a fast-paced book that I couldn’t put down. The book started fast (it started right after the events of book 6) and slowed down at the end of the book.

The main storyline of Shadowed Deliverance focuses on Brianna, her children and their spouses, Casper, Nicholai, and Roth. This storyline was a well-written storyline that kept me glued to the book. While I was interested in Brianna and company, I was more interested in Roth and the amulet. He had been gone from the series for a while. The author did not disappoint (I will discuss him further in the review).

The storyline with the amulet was interesting. When Roth had it, he gave a good look into how it worked. But, I was more curious about who could wield it and what it could do once it was with the chosen person. When the author revealed who the chosen person was, I was surprised. It was someone I didn’t see coming. But, at the same time, it made sense.

I had figured that Brianna would have the last book in the series. Why? Her six children had found each other again (in Silver’s book), and there was no indication that the author ended the series. Plue, only Nicholai was left without a mate, so I took a guess and figured that Brianna would be the next book. I liked seeing the group from her POV and how the different dynamics worked out. I also liked seeing Roth from her POV. She went between hating him (he did kill their parents, forced Logan to kill Devon, and kidnapped/abused Ashlyn) and pitying him. The pitying part made me feel awful because she kept flashing back to when Roth was normal (not psychotic and murderous).

I was thrilled that Nicholai would be featured as a main character in this book. He was very mysterious during the series and used his psychic powers as they came to him (he could see into the future but also saw different paths). He was a guiding force with the Channon children and was like a second father to all of them. His relationship with Caspar was pretty funny, and I loved seeing him parent her (his reactions to her are what I have with my seventeen-year-old). I thought he and Brianna were perfect for each other (and I will discuss that more in the romance section).

The third main character in Shadowed Deliverance is Caspar. That girl had me rolling with her one-liners and made me tear up with her fierce devotion to her family. Her verbal sparring sessions with Roth were on point and truthful. She was the most powerful of any psychics there, which the author repeatedly showed. I also loved how she needled Dacien (it was a running theme throughout the series) and tried to get anyone to tell her about sex (those scenes had me in stitches). I do wish that the author had given more information about her background. Other than the nickname, Moon Pie, there was nothing. Not even her real name. The author said she will be featured in a new series, so I hope more information is given in those books. Out of all the characters, I will miss her the most.

The last main character in Shadowed Deliverance is Roth. It was interesting to see another side to Roth other than his usual psychotic/murderous one. What was also interesting was the catalyst for everything. It showed a different side of Roth that I wasn’t expecting and explained why he turned evil. But, ultimately, his pride and manipulating ways ended him. I wasn’t sad to see him go, but at the same time, I wondered what if (if you read the book, you know what I am talking about).

The paranormal angle was wonderfully written. I loved that the author incorporated psychics, shifters, and spirits into the storyline. The concept of evil spirits at Roth’s bidding was scary and wasn’t an enemy the group could easily fight. I’m not going to go into much detail, but I loved how the author handled the spirit storyline and the ending of it. It was scary and sad at the same time.

As with all of Reily’s books, romance is very much present. But in this book, it did take a backseat to everything else that was going on. I liked it that way. I liked that the author had Brianna need a moment to think about everything happening between her and Nicholai. She was worried about what her kids (and Caspar) would think. It was normal, and I loved it (spoiler, they could care less).

The end of Shadowed Deliverance seemed almost anti-climatic compared to the other books. I can’t get into much detail, but I was not expecting what happened to Roth. It was a twist that I should have seen coming. I will not go into much after this because there will be spoilers but be prepared to have tissues!! I was openly crying.

I recommend Shadowed Deliverance to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and nongraphic sexual situations (the author faded to black after kissing).

Many thanks to Reily Garrett for allowing me to read and review Shadowed Deliverance. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed this review of Shadowed Deliverance, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Reily Garrett: