Category: Non ARC

The Red Death by Birgitte Margen

THE RED DEATH (A Pandemic Medical Thriller: Plague) by [Märgen, Birgitte]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: September 25th, 2018

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Where you can find The Red Death: Amazon

Book synopsis:

AN ANCIENT DISEASE re-emerges in the heart of New York City—a deadly bacteria that gave rise to the Black Death. Maggie De Luca, an epidemiologist who is fighting her own demons, works to uncover clues to contain the disease, but is always one step behind—her fate determined by the flip of a coin. Microbiologist Michael Harbinger believes he can make a vaccine that can stop the disease, but to do so would require an elusive plant that only grows in a remote region of the Amazon. 

With the help of J.D. Stallings, a paleoanthropologist, and Samantha Boutroux, a bacteriologist, they set out to find the plant that holds the key before the Red Death pandemic grips the world—or has the First Horseman of the Apocalypse, Plague, already opened the gates to our final annihilation? 

The mother of all plagues is back . . . 
Let the death toll begin . . . 

“RING AROUND THE ROSIE, 
POCKETS FULL OF POSIES, 
ASHES . . . ASHES . . . 
WE ALL FALL DOWN.”

First Line:

New York City is one of the most densely populated cities in the United States, encompassing a land area of approximately 302.6 square miles, and inhabited with over 8.5 million people.

The Red Death by Birgitte Marden

My Review:

It had been a while since I read a pandemic novel. When I read the blurb for The Red Death, I was intrigued and was eager to read the book. I wasn’t let down. The Red Death was a fantastic book to read.

The plotlines for The Red Death were super fast. From the first point of infection to the end, the author didn’t let the pace falter. I was impressed that she was able to convey the desperation behind the actions of the main characters.

The author also did something that I rarely see most authors do successfully. She took secondary storylines about the plague’s first victims and weaved them into the story. She was able to build a timeline with those victims. As I said, I haven’t seen it done successfully too often, and I loved that she was able to do it.

I loved Maggie. She tried hard to warn the CDC and the hospital about how contagious the disease was. Both times, she was brushed off. I was mad about the CDC brush off. They had a freaking vaccine, and they refused to do anything!! It made me wonder how often this does happen in real life. I also liked that Maggie was determined to find where the disease originated. She did some serious detective work. I was impressed with how she tracked the disease’s origin down.

I did like Michael, but I thought he was a pushover. He came across as too gentle. I didn’t believe that he would survive the Amazon trip. He was too soft. I mean, he took high tech gadgets into an area known not to be hospitable to people.

Stallings rubbed me the wrong way. His first impression was that he was a has-been who was hanging onto decades-old hurts. Plus, Stallings gambled, a lot. With his history with Michael, I didn’t think he would take him to the Amazon. But he did, which amazed me. Also, what surprised me was how his character grew. He turned into someone that Michael needed by his side in the Amazon. In the end, he was the real hero.

What scared me the most about this book was that it could happen in real life. There is always a threat of a pandemic sweeping the country and then the world — scary stuff. For the author to have ground zero be New York City was pure genius. In a city, that size, a disease like the Red Death could spread in days. It didn’t take much to start the spread of the disease.

The ending was great. I liked how the author chose to combine the two storylines. But the epilogue didn’t do it for me. If the author left it with New York City, then I would have liked it. But the whole Las Vegas part of it made me go “meh.”

I would give The Red Death an Adult rating. There is sex. There is no language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Red Death. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Disorder by Johan Fundin

Disorder: A thriller of both spine-chilling terror and emotional power by [Fundin, Johan]

2 Stars

Publisher: Asioni Press

Date of publication: May 28th, 2019

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Where you can find Disorder: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

The target of both stalkers and killers, a top fashion model with a rare disease sets out to learn how her pioneering scientist father died, only to find herself in the middle of a vicious conspiracy.

Cat is a hot multimillionaire supermodel but her life is far from perfect. She suffers from a chronic brain disorder and she is being stalked by a figure in a raincoat. Who is he … or it? In connection with the bizarre death of the founder of a groundbreaking biotechnology institute, Cat is pulled into a sinister corporate plot with a global backwash.

First Line:

“Who’s there?”

Disorder by Johan Fundin

My Review:

I rarely give 1 or 2 stars while reviewing a book. Even if I dislike a book, I tend to find something positive to say about it. But there are those books that I can’t say anything positive about. Disorder is one of them.

Disorder’s storyline was confusing. Cat, a supermodel, suffering from narcolepsy, is attacked by a mysterious figure. Many assassins then stalk her as she digs into her father’s death. If the book had stayed focused on that plotline, I would have been okay with it. But the author chose to introduce other storylines that muddied the water. I was left, confused, and disorientated. Which not what I want to be when reading a book.

I wasn’t impressed with the characters either. They were all superficial. I wasn’t a fan with how Cat’s beauty was pushed on me as a reader. She’s a supermodel and guess what; they are all beautiful. I didn’t need to be reminded about it repeatedly. The other characters evoked the same disinterest in me.

I wasn’t a fan of how narcolepsy was portrayed in the book. Narcolepsy is a severe neurological condition. There were points in the book where I felt the author was almost making fun of the disease. Again, another strike against the book.

I didn’t like how the author had Cat and her neurologist become romantically involved. It left a bad taste in my mouth even more so when it was revealed why he was pursuing Cat.

The end of the book left me feeling like I missed something. The author did do a great job of ending most storylines. There were several that were dropped. What also drove me nuts was what happened to Jan. I am not going to give anything away, but it was not realistic. At all.

I would give Disorder an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Disorder. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Jake’s Redemption (The Angel Eyes: Book 0.5) by Jamie Schulz

Jake's Redemption: The Angel Eyes Series Prequel by [Schulz, Jamie]

4 Stars

Publisher: Jamie Schulz

Date of publication: February 1st, 2019

Genre: Romance, Dystopia

Series: Angel Eyes

Jake’s Redemption—Book 0.5

Master’s Mistress—Book 1 (expected publication date: 2020)

Master’s Escape—Book 2 (expected publication date: 2021)

Where you can find Jake’s Redemption: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

An imprisoned cowboy. An empowered woman. When true love is forbidden, opening their hearts could destroy them both…

Chained and enslaved, Jake Nichols is convinced he’ll die alone. In this new order where men are stripped of all power, he endures brutal torture at the hands of his female captor. But when he’s hired out to build a ranch home for an outspoken beauty, his dreams of escape transform into visions of passion.

Monica Avery struggles to fill her heart in a loveless society. With marriage outlawed and romantic partners reduced to pawns, she’s given up hope of finding her soul mate. But the rugged rancher building her shelter awakens her deeply buried desires.

As the project comes together, Monica discovers a kindred spirit in the tenderhearted Jake. But despite their growing attraction, he still belongs to a cruel woman who’d rather see him dead than free.

Can Monica save Jake, or will their love lead to a tragic tomorrow?

Jake’s Redemption is a full-length book in the Angel Eyes cowboy dystopian romance series. If you like scorching-hot chemistry, clever post-apocalyptic worlds, and star-crossed love stories, then you’ll adore Jamie Schulz’s captivating tale.

Buy Jake’s Redemption today to see if love can brighten a dark world!

This prequel has an HFN ending and opens the door for the next book in the Angel Eyes Series, Masters’ Mistress, scheduled for release in 2020.

First Line:

Jake Nichols knelt in defeat on the cold ground of the mountain meadow, directly beside his best friend, Bret Masters.

Jake’s Redemption by Jamie Schulz

My Review:

Before I start this review, I want to let everyone about some significant triggers in Jake’s Redemption. I usually don’t include trigger warnings, but I felt this book warranted one. The trigger warnings I want to add are rape, the threat of rape, mental abuse, and physical abuse. If any of these triggers you, I would suggest finding another book.

Jake’s Redemption starts with Jake, his best friend, and the group that they are traveling with being captured in the mountains. Jake’s best friend, Bret, stages a daring escape but leaves Jake behind in the chaos. Five years later, Jake is a shell of the man he used to be. Abused in every way by his owner, Jake is waiting to die. Then, he is offered a chance to get away from his owner for six months. He is loaned to Monica. Expecting the worse, Jake is surprised when Monica turns out to be a kind and gentle woman who cares for the people under her protection. He begins to heal and begins to fall in love with Monica. But time is working against them. Jake is slated to return to his abusive owner. What will happen? Will Jake be returned? Will Jake and Monica have their happily ever after?

Jake’s Redemption was not what I thought it was going to be. When I read the blurb, I knew that I was getting a dystopian book with romance elements, which was fine with me. I like dystopian themed books, and I love romance. What I wasn’t expecting was the book to be as raw and gritty as it was. It blew my mind in the right way. I couldn’t put the book down. I needed to find out what was going to happen to Jake. I can’t say that I have had a book have an effect like that on me in a long time!!

I loathed Darla. Her treatment of Jake was horrendous. Then her backstory was explained. She was a victim of domestic abuse before the war. While I still loathed her, I understood why she treated her male slaves the way she did.

Jake was an amazing main character. The author did a fantastic job of showing his transformation. He went from a man who was living free to a man who had been tortured. She also did a tremendous job of showing his recovery and how tenuous it was. I didn’t blame him for not wanting a woman to touch him. My heart broke for him when he told Monica that. I did wonder if he was too damaged to be with Monica. I also wondered that if the brainwashing that Darla did would kick in towards the end of the book.

I liked Monica. I did find her pushy with Jake at points in the book. She knew that he had been abused. She still insisted on trying to kiss him. That made me go “Eeeehhhh” when it came up in the book. I did like that she stood up to Darla. That one scene when Darla tried to visit Jake and Monica intervened is seared into my brain. I also liked that while she had slaves, she still treated them as people. I do think that she should have gotten rid of that one guard who attacked Jake when it happened. I did understand why Monica kept her but still. That was asking for trouble.

There were two significant storylines in Jake’s Redemption. The main one is Jake/Monica’s romance. The second one, which didn’t show up until the middle of the book, is about Angel. I liked that the author was able to intertwine the two storylines but kept them completely separate.

Jake and Monica had insane chemistry and insane sexual tension. Even with Jake denying it, he was attracted to Monica. The author was able to build that sexual tension up until it exploded. That lead to one of the hottest sex scenes that I have read to date. It was fog up my Kindle hot!! It was also bittersweet because of what Jake went through with Darla.

The dystopian angle of Jake’s Redemption was interesting. I liked that the author chose to make the world female-dominated. I did like that the woman discovered that they had a new adrenaline based power. It was interesting. I wish that more detail had been given about that power. Heck, I would have loved to have seen it shown more often

The end of Jake’s Redemption was exciting. It set up for the next book perfectly. None of the storylines were ended. I do wonder what Angel had over Darla that made her cave as often as she did. I am hoping more will be explained in the next book.

I would give Jake’s Redemption an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Jake’s Redemption. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Lost and Love: Thailand (Book 1 in the Lost and Love series) by Stella Knight

Lost and Love: Thailand: Book One of the Lost and Love Series by [Knights, Stella]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: May 1st, 2019

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Lost and Love: Thailand: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

How far are you willing to push a fantasy?

I thought all Johnny and I needed was a holiday. A vacation to help us find what I felt was missing in our marriage. Stumbling upon an amazing Thai beach, I knew I was in a place that would change me forever. 

Golden sand and endless turquoise water. Coconut palms swaying in the breeze. The perfect place for us to relax and act carefree. 

Amongst a sea of bronzed bodies, we created a game. Something exciting. Something more than our ordinary life. But I wasn’t clear on the rules before diving in.

As we continued to explore, we invited an illusion into our lives. I should have known better. I should have known that some fantasies are best left to the imagination.
_____________________________________
About the Lost and Love Series

What do you love about wanderlust?

Stella Knights takes you to real places with real characters you will both love and hate. Book One takes you through the alluring destination of Thailand where Savannah explores more than just beaches and temples.

At some point in every love story, one must choose if what they have is enough. You will laugh and cry as you follow Savannah’s adventure as she confronts the reality of love and discovers the answer to her question of what will make her happy

First Line:

“You see, I fell asleep and forgot I left the…”

Lost and Love: Thailand by Stella Knight

My Review:

I wasn’t too sure if I was going to like Lost and Love: Thailand when I read the blurb. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read a book about couples exploring their fantasies. But, I decided to give this book a chance. I am glad I did because it ended up being a freaking great read!!

Savannah and Johnny’s marriage has lost its spark. Savannah suggests a vacation to Thailand with hopes that the spark is reignited. What Savannah doesn’t expect is the fall out from that vacation.

The storyline was fantastic. The author was able to paint a vivid picture of a wife trying her hardest to bring the spark back into her marriage. She explored the different ways to put the spice back into marriage. She showed the painful aftermath of an attempt to put the spice back in the marriage. I loved it. I couldn’t get enough of it!!

I wasn’t that fond of Savannah when she was first introduced in the book. I thought that she had a one-track mind and was pushing Johnny into a vacation that he didn’t want. But, as the book went on, I started to see why she was desperate to get the spark back. I sympathized with her. But, I also thought that she was a little crazy for not ironing out the rules before anything happened. If she had done that, it would have saved her a lot of heartaches.

I was “eh” with Johnny. He was a workaholic who barely paid attention to Savannah. He was a mama’s boy, which drove me nuts as a reader. I also think that he had a side hustle going on. It wasn’t mentioned, but I had a feeling. It was Johnny who came up with the threesome idea. And yet, Johnny blamed Savannah when they got home. How does that work? By the end of the book, I wanted to smack him upside his head.

Zander was an enigma. I wasn’t quite sure if I believed him when he said he never did things like threesomes. Zander did seem like he knew what he was doing. But, I wasn’t expecting him to be the way he was afterward. If I had to root for Savannah to be with anyone, it would be Zander.

The sex scenes were hot in the book, with some being hotter than others. I did like the threesome scene. It was well written and tasteful. I also liked the one on one sex between Savannah and Zander. I didn’t get the same jolt when Johnny and Savannah had sex. Even when they were trying to spice things up before Zander, it was good but not great.

The end of Lost and Love had me in tears. I couldn’t believe what Johnny was putting Savannah through. The cliffhanger was insane. I don’t like cliffhangers as a norm, but this one was perfect.

I enjoyed reading Lost and Love Thailand. The location was exotic, the sex was hot, and the drama was intense. I had an issue with Johnny’s behavior towards Savannah in the last half of the book, which dropped my rating down to a 4. But, overall, a great read. I loved that the author included a “Want to Travel Like Savannah.” In that section, she lists the hotels, restaurants, and various activities to do while vacationing in Thailand. If I ever visit there, which is doubtful, I have a list of must-sees, must-eats, and hotels to stay at!!

I would give Lost and Love: Thailand an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Lost and Love: Thailand. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Nocturne in Ashes (Riley Forte: Book 1) by Joslyn Chase

Nocturne In Ashes: A Riley Forte Suspense Thriller, Book One by [Chase, Joslyn]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: July 20th, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Series: Riley Forte

Nocturne in Ashes—Book 1

Where you can find Nocturne in Ashes: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Now she’s playing for her life!

With the death of her husband and son, concert pianist Riley Forte’s life and career shattered. Her comeback performance bombs, her sponsor pulls out, and she faces the tattered ruins of a once-happy life.

When Mt. Rainier erupts, isolating her in a small community stalked by a serial killer, it seems like the end of everything, but it brings a new chance for Riley.

If she can evade the clutches of a dedicated killer.

In a riveting action story filled with breathtaking suspense, Riley fights to hang on to the one thing she has left—her life, and the one thing she needs to turn it around—redemption.

First Line

The summer he turned thirteen, he took his first life.

Nocturne in Ashes by Joslyn Chase

My Review:

When I read the blurb for Nocturne in Ashes, my interest was caught. I haven’t read a lot of books that take place in Washington state. I also haven’t read a lot of books that deal with catastrophic eruptions of volcanoes. Add in that there is a serial killer loose in a community isolated by the eruptions and I had to read it. I am glad that I did because this book was a fantastic read.

Nocturne in Ashes starts with Riley Forte having a breakdown during her come back tour. Once a promising concert pianist, Riley’s world was torn apart when her husband and young son were killed. That concert was supposed to usher back into the spotlight. Instead, she is left with no sponsor and her career in shambles. She is at home when Mt. Rainier erupts. She discovers that there is a serial killer in the gated community. As the body count rises, suspicion is cast at everyone in the community. Will the killer be caught? Who will it be?

Nocturne in Ashes was one of those books that started with a bang and kept its momentum for the entire book. I couldn’t believe how fast-paced the book was. Usually, when a book is fast-paced, there is lag at some point in the book. There wasn’t any, and I loved it.

I felt awful for Riley during the book. She was struggling to overcome and understand why her husband and son had to die. She was struggling to get her career back on track. She had so much on her plate. Then to get involved in an investigation that involves a serial killer? Which is why I didn’t blame her for taking off when she did. Was it a stupid move? Yes, but she needed to do it. She would have never figured out who the killer was if she didn’t.

I did figure out who the serial killer was early in the book. But, there was a twist in that plotline that I didn’t see coming. It blindsided me. I had to put down my Kindle to process what I read. I was that shocked.

Nate’s investigation was another plotline that I loved. I liked that his investigation went on even though he was cut off from the rest of the state. I found it fascinating how he handled different situations.

I found Rick’s journey to get to Nate fascinating. He knew who the killer was and he wasn’t going to leave Nate stranded. He had some creative ways of getting to Nate. There were specific points in the book where I doubted if he would get there.

The end of Nocturne in Ashes was intense. Like I mentioned above, there was a twist in the plot that took me by surprise. What I liked the most is that the author didn’t end the book after the twist. She kept it going. She showed what happened to the characters afterward. Loved it!!

I would give Nocturne in Ashes an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Nocturne in Ashes. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Bending the Rules (The Devereux Family: Book 3) by Margaret Watson

Bending the Rules (The Devereux Family Book 3) by [Watson, Margaret]

3.5 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of Publication: February 19th,2019

Genre: Romance, Suspense

Series: The Devereux Family

A Safe Place—Book 1: Review here

The Woman He Knows—Book 2: Review here

Bending the Rules—Book 3

Where you can find Bending the Rules: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

The hardest thing is doing what’s right. Nathan Devereux’s parenting days are over. He raised his siblings, and now he’s ready to start living a life free of responsibility. After the year he’s had, he deserves it. But when the daughter he never knew existed and her way too tempting guardian, Emma Sloan, show up, his plans go out the window.

Nathan can’t ignore his daughter…or Emma. Yet having a relationship with them means giving up what he’s worked for. Worse, his past is sneaking up behind him and could threaten them all. He faces a choice he’s not sure he can make—or even wants to. Turn his back on Emma and his daughter? Or bend the rules to protect them? Either way, their future is at stake.

First Line:

Nathan Devereux scowled as he hung the handicapped placard from his rearview mirror.

Bending the Rules by Margaret Watson

My Review:

I was excited to read Bending the Rules, even if I thought that Nathan was a jerk in The Woman He Knows. I wanted to know how the author was going to change my opinion of him for the better. Oh boy, did she change my opinion of him. But the book still fell flat for me. I will explain why in my review.

The plot of Bending the Rules was an interesting one. Nathan had a hard year and was glad when everything was finally beginning to settle. He had worked hard at raising Frankie, Patrick, and Marco and deserved some time to himself. Then Nathan gets a phone call that shakes him to his core. He finds out that a drunken one night stand he had in college had a surprising result — a 13-year-old daughter whose mother died a few weeks before. Nathan wants to forge a relationship with his daughter. He also wants to form a relationship with his daughter’s guardian, Emma. But the drama from the past year rears its ugly head and Nathan is forced to make a choice. Does he turn his back on Emma and his daughter, or does he tell them what is going on?

As I mentioned above, I wasn’t a huge fan of Nathan in The Woman He Knows. His surly demeanor in that book did impact how I viewed him in this book. The first couple of chapters didn’t help either. But, after those early chapters, my view of him started to change. He dealt with learning that he had a daughter well. Once the DNA test came back positive, he did his best to try and bond with Harley. By the end of the book, I admired him. He faced his past head-on when trying to find answers for Harley. He dealt with Emma’s trust and jealousy issues well.

Emma drove me up a flipping wall. I understand that she was surprised and a little wary of Nathan, but she acted like a jerk for most of the book. Instead of asking him what was going on, at first, Emma assumed that something criminal was going on. She blew hot and cold with him the duration of her relationship. Also, Emma refused to let Harley watch the CD that her mother made for her. I get where she was coming from but still. It was wrong. I will admit that her antics in the book did affect my rating. I couldn’t connect to her at all.

I loved Harley. She was a typical 13-year-old. I did think that she adjusted well to having a father, uncles, and an aunt. Her snarkiness cracked me up. I laughed my butt off at some of the one-liners that she pulled on Marco. Having a 13-year-old myself, I found myself sympathizing with Nathan and Emma on a few occasions.

As much as I didn’t like Emma, I won’t deny that she and Nathan had some serious sexual chemistry. I liked that the author kept them from jumping into bed right away. But, once they did, the sex was explosive.

The end of the book was intense. While I didn’t agree with the choice that Nathan made, I understood why he did it. But at the same time, I didn’t agree with the decision that Emma made either. I loved it when things got ironed out, though. It made a perfect ending for the book. I am wondering if Marco is going to get a book? Please say, yes!!

I would give Bending the Rules an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Bending the Rules I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The Woman He Knows (The Devereux Family: Book 2) by Margaret Watson

The Woman He Knows (The Devereux Family Book 2) by [Watson, Margaret]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dragonfly Press

Date of publication: February 19th, 2019

Series: Devereux Family

A Safe Place—Book 1: Review here

The Woman He Knows—Book 2

Bending the Rules—Book 3

Where you can find The Woman He Knows: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Darcy Gordon is hiding, watching for her past to catch up with her. So when her boss is injured in a suspicious accident, she’s certain it was meant for her. But instead of fleeing, as every instinct screams, guilt forces her to stay and help her boss’s brother run the restaurant where she works. 

There’s just one problem – Patrick Devereux is an FBI agent. His too-sharp eyes threaten to reveal all her secrets. Expose her for who she really is. She wants to lower her guard and let Patrick know her. But when he learns the truth, will he understand? Or will he arrest her? 

First Line:

Darcy stepped onto the small patio of Mama’s Place and stood in the shadows for a moment, watching.

The Woman He Knows by Margaret Watson

My Review:

I couldn’t wait to read The Woman He Knows. The blurb was what reeled me in. Plus, I wanted to read Darcy and Patrick’s love story. They had some serious chemistry in A Safe Place. I was curious to see what their story was going to be like. I wasn’t disappointed. The Woman He Knows more than delivered.

The plotline of The Woman He Knows was interesting. Darcy is on the run from her abusive ex-husband, who is also an ex-cop. Assuming another name, Darcy lives looking over her shoulder, waiting for her ex to track her down. Then her boss is injured in a hit and run accident and Darcy is convinced that it is her ex. When Patrick takes over managing Mama’s Place, Darcy needs to keep him at arm’s length. Patrick is an FBI agent, and Darcy has learned, through experience, that the police is not to be trusted. Darcy needs to let Patrick in. She needs to let him know her secrets. Because if she doesn’t, it could prove to be fatal to her.

I loved how the author showed how difficult it is for a woman to get out of an abusive relationship. The stalking and harassment were spot on. I also loved how the police will turn a blind eye to the abuse if it is one of their own committing it. I was not surprised that they didn’t do anything about it. Instead, they covered for their “brother” and acted like it didn’t happen. Even today, with domestic violence more out in the open, it happens. And it needs to change!!

I liked Darcy. I understood why she was so leary of Patrick. She committed felonies to disappear. She was terrified that if he found out, he would arrest her. I also understood her fighting her feelings for him. She felt that she didn’t deserve to have a relationship because of what I stated above. So, it was interesting to see her open up to Patrick about her past relationship. There was a point in the book where I wanted to hug her and say, “Tell him, honey. He understands more than you think he does.”

I couldn’t quite get a grasp on Patrick at first. I knew that he felt responsible for the death of his parents, which was awful because it was in no way his fault. But, by the middle of the book, I started to understand why he felt that way. I also liked that he was able to pick up that something was wrong with Nathan and Darcy. That’s when I started to love him. He was going to do anything and everything to find out what was going on with them. I wish more insight were given into his investigation into Nathan’s finances. By the end of the book, I was cheering him on.

Darcy and Patrick had OK chemistry. I wasn’t immediately struck by how much they wanted each other. Instead, I was more struck by Darcy trying to keep as far away from Patrick as possible. But, if the chemistry was OK, the sex was hot. It was so hot that if my Kindle could have steamed, it would have.

The end of The Woman He Knows was intense. My breath was held during Darcy’s trip, and I was praying for Patrick to turn up, which he did. He did something that I cheered. I also cheered when he stood down the other agent. Talk about taking my breath away. This was one of the better endings of a book that I have read to date.

I would give The Woman He Knows an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Woman He Knows I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The Shadowverse by John-Clement Gallo

The Shadowverse: A YA Sci-Fi Superhero Adventure by [Gallo, John-Clement, Gallo, Francesca]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: November 20th, 2018

Genre: Science Fiction Fantasy, Christian

Where you can find The Shadowverse: Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Regarded as “captivating” and “one-of-a-kind,” The Shadowverse is a Science-Fiction Superhero thriller with hints of the Young Adult genre. It is a story of destiny—that no matter who you are, where you are, or what your past is like, you can always achieve greatness. 

Johnny Sparks longs for a greater purpose. After an encounter with a mysterious stranger, he and his friends are imbued with incredible powers—at last giving his life meaning. 

But this dream soon disintegrates once one of the friends is taken by an alien warlord named Titan. In a rescue effort, the remaining group is sent across the galaxy in search of the only possible aid—an ancient, immortal warrior missing for centuries. 

To succeed, the team must join forces to reclaim their friend and stop a sinister scheme devised against humanity by Titan and his empire. The conflict for the soul of the universe is set in motion, but even if the group prevails, they risk losing what it means to be human.

First Line:

There was only darkness.

The Shadowverse by John-Clement Gallo

My Review

While I like science fiction, I have been moving away reading it. They all seemed to follow the same plotline, and I was getting bored reading them. So, when the author of The Shadowverse approached me to review his book, I almost didn’t accept it. But there was something about the blurb that made me think twice. I am glad that I did because this was a fantastic read!!

The Shadowverse was an interesting combination of science fiction, fantasy, and Christian literature. I have read this combination before, and it fell flat. But not The Shadowverse. The author was able to meld all three genres’ together wonderfully. I loved it.

I did like the plotline of The Shadowverse, but there were times where I found that it got choppy. Like when the author went into Rose/Adira’s background. Her backstory didn’t meld well into the main story. There were other, smaller instances, but Rose’s stood out the most in the book. Other than that, I did like the plotline. It was fast paced and well written.

The characters in The Shadowverse was some of the more unique ones that I have read in a book. What I liked the most about these characters was that the author was able to make me feel pity and sympathy for the main bad guys (Titan and Solis). Of course, that sympathy waned throughout the book. But still.

The main plotline was interesting. I enjoyed seeing the kids learning about their powers. They did everything that I expected kids that age to do if they found out that they had powers. I enjoyed seeing the different planets that the kids visited as they tracked down Titan. I also enjoyed seeing their interactions with Sonovan. And the training. I know that I wouldn’t have been able to keep up with that!!

The last battle, between The Shadowforce and Titan, was epic. The aftermath of the fight was heartbreaking. My heart was in my throat when during those scenes. The aftermath of the fight was heartbreaking. I cried right along with Johnny and Sam. I also needed to know who Z was. The clue given at the end of the book makes me wonder if the answer was right under my nose!!!

I would give The Shadowverse an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is mild language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread The Shadowverse.  I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The Bridge of Little Jeremy by Indrajit Garai

The Bridge of Little Jeremy by [GARAI, Indrajit]

4 Stars

Publisher: Self Published

Date of publication: March 18th, 2019

Genre: General Fiction, Young Adult

Where you can find The Bridge of Little Jeremy: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Jeremy’s mother is about to go to prison for their debt to the State. He is trying everything within his means to save her, but his options are running out fast. 

Then Jeremy discovers a treasure under Paris. 

This discovery may save his mother, but it doesn’t come for free. And he has to ride over several obstacles for his plan to work. 

Meanwhile, something else is limiting his time…

First Line:

The noise in the attic wakes me again.

The Bridge of Little Jeremy by Indrajit Garai

My Review:

The Bridge of Little Jeremy is one of those books that stick with you long after you’ve read it. After I finished it, I found myself thinking hard about what happened. This book struck me. As the mother of an 11 and 13-year-old, I could imagine my son or daughter having the adventures that Jeremy did.

The characters in The Bridge of Little Jeremy were wonderfully written; they were multi-layered. Each time a layer was exposed, there was another one underneath. Even towards the end of the book, when everything was wrapping up, the characters were still surprising me.

I enjoyed that The Bridge of Little Jeremy touched upon many issues that affect people present day. I liked seeing that good and the bad that came out of it. Some of the issues that were touched upon were single parenthood, health care, inheritance tax, the pros and cons of using social media, and unearthing family secrets. All those made this book a fantastic read.

Jeremy was an interesting character to read. He tried to help his mother with the inheritance tax. His heart condition limited how much he could help and get around. So, when he found that painting, he thought that it could help. It had been damaged by water and Jeremy thought he could restore it. His main focus from the middle of the book on was helping his mother. It became an obsession with him.

The end of The Bridge of Little Jeremy took me by surprise. I was not expecting what happened to happen. There was some foreshadowing but still, did not expect it. The very last chapter gave me chills.

I would give The Bridge of Little Jeremy an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is mild language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Bridge of Little Jeremy. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle (Fairy Ring: Book 2) by Jacque Stevens

Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle (Book Two) by [Stevens, Jacque]

4 Stars

Publisher: sjacquebooks

Date of publication: May 23rd, 2019

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Series: Fairy Ring

Fairy Ring: Shards of Janderelle—Book 1

Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle—Book 2

Where you can find Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle: Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Queen-bee of her freshman class, fifteen-year-old Grace is no angel. 

That spot was reserved for her brother, Gabriel. But now that Gabe has died, it seems everyone has forgotten him. Even her mother would rather focus on her new boyfriend than plan a funeral.

Grace can’t forget, and after discovering a way into the fairy world that killed her brother, she is ready to take her revenge. Even if that means befriending the trolls of that world and becoming their queen, their changeling child. 

But as accessing her full magic requires her to draw others through the fairy ring, it seems her revenge may come at an even higher price—her soul.

Sequel to Fairy Ring: Shards of Janderelle.

Clean Read. References to substance abuse, nonexplicit sexual references, and other more serious issues. Recommended for young adults and teens fourteen and up. 

My Review:

My brother, Gabriel, was a saint, right up there with whatever angel our parents named him after

I wasn’t sure if I even wanted to read this book when I came across it. I took one look at the cover and went, “Ugggh. Another YA fantasy.” Then I read the blurb, and my feelings changed. I couldn’t wait to dive into this book.

The author did a fantastic job of explaining why she wrote Grace the way she did in the author’s note. She drew on her experience of a mental health nurse to make Grace as realistic as possible. She also made it clear that in no way is Grace a hero, which I loved.

Like I stated in the above paragraph, Grace is not a hero. Grace was damaged. She was a bully who took pleasure in tormenting Livy. She never dealt with the car accident and then Gabe’s death. She was a hot mess. I did feel bad for her. She was hurting, and her mother wasn’t there for her.

You do need to read book 1 to understand this book. I didn’t, and I was lost for most of the book. Kaito does go into what happened the night that Gabe died, but that still wasn’t enough detail. This isn’t a stand alone book.

Grace caused a lot of harm in this book. She was going to do anything to get back at Kaito. Anything. That’s how she ended up becoming the Ogress of the trolls. That was also how she ended up with shards from Jaron and Cody. And finally, that is how she got in trouble in the human world for trying to kill Briar.

The end of the book was heartbreaking. Her confusion over what exactly happened that night was palpable. I will say that she didn’t have any regret for anything that she did. I am curious to see what her character will be like in the next book.

I would give Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle an Older Teen rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Fairy Ring: Changeling of Janderelle.  I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**