Category: book review

Prince of Typgar: Nurjan and the Corpse in the Quadrangle by Krishna Sudhir

Publisher: Notion Press

Date of publication: August 25th, 2020

Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Young Adult

Trigger Warnings: fat shaming, cannibalism, death of a parent (off page), grief, kidnapping

Series: Prince of Typgar

Prince of Typgar: Nurjan and the Monks of Meirar—Book 1 (review here)

Prince of Typgar: Nurjan and the Corpse in the Quadrangle—Book 2

Prince of Typgar: Nurjan and the Temporal Traversal—Book 3

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

This is the second in the Prince of Typgar series, the much-anticipated sequel to Nujran and the Monks of Meirar. At the end of the first book, we left Nujran as a teenager who has learned much through his journeys alongside his teacher Amsibh. He experienced romance, conflict, friendship, betrayal, and loss. He grew up along the way.
We begin the second book on the sprawling campus of the prestigious University of Western Foalinaarc, where a body has just been discovered. Who is this girl, and why is she dead? Could it be linked to the mysterious illness sweeping the campus and plaguing the teaching community? Why does Amsibh come to the school, and what does he need to protect Nujran from? Through what twist of fate is Nujran reunited with his old friends, the Monks of Meirar? And why does Nujran end up being a captive again?
The stakes are higher than ever before, with fugitives on the run, turbulence on the university campus, a new romance, a bizarre kidnapping, a perilous escape from prison, and a rescue mission where things don’t quite go as planned. Corpse in the Quadrangle is another fast-paced adventure that will hold young readers spellbound!

First Line:

It was twilight, and all was quiet, the air warm and still. Handac and Iandic had just started their celestial dance in the sky.

Prince of Typgar: Nurjan and the Corpse in the Quadrangle by Krishna Sudhir

Prince of Typgar: Nurjan and the Corpse in the Quadrangle begins a few years after the events of the Monks of Meirar. Nurjan attends the University of Western Foalinaarc and is enjoying his studies. His peace is interrupted when a girl’s body is found in the quadrangle and is further disrupted when Honan and his accomplice escape from prison. Things are thrown further into disarray when the faculty are simultaneously sickened with a stomach bug. That is when Amsibh arrives, and the Monks of Meirar come shortly after him. With their help, Nurjan and the other students go back to having a sense of normalcy. But Honan and his followers have other plans. And those plans include kidnapping Nurjan and holding him captive. Can Amsibh, the detectives, Nurjan, and the other students solve the murder? Besides Honan, who is behind the events on campus? How did Nurjan get captive again, and will he be able to escape?

Prince of Typgar: Nurjan and the Corpse in the Quadrangle (I will call this book The Quadrangle for short in this review) is the second book in the Prince of Typgar series. A reader can read this book as a standalone. But I do recommend reading the Monks of Meirar before reading this book. There are references to events in the first book that are better read than explained after the fact (if that makes sense).

The Quadrangle is a medium to fast-paced book set in Foalinaarc. There was a slight lag in the middle of the book, but it didn’t bother me. The author was able to get the book back on track.

Nurjan was much better in The Quadrangle than in Monks of Meirar. Mainly because he matured, and that was a huge thing. Nurjan in Monks of Meirar was immature, while Nurjan in The Quadrangle wasn’t. In this book, Nurjan recovered from the events of the Monks of Meirar and used what he learned from those events to understand why they happened. The only sore point was his father’s death (and honestly, I was still a little salty about that too).

The main storyline with the death of the girl in the quadrangle, the investigation, and Nurjan was interesting. I liked that the author had a storyline take a different turn with the death. That was the first twist of this storyline. There was also a twist about why this person died, who did it, and why that person did it. I was surprised and saddened when that was revealed.

The other main storyline, which started after Amsibh arrived on campus, revolved around Honan, his accomplice (who I can’t reveal because it is a massive spoiler for the end of book 1), how the girl’s death is involved, Nurjan, the Monks of Meirar, and Nurjan’s kidnapping. Amsibh, as in the past book, was a massive part of this book. He was the one who brought the Monks of Meirar to the University to help. He guided (for lack of a better description) the investigation into the girl’s death and the teachers’ poisoning. The only time he couldn’t help was when the enemies kidnaped Nurjan. But even then, he used his brain to figure out where Nurjan was taken to. I was surprised at how twisty this storyline was, also. There were several twists that I didn’t see coming.

The fantasy/science fiction angle was well written and kept my attention on the plotlines. I loved the time machine that the Dean had invented. Amsibh’s thought machine made a couple of appearances also.

There is a romance angle in The Quadrangle. It is between Nurjan and another classmate. It was clean, with only a couple of kissing scenes. It was adorable and gave me warm fuzzies whenever it appeared in the book.

The end of The Quadrangle was interesting. The author wrapped up the main storyline (the murder), and I couldn’t believe who the killer was. That person was not even on my suspect list!! As for the second storyline, the author wrapped up some of it but left a good part of it open. Nothing was resolved with Honan and his accomplice. That has set me up for book three, and I can’t wait to see how this storyline will be resolved.

I recommend Prince of Typgar: Nurjan and the Corpse in the Quadrangle to anyone over 13. There is mild violence. There are also very mild kissing scenes, but the book goes no further. Also, see my trigger warning list at the beginning of this review.

Many thanks to Novel Cause and Krishna Sudhir for allowing me to read and review Prince of Typgar: Nurjan and the Corpse in the Quadrangle. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by Krishna Sudhir:

Body Count (Paige Hanson: Book 2) by S.M. Thomas

Publisher: AR Hurne Publishing

Date of publication: April 7th, 2023

Genre: Suspense, Thriller

Trigger Warnings: Mental Abuse, Verbal Abuse, Kidnapping, Death, Grief

Series: Paige Hanson

The Diseased—Book 1 (review here)

Body Count—Book 2

Purchase Links: Kindle

Amazon synopsis:

Widowed sounded better than divorced.
Or at least it did the first time.

Despite having survived the trials and tribulations of The Diseased – Paige finds herself in a situation that seems even more impossible.

The President is dying.

Those four words set Paige’s life on a course she could never have predicted.

The President is dying, only Paige can save him.

Those eight words are the only ones keeping her friends Georgia and Violet alive.

The President is dying, only Paige can save him. She won’t.

It is those ten words that keep Paige motivated, that keep her sane.

First Line:

The President is sick. Those four words are the tiny gap between life and death for me.

Body Count by S.M. Thomas

Starting shortly after the events of The Diseased, Body Count follows Paige, Georgia, and Violet as they try to keep one step ahead of Paul, the President’s advisor. The President is dying, and Paige knows how to cure him. But she won’t tell. The lives of her son, Georgia, and Violet depend on her silence. Paige is also starting to remember the night of the car accident that killed her husband and caused her amnesia. What she remembers could be the thing that breaks her. What happened that night? Who can’t she trust? Will she be able to save her son and friends?

I don’t even know where to begin with Body Count. I was super excited when I got the heads-up email from the author and immediately downloaded it. I devoured this book. It took me over 3 hours to read. I read it in the car pick-up line (the best place for uninterrupted reading), at dinner, and in bed.

Body Count is the 2nd book in the Paige Hanson series. This book is not standalone. You need to read book 1 to understand what is happening in book 2. If you do read book two first, you will be confused.

Body Count is a fast-paced book that is set on the planet of Earth 2. Most of the book takes place in apartments where Paige, Georgia, and Violet are held captive or in the lab where Paige has done much of her work. This environment, along with the intense pressure that Paige is under for more than 90% of the book, is perfect for the book.

I liked Paige. There were times when I wanted to take her and hug her. Her mental state was shaky during the first half of the book. Not that I blamed her for feeling the way that she did. She thought she couldn’t trust anyone, including her best friend, Violet. She also was dealing with her memory coming back. It wasn’t like a waterfall, and everything came back at once. Nope, it was disjointed and confusing. There were things she remembered that didn’t make sense. But still, she was one of the strongest people in the book.

The secondary characters of Violet, Georgia, Ryle, and Paul were well-written. I liked that the author made it a point to make me not trust Violet, Georgia, or Ryle. Paul, on the other hand, was despicable. He was a faithful sycophant. Like Paige’s, my trust in Violet, Georgia, and Ryle wasn’t strong. I kept wondering what ulterior motives they had.

The main storyline was fantastic. As I said, Paige’s mental health was shaky for the book’s first half. It was understandable with everything that she had been through. She didn’t trust anyone and told her friends half-truths about things. It was understandable. But the book’s second half is where everything starts to pick up. Paige’s memory started returning, and she planned to get her, her friends, and her son out. There are a few big twists in the storyline that I did not see coming. It was sad when her memory returned, and she understood what her husband was trying to say. The author also didn’t hesitate to kill off the main characters. I was shocked at who was killed off. I didn’t see it coming and felt blindsided.

The end of Body Count annoyed me. Mainly because it ended with a To Be Continued. While I am glad that there will be another book, and I hope that Paige gets her revenge, I also wanted a resolution now (stamping my foot like Veruca Salt). I guess I’ll have to wait….sigh.

I would recommend Body Count to anyone over 21. There is language and violence but no sexual situations. Also, see my list of trigger warnings at the beginning of the post.

Many thanks to S.M. Thomas for allowing me to read and review Body Count. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by S.M. Thomas:

Dirty Laundry by Disha Bose

Star Rating:

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Adult, Suspense, Psychological Thriller, Adult Fiction, Ireland

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

Trigger Warnings: Cheating, Adult Bullying, Childhood Bullying, Stalking, Arranged Marriage, Marital Rape, Neglect, Drug use, Depression, Mental Illness, Domestic Violence

Goodreads Synopsis:

A twisty, domestic suspense debut about a clique of mothers that shatters when one of their own is murdered, bringing chaos to their curated lives.

She was the perfect wife, with the perfect life. You would kill to have it…

Ciara Dunphy has it all–a loving husband, well-behaved children, and a beautiful home. Her circle of friends in their small Irish village go to her for tips about mothering, style, and influencer success–a picture-perfect life is easy money on Instagram. But behind the filters, reality is less polished.

Enter Mishti Guha: Ciara’s best friend. Ciara welcomed Mishti into her inner circle for being… unlike the other mothers in the group. But, discontent in a marriage arranged for her through her parents back in Calcutta, Mishti now raises her young daughter in a country that is too cold, among the children of her new friends who look nothing like her. She just wants what Ciara has–the ease with which she moves through the world–and in that sense, Mishti might be exactly like the other mothers.

And there’s earth mother Lauren Doyle, born, bred, and the butt of jokes in their village. With her disheveled partner and children who run naked in the yard, they’re mostly a happy lot, though unsurprisingly ostracized for being the singular dysfunction in Ciara’s immaculate world. When Lauren finds an unlikely ally in Mishti, she decides that her days of ridicule are over.

Then Ciara is found murdered in her own pristine home, and the house of cards she’d worked so hard to build comes crumbling down. Everyone seems to have something to gain from Ciara’s death, so if they don’t want the blame, it may be the perfect time to air their enemies’ dirty laundry.

In this dazzling debut novel, Disha Bose revolutionizes age-old ideas of love and deceit. What ensues is the delicious unspooling of a group of women desperate to preserve themselves.

First Line:

The house smelled of porridge, detergent, and soiled nappies. A few years ago, it smelled of patchouli, filered coffee, and Black Opium by Yves Saint Laurent.

Diry Laundry by Disha Bose

Online, Ciara has a perfect life with perfect children and a perfect husband. In real life, though, Ciara is nothing like the image she has carefully cultivated. Her life would be perfect if her neighbor, Lauren, would take her disorganized, messy life and leave the village. Lauren will not go, so Ciara begins to make Lauren an outcast in their small village. Not that Lauren isn’t used to it. She grew up in this village and was bullied mercilessly by the same women she desperately wanted to connect with. She finds a friend and ally in Mishti. Mishti, originally from Calcutta, finds Ireland cold and wants to return to her family. Friends with Ciara, Mishti begins to see what type of person she is and starts to distance herself from Ciara. Then, one morning, Ciara is found dead in her house. Who wanted Ciara dead, and why? The answer to that question might shock you because nothing is what it seems about Ciara’s death.

Dirty Laundry was different from what I thought it would be, and you know what? I enjoyed it. As I read it, I did compare it to soap operas (mostly Days of Our Lives). The author did a great job of portraying the downfall of the Queen Bee of the local mom group in that village. I couldn’t get enough of it.

Before I get into the review, I want to inform you about this book’s trigger warnings. They would be:

  1. Cheating (Ciara, Parth (Mishti’s husband), and Sean (Lauren’s partner) cheated on their SOs constantly. For the most part, it wasn’t graphic.)
  2. Adult Bullying (Ciara led a group of women in bullying Lauren, and this did extend to Lauren’s children. Ciara was vicious with her attacks against Lauren, online and in person)
  3. Childhood Bullying (Lauren was bullied by the other children in her village her whole life. The author showcased a few examples in the book. Also, Lauren’s children were bullied by the children of Lauren’s bullies. It was never shown, but Freya, her oldest daughter, did mention it a couple of times in the book)
  4. Stalking (Before Sean and Lauren had children, Lauren stalked an ex-girlfriend of his and attacked her)
  5. Arranged Marriage (Mishti and Parth had an arranged marriage, which Mishti didn’t want)
  6. Marital Rape (There was one scene where Parth forced Mishti into having sex with him)
  7. Neglect (Ciara neglected her children, Bella and Finn. The baby was only picked up or comforted if it was for online pictures. Mishti did pick up Finn at one point in the book to comfort him, and Ciara blew up at her)
  8. Drug Use (Ciara was addicted to pills and used Parth to write her a prescription. Sean and Lauren used pot recreationally)
  9. Depression (Mishti was depressed since she got married and had her daughter. She had let herself go and could barely make herself do things)
  10. Mental Illness (Ciara was a narcissist. I do believe that Lauren had a mental illness. She revealed that she would have missing periods, and there was one point where she blacked out after Sean started hooking up with his ex-girlfriend).
  11. Domestic Violence (Parth pushed Mishti around at least once during the book. Sean and Lauren had a very volatile relationship, which consisted of verbal and mental abuse of each other)

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

I rarely flat-out disliked a character right from the beginning of a book. Ciara falls into that category. I don’t know how to describe her other than evil and narcissistic. She doesn’t care who she hurts and how they get hurt as long as she gets her way. And if you were in her crosshairs, forget about it. She would hurt you any way she could. But, I was surprised that she was willing to do what she did to Mishti. I figured that Mishti was exempt from Ciara’s shenanigans. But I was wrong. And I was doubly surprised at who she was sleeping with. Never, in a million years, would I have picked that person. My sympathy lay with her husband. And guess what? I didn’t blame him at all for his actions at the end of the book.

I couldn’t quite get a good handle on Mishti until her scenes in Calcutta. I felt terrible for her because she was trapped in a lonely marriage. But, as her storyline went on, I started to like her. Yes, she made mistakes, and yes, she was punishing herself for them. But, she resolved some of her regret and guilt when talking to her ex-boyfriend. I also liked how she wasn’t surprised when discovering Parth’s secret. I loved how her mind said, “How can I use this to take a trip back to Calcutta?” I was also not surprised at what she did at the end of the book.

Out of the three main characters, I liked Lauren the best. She got off on the wrong foot with Ciara, but she was a new mother with zero support from her partner and was operating on zero sleep. I didn’t blame her for being snippy. I also understood why she wanted to fit in with the other moms in her village. She tried to patch things up with Ciara until certain things were revealed. And you know what, I would have done the same thing, confronting Ciara. Unlike Ciara, her children’s happiness came first, and it showed. Freya, Harry, and Willow were happy, well-adjusted children. I was surprised by what she did at the beginning and her actions at the end of the book. I couldn’t help but feel that everything would be pinned on her.

The main storyline centers on Ciara, her murder, and the events leading up to it. The plotline does jump around quite a bit, but I didn’t care. As I said above, it was like I was reading a script for a soap opera. The author clearly states who the chapter is about and how far before Ciara’s murder, the events in the chapter took place. There was so much to unpack in each chapter, and the author did it wonderfully.

There were several sub-storylines with Parth, Sean, and Gerry (Ciara’s husband). Each storyline adds additional insight into how and why Ciara died. I loved reading them because of the extra understanding I got.

The end of Dirty Laundry was a free for all. The author told Ciara’s death from four perspectives (Sean, Gerry, Parth, and Mishti). Each view had an element that threw Ciara’s death into a new light. I am not going to go much more into the end. But, as I said above, Lauren will get the raw end of the deal because of her history with Ciara (and notice how she wasn’t on my list of people at the beginning of the paragraph).

I would recommend Dirty Laundry for anyone over 21. There are violence, language, and non-graphic sexual scenes. Also, see my list of trigger warnings.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Disha Bose for allowing me to read and review Dirty Laundry. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by Disha Bose:

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library (Lakeside Library Mystery: Book 3) by Holly Danvers

Stars: 3

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Date of publication: August 8th, 2023

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Mystery

Series: Lakeside Library Mystery

Murder at the Lakeside Library—Book 1

Long Overdue at the Lakeside Library—Book 2

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library—Book 3

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

Perfect for fans of Jenn McKinlay and Ellery Adams, Rain Wilmot must find a novel solution in order to catch another killer—before her book club members are picked off one by one.

Summer is in full swing as tourists flock back to the Northwoods and travel to Lofty Pines, Wisconsin. For Rain Wilmot, owner of the Lakeside Library, this is the perfect opportunity to bring back her mother’s summer book club. But the summer sun starts to really heat up when one of the club’s members, Lily Redlin, is found dead in her own home not long after the first meeting.

Alongside her sidekick and neighbor Julia Reynolds and the charming Jace Lowe, Rain discovers that the murder is seemingly inspired by the book club’s recent selection of Agatha Christie’s classic mystery novel, Sparkling Cyanide. But who would kill Lily, and more importantly, why?
The deeper Rain goes into the story, the more confusing and complicated the plot becomes. Was Lily murdered to cover up a tragic accident involving an old classmate years earlier? Or were the rumors true—did Lily really possess priceless original Laura Ingles Wilder manuscripts, and someone killed her for them? And who stands to gain the recently inherited piece of waterfront property that Lily received from a long-lost relative?

With a long list of suspects and motives, Rain realizes that all leads come back to people involved in the book club. Rain and her friends take a page from Agatha Christie’s book by hosting a reenactment of the club’s first meeting to flush out the killer. Will Rain’s plan succeed—or will this librarian’s book be checked out for good?

First Line:

Rain Wilmot stepped from the log cabin and was immediately met with golden sunshine.

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library by Holly Danvers

Rain decided that summer was the perfect time to return her mother’s book club to the library. The first book was Sparkling Cyanide by Agatha Christie. After things got a little heated with a new member, Lily, during the meeting. Concerned, Rain and her best friend track Julia to her house and find Lily dead. With few leads, Rain and Julia start their investigation. Everything points back to who was at the book club that night. Who killed Lily? And what was the motive?

I decided to read more cozy mysteries a few months back. I love reading mysteries but tend to read psychological mysteries (usually paired with psychological thrillers) or police procedurals. So I downloaded a few from a publisher I occasionally review for. Read to Death at the Lakeside Library is the first book out of the five that I downloaded.

Read to Death at the Lakeside Library is the third book in the Lakeside Library Mysteries. When I started reading this book, I was expecting this book to confuse me. Beginning a series on book three isn’t ideal for me. Why? The storylines are usually harder to follow, and the characters from previous books appear. I am happy to say that it wasn’t true in this case. The author briefly references the previous two books but focuses on this book’s storyline. Readers can read this book as a standalone, but I recommend reading the earlier books for more of Rain’s back story.

I liked Rain. She had a rough couple of years, from what was revealed. I also liked that she was a good friend. My only quibble with her is that when she found clues (like the book or the notes), she didn’t go to the police immediately (and I will go further into that). I also loved that she owned a library and put her heart and soul into it!!

I found Julia annoying throughout the book. She wasn’t afraid to lean on her brother, a detective on the local police force, for information. She also didn’t hesitate to hide or tell Rain to hide evidence. It drove me nuts. But I did think she was a good friend. Rain was Julia’s best friend, and she wouldn’t let her investigate Lily’s death alone.

The main storyline is Rain investigating Julia’s death. I loved that the author modeled her death after Agatha Christie’s book and a recent real-life murder involving eyedrops. But I was slightly irritated by how Rain and Julia conducted their investigation (and the second investigation into Patrick’s death). They broke into houses (Lily’s), they stole evidence (the manuscript and the cassette tape), Julia leaned on Jace (her brother) for information about the case, and they withheld evidence from the police. I kept thinking that the evidence they collected would never be allowed in court because of that. I was surprised at who the killer was, though. It was not even remotely who I thought it was.

There was a secondary storyline that Rain and Julia were investigating. It involved a woman from their book club, the death of her classmate decades earlier, and the murder victim. How they were tied together made for a neat twist.

There was a romance angle to Read to Death at the Lakeside Library. I gathered that this romance started in book one, but they didn’t get together until this book. Rain was too busy investigating Lily’s murder and getting into shenanigans with Julia for it to go beyond that. This is a clean romance with a few kissing scenes.

The end of Read to Death at the Lakeside Library was action-packed. I was not expecting who the killer was. And I wasn’t expecting this person’s motives (yes, there are two). As much as Rain and Julia annoyed me, I look forward to reading book 3.

I recommend Read to Death at the Lakeside Library to anyone over 16. There is mild language and mild sexual scenes. There is also violence.

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Holly Danvers for allowing me to read and review Read to Death at the Lakeside Library. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Read to Death at the Lakeside Library, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Holly Danvers:

Prince of Typgar: Nujran and the Monks of Meirar by Krishna Sudhir

Star Rating:

Publisher: Notion Press

Date of publication: October 23rd, 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

Set on the planet Syzegis, in a distant galaxy, Nujran is the spoiled pre-teen son of King Rababi and Queen Roone in the kingdom of Typgar. Enter Maestro Amsibh, a gifted teacher with extraordinary qualities, and the prince’s transformation begins.
But, why does he have to leave his sheltered life at the palace and his gorgeous friend Zaarica, with the maestro and two bodyguards? Who are the mysterious Monks of Meirar, and what strange powers do they possess? What motivates Hoanan, the villainous politician, who wants to unseat the king and usurp the throne? And amidst all the turbulence in Typgar, can Nujran find his way back home?
With numerous plot twists and turns, the reader will be transported on a fast-paced adventure with our young prince, where he encounters romance and conflict, friendship and betrayal, while building strength and character through his experiences in the real world.

First Line:

“The debate will begin in a moment. It’s going to be an exciting evening!” The announcer’s tone was enthusiastic. Her dress was bright red, her hair shiny black and her face garishly painted.

Prince of Typgar: Nurjan and the Monks of Meirar

Nujran was born the night his father, King Rababi, debated his political rival, Hoanan. A much-loved child, Nujran was spoiled until his mother, Queen Roone, stepped in and stopped his behavior. That is also when he met Amsibh, a gifted teacher with several unusual abilities. Nujran’s life was perfect until a group led by King Rababi’s ex-political opponent tried to overtake the government. Rushed to safety by his teacher and two personal guards, Nujran worries about the safety of his parents, the remaining staff, and his friend, Zaarica. When the Monks of Meirar arrive at the island, it hastens along events that Nujran was destined for. What is so special about the Monks of Meirar? Why is Hoanan trying to usurp King Rababi? Who is the mole on the inside? And what influential figure is helping Hoanan?

Nurjan and the Monks of Meirar do start slowly. I was put off by how slow it was at first. But, as I continued to read this book, I understood why the author started as slow as he did. He was building several storylines simultaneously, with the main storyline revolving around Nujran. Once I got over the slowness, I started to like the book.

The author included two things that a book like this needs. He included a map at the beginning of the book (with all of the major cities and countries highlighted). But my favorite thing was the glossary at the end. I was so happy that he thought enough to include one. There were so many named characters, and I did have a hard time keeping them straight. But with the glossary, I didn’t have to rely on my notes (which were numerous and sometimes didn’t make sense, lol)

Nujran and the Monks of Meirar take place in Syzegis, on the continent of Angawunder, in the country of Typgar, and in the city of Loh’dis. It also takes place, for a brief time, on the island of Narcaya. The author painted a vivid view of a world that is technologically advanced but, at the same time, keeping things simple (if that makes sense). From what I gathered, much of Syzegis is unexplored. It was also a peaceful world without worries about war, hunger, or poverty. Well, that was until Hoanan tried to take the throne by force. Then that went out the window.

Nujran, who the book is centered around, did start as a brat. I liked that his mother was like, “Hell no,” and redirected him to activities where he could make friends and stop acting so spoiled. I blame his father for his beginning attitude, but I understood why King Rabibi spoiled him. Nujran was a much-wanted child, and his father wanted to make Nujran happy. Nujran’s character growth started when Queen Roone put her foot down on his behavior. But it began when Amsibh took over Nujran’s teaching. I loved watching him grow from a slightly self-involved teenager to one who made critical decisions.

I was curious about Amsibh when he appeared in the book. He is the older man with four arms on the cover and one of the wisest men in their world. I liked that he guided and protected Nujran along his journey. He never told him outright what to do but instead suggested things. He was one of several characters that I enjoyed during the book.

The Monks of Meirar was an exciting group of men and ladies. Each monk had a unique ability that set them apart from regular people. One could go invisible (and make people with him invisible), another could do remote viewing, and yet another could talk to the dead. Each monk contributed to their part of Nujran’s journey, and I liked seeing how they enriched his life.

I wouldn’t be a good reviewer if I didn’t mention Hoanan. From the beginning, I knew he was behind the attacks and the coup (even before he revealed himself). The more I read about him, the more my skin crawled, and I detested him so much. So, I wasn’t surprised when the author chose to end his storyline the way it did.

The storyline with the coup, Nurjan, Hoanan, King Rabibi, and Queen Roone, who was behind the attacks and who was discovered helping Hoanan, was intriguing. While I quickly figured out Hoanan’s role in everything, there were a couple of mystery people I couldn’t quite figure out their deal. A couple of twists in this storyline had me shaking my head in disbelief and sadness.

The storyline with Nurjan, the Monks of Meirar, Amsibh, and Nurjan’s exile was fascinating. The island where Nurjan was kept could be cloaked (which made it perfect for hiding on). I couldn’t get enough of the Monks and was sad when they parted ways with Nurjan and Amisbh. There was a betrayal that I didn’t see coming, and it saddened me.

The end of Nurjan and the Monks of Meirar had me in tears. I can’t get into why but my heart broke for Nurjan. The author resolved all of the storylines but left some wiggle room for another book.

I recommend Nurjan and the Monks of Meirar to anyone over 13. There is violence. There is no language or sexual situation.

Many thanks to Novel Cause and Krishna Sudhir for allowing me to read and review Prince of Typgar: Nurjan and the Monks of Meirar. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Prince of Typgar: Nurjan and the Monks of Meirar, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Krishna Sudhir:

The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores

Star Rating:

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: March 21st, 2023

Genre: Fantasy, Lesbian, Young Adult, LGBT, Romance, Retellings, Queer, Vampires, Witches, Paranormal

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

Trigger Warnings: Blood, death of a parent, animal death, physical abuse, torture, child abuse, vomit, child death, murder

Goodreads Synopsis:

Francesca Flores’s The Witch and the Vampire is a queer Rapunzel retelling where a witch and a vampire who trust no one but themselves must journey together through a cursed forest with danger at every turn.

Ava and Kaye used to be best friends. Until one night two years ago, vampires broke through the magical barrier protecting their town, and in the ensuing attack, Kaye’s mother was killed, and Ava was turned into a vampire. Since then, Ava has been trapped in her house. Her mother Eugenia needs her: Ava still has her witch powers, and Eugenia must take them in order to hide that she’s a vampire as well. Desperate to escape her confinement and stop her mother’s plans to destroy the town, Ava must break out, flee to the forest, and seek help from the vampires who live there. When there is another attack, she sees her opportunity and escapes.

Kaye, now at the end of her training as a Flame witch, is ready to fulfill her duty of killing any vampires that threaten the town, including Ava. On the night that Ava escapes, Kaye follows her and convinces her to travel together into the forest, while secretly planning to turn her in. Ava agrees, hoping to rekindle their old friendship, and the romantic feelings she’d started to have for Kaye before that terrible night.

But with monstrous trees that devour humans whole, vampires who attack from above, and Ava’s stepfather tracking her, the woods are full of danger. As they travel deeper into the forest, Kaye questions everything she thought she knew. The two are each other’s greatest threat—and also their only hope, if they want to make it through the forest unscathed.

First Line:

I slam the journal shut when a floorboard creaks downstairs, and listen closely for any more movement. Zenos must be awake now, which means he and my mother will come to my attic soon – and I’ll have to play the part of the perfect, obedient daughter.

The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores

Ava has been confined to her room in her house for two years. She has unwillingly allowed her mother to steal her magic for two years. For two years, Ava had to hide that she was a vampire and was turned when vampires overran the town and killed her best friend’s mother. When her mother goes away on business and leaves her with her diabolical stepfather, Ava makes a break for the forest surrounding her village. Meanwhile, her best friend, Kaye, is channeling her grief into her Flame witch training. Fire is the only thing vampires are afraid of, and the villagers use it to their advantage, killing them with fire. Seeing Ava for the first time in two years, Kaye realizes she is a vampire. Channeling her rage and grief into capturing Ava, Kaye soon discovers the girl she was best friends with isn’t a heartless beast. Convincing Kaye that her only escape is through the woods, they travel. But they are being tracked by other vampires, vampire hunters, and Ava’s stepfather. Will Ava and Kaye make it through the woods? Will their friendship and budding romance rekindle? What truths will they find during their journey?

I was super pumped when I read the blurb for The Witch and the Vampire. I love fairy tale retellings and will go out of my way to read them. So when I read some reviews for this book and realized that it was a Rapunzel retelling, there was no way I wouldn’t read it. Have you read a good Rapunzel retelling? Well, until this book, neither did I.

Before I get further into the review, I do need to put up a trigger warning paragraph. The Witch and the Vampire do have a few trigger warnings. The trigger warnings are:

Blood (not surprising, this is a vampire story)

Death of a parent (Someone turned Ava’s father into a vampire, captured him, and then murdered him. Kaye’s mother was murdered also. Both are vividly remembered)

Animal death (Ava drank the blood of squirrels and rabbits to sustain herself)

Physical abuse (Ava by her stepfather, and it is graphic)

Torture (Ava by her stepfather during his experiments. Also what the Flame witches do to the vampires to get information. I considered both to be graphic)

Child abuse (Ava by both her mother and her stepfather. Her mother emotionally abused her and turned her into a vampire against her will. Her stepfather physically and verbally abused her when her mother was gone)

Vomit (Kaye threw up a few times but nothing overtly graphic)

Child death (off-page there were several murders of teens in the village and a preteen being used as a sacrifice)

Murder (so much murder)

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

The Witch and the Vampire is a fast-paced book. It took me no time to read because of how fast the plotline was. I enjoyed that!! It is a dual POV 3rd person storyline, which was great because I got to see what was going on in Kaye and Ava’s heads during the book.

The main characters in The Witch and the Vampire broke my heart. They both had suffered so much loss and had their innocence taken from them at an early age. I do wish that there were more flashbacks to when Ava was human. I would have loved to see more of her and Kaye’s interactions.

I liked Ava, and I loved that the author used her as a comparison to Rapunzel. Right from the beginning, I could tell that she was just done with being in the attic, and she was done with being used as a magical sippy cup for her mother. Ava’s main focus was survival for the first half of her storyline. Once she escaped from her house, she knew she had a limited time to get to the woods. Running into and getting captured by Kaye was not part of her plan. Her character growth throughout the book was terrific. I loved seeing her go from a scared child to a woman who wouldn’t be treated like she had been. Of course, the events in the last half of the book helped that along.

I feel bad admitting this, but Kaye annoyed me until almost just past the book’s climax. She refused to believe Ava about anything until it smacked her face (i.e., Ava and herself getting caught). Kaye made decisions based on emotion and not rational thought. She was a powerful witch, though. I also thought that her immediately putting Ava as her mother’s murderer was awful. But, like Ava, her character growth was remarkable. I liked seeing her misconceptions about vampires torn down. I also liked that she changed enough to admit she was wrong. That is when my annoyance with her disappeared, and I started to like her.

The lore in this book was unbelievable. I would have loved for there to have been a glossary with some of the more critical bits of lore added to it. Because I needed help keeping track of everything thrown at me, lore-wise. I also pray that there is book two because I have questions about the other lands mentioned in this one.

Kaye and Ava’s romance was very low-key until almost the end of the book. I liked that they had an adorable moment before everything went berserk. I also loved the flashbacks that showed how close they were friendship-wise and how close they were getting romance-wise. What happened at the very end of the book was an act of love by Ava. That was very clear to me, and Kaye knew it.

The storyline with the vampires, Ava, Kaye, and the journey to leave the woods was well-written and kept my attention. I couldn’t believe how vampires were treated and cringed reading those scenes. I also cringed at how Kaye treated Ava after capturing her. There was a very neat (and heartbreaking) twist to this storyline that I didn’t see coming. It involved Casiopea (the Queen of the Vampires) and how vampires were created. Again, I didn’t see it coming. Ava’s role in this was also a surprise.

The storyline with Ava, Kaye, the Flame witches, and Kaye’s mother’s murder was well-written and heartbreaking. Everything about this storyline was a twist. My heart broke for Kaye several times throughout this storyline. I also was a little mad that she couldn’t get her revenge.

The end of The Witch and the Vampire surprised me. There were deaths that I didn’t see coming and one that made me so angry that I had to put down my Kindle. I liked how the author wrapped up the storylines, and I had a huge smile when a certain someone got their just deserts. I hope the author writes another book in this universe because I would love to know more about what Kaye and Ava will do.

I would recommend The Witch and the Vampire to anyone over 21. There are no sexual situations or language. There is graphic violence. Please also see my trigger warnings.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Francesca Flores for allowing me to read and review The Witch and the Vampire. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed this review of The Witch and the Vampire, you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Francesca Flores:

Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller

Star Rating:

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

Date of publication: March 28th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Historical, Fiction, Adult, Mystery, Espionage, Mystery Thriller, Adult Fiction

Trigger Warning:

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

During ball season, anything can happen, even love.

It’s ball season in Vienna, and Maria Wallner only wants one thing: to restore her family’s hotel, the Hotel Wallner, to its former glory. She’s not going to let anything get in her way – not her parents’ three-decade-long affair; not seemingly-random attacks by masked assassins; and especially not the broad-shouldered American foreign agent who’s saved her life two times already. No matter how luscious his mouth is.

Eli Whittaker also only wants one thing: to find out who is selling American secret codes across Europe, arrest them, and go home to his sensible life in Washington, DC. He has one lead – a letter the culprit sent from a Viennese hotel. But when he arrives in Vienna, he is immediately swept up into a chaotic whirlwind of balls, spies, waltzes, and beautiful hotelkeepers who seem to constantly find themselves in danger. He disapproves of all of it! But his disapproval is tested as he slowly falls deeper into the chaos – and as his attraction to said hotelkeeper grows.

First Line:

There were twenty-eight mintues left in 1877, and as if the year had not seen enough trouble, Maria Wallner’s father led Maria Wallner’s mother onto the dance floor, clasped her amorously to his chest, and, with the first langud, delicate notes of Strauss’s Vienna Blood Waltz providing a suitbale romantic background, began to dance.

Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller

Maria Wallner has been working towards restoring her family’s hotel, the Hotel Wallner, to its former glory. So, when an offer to host Vienna’s giant ball of the ball season is extended to her, she jumps on it. Nothing is going to stand in her way. Not her parent’s thirty-year affair, her hotel needs expensive repairs, or the American spy who has saved her life twice. Eli Whittaker has been sent to Vienna to find out who is selling American secret codes, arrest them, and return to Washington, D.C. His one clue is the hotel that Maria is trying to bring back. What Eli wasn’t expecting was his sudden attraction to Maria. He wasn’t expecting to be swept up into intrigue that could reach as far as the Royal Family. When Maria is attacked twice, Eli makes it his job to investigate. Can Eli find out who is behind Maria’s attacks? Can he also find out who is selling America’s secrets? Can Maria bring her hotel back to its former glory? And will Eli and Maria both leave the 1878 Vienna ball season with their hearts intact?

I didn’t know what I was getting into when I started reading this book. I thought I was going to read a romance about a spy. That was it (the blurb didn’t give anything away). I was aware that this book was set in Vienna (and I will discuss that later) and that I was mindful of the period. I wasn’t expecting the hijinks in Hotel of Secrets or that the people in Vienna seemed a little progressive for that era. Those quibbles aside, I enjoyed reading this book and the giggles it gave me.

Let me get the basics out of the way before I start going off on tangents. Hotel of Secrets is a fast-paced, 3rd person, dual POVs book (what a freaking mouthful there). I enjoyed reading the book from Eli and Maria’s perspectives. Some things didn’t make sense when seen from one that made sense when seen from the other. The fast pace suited Hotel of Secrets ideally, and the author did know when to slow down so everything could sink in. Plus, I loved the diary enteries from Maria’s great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, and Maria herself at the beginning of each chapter.

So, now that is over, let’s jump into the review!!!

I loved that this book was set in Vienna during their ball season. Vienna is on my bucket list of places to go, and I loved seeing it described so beautifully in the book. I liked that the author gave a behind-the-scenes look into hotel renovations in 1878 (nothing like today) and how much preparation went into hosting a ball. I didn’t know that there were themes to balls. Honestly, I just thought people dressed up fancy, danced, and drank a lot of champagne. It shows how much I know.

I liked Maria. I liked how open she was with Eli about things and how in touch with herself she was. I also liked how she wanted to buck the “dark-haired man” fate and do things her way. She didn’t have time for that. She had a hotel to renovate and an essential ball to hold. Her impatience (and later disdain) for her mother and father’s affair was amusing and sad. I loved how she interacted with Eli. Her sassiness and not wanting him around amused me, as did her sexual overtures once she decided she wanted him.

Eli was not what I expected in a main character. He had a past that was tragic and shaped him into who he is in the book. But the more important thing is that he was a virgin. I couldn’t quite wrap my head around that when it was revealed. It was something that I rarely had (maybe never) read in a romance novel. The male main character was a virgin!! I also liked that he wasn’t as sneaky as a spy as he thought. Everyone, including Maria, had him pegged from day one, and his surprise when she told him was priceless.

The main storyline was an interesting one. It focused on Eli, Maria, the hotel, the diaries that Maria’s family kept (and they feature heavily towards the end of the book), Maria’s family, and Eli’s reason for being in Vienna. It was a twisty plotline that could potentially lose the reader, but it didn’t. The author did a great job of keeping everything on point and the attention where it needed to be. Of course, there are two considerable twists in that plotline. One that I guessed at, and the other took me by surprise.

Let’s talk about romance, mainly Eli and Maria’s. I wouldn’t quite call it Instalove. Instead, I would say that they were both sexually attracted to each other, and it evolved into love. Maria did fight her feelings for Eli for about half of the book. In the book’s second half, she realizes that Eli is hers. As for Eli, it was the same way.

There is a lot of sex, sexual hijinks, and sexual encounters in Hotel of Secrets. I was a little surprised because of the era (1878). But this wasn’t England, and I figured the Austrian society was a little more lenient with that stuff. I loved that Maria knew what she wanted and how she wanted it. Her hijinks with Eli (before deflowering him) were sensual and amusing. Take the linen closets. Maria made it known early on that she wanted to be taken in one and was contemplating adding amenities (those linen closets in that hotel got a workout). Eli was more than happy to indulge her once they were at that point in their relationship. I also loved (and thought it was hilarious) that Eli went and bought a pornographic book to study before they did the deed. I was dying, and when he started citing references, I couldn’t stop laughing.

I loved the end of Hotel of Secrets. Talk about ending the book with a bang!! The author revealed a couple of twists. I figured one out, but the other one took me by surprise. I also couldn’t have been more disgusted with Maria’s father. What he did was unforgivable. I wondered where Eli and Maria’s relationship would go since Eli technically did what he was sent to Austria to do. I am hoping that there is another book set in this universe that answers that question.

I would recommend Hotel of Secrets to anyone over 21. There is violence, mild language, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Diana Biller for allowing me to read and review Hotel of Secrets. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

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

Other books by Diana Biller:

Yours Truly, The Duke (Say I Do: Book 1) by Amelia Grey

Star Rating: 4

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

Date of publication: March 28th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical, Regency, Regency Romance, Adult

Triggers: Domestic Violence (off-page), Child Custody battle

Series: Say I Do

Yours Truly, The Duke—Book 1

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

Yours Truly, The Duke is the first novel in the historical romance Say I Do trilogy about dukes needing to wed to tap into their wealth by New York Times bestselling author Amelia Grey.

Fredericka Hale needs a husband, and fast. She’s been caring for her deceased sister’s three young children, and now a childless cousin has petitioned the court for custody. Fredericka is powerless to stop her, but having a husband might sway the ruling. The last thing Fredericka wants is a hurried-up marriage to a man she doesn’t know—much less love, but she’ll do it for the children. So when the handsome Duke of Wyatthaven shows up with a proposal, she accepts. He’ll help her, and in return, they’ll lead separate lives. But distance cannot keep them from their powerful attraction.

At the top of his game in London, the Duke of Wyatthaven has no interest in marriage. However, if Wyatt doesn’t marry by week’s end, he’ll lose a sizable inheritance from his grandmother. When Wyatt’s solicitor finds Miss Fredericka Hale, Wyatt considers this little hiccup solved. Miss Hale is lovely, and intelligent. Most importantly, she prefers country life to London, so he’s free to continue his life as usual. But when circumstances force Fredericka and the children to show up at the duke’s door, Wyatt can’t deny he’s always been under her spell. Will the duke give up his bachelor lifestyle and give into the fiery passion growing between them?

First Line:

Bold lettering on the stiff paper in his hands blurred as the Duke of Wyatthaven tried to concentrate on the infuriating matter before him. Proposing marriage.

Yours Truly, The Duke by Amelia Grey

Miss Fredericka Hale needs to get married, and it needs to be fast. Being unmarried, she stands to lose custody of her sister’s three orphaned children to her married cousin. Wyatt, the Duke of Wyatthaven, is the answer to her prayers. Like her, he needs to be married as soon as possible to claim a sizable inheritance left to him by his late grandmother. They planned to marry and never see each other again, a marriage in name only. But the best-laid plans often don’t go their course. When Fredericka’s cousin threatens her, Fredericka does the only thing that comes to mind: go to her husband. But will Wyatt and Fredericka be able to overcome her cousin’s schemes? And will they be able to keep their distant but friendly relationship? Or will they fall in love?

I was super happy seeing that Amelia Grey had another series starting. Historical romances are one of my favorite genres to read. Having read her books previously, I knew what type of romance I would get. So, yes, I was thrilled that this book was out.

Before I get deeper into the review, I want to mention this book’s trigger warnings. They are domestic violence (off-page and alluded to), parental death (off-page and remembered), remembering of abuse by a school teacher, and a custody battle. The most graphic of the trigger warnings is the abuse that Wyatt remembers his schoolmates enduring (the teacher never touched him because of his status). If any of these triggers you, I recommend not reading this book.

Surprisingly, the love story between Fredericka and Wyatt was not the book’s main focus until maybe the last few chapters. Instead, the book focused on the children and who should have custody. I found it fascinating how custody worked back in Regency England. Unmarried women were not considered ideal guardians unless there was a male figure in the picture or said unmarried women had money/a title. But, if another relative (a married couple or an unmarried man) pursued custody, the magistrate gave it to them. Marriage or being a man always trumped the woman. Surprisingly, if titles were involved in the custody dispute, the magistrate always deferred to the person with the higher title. So a marquis challenging a duke would not have a chance in court unless it could be proven that the children were being harmed. So, I understood why Fredericka was wound up so tight for 90% of the book. Those children could be taken away from her because of that, and when Wyatt showed up to propose (out of the blue), it was an answer to her prayers.

I agree with the consensus that Fredericka was too controlling during the book. But, saying that, I understand why (see above). She also dwelled too much on the past. She was insanely jealous of Jane and her sister’s relationship and let it color every interaction. I seriously wanted to grab Fredericka, shake her, and say (in the words of Elsa): “Let. It. GO!!!”

I thought that Wyatt was the complete opposite of Fredericka. He was too easygoing. At one point, I thought Wyatt would have made a perfect modern-day surfer. He had the Regency “brah” attitude down pat. There was a reason why Wyatt was that way, and when the author revealed why, I wanted to swoop in and hug him. The guilt that he lived with was almost too much for me to read, and the scene with his friend who had the misshapen hand broke my heart.

The children were a massive part of this book, and I loved them. But, they were damaged by the domestic violence they saw and their parents’ deaths. I had tears when the oldest girl yelled at Wyatt not to hit Fredericka and the pain Wyatt had when Fredericka explained why she said that. But they also made me laugh. There is a significant scene with Jane and Fredericka when they walk in on the kids drinking brandy and smoking cheroots (like they saw Wyatt and his friends doing). I know I shouldn’t have, but I laughed. Why? Because it was a typical thing, a kid would do (excluding the smokes and booze). All they wanted was to act like Mr. Lord Duke (as the youngest called him); at the time, it seemed fun.

While Fredericka and Wyatt had sexual tension, the author chose to have them build their relationship. There were a few (well, more than a few) stolen kisses sprinkled throughout the book. I was disturbed that Fredericka could get utterly bamboozled by his kisses. What magic was Wyatt doing with his lips, and where can I find a man like that?

I also liked that this was a clean romance, and when Fredericka and Wyatt finally had sex, it was a fade-to-black scene. Listen, I like explicit sex scenes as much as the next woman, but they get boring (yes, I said it). Sometimes, you must let your imagination do what it does best and imagine things.

The end of Yours Truly, The Duke was cute, but I found certain things unbelievable. I thought having Jane and Fredericka talk, and the past was laid to rest was not believable. Jane was such a dink to Fredericka throughout the book; people do not change like that.

I would recommend Yours Truly, The Duke, to anyone over 21. There is no language and mild violence. There are also very mild sexual situations. Also, see my trigger warning paragraph.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks, NetGalley, and Amelia Grey for allowing me to read and review Yours Truly, The Duke. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Yours Truly, The Duke, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Amelia Grey:

Peril in Paradise: A Roger and Suzanne Mystery (Roger and Suzanne: book 21) by Jerold Last

Star Rating: 4

Publisher:

Date of publication: January 14th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Series: Roger and Suzanne

The Empanada Affair—Book 1

The Ambivalent Corpse—Book 2

The Surreal Killer—Book 3

The Body in the Parking Structure—Book 4

The Matador Murders—Book 5

The Body in the Bed—Book 6

The Deadly Dog Show—Book 7

The Origin of Murder—Book 8

Unbearably Deadly—Book 9

Science Can Be Murder—Book 10

The Body in the Alpaca Pasture—Book 11

Hunter Down—Book 12

Rum, Cigars, and Corpses—Book 13

Abra Cadaver—Book 14

The Bodies by the Beltway—Book 15

Roger and the Cancelled Czech—Book 16

Dangerous Drugs and Dexterious Dogs—Book 17

A Train to Nowhere—Book 18

Tahoe Trauma—Book 19

Bloody Delta Dawn—Book 20

Peril in Paradise—Book 21

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N

Goodreads Synopsis:

Roger finds a box in the ocean containing more than a quarter of a million dollars in cash while SCUBA diving in Hawaii. He attempts to return the money to the proper authorities. But things go wrong. Before long the money has disappeared along with two missing FBI agents who can’t be found, and Roger is in trouble with the local police and the FBI. Was the missing money intended for an illegal drug deal, as a payoff for crooked cops, or as a ransom for a kidnap victim? Is it real or counterfeit? Roger follows a twisted trail of illicit drugs, police corruption, and murder in this suspenseful thriller set in the vacation paradise of Maui as he seeks the answers to these questions. There’s plenty of action and several attempts on Roger’s life, as well as beautiful scenery, excellent food, and Kona coffee to be enjoyed before this case is solved.

First Line:

Suzanne and I celebrated our anniversary with a week at a popular luxury hotel on Maui with our good friends Connie, who was a scientific colleague of Suzanne’s, and her husband Jason, who worked with me as a private detective.

Peril in Paradise by Jerold Last

Roger and Suzanne are taking a much-needed vacation in Hawaii with their friends. While scuba diving in an off-tourist area, Roger finds a box in the ocean that contains over a quarter of a million dollars. After contacting a friend in the FBI, he turns the money over to the agents. But things go wrong when the agents disappear with the money. As Roger and his friend investigate the disappearance, they discover that things aren’t what they seem on the peaceful island of Maui. Will Roger be able to solve this case?

Peril in Paradise is the 21st Roger and Suzanne Mystery series book. Yes, you read that right, book 21!!! And the wonderful thing about this is that you can read Peril in Paradise as a standalone book. That alone made this book so much better in my eyes. Of course, I suggest you read the previous 20 books to understand Roger and Suzanne’s backstory better. But if you choose not to, it won’t hurt you.

Peril in Paradise is set on the island of Maui. The storyline is centered around Roger and Jason and their investigation into the missing agents/money and the general mayhem that starts after the money and agents go missing. The author does mention, in his author’s forward, that he had wanted to have a book set in Maui for a while, and I am glad that he chose this book to set it in. I believe that any other setting wouldn’t have done this story justice.

The main storyline focuses on Roger and Jason’s discovery of the money, turning it in, and then their FBI-sanctioned investigation. I found every part of the storyline intriguing and exciting. In an unusual turn, I enjoyed that the author let me, the reader, know who the bad guys were upfront. From that point on, it was more of a focus on Roger and Jason’s investigation and their keeping one step ahead of them.

Speaking of the investigation, I liked that the author kept me guessing when Roger and Jason would capture the bad guys. Oh, and where. But I certainly wasn’t expecting what happened during that showdown to happen. It was foreshadowed several times during the book, but I ignored it. That teaches me, and it made me have a new appreciation for unusual methods.

The end of Peril in Paradise was what I thought it would be. The author wrapped everything up. I wondered what would happen locally after Jason and Roger left, but the author even addressed that.

I recommend Peril in Paradise to anyone over 21. There is language and graphic violence, but no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Jerold Last for allowing me to read and review Peril in Paradise. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by Jerold Last:

The Fake by Zoe Whittall

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: March 21st, 2023

Genre: Fiction, LGBT, Contemporary, Queer, Adult Fiction, Thriller, Canada

Trigger Warnings: Cancer, Toxic Relationships, Gaslighting, Death, Mental Illness, Physical Abuse, Addiction, Self Harm, Suicidal Thoughts

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

Goodreads Synopsis:

A con artist can make you feel like the luckiest person on earth just to be in their presence. But when the jig is up, they ghost, and you’re left wondering if you ever mattered

After the death of her wife, Shelby feels more alone than ever—until she meets Cammie, a charismatic woman unafraid of what anyone else thinks and whose own history of trauma draws Shelby close. When Cammie is fired from her job and admits she is in treatment for kidney cancer, Shelby devotes all her time to helping Cammie thrive. But Shelby’s intuition tells her there are things about Cammie’s past that don’t add up. Could the realest thing about Cammie be that she’s actually a scammer?

Gibson is almost forty, fresh from a divorce and deeply depressed. Then he meets and falls in love with Cammie. Suddenly, he’s having the best sex of his life with a woman so attractive he’s stunned she even glanced his way, and for the first time ever he feels truly known. This is the kind of desire and passion that musicians have been writing love songs about for centuries. But Gibson’s friends are wary of Cammie, and eventually he too has to admit that Cammie’s dramatic life can feel a bit over the top.

When Shelby and Gibson find out Cammie is a pathological liar, they struggle to understand what they really want from her—sometimes they want to help her heal from whatever causes her to invent reality, and sometimes they want revenge. But the biggest question of all is: how honest can Shelby and Gibson be about their own characters?

First Line:

I was kidnapped when I was eight years old. I was sitting in the Oldsmobile, the one we called Carla Number 3, with the broken passenger-side door that was held together with bailer twine and bungee cords.

The Fake by Zoe Whittall

Gibson is still reeling from a divorce he didn’t see coming when he meets Cammie. Immediately taken by her, Gibson doesn’t at first notice the inconsistencies in her stories. He is just happy to find someone who loves him. Shelby is devastated by the sudden death of her wife. She suffers from hypochondria and severe anxiety and is floundering until she attends a grief counseling session. There, Shelby meets Cammie, who is grieving the death of her best friend. Connecting with her on a level that she only had associated with her deceased wife, Shelby opens her house to Cammie. But Shelby and Gibson soon discover that Cammie’s stories aren’t adding up. What happens when Gibson and Shelby meet up and compare notes? How will Cammie react? Will they be able to confront her?

This book is told from 3 different points of view: Cammie (in the beginning and end), Gibson, and Shelby. Cammie gave the start and ending notes (and her explanation for what happened). But, the main focus of the book was on Gibson and Shelby. Everything that happened was seen from their POVs (well, it was 3rd person), with Cammie being featured heavily. Usually, I’m not too fond of books with multiple POVs, but it worked in this case.

Cammie was a freaking trip. From her opening note, I knew her version of the truth wouldn’t align with Gibson or Shelby. Cammie is a scam artist and a psychological liar. She went out of her way to find people who were hurting/damaged. Cammie gaslighted her way through the book, and when Gibson and Shelby backed her into a corner, Cammie freaked out. But her ending did make me pause and wonder about some of the things she told Shelby and Gibson were true.

I felt terrible for Gibson. He was genuinely struggling after his divorce, and Cammie saw that. All he wanted was someone who made him feel attractive and who appreciated him for him. Cammie’s lies started on day one with him. Thankfully, he had a good group of supportive friends that refused to allow Cammie to bring her drama and lies into their lives. He was such a nice guy that he even went to help Shelby when Cammie started getting too much for her. I liked how his experience shaped him and how he turned out.

Shelby, on the other hand, was a hot mess. I don’t even know where to begin with her. She suffered from extreme medical anxiety and extreme general anxiety. Coupled with her devastation over her wife’s death, she was a freaking mess. I was not faulting her there because I would have been too. But, the one time she decides to go to a grief counseling group, she meets Cammie. And, of course, Cammie latches on to her. In a way, Shelby got the sharper end of the stick with Cammie than Gibson. But Shelby became obsessed with helping Cammie, which drove her to a mental breakdown. Her story resonated with me the most because of her ending.

The Fake didn’t have a happy ending; in a way, for all three, it did. It was more bittersweet and reflective. It was also more Shelby and Gibson coming to terms with themselves and why/how they let someone like Cammie into their lives.

Cammie did get the last note in. She wrapped everything up perfectly and tried to spin the story her way (I loved how the author did that). As I said above, I also wondered if some of her stories were genuine. You know that there is always a kernel of truth in a lie. That may be the case here, which is why I liked this book so much.

There are trigger warnings in The Fake. They are cancer, toxic relationships, gaslighting, death, mental illness, physical abuse, addiction, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. If any of these trigger you, I recommend not reading this book.

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

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Zoe Whittall for allowing me to read and review The Fake. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of The Fake, you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Zoe Whittall