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Forward to Camelot:

The Final Edition

by

Susan Sloate and Kevin Finn

 

An exciting and unique time-travel adventure filled with intrigue and suspense.

 

Forward to Camelot: The Final Edition is a riveting and unique time-travel adventure by authors Susan Sloate and Kevin Finn and takes readers to an infamous time and place in American history: the days leading up to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas. The book is full of surprises and twists, the first of which is the time-traveler goes back in time not to avert the assassination but to surreptitiously obtain the president’s personal Bible, which Judge Sarah Hughes used to swear Lyndon B. Johnson in as Kennedy’s successor for a current day collector. However, the protagonist has another more personal agenda for going back to these specific dates: to find and warn the father she never got to meet that something was going to happen to him on November 22, 1963, that would result in his mysterious disappearance. 

The main character is Catherine “Cady” Cuyler, a successful daytime television soap star living in New York City, or at least she had been up until the book’s opening. Newly divorced and newly out of work, she’s surprised to discover a famous movie special effects designer wants her to star in his upcoming production. When she finally came to understand that the project involved time travel, it was a hard pass for her. Skeptical, of course, she’s also responsible for her elderly mother and can’t be away from her for the length of time the job would require. Still, her contact had been convincing. 

The story hits the ground running with an exciting and chaotic scene of rescue and a deadly conflagration in progress that immediately grabbed my attention. From there, things only get more rousing and exciting as Cady ends up in 1963 Dallas. The story of Cady’s and her mother’s lives were heartbreaking. Her father, alive and in person in 1963, is not at all who she expected, and the interactions between men and women at that time, especially in the workplace, were well portrayed. Life seemed much more formal only 60 years in the past. The story is packed with surprises, a new twist occurring just when you least expected it, and aspects of some of the numerous conspiracy theories that have been floated over the decades since the assassination made an appearance in the plot. With so much at stake in this riveting tale, I didn’t want to put the book down. 

I recommend FORWARD TO CAMELOT: THE FINAL EDITION to readers of time-travel stories, especially those interested in the 1960s or the Kennedy assassination. 

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

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Hannah’s Pony Twist

Dream Pony Riders, #6

by

Susan Count

 

Wonderful, sweet, faith-forward middle-grade pony tale.

 

While Hannah’s Pony Twist may be the sixth book in Susan Count’s wonderful Dream Pony Riders middle-grade series, it can easily be read and enjoyed as a standalone novel. The recurring characters are introduced with enough detail of what has transpired in their pasts to establish their relationships with one another and hint at their experiences in the previous stories without spoiling those prior books for those who haven’t read them yet. Each book features one of the pre-teen girls taking riding lessons at the stables managed by Miss Elena. This story unfolds from Hannah’s and her pony Freckles’ points of view. 

Freckles is an older animal, and Hannah is concerned he’s slowing down and will be retired. He refuses to trot unless strongly urged and walks slowly and only for short distances. However, the truth behind his behavior is a surprising and loving testament to the bond between the pony and his young rider. The plot portrays a young girl growing into her teen years and learning to look beneath the surface of someone’s behavior before leaping to judge, standing up for herself and those in need, and that pursuing one’s dream can require hard work, practice, and perseverance. 

I recommend HANNAH’S PONY TWIST to readers of middle-grade fiction, especially those who enjoy horse-themed stories. 

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

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A Broken Reflection

A Broken Reflection

by

Shelly M. Patel

 

A baffling series of murders are all connected to one couple.

 

A Broken Reflection by Shelly M. Patel is a dark and baffling tale of mystery and murder. When women connected to either Claire Bell or her husband, Stephen, become the victims of murder, the police take note and start asking very probing questions. Claire soon finds herself suspected of being a serial killer. 

Claire is the main character in this twisty tale of murder and deception and is as baffled as the police about who is killing women she has some connection to. She’s a mild and amazingly forgiving woman, especially considering her knowledge of her husband’s infidelities. However, she wouldn’t hurt a fly, let alone another human being. But why is she missing great blocks of time from her life? And what’s going on then that she doesn’t remember? 

The plot moves quickly, using multiple points of view to reveal the story. The reader learns early on that Claire is being watched, but it could be any number of mysterious people. While she wavers back and forth about her husband’s cheating, the killer seems to take those matters in hand for her as each one of her rivals becomes a victim. The different narrators all have an axe to grind regarding Claire, and the descriptions of their relationships with her vary greatly – almost as if they are not dealing with the same person. 

The story is easy to read, but there were a few places that required re-reading to figure out what the author was trying to say, and there were a couple of awkward transitions between points of view that were confusing. Still, the story was interesting, entertaining, and short. 

I recommend A BROKEN REFLECTION to readers of psychological or domestic thrillers. 

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

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The Nine Lives of Tito d’Amelia

by

Ettore Farrattini Pojani

 

A magical combination of historical fiction and fantasy as seen through the eyes of a cat.

 

The Nine Lives of Tito d’Amelia by Ettore Farrattini Pojani is a magical story, a combination of historical fiction, fantasy, and tales handed down through time by word of mouth. It is the inventively told history of the author’s ancestors and their hometown, re-imagined through the eyes and timely intervention of a cat as he is reincarnated down through the centuries. 

The cat first appears at the site of what will eventually become the town of Amelia, Italy, in 1134 B.C., and he aligns himself with the first member of the family, who names him Titolo or Tito for short. A beloved companion, he is a special and integral part of this early community. On his death, his spirit is blessed to remain among the people and to continue to protect the town, his former owner, and his progeny into the future. Each subsequent section of the book is the next time the spirit of Tito physically manifests, reincarnated to live one of his nine lives at a critical point in the family’s and town’s history. 

The storytelling is mesmerizing and easy to read, and it is impressive in how smooth and natural it sounds, considering it is a book in translation. I enjoyed the mix of the family story with the history of the time, the personal story with that of what was occurring in the world, and how the town was impacted. As a cat lover, I looked forward to seeing how Tito would fit into each time frame and what means of intervention he would be called upon to guide and protect the family. I was quickly invested in the magic of the tale and needed a tissue by the end of his first life, and that wasn’t my last. 

With its great mix of history and family saga, I recommend THE NINE LIVES OF TITO D’AMELIA to readers of historical fiction and cat lovers; however, there are infrequent mentions of adult activity and nudity that parents may want to consider when sharing with less mature readers. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.

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HappyHead

by

Josh Silver

 

Suspenseful young adult dystopian thriller where evil lurks behind a smiling face.

 

HappyHead by Josh Silver is a new young adult dystopian thriller about a mysterious residential treatment facility that claims its mission is to fight the rise of systemic unhappiness across society’s youth and its inaugural session of 100 hand-selected teen participants. From the outside, HappyHead appears to be a beautiful and luxurious spa-like opportunity for young adults who are seeking to improve personal growth or, for some, gain an advantage in their upcoming journey to achieve adult success. The reality may be something much, much different, and unexpectedly deadly. 

The story unfolds from the point of view of the main character, Sebastian “Seb” Seaton, a young man struggling with feeling loved and accepted for who he is by his family, especially his parents, and they don’t even know that he’s gay. Seb seems like such a regular kid, working through understanding himself, his feelings and beliefs, and others, while developing a foundation for his true persona. His attraction to the dark, wounded Finneas is achingly meant to be. His narration reveals a humorous and clever personality, and the snark is strong and entertaining. 

Nothing about the routine or treatment at the facility is what Seb expected, and, from the start, he feels unsettled and off-balance, like everyone is in on a joke except him (and so was I as a reader.) The smiling visages of the “Overalls” and HappyHead treatment staff are eerie and add to the constantly rising feeling of suspense. Several of the activities at HappyHead triggered my “AwHellNo” alarm and upped the terror of the story, such as the implanting of a ‘chip’ in the breast of the young participants. Each subsequent twist kept me glued to the story as the action and the fates of the characters careened forward. 

Quickly a fan of Seb’s “voice,” I was completely absorbed into Seb’s story. The descriptions of the facility and grounds are vivid, starting even before setting foot on the actual property. Set somewhere in the Scottish countryside, Seb’s parents literally drop him off in the middle of nowhere on a dead-end road, surrounded by tall reeds and sunflower fields obscuring the sight of any buildings or landmarks nearby. Later, there are scenes of confusing, undistinguishable white interiors and dark, dense woods, all confined within tall, electrified fencing, enhancing the pervasive feelings of desperation, isolation, and lack of individual control. 

With its sympathetic main characters and interesting range of intense secondary figures, suspense-filled atmosphere, and twisty plot, I recommend HAPPYHEAD to readers of young adult dystopian thrillers, especially those wanting complex but realistic LGBTQ representation. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

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Caught On Camera

Camera Club Mystery, #1

by

Kara Lacey

 

Small-town vibes, a close-knit family, and murder make this a perfect cozy mystery!

 

Caught On Camera is the first book in author Kara Lacey’s new Camera Club Mystery series, and it is a wonderful debut displaying all the hallmarks of what I love in a good cozy. With an engaging and relatable main character, a quaint, homey Vermont setting that had me considering travel plans, and a baffling murder, I was quickly invested and absorbed by the story. 

The book’s protagonist and soon-to-be amateur sleuth is Bobbie Brooks, a recent widow and transplant to the small town of Stonebridge, Vermont, from big-city Boston. Early on, we learn about the unexpected death of her husband and can almost feel her lingering grief and need for a change. Stonebridge has been home to her older sister, Alicia, since her marriage to a local attorney. Bobbie thought it would be a great place to start over and, hopefully, open her own photography business. Wanting to become more of a part of the community, she, along with Alicia and her friend, café owner Rose, formed a photography club. Their first photo outing as a club ends tragically when Bobbie discovers the body of one of their members at their chosen shoot location. The story makes an abrupt left turn when Bobbie goes from primary witness to primary suspect. 

Considering the lead detective’s attitude and arrogance, Bobbie can’t help but get involved in investigating to clear her name, and she’s good at it, noticing things at the crime scene that the police overlooked. Thankfully, she and her sister have a close and supportive relationship, and Alicia’s attorney husband, Nate, comes in very handy when the detective’s questioning goes from fact-finding to accusation. 

I appreciate it when the murder occurs early in a mystery, as oftentimes, too much exposition upfront gets really tedious really fast. Readers who feel the same way will not be disappointed here as the future victim is introduced within the first couple of pages and dispatched only a couple of pages later. She’s also a delightfully catty and unpleasant woman, although, of course, undeserving of being murdered. I enjoyed how the author developed the town and its residents as Bobbie works through her investigation. Each shopping stop or coffee break introduced a few more locals and laid out the town while Bobbie gathered clues or pieces of information needing to be checked out. 

While Bobbie, Alicia, and the remaining members of the Keep It Snappy Shutter Club developed a list, I had my own potential suspects as well. The exciting resolution is good, and armchair detectives will be able to pick out clues that lead to the truth. 

I recommend CAUGHT ON CAMERA to cozy mystery readers, especially those with a fondness for Vermont settings and labrador retrievers. 

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

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Tough Trail Home

by

Marie W. Watts

 

Welcome to Green Acres Texas-style.

 

Tough Trail Home by Marie W. Watts is a new contemporary women’s fiction novel about the Dunwhitty family and their struggle to overcome the upending of their previously privileged lives. With sympathetic characters that can’t seem to catch a break and an unrelenting flood of mishaps, I couldn’t put this book down. 

When Michael Dunwhitty’s career suddenly evaporates, his young family has just relocated to Houston, Texas. His wife, Lisa, who had relinquished a steady, if not fulfilling, job as an accountant to follow her husband to his new situation, was slated to work at the same firm and is also left high and dry. As Michael encounters rejection after rejection and their family’s future starts to feel desperate, Lisa receives the news that her Great-Uncle Joe has left her a 4,000+ acre ranch in central Texas. The legacy, however, comes with some strings. In order to receive the gift, the family must live there, the property cannot be sold, and there is a sizeable tax bill that is past due. While it would provide an immediate and stable home for the once-affluent family, Michael is a city boy with an absolute aversion to rural or even small-town living. Welcome to Green Acres Texas-style, however, nobody’s laughing. 

The narrative unfolds from Lisa’s and Michael’s points of view, so readers are privy to their actions, thoughts, and inner monologues. Lisa is an engaging young woman who loves her husband and family, as does Michael. He is used to career success with a lucrative paycheck, driven to act by childhood memories of his father working his life away as a mechanic and never being there for events that were important in young Michael’s life. Ironically, his single-minded desperation to duplicate his former success means he’s not there when his family needs him. Worried and fearful, both husband and wife carry a load of resentment toward the other and say things they shouldn’t, failing to come to an agreed-upon plan of action for the future. 

The story is full of twists and turns, catastrophes and near-misses. Lisa, at the ranch and on her own with the two children, must weather the hard knocks without the one person she relies on most – Michael. Thankfully, she finds support in Michael’s parents, who arrive for an extended visit, and Carl, a godsend of a neighbor, as well as a close-knit group of local women friends who bring her into their fold. As these people open their arms and hearts to Lisa and the children, their beliefs about what is truly important in life change. They just need to convince Michael of the same thing before it is too late. 

After their son Andrew has a brush with the law, Michael experiences a sudden revelation that his family needs him to be present. I felt both his turnaround and the ending immediately after happened too quickly and easily. This made me wish for a sequel about the reunited Dunwhitty family living on the ranch and making a go of their miniature cow operation. 

I recommend TOUGH TRAIL HOME to readers of contemporary women’s fiction and family dramas. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.

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The Chemical Detective

The Chemical Detective

Jac Silver Thriller, #1

by

Fiona Erskine

 

Intrigue galore with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing.

 

The Chemical Detective is the first book in the Jaq Silver Thriller series by Fiona Erskine and features a female chemical engineer who specializes in the research of explosives. When a pallet of a suspicious powdered substance is mistakenly delivered to her research facility with the regular order of explosive components and the samples she takes suddenly disappear, Dr. Jaq Silver starts asking for an explanation. But her inquiries are dismissed, and she is told to look the other way and forget about it; she can’t help but probe deeper. Her suspicions about what’s going on at the facility skyrocket when a scientist from the supplier surreptitiously contacts her, asking her own questions and hinting that something illicit and dangerous is going on behind the scenes. When the explosives warehouse is broken into, a security guard is injured, and an explosion occurs, Jaq’s boss does all he can to blame her for being negligent. However, when people go missing and there’s a suspicious death, the police start asking their very own pointed questions.  

The main character is Dr. Jacqueline ‘Jaq’ Silver, a chemical engineer working in Kranjskabel, Slovenia, for Snow Science, a company researching the means to reduce the number and severity of avalanches in areas devoted to the skiing tourist industry. She’s got a complicated backstory that the author subtly weaves into the current narrative that includes an unpleasant history with the Zagrovyl company, one of Snow Science’s suppliers and a critical player in the shady goings-on that Jaq inadvertently uncovers. Jaq is an outlier in the latest trend of more mature detectives in that she legitimately has the chops to investigate what she’s discovered, and technically, while she is a grandmother, she’s younger, more youthful, and in peak physical condition than what we normally expect of these older female amateur sleuths. She’s immediately determined to find out what Snow Science and Zagrovyl are involved in despite being gaslighted from all sides, and that’s before she becomes a person of interest to the police in a murder investigation. 

The story unfolds from multiple viewpoints as shady characters scramble across Europe to hide what they’re doing with one determined woman on their trail. After establishing the scenario, the plot moves quickly as characters pursue their plans across Europe, with Jaq on their heels. I loved that there was more than one set of bad actors out to stop her, which really threw a wrench into Jaq’s efforts at figuring out what was going on. The action is tight and suspenseful, keeping me completely engaged; some interesting twists really took me by surprise, adding another layer of complications. The descriptions of the settings are often just enough to give a sense of place, but the author chooses what is highlighted well, and there is always an evocative feeling of recognition. 

This title was originally published in 2019, but the edition I read for this review is a recent re-release, so three subsequent books in this series are already available to continue Jaq’s journeys. I recommend THE CHEMICAL DETECTIVE to readers of action and adventure, thrillers, mystery, and suspense who are looking for a strong, capable, and intelligent female protagonist.

 

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Cinderella Busted

Cinderella Romances, #1

by

Petie McCarty

 

Heartwarming second chance romance!

 

Cinderella Busted is the first book in author Petie McCarty’s fun and frothy Cinderella Romances series, and it kicks off these fairytale retellings in style. When specialty nursery owner Lily Foster is mistaken for a wealthy Jupiter Island socialite, she decides to go with the misunderstanding and enjoy a fun evening out among the local rich and famous. What she didn’t count on was falling head over heels for her billionaire escort nor for him to be the money behind the development company trying to run her off her land. 

Lily Foster has always been driven to excel at school or work; she wanted to make her father proud. But now that he’s gone, she’s the owner of the family nursery business and making it a success. She’s done well for herself except when it comes to her personal life, as she’s always been too busy and focused to have any fun. I couldn’t blame her for wanting to have one fun evening out with the handsome Rhett Buchanan. Her mistake was in not revealing her true position at the nursery right away. She made an assumption that Rhett wouldn’t accept her for herself. 

Rhett Buchanan, a self-made billionaire, is much like Lily in his drive and focus. He made an assumption about Lily’s presence at the nursery based on what she was wearing. He was smitten from their first meeting, and their time together only solidified his initial feelings for her. However, his history with women, including a devastating betrayal at an early age, has left him wary of any woman’s motives for wanting to be with him. With deep-seated trust and self-esteem issues, it doesn’t take much for him to assume the worst about Lily’s masquerade. 

The couple’s relationship runs from one end of the strong emotions spectrum to the other, and all in one week’s time. The chemistry between the two is unmistakable, and their tempestuous relationship reveals the depth of their emotions for one another. Each has good friends in their corner who can see how well they are suited for one another and try to get them back together. However, there are also a couple of dirty players working to throw a monkey wrench in the works for their own benefit. The back-and-forth twists and turns make for an exciting and heartwarming romance. 

I recommend CINDERELLA BUSTED to romance readers who enjoy second-chance romances, fish-out-of-water tales, and enemies-to-lovers storylines.

 

See this and my other book reviews at Guatemala Paula Loves to Read!

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My Year of Casual Relationships

South Bay, #1

by

Ruth F. Stevens

 

Absolutely wonderful and thoroughly satisfying!

 

My Year of Casual Relationships by Ruth F. Stevens is a new adult contemporary novel filled with memorable characters, unlikely friendships, love and loss, and self-discovery. Mar Meyers is an icon for healing, growth, and second chances. 

The main character, Margaret ‘Mar’ Meyers, is putting together a new life, including a new persona after her husband of 28 years leaves her for one of his employees. As often happens, Mar loses not only Henry (good riddance!) but also their couple friends, who gravitate toward the newly-formed couple rather than the newly single Mar. Worst though is the contentious relationship that develops with her only child, Michael, who’s married and has a young son of his own, Mar’s grandson, Benny. Michael inexplicably takes his father’s side in the divorce, even though Henry is the one who had the affair and broke up the marriage. I ached for Mar with every unhappy and ugly interaction with her son but had strong suspicions as to the underlying reasons for his behavior all along. 

Mar’s mother, who lives across the country from LA in New York City, is another unfulfilling relationship in her life. Whether due to her British stiff-upper-lip demeanor or the fact that she’s completely self-absorbed, she’s no source of comfort or support for her daughter when she needs it the most. She seems so cold and unfeeling, which may be the reason for some of Mar’s own personality flaws. Mar struggles with being standoffish, critical, and expressing empathy. She is well-known for speaking her mind without considering the consequences of her words until it is too late. However, despite her initial emotional distance, she experienced significant personal growth as the story progressed, and I liked her more and more for it. 

The author’s writing style is smooth and comfortable, and it drew me into Mar’s life from page one. I was genuinely interested in what Mar thought and had to say. The descriptions of the fitness center, Mar’s waterfront apartment, restaurants, and clubs she frequents are vivid, and I could easily picture the characters in these settings. I enjoyed the names Mar initially gave to the women regulars at the fitness center, which also created a strong image of each. However, I was glad she got past this superficiality and eventually got to know them and their true identities. I was delighted to see at the end of the book that the planned sequel is already in the works and is scheduled for publication very soon. I’m not ready to leave Margaret’s story behind. 

With its relatable and sympathetic main character and realistic plot, I recommend MY YEAR OF CASUAL RELATIONSHIPS to readers of contemporary and women’s fiction. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through WOW! Women On Writing Book Tours.