Tag Archives: 4 star review

GC & Review – Muzzle The Black Dog by Mike Cobb @partnersincr1me

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MUZZLE THE BLACK DOG

by Mike Cobb

May 12 – June 6, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

MY REVIEW

First off, don’t let the cover of Muzzle The Black Dog by Mike Cobb fool you. The story is about Jack and his journey of self discovery and redemption.

We start with an isolated cabin…isn’t that a great place to start? Then, we have a mysterious stranger…it’s getting better.

Muzzle The Black Dog may be a quick read, but that doesn’t take away from the mystery that lingers on the pages. The fires…who is setting them and why kept me flipping through the pages. Mike Cobb did a great job of making me question what I thought was happening. The plot is more complex that I anticipated and that was a pleasant surprise.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

After a mysterious stranger appears at his isolated cabin door, Jack’s life is forever changed. The stranger’s cryptic message sets off a chain of events that lead Jack on a harrowing journey to uncover the true meaning of his own existence.

As a series of unexplained fires threaten to consume everything he holds dear, Jack is forced to confront his deepest fears and question everything he thought he knew about himself.

Set in the aftermath of the Centennial Olympic Park bombing, Jack’s search for the truth takes him to the edge of sanity and puts him on a collision course with a dark and powerful force that has been lurking in the shadows.

Join Jack on a gripping and thought-provoking quest for answers in this thrilling and suspenseful tale of self-discovery and redemption.

Praise for MUZZLE THE BLACK DOG:

“Muzzle the Black Dog takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions and family secrets. The slow reveal is creepy many times but you still want to read page after page. I loved the combination of thriller, drama, history and mystery.”
~ Erik S. Meyers, author of The Sally Witherspoon Mystery Series

“A mystery whose plot will transfix you and whose finish will stun you, Muzzle the Black Dog is simply superb. A stranger enters narrator Jack Pate’s life and proceeds to upend it through his bizarrely intimate knowledge of Jack’s past. In determining the identity of the visitor, Jack solves a deeper mystery within himself, but doing so provokes demons in his soul, demons he’d been holding at since childhood. Author Mike Cobb provides that rare combination of masterly prose, passion, and insight, in an atmosphere dark and chilling as a Georgia winter.”
~ Charles Philipp Martin, author of the Inspector Lok novels Rented Grave and Neon Panic

“The pages just fly by in this quick-moving, compelling and stunningly unique psychological thriller about a man searching for answers to a deadly crime who uncovers long-buried secrets about himself and his own troubled past. Muzzle the Black Dog takes the reader on a wonderfully wild roller coaster of a ride filled with plenty of twists, thrills and tension. Mike Cobb has written a terrific book – read it!”
~ R.G. Belsky, author of the Clare Carlson mystery series

“Mike Cobb’s Muzzle The Black Dog, is a fast-paced, unputdownable thriller that will leave you guessing until the very end.”
~ Westley Smith, author of Some Kind of Truth and In The Pale Light

“Intriguing doesn’t begin to describe the appeal of this book’s premise: a mysterious stranger on the doorstep of recluse Jack Pate, offering friendship and help. Despite Jack’s surprise (he has no need of aid) and suspicion of the disheveled man—who looks more like a vagrant than any friend he would choose—Jack is fascinated. Who is this man, and how did he find Jack’s secluded cabin? And why does he seem to know things about Jack’s uneasy past?
Just as suddenly as the stranger appears, he vanishes, leading Jack on an odyssey, beginning as a physical search but quickly morphing into self-preservation as reports of heinous local crimes trickle in. Arson and murders begin to stain the remote countryside, and the suspects are few and far-between.
Sneaky clues, well-drawn characters, and swift plotting propel the story forward as the author deftly explores the many ways the past affects the present—and how it might endanger the future. I highly recommend this one.”
~ Jennifer Sadera, author of I Know She Was There

“A slow burn of a story revealing the power of deeply held secrets. Secrets so earthshaking that Jack Pate questions everything he believed when a mysterious stranger knows everything about him. Moody and atmospheric.”
~ James L’Etoile, award-winning author of River of Lies and the Detective Nathan Parker series

Book Details:

Genre: Crime, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
Published by: Waterside Productions
Publication Date: April 15, 2025
Number of Pages: 184
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

 

 

 

Author Bio:

Muzzle the Black Dog by Mike Cobb

Mike’s body of literary work includes both fiction and nonfiction, short-form and long-form, as well as articles and blogs.

He is the author of three published novels, Dead Beckoning, The Devil You Knew, its sequel You Will Know Me by My Deeds, and Muzzle the Black Dog, a novella. He is also working on Kathleen, a fictionalized account of a cold case murder from 1970.

While he is comfortable playing across a broad range of topics, much of his focus is on true crime, crime fiction, and historical fiction. Rigorous research is foundational to his writing. He gets that honestly, having spent much of his professional career as a scientist.

A native of Atlanta, Mike splits his time between Midtown Atlanta and Blue Ridge, Georgia.

Catch Up With Mike Cobb:

MikeCobbWriter.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub – @cobbmg1
Instagram – @cobbmg
X – @mgcobb
Facebook – @MGCobbWriter
YouTube – @mikecobbwriter
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Flying High…Above The Clouds by Tim Vee @_Tim_Vee_

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GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

Tim Vee writes some interesting stories, and Above The Clouds had me intrigued. This unique apocalyptic/dystopian novel takes place deep underground, in long unused subway tunnels and sewers. No one knows what came before .

Everyone has their duties to perform, whether it’s raising the young, hunt or work to provide necessities. When their usefulness comes to and end, whether through injury or old age, they are sent to the surface to fend for themselves.

Dara and her sister, Squirt, are the main characters in Above The Clouds. Squirt is still young enough that she helps where she can and not much is expected of her. Dara is a hunter. She is expected to bring back from the hunt a dozen rats or three cats or a dog.

The world Tim Vee has created is bleak and dangerous. It is a world I haven’t visited before and I have read many apocalyptic and dystopian fiction novels. We go from the depths of the earth to the clouds in the sky, where Squirt will find a life she could never have envisioned. I like the twist from dark to light, from despair to hope. I was suitably creeped out and that is always a good thing. LOL

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4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In a ruined, distant future of our world, filled with rain, gloom, and danger, Squirt and her sister Dara fight to survive as part of the underground clan, hunting meat to survive and clinging to the edges of existence. When Squirt encounters a mysterious figure above ground, her life is upended. Taken to a gleaming paradise above the clouds, she finds herself trapped in an idyllic prison, where everything seems perfect—but is danger hiding in plain sight? Does Charlotte, her enigmatic and gentle companion, hide secrets behind her perfect smile? Does Mrs Wallis, the tower’s cold matriarch, watch Squirt with a predator’s patience?

Below, Dara hunts alone, trying to find meaning in her life and haunted by her sister’s disappearance while whispers of betrayal within the clan force her to choose between being a victim or fighting for her survival.

As the sisters’ paths converge, truths are exposed: immortality comes at a terrible price, and the ones they’ve trusted most may be their greatest enemies. Above the Clouds is a haunting tale of the fight for survival and identity, asking the question: What does it truly mean to be human?

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction
  • 190 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published February 14, 2025 by Tim Vee

ABOUT TIM VEE

My books are always free over at Smash Words. Download and have a read – and don’t forget to leave a review! https://www.smashwords.com/profile/vi…

Tim works in digital marketing in Toronto and is well-traveled, having visited over 80 countries. When he is not working or writing he likes to spend time with his family and German Shepherd – and to go cycling.

Tim has written ten books; The Secret Policemen and The Secret Service – both dystopian dark comedies; as well as seven science fiction novels – Extinction, Annabelle, Fission, The Children of the Third Reich, The Child of Mars, and The Children of Andaalwaald.

Tim has also written Magpie – a dark and intense journey into the world of international espionage and terrorism.

Tim mostly enjoys writing transgressive fiction – mainly about aliens and psychopaths.

Comments and feedback are always welcome.

Website

MY TIM VEE REVIEWS

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A New Series – Save Her Life by Carolyn Arnold @Carolyn_Arnold #NetGalley #saveherlife

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Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Carolyn Arnold is a must read author for me, so I am super excited to share the first book in her new series, Save Her Life (Sandra Vos #1).

If it turned out to be nothing, she’d look the fool.

I wonder how often someone has thought of that when something bad is coming their way.

Sandra Vos is part of the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group and the Crisis Negotiation Unit. When not in the field, she’s manhunting criminals. She keeps her family’s wealth a secret. She’s forty seven years old, not a youngster, and I kinda like that. When she is called into a hostage situation, it makes her a target. The villain wants her to suffer and will use her teenage daughter, Olivia, to force her cooperation.

Carolyn Arnold uses a Prologue to set the hook right out of the gate. That’s why I love prologues. I love stories that get my heart pounding, unable to put the book down and Save Her Life does that very well. And that ending…WOWZA…love it. I can hardly wait to see what Sandra Vos will have to deal with next.

I want to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Save Her Life by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The tears fall down the girl’s pale face as she desperately tries to struggle free from the ties around her wrists. The only sound in the room other than her muffled cries is the ticking of a clock. Her mother has less than one hour to find her alive.

It’s been more than thirty years since Special Agent Sandra Vos’s twin brother was shot dead, an innocent victim caught in a kidnap gone wrong. It devastated Sandra’s family, but it made her who she is today, one of the FBI’s most successful negotiators.

After dropping her teenage daughter, Olivia, at school, Sandra is alerted to a potential hostage situation at her local grocery store and races to the scene. A man has pulled out a gun and is refusing to talk or let anyone out of the building until his demands are met. The fate of dozens of lives rests in Sandra’s hands.

But as Sandra starts to make a breakthrough with the hostage taker, she receives a call that makes her blood run cold. Someone has taken Olivia, and their demand will push Sandra to her absolute limit. If it’s not met within twenty-four hours, she will never see her daughter again.

Sandra knows she should step aside, letting her team take over, but she doesn’t trust anyone else to bring Olivia home alive. Breaking every rule in the book, Sandra is ready to go into her most personal negotiation yet. But how much will she have to sacrifice to save her daughter?

A totally gripping new series which will have you turning the pages long into the night. Perfect for fans of Kendra Elliot’s Mercy Kilpatrick series, Mary Stone and Elle Gray.

What readers are saying about Carolyn Arnold:

“OH MY GOSH!… Had me reading late into the night… I was caught up in the story from the first page to the last… So addictive!” Shortbookthyme, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I was not going to sleep until I finished this book. Wow!… The hits just kept coming, and I never saw most of them until they hit… You will not be able to put it down because you will have to know what happened… Keep[s] you glued to the pages as you race to the end.” Escapetobooks1503, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Wonderful… I love this series… Fantastic… Kept me unable to put the book down… Fantastic… Gripping… Wonderful… Edge-of-your-seat thriller.” The Reading Café, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I was absolutely obsessed with this book… Loved… Amazing.” Read_and_rescue, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“It kept me rapidly turning the pages… Gripping… It’s a must-read.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Had me totally hooked. I love this series.” Karen4013, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Gripping… Page-turning… Nail-biting… This book is a must-read.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

  • Genre: Kidnapping, Serial Killer, Suspense, Thriller
  • 346 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication May 27, 2025 by Bookouture

ABOUT CAROLYN ARNOLD

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an international bestselling and award-winning author, as well as a speaker, teacher, and inspirational mentor. She has several continuing fiction series and has many published books. Her genre diversity offers her readers everything from police procedurals, hard-boiled mysteries, and thrillers to action adventures. Her crime fiction series have been praised by those in law enforcement as being accurate and entertaining. This led to her adopting the trademark: POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT™.

Carolyn was born in a small town and enjoys spending time outdoors, but she also loves the lights of a big city. Grounded by her roots and lifted by her dreams, her overactive imagination insists that she tell her stories. Her intention is to touch the hearts of millions with her books, to entertain, inspire, and empower.

She currently lives near London, Ontario, Canada with her husband and two beagles.

MY REVIEWS FOR CAROLYN ARNOLD

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Review – Atonement by V E Huntley #VEHuntley #atonement

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my penance will never be enough

Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I was eager to get my hands on the second book in The Bloodstone Legacy, Atonement, by V E Huntley. I love vampires and walking on the dark side. There is plenty of violence and brutality, but also some hot and steamy romance.

Atonement takes place in a dystopian future where the vampires rule and humans are slaves. There are lots of triggers, so if you are squeamish, Atonement may not be for you.

I love characters that are put to the test. Characters that have to fight for what they want, and Aden and Ellie fit the bill. They not only have to fight others, but they also have to face their own personal demons. There will be a price to pay, but there are some light hearted moments where we can enjoy a laugh that will help us make it through the dark times.

I am loving The Bloodstone Legacy series by V E Huntley. It has everything I desire in a vampire novel, blood and guts along with some love and steamy romance. Atonement moved at a fast pace, keeping me lost in the story, eager to know how it would end, but not wanting to get there too soon. No worries there. We have a cliffhanger.

I hope you are writing fast V.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

MY PENANCE WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH

The second installment of the The BloodStone Legacy—a dark, seductive paranormal romance about destiny and the prices we pay for love powerful enough to transcend both death and time.

Three centuries of guilt.
Two souls reunited.
One chance to defy fate.

After spending three hundred years drowning in guilt for murdering his wife on their wedding night, Aden has found the impossible—her soul, reborn in Ellie—a woman who awakens both his deepest love and darkest fears. Their reunion is everything he’s dreamed of, a chance to atone for their tragic past. But some happy endings come with a price.

As Aden and Ellie lose themselves in their newfound passion, they awaken more than just forgotten memories. Ellie’s own demons push her to confront the tragedy that tore them apart, while sinister forces gather in the shadows, determined to destroy their hard-won happiness.

Aden will burn the vampire world to the ground to keep Ellie safe. But with every ancient law he breaks and every powerful enemy he makes, the price of protecting her rises.

Aden thought nothing could be worse than killing the woman he loved. He’s about to learn how wrong he was.

Set in a dystopian future where vampires rule and humans are slaves, against a backdrop of danger and political intrigue, Aden and Ellie’s love will either transform their blood-soaked world—or burn it to ash.

Perfect for fans of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood, Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City, Scarlett St. Clair’s Adrian X Isolde, Karina Halle’s The Dracula Duet, and readers who crave their romance dark, passionate, and unforgettable with brooding anti-heroes paired with resilient heroines.

Atonement is Book 2 of a trilogy. It ends on a cliffhanger but Book 3 will have the HEA you’re waiting for.


This book is a dark paranormal romance. Be mindful of the trigger warnings:

Graphic violence

Sexual situations

Non-consent (not between MMC and FMC)

Blood Play

Knife Play

Rape

Adult language – the word “fuck” is used a lot

Scenes and references of physical and/or sexual abuse/assault that some readers may find triggering.

  • Genre: fantasy, fiction
  • 431 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication May 5, 2025
  • Series: The Bloodstone Legacy: Atonement, #2

ABOUT V E HUNTLEY

V.E. Huntley is a retired producer who has spent her life telling stories in one way or another. Just ask her cats. They had to endure a lifetime of her endlessly reciting entire dialogue scenes to them, even though all they desperately wanted to do was nap.

Her childhood fear of Dracula was so intense that she couldn’t sleep without the lights on and her mother guarding her bedroom door. Over time, this fear evolved into a lifelong obsession with the dark and twisted world of vampires and the concept of immortality. So, after more than two decades in the film and television industry, she ultimately chose to pursue her true passion—writing dark and sexy paranormal romance.

Besides writing, her hobbies include reading, watching movies, traveling, and keeping her husband busy with an endless honey-do list.

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Review – The Other Sister by Jessica R Patch @jessicarpatch #theothersister

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Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Other Sister by Jessica R Patch is a psychological thriller that had my head spinning, trying to keep up with all the mystery involved. Jessica had so many surprises, I was kept in the dark until the very end. I love the cover, but even that has a mystery connected to it.

Charlotte Kane wanted to live a different life. When she discovers she has an identical twin, she gets her chance. But, everyone has secrets and she walks a minefield, not knowing who she can believe. The deeper she gets involved in her sister’s life, the more dangerous it is.

As far as characters go, it’s hard to root for any of them, but they are fascinating. 

If you think you can solve this puzzle, you might be in for a rude awakening. Every time I thought I had something figured out, Jessica would twist the plot in a new direction. The pacing kept the suspense level rising and me flipping pages.

This is my first Jessica R Patch novel, but now I have her on my radar.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

She thought she was the only one lying about her identity. Until she stepped into her sister’s life.

Charlotte Kane has always dreamed of a different life, one where she isn’t living paycheck to paycheck. An existence worlds away from the chaos of her own. Then her estranged mother dies, and Charlotte makes a stunning discovery—she has an identical twin who was given up for adoption.

Acelynn Benedict is polished, successful and seems to have everything Charlotte yearns for—a wealthy, doting family in Savannah, a handsome boyfriend, a great career. She’s just as surprised as Charlotte to learn she has a sister. But when tragedy hits and Charlotte is forced to assume Acelynn’s identity in a desperate moment, she uncovers something altogether darker…

No one in her sister’s life is quite who they seem to be. And every discovery leads Charlotte deeper into a web of deadly secrets. Charlotte may have wanted Acelynn’s life, yet now that she’s living it, she wants out. But if she reveals the truth about herself, it will mean returning to her old life—and she’s already a dead woman there.

  • Genre: Christian, Fiction, Psychological, Suspense, Thriller
  • 368 pages, Paperback
  • Expected publication April 1, 2025 by Love Inspired Trade

ABOUT JESSICA R PATCH

Publishers Weekly Bestselling author Jessica R. Patch is known for her dry wit and signature twists whether she’s penned a romantic suspense, a cold case thriller, or a small-town romance. When she’s not getting into fictional mischief with her characters, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by some of her favorite authors, watching movies with her family, and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook. Sign up for her newsletter “Patched In” at www.jessicarpatch.com. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.

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Review – Fifty Shades Of Grey by E L James @E_L_James #fiftyshadesofgrey #librarylove

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GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

I was late hopping aboard the Fifty Shades Of Grey train, but once I started, I couldn’t stop. I watched the movies first, but knew I had to be checking out the series from the library. I never used to read erotica, but since I’ve been blogging I like some spice in my romance…and Fifty Shades Of Grey is definitely spicy hot. I already loved the characters, so they didn’t need to win me over. Anastasia Steel may be young, but she’s no pushover. She can hold her own against Christian Grey. On to Book II, Fifty Shades Darker.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Goodreads Choice Award

Nominee for Readers’ Favorite Romance (2011)

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

This book is intended for mature audiences.

  • Genre: Adult, BDSM, Chick Lit, Erotica, Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance
  • 513 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published May 25, 2011 by Bloom Books
  • Series: Fifty Shades #1

ABOUT E L JAMES

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All you need to know should be on here:
http://www.eljamesauthor.com/

Please come talk to me on twitter: @E_L_James

If you are interested in the play list from either of these books – please visit my youtube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/eljamesau…

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Review – Fangs Of Fate by Rebecca Parcha #rebeccaparcha #fangsoffate

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GOODREADS

MY REVIEW

I saw the colorful cover and the title for Fangs Of Fate by Rebecca Parcha and knew I had to have it. I want to thank Rebecca for the opportunity to read this novel filled with magic and fantasy, and dragons, vampires and fae.

We start with action and it never lets up.

Tate Aaralyn is both prey and predator—a duality that defines her.

I love Tate. You may wonder how she can be prey and predator both, but all I’m going to tell is she has her own set of rules and she does color outside the lines. I love characters that walk the fine line of right and wrong, consequences be damned. I guess you could call this a coming of age for twenty year old Tate. She is put to the test and she does rise to the occasion.

Fangs Of Fate by Rebecca Parcha is told from two points of view…Tate’s and Chance’s. Tate and Chance used to have a romantic relationship, but he had crossed a line that Tate cannot forgive. Will they be able to overcome their past? We won’t find out in Fangs Of Fate and the book does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I felt, if the book was going to be divided, it was the perfect place to stop. The second book, Daughter Of Destiny is due to be published in May of 2025, so it’s not a long wait.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Tate Aaralyn is both prey and predator—a duality that defines her. Beyond the veil that separates worlds, lies the the home of vampires. There, she is prey—fragile, weak, her flaws laid bare. She is a vampire who struggles with the ethics of feeding. And yet, in the human realm she is the executioner of justice.

But when Tate is sent to a disciplinary hearing that results in forced enlistment to the gaura, her worst nightmare is made real. In desperation to make a lasting difference, Tate faces her biggest challenge yet—Aether, a vampire unlike any other.

As lines blur, she must navigate the labyrinth of lies and embrace her newfound power, all while questioning her mysterious bond to the male who has managed to capture her heart and, somehow, earn her trust.

Chance Dale may be the president’s son, but even with his birthright he is, by all accounts, a disappointment. After witnessing evil evolving and the violation of life as he knows it, Chance must find a way to defeat the dark magic before it spreads. The world of politics becomes nuanced, and he is forced to question the very statutes that have guided his life or watch everything he’s worked for burn.

Chance’s quest to secure the Glenn from foreign powers has his path crossing with Tate’s—his former lover and deepest regret. As the truth unravels, he must choose between the love he once had or the one he could have. Worse yet, that very love could soon become the enemy he hunts.

  • Genre: Dragons, Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Romance, Vampires
  • 474 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published October 29, 2024
  • Series: Untish #1

ABOUT REBECCA PARCHA

I love all things fiction, specifically, fantasy. Add a little romance, or sometimes a whole heap, and you’ll find my specialty: romantasy. As an avid reader and devourer of all things Fae, dragon, and magical, my work (as you may have guessed) is centered in that world. I love a strong female protagonist who defies the patriarchy while learning to love and trust.

I am one of the lucky ones; I married my high school sweetheart and am a mother of two adorable, rambunctious boys. As a Colorado native, I love the sunshine and crisp air while enjoying the outdoors with my guys…have I mentioned I’m outnumbered?

Stories have always held me captive—they are the air I breathe. It is my purest pleasure to share with you the tales that have been burning in my heart. To see a full list of my works, please visit my website at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/51397939.Rebecca_Parcha

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Review – For The Loved And Lost by Ethan Warrener #ethanwarrener #forthelovedandlost

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Goodreads

MY REVIEW

For The Loved And Lost is the conclusion of the The Tucker Clan Saga by Ethan Warrener and it did not disappoint. It seems that all is lost for the Tucker Clan. Ella is a prisoner and knows what the Americans have in store for them. It’s hard to distinguish the good from the bad. Not all the characters will survive and I do love an author that’s not afraid to kill them off. Many of the characters have their own agendas. Will the traitor in their midst be their downfall? It sure kept me guessing and I was drawn in from the opening pages. I must say, it was a fitting end for the trilogy, even though I am going to miss them.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

All is lost.

The Tucker clan teeters on the brink of annihilation. The hand of friendship extended by the Americans concealed a dagger, and now Ella Holland languishes in captivity, separated from her homeland, knowing the true extent of the Americans’ wicked intentions and powerless to stop them.

While the Americans’ iron-fisted control of the Tuckers nears its apogee, the Pied Piper waits in the wings. Against their multitudinous enemies, the Tuckers must use every ally and resource they can and resort to every tactic, no matter how savage.

Yet even then, a long-hidden traitor lurking in their midst may prove to be their undoing.

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Genetic Engineering, Science Fiction
  • 311 pages, Paperback
  • First published December 1, 2024 by Ethan Warrener

ABOUT ETHAN WARRENER

Ethan Warrener grew up in Southwest Missouri, which resembles West Virginia if you really squint. If he’s not writing or teaching, he’s spending any extra free time with his wife and kids or playing too many video games. As you might expect from a Midwesterner, he’s an occasional farmer, a regular churchgoer, and a huge metalhead. For Home and Hearth is his first novel fit to see the light of day.

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Review – The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen @tessgerritsen

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Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The Summer Guests by Tess Gerritsen is the second book in The Martini Club series. The group of ex CIA operatives will be called on to help find a missing teenager that strikes close to home. The police chief, Jo Thibodeau, and The Martini Club have an uneasy alliance and I’m hoping that the more they work together, the more cohesive they will become. Maybe Jo will become a member of The Martini Club.

The past secrets will be exposed. There are plenty of suspects, but Tess Gerritsen muddies the water so much, I had a hard time seeing through the murk. The mystery grows, and The Martini Club struggles along with me as we all try to solve it.

With each book, I get more involved with the characters and the mysteries seem to become more difficult to solve. Tess Gerritsen creates some complex characters and the more time I spend with them, the more I like them. The pacing and suspense kept me flipping pages, eager to know what comes next. It looks like I’ll have to wait until November 2026 to join them for the third book in the series, The Shadow Friends.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS

From New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen comes a chilling follow-up to The Spy Coast, plunging the Martini Club into the search for a missing teen—with a startling connection to their own pasts.

When former spy Maggie Bird retired to the seaside hamlet of Purity, Maine, she settled in for a quiet life with breathtaking views. But enemies from her past soon threatened to destroy everything.

Maggie survived, thanks to her wits and the collective intelligence of the Martini Club, the circle of ex-CIA friends in her cocktail-sipping book club. Their handiwork, however, caught the attention of young police chief Jo Thibodeau. Now Jo and her neighborhood ex-spies have an uneasy alliance.

After a teenager vanishes—and Maggie’s neighbor becomes the prime suspect—she joins the investigation, determined to prove her friend’s innocence. But the girl’s wealthy family pushes for an arrest. And when authorities discover a long-dead corpse in a nearby pond, the case becomes doubly complicated, with unthinkable ties to long-buried secrets.

As Jo grapples with two unexplained mysteries, the Martini Club races to uncover the truth behind shadowy secrets…before more lives are lost.

  • Genre: Espionage, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller

ABOUT TESS GERRITSEN

Tess Gerritsen, © Leonardo Cendamo / Blackarchives

Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.

While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, “Adrift”, which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.

Tess’s first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.

As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as “Pulse-pounding fun” (Philadelphia Inquirer), “Scary and brilliant” (Toronto Globe and Mail), and “Polished, riveting prose” (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the “medical suspense queen”.

Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.

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MY TESS GERRITSEN REVIEW

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Review – The Crisis by T O Paine @TOPaine

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A forest with a cloud
Road with a car and an armadillo.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Well, let’s start with the fabulous cover for The Crisis by T O Paine. It encompasses many elements of the story inside. How does an armadillo come in to play? Look closely and you may see a clue.

What does a convenient store worker and a Cuban rebel have in common? A young girl with a tattoo. What makes her so important?

It all starts when a bald man enters the convenience store with a young girl. Mattie had lost her cousin to human traffickers and felt this young girl was in the same kind of trouble. So, she jumps into her beat up car and follows them, determined to save the girl.

I do love stories with multiple points of view, showing individual character’s motivations for the actions they take. It gives the story more depth and detail. The Crisis unfolds slowly, filling the pages with suspense and tension, keeping me flipping the pages, having to know what will come next.

I am super excited to have found a new author to follow.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

She wants to quit smoking.
He wants to start a nuclear war.
They both want the girl with the cryptic tattoo.

“A suspenseful thriller filled with vivid characters, mounting tension, and explosive twists that keep readers guessing until the final page.” ★★★★★ – Readers’ Favorite

Stuck working at a backwater convenience store in the middle of northern Florida, Mattie longs for a cigarette. She longs for her days as a marine biologist at the Queen Aquarium down south. She longs for her best friend—Hank the Manatee. Her colleagues blamed her for his death, and now, she blames herself. She should have done something sooner.

Today, a nervous couple enters the convenience store. The man is big, bald, and has a tight grip on the girl’s arm. The girl is small, young, and has a number tattooed on her leg. It looks like a brand.

Today, a nervous couple enters the convenience store. The man is big, bald, and has a tight grip on the girl’s arm. The girl is small, young, and has a number tattooed on her leg. It looks like a brand.

When they leave, Mattie finds a note on the floor.

“. . . Blue Honda mini-van going to Salt Springs. Someone named Stanley.”

A similar thing happened to Mattie’s cousin. This girl is being kidnapped. Trafficked. The note isn’t enough for the police to care, but Mattie does. She jumps into her decrepit Toyota wagon and flies onto the highway, wasting no time. She’s got to stop that mini-van before it reaches Salt Springs. She’s got to save that girl before she’s sold to the highest bidder.

Meanwhile, in Cuba, a militant rebel has sent his men to the US. He’s been searching for a young woman with a cryptic tattoo on her leg for over ten years. When his men bring her to him, he’ll finally have the negotiating power he needs to overthrow the Cuban government. He’ll have the power to make the United States listen to Cuba for once.

It’s only a matter of time.

His men are already in Salt Springs, waiting for her.

The Crisis is a breakneck thrill ride guaranteed to pique your imagination and thrust you deep into a fun-filled, action-packed, international conspiracy.

  • Genre: Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
  • 440 pages, Paperback
  • First published January 2, 2025 by Dark Swallow Books

ABOUT T O PAINE

T.O. Paine is an award-winning author of fast-paced thriller suspense novels. He is a member of International Thriller Writers and holds a master’s degree in computer information systems. When he is not writing, you can find him running and cycling through the mountains of Colorado, USA. T.O. has run fifty marathons in fifty states, ridden his road bike over 10,000 miles up 10,000-foot mountains, and completed an IRONMAN.

He resides with his wife, two children, and two Boston terriers: Fiona the Ogre and Rudy the Trickster.

T.O loves to hear from thriller readers. Visit his website for information on upcoming releases, free stories, giveaways, and other thrilling content.

➜ GIVEAWAYS: topaine.com/giveaway
➜ FACEBOOK: facebook.com/topaineauthor
➜ INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/t.o.paine
➜ TWITTER: twitter.com/topaine
➜ EMAIL: topaine@topaine.com
➜ WEBSITE: topaine.com/

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
  • I am an Amazon affiliate/product images are linked.
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