This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Date of publication: April 25th, 2023

Genre: Horror, Young Adult, LGBT, Queer, Lesbian, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery Thriller

Trigger Warnings: Alcohol consumption by minors, Anxiety disorders (mentioned), Blood, Gore, Body Horror, Cannibalism, Captivity, Confinement, Dead bodies, body parts, Deadnaming, Death of a grandparent, Death of a sibling, drugging, drug use, fire, grief, loss, gun violence, intrusive thoughts, murder, needles, syringes, nightmares, parental neglect, pandemic, scars, sexism, suicidal ideation, transphobia

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Four best friends, one music festival, and a cooler filled with human organs: this summer is about to get gory. 

Jennifer’s Body fans will clamor for this new sapphic horror standalone from New York Times bestselling author Kayla Cottingham.

Three years ago, the melting of arctic permafrost released a pathogen of unknown origin into the atmosphere, causing a small percentage of people to undergo a transformation that became known as the Hollowing. Those impacted slowly became intolerant to normal food and were only able to gain sustenance by consuming the flesh of other human beings. Those who went without flesh quickly became feral, turning on their friends and family. However, scientists were able to create a synthetic version of human meat that would satisfy the hunger of those impacted by the Hollowing. As a result, humanity slowly began to return to normal, albeit with lasting fear and distrust for the people they’d pejoratively dubbed ghouls.

Zoey, Celeste, Valeria, and Jasmine are all ghouls living in Southern California. As a last hurrah before their graduation they decided to attend a musical festival in the desert. They have a cooler filled with hard seltzers and SynFlesh and are ready to party.

But on the first night of the festival Val goes feral, and ends up killing and eating a boy. As other festival guests start disappearing around them the girls soon discover someone is drugging ghouls and making them feral. And if they can’t figure out how to stop it, and soon, no one at the festival is safe.

First Line:

When my parents asked if I wanted a Mini Cooper for graduation, I didn’t think ahead to whether or not it would have enough trunk space to accommodate my cooler full of organs.
This Delicious Death by Kayla Cottingham

Zoey, Celeste, Valeria, and Jasmine are preparing to attend a desert music festival. This event is a big deal for them because they were infected with a pathogen three years earlier, which turned them into ghouls. They all rely on synthetic meat to satisfy their hunger, which keeps them from going feral (and turning back into ghouls). But ghouls are feared, and the girls are monitored constantly. So, taking this trip is a big deal to them. But, on the first night, Valeria goes feral, killing and eating a boy. After investigating why Valeria went feral, the girls make a surprising discovery: someone is drugging ghouls and causing them to go feral. With other guests going missing and the National Guard on their way to round up the ghouls, the girls must find out who is behind it and why. But, what they discover is just the tip of something much bigger than what they realized. Can they stop the people behind it? Can they retain their humanity?

I had initially seen This Delicious Death floating around the blogosphere. I liked the blurb for the book and made it a point to put it on my short list of books I want to read. Then I got an email from NetGalley saying they had the book on a limited Read Now for the first 500 people. I made sure that I immediately downloaded it. I can’t even begin to express how excited I was about this. The funny thing about this is that I am terrified of any zombie movie/tv show/book—I legit freak out. So I was curious how I would react when reading This Delicious Death. I didn’t have the reaction I thought, and I loved it!!

This Delicious Death has numerous trigger/content warnings. The author kindly lists everything at the beginning of the book. They are:

Alcohol Consumption by Minors: Zoey, Celeste, Valeria, and Jasmine drink constantly throughout the book. They are served at bars set up at the festival also.
Anxiety Disorders: It is mentioned throughout the book that Celeste and Zoey have anxiety. Also, Jessica and Valeria have anxiety because of what they went through during the Hollowing.
Blood: There is a lot of blood in this book. Seeing that it is a zombie book, I would have been surprised if there wasn’t blood.
Gore: There is a lot of gore throughout This Delicious Death. The explicit scenes happen during each girl’s flashback to the Hollowing, Cole’s flashback, Valeria’s feral scenes, and the scenes in Facility B.
Body Horror: There are quite a few scenes where the author graphically describes the girls eating synthetic organs and meat. There are also scenes where the author details the girls (in their flashbacks) killing and eating people. There are scenes towards the end of the book where the girls watch a ghoul (called the anthropophagi) kill and eat a boy in front of them.
Cannibalism: The girls need to eat human flesh so they don’t become ghouls. It is graphically detailed throughout the book.
Captivity: Celeste and Zoey are captured and held at two different facilities while they are ghouls. The anthropophagi are held captive in Facility B. While at the festival, Celeste, Jasmine, and Zoey are in their cabin.
Confinement: Zoey was confined to a facility for months longer than Celeste. Valeria was confined to her house and then her room during the onset of the pandemic. The four girls are confined to their cabin before going to Facility B and after the events at Facility B.
Dead Bodies: There are dead bodies throughout the book. Some, the girls caused (in their flashbacks and present day), and others, they stumbled upon.
Body Parts: The girls must eat organs and body parts to satisfy their ghouls. Different body parts appear once ghouls start getting drugged and the anthropophagi are removed from Facility B.
Deadnaming: Celeste (who is trans) is almost deadnamed at a party after the Hollowing. The author stopped short of having that person say what her male name was.
Death of a grandparent: Jasmine’s grandmother was killed after she turned. Jasmine and her younger brother left when her grandmother started tearing up her bedroom.
Death of a sibling: Cole killed and ate his older sister while she was on Facebook Live with her boyfriend (who was also Cole’s bandmate). Cole never recovered from doing that.
Drugging: Celeste and Zoey were drugged during their capture. Zoey was drugged constantly during her captivity. Valeria was drugged at a bar, turned feral, and killed the boy she was with. His bandmates drugged Cole towards the end of the book, and he went feral.
Drug Use: I think that drugs were used recreationally by other festival-goers. I don’t believe that the girls (or Cole) used drugs.
Fire: A fire was deliberately set in Facility B at the end of the book.
Grief: Both Celeste and Zoey grieve the deaths of the hunter and camp counselor they killed and ate. Jasmine grieves that she has scarred her brother for life. Valeria grieves what she did to survive. Cole grieves what he did to his sister.
Loss: Each of the main characters experienced loss. There is too much to go into, but the author covers each person individually in their flashbacks and the present day.
Gun Violence: In flashbacks, a hunter holds Celeste and Zoey at rifle point, and Zoey is shot. Present day, Celeste is shot by a National Guardsman while distracting them from seeing Zoey and Jasmine going after Valeria.
Intrusive Thoughts: Zoey is tortured by what she did while a ghoul and thinks about suicide. Cole is also tormented by what he did.
Murder: Zoey and Celeste murder their camp counselor and the hunter. Jasmine murders the white supremacist couple that was threatening her brother. Valeria murders the star football player in a scuffle over a corpse. Valeria murders the boy she was with at the bar. Cole murders his sister.
Needles: Zoey is given medication through her neck with a needle while confined. Celeste takes her hormones with needles. Jasmine gives Valeria the antidote with a needle to the neck.
Syringes: See above.
Nightmares: All four girls suffer from nightmares from what they did while they were ghouls. The same goes for Cole.
Parental Neglect: Zoey’s parents refuse to have anything to do with her after she returns home. Her parents are terrified of her. She is painfully aware of that.
Pandemic: The Hollowing is caused by a pathogen released by melting polar ice caps. That sets off a worldwide pandemic of ghouls.
Scars: The girls and Cole have mental scars from their Hollowing.
Sexism: The lead singer of the band that Cole is in is sexist. He makes several remarks during the book that set me on edge.
Suicidal Ideation: Zoey and Cole have thoughts about suicide during the book. This is directly related to what they went through during the Hollowing.
Transphobia: Celeste is trans (male to female). She is afraid to tell her followers (she is an influencer) because of the transphobic backlash. There is a small moment of transphobia at a party she is at with Valeria and Zoey, but Jasmine stops it.

This is a lengthy list. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book.

The main storyline of This Delicious Death centers around the four girls (Zoey, Celeste, Jasmine, and Valeria), their trip to the festival, the mystery of who is behind drugging the ghouls and why, and the girls’ backstories. Let’s start with the backstories first. The author gave each girl a smallish chapter explaining how they became ghouls. It was heartbreaking in all cases because of how young they were. They were all around 15 years old, and they were all in different parts of California. The author details what they did to survive and sometimes did it explicitly. But those chapters were sprinkled throughout the book. The main focus was on Valeria going feral and why. I loved how the girls went about their investigations. They were resourceful with their limitations. Because they were ghouls, they were not allowed to go beyond certain boundaries. Once they discovered the drug, it was a search for who and why. It was a very twisty investigation, and I was surprised at what the girls turned up. I wasn’t surprised at who was behind it (because I had an idea it was those people).

The main characters (Celeste, Zoey, Jasmine, and Valeria) were well-written and multifaceted. I liked that they were diverse, but at the same time, they weren’t (if that makes sense). I liked that each girl brought their personality to the story. Even when they were fighting, which they did quite a bit of in the middle of the book, they were still respectful of each other and watched out for each other. It was watching out for each other that eventually paved the way to the ending events of the book.

The romance angle of the book was well played out. You knew what Zoey’s feelings were for Celeste since page one. She was in love with her. But she wasn’t sure how Celeste felt about Zoey, and the author kept it that way until the end of the book. I wasn’t sure if I liked the almost romance between Zoey and Cole, mainly because it didn’t feel right.

The mystery angle of This Delicious Death was wonderfully written. The author had me guessing who drugged Valeria and the other ghouls. I liked how the girls did their investigations and ended up at Facility B. But how they tied everything together (with Cole’s help) and decided to get the antidote to the drug and rescue Valeria made the book!!

I was almost unreasonably angry with Zoey’s parents. Finding out your kid had been changed into a flesh-eating monster was soul-shattering. But to let her languish in that detention center and treat her like dirt when she got out was awful. For three years, she raised herself while her parents made themselves scarce. At least she had a parent in Celeste’s mom. Speaking of Celeste’s mom, she was the MVP of the entire book. She was one of the most accepting, down-to-earth, loving people ever!! I was jealous of Celeste.

An interesting secondary storyline involved Cole’s stepfather, the drug he tested out, and ghouls that went crazy. There was a point in the book where I wondered if the author would explain the background of the anthropophagi. I wasn’t expecting the horrible backstory to that, though. I also didn’t expect Cole’s stepfather to develop a conscience about his actions and create an antidote.

The end of This Delicious Death was gripping and heartbreaking. I expected everything to go down differently than it did. I’m not going to go much more into it other than that.

I would recommend This Delicious Death to anyone over 21. There is violence, language, and nongraphic sexual situations. Also, see the very long list of triggers above.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Fire, NetGalley, and Kayla Cottingham for allowing me to read and review This Delicious Death. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of This Delicious Death, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Kayla Cottingham:

How to Best a Marquess (The Widow Rules: Book 3) by Janna MacGregor

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: April 25th, 2023

Genre: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Regency Romance, Adventure

Trigger Warnings: Bigamy (off page and remembered), Sexism, Misgony

Series: The Widow Rules

Where There’s a Will—Book 0.5

A Duke in Time—Book 1 (review here)

Rules for Engaging the Earl—Book 2 (review here)

How to Best a Marquess—Book 3

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Beth Howell needs to find her dowry, post haste. After her good-for-nothing first husband married her―and two other women, unbeknownst to them all―she’s left financially ruined and relegated to living with her brother, who cares more for his horses than he does his blood relatives. If Beth fails to acquire her funds, her brother will force her to marry someone fifty years her senior and missing half his teeth. She’d prefer to avoid that dreadful fate. But her now-deceased husband, Meri, absconded with her money mere days after their illegitimate marriage. To find it, Beth will have to leave town and retrace Meri’s steps if she’s to take her future into her own hands.

Julian Raleah, Marquess of Grayson, cares not a whit for social norms and generally growls at anyone in his path. Grayson has had a heart of stone ever since his engagement to Beth Howell went down in flames―long before she married that cad, Meri, and sealed her own fate for good. But now she’s on his doorstep, asking for use of his carriage and accompaniment on the hunt to find her lost dowry. Surely Grayson cannot go on the road with the woman who has occupied his thoughts for the past decade. Yet, knowing she needs him, how can he resist helping her this one last time? And maybe that’s just enough time to change the ending to their over-too-soon love story.

First Line:

The last notes of the supper waltz hung suspended in the air much like Miss Beth Howell’s heart. In that moment, everything stopped. No one moved.
How to Best a Marquess by Janna MacGregor

Miss Beth Howell is on a mission. She is determined to get her dowery back from wherever her deceased husband had hidden it. But, it will be a challenge with a brother determined to marry her to a gentleman fifty years her senior and who cares more about keeping up appearances than his sister. With nowhere else to turn, Beth decides to enlist the help of her first love, Julian Raleah, the Marquess of Grayson. Julian is hesitant to help Beth, not because of her reputation (being married to a bigamist will ruin a girl) but because he has loved her since he first saw her ten years ago. After deciding to help her, Julian and Beth are on an adventure. But, they both must be careful because feelings they have been denying are simmering just under the surface. Will Beth find her dowery? Will they give in to their feelings for each other?

I was so flipping happy and a little sad when I realized this book was getting ready to be published. I enjoy reading Janna MacGregor’s historical romances; this particular trilogy had my attention from the beginning. I was sad because the trilogy was ending. I enjoyed reading about wife one and wife two getting their happy ending and wondered when Beth would get hers. Out of the three, I felt that she deserved it the most.

I put down that there are trigger warnings in this book. I was on the fence about even putting them up, but I decided to do. So, here they are:

Bigamy: Beth’s deceased husband married three women around the same time. They only found out about each other when his will was read. Beth mostly remembers Meri with a sense of sarcasm and exasperation, with some anger thrown in (she’s better than me).
Sexism: This is Regency England, and men ruled the roost back then. Women were kept to the background and not allowed to make decisions independently. Their fathers (or male guardians) would secure marriages for them (which is what Beth’s brother, St. John, was doing at the beginning of the book).
Misgony: Several men in the book looked down on women. Most notable were St. John and his friends. I wasn’t shocked by this because it did keep with the time (Regency England).

If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book.

The main storyline in How to Best a Marquess was Beth’s quest to discover what Meri did with her dowery, her relationship (past and present) with Julian, and their love story. It was a well-written storyline that didn’t fail to capture my attention. I did not find myself wanting to put my Kindle down. Instead, I was glued to it. I was rooting (and hoping) for Beth to find her dowery. I also hoped for her and Julian’s relationship to rekindle faster than it did. Not complaining, but the sparks were there from the beginning, and I got antsy with the build-up.

I felt Beth was the strongest of the three women in this trilogy. She lost everything when it came out what Meri did. She was shunned (and ridiculed) by the Polite Society. There was a point in the book where I thought maybe it was in her head, but nope, it wasn’t. She was treated poorly by her brother’s friend’s sisters and then again by the wife of someone Julian was hoping to connect with. I was a little irritated by that. The women (again, mainly Beth) were held accountable for what Meri did. Did she know that he married two other women? Nope, yet people were quick to point fingers at her. And if he were still alive, his friends would have celebrated it. It still makes me irritated even thinking about it.

I loved Julian and was horrified by how St. John treated him ten years ago. He was laughed out of the house when he asked for Beth’s hand in marriage. Why? Because Julian had no money. He was a poor Marquess. So Julian left and worked to rebuild his fortune by becoming a man of science (i.e., engineering, but it wasn’t called that back then). He still had feelings for Beth, and it was those feelings that led him to accompany her on her journey. I loved how Julian stood up to people when they put her down. He didn’t even hesitate and immediately put people in their places. On that alone, Julian was in my good graces. But he also gave Beth her space. Julian knew Meri had damaged her, and she needed time to get over things. He would let her go even if that meant breaking his heart.

The characters from book one and book two did make an appearance throughout How to Best a Marquess. There was also a Duke who kept appearing, that piqued my interest. I hope the author either does a series with him in it or a standalone book.

The sex scenes in How to Best a Marquess was hot. Once Julian and Beth decided to sleep with each other, it was terrific. I mentioned above how I was antsy with the build-up. Well, they didn’t sleep together until almost halfway through the book. The sex was also graphic. Again, I didn’t mind it and felt it added to Julian and Beth’s relationship.

The end of How to Best a Marquess was a whirlwind. Everything happened simultaneously, and I had an issue processing it. I had to reread the ending chapters several times to understand what happened. Of course, my failure to process could have been due to a lack of sleep (I stayed up late to read this book). My favorite part about the ending was the epilogue. I liked seeing where everyone was a year from when the book ended.

I recommend How to Best a Marquess to anyone over 21. There is mild violence and sexual situations but no language. Also, see my trigger warning list.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, NetGalley, and Janna MacGregor for allowing me to read and review How to Best a Marquess. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of How to Best a Marquess, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other Books by Janna MacGregor

Missing by Amy Kulp

Publisher:

Date of publication: November 1st, 2022

Genre: Crime Fiction, Psychological Thriller

Trigger Warning: Kidnapping, Grooming, Racism, Abuse, Fat Shaming, Low Self Esteem, Human Trafficking, Torture, Blood, Drugging

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Perfect for fans of hit YA thrillers like Amanda Panitch’s Never Missing, Never Found and Natasha Preston’s The Cellar, Amy Kulp’s Missing is a visceral, dark, and suspenseful thriller that dives into the life of a teenage girl who is betrayed and forced into the horrifying underground world of human trafficking.

Everything in Emily’s life becomes far from typical when she is betrayed, kidnapped, and thrown into every girl’s worst nightmare. Now, she is a captive to the gruesome and savage whims of an underground human trafficking ring – one that prides itself in breaking women down to husks of their former selves through any means necessary.

Emily tries her hardest to put up a good fight, but her captors are sickeningly creative in their methods of subduing her. Before she knows it, they try to brainwash her into believing her name is “Y,” and they are more than happy to leverage physical and psychological torture to strip her of her identity and fracture her mind beyond repair.

Is there any hope for escape, or will Emily become a pawn in her kidnappers’ plot to terrorize more innocent victims?

Missingis not for the faint of heart. If you are looking for a raw and gritty YA thriller that looks into the world of human trafficking and abuse, then click “Add to Cart” today!

First Line:

I stopped breathing when I saw the new kid walk into my class. I noticed everyone else stopped what they were doing and stared too.
Missing by Amy Kulp

Emily is your typical girl next door who is betrayed by people she thought she trusted. Kidnapped and then tortured by a human trafficking ring bent on breaking her, Emily vows never to forget who she is and where she came from. But can Emily hold onto her sense of self? Or will she be broken down and then built back up into a monster who works for the ring?

When I first read the blurb for Missing, I knew what I was getting into, reading-wise. But, for some reason, I thought it would be a more dumbed-down version of a human trafficking story. Heads up, it is not. This book is a brutal look into how a human trafficking ring operates and what the victims go through while they are being broken. It is raw, and it is ugly.

What scared me the most about this book was that the author had teenagers befriend (and, in one case, date) Emily to kidnap her. It is scary, but I can see this happening. Several adults in this book who Emily was familiar with held positions where kids would trust them. Again, it was something that I could see happening. But at the same time, the author gave this book a sort of a fever dreamish type of reality. The teenagers that helped with Emily’s kidnapping she grew up with. So either they were kidnapped and trafficked with the sole purpose of luring girls, or Emily imagined it. I couldn’t make up my mind while reading.

There are trigger warnings in Missing. Oh boy, there are trigger warnings. They are

Kidnapping: Emily is kidnapped, in broad daylight, by a human trafficking ring. Several other children and adults are in the van(s) with her.
Grooming: Emily is groomed by Miguel during the first few chapters, with Chad doing additional grooming when Miguel isn’t there.
Racism: Off page, but Emily’s father was racist. She commented that he wouldn’t like Miguel because he was Hispanic.
Abuse: Emily is horrifically abused while being broken down. She is abused physically, mentally, psychologically, and verbally. Thankfully, she wasn’t sexually because her virginity was viewed as an asset.
Fat Shaming: Chad comments about Emily’s weight as part of her grooming.
Low Self-Esteem: Emily suffers from very low self-esteem at the beginning of the book.
Human Trafficking: For 80% of the book, Emily is imprisoned by a human trafficking ring. There are other children and adults in the processing center (for lack of a better term) with her.
Torture: As part of the ring trying to break Emily, they torture her, and the more she resists, the more they torture her.
Blood: A lot of blood is shown on page after Emily is kidnapped. Once she proves difficult, the kidnappers feel they have no choice but to beat her until she bleeds.
Drugging: Emily is drugged constantly throughout the book. I believe that she is continuously roofied.

If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading this book.

The characters in Missing were not made to be liked. Except for Emily, they were shown as vile human beings they were. I got sick when I realized what was happening (it was when Miguel and Emily were hiding in her house). As for Emily, I was rooting for her not to forget herself (and become “Y”) and for her to escape. I wanted to see that slightly awkward, sweet girl shown at the book’s beginning again.

The main storyline centered on Emily, her kidnapping by the ring, and the crew trying to break her. The storyline was well written and kept me, unwillingly at times, in its grip. I was rooting for Emily to escape, beat the odds, and return to her family.

While this book is technically a YA thriller, I would be hesitant to let anyone under 16 read it. Heck, my hesitation extends to 18. While this book needs to be read, there should be discussions about human trafficking and what those people go through after each chapter. I had a similar conversation with my mother when I read Don’t Ask Alice as a teenager.

The end of Missing broke my heart. It was not a happy ending for any of the characters. And that’s all I am going to say about it. Reading the book to understand what I mean would be best.

I would recommend Missing to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations. Also, see my trigger warning list.

Many thanks to Amy Kulp and Novel Cause for allowing me to read and review Missing. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by Amy Kulp:

Bait by D.I. Jolly

Publisher: Galatea

Date of publication: July 19th, 2022

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, New Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy

Trigger Warnings: Physical Child Abuse, Emotional Child Abuse, Verbal Child Abuse, Child Abandonment, Cheating, Sexual Assualt, Murder, Gore

Purchase Links: Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis:

Amber thought her life was perfect.

She was in love with her boyfriend Frankie, had a nice summer job at Taylor’s Book and was enrolled at Marshall University to become a teacher.

Everything was on track for the perfect life.

And then Bastian walked in. Not only was he the most handsome man Amber had ever seen, but she felt a pull that she’d never felt before.

From the very first moment she saw him he filled her every thought and made her body want things it had never had before.

First Line:

You know, working at Taylor’s Books wasn’t a bad way to spend the summer. The drive was a bit far, but the people were nice, the hours weren’t bad, and it was more money than not working.
Bait by D.I. Jolly

Amber was living the perfect life, or so she thought. She had a wonderful boyfriend and a great job and was looking forward to attending college in the fall. Then Bastian walked into the cafe/bookstore she worked in, and everything disappeared. The connection to him was instantaneous. For Bastian, the connection with Amber was more profound and meaningful. Amber was Bastian’s soulmate. But Bastian has secrets that could threaten his and Amber’s happiness. What are Bastian’s secrets? And how will they threaten his and Amber’s happiness?

Bait is a fast-paced book that takes place mainly in Huntington, West Virginia (where Amber lives). There are visits to Bastian’s pack lands on the outskirts of Crown City, Ohio.

Surprisingly, there are quite a few trigger/content warnings in Bait. I say surprisingly because I wasn’t expecting these triggers to be a central part of the storyline. They are:

Child Abuse (Physical, Emotional, Verbal): Bastian is horrifically abused by his father, the Alpha of his pack. The author only goes into a small portion of what he had to endure, but what was outlined brought tears to my eyes. No child should have to go through that.
Child Abandonment: Bastian’s mother left him with his monster of a father when Bastian was a baby.
Cheating: Amber cheated on her boyfriend, Frankie, with Bastian.
Sexual Assault: One of the characters is sexually assaulted at a college party by another partygoer. After going to the police, several other women make similar allegations.
Murder: Bastian and his father murder his uncle at the beginning of the book. Bastian kills his father in self-defense. Another character kills the person who sexually assaulted another character (see above)
Gore: There are several vivid descriptions of murder and assault.

If these trigger you, then I suggest not reading this book.

The main storyline of Bait is Amber and Bastian’s love story; they overcome the odds to be together, and Bastian overcomes his abusive past to become the Alpha of his pack. The storyline is told in first-person POV and split between Amber and Bastian, with an occasional third-person appearance. I liked that the author did this. I got to see how affected Amber was by Bastian. On the other hand, I enjoyed seeing Bastian throwing off the chains his father had metaphorically wound around him.

There is an Instalove element of Bait. While I am not a fan of Instalove, I did like how the author spun this. It was the fated mate angle. Instead of having the female run scared of the male, I liked that the author had Amber accept everything (after an adjustment period).

I liked that the main characters, at least Amber and her best friend, acted like your typical late teenager at the beginning of the book. I am not that old where I can remember my head being turned by every good-looking guy that came into my work (granted, I worked at a gas station/convenience store but still). I also remember my best friend at the time being just like Amber’s best friend and urging me to let loose and have fun. So, I related to that part. Now, saying that, after Amber and Bastian got together and the whole werewolf secret came out, I didn’t quite connect anymore. But it still made it fun to read.

Several secondary storylines and characters add much-needed depth to this story. These secondary storylines explained so much about Bastian’s past (because his father wasn’t/couldn’t tell him). I will admit I wanted to smack the crap out of Bastian’s mother, but I understood that she made a very tough choice and didn’t make it lightly.

The paranormal angle was terrific. I loved the vampire angle. Several twists to that angle made me shake my head. As for the werewolf angle, I liked that the author took a common theme from werewolf romances and ran with it. He created the Elders and added a neat twist to their storyline. Of course, what it meant wasn’t lost on me, and I wonder how Bastian would deal with it in later books.

The end of the book was interesting. I liked how the author wrapped up the storylines and teased another story (and I hope it will be about who was mentioned at the end).

I recommend Bait for anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations. Also, see my trigger/content warnings above.

Many thanks to D.I. Jolly for allowing me to read and review Bait. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by D.I. Jolly

Where Coyotes Howl by Sandra Dallas

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: April 18th, 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Western, Historical, Adult, Adult Fiction

Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence, Death, Child Death, Child Murder, Death during Birthing, Stillbirth

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Beautifully rendered, Where Coyotes Howl is a vivid and deeply affecting ode to the early twentieth century West, from master storyteller Sandra Dallas.

Except for the way they loved each other, they were just ordinary, everyday folks. Just ordinary.

1916. The two-street town of Wallace is not exactly what Ellen Webster had in mind when she accepted a teaching position in Wyoming, but within a year’s time she’s fallen in love—both with the High Plains and with a handsome cowboy named Charlie Bacon. Life is not easy in the flat, brown corner of the state where winter blizzards are unforgiving and the summer heat relentless. But Ellen and Charlie face it all together, their relationship growing stronger with each shared success, and each deeply felt tragedy.

Ellen finds purpose in her work as a rancher’s wife and in her bonds with other women settled on the prairie. Not all of them are so lucky as to have loving husbands, not all came to Wallace willingly, and not all of them can survive the cruel seasons. But they look out for each other, share their secrets, and help one another in times of need. And the needs are great and constant. The only city to speak of, Cheyenne, is miles away, making it akin to the Wild West in rural Wallace. In the end, it is not the trials Ellen and Charlie face together that make them remarkable, but their love for one another that endures through it all.

First Line:

A ragged curtain snapped against the broken glass of the window in the old shack, which had begun to list.
Where Coyotes Howl by Sandra Dallas

It is 1916, and Ellen has moved to Wallace, Wyoming, to start a career as a schoolteacher. But, what she wasn’t expecting, was to fall in love with a handsome cowboy named Charlie Bacon. After marrying Charlie, Ellen finds her purpose in being a rancher’s wife and purpose in her friendships with the other women living in the prairie. But life isn’t easy for Charlie or Ellen. When tragedies and trials threaten their happiness, Charlie and Ellen must face and endure them together. Can they weather everything life is throwing at them? Or will they crumble?

I wasn’t exactly sure what to get into when I started reading Where Coyotes Howl. I only knew what I read in the blurb: It was a Western, and the author set it in the Wild West. This book was so much more than what was in the blurb. But, this book’s center was the love story between Charlie and Ellen. It was this love story that made the book.

There are trigger warnings in Where Coyotes Howl. They are:

Domestic Violence: There were several scenes in this book where one of Ellen’s good friends was beaten by her husband. Keeping with the time, Ellen’s husband wrote off the DV as something between that woman and her husband and refused to get involved. The DV was mainly off-page, but the author highlighted a few scenes. The most memorable one was when that woman’s husband burned her hands on the stove because she dared to crochet Ellen something.
Death: Death is a common theme throughout the book. People died all the time from various things. There were a few on-page deaths, but I will explain more about them in the other trigger warnings.
Child Death: There were quite a few scenes where children died, either from illness, accident, or murder.
Child Murder: There was one brutal scene to read where a woman went crazy and killed two out of her six children. It was graphic (because of where and how she did it) and heartbreaking.
Stillbirth: Ellen gets into a carriage accident when she is almost to term with her pregnancy and loses the baby. The author doesn’t get too much into detail, but enough is given to understand what happened.
Death during Childbirth: There is a scene where one of the characters dies during childbirth, along with the baby.

If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading this book.

Where Coyotes Howl is a medium-paced book set entirely in Wallace, Wyoming. There is a brief trip to Iowa at the beginning of the book but other than that; it stays in Wallace.

I enjoyed reading this book. It is a good book when it surprises me and captures my attention. What I liked the most about this book was that it didn’t sugarcoat how awful the living conditions were back then (they were pretty awful). But it also showcased how good people were to each other.

The author beautifully wrote the main storyline centered around Ellen, Charlie, and their love story. Neither Ellen nor Charlie was perfect, but they were perfect together if that makes sense. There were times when I laughed and other times when I cried. I hated how it ended (but I will get to that later in the review).

The secondary characters and storylines in Where Coyotes Howl gave this book extra depth and fleshed-out characters.

The end of Where Coyotes Howl was not a happy ending. I was astonished because, typically, in these types of books, they are. I had to reread the last couple of chapters before it sunk in. But, as surprised as I was, I understood why the author ended the book as she did.

I would recommend Where Coyotes Howl to anyone over 16. There are nongraphic sexual situations (off-page), violence, and mild language. Also, see my trigger warnings.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Sandra Dallas for allowing me to read and review Where Coyotes Howl. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Where Coyotes Howl, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Sandra Dallas:

Pieces of Me by Kate McLaughlin

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: April 18th, 2023

Trigger Warnings: Attempted Suicide, Child Abuse, Sexual Assualt, Alchohol Abuse, Mental Illness

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mental Health, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Mystery, Young Adult Contemporary, Thriller, Mystery Thriller

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

he next gut-punching, compulsively readable Kate McLaughlin novel, about a girl finding strength in not being alone.

When eighteen-year-old Dylan wakes up, she’s in an apartment she doesn’t recognize. The other people there seem to know her, but she doesn’t know them – not even the pretty, chiseled boy who tells her his name is Connor. A voice inside her head keeps saying that everything is okay, but Dylan can’t help but freak out. Especially when she borrows Connor’s phone to call home and realizes she’s been missing for three days.

Dylan has lost time before, but never like this.

Soon after, Dylan is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, and must grapple not only with the many people currently crammed inside her head, but that a secret from her past so terrible she’s blocked it out has put them there. Her only distraction is a budding new relationship with Connor. But as she gets closer to finding out the truth, Dylan wonders: will it heal her or fracture her further?

First Line:

Wake up. I snuggle deeper into the blankets, trying to puysh away the voice in my head.
Pieces of Me by Kate McLaughlin

When Dylan wakes up in an unknown apartment, she is freaked out. She has no idea where she is or how she got there. She is doubly freaked out when she calls home and realizes she has been missing for three days. Things go from bad to worse when Dylan attempts suicide and is hospitalized. She is soon diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. As she begins to accept her diagnosis, she realizes there is a reason why her alters were created. With the help of Connor, the man whose apartment she woke up in, Dylan begins to unravel the secrets to why her alters were created. Will she uncover the truth, and if she does, will she be able to start to heal? Or will the truth destroy her?

Usually, I would have left the trigger warnings where they are at the beginning of the review. But, in this case, I am going to list them. Listing the triggers with how raw this book is will help you decide on reading it. The triggers are:

Attempted Suicide: One of Dylan’s alters, Scratch, a protector alter, decided that the only way to help Dylan was to kill herself. Dylan woke up (for lack of a better word) right after Scratch’s attempt.
Childhood Sexual Abuse: Dylan created her alters to protect herself from years of sexual abuse from someone she knew.
Sexual Assualt: See above
Alcohol Abuse: Dylan abused alcohol regularly in high school.
Mental Illness: Dylan suffers from many mental illnesses, including anxiety and borderline personality disorder. She is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder after her suicide attempt.

If any of these trigger you, I recommend not reading this book.

As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, this is a raw book. I was unprepared for how raw it was and how it affected me. The emotions of Dylan, her family, and her friends came off the page and affected me to the point where I needed to put the book down. I couldn’t breathe because I was so upset with everything in the book.

Pieces of Me main storyline follows Dylan, her eventual diagnosis, her numerous alters, the treatment, her remembering of what happened, and what happens when she breaks her silence. I found the entire storyline heartbreaking. I was glad that the author chose to show Dylan’s memories of her childhood sexual abuse selectively. I don’t know if I could have dealt with reading what a grown man did to a 5-year-old. Some parts of the storyline felt unreal, like Dylan initially coming to her DiD diagnosis through a questionnaire her best friend found. But that aside, this storyline did keep me glued to the book.

I wasn’t too sure about how I felt about Dylan or her alters. I felt terrible because she was dealing with severe mental health issues. She came across as very immature during the book’s first half. But, I did see her character grow with her when she officially got her DiD diagnosis. The rules she set down for her alters were funny and sad at the same time. But I liked that her internal house (where her alters lived) also changed. The author spent time introducing the main alters and explaining their roles.

There were several secondary characters in Pieces of Me. I thought Dylan’s best friend was an alter until her brother started hooking up with her best friend. Speaking of her brother, I couldn’t stand him, but I got that he was so skeptical of Dylan’s diagnosis. Still, it didn’t excuse his behavior.

I wasn’t a fan of Dylan’s romance angle with Connor. I thought it was too fast, too soon. But he was good for her and did his homework when it came to being with someone with DiD.

Pieces of Me had a happyish ending. I say happyish because Dylan’s abuser was finally being brought to justice. But it caused a massive schism in her family. But the author did leave room for healing, and Dylan understood why a specific person in her life wanted to stand by her abuser. I liked how the alters was becoming accepting of integrating with Dylan. I almost wished there was an epilogue showing Dylan 5 years down the road and where she was in her journey.

I want to add that the author did post an author’s note at the end of the book. It explained the amount of research the author did on DiD.

I recommend Pieces of Me to anyone over 18. There is language, sexual situations (nongraphic), and violence. Also, see my trigger warning list above.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Kate McLaughlin for allowing me to read and review Pieces of Me. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Pieces of Me, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Kate McLaughlin:

Tales from the Box, Volume 1 by Weston Kincaide

Publisher: Shattered Light Press

Date of publication: March 31st, 2023

Genre: Anthology, Fantasy, Paranormal

Trigger Warnings: Murder, Torment, Pedophile (suggestion), Gore, Blood, Suicide, Mass Suicide

Purchase Links: Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

Tales from the Box, Volume I, is the first solo collection of fantasy and supernatural horror from Amazon best-selling author Weston Kincade.

The stories inside delve into secret niches that skirt reality. Tales from the Box includes witty stories from Hell, music auditions with a flair for magic, one small town’s Halloween Minute Man, an etiquette consultant confronted by an audience of identical teens, and even a man who finds himself permanently drunk, sans alcohol. From surprising mystical finds at your local garage sale to odd games played in a zombie-filled world, this twenty-story collection is written to delight.

If you enjoy Twilight Zone, Stephen King, or M. Night Shyamalan, Tales from the Box has what you need, stories of fantasy and horror hidden in shadow until now.

First Line:

“Has anyone called maintenance? It seems like an eternity since the AC worked in here.” A middle-aged man peers over the walls of his cubicle, asking anyone within earshot.
Tales from the Box (No Complaints) by Weston Kincaide

I was hesitant to review this book because it is an anthology. I have a love/hate relationship with reviewing these types of books. But since I have read and reviewed for the author before, I decided to review Tales from the Box. I am glad I did because this book was great and had some gems in it!!

Since this is an anthology, I will write a mini review on each story. This is the best way to cover each story instead of giving a blanket review of the entire book. So here goes nothing!!

No Complaints—This is the first story in the book, and it sets the tone for the book. I giggled at where the author set the office and how useless it was for John to complain about the heat.

Not My Lucky Charms—I will not lie; I laughed a little while reading this story. As you can guess, this is about a leprechaun. But this leprechaun is evil and does the vilest things to a strip club owner. And his name was what made me laugh. The ending was a little weird, but it fit the story.

Prison Torment— This one was the sadder of the twenty stories. Sam worked at a prison and was well respected. That ended when he told Simon (a colleague?) his secret, and work became unbearable—with the inmates taunting him. It wasn’t until Sam met Kaleb that I realized what Sam’s secret was, and it wasn’t until it happened that I realized what Sam was planning on doing. What shocked me was what Kaleb did when he came back. It didn’t take a lot to shock me, but that did.

Three-Car World—This was an interesting short story. I didn’t get what was happening until almost the story’s end. It made sense when it was explained (about the Great Pitching and what was happening to the train). It also made sense what people were willing to do to save themselves.

H.E.L.L.—This was one of my least favorite stories. But, if this were real life, it would have made sense. Hell would need a lawyer and a PR specialist, and who better than one who was already going to Hell? I liked the twist the author put at the end of this story. But it didn’t resonate with me.

Audition Surprise—I liked this story. I loved the author took American Idol and put a sinister spin on it. That whole audition had me glued to the story. Of course, there was an evil undercurrent to everything. I couldn’t pinpoint who was controlling it until the end of the story. Then the author sprang it on me and why this person did what they did.

The Etiquette Consultant—What a creepy story. There were so many layers here, and I wished the author had time to peel them back. The star of this story was the etiquette consultant and his tutoring of clones. There was a creepy end to the story. I wasn’t sure what to make of the end of the story.

Hunger—This was an interesting story. It is set during a zombie apocalypse. Three survivors ran across a community that had an interesting pastime. I won’t get into it, but it was gruesome. The end surprised me because I didn’t see it coming.

Masks—So, I will never go to a yard sale again. After what Janice went through (and she did deserve some of it), I will never look at other people’s stuff and take it home. Of course, Janice did deserve it (she was nasty), but still. It was a great take on a particular Greek myth.

Out to Lunch—This story confused me a little at the beginning. The author eventually explained what happened, and I felt it was a good twist for this story!! I rooted for the three people (or beings) this story centered around.

Tick-Tock—This was a genuinely creepy story. It took a little bit to get into, but it was fantastic when it did. I loved the lore in this story, the vengeful ghost, and the courageous schoolteacher. What I wasn’t expecting was the massive twist at the end. It took me by surprise because of who was in charge.

PermaDrunk—So, this story made me laugh and cry. I laughed because what a way to become famous. But it was who was behind the guy’s condition and why that made me cry. And that person had an agenda, which included targeting the drunk’s friends. I was surprised at how this story turned out.

Native Calling—I loved this story!! At first, I didn’t understand what was happening, and I figured it would be another zombie story. Well, this isn’t a zombie story. Instead, it goes into Navajo myth and legend. I won’t get much more into it other than to say it was fantastic!!

Sibling Rivalry—I was so sad reading this story. The author took the monster under the bed and ran with it. But the little girl, Melanie, broke my heart. The end of the story doubly broke my heart because she didn’t mean anything.

House Hunting—I was surprised by this story. I thought it would go one way, but it was strangely wholesome. Plus, I like the fact that ghosts can go house hunting. It brought a smile to my face.

Changes—So, this was a different type of werewolf story. I felt for Benjamin because he was chosen to be a weregoat (yes, you read that right), and it didn’t quite go as expected. Of course, this story has a couple of terrifying and cute twists.

Outsiders—I didn’t understand this story and had to read it twice to understand what was happening. I felt a little silly because it made sense once I understood that all three main characters were part of different organizations. Oh, and I loved the comparison the author drew upon. I kept hearing that person’s voice in my head….haha.

Tech Support—Again, this is a story that I wasn’t too sure about. I loved the action and the fact that people got assassinated. Also, the paranormal angle was chef’s kiss. But I got lost in what was going on. And again, I had to read this story a couple of times. Once I figured out what was going on, it made the final reread much better.

Uncertain Futures—This was a great fantasy story, and I could see it being a great novel. I loved that the professor was insane enough to deal with the punishment for cheating. And what he made those students do was awful!!

Off-World Bounties—This is an exciting story in the time of Wyatt Earp. I liked the power play in the bounty and what was revealed.

Knock, Knock!—This was a poem, but it was a scary poem. I had to read it twice before catching up on what was happening. All I have to say is that Tanner was a bad boy.

Otherside—This was a sad story. I didn’t get what was going on until halfway through the middle. Then it hit me. I can’t tell you much more than what I said because it was depressing after that to read.

So, overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a perfect mix of horror, paranormal, suspense, and mystery. It did make me laugh in spots, and I did cry in others.

I recommend Tales from the Box, Volume 1 to anyone over 21. There is violence and language. There are no sexual situations. Also, see my trigger warnings.

Many thanks to Weston Kincaide for allowing me to read and review Tales from the Box, Volume 1. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Tales from the Box, Volume 1, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Weston Kincaide:

Another Chance at Happiness by Dani Phoenix

4 Stars

Publisher: Dani Phoenix

Date of publication: August 24th, 2022

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Women’s Fiction

Trigger Warnings: Cheating, Divorce, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, physical child abuse, video game addiction, attempted parental alienation

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

Newly independent after a long-awaited divorce from an emotionally abusive husband, LELA is finally following her dreams. She reaches out to her former lover, NATHAN, to inspect her potential B&B purchase. Months later, he appears with startling news of his own impending divorce. Lela grabs at this chance to be with him but soon discovers her insecurities, his guilt, his wife’s underhanded manipulations, and his family’s firm feelings about his marriage and their relationship threaten their chance at happiness.

Trapped in an unfulfilling marriage with a wife who criticizes and rejects him, Nathan struggles with pride and feelings of failure both as a husband and as a father. He willingly sacrifices his own happiness for his boys and his faith; however, the sudden revelation of his wife’s own infidelity gives him the push he needs to seek out his own happiness, with Lela.

First Line:

Rolling the stem of her martini glass between her fingers, Lela readjusted her legs, tucking her left underneath her right.
Another Chance at Happiness by Dani Phoenix

Lela is happy to start over after her divorce from her husband. Running a bed and breakfast has always been a dream of hers. When the property needs inspection, Lela immediately thinks of her ex-lover, Nathan, and contracts him to do the job. What she wasn’t expecting, or wanting, was her feelings for Nathan to return or for them to start a relationship again.

Nathan is struggling. He is married to a woman who constantly puts him down and criticizes everything he does. Nathan feels he has failed in his duty as a father, a husband, and a Christian. He is unwilling to divorce since it goes against his religion, and he feels stuck. The only time Nathan truly felt himself was when he was with Lela. So when he discovers his wife has been cheating on him and she wants a divorce, he thinks he can start a relationship with Lela. As Lela and Nathan get closer, the more Nathan’s ex-wife tries to drive a wedge between them. Will Nathan and Lela ever get their shot at happiness? Or will Nathan’s family and ex-wife succeed in ruining their happiness forever?

I didn’t know what I was getting into when I started reading Another Chance at Happiness. From the blurb, I knew it was a second-chance romance with Christian themes. I wasn’t expecting this book to affect me so much. I was in tears for more than half the book because I could relate to what Nathan’s children were going through. I was also in tears for Lela because she got the short end of the stick in everything.

There are trigger warnings in Another Chance at Happiness. They are:

Cheating— Nathan and Lela cheated on their spouses with each other and other people (on and off page). Lela’s husband cheated on her (which led to their divorce and off page), and Nathan’s wife cheated on Nathan (on page).
Divorce—Lela has been divorced from her husband for a while (off-page). Nathan is separated from his wife at the beginning of the book and is waiting for her to sign the papers (on page).
Verbal Abuse—Lela’s mother verbally abused her when she was younger (on page but through memory). Her husband verbally abused her and her children (off-page). Nathan’s wife and father verbally abused Nathan (both off and on page).
Emotional Abuse—Lela’s mother emotionally abused her (on page but through memory). Nathan’s wife emotionally abused him (off and on page).
Physical Child Abuse—Lela’s mother physically abused her (on page but through memory).
Video Game Addiction—Lela’s husband was addicted to playing video games and would neglect his kids while Lela was out (on page but through memory)
Attempted Parental Alienation—Throughout the book, Nathan’s wife tries to alienate his children from him (on and off page). At one point in the book, Nathan’s family joins in (off-page).

If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book.

Another Chance at Happiness is a medium to a fast-paced book set in Colorado. About 90% of this book takes place in Lela’s bed and breakfast, with some scenes set in the Rockies and at Nathan’s house.

This book deals with serious issues, and the author wastes no time diving in. The main storyline centers around Lela and Nathan’s relationship (past and present), Nathan’s relationship with his wife, and Lela running her bed and breakfast. The author doesn’t hide or make excuses for Nathan and Lela’s past relationship or how it ended. The way she presented it was two unhappy people looking for happiness. But I did lift an eyebrow at how they connected. Come on, Craigslist? Lela and Nathan’s relationship was very rocky in the past and the present. Mainly because Nathan’s ex-wife was playing games with him. Poor Nathan felt he had to walk on eggshells around her because she threatened to pull visitation with his sons.

I couldn’t believe how awful Nathan’s wife was. She completely tore this guy down to the point where he didn’t have self-esteem (the body hair comments hurt me to read). Now, Nathan was a cheater, but his wife acted awful. She conveniently forgot that she cheated too, and not only that but she got caught. She was nasty towards Lela (the voice messages and the false reviews left on her B&B’s site) and would flex her control over the kids and Nathan. I seriously wanted to punch her. But she crossed the line when she got Nathan’s family involved. That was the nastiest, most uncomfortable Thanksgiving scene I have ever read. It was followed up by Nathan’s sister’s visit to Lela, and the ultimation Lela was given.

I also couldn’t get over how willing Nathan’s wife was to use their children as pawns. She would undermine everything Nathan did and try to erase any relationship Nathan wanted with his boys. Nathan refused to say anything bad about their mother in from of his boys. But Nasty McNastyton didn’t hesitate, and it caused significant issues with Nathan’s older son. Again, I wanted to punch her.

I did like Lela. She was very open about admitting her past mistakes (including how she met Nathan). She stayed in an abusive relationship so her kids could grow up with two parents – which you shouldn’t do. Kids always know if their parents are unhappy, and Lela’s three adult children knew. She did love Nathan, but she should have known that Nathan’s wife would go nuclear once she found out about their relationship (past and present). After that disastrous Thanksgiving and its repercussions, I didn’t blame her for what she did. I would have done the same.

I liked Nathan, but I felt that he was a hot mess. He shouldn’t have entered a relationship with Lela so soon after discovering his wife’s cheating. It just made things so much more complicated. He was a good father, though, which is the only reason he agreed to make things work with his wife. But I wouldn’t say I liked that he used Lela (and yes, he did), and I didn’t think Lela deserved him until the last part of the book. When the Thanksgiving disaster happened, he did NOTHING to defend her.

What I liked most about this book is it’s messy and raw. While I might not have agreed with how Nathan and Lela did things, it worked for them. My only complaint is that the Christian angle got a little much towards the end of the book, not with Lela (I would class her more as spiritual) but with Nathan. If you are miserable in your relationship and the other person is just as miserable, end it!!!! But I know that divorce is frowned upon in some Christian religions, and I got why Nathan stayed.

A couple of twists in Another Chance at Happiness happened at the end of the book. One, I did see coming, but I figured it wouldn’t happen. The other twist occurred shortly after. While I was happy it happened, I almost didn’t want it to, mainly because that person had gone on with their life and was learning to be happy again.

I would recommend Another Chance at Happiness to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations. Also, see the trigger warning list above.

Many thanks to Novel Cause and Dani Phoenix for allowing me to read and review Another Chance at Happiness. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Another Chance at Happiness, then you will enjoy reading these books:

No Time to Breathe (Lisa Jamison: Book 3) by Lori Duffy Foster

4 Stars

Publisher: Level Best Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Member’s Titles

Date of publication: April 11th, 2023

Genre: Mystery

Trigger Warning: Murder

Series: Lisa Jamison

A Dead Man’s Eyes—Book 1 (review here)

Never Broken—Book 2 (review here)

No Time to Breathe—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

Journalist Lisa Jamison wants to blow off some steam after an argument with her boyfriend, so she heads to her friend Ricky’s kickboxing studio for an early morning workout. She expects to find Ricky alone, setting up for his first class of the day, but someone was there before Lisa, uninvited. Ricky is dead, shot only moments before she arrived, and now Lisa is a suspect in his murder. Lisa wants two things: to clear her name and seek justice for Ricky. But the deeper she digs, the more the danger mounts. Can she find Ricky’s killer before the killer eliminates the last obstacle, silencing Lisa for good?

First Line:

Three days ago, the sidewalks of Seneca Springs were covered in a thick blanket of fresh, wet snow.
No Time to Breathe by Lori Duffy Foster

No Time to Breathe takes place a year or so after the events of Never Broken. Lisa is still working at the paper, but layoffs and cutbacks threaten her job. She also lives with her boyfriend, whom she met during her investigation in Never Broken. An argument with her boyfriend sends Lisa on a jog, leading her to her friend Ricky’s kickboxing studio, where Lisa plans to blow off some steam. But Lisa wasn’t expecting to find Ricky dying of a gunshot wound as soon as she walked in. Lisa also wasn’t expecting the police to make her their main suspect. Lisa decides that she needs to do two things: clear her name and find Ricky’s killer. But Lisa is running against the clock because whoever killed Ricky has her next on their list, and they won’t stop until Lisa dies. Can Lisa find the killer before they kill her? What is the motive behind Ricky’s murder?

No Time to Breathe is book 3 in the Lisa Jamison series. While readers can read this book as a stand-alone, I recommend reading the first two books to understand the backstories and relationships shown in the book.

No Time to Breathe is a fast-paced book in Seneca Springs, New York. The book lagged slightly in the middle (when Lisa was juggling everything), but the author got the book back on track.

The main storyline in No Time to Breathe is Ricky’s murder, Lisa’s investigation, and her being a suspect. I was a little irritated at how the police handled his murder. Until the FBI got involved, they were content to pin the murder on Lisa, even though she didn’t have her gun on her (she locked it at home), and some people backed her up on where she was right before the murder. The investigating officer was a jerk to her and didn’t take her seriously. He was a smug idiot when he dropped the fact that she was having an affair with Ricky (she wasn’t), and he wasn’t willing to listen to her. It took two attempts on her life, one which almost killed her, and the FBI getting involved for Officer Jerk to take his laser focus off Lisa and look at the evidence she gathered (and there was quite a bit). Once that happened, the storyline smoothed out, and things went as I thought they would. But still, that officer (well, Detective) was an idiot.

There were a couple of secondary storylines that supported the main storyline perfectly. The one that caught my attention was the storyline with her boyfriend, his ex-partner, her and her boyfriend’s relationship, and the relationship he had with his ex-partner. I enjoyed that Lisa and Patrick didn’t have a lovey-dovey relationship. They had issues (mainly due to a lack of time spent with each other), but they were working through them. And when Gloria appeared back in their lives, Lisa wasn’t thrilled about it. Neither was Patrick, but he didn’t share that with Lisa. I thought it would be the making of a messy love triangle, but then the author spun that around and ended that idea pretty fast.

I loved Lisa in this book. Not only was she going to solve Ricky’s murder (and shove it in Officer Jerk’s face), but she was going to keep herself out of jail. I will admit, I was scared for her towards the end of the book (how many times can one be hurt?) Her toughness shone throughout the book. Besides being tough, she was a great friend, and the author showcased it in the book’s last chapter.

The mystery/thriller/suspense angles of No Time to Breathe were terrific. The author did a great job weaving a suspenseful plot that kept me glued to the book. And the mystery angle was excellent, also. I honestly couldn’t figure out who killed Ricky and why. I did figure out a tiny part, but the whole picture was so much more than that. I didn’t see the twist in the plotline, and it left me shaking my head. Mainly because I thought the person behind the killings was already in jail (a tiny spoiler from Book 2). But the biggest twist came with what Lisa decided to do at the end of the book. Again, I wasn’t expecting the storyline to go in that direction, but now that I read it, I can see why the author wanted her to do that.

The end of No Time to Breathe was action-packed and kept me glued to the book (and yes, I know I repeated myself). Again repeating myself, but I was not expecting who the killer was or the reasons behind it. The author did wrap those storylines up, and I cannot wait to read book 4!!

I would recommend No Time to Breathe to anyone over 21. There is language, violence, and mild sexual situations.

Many thanks to Level Best Books, IBPA, Member’s Titles, NetGalley, and Lori Duffy Foster for allowing me to read and review No Time to Breathe. Any opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of No Time to Breathe, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Lori Duffy Foster

Wings Once Cursed and Bound (Mythwoven: Book 1) by Piper J. Drake

4 Stars

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Date of publication: April 11th, 2023

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy Romance, Fiction, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Young Adult

Trigger Warning: kidnapping

Series: Mythwoven

Wings Once Cursed and Bound—Book 1

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

For fans of Sarah J. Maas and Jennifer Armentrout comes a bold and captivating fantasy by bestselling author Piper J. Drake.

My wings unbound, I am the Thai bird princess
The kinnaree
And no matter the cost,
I will be free.

Bennet Andrews represents a secret organization of supernatural beings dedicated to locating and acquiring mythical objects, tucking them safely away where they cannot harm the human race. When he meets Peeraphan Rahttana, it’s too late—she has already stepped into The Red Shoes, trapped by their curse to dance to her death.

But Bennet isn’t the only supernatural looking for deadly artifacts. And when the shoes don’t seem to harm Peeraphan, he realizes that he’ll have to save her from the likes of creatures she never knew existed. Bennett sweeps Peeraphan into a world of myth and power far beyond anything she ever imagined. There, she finds that magic exists in places she never dreamed—including deep within herself.

First Line:

Peeraphan Rahttana closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, letting her senses expand until she was aware of every dancer waiting in the wings, of every stage tech behind the backdrops.
Wings Once Cursed and Bound by Piper J. Drake

Bennet is hunting for a dangerous magical artifact called The Red Shoes. Any human who puts them on is trapped by a curse and forced to dance to their death. He traced the shoes to a community center where a group practiced a traditional Thai dance. He gets there in time to see Peeraphan, also known as Punch, slip the shoes on her feet. What Bennet wasn’t expecting was Punch to be immune to the curse. Bennett is surprised to find out that Punch is a kinnaree, a Thai bird princess. Aware of her heritage, Punch is surprised to discover a world she didn’t know existed. A world where vampires, dragons, sidhe, and werewolves live and protect (for the most part) humans from beings and artifacts that will hurt them. Punch and Bennet look for a way to release the curse while battling a rogue vampire and a human collector of magical artifacts. Will Punch be able to release the curse and remove the shoes? Will she fully accept who and what she is?

Wings Once Cursed and Bound is a fast-paced book in and around Seattle, Washington. There needed to be more exploring of the city or the islands where Bennet took Punch, and I would have loved more description of the city/islands. But that was a minor quibble because I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Wings Once Cursed and Bound main storyline centers around Punch, Bennet, The Red Shoes, and the search for how to release the curse. I wanted to know if the author would let Punch remove the curse on the shoes. I admit I knew nothing about Thai (or any Eastern Asian mythology), and the kinnaree legend fascinated me. I also liked that the author included several urban legends/myths from around the world.

Several side storylines fed into the main one. Fransisco’s evil, devious plan to sell Punch to the collector was a major sub-storyline. Fransisco was a nasty dude, and I wish Bennet had ended him in that significant fight scene. But if Fransisco continues to be a problem in the series, I see why the author let him live. I liked that Punch blossomed in this storyline. And when I mean blossom, I mean she came into her powers. It was beautiful to see.

The paranormal angle of this book was excellent. I read about lesser-known supernatural entities, such as the kinnaree, karin puksa, kraisorn rajasri, tsurubebi, and the will-o’-the-wisp. I liked that the author mixed lesser-known mythical figures with the regular ones (the werewolves, fairies, sidhe, and vampires). At the end of the book, she included a section called Field Notes on the Supernatural and the Paranormal. The author incorporated all the entities and artifacts (such as Bluebeards Bloody Key, the Noose of the Phayanak, and The Red Shoes)mentioned in the book in the field guide. I hope that she includes this in the other books in the series.

There is a romance angle to Wings Once Cursed and Bound. It starts as Instalust (Bennet was very attracted to Punch but held off because he thought she was at least half human) but soon morphed into Instalove. I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not, to be honest. It felt a little forced. I would have loved to see Punch and Bennet’s relationship blossom slowly instead of falling head over heels within a couple of days of meeting each other.

The end of Wings Once Cursed and Bound was interesting. I can’t get into what happened, but I will say that I liked that Punch and Bennet were able to help some of the paranormal entities they found at the mansion. They also found several supernatural artifacts. I was a little grumpy with how Fransisco’s storyline ended, but I am sure he will turn up in the upcoming books, so I wasn’t sweating it. I also liked the insights into the winged fairies, the sidhe, the brownie, the witch, and the werewolf living on the island with Bennet. I wonder if the author will feature one of them in the next book!!!

I recommend Wings Once Cursed and Bound to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca, NetGalley, and Piper J. Drake for allowing me to read and review Wings Once Cursed and Bound. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Wings Once Cursed and Bound, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Piper J. Drake:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: