Grab a Book & Play Booktivity! discussion

Read any good books lately that fit our monthly theme?

Here's the place to share your opinions / reactions / recommendations.

Our January 2024 theme is:

*Hello, 2024! - Read a book with a 2, 0 or 4 in the total page count. (Suggested by Carol)
(Be sure to tell us the page count.)


Happy reading!

492 page count - (4 & 2)


A Daddy for Kinkmas - Reece Morrison
Naughty or Nice Series, Season 3
Genera: M/M Romance/Transgender Couple
4.5★
The characters in this story are a trans/masc couple, David and Nafalti. David is an accountant and a "baby" Daddy Dom who is anxious to learn everything about his kink. Naftali is a teacher and a submissive. The two guys meet at a rope workshop that Naftali was helping to run and are attracted to one another right off, but both have insecurities and are afraid that they won't "get it right". Both have recently come out of abusive relationships and are afraid to try another one so soon...especially Nafalti. David had booked a ski vacation before his break-up and still plans to go, and Naftali volunteers to go with him for the week and be his "boy" and hopefully learn more about one another. Along the way they also attended David's parent's anniversary party. I hated David's mother. She acted as if he was still his birth persona calling him Diana instead of David (deadnaming). The rest of the family was wonderful. The way these two supported each other was part of what made this story extra warm and special. Each of them had their own difficulty navigating the world, but neither of them ever got exasperated with the other. They were always asking “how can I support you right now?” The author made notes about the things that they were writing about which helped to explain what both characters had had in their individuals lives and what they were going through. That was helpful to understand them and others like them as individuals and their sexuality. You can't help but be glad that you got to know Davd and Nafalti, and it won't take long to become deeply attached to these sweet guys. I have a good friend who is trans, and I really appreciated that Reece Morrison didn't present these characters being trans as something that they owned others any explanation or apologies for, but something that made them happy and complete in themselves.

123 page count - (2)

A Cutie for Kinkmas - Morticia Knight - (Maine, Massachusetts)
Naughty or Nice series Season 3
Genera: M/M Romance/Age Play (Daddy, Little)
4.5★
Ethan is a "tired of it all" movie star and Lyon is rugged Maine lobsterman who has put in too many hours on his boat and alone. Both guys are attending the Cuffd Kinkmas event and looking for someone special to share their life with. Ethan needs a "boy" to care for and call his own...Ethan needs a "Daddy" to take care of him and make him feel loved. They run into one another...almost literally...at Club Sensation where the Cuffd event is being held. It's a short book...barely 100 pages...but contains enough love and tenderness to fill a few hundred Dictionaries. Mortica Knight has never written anything that I haven't read and reread and this one isn't going to be an exception to the rule by any means. It's a sweet story about two sweet guys looking for each other. It even has a cute cat:)

544 pgs


Great Expectations – Charles Dickens – 3.5***
Decades ago, I read a children’s classic abridged version; I’ve also seen at least one of the film adaptations; I figured it was time to get to the original. It’s typical Dickens in that there are many characters and many hidden relationships between them, which will eventually be revealed and explain the seemingly “random” encounters. I enjoyed watching Pip mature from a child to a young man, and I loved his brother-in-law Joe Gargery. On the other hand, I thought Dickens gave too little attention to the women. Miss Havisham and Estella would be ideal main characters but were relegated to supporting roles.
LINK to my full review

246 pages -(2 &4)

Rescue Me - K.M. Neuhold -(Nevada)
Heathen Ink Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
Possible Triggers: PTSD, Extreme Emotional Trauma
Madden and Thane are products of two very different walks of lives. A brief meeting at a local club throws them together as they come to terms and try to recover from being caught up in a shooting that takes place only minutes after they get together. Thane rescues injured Madden...stays with him until the paramedics arrive, and even through the early days of his surgery...taking him to his home and caring for him afterwards...we knew that their lives would be forever changed. Thane is a firefighter who was previously a Marine so saving people was second nature to him. He lived through "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and he still lives a fairly closeted lifestyle, but that choice is mostly because he has never found a man he wants to settle down with. He’s quite pragmatic about who he is and how he lives his life and when he is very publicly outed after saving Madden’s life, he simply rolls with it and easily deals with the one odd jerk at his fire station. Madden's life was as different from Thane's as night and day. His parents shouldn't have been allowed to ever have pets, much less children...gay or straight. They unceremoniously closed him out of their lives when they found out he wasn't ever going to be bringing home anyone that was female, in his entire lifetime. That was after their attempt to “straighten him out” that left long lasting marks on him mentally. Marks that he carries with him and that does nothing for his recovery when the shooting causes his PTSD and anxiety problems to return in spades. He's a tattoo artist at Heathen Ink...a job that literally saved his life.... but nerve damage may take that talent and job away from him. What an interesting and supportive group of friends he has there. They are truly THERE for him in every way imaginable, as is Thane. It is so easy to see how Thane will be perfect for Madden's life. I have some mixed feelings about the last part of the book. I completely understood why Madden felt the way he did, but to take the steps that he did to go about "fixing" himself, and the way that he did it, seemed so callous and really unnecessary. It was so unfair to Thane. Madden could have easily ended up losing him. Overall...it's a good story, with easy to like characters...especially Thane's parents...by an author that I really, really like.

352 pages - (2)

All The Sinners Bleed - S.A. Cosby - (Virginia)
Genera: Mystery/Suspense/Southern Noir
5★
Possible Triggers Child Murder, Racial Violence
It involves a "cat-and-mouse" game played out between a twisted white religious killer and the first black sheriff in this small Virginia community. Welcome to Charon County, Virginia... a small peninsula on the Chesapeake Bay with a cursed name and a blood-soaked history, where... (from the book) ... “equality’s surest foothold was found on the autopsy table.” . The place is no stranger to tragedy, and the latest one is something that is becoming all too familiar to us in America...a school shooting. It's awful enough by itself, but it's only the beginning of the new "hell" that's coming to descending on Charon. Both the shooter and the victim are connected to a string of unimaginable abuses that target black children. Also, there is a mysterious killer still at large, his gruesome crimes steeped in "Scripture and religious iconography". Titus Crown, the recently elected Sheriff, is organized, decisive, but a bit conflicted between justice and vengeance...but this is his case, and he will use his FBI training to create a profile of a murdering madman. As in any good story of this caliber, everyone is the enemy, and everyone is a suspect. Titus has his hands full. He's being hounded by bigots of all types: biased and prodigious police officers, both extreme, and casually racist locals, and bigoted white supremacists. Basically, Titus is the only three-dimensional character in the story as well as the only really likeable one. The story moves along rather quickly with each new clue and obstacle with graphic scenes and dozens of characters that are fitted into the mix beautifully by this author. I will warn that if religious bias is a big "NO NO" for you, you might want to skip this one because, what I would call "Institutional Christianity" takes a huge "kick in the teeth". Titus’ platitudes about how "broken" the world is.... although I have to say he's mostly right...might become tiring and frustrating, but nevertheless, you will likely cheer at his brutal come backs against those who push him past the point of patience. (From the book) ...“Evil is rarely complicated,” Titus explains. “It’s just f....Ing bold.” I read both of S.A. Cosby’s previous works, Blacktop Wasteland and Razorblade Tears, and would recommend them along with this one...but be prepared for not only brutality but honesty on a lot of controversial subjects.

Page count: 262 - (2)

Broken - Colette Davidson - (England)
Heaven and Hell Club Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance
4★
This was a sweet story about two guys who in the end are exactly what each other needs. Michael is the Heaven and Hell club owner who has had a difficult time finding a new relationship since he lost, Edward, the love his life. He's somewhat careful with his feelings because of that, but he is definitely interested in the new pole dancer, Jag. Jag is a young man (25) who has been on the run from his family for 10 -years. His parents were not supportive or understanding at all about his sexuality and forced into conversion therapy. They're rich and have endless resources to back this venture. Why they continue this after Jag is an adult is unclear, but it plays a major role in how Jag lives his life. He has been going from job to job and only staying long enough to make enough money and move on hoping to stay ahead of anyone his parents have hired to find him.... but this stop is different. He is definitely interested in Michael, but there is his plethora of "rules" that he lives by faithfully and have saved him several times. Michael is happy to go along with whatever limitations Jag puts on their budding relationship even though he is not normally a “no strings” type of guy. Of course, feelings grow and convincing must be done to get Jag to see they could actually have something more. Michael was exactly what Jag needed in that he never pressured him until it was safe to do so, and he always made it clear the ball was always, in Jag’s court. Likewise, Jag ended up being that bit of sunshine that Michael needed to jump start his feelings all over again. We learn enough details about Jag’s past to understand why this is the way his journey started out, but his own rules that he follows has gotten him stuck in a rut. Michael helps him see that as an adult the laws have changed and now gives his parents much less, if any, control over him, and he no longer needs his rules or needs to ever leave again. Mac, Michael’s best friend and employee, was a great side character, and I’ll read more about him and his partner in the next book. While I wasn’t completely wowed by this story, it was still an enjoyable and easy read.

I just finished reading Daisy Jones and the Six


Page Count: 352
Genre: Fictional Memoir
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
This book has an interesting format. Instead of being written in traditional paragraphs, it is structured like an interview which is a choice that works well for an audiobook but can also be a tad annoying when switching between characters as the names are said over and over.
Several characters dislike each other. Some parts of the story conflict with others. It is a wild ride. I tore thru the book and found each of the characters relatable in different ways. It was also interesting to see how some of them remembered things differently. It does bring realism to the story when getting two different views of an incident. Reading this book is like riding a roller coaster. It is not for the faint-hearted. It should come with a trigger warning.
What would you do if your dreams came true? That is exactly what happens to the Dunne brothers when they form a band. They gain national recognition when Daisy Jones becomes the female lead. But it comes with a price. Billy is the face of the band. He feels he is constantly under pressure for everything to be perfect. They became a success overnight and can lose it all in an instant. Women are always throwing themselves at him. He cheats on his wife multiple times. Karen and Graham find out their relationship cannot work because they desire different things in life. Graham feels like Karen has betrayed him in the deepest possible way. Warren feels like Billy treats them all like children and needs to curb his arrogance. It is all further complicated by a seemingly endless supply of drugs and the fact that Daisy does not seem to own a bra.
This book is the epitome of the saying "sex, drugs, and rock n' roll." In a nutshell, that is the whole story--or at least the first half. All of the characters have some form of addiction. This story does normalize drug addiction while slowly showing you the hazards. It should come with a trigger warning because the hazards are subtle.

I read the audiobook while following along on my Kindle. I found it cool that Reid includes a few special features for her readers which are different depending on the version you choose. While the audiobook allows you to listen to an instrumental version of Honeycomb, the ebook lets you read thru the lyrics of several songs, an interview with Reid about her writing process, and includes a trivia game for her readers.

Total pages:255 - (2)

[Haunted Wisconsin] - Michael Norman -(Wisconsin)
Genera: Paranormal/Hauntings
5★
From the book:“The line between reality and legend in these stories is imprecise at times. Some are clearly rooted in the folklore or storytelling tradition of a particular locale.” What I admired most about this author was this declaration that he wasn't pushing the reality of ghosts or hauntings down the readers throat...but offering us his experiences as well as the experiences of ordinary folks like you and I and just letting us believe or disbelieve. Most everyone, at some time in their lives...has enjoyed a good ghost story. Memories of a childhood Halloween or sitting around a campfire on a dark night trying to scare one another to death...most of us first began our journey into ghosts and hauntings accompanied by plenty of goosebumps and chills. Mine and my cousin's childhood ghostly experience was at the knees of my Irish grandmother who eagerly told us stories of her beloved Ireland's haunted past and present. She believed ever word and had a willing, eager audience. Michael Norman reminded me so much of that dear lady. He has obviously done a great deal of investigation and we visit not only Wisconsin, but he southern Ohio where there is a locally known folktale of a ghostly wolf that has been heard for well over a century. He and his mates are hunted until one by one they make their way to the “dying place of the wolves.” From the book: “Some of these ‘true’ ghost stories have been told and retold so many times...each recitation adding its own twists and turns, that it’s hard to know for certain where, when or how each one originated. But they all have one element in common: they are said to have originated with an actual event, as far as I can tell.” Other stories in the book fall more within the controversial realm of parapsychology as they deal with people who claim to have had perplexing encounters with something they consider of supernatural origin. An example that Norman points out. From the book: “His sister was one of the sources. She heard his voice and felt his presence in their family home many years after his death. She had very specific, very credible encounters with her deceased older brother. I believe she believed in what happened to her.” It doesn't matter if you are a sceptic or a believer...these stories are full of paranormal, creepy fun.... but you may want to leave a light or two on.

Total Page count 229 (2 & 2)

Promises - Marie Sexton - (Colorado)
Coda Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/Police
5★
This is a great start to what I'm sure is a wonderful series. I fully intend to find out. In this story two main characters had lots of ups and downs. Some hard times and some that gave you big smiles and some laughs. The characters are wonderful...well, with the exception of one.... but I guess you need at least one bad guy. I found that it was a book that I just didn't want to put down. Jared is a confident, cute and lovable character. His heart is firmly planted in his home=town of Coda, Colorado with his wonderful family, his favorite football team, and now, with Matt, a very sexy cop that is new to the force.... but firmly locked in the ever-present closet. It seems that some of the folks in small town Coda have no room in their hearts or their lives for gay people like him.... though he has lived there his entire life. It’s not all bad, however. There are still quite a few that avoid Jared like the plague...but he has some good friends and a wonderful family. He's so tired of small-minded people that seem to just seem to hate gays for the sheer fun of it. So, yes...he’s lonely but Matt seems to want to be his friend...watch football with him, go mountain bike riding...and Jared realizes that even though Matt doesn't have the nerve to admit it yet...he wants a whole lot more. Matt's getting grief from some of the other cops on the force for hanging out with Jared, so he tries to date a woman.... but he’s miserable. The more he gets to know Jared, the more he wants to really BE with him. Sometimes life just gets to be too much when too many things are pressing down on you...and Matt begins to feel like a ticking time bomb. It becomes a tossup if they can make things happen or if they will stay away forever. Matt's father.... oh, what a "Grinch" he was. He was completely over-the-top, in-your -face...HORRIBLE. Nothing likable or redeemable here folks. It was good seeing Matt finally stand up to him. Matt is so confused for much of this story. He’s been brow-beaten into thinking love is wrong between two men, mostly by "Dear Old Dad". His family, his job....it seems to him that everyone wants something from him except no one bothers to ask what HE wants, except Jared. He wants Matt to be happy...and he wants Matt to love him as much as he loves Matt....even if they can only be as just friends. As I have learned with most M/M Romances, if you just keep turning pages things usually work out. The story is very well written. I really liked this book and couldn't help but give it 5 -stars for the simple, pure enjoyment of it.

Page count 429 (4 &2)

If You Tell - Gregg Olsen - (Washington)
Genera: True Crime/Murder
5★
Possible Triggers: Please be aware that is a true crime novel with some murders beyond gory,
 I didn't realize it at the time that I picked up this book that it was a true story.... I should have since I have read Gregg Olsen's books before. Noone wants or should ever, in a million years... have a family like this one. In a nutshell it's the story of three abused sisters who helped to put their mother in prison. Nobody in this little Washington town seemed to even notice when a live-in babysitter vanished from the home of Dave and Shelly Knotek in the tiny town of Raymond, Washington, in 1994. Then two more of the family’s boarders disappeared, and Shelly’s three daughters suspected the frightening, unimaginable truth...the missing people had been murdered and they knew exactly who was responsible. Gregg Olsen writes the most amazing true-crime books, and this one is right up there at the top of the list. The half-sisters' fears proved justified after the older two went to the police. Shelly and Dave were arrested in 2003 and sent to prison for their roles in the deaths of the babysitter, Kathy Loreno and two others. It’s a really grim tale, told in short chapters, that highlights the sisters’ amazing courage, strength, and love for one another. For years, their mother, Shelly had inflicted abuses that bordered on. and then escalated into the realm of the sadistic on her boarders as well as her three daughters. Dave either helped or simply stood passively by. Loreno was drugged, beaten, starved, and subjected to a crude form of waterboarding using a torture devise composed from household items... and their other victims endured similar fates. Gregg Olsen had first-hand access to the three sisters, Dave Knotek, and a grandmother. Yet even his repetitive prose robs the victims’ stories of the emotional impact that they so deserved. On reflection I had to think that there was no way that anyone's mere words could possibly tell or make "normal" people understand what the victims had suffered through. Meeting the three sisters even through the written word gave us insight to their amazing resilience. Nikki is the strong-willed oldest; Sami, the middle child is the accommodating one; and Tori, the youngest was simply lost not understanding anything until she understood everything....and it nearly destroyed her. As for their mother, Shelly...she was every monster you can possibly think of, personified. There are almost no words that a normal person can think of that adequately describes her. In spite of all the gory details we are given...I still have to wonder how in the name of everything holy...in a town as small as Raymond where everyone tends to know everyone else’s business, did these horrific crimes go undetected for so long?

Page count 278 - (2)

Forgotten - Colette Davidson- (England)
Heaven and Hell series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance
4.5★
I really liked the main characters of Kyrone and Jared. Kyrone is a dancer at the Heaven and Hell club, but this is mostly Jared’s story. It's the story of a young man who suffered a traumatic brain injury, spent months in a coma, and while he did survive, he has complete amnesia. His family has become complete strangers to him, no memory of any of them whatsoever. Jared relocates to Leeds in his need to get away from their hopes that he’ll remember, but also to follow the one hopeful clue to his past since he had found, a note in his handwriting, that simply read, "J./Leeds". In Leeds he gets a job as an apprentice at a tattoo parlor and meets the intriguing, if somewhat flamboyant dancer... Kyrone. Several of the men from book#1 filter throughout this story giving the two guys encouragement and friendship. I couldn't imagine how Jared ever managed to live his life with no memory after waking up from his long coma. Kyone is a bit of a surprise, but in a really good way. The author presents him just as he is and lets the reader make their own assumptions. He was so good for, and so supportive of Jared making him more than okay in my book. I had to admire how Jared handled how changed his life had become since the accident. His constant migraine headaches that plagued him almost daily. I can't imagine losing the memories of 21 years of my life...but he had Kyrone to look out for him and to love him unconditionally, never knowing what the next day might bring. This is the 2nd book in the series and on some level, I felt it was a bit better than the first book, [Broken], and it received a slightly higher rating from me. The main conflict of the story is better explained and so different than anything I have ever encountered in any genera...not that [Broken], the first book, isn't well worth the reading time. I seem to just have a penchant for strays, underdogs:)

226 pages



The Queen Of the Tambourine – Jane Gardam – 3***
This slim novel is written in epistolary style, as Eliza Peabody writes letters to her former neighbor. The novel won Britain’s Whitebread Award for Best Novel of the Year in 1991, but it missed the mark for me. I liked it but didn’t love it.
LINK to my full review

224 pages

Painted Lace - K.M. Neuhold - (Illinois)
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
This is a story of complete opposites who attract each other at their first meeting, although deep down they are just two alike people looking for that special someone who will accept them for who they authentically are, and not wanting them to ever change, for any reason. Austin likes and needs order. He constantly plans ahead and never does anything without a complete purpose. His ex-boyfriends often called him “boring”. In college he had told Austin that nothing more could come out of their relationship, and they had been together for three years! Then there is Keaton who can best be called a "free spirit'. He's an artist that believes that life should be lived the way YOU want to live it, not how someone else thinks it should be. He doesn’t want to be tied down with a 9 to 5 job. He just adds several jobs part-time jobs when he needs the money for food and rent. He has had a strange assortment of jobs... bartender, date-for-hire, nude model, and artist. He's good painting and he paints what he feels. When he needs company, he hooks up with someone. He is immanent that he DOSEN'T DO RELATIONSHIPS'.... but then there are expectations.... and he believes that he is bad with those expectations. Now, how can these two totally opposite personalities have such great chemistry? They simply have to leave their hang-ups at the door, and then they just mesh perfectly. They more than complement each other. They may look like total opposites outside but when it comes to what really matters, they are perfect for each other. I love this author and now own more of her books than any other author's. She creates characters who can be boring, organized, messy and chaotic, but who are always truly unique and so endearing that you can’t help but fall in love with them. This story has all these qualities in spades.

Total page count 278

Forgiven - Colette Davidson - (England)
Heaven and Hell Series Book #3
Genera: M/M Romance
4.5★
I had a great deal of admiration for Callum. He had a horrible family, except for his Uncle Ezra who he came to Leeds to live with. His homophobic father was in prison for the murder of a man just because he didn't approve of the man's sexual choices. The continuous support and actions boarding on glowing admiration for his father was more than he could stand. A fresh start was what he needed, away from what was left of his toxic family....and he found it in Leeds. He lands a job as a barman in "Heaven and Hell", a gay pole-dance club in Leeds. He couldn't believe it when one of the dancers, Dylan, playfully begins to flirt with him. Dylan is lonely and he hides that loneliness behind his numerous tattoos, piercings and one-time hookups. He was desperate for love that he thought he would never find or want. Dylan's childhood consisted of being shoved around from foster family to another. Then, to his surprise, he falls for the club's confused barman, and he fears he has now made himself even more vulnerable. Callum is slowly learning more about himself and none of it is anything that his sister or mother will approve of or care about anyway. I had trouble understanding why he would subject himself to even caring what they thought. This story was all about love and acceptance and how it can be found in the most unexpected places. Dylan made you just wanted to hug him. He was so calm, accepting and patient with Callum....even when Callum didn't realize that that was what he needed or wanted. There was nothing likable, much less, lovable, about Callum's family, so I was happy that the author didn't waste much valuable space and ink on them. This author has always been able to describe the thoughts and emotions of her characters in a way that makes them almost real.

306 pg



Royal Flush – Rhys Bowen – 3***
Book number three in Bowen’s “Royal Spyness” series of cozy mysteries, starring Lady Georgiana Rannoch, thirty-fourth in line to the throne. I like this cozy series. Georgie and her best friend Belinda are quite the pair. And I like the historical background that Bowen weaves into her plots as well.
LINK to my full review

Page count 443 (4)

The Echo of Old Books - Barbara Davis - (New Hampshire)
Genera: Mystery/Romance/Historical Fiction
5★
I was intrigued by the title and completely drawn in by the cover...not a great reason to read a book I know...but whatever it was that placed this little treasure in my hands will forever have my sincere gratitude. Now I have a book hangover, and my husband just waved to me as he went off to bed....and I vowed to read "just one more chapter". We all know how well that works for us! I stayed up most of the night and a great deal of the morning to finish it. I can honestly tell you that The Echo of Old Books is a love story. Not a romance.... a genuine love story....and a mystery that spans decades. It will tie your heart in knots and wring emotions from you that you didn't even know you had. Be prepared to raise to the heights of joy and to plunge to the depths of despair. It is emotional, quietly exciting and leaves the reader absolutely satisfied. The story is told over two historical timelines, aided by alternating chapters of two books: "Regretting Belle" written by Hemi, and "Forever and Other Lies" written in reply to Hemi's book by Belle. I just couldn't stop reading. I wiped away tears...I smiled...I was frustrated, angry...but ultimately, satisfied. This was my first book by Barbara Davis book, but it won't be my last.

Total page count 228 (2)
Randall & Hudson - M.A. Innes
Beautiful Shame series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance/ Consensual Humiliation /BDSM D/s
3★
I know there are probably folks out there that are into Randall's kink, but I have to admit that its appeal goes completely over my head. Most people go out of their way to avoid humiliation...but evidently not Randall. He thrives on being watched and what would be considered by most as horrible "other things"... really turns him on. As you can imagine the "nice" guys always avoid him.... but he says he isn't looking for love. To look at him he appears to be "vanilla" but what he wants is so entirely... something else. Hudson is "eyes straight ahead on the road" focused on his family's business and keeping everything, including himself...under control. Oh my... then he meets that thing called "Fickle Fate" which has an entirely different plan for him, and he soon finds that he is an innocent submissive... and, an oh s-o-o-o naughty, little thing. Randall and Hudson are so far at opposite ends of the same coin that it's amazing that they somehow proved to be perfect for each other...now he just needs to convince Randall that what he wants isn't dirty or shameful. I wondered "how are you going to possibly do that? Good luck guy! You're going to need it" Should have known that I would be wrong. Turns out that these two, who were both strong in their own way, do actually figured a way to the make a strong...if still unusual, relationship... actually work.... very well. I think the thing that helped the most was that they always had clear communication and a total complete emphasis on absolute consent. It's an easy read but I still don't completely understand it.... but it was...interesting. The three stars in no way reflects the author's writing (I love M.A. Innes) but is entirely for my lack of connection or understanding with the theme of the storyline.

Total page Count: 290 (2)

Winter Oranges - Marie Sexton - (Idaho)
Genera: M/M Romance/Paranormal/Ghost
4.5★
"It was easy to believe that the house was haunted. After acting for most of his life, Jason Walker's first thought upon seeing the house he had purchased virtually sight unseen was that it would have been a perfect place to have filmed an Amityville remake."

After that opening, and the fact that I needed the book as a part of a challenge, Ghost...Haunted house...I was in. I didn't even mind that it at some point it
began to slide off into the "not quite what I expected" realm. Jason. a former child star hasn’t had much success since becoming an adult, but that doesn’t stop the reporters from still chasing him. He needed a break from his crazy life...so he buys a house... sight unseen, and in the remotest of the remote part of northern Idaho. He’s also trying to put distance between himself and his very, very best friend, Dylan, with whom he is secretly so very much in love. They have a "friends-with-benefits" arrangement but that’s no longer nearly enough for Jason. Of course, we don't have long to wait before things start to happen. Jason sees what looks like the face of a young man in the window of the apartment above his garage. He’s paranoid about those dreaded reporters, so he calls the police. they come, but they can find nothing. Eventually he encounters the ghost face to face, and immediately questions his own sanity. He begins to research all the mental illnesses that he can think of or find on the internet including psychosis, hallucinations, and delusions. None of the symptoms fit, so he finally convinces himself that either he is completely nuts or Ben...the ghost, is as real as it gets. Ben and Jason struggle to communicate but finally find a way that Jason can actually hear Ben speak. Ben tells him a fantastical, unbelievable story about how he lives in a little house in a snow globe, thanks to his sister with magical powers that put him in there to keep from him from enlisting in the Civil War. At some point he can't find his sister...so he can’t get out. Jason is becoming attached to Ben and carries the snow globe from room to room as Ben can only remain in the room the globe is in. Ben is learning about life in the 20th century and...and he likes TV and has a fondness for cheesy TV shows like "All My Children" and "The Guiding Light" from the eighties. Even worse is that Jason and Ben are falling in love. What can go wrong, you may ask but the question should be, what can go right? Oh...it's not done yet. Additional conflicts and interferences arise in the form of Dylan and the local police who believe that Jason is experiencing a psychotic break. Jason has to put all his acting skills to work to convince them otherwise. Marie Sexton has managed to create palpable sadness at the sheer impossibility of this entire situation. I wanted so badly for these two lonely men to find happiness, somehow... but I could never have guessed how the story would end. How could they be together corporeally forever...how could there be a happy ending, right? Of course, in books anything is possible, and it was everything I could hope for. It seems some Christmas wishes do can and do come true. The story wasn't exactly what I was expecting but it was still enchanting.

512 pg



The Stolen Lady – Laura Morelli – 3.5***
A work of historical fiction with a dual timeline – 1939 in France as the Germans are invading; and 1479 in Florence, when Leonardo da Vinci is commissioned to paint a portrait of Lisa Gherandini. In both cases one woman takes it upon herself to ensure that the portrait remains hidden away in order to protect it. Between the two storylines, I clearly preferred the World War II one. I wasn’t sure that this novel needed the 15th century story line. I really appreciated the extensive author notes / interviews and historic photos of the Louvre staff moving these treasures.
LINK to my full review

Page count: 320 (2 & 0)

The Writing Retreat - Julia Bartz - (New York)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
3.5★
Five writers, four weeks, and a $1 million book deal for the lucky winner. Unless they disappear first! Alex has just had her 30th birthday and has to face up to some hard truths: First of all, she hates her job; second, she’s been miserable ever since breaking up with her best friend...and third and the worst, she’s stuck in writer’s block, which makes it extremely hard, if not impossible, to be discovered and have your book published. Then, out of the blue she receives a call from a writer friend who has somehow gotten Alex a space at an elite writers retreat being held at the estate of none other than the mysterious and glamorous novelist, Roza Vallo. From the very first night she's at Vallo's estate, Blackbriar, it becomes very clear that this is not a warm fuzzy workshop, and Roza Vallo is in no way a soft, or even friendly, mentor. Each of the workshop attendee's is told that they must create a proposal for a full-length novel, then manage to crank out 3,000 words a day to be critiqued....by Roza. Despite the surroundings of luxury...food and wine and a library to die for...there is no ignoring the fact that the writers are trapped there. There is no Wi-Fi or cell service to be found. Alex's sense of disquiet grows as her research deepens, and with Roza’s urging, she has decided to write a novel about the original inhabitants of the house...a wealthy tycoon and his waitress wife who was also happened to be a medium. Both were found dead after the wife had channeled a demon called Lamia. Then one of the other guest writers disappears, and Alex can’t help but wonder if the occult history is repeating itself.... or is there a much more sinister, and possibly human plot behind this writing retreat. Despite Alex’s somewhat whiny disposition, the pacing of the story is slow and filled with dread and horror. I found the first part to be exceptional...but I felt the execution left a something to be desired. The Alex character was underdone. It would have been nice if we had had more about her backstory. The remaining women at the retreated seemed flat as well. It seemed like each of the characters was only partially painted. It was still a decent story, and if that’s all you want this will do it for you. Overall, I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t really love it either.

Page count 452 - (4&2)

Four Letter Word - K.M. Neuhold - (California)
Love Logic Series Book #2
Genera: M/M/M/M Romance/Polyamory
4.5★
Polyamory is not at all a new concept, it literally means “many loves.” It may not be as popular as monogamy, or platonic, open or even arranged marriages, but it is starting to be known/discovered in a much more modern or even in remote societies. Just like any relationships, there are limits or boundaries, rules to follow in order for the relationship to grow. And especially when you have multiple partners to give attention to and care for, these boundaries and limitations are very important. Bishop, Leo, and Hudson have been friends since they were young boys. Along the way, specifically during their Senior High School years, something very significant happened between Hudson and Leo that changed the dynamic of their friendship for more than ten years. When they graduated, Leo left California for New York where he attended college and started his career as a lawyer. Meanwhile Bishop and Hudson stayed in California and continues to see each other until one night when they both had had a bit too much to drink and they discovered that they felt more than just friendship for one another. Their friend, Bishop, had been in love with both his best friends since he was fourteen. But just the thought of loving two men with the same intensity, seemed to be impossible and a sure recipe for disaster, so he buried these feelings deep within himself. Years later Riot, who works as a Bartender in the club that Bishop and his three friends frequent, comes into their lives and the Polyamorous lifestyle is formed. Through the newness of all this and some misunderstandings, Riot is the one responsible for making, encouraging and guiding these three friends into seeing the reality and the possibility of being together as "in-love-with-each-other together" and forming a new life with four. Riot became the catalyst that glued everyone together, although Bishop is the real "center" of all their affection. K.M. Neuhold gave Riot not only an outstanding personality but a surprise when we learned he was much more than a bartender. You'll have to meet Riot to find out what else he is:) These four guys will cause you to fall in love with them and to love them for who and what they are...perfectly imperfect!

Page count 294 -(2&4)
Silent Angel - Helen Pifer - (England)
Morgan Brookes series Book #7
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
5★
My second book by Helen Phifer...yes, I know that it's book 7. The book has plenty of the "thriller "element to give the reader all the thrills, chills and shocking moments that they can handle. Again, it seems that Detective Morgan Brookes draws murders to her small village. This time her team investigates a dead body found in local churchyard ditch and things start to escalate in an alarming way. They have to ask if there is a deranged killer in their small village and could the killer be someone that they all know? I enjoyed and felt that it was worthy of a 5 -star rating even though the ending was a bit abrupt and didn't completely answer all my questions or all the questions the team had during the investigation. I am looking forward to seeing what Morgan is up to next...and, where her relationship with her partner, Ben, is headed. It was good to see a few new characters make an appearance, and I liked what they added to the team. I don’t know if they will be back, but some guest appearances would be nice. Morgan is again a danger" magnet". If you've read any of this series, you will know what I'm saying. If you haven’t read and met Detective Morgan Brookes, I do highly recommend this series. You can easily start this series with this one, or any of the first 6 books, but I know that may not work well for everyone, but you wouldn't be entirely lost. I didn’t mention on of my favorite characters, Declan...but I have to give him his due credit. He is written as one of the kindest souls I have ever encountered whose job it is to deal with the dead. He has the most caring manner. I love the character of Morgan Brookes and believe if you are a Mystery/Suspense/Thriller fan that and you will like this series and its characters also.

128 pages of perfection!


Foster – Claire Keegan – 5*****
Facing tough times, a rural Irish family sends their oldest daughter to another community to live with distant relatives she hardly knows. Keegan explores what it means to be family in this short novella. She also deals with grief and the ways we show love without words being said. The somewhat ambiguous ending is perfect for this award-winning tale.
LINK to my full review

--305 pages, Hardcover
3 stars
Taken from the book. "During World War II, a family finds life turned upside down when the government opens a Japanese internment camp in their small Colorado town. After a young girl is murdered, all eyes (and suspicions) turn to the newcomers, the interlopers, the strangers.

"This is Tallgrass as Rennie Stroud has never seen it before. She has just turned thirteen and, until this time, life has pretty much been what her father told her it should be: predictable and fair. But now the winds of change are coming and, with them, a shift in her perspective. And Rennie will discover secrets that can destroy even the most sacred things."

I enjoyed Sandra Dallas' writing style; she gets to the point and does not drag out scenes. The story is sad and yet touching. I have not read a lot of books about the Japanese internment camps, but this fiction book brings it to life like I picture it to be. Families trying to cope, live life as best as they can while being uncertain and at times scared. The Murder of the young girl was not over done with the details, but you get the picture of the ugly truth of what all happened. The Ending was a bit predictable but has a good closer.

--224 pages, Hardcover
2 stars
John Gierach tells stories about his fishing adventures in the Rockies in Colorado, this is where his home is and in different areas of North America.
It is an ok book. Some stories are interesting, other stories leave you hanging or feel incomplete, but his humor does peek through here and there.

Page count 489 - (4)

Haunted Heartland - Beth & Norman Scott - (Il, IN, IA, MI, KS, MN, NE, OH, MO, WI)
Genera: Paranormal
5★
This is a collection, (150), ghostly accounts of supposedly true ghost stories either collected by the authors or told to them by people that had heard of them or experienced them themselves. I say "supposedly true" because the authors state very clearly that they can't say one way or the other if they are true or not...only that the people that recounted them believe they are, or might be, true. The book is arranged nicely by the Midwest state that it came from...so if you don't have the time or the desire to read all 150 you can easily take your pick. Being that I am the "Ghost-Story Junkie" , I plowed through all 150 over the course of 3-months. Some of the stories were really frightening and some were missing a great deal of the fright feature that you would expect. One that may have had some elements of truth to it was from Illinois entitled "Buried Alive". It was interesting since the time period that it was set in, the methods of ascertaining death from trance or catatonia were often lacking and bodies were often not treated as they are today, so a person believed to be dead, could sometimes regain consciousness. There were also several stories relating to Abraham Lincoln in "Lincoln and the Supernatural" that had interesting historical elements. They say that guests in the Lincoln bedroom of the White House have reported encountering the 16th, President. Since Michigan is my adopted state, I was most interested in the stories from there. Many of Michigan's 19 stories are about ships on the Great Lakes. However, "The Soul Of Stephen Strand" is a nicely developed story of reincarnation or possession. I also liked a few of the Minnesota stories, "The Horrors of Heffron Hall" tells the tale of St. Mary's College in Winona where some of the evils that were alleged to have been perpetuated by the catholic priests are said to have their victims as permanent guests. One of the milder ones was "The Levitation of Archie Collins" that talks about theater magic shows, to show it is sometimes impossible to tell whether an act is real or fake. Overall if you are a "ghost story junkie" like yours truly, you will find something in this book to keep you awake with the lights on.

192 pages


Midnight Howl – Clare Hutton – 3.5***
This is the fifth entry in the Poison Apple series of middle-school books dealing with various paranormal phenomena. Each book can easily be read as a stand-alone work, however. I’m not a great fan of paranormal genre, but this one is light on the paranormal and focuses more on the relationships between the kids. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the story. At its core, this is a story of friendship, loyalty and compassion.
LINK to my full review

Total page count -523 - (2)


Not Safe for Work - L.A. Witt
Narrator: Nick J. Russo
Genera: M/M Romance/Bisexual/D/s/mild BDSM
4.5★
There was a bit of a rocky start here as it’s not immediately obvious who the Dom and who the sub is. Anything involving a role reversal between personal and professional lives was fine with me, but it did take a little while to sort out. Jon builds models for an architecture firm. He finds himself in an interesting situation with his firm’s largest client, Rick Pearce. Rick is the owner of a huge company and is dominating and controlling down to the very last aspect of his professional life...but in his personal life...that's an entirely different story... Rick is an absolute, in every sense of the word... submissive. Rick has been watching and secretly drooling after Jon for quite some time. Jon is a total Dom's Dom, divorced, supporting his ex-wife and paying his children’s college tuition... easy to see that he has a lot on his plate. Jon is a little difficult to read. He's a good guy...totally in line in every way with his responsibilities to others...but when it comes to watching out and protecting himself, it's a different story. He allows himself to be manipulated and blackmailed which was very frustrating, but I understood what his fears and concerns were. The story does have some BDSM aspects in it, but they are very mild. A little more "playtime" between the two guys would have been nice, but not a biggie, as there was lots of incredible passion and chemistry between them. As with all of the books that I have read by L.A. Witt...and there have been ALOT...they have all had a very solid plot, great characters, and always...good, clear writing that keeps the reader "in the story". As you can see, I’m of a 100% fan of this author. Overall....I really liked this story and loved the two main characters. There was a short part that seemed to drag a little but didn't last long enough to affect the storyline. M/M Romance & fans of mild BDSM will more than likely really enjoy this one.

216 pg


Red Berries, White Clouds, Blue Sky – Sandra Dallas – 3.5***
In this novel, suitable for middle-school children, Dallas focuses on one Japanese-American family and their experiences inside the WW2-era internment camp near Ellis, Colorado. Dallas deals well with this episode of USA’s history. She shows how ill-equipped the camps were for the influx of residents, and details the efforts made by the Japanese-Americans to improve the conditions, and form their own governing groups within the camps. I liked how she showed the different attitudes and coping mechanisms that people employed.
LINK to my full review

Page Count 544 - (4)

The Poet- Michael Connley - (California, Illinois, Colorado, Arizona)
Jack McEvoy Series Book #1
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
Group Read- January 2024
4.5
Jack McEvoy is a reporter in pursuit of not only a story but the killer who murdered his twin brother, Sean. Even his friends in the Denver PD thought Sean's shooting in the backseat of his car looked like a suicide, right clown to the motive: his despondency over his failure to clear a high-profile murder. Sean's twin brother, Jack, a reporter with the Rocky Mountain News, sees little things that make him think that Sean's death is murder. There was also the dying message Sean had scrawled inside his fogged windshield..."Out of space. Out of time"...that also reminded him of a series of similar killings that ran from Sarasota, Florida to Albuquerque, New Mexico. The pattern tells Jack that there were actually two different types of murders: the sex killings of children, and the murders made to look like suicides; and always of police officers that were lead investigators of a case. Jack becomes involved with the Law Enforcement Foundation as well as the FBI while chasing the killer and the story he's determined to write. He even, against all odds, manages an inside role in the investigations, only to find himself shut out of both the cases and his own story. I thought that Jack made some bad decisions especially becoming romantically involved with FBI Agent, Rachel Walling. The story had a lot of promise and I, in the early parts considered a 5- star rating...but as time went on...and on...and on, there was information that I found myself bogged down with and I began to "count pages" wanting something to happened besides endless meetings. The book while interesting...was just entirely too long with information that was unnecessary to the story. The things that I liked about the book and the characters just didn't quite tip the scales for a 5-star rating, but certainly worth 4.5. This book and character mesh with Michael Connley's Harry Bosch series, so fans of that series may want to give this one a try.

Page Count :220 - (2 & 0)
- Jodi Payne & B A Tortuga - (Vermont)
Wrecked Universe series book #3
Genera: M/M Romance
4.5★
Shiloh, (Shi), has had two hard, sad, long lonely years since the loss of his beloved husband Matty, in a horrible bull riding accident. His good friends Skyler and his husband Beckett have talked him into moving to Vermont to help out and get away from his daily pain and sorrow. He's now in Vermont but he spends his days watching cooking show reruns in his tiny apartment and his evenings sitting alone, nursing a single glass of whisky at the bar in town, while reliving memories of his husband. One night a friendly guy begins to pay attention to him by sitting and talking...then asking him to join the pool game. This sweet guy is Tate, a High School math teacher and to Shi's surprise, it seems that he actually seems to want to become his friend. Before long Shi is spending more time at Tate's farm than at his lonely apartment. Then Tate is seriously offering to put up a greenhouse on his farm so Shiloh can pursue his passion of growing plants and food. We knew that the broody cowboy that sits in the last booth by the restrooms at the bar every night and caught Tate's eye, and it won't be long before he captures…his heart. Both Tate and Shiloh were warm, wonderful characters. Tate was just the perfect amount of sunshine to make Shiloh finally come out of self-hibernation and start to bloom and grow again just like his plants. The two men just completely complimented each other. Shiloh could finally start to thaw out of his big self-induced freeze and start living his life, as his Matty would have wanted him to. I liked that this book also let us catch up with Skyler and Beckett and their three children again. Shi had so much support from these friends when his Matty was killed, and he became a big part of their family...now he also has Tate and people that he's met since coming to Vermont. I really like these two authors writing together. I've read and own almost everything that they have authored. It doesn't matter if it's blended families getting together, couples discovering love and forming a relationship, or rodeo cowboys...the stories are warm with a guaranteed happy ever after.

Page Count: 400 - (4 & 0)

Those People - Louise Candlish - (England)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
5★
The story begins with a teaser about the horrific, unexpected death of a character that is not immediately identified, and then travels back eight weeks to the events that was the reason for that death on the quiet little block of Lowland Way....a pricy, and until Darren moved in, quiet London neighborhood. This is where Ralph and his "take-charge" wife, Naomi; Ralph's less than successful brother, Finn, and his wife, Tess; the overly stressed young parents, Ant and Em, and the determined Sissy, who has turned her home into a bed-and-breakfast after her husband's departure. Into this uncertain 'Garden of Eden" arrives the unrepentant commoner Darren, who promptly turns the house he has inherited from his Aunt Jean into a “disaster zone” of a construction site, blasting away at hard rock at all ungodly hours, taking up valuable parking spaces with the used cars he sells, and generally turning the "solid, unassailable respectability” of the neighborhood upside down. Soon he and his “other half,” Jodie, have upset and turned upside down the very last nerve of everyone on the block. Every neighborhood conversation turns to a heated discussion of ways, legal and ethical...and some unethical...to get rid of them. The story soon turns from light comedy to something very much darker. While some of the turns the plot takes strain credulity, and some of the characters are much better developed than others, the author convincingly portrays the effects of pressure on this social habitat as fault lines begin to open; both within the characters and within their relationships. Although the Darren character is not, like the others, Candlish allows the reader to glimpse this complicated man behind the persona that his neighbors have created. Unless you live under a rock, the issues raised will certainly resonate with readers who live in a "nice" neighborhood and want to keep it that way.

Page Cout: 384 - (4)

Storm Born - Richelle Mead - (Arizona)
Genera: Fantasy
2.5★
Eugenie, who is a shaman tells the story. Her "specialty" is banishing spirits, fey, and creatures of the Otherworld that cross into the human world intent on causing harm. Basically, the book is about faeries, that Eugenie refers to as "gentry", so it was easy to sometimes forget what the primary part of story was actually about. Storm Born is a sexy story with a fairly good mixture of love and action. Actually, there is a love triangle, as well as hidden powers and secret heritages which do add depth to the story....and it really needed it. I can honestly say the book was "entertaining" even though it was really weird at times. The events that follow Eugenia after finding out about who and what her father is, was also a bit disconcerting. A lot more secrets are revealed as the story goes along...most were just over the top...but this is a fantasy, so I guess that was to be expected. I read M/M romances, so erotica is not something that bothers me at all, but those that it does bother, should be aware that there are several scenes that border on very erotic. You probably won't want your kid reading it. I don't think I will be continuing this series, not because it's badly written or not an okay story...but it's just not my "cup-a tea". Anyone that likes fantasies will more than likely be a lot more tolerant than I was...just remember that it's not all G-rated.

Page count: 298 (2)

Make Me Stay - Annabeth Albert - (Oregon)
Safe Harbor Series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
Holden Justice teaches at the local college, and also has a podcast that is very successful. His social life is active in spite of his needing the aid of a wheelchair. His friends that he has weekly "trivia night" with, think that he needs a roommate after Monroe and Knox’s "roommate situation" ended with them becoming a couple, in book #1....but Holden thinks they're crazy. He thinks of himself as an extrovert, and he likes being able to leave his piles of homework to grade on his dining room table. Cooking for more than one is always much more pleasurable...but he'll get by okay. When Cal a rescue diver gets hurt on a dive and his old RV breaks down, permanently... Holden decides maybe he does need a roommate after all... and the sexy diver is the one he wants. When Holden comes home unexpectedly and discovers Cal’s favorite distraction technique to help him relax and rest when his PTSD is overwhelming, he is surprised but also intrigued. Cal has an obsession with doing all things solo...and it's very questionable. Holden doesn't bat and eye when he discovers Cal's kink. It convinces Cal to let him join in since he's determined to break Cal's hard shell and show him that he can be trusted. Both Holden and Cal have had a lot of traumas in their lives...both physical and mental. Holden dealt with his through humor as an avoidance, while Cal developed thorns to keep people at a distance. Cal saw through Holden’s comic side and Holden broke through Cal’s armor. Both showed that trust could develop and that they could try. Annabeth Albert was one of the first M/M romance authors that I ever read, and when I counted how many of her series and standalones that I had read, I found that with this series...I have read everything that she has written, and I didn't see a single one that I didn't absolutely love. This series looks like it is only going to have three books...but there will still be the things that make these books special...such as this group of lifelong friends that deeply care for one another and want everything for the others that they want and deserve. Most of these men are in their early forties and need love and trust in their lives. I really like when characters are "recycled" through a series, so it was great to see all the men from the first book back to encourage Cal and Holden. I am equal parts eager and leery of the next book. Eager because we finally get Sam’s story and Worth is finally coming home...yet leery because it will be the last book in this wonderful series.

Page Count:416 - (4)

Voyage of The Narwahl - Andrea Barrett - (Arctic)
Genera: Adventure/Exploration
4.5★
This is the story of a fictional 1855 expedition to the Arctic to search for a missing explorer who disappeared 10-years before. An expedition that will cost the lives of several men and change forever the lives of the others with guilt, anger and horror. Another way it can be described is that it is a story of scientific self-gratification and sheer hard-headed ambition. For more than half of the story the author pulls off an amazing feat of weaving the plot into a beautiful narrative that is filled with such vivid descriptions that the reader feels they are a part of the crew. Add the well-done suspense and you can almost cut it with a knife. Only in the novel's final pages does drama give way to moral dilemmas. There are two "heroes" in this story: Erasmus Wells, a middle-aged naturalist who hopes to use the voyage of the Narwhal for his own vindication. A way to try and forget, or at least to come to terms, with his experience on an earlier trip to the Arctic. Then there is Zechariah Voorhees who hopes to gain glory and fame as the commander of the Narwhal expedition. Never were there two men so different. Erasmus is shy, and cautious; Zeke is charismatic and impulsive. Erasmus is still mourning the death of the woman he loved, and sees himself as a loner...while Zeke, who is confident of the devotion of Lavinia, Erasmus' sister, comes across as what "bodice ripper" novels would call a "charming rake". Erasmus has promised Lavinia that he would "keep an eye" on Zeke, and make sure that he returns home safely. You know that was a promise that never should have passed his lips, since by the time the Narwhal had reached the polar waters, icebergs and shifting pack ice, was only the start of their troubles. The sled dogs had died of a mysterious illness...and one of the crew had died of lockjaw. The crew is split into feuding and sides have been firmly drawn... and Zeke had grown increasingly moody. He was anything but content with the information he had collected from the local Eskimos concerning the missing explorer; and he is determined to push ahead to try to reach, what he believes, to be an open ice-free polar sea. The last few chapters of the story... the until now well constructed plot...suddenly gives way to an overwhelming number of contrived events that seemed more a script for a Hollywood movie than to this novel. In spite of that, the story is still deserving of the 4.5-star rating. The author did an incredible job of conveying to the reader the indecisive role that chance and luck play in people's lives, as well as the raw, unpredictable, and unforgiving power of nature. Combined they help to produce a powerful and gripping novel that adventure enthusiasts will find intriguing.

Total page count: 192 - (2)

Signs and Wonders,Witchbane - Morgan Brice - (West Virginia)
Witchbane Series Book #7
Genera: M/M/Romance/Supernatural/Adventure
5★
It's hard to believe that we are up to the seventh book in the "Witchbane" Series. I was so excited when it went on sale on Amazon, since it is one of my absolutely favorite series with some of the sweetest, most lovable characters ever to grace a storyline. I thought the way the last one ended that the series was finished...so thank you ever so much, Morgan Brice! Evan and Seth are hunting warlocks...twelve of the nasty creatures. They must dispose of them before they can sacrifice any more of the surviving decedents of the families that were responsible for their immortality centuries ago.... the eldest male descendent of those chosen families must become the next "offering" to their unholy master if they want their immortality to continue...and they really DO, unfortunately Evan and Seth both fit that description. So... I wanted this series to go on...well...forever would be okay. After a bit of a hiatus, it was a welcome return to the series and to characters that I’ve come to love. The setting for this one is the beautiful West Virginia countryside, which is also spooky enough to contain a remote retreat, an old, abandoned hospital asylum, a quiet government zone, (which I found out is a real thing) ...and plenty of paranormal entities that need encouragement to move on. Morgan Brice is a really wonderful author. Her writing style just seems to seamlessly flow through the entire book. My guys, Seth and Evan, have been so busy ridding the world of the warlock disciples that they haven't had time to wonder if the war they're fighting is really worth the price. These "stop and pause" moments are good as they allowed us to see that while Evan and Seth are devoted to the fight, they are also so very devoted, heart and soul, to each other's needs, as well as the path going forward to when the hunt will end. We meet old friends, like Travis and Brent, in each book, and we also make a few new ones. Cameron and his boyfriend, Tyler are the new friends in this one, as Cameron is supposed to be the sacrifice this time. This is the seventh book in the series, and they have sent seven Warlocks on to the wherever evil things go. so, if there were 12 warlocks to start with... Just hoping that Ms. Brice can also count and keep it going for at least 5 more books. all I have to do now is talk her into writing more of my other favorites...her Badlands and the Treasure Trail series.

Total Pages: 269 (2)

The Hike - Susi Holliday - (Switzerland)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
2★
I hated the characters...all of them...therefore, I could have cared less if one of them or all of them fell off a mountain. I think the author was hoping that most readers would be sad or be sorry to see someone killed off, but still want to stick around to see how it ends, and who gets their "just rewards". At the beginning of the book, she kind of gave it away with the teaser that implied that only two of the four would survive. It served its purpose to pique our curiosity, and for the majority of the book, we don’t know which characters it will be...and I frankly didn't care. There were also many twists, which always helps to propel the "thriller plot", no matter what the characters likeability was. There is one person who is clearly meant to be the "best’ of the worst", but they all do so many despicable things to each other that I wasn’t particularly disappointed to read the last page, but I was eager to solve the complicated puzzle that the author cleverly presented. We received a lot of the happenings in the story from out of the character's heads. They were always making, (thinking), vague threats in their head about the others, such as "as long as I follow my plan today, she’ll realize what a mistake she’s made." The entire atmosphere of the book is threatening, with ominous signs facing the group at every turn... a vulture that follows them up the mountain, a reliance on a paper map that no one is quite sure how to read. The reader sees from the beginning that this trip is going to turn into a major disaster that has found a place to happen. The author did a great job of using the characters lack of anything resembling common sense to keep the readers interest with twists we didn’t see coming. I don't know if this was an accident or if it was done on purpose.... but it worked. I just hung on to see what these idiots were going to do next and when finally, at least one of them, would take a header off the mountain. I guess it was too much to hope that they would take the others with them. The story can best be described as totally meaningless entertainment...and a pure waste of good reading time.

Total page count 443 - (4)

Play It by Ear - K.M Neuhold - (Illinois)
Replay series Book #2
Gener: M/M Romance/Disabilities
5★
Possible Triggers amnesia and mental/physical disabilities.
The “Downward Spiral” band has canceled their tour, because their lead singer Lincoln, was hospitalized once again and the band needed to regroup. Lando knows exactly where he is headed…back to the beach in Miami where he last saw the love of his life who vanished without a trace after their "special" weekend. Then he sees Dawson at the bar he just knows his luck is changing. However, it doesn't take long for him to discover that something is very wrong... Dawson isn’t the same man he loved and lost nine years ago. When Dawson’s past "object of lust", Lando, taps him on his shoulder and starts talking to him, he is truly completely confused. "Who is this man"? "Does he or should he know him"? The accident 9-years ago had left him not only clinging to life due to a traumatic brain injury, but it also robbed him of nearly every memory of his life before the accident and took away his hearing as well. Dawson soon learns that Lando was a part of the missing weekend just before the accident. Lando is doing everything in his power to convince the now skeptical and shy Dawson, that he still loves and wants him and not just the man that disappeared from his life and heart, nine long years ago. Seeing how these two men moved forward and grew to be the one that the other one needed, was incredibility special. Lando had to face the fact that the man he's continued to love for the last nine lonely years, was never in a million lifetimes, completely ever be that man again. Lando did everything he could to show Dawson how much he still loved him and that he accepted and loved him for who he was now. He even learned sign language so that he could better communicate on a more personal level. Lando had not only found Dawson but was willing to do anything to keep him. Dawson slowly began to learn to take some risk, not because Lando was a famous rock star, but because he was learning to trust and love him.... again. I can’t find enough good words to describe this book. It gives the reader only a mere glimpse into how lives, can be forever changed by the actions of a carelessness act with severe; never to be undone; consequences. This is a hard book to read if you have experienced something similar or are close to someone that has.

280 pg


The Good Thief’s Guide to Paris – Charles Ewan – 3***
Book two in the Good Thief mystery series, has author and thief Charlie Howard in the City of Lights. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one fell flat for me. Oh, I still like Charlie and I like the way he thinks. I enjoyed the introduction of Victoria, his agent; she really added a lot to this episode. One thing I expect of mysteries is that the conclusion answers all my questions, and this one did not. Though he did set up the next in the series rather nicely, so I’ll probably read more.
LINK to my full review

354 pg



The Viscount Who Loved Me – Julia Quinn – 4****
Book two in the Bridgerton series focuses on Anthony. This is a typical Regency romance. It’s so hot between the pages that an August heat wave feels positively cool. Devilishly handsome, and very rich, gentleman meets and seduces a chaste and vulnerable young woman. Sparks fly. Multiple orgasms are had. True love results. What’s not to like? A quick read that sets my pulse racing. Perfect escape.
LINK to my full review

Total page count: 451 (4)

The Searcher - Tana French - (Ireland)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
5★
Our main character is Cal Hooper originally from North Carolina but has spent the last 30 years in Chicago with the Chicago Police. At this time in his life, he's searching for something much different. He says he wants “A small place...a small town...in a small country”. He sells his house, collects his retirement, says good-bye to his friends, and moves to Ireland. His daughter is now an adult, his wife has left him, so Cal is on his own...that is until a kid named Trey starts hanging around. Trey’s brother, Brendan, is missing. Everyone believes that Brendan has run off like his father did, but Trey thinks there’s more to the story than just another young guy leaving his family behind in search of money and excitement in the city. Trey wants the police detective who just emigrated from America, to find out what’s really happened to Brendan. Cal is interested and tempted, but he's a new arrival to a small, tight-knit community, so he’s cautious and unsure how he feels about discovering that he hasn't left crime and violence behind when he left Chicago and his police life. I liked the "Cal" character. He's complex just enough to be interesting, and he doesn't just jump in headfirst to solve this mystery. As it turns out the mystery, he’s decided to try to solve is less shocking than what he actually discovers. I liked the "slowness" of the story. It's neither fast-paced nor action-packed, and it has as much to do with Cal’s personal life as it does with finding Brendan. There is some action, but it's mainly in the last third of the story. The only thing that I found about the book that might bother some folks is the morally ambiguous ending. Overall, the author delivers plenty of twists, some shocking revelations, and some truly chilling moments. It's a story with several delicious layers of intrigue. Mystery fans that are willing to "wait for it", will probably like this one.

364 pages


1 star
Taken from the book. "Jim Stegner has seen his share of violence and loss. Years ago he shot a man in a bar. His marriage disintegrated. He grieved the one thing he loved. In the wake of tragedy, Jim, a well-known expressionist painter, abandoned the art scene of Santa Fe to start fresh in the valleys of rural Colorado. Now he spends his days painting and fly-fishing, trying to find a way to live with the dark impulses that sometimes overtake him. He works with a lovely model. His paintings fetch excellent prices. But one afternoon, on a dirt road, Jim comes across a man beating a small horse, and a brutal encounter rips his quiet life wide open. Fleeing Colorado, chased by men set on retribution, Jim returns to New Mexico, tormented by his own relentless conscience."

I made myself finish this book. I did not care for Jim Stegner and found his plight to be a better person to be pure nonsense. This type of behavior hits too close to home and that is another reason I could not get into the book. A narcissist will never change. Author used too many words to describe what was going to the point I found myself skimming. I was looking forward to this book but fell short of my expectations. I enjoyed and gave "The Dog Stars" five stars., this book will be getting one star.

256 pg



Bombay Time – Thirty Umrigar – 4****
Umrigar’s debut novel focuses on the residents of a particular middle-class apartment building in Bombay. Umrigar’s writing is full of the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of this vibrant community. Several scenes are shockingly brutal – abject poverty, violence, pestilence. And then there are scenes of loving tenderness – a new baby, a man’s love for his wife, the devotion between a mother and daughter.
LINK to my full review