River of Lies

Detective Emily Hunter Mystery, #2

by

James L’Etoile

Intriguing murder mystery full of surprising twists and turns!

River of Lies is the second book in James L’Etoile’s Detective Emily Hunter Mystery series, and it is a compelling story of abuse of power, fraud, and murder. Sacramento, California, like many large communities, is struggling with how best to help a growing homeless population with a limited budget and residents who are swiftly running out of patience and compassion. However, as one by one, large riverside encampments go up in flames, it appears someone may have decided to solve the problem in their own way. When the body of an unidentified murder victim is found among the ruins of one of the camps, Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Detective Javier Medina, are assigned to the case. 

In this second outing for the detective team, the pair quickly realizes there’s more to the arson and murder than meets the eye. The body proves to be that of the disgraced and ousted former mayor John Stone, the mover and shaker behind ridding the city of its homeless problem and revitalizing their impromptu campsites into a high-profile and high-dollar linear riverside development of retail, residential, and exclusive commercial occupancies. There is considerable money at stake and considerable pressure from the new mayor’s office to wrap up their investigation. There is also some uncharacteristically prompt and suspicious cleanup of the homeless camp crime scenes by perpetually overburdened city departments, tasks that would normally take weeks to implement but effectively make them available for the lucrative redevelopment project. 

Emily is one sharp cookie and is deep into the investigation while worrying about her mother, who is quickly succumbing to Alzheimer’s. Consequently, she’s struggling with the accompanying guilt over having to relocate her mother to a memory care facility from her current failed assisted living situation. She’s found strong support in the form of love interest Officer Brian Conner as well as her work partner’s mother, Lucinda Medina, a former caregiver herself. The relationship between Emily and Javier is still a thing of beauty. They make an effective working team, are got-your-back friends, and their banter is a delight. 

The plot moves quickly with the detectives hot on the trail of those involved in torching the homeless camps and figuring out who murdered the former mayor. However, the closer they get to the answers they need, suspects go missing. A witness to one of the camp attacks and possibly Stone’s murder remains hospitalized and unconscious while her eight-year-old daughter, with secrets of her own, waits in a children’s group home, yearning to be reunited with her mom. There are plenty of clues and suspects, and the twists in the plot are absolutely unexpected. I was mesmerized by this increasingly complex tale all the way to its surprising resolution. 

I recommend RIVER OF LIES to readers of mysteries and thrillers, especially those who enjoy excellent police procedurals. 

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

Royal Scandal

Royal Blood, #2

by

Aimée Carter

It's a full-on private war as someone in the royal circle is determined to destroy Evan and, perhaps, the monarchy itself!

Evan Bright, the illegitimate daughter of the king, is being targeted by a press corps fueled by the tasty yet false tidbits slipped to them by an anonymous source. Apparently, when the perpetrator is not satisfied with the social media chaos and family drama that results, Evan starts experiencing "accidents" that put her life and those around her in danger. 

Royal Scandal is the second book in Aimée Carter's exciting YA series, Royal Blood, and this time; it's a full-on private war as someone in the royal circle leaking sensitive information to the media about the tumultuous goings on in the royal family. As relationships crumble and new alliances develop, Evan desperately tries to protect her family and loved ones from their hidden persecutor. 

Evangeline "Evan" Bright, the illegitimate daughter of the king and much-maligned by the media, is still struggling to find her place in the royal family. I enjoy this fish-out-of-water character and her continued attempts to fit in, even with the family members who have been horrible to her. Because of her past, she's socially awkward and clumsy but improving daily under the guidance of Kit, Tibby, Jenkins, and Maisie. I was glad to see the two sisters grow closer and establish an understanding of each other. Her nemesis, Benedict of York, had been banished from the royal presence due to his actions in book one, but family politics and the need to present a united front to the media soon saw him back in the fold to create more havoc. 

The plot grows more complex as Evan's mother, Laura, joins them at Christmas, and the adults in the immediate family decide to pursue the real loves of their lives. But as news of the new liaisons is leaked, the media has a field day. It is easy to compare the fictional tale to the history of Britain's royal family and gain a more sympathetic view of what they endure on a day-to-day basis and for an entire lifetime. 

As the story unfolds, there is one mishap involving Evan after another, and it is quickly determined that these are no mere accidents. Tension mounts as her unseen stalker multiplies his efforts to discredit her, and the attacks turn deadly. The story is one twist after another, and I did not want to put the book down. There is a cliffhanger ending that left me shocked that I wouldn't have the much-needed resolution to the story! While this is the second book in the series, and there is some backstory given so that this book can be read on its own, I feel the two should be read in order. 

With its action-packed plot and relatable main character, I recommend ROYAL SCANDAL to young adult fiction readers and fans of the previous novel in the series. 

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

The Devourer

by

Alison Ames

Magical, thrilling, and fresh!

The Devourer is a new young adult fantasy by veteran author Alison Ames, and it is a thrilling, high-seas adventure with magic, monsters, and revenge. After her half-brother, Cameron, attacks their father, stealing a precious treasure map in the process, 17-year-old Adrasteia “Adra” Dantes takes possession of her father’s ship, Worldeater, and vows revenge. 

In Adra’s world, magic is available to those special few attuned to its presence and it can be unpredictable and dangerous, as she well knows. As she and her crew of young women and one young man pursue their quarry, the veil between the non-magical and the mystical realms is somehow breached, and a creature known to the merfolk as The Devourer has been loosed under the seas to wreak destruction on all who travel above. 

This novel is an exciting story with a surprising mix of diverse characters, interesting storylines, and relationships. Adra, the young captain of the Worldeater, is morally complex; she enjoys inflicting pain and killing but is secretly kind to her crew, those she loves, who are less fortunate or are in trouble. She is single-minded in her pursuit of her half-brother, and the adventure is filled with incidents of her bravery in protecting the crew while achieving her goals. Her relationship with Quinn, the young woman Cameron coerced into impersonating him and acting as a decoy, is a slow-burn romance that ignites an internal conflict in Adra as well as one more overt with her crew. 

An interesting side story involves the creature Diana, a sentient and talking osprey who was once a human sailor, much like those on the Worldeater. While hunting Cameron, Adra and Diana search for the island fortress of the spellcaster who changed Diana’s former crew into animals and compel her to reverse her curse. 

While the ship’s accidental sojourn in the Doldrums may have been tedious for the fictional crew, the tension in the story builds as the main characters’ backstories come to light and they await the arrival of an ancient being from the deep summoned by a magic-using crew member to help them move to a more favorable latitude. As the creature gets closer and closer, the details of its physical appearance, including its vast size, alarm the stranded sailors. However, the horror of their rescuer pales against what is to come in the form of The Devourer. 

I found the story compelling, full of thrilling scenes and constant suspense. Adra was somewhat difficult for me to really like because of her mercurial nature and her joy in inflicting pain, but that aspect of her character is mentioned only once, and for the rest of the story, her decision to punish was more conflicted and thoughtful. I felt like I was dumped a little prematurely into the action, without enough build-up of the world and the existence of magic, so I didn’t have the grounding to engage with the story immediately. I think a reluctant reader would probably set this one aside in favor of a story they didn’t have to work as much to enjoy. However, perseverance proved fruitful in this case. 

I recommend THE DEVOURER to young adult fantasy readers, especially those who enjoy slow-burn sapphic romances and adventures on the high seas. 

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

You Will Be Peter

by

Jerry Lathan

with Steven Manchester

Finely woven historical biographical novel of the first leader of the Christian church.

You Will Be Peter is a new historical biographical novel by Jerry Lathan with Steven Manchester about the life and legacy of Simon bar Jonas, the man who history and the world would come to know as St. Peter. The authors breathe life into renowned historical figures, the descriptions of life at that time, the fabled settings and events of Jesus's earthly ministry, and the immediate aftermath, creating a vibrant and rich tale that had me engaged and emotionally connected from start to finish. Readers who are well familiar with the events will be just as mesmerized by the story as those who are not. 

The authors begin by establishing Simon's humble background, including providing a much-needed picture of the young wife he will leave behind over and over again in order to follow the Messiah. The story unfolds from multiple points of view, and readers will gain an understanding of Simon's hopes and dreams as a happy young man, making a living as a fisherman from the Sea of Galilee alongside his brother Andrew and best friends, John and James, and later, as he becomes a disciple of Christ and a confidante. 

I appreciated how well the events he witnessed and that were recorded in source documents, such as the Bible, are presented in an understandable, chronological order so that their spatial relationships made much better sense. Also, the authors do a great job distinguishing the major figures who had similar soundings or identical names at times. The ins and outs of daily life were interesting, and the disciples' faithful reliance on Jesus to provide for their needs, and did, was told in such a matter-of-fact and easy-to-see manner. The miracles happen throughout the story, both before and after Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, and as Peter begins his own ministry. There is suspense and heartbreak along the way, and it evokes a lot of emotion in the reading. 

I recommend YOU WILL BE PETER to readers of biblical fiction, historical fiction, or historical biographical novels, especially those interested in the lives of Christ, Peter, and the disciples and the founding of Christianity. 

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

After the Darkness

by

Justin Richman

An action-packed post-apocalyptic tale where danger comes from every direction!

After the Darkness is a riveting new post-apocalyptic tale featuring terrifying, seemingly indestructible aliens and the desperate human survivors of a city. Society quickly collapsed with the coming of The Drifters, aliens that feasted on the human inhabitants of the planet. The handfuls of survivors huddled together in small groups to maximize their resources while they scrounged the remnants of their broken city for critical leftovers from the past and avoid detection by the predatory invaders. Izzy and her dog Shadow work together as a team, locating and retrieving useful and necessary supplies for their camp situated on the town’s outskirts. But when a roving band of lawless scavengers arrives, making the abandoned local prison their base of operations and claiming the entirety of the city as their territory, Izzy discovers the real threat to their survival may not be The Drifters but her fellow human beings. 

Wow! This story is one exciting sequence of events after another from start to finish. The action kicks off on page one with Izzy’s capture by the evil leader of The Reavers, followed by an attack from the alien Drifters, and things never let up from there. The plot is tense as one threat after another presents itself, and Izzy, Shadow, her friend Matt, and a surprise benefactor work to overcome insurmountable odds. The author makes their successes believable and their losses shocking and heartbreaking. A horrifying twist is that victims of The Drifters can be infected, resurrected, and used to lead the aliens back to their former compatriots’ hiding places, where they help exterminate all those they encounter. 

Izzy, the heroine of the story, is initially relegated to less vital roles in her hidden community when the head of their camp dismisses her skills and potential value. Still, she perseveres and proves herself more than capable over and over. As if the day-to-day, hand-to-mouth existence of the camp isn’t dire enough, the kidnapping of one of their members sparks a chain of events that pits them against the evil Reavers entrenched behind sturdy prison walls. Not only does this amp up the suspense, but it forces Izzy to face all the fears Hawk embodies. 

This author’s writing just keeps getting better and better. The plot is well-paced, and the storylines are tight and focused. The settings are vivid and easy to visualize, putting the readers right in the scene with the characters. I highly recommend AFTER THE DARKNESS to readers who enjoy thrilling post-apocalyptic tales of action, adventure, and suspense. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.