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The Ignoble Lie

Of Gods and Men, #1

by

Matthew Peters

 

Exciting, history-laden religio-political thriller.

 

The Ignoble Lie by Matthew Peters is the first book in his new political thriller series, Of Gods and Men, and the story truly hits the ground running, with the bombing of the iconic pyramids of Giza by terrorists. Former Jesuit Scott Larson and his friend, Zady Jones, the niece of a powerful security consultant, race against the clock to rescue her abducted sister and prevent further acts of terror, both internationally and on U.S. soil. 

I enjoyed the main characters from the start. Their high energy, easy camaraderie, and intriguing past history were nice as they worked together to stop those behind the terroristic blackmail. An eventful backstory is woven into the early narrative, but rather than just building context for the characters, I felt like I must have missed a prior book, and the tantalizing glimpse into Larson’s past seems to warrant one. 

The story moves quickly; a lot is packed into the single week’s timeframe. I was hooked by the creative plot revolving around the Ark of the Covenant. The suspense builds as the American president faces an impeachment process. At the same time, a number of politically high-placed figures stir the pot, offering unbidden advice, assistance, or conducting mysterious behind-the-scenes manipulations dealing with the ISIS demands. I didn’t know for certain who the main characters could trust, as everyone seemed to have hidden motives and something to gain. While the pacing may have been a little uneven at times, I found the pages almost flew by. I look forward to the next installment in the series. 

I recommend THE IGNOBLE LIE to readers of political intrigue and thrillers.

 I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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They Came at Night

by

Westley Smith

 

An absolute stunner of a thriller!

 

They Came At Night is an absolute stunner of a thriller by author Westley Smith, and I was absolutely enthralled from start to finish. From the horrific opening scene to the uneasy relationships among the characters and the unsettlingly atmospheric setting of an almost abandoned rural town, I developed a case of the heebie-jeebies that I couldn’t shake until the story’s climactic resolution. 

Sandra Leigh had been a promising concert pianist until she’d suffered a career-ending injury during an attack on a deserted rural highway one night. She’d escaped with her life, but the emotional trauma eventually sent her away from her family to a secluded rehab program for those suffering from PTSD run by a retired former Navy SEAL in the West Virginia hills. Five years later, she agrees to accompany her sister and her family on a restful weekend trip to a lovely vacation rental home outside the quiet little town of Little Hope, Pennsylvania. 

The reunion with her sister and her family is awkward at first, and it becomes even more so when Sandra’s critical and manipulative mother shows up unannounced. Then, too, rather than being a quaint tourist town, Little Hope is eerily empty, with many properties bearing either “SOLD” or “CLOSED” signs. Sandra feels like someone is watching their every move, even when they arrive at the beautiful rental home, and because of her past, the rest of the family scoffs at her growing sense that something is off. But then, little things start happening … 

Sandra, the main character, is a tragic figure, but one who refuses to remain a victim any longer. Even when her family refuses to take her feelings seriously, getting angry with her for voicing her concerns, she stands firm and continues to trust her gut. At first, her family seems to tiptoe around what happened to her five years earlier, but as her niece Emalyn begins to warm back up to her, her sister and mother seem to release pent-up anger and frustration toward her. I was relieved when Sandra’s relationships with the women in her life finally started to heal as the story progressed, even if this did happen under the worst of circumstances. 

The author creates one heck of a creepy atmosphere from the very beginning. The descriptions of the various settings are vivid and literally gave me goosebumps. The suspenseful plot is full of twists and unseen, yet palpable menace that begins with a shocking attack. There are exciting, Rambo-esque action sequences later on that match or surpass the opening in intensity and its highly visceral impact, so readers sensitive to this kind of thing should be forewarned. In between, the suspense was constantly building, and I couldn’t put the book down because of the feeling that something more was just about to happen. I was riveted to my seat and read the book in one gloriously tension-filled sitting. 

I recommend THEY CAME AT NIGHT to readers of action or psychological thrillers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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Snowy With a Chance of Murder

Murder, She Wrote, #60

by

Jessica Fletcher and Barbara Early

 

Fun addition to this long-running, much-enjoyed cozy mystery series.

 

Snowy With a Chance of Murder is the 60th book in the long-running and much-loved cozy mystery series based on the 1984-1996 hit American television drama Murder, She Wrote, featuring the exploits of mystery novelist and amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher. In this latest tale, Jessica is laid up at home in Cabot Cove after a serious slip and fall down her front porch steps, and her injuries are such that she requires the daily assistance of a home health caregiver. With her next book manuscript on her to-do list, the aide prepares a workspace for Jessica at a front window of her home, but she soon finds herself distracted, a la “Rear Window,” by the dark-of-night arrival of a stranger who turns out to be renting the home directly across the street. 

Jessica Fletcher returns in this Cabot Cove-set mystery that swiftly becomes a murder investigation. She is joined by all the usual friends and acquaintances who make this series so comfortable and familiar despite being penned by a new-to-this-series author. I felt like Jessica’s homebound situation and the agitation it caused her by restricting her abilities and increasing her reliance on others, such as the caregiver Alice Myers, aided in this transition to the new writer. I also felt Jessica displayed a more ready and lighter sense of humor than in the past, which, in spite of her circumstances, had me smiling more as well. The early scene with Jessica trying out the motorized wheelchair was almost slapstick and, while perhaps out of character, had me smiling all the same. 

The plot required a bit of a build-up, so the murder didn’t occur until well into the story. Still, enough is going on with the setup and Jessica herself, such as her trip into Mara’s to put the quietus on the outlandish rumors regarding her accident, that this was okay with me. A couple of side storylines were established as well, and I enjoyed how they evolved and their resolutions played out, making this book a welcome and fun addition to the Murder, She Wrote oeuvre. 

I recommend SNOWY WITH A CHANCE OF MURDER to cozy mystery fans, especially fans of the series. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

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Murder on the Books

Cozy Bookshop Mystery, #1

by

Toni LoTempio

 

Great start to this new cozy mystery series featuring a retired thriller writer who discovers the body of a real murder victim in the basement of her new bookstore.

 

Murder on the Books is the first book in veteran author Toni (T.C.) LoTempio’s excellent new Cozy Bookstore Mystery series and combines many of my favorite cozy mystery themes: a bakery, bookstore, a writer as the amateur sleuth, an engaging store cat, and an initially grumpy potential love interest. When thriller author Charley James, known as CJ Barrett to her leagues of fans, returns to her hometown of Austin, Pennsylvania, she’s in dire need of a vacation from her fictional world of intrigue, mystery, and murder. But when she finds out her best friend since childhood has been left high and dry by her new business partner right before the grand opening of her own bakery, she gladly steps into the void to take up the reins of the partner’s bookstore, which shares the bakery’s space (and the expenses). However, before much progress is made toward getting the bookstore ready, Charley discovers the body of Zane’s former partner stuffed into the trunk in the bookstore basement; she hadn’t left town as her hasty note had indicated. But when the police start eyeing Zane as their best suspect, Charley must put her detective mindset back in place and find the real murderer and clear her friend’s name. 

Charlotte “Charley” James is the likable main character and a successful novelist going through a spot of writer’s block. A failed romance on top of her burnout has led her to return to her hometown, hoping the comfortable, familiar surroundings and old friends will heal her soul and rejuvenate her spirit. Naturally, while some things have stayed the same, others have definitely changed, including the transformation of one of her high school classmates from prom queen to local cop and soon-to-be thorn in Charley’s side. 

The murder is discovered early in the story, so the focus of the book is mainly on the investigation, with world-building happening organically. Officer Barbara Donaldson is not at all secure in her role and compensates with unnecessary power plays directed toward Charley and Zane. The detective-in-charge on loan from Philadelphia, Ian Grant, starts out as a big ol’ jerk but quickly does an about-face once he’s gotten to know Charley better. Even with his rough start, I still rooted for them to develop a relationship. 

I loved that Charley blatantly uses the town gossips to obtain information and to catch up on what’s going on in their little town. There are few secrets these ladies don’t know about, and Austin has the typical small-town vibe where everyone knows you, your family, and what everyone is up to. I also enjoyed the anthropomorphic cat, Poe, and his antics. 

The story progresses quickly, and the grand opening deadline is breathing down the women’s necks; so much is riding on the businesses proving to be successes and soon. While there are some alternate suspects besides Zane, the resolution may still come as a surprise, and it makes sense. The story was entertaining, the characters engaging, and I was immersed in Charley’s debut story from start to finish. 

I recommend MURDER ON THE BOOKS to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy bookstore or bakery settings, writers as amateur sleuths, and fun romantic subplots. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

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Faded Red Beads

From an Orphanage to a Disrupted Adoption

A Story of Courage, Resiliency, and Faith

by

Monica Hargrave

 

Heartbreaking and heartfelt testimony from a woman who successfully survived the foster care system and adoption.

 

Faded Red Beads: From an Orphanage to a Disrupted Adoption – A Story of Courage, Resiliency, and Faith by Monica Hargrave is the heartbreaking story of her young life in the foster system, her adoption, and the healing she has undergone to reach the place of peace she is in today. This book is not for looky-loos wanting to read about scandalous, overt cruelty, but rather a thoughtful and heartfelt account of the impact of emotional neglect, the absence of love, affection, human touch, and parental recognition. The author poses the simple and obvious questions that the adults in her life should have been asking. I fervently hope that reliving these still raw memories is cathartic. 

Monica Garnett was placed in an orphanage soon after her premature birth and eventually ended up as one of several foster children in a kind and loving woman’s home. While the foster mother didn’t have much money, she surrounded her charges with love, caring, and the feel of a real family. Monica lived in this situation for several years and was devastated when she was removed to be adopted by the O’Neals at age nine. 

The O’Neals sounded completely unsuitable to be adoptive parents, and it seemed like having a daughter was all for Mrs. O’Neal’s ego. When Mrs. O’Neal suddenly passed away before the adoption was finalized, the clueless Mr. O’Neal was on his own to nurture the young motherless Monica. A naturally strict man, he seemed overwhelmed by his feelings of keeping Monica safe from boys and went completely overboard in his methods. Thankfully, Monica had at least one older woman friend, with a good head on her shoulders, who was eventually able to get her out of what had become an untenable situation. 

The author provides interesting background information and statistics about African-American family life and how it has changed during her lifetime. The strength of her story, though, is in her discussion of her feelings on being given up for adoption, the circumstances of her birth and birth parents, and the lack of communication with fostered and adopted children. She voices the thoughts, feelings, and questions of these children. It was heartbreaking to discover later that her birth parents were both within blocks of her foster home all along, and their family members even attended the same church she did. They all knew who she was, but none of them ever reached out to her. 

I recommend FADED RED BEADS to readers who enjoy memoirs and autobiographical stories, especially those featuring adoption or the foster system. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Silver Dagger Book Tours.

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Like Driftwood on the Salish Sea

by

Richard I. Levine

 

An emotional and satisfying second chance at the love of a lifetime.

 

Like Driftwood on the Salish Sea is Richard I. Levine’s wonderfully emotional and satisfying story of heartbreak, healing, and a second chance at the love of a lifetime. Veteran Mitch Brody, medically retired from the Marines after a long and decorated career, returns to his small Pacific Northwest hometown of Roche Harbor, a village in the San Juan Islands of Washington state, uncertain as to what and whom he will find there. Twenty years had passed since he left to enlist in the Marines after 9/11, and his parents and only siblings were long gone; only his brother’s widow, perhaps, still remaining on the family farm. Jess, his first and only love, had married his brother while he was away. 

Mitch’s story is heartbreaking and emotional as he finally confronts his past. His is a wonderful tale of another chance at the romance he missed out on the first time around but the plot also explores so much more: the emotional and physical healing he undergoes after being wounded, the guilt and pain of losing not only his brother but his mother while he was deployed, his unhappy relationship with his father, and his complicated feelings for his accomplished and adored brother, Alex. The book also presents the story from Jess’s point of view: her side of their relationship, the aftermath, and the choices that needed to be made, as well as her experiences as an outsider coming into the close-knit island community as a child and life as a Puerto Rican immigrant. 

The author’s descriptions of the settings create a vivid atmosphere in which the story unfolds, and the past feels very much alive. Mitch is somewhat shocked to discover how much has changed and how much he has missed out on while away. The change in his family farm felt absolutely shocking. Misunderstandings, hurt, and pride all play a role in keeping him from coming home on leave, making the story even more tragic. Tender-hearted readers may want to ensure they have adequate tissues on hand before diving into this story. 

I recommend LIKE DRIFTWOOD ON THE SALISH SEA to romance readers, especially those who like a small-town setting, military service member characters, and wounded heroes returning home. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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Words of Power

Words of Power, #1

by

Shami Stovall

 

Excellent beginning to this unique and magical new fantasy series.

 

Words of Power is the first book in author Shami Stovall’s exciting new fantasy series of the same name and features the son of a courtesan born into slavery who rises to lead the province as a powerful Ring Warlock. When Garrain Wist, a dangerously intoxicated Ring Warlock, chokes to death during a visit to the Scarlet Lantern brothel, lowly house boy Rimon picks up the warlock’s ring and places it on his own hand, becoming a Ring Warlock himself and Garrain’s heir as well. His initial thought was that the ring might bring him the means to protect the young courtesan who had been entertaining the warlock, the staff of the Scarlet Lantern, and himself from reprisals from Garrain’s people and the other Ring Warlocks. While he accomplishes his purpose, he also discovers he is not the owner of Garrion’s estate and the ruler responsible for the northern half of the Rovik Prefecture. 

Knowing little about his new power or how to control or wield it effectively, Rimon travels to Castle Wist with the former warlock’s learned servant, Ketsu. As they get closer to the estate, they pass acres and acres of fields of food crops dying under the onslaught of their twin suns. Rimon learns that the estate is failing to thrive, and its people are literally starving to death; it is now up to him to act before it is too late. 

Rimon is such a kind, earnest, and endearing character, one whom readers are bound to root for as he learns about his new situation and power and tries to bring stability and prosperity back to the people living and working in the shadows of Castle Wist and the surrounding mountains. Throughout the story, he consistently seeks the best course of action for everyone under his care. But talk about blindly jumping into the unknown with both feet! Rimon was so desperate after Garrain’s death that he put on his ring without knowing anything about the possible repercussions. This was preferable to the predictable actions of the other Ring Warlocks. 

The plot moves quickly from the very start. I enjoyed the unique concept of choosing six words to draw a felheen (titan) to bind with the new wearer of the warlock’s ring. The author’s creative and thoughtfully measured world-building made for a vivid and immersive experience. I could easily visualize the Asian-themed settings and all that populated and brought color to the story. There is a palpable miasma of fear throughout the Rovik Prefecture, a product of the Ring Warlock’s rule and the presence of violent and frightening supernatural creatures operating unchecked for so long. However, I was surprised and delighted by the many kindnesses that other characters secretly showed to Rimon as he began his new life. Similarly, the magic system was revealed slowly and steadily in easily absorbed bites to both the readers and the character Rimon organically as part of a scene, rather than in a long exposition. 

The author’s storytelling drew me in from page one, and I was completely engrossed in this story for the first half of the book before I had to take a break. The ending came all too soon, but there is the promise of more to come. I recommend WORDS OF POWER to readers of fantasy, action, and adventure. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

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Carousels and Characters

Magical Mystery Book Club, #9

by

Elizabeth Pantley

 

The Magical Mystery Book Club sleuths investigate strange goings on at an incredible theme park.

 

Carousels and Characters is the ninth book in author Elizabeth Pantley’s Magical Mystery Book Club series, and readers should be prepared for another imaginative journey into a cozy mystery. As the book club members delve into their latest book choice, they visit an amazing animal-themed theme park that has quite a few secrets to uncover. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series, and this installment continued to entertain. The mysteries in the stories range from the traditional to the whimsical to the paranormal, and the recurring characters, the club members, have become friends and family long before now. This time, the story starts in a pensive mood as club leader Paige Erickson reflects on the changes to their membership since their last book club journey. As has happened in the past, a close, original member of Paige’s group chose to stay behind in the pages of their last book. But to top off the bittersweet morning, she receives an unexpected visit from her perpetually dissatisfied and emotionally distant mother. Her quick visit and hasty departure, however, led to the book club’s selection for their next adventure. When Paige discovers a cozy mystery set in a theme park and tells her friends that Disneyland represents the only happy memories she had of her mother from her childhood, the choice is clear. 

The new mystery seamlessly incorporates the group into its storyline, and they learn that things have been going missing – props, costumes, and habitat pieces – from the primate’s Unipod at the Wonderland Universe, which the animals themselves now run, as the original creators of the concept have all passed away. However, as all the animals are chipped to keep them within their unique Unipod, the primates are unable to find out if other areas of the park are experiencing similar losses. The answer is for the book club members to investigate on their behalf under the guise of theme park inspectors.

 This time around, the book club’s selected book had a robust paranormal element, so, for once, both Frank the Cat and Mollie the Ghost were able to participate in all their activities fully. Their investigation uncovers numerous cases of missing items and even animal disappearances, but identifies a couple of promising suspects, creating some viable red herrings. The team follows the clues and their instincts to eventually uncover the truth, learning many different things about the creatures that inhabit the Wonderland Universe. Yet, there’s still one more surprise for the group before the story comes to a close this time, which ties this book to the author’s other series. 

I recommend CAROUSELS AND CHARACTERS to cozy mystery readers, especially fans of the series. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

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Magelight

by

Kacey Ezell

 

An excellent quest story in the traditional sense, but with an unconventional twist.

 

Magelight by Kacey Ezell is an exciting and absorbing fantasy romance presented in a traditional quest format, but with an unconventional reverse harem setup that avoids venturing into intimate territory. The romance is clean and slow-burning, with the main characters invested more in the success of their mission. 

Aelys of Brionne, the heiress to one of the 20 ruling families in this matriarchal society, is graduating from her training as a mage despite her feeble reserve of power, when the man she expects to bond with and join the Imperial Battlemage Corps chooses another. Devastated, she heads to her distant home only to be waylaid by bandits just as she reaches the inn where she’d planned to stop. 

Romick, Daen, and Vil had been inseparable boyhood friends before tragedy had orphaned them and scattered them in different directions. Twenty years later, they finally reunite and plan to form a partnership, offering the special skills they had acquired while apart for hire to those who are willing to pay the price. When a young woman is attacked outside the inn where they had met, they leap to her defense. Aelys immediately hires the three to escort her the rest of her way home. But when the bandits return later with reinforcements and try to burn the inn down around the new companions, Aelys tries to save them using her meager power. While successful, in the process, she pulls energy through her new protectors and binds the men to her as well. Now the foursome must make their way to Aelys’s home and confer with her aunt, the most gifted mage of the day, to see if there is a way to dissolve the bond and set the men free. 

I enjoyed this book so much! Her horrible family has emotionally beaten down Aelys, and her treatment at the hands of her instructors and fellow students at school has been no better. She starts the story as a pretty pathetic creature and is like a magnet for bad luck. (But there’s more to what’s going on than is initially apparent.) Thankfully, she gradually grows into a more confident young woman over the course of the story. 

The author creates interesting and diverse backstories for the three men and skillfully weaves them into the story without overwhelming the reader or diverting significant time from the main plot. All three experienced hardships after they separated as boys, all heartbreaking at times and even shocking. All three struggle with their feelings after they are inadvertently bonded to Aelys, and frequently, those feelings threaten to overcome their bond of brotherhood. 

The plot moves at a fast pace, and the lively, interesting multi-viewpoint narrative makes the pages fly by. Several twists in the storyline were really surprising and what they discovered when they finally arrived at Aelys’s home was unexpected. The ending delightfully opens the door for a sequel. 

I recommend MAGELIGHT to readers of fantasy, romantic fantasy, and fans of quests. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

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Elvira Vance and the Monster Mystery

by

Kacy Ritter

 

Suspenseful and fun middle-grade adventure where young supernatural sleuths investigate the disappearance of some of their monster neighbors.

 

Elvira Vance and the Monster Mystery by Kacy Ritter is a fun and exciting paranormal middle-school novel about a team of young investigators looking into the disappearance of a number of monsters from their community right before the annual Marfa Monster Festival, the biggest event of the year. Half-siren Elvira Vance is the daughter of the owners of Vince Vance’s Vintage Trailer Park Inn for Monsters and a budding detective. When some of her monster neighbors begin to go missing, she and her two best friends, Mari, a chupacabra, and Emilio, a human and photography enthusiast, jump at the chance to investigate, especially when the official detective, a human from the local town of Marfa, Texas, shows up to take over the case. 

In the years since monsters of all kinds came out into the open, there had been an uneasy truce between them and the humans. However, the local mayor, Guff McCoy, had been doing his level best to stir up fear and hate in the human community. With tensions between the species about to boil over, and finders from both camps pointing at the other, Elvira, Mari, and Emilio know they must get to the bottom of the disappearances before things explode. 

What a delightful children’s/middle-grade story of monsters and mystery, unknowns and underdogs! Elvira is a confident character, certain that she and her team can crack the case before the adult human can, and they do uncover clues that Detective Ace Price has no way of obtaining. I enjoyed the trio’s investigations and their questioning of a variety of mythical beings in the process. While Elvira, Mari, and Emilio frequently disobey their parents, they seem to generally believe they have no choice and accept their punishments, when caught, without complaining. However, they readily continue to break those same rules without ever fully explaining what they’re involved in with their parents and perhaps avoiding some of their problems. As they gather their clues and build their case, twists in the plot rule out a couple of major suspects. The eventual reveal is a surprise, and the action leading up to the resolution is shocking and exciting. 

I recommend ELVIRA VANCE AND THE MONSTER MYSTERY to readers of middle-grade paranormal fiction, action, and adventure. Happily, not only will middle-grade readers enjoy the adventure, but the book will also work well as a read-aloud selection for younger children. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through Toppling Stacks Tours.