Intruder Alert – Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra #Nightwatching #NetGalley

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

There was someone in the house.

Those six words begin the harrowing journey of a mother and her two young children. I love the addition of the blizzard, the pandemic, her vitiligo, and the men’s ability to look past the danger, attributing her hysteria to being female. She will have to draw on all her strength to save them.

Even her husband shook off her being smacked in the face by his father, as if it was her fault. How could that be? He was a bit of a dick, a weakling, so in need of his father’s love, that he would throw his wife under the bus. At one point, I thought, fuck hubby. Why isn’t he there? Why is it her? Why does he allow his father to abuse his wife, as she cooks, cleans, and caters to his dying mother?

The same can be said for the lead investigator of the case, when she finally gets away from the house and the police are called.

The characters are fabulous, the good ones good and the bad ones bad. They all did what was necessary to make Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra a success.

Tracy Sierra’s words bring alive the woman’s terror as soon as I begin reading. I can feel her panic, trying to keep the children quiet, so they don’t give away their hiding place. Listening to the intruder’s footsteps, as he moves from room to room. No one will find them before it is too late. She must do something. But what?

At times, I found myself wondering if she was imagining things, as the thoughts ran through her head. It didn’t take long for me to be on her side, getting angry for the lack of those who are supposed to help her, actually doing so.

“Let’s put private parts on him!” her daughter said. (as they build a snowman)

“Poop!” he shrieked. “Ghosts don’t poop!”

I love that little girl and her brother. They crack me up.

Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra is one of those books that gets me all riled up. My emotions are all over the place. Why is it so easy to dismiss a woman’s fears, saying she is taking things wrong, seeing things that aren’t there, making a mountain out of a mole hill? In this case, it helps create a nailbiting story of suspense, and the pacing creates a tension that had me racing through the pages, having to know what happens next.

Have you ever been dismissed, treated as if you don’t know what you are talking about? I have, and it is not a pleasant feeling, so I stood behind her, willing to go head to head with her husband, the father, the investigator…and the intruder.

Mama bear will do whatever is necessary to protect her cubs.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

A razor-sharp thriller about a mother forced to the breaking point when her life and the lives of her children are threatened by an intruder

Home alone with her young children during a blizzard, a mother tucks her son back into bed in the middle of the night. She hears a noise—old houses are always making some kind of noise. But this sound is disturbingly familiar: it’s the tread of footsteps, unusually heavy and slow, coming up the stairs.

Shrouded in the shadows, she sees the figure of a man appear down the hallway. Terrified, she quietly wakes her children and hustles them into the oldest part of the house, a tiny, secret room concealed behind a wall. There they hide as the man searches for them, trying to tempt the children out with promises and scare the mother into surrender.

In the suffocating darkness, the mother struggles to remain calm, to plan, to search for any opportunity to find a weapon or escape and get help. But then she catches another glimpse of him. That face. That voice. And at once she knows her situation is even more dire than she’d feared, because she knows exactly who he is—and what he wants.

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Psychological, Suspense, Thriller
  • 368 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication February 1, 2024 by Pamela Dorman Books

ABOUT TRACY SIERRA

Tracy Sierra was born and raised in the Colorado mountains. She is an attorney who currently lives in New England in an antique colonial-era home. When not writing, she spends time with her husband and two children.

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Mad Maxian – The Sapien Empire by Nathan Ogloff @UnusualAuthor

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The cover for The Sapien Empire by Nathan Ogloff made me curious and I thought about Mad Max, with all the machines on the cover. The sand tells me the end of the world is here.

Shindo Dacan will be called upon to step into a leadership role he never wanted, but is well prepared to take on. He doesn’t realize how perfect he is to take on the challenge. He would rather be tinkering in his workshop, creating machines that can improve people’s lives.

Vibrun, the Arch Lordchief, is a cruel tyrant. He sacrifices, not only animals, but people. He revels in it. Laughs at the pain and misery of others. Some of the torture heaped on the people was graphic butchery.

I found Tersona fascinating, but she is every bit as cruel as everyone else. Jarim teaches Shindo much of the history of the world before the apocalypse and I feel is going to have a prominent place in The Sapien Empire.

We always have those who covet what others have, without working for it. The Rustraisers treated combat like a sport. You can’t change the basic nature of people and their feeling of entitlement. Trust is hard fought.

I love apocalyptic/dystopian stories, where people have to figure out how to survive. They have to learn to work together. Thought provoking…trying to put myself into their place and wondering how I would react. Nathan Ogloff has done a wonderful job with, what I think, is his debut novel. The story flows smoothly, the characters coming to life on the pages, growing and developing as the story moves along. The pace picks up as the battles begin and Shindo rises to the occasion. I hated to reach the end, but the story is far from over and the characters are still talking to Nathan. The Sapien Empire: the Realms of Restarted Civilization is coming in the fall of 2024. Count me in.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLUB

Shindo Dacan is a socially awkward but gifted engineer who has made the most brilliant machines seen since before the All-Silence—machines that ruler Vibrun Magrite used in his creation of the Domain as he brought all four of the city-states within his iron grip. With the help of a friend of his, Shindo is secretly planning to provide prosthetic limbs to the many victims of the war his machines have waged.

When Magrite finds out and slaughters Shindo’s friend before his eyes, Shindo tricks Magrite into funding a warrior mech to wreak revenge and is unwillingly rewarded with a woman from Magrite’s harem, Jarim Alsaedon. With his mech machine and Jarim’s help, Shindo stages a coup d’état that leaves Magrite dead and him and his accomplice as platonic dual heads of state.

As Shindo and Jarim work to rebuild their civilization, they’re beset by factions both within and beyond the Domain’s borders. Can Shindo learn how to design a stable peace before the new world he’d envisioned becomes a wasteland of death and destruction?

  • Genre: Apolyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Steampunk
  • 366 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published November 7, 2023 by Nathan Ogloff

ABOUT NATHAN OGLOFF (from Book Sirens

Nathan was born in New Westminster, British Columbia, and has lived in different parts of Canada and the US. He obtained a degree in computer science with a minor in film studies from UBC in 2008, with an emphasis on pursuing video game development.When that didn’t work out, he worked in construction while writing his debut novel. Nathan has had a fascination with story ever since he wrote a couple of pages to a time-travel book when he was in third-grade. The varied jobs he’s had and places he’s lived have given him a wide array of perspectives to draw upon for his story-telling.When he’s not writing, Nathan spends his time adding to his ever increasing heavy-metal Spotify playlist and creating spaceships in Lego Studio.

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Fight Or Flight – The Price Of Rebellion by Michael C Bland @mcblandwriter

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

It all began in the year 2030, when a virus rendered more than a billion people blind. Genetic engineering brought sight back to the people, but a price will be paid. I love when an author fills in the highlights from the previous book, so if The Price Of Rebellion is your first book by Michael C Bland, you will not be lost, though I definitely recommend beginning with The Price Of Safety.

Dray Quintero is labelled an enemy of the state. He created something he thought would benefit mankind, but we all know how things can be twisted and corrupted.

The core group of characters, Dray, Raven, Jex and Senn, have come to feel like family to me, but the peripheral characters are vital to the story. The all have their part to play.

There is so much action, so many tragic moments, that I couldn’t stop reading. The technology is truly frightening and makes me wonder…could this be our future? Genetic engineering, robotics, the environment, and the need for power. Looking at current events, we all know how power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

We end the book by finding out what happened to Talia…who was the most tragic part of the first book, for me. She was a child genius, with the courage to put herself in the line of fire. I was heartbroken when she died and the quote below gives you a hint as to why she was such a favorite character of mine. She is in fourth grade:

“Your daughter argued with the teacher,” the principal announced.

“She was pandering to me,” Talia said.

“Do you even now what that word means?: the man asked.

Talia looked up at me with her big brown eyes, “My god. It’s an epidemic.”

Her dad may have needed to hold in his laughter, but not me.

OMG!!!!!!! What a cliffhanger ending. I don’t know whether to congratulate Michael or throw my ereader through the wall!!!!!!! He tells me the wait for this book was because of the pandemic and he thinks it created an even darker book. Okay, I want to thank him for that, because the things he puts his characters through are tragic and inspiring at the same time. He, also, tells me the twists and turns, and horrors and sorrows, will be worth it in the end. I am counting on it.

I can’t think of anything I would change, other than to make it one book and give it to me all at once. That would make one gigantic book and I would be lost for days.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Price Of Rebellion by Michael C Bland.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

BEST SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL OF THE YEAR – Indies Today (2022)
BRONZE MEDAL – SCIENCE FICTION – Readers’ Favorite (2023)
MEDALIST – DYSTOPIAN FICTION – The BookFest (3rd place, Fall, 2023)

 
It’s 2047. Secrets have been revealed. And Washington wants revenge.
 
Dray Quintero learned an ugly truth: the leaders in D.C. are fake. They’ve stolen the identities of those elected to Congress and are determined to stay in power, using his own technology against him and the rest of the population.
 
After revealing the dangers of their mandated implants to his fellow citizens, and calling on everyone to rise up, Dray joins the already-underway rebellion. But his joining is as much to free the U.S. as it is to avenge his daughter’s death. Before he can strike, The Agency attacks with devastating consequences. Dray and the other survivors are forced to run as Agents hunt them.
 
Then Dray makes a discovery that could change the nation.
 
As he and the rebels prepare a bold offensive, his wife, Mina, broadcasts a preposterous claim. He’s forced to choose between the rebellion and a desperate hope. Between family and country.
 
What he does will change everything.
 
The Price of Rebellion is the action-packed second installment of The Price Of series from multiple-award-winning author Michael C Bland.

  • Genre: Apocalyptic, Dystopian, Fiction, Genetic Engineering, Science Fiction
  • 388 pages, Paperback
  • Published May 16, 2023
  • Series: The Price Of Trilogy, #2

ABOUT MICHAEL C BLAND

Michael C Bland is a founding member and the secretary of BookPod, an invitation-only, online group of professional writers. He pens the monthly BookPod newsletter where he celebrates the success of their members, which include award-winning writers, film makers, journalists, and bestselling authors.

His novel, The Price of Safety, was chosen as a Finalist of the 2020 Indie Book Awards for both Science Fiction and Thriller, and is the first in a planned trilogy.

Michael currently lives in Denver with his wife Janelle and their dog Nobu.

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MY MICHAEL C BLAND REVIEWS

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Mini Reviews – Stiletto Safari & Sunset by Kate Metz #KateMetz

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I am under the weather, so I passed on my Sunday post. Good think I had these fun book reviews for just this occasion.

I picked up Stiletto Safari on an Amazon free day and after I read it, I found she had another book, Stiletto Sunset on Kindle Unlimited, so I had to grab that one too. These covers are so fun and I thought the stories inside would be too.

I loved this fabulous romantic adventure with laughs, tears, and all the feel goods I look for and more because we are in the wilds of Africa with some fantastic Sex in the City type characters that quickly drew me into Kate Metz’s debut novel and left me wanting to read Book II, Stiletto Sunset.

AmazonKindleUnlimitedGoodreads

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 4 Stars

This Sex in the City friendship keeps the girls going no matter what continent they are on. These BFFS are at each other’s side through laughter and tears in the fun romp around the world, with a special girl, Gabi, and a wild life and ecological taste that made me grab this after reading Stiletto Safari, Book I in the series.

Amazon  /  KindleUnlimited  / Goodreads

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos 3 Stars

 

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Vampires, Whiskey, And Southern Charm by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff @MimiJeanRomance

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Mimi Jean Pamfiloff is one of those authors, for me, that spins out stories sure to entertain. Her books are filled with humor and laughter amongst the danger and darkness. The cover for Vampires, Whiskey and Southern Charm is gorgeous. It doesn’t scream vampires, to me, but it does scream love and romance, even though some blood must be shed.

“I am a vampire, Masie.”

So….down the rabbit hole we go, with a vampire that is sure Masie is his mate, and Masie, who doesn’t believe in vampires. She has a mouth like a drunken pirate, and I can relate to that. That doesn’t mean she’s a bad girl. She doesn’t smoke, do drugs, drink, or…well, her body is her temple and she is a virgin. So how does she end up in prison as a convicted murderer?

She works at the Flaming Rooster, and I will leave it up to you to find out who their headliner is. Definitely a clucking hoot. She loves the bar, not so much the grabby customers. I will forewarn you about putting you hands on her. Her bite is as bad as her bark.

Sheriff Idiot (HAHAHAHAHA) is her ex boyfriend and creepy as hell.

“Go on. Keep making fun, Masie. But we both know I’m the one you come running to when you’re scared and need help.”

“You’re the sheriff, bonehead. Everyone calls you.”

Maybell, her coworker and best friend is a hoot. She goes with the flow.

As the story unfolds, Masie’s life becomes more complicated. Secrets will be revealed to her. Dangers arise, bodies will fall, and when all is said and done, they will be having a coming out party. LOL

Mimi Jean Pamfiloff never fails to entertain, supplying equal shares of laughter and danger. I find it hard to predict what direction her story will take me, but I am always eager to go there. Though Masie’s story is told, there could be more, so be on the lookout.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Vampires, Whiskey and Southern Charm by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

From New York Times bestseller Mimi Jean Pamfiloff comes a standalone story filled with Southern vibes, way too many cuss words, and a woman determined to defeat the local vampire.

HE’S NEVER GIVING UP, AND SHE’S NEVER GIVING IN.

My name is Masie Kicklighter, and I work at my family’s local bar in the heart of Tennessee, slinging whiskey and living a quiet life.

I can’t say my life was perfect, but when a local vampire started stalking me and sayin’ all sorts of crazy things (I was not his. Nor would I ever be), my first instinct was to run.

But Leiper’s Fork was my home. This was my town. And no one was gonna run me out. Even if he was hotter than a Sunday BBQ in July.

So I came up with a plan to run him off.

The only problem? He was one stubborn man. And crafty, too.

Then something terrible happened. A whole lot of terrible somethings. And they would change everything for us both.

  • Genre: Fiction, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Supernatural
  • Format: 308 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published: January 28, 2024 by Paper & Silver, Inc.

ABOUT MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF

MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF is a New York Times bestselling author who’s sold over one million books around the world. Although she obtained her MBA and worked for more than fifteen years in the corporate world, she believes that it’s never too late to come out of the romance closet and follow your dreams.

Mimi lives with her Latin lover hubby, two pirates-in-training (their boys), and their three spunky dragons (really, just very tiny dogs with big attitudes) Snowy, Mini, and Mack, in the vampire-unfriendly state of Arizona.

She hopes to make you laugh when you need it most and continues to pray daily that leather pants will make a big comeback for men.

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MY MIMI JEAN PAMFILOFF REVIEWS

MY M O MACK REVIEWS

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Review – What Hides In The Cupboard by Cassondra Windwalker @WindwalkerWrite

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MY REVIEW

A great cover can lure me in and the cover for What Hides In The Cupboard by Cassondra Windwalker has that old time, gothic feel and I was prepared to be haunted.

Hesper Dunn suffered a traumatic accident and wanted to get out of the rat race of Chicago. She had been to New Mexico with Richard and fell in love with the desert. It fit with her skill as a ceramic artist, so it made sense that she would want to move there.

For much of the book, I felt disappointed. Where’s the horror? Where’s the terror?

Ya know what….it was right in front of my face the whole time and I never saw it.

I wondered if the creatures that lurked in the shadows and the trapped spirits haunting the house were all in her mind. I wondered if the death of the previous owner caused ghosts to walk the grounds.

Cassondra Windwalker did a superb job of making me wonder why it took me so long to see what was right in front of my eyes. Hindsight is 20/20. My mind was lulled into a sense of complacency, and when the finale came it smacked me right in the face.

So, beware, enter at your own risk.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Following a traumatic accident, ceramic artist Hesper Dunn trades life in Chicago for the enchanted deserts of New Mexico. But not all is quaint, and it’s far from what it seems. There’s a mystery buried deep in the heart of her new home.

Love, guilt, and grief demand that Hesper remain within the haunted pueblo. To free herself, she must free the trapped spirits…but the creatures lurking in the shadows are not what they appear. Hesper dares to wade through the murky fog of tragedy to uncover the truth, a truth that will be harder to handle than she ever dared imagine.

  • Genre: Fiction, Ghosts, Horror
  • Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication January 30, 2024 by Unnerving Books

ABOUT CASSONDRA WINDWALKER

Cassondra Windwalker is a poet, essayist, and novelist presently writing full-time from the southern Alaskan coast. She enjoys hearing from readers via Twitter @WindwalkerWrite, Instagram @CassondraWindwalker, Facebook, smoke signals, and interstellar songs.

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Debut Novel – Twenty Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate #twentysevenminutes #NetGalley #ashleytate

I want to thank NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to read Twenty Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate.

Amazon / Audiobook / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Twenty Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate is her debut novel and one of those stories that I wanted to love. I bounced back and forth, between a three and a four. I always up the rating when that happens.

My biggest complaint was the repetition. At two thirds of the way through, it became tedious, but, I understand why it was done that way. Shifting from different points of view and past to present and back again, it was inevitable. It never stopped me from having a need to know the ending and did create tension, making me read faster to find out the truth and why it was such a big secret.

Wyatt became the most intriguing character to me. I loved the twist and my heart broke for June. Through no fault of her own, I feel she suffered the most. I cannot tell you all the whys. You will have to find out for yourself.

As the truth comes to light and the secrets are revealed, I felt many emotions. Anger at the liars and the ones that chose to cover up. Empathy for June, the one I feel who struggled the most and paid the biggest price. Satisfaction that those who deserve it were haunted by their part in the cover up and the price they paid for keeping their secret for ten long years.

Karma…

We have a Conversation with the Author at the end of the book and a Reading Group Guide.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

In this stunning and propulsive debut, a town grieves the loss of a young girl—but some fight to keep the truth about her death a secret.

The question

For the last ten years, the small, claustrophobic town of West Wilmer has been struggling to understand one thing: Why did it take young Grant Dean twenty-seven minutes to call for help on the fateful night of the car accident that took the life of his beloved sister, Phoebe? If he’d called sooner, she might still be alive.

The secret

As the anniversary of Phoebe’s death approaches, Grant is consumed by memories of that night on the bridge and everything he lost: his future, his reputation, his little sister. And the secret he’s been keeping all these years is suffocating him. But he and Phoebe weren’t the only ones in the car that night. Becca was there. She knows what happened—and she will do anything to help Grant keep his secret.

The truth

Everyone in West Wilmer remembers Phoebe, but only June remembers that another person was lost that night. Her brother Wyatt has been missing for ten years and now June is alone—no family, no friends. Until someone appears at her door. Someone who may know where Wyatt went all those years ago. Someone who knows what really happened on the bridge that night. Someone who is ready to tell the truth.

Taking place over three days and culminating in a shocking twist that will leave you breathless, Twenty-Seven Minutes is a gripping story about what happens when grief becomes unbearable, dark secrets are unearthed, and the horrifying truth is revealed.

  • Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
  • 336 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication January 23, 2024 by Poisoned Pen Press

ABOUT ASHLEY TATE

Ashley Tate is a Canadian author. TWENTY-SEVEN MINUTES is her first novel.

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Review – Homecoming Chaos by D W Brooks @pumpupyourbook

Title: Homecoming Chaos

Author: D.W. Brooks

Publisher: The Reboot LLC

Publication Date: November 21, 2023

Pages: 448

Genre: Romantic Suspense/Contemporary/African American

MY REVIEW

Homecoming Chaos by D W Brooks was, all in all, a homecoming that kept me turning pages as the characters developed and the mystery unfolded.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

After a quick visual scan, Rachel couldn’t find anything wrong with him,; his only flaw was that he was there.

I was cracking up from the getgo…But it was all downhill from there for Rachel, and it opened the mystery.

In the middle of her first night home her mother wakes her at midnight. There is a murder at the lab the family owns and she wants Jamie there.

Jamie had run as far from home as you could get, avoiding her helicopter mother. Her Homecoming was sure to be Chaos. Her life seemed to invite chaos. She was determined to live her own life this time.

“…Your mother lives fro drama, your brother dates chaos whenever he can, your sister married into chaos, and you search it out. I should call you Trey Chaos.”

Detective Nick Marshall is on the case and Jamie revels in her ability to annoy him. I thought it was funny too.

As the mystery unfolds and I become more familiar with the characters, the pacing speeds up, the danger amps up, and I am eager to get all the answers before something else happens some of the characters I have come to care about.

I love that the Atlanta are was familiar to me. It’s always fun to visit a place I have been. I love the characters are not your run of the mill characters. They are African American from the wealthy suburbs of Buckhead.

Secrets from the past are revealed and romance flourishes. I feel there will be more to this story. Will this be a series? I do think it will be fun to spend more time with the family. 🙂

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

BOOK BLURB:

Jamie Scott’s life fell apart four years ago when she broke off her engagement, turned down a dream job, and went overseas to run away from her life. Now she’s back, but the reunion is not without problems. She arrives home just in time to attend the soiree her mother planned, but she’s not prepared for what she finds—a dead employee in the parking lot.

Detective Nick Marshall is assigned to the murder case at the forensics lab owned by Jamie’s family. He meets the headstrong Jamie, but he has a job to do. And his attraction to her… well, he’s a professional.

Jamie knows the stakes are high. She has to face the past and save her parents’ business while dealing with her family drama and an uncertain future. She also has to deal with Nick, who wants her out of the way of his investigation. But fate keeps throwing them in one another’s paths… and into chaos that they both want to avoid, but neither can seem to escape.

 

Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

Book Excerpt:

The sound of the flight attendant on the loudspeaker startled Jamison Jones Scott out of her light sleep. Despite having traveled frequently in her lifetime, she still couldn’t sleep comfortably on a plane. The seat location— first-class or economy—didn’t make a difference. The plane was nearing its destination, so the passengers needed to finish filling out their declaration cards. Jamie was returning to Atlanta to stay at her parents’ home with only the clothes on her back, a computer bag, the few items of clothing in her duffel, and a stethoscope. She had nothing to declare.

Her seatmate appeared to be sleeping through the announcements. Jamie was jealous. The four-year-old in front of her turned around and started babbling excitedly in French. She must have noticed that Jamie was finally awake. With her head still fuzzy from her nap, Jamie couldn’t completely follow the child’s rapid words, but the gist was that she wanted something from Jamie. Something about a playdate? Jamie smiled at the girl and hoped the girl’s mother would intervene. No such luck; she was asleep as well. The child eyeballed Jamie expectantly. Jamie realized she and the seatmate had started this situation by playing with the dark-haired child while they were over the ocean. Now, when she didn’t agree to the latest request, the little girl scrunched up her face to cry.

“Nous atterrissons bientôt. Elle ne peut pas aller avec vous,” Jamie’s seatmate answered, eyes still closed. “Mais vous pourriez être en mesure de visiter. Je suis sûr qu’elle tu aimerait garder les enfants.” He grinned.

Jamie gasped while the young girl clapped. This guy had just volunteered her as a babysitter!

“Je suis désolé, mais il se trompe. Je ne serai pas disponible,” Jamie stated. “Je parie qu’il a une surprise, pour toi.” The child looked at Jamie’s seatmate for her present and clapped again. This reply made him open his eyes.

“Qu’est-ce que c’est? Qu’est-ce que c’est?” the child asked. Startled, her pregnant mother woke up and turned around in her seat sheepishly.

I’m sorry, she mouthed. She made her eager daughter turn around in her seat and asked her to leave the other passengers alone. The girl was disappointed, but her mother handed her a shortbread, which made her forget the people behind her.

Her seatmate smiled, opened his eyes, and said, “I could have given her the stuffed bear I bought. I have a daughter the same age.” He stretched gingerly. “I can’t wait to get home. I’ve been traveling for too long. What about you? Looking forward to getting home?”

Jamie thought about her return to Atlanta. She hadn’t been home in a while, so she wasn’t sure how she felt.

Revel in the chaos.

Revel in the chaos.

Revel in the chaos.

Jamie tried to live by this motto for most of her life because her life seemed to invite chaos. She learned to expect—and sometimes encourage—complications. As the plane taxied to a halt, she repeated her motto to herself. This phrase, tattooed on her right hip, particularly applied now.

The international terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson Airport had changed since she was last there. Her brother, Jonathan, would pick her up at the baggage claim—alone, she hoped, and not sporting a clingy girlfriend. Time to re-acclimate and re-establish family bonds. Dealing with an unknown woman in her face when she wanted to spend time quietly with her brother wasn’t at the top of her to-do list.

As she waited in line to get through passport control, she thought about how she got to this point—back in Atlanta after several years abroad. She had spent two of those years working with the non-profit organization Doctors Overseas. Jamie worked in several locations, including the Central African Republic. She had her reasons for joining the charitable organization; not all were altruistic, and she kept those to herself during her entrance interview. The horrors she witnessed overseas helped her put her personal chaos into perspective. She realized her issues were nothing compared to what people endured in other parts of the world. This realization allowed her to embrace her job and enjoy what she was doing, despite the frequent threats of bodily harm. To help maintain her sanity while overseas, she traveled a lot and spent six months in Italy working with a designer friend.

The agent summoning her snapped her out of her reverie. Handing over her passport, she said, “Nothing to declare. Coming back home for my mother’s birthday and Christmas.”

At the check-in counter, the inspector carefully examined her and her passport photo. Jamison understood the scrutiny. At the time of that picture, she had been at the height of her glamor phase with a history of modeling and a resulting, above-average concern about how she looked. In medical school, she often showed up at rounds with perfectly coiffed hair and more than a swipe of mascara and lip gloss.

But in Africa, those concerns fell away. Right now, Jamie was makeup-free, and a baseball cap covered her hair. She was still beautiful, but now it was a girl-next-door beauty. Jamie had high cheekbones, almond-shaped dark brown eyes, a straight nose, a square jawline, and her golden-brown skin was still smooth. She wasn’t stomping down runways anymore, as in her past life, because she had shifted her priorities.

Her mother would hate it.

“Welcome to Atlanta,” the inspector said as she stamped her passport. “Have a pleasant stay.”

About the Author

The author lives in Texas with her husband and children. She enjoys trying to stay in shape, sporadically cooking, reading (still), writing, and working on her blog. She is eternally grateful to the woman who donated a kidney to her over 5 years ago and continues to advocate for organ donation as much as she can.

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Dragon Shifter Island – Dragon Protected by Scarlett West @iamscarlettwest

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I am excited to be back on Dragon Shifter Island, seeing I enjoyed my first visit so much in Dragon Craved. I mean, hunkalicious dragon shifters, a police officer eye witnessing a hit and run and being kidnapped by one of the hunkalicious dragon shifters…I can’t help but see sparks flying and plenty of laughter, seeing Scarlett West’s writing style weaves some fun amongst the danger.

This time, in Protected Dragon, it is Falcon’s turn to share his story. I do love a damaged character who can turn into a silvery, flying dragon. I envy Emma, when she gets the opportunity to take to the skies with Falcon.

There is so much more to the story than just a hit and run. Emma doesn’t know it yet, but she’s a draca, a human that shares dragon blood and able to become a mate of a full blooded dragon. They are so important to the clans, because dragons are dying out Draglings…how cute is that. I want to read about baby dragons.

The dialogue had me, at times, laughing out loud, so beware of reading in a public place.

Saaamokin’, fiery hot sex sets my reader on fire! I love that Emma didn’t jump right into the sack, even though she had met Falcon in the first book and was verrrry attracted to him.

Sarnai is Emma’s best friend, her only ‘family’ she has left. They bring her to Dragon Island to protect her, but she gets caught in the crossfire. I think we know who’s story is next. How about it Torin? Are you ready to tell your story?

I highly recommend anything written by Scarlett West. She writes of vampires, werewolves, and the fae bureau of investigation, sure to capture a fantasy lovers’ heart.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Dragon Protected by Scarlett West.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Can they deny their attraction long enough to catch a criminal?

Emma Getting kidnapped by a dragon shifter was not part of my job description. I needed to be investigating a crime, not spending time with one of my suspects, tempting though he may be.Too bad he’s determined to stay involved and protect me from the stalker I inadvertently acquired.

Falcon As a dragon clan enforcer, I will risk everything in the line of duty, except my mate.With my clan and job in jeopardy, I should walk away, but she incited an undeniable hunger in my dragon, one I should resist. But there’s a problem.Someone is hunting her, and I have to find out why… before it’s too late.

If you love broody alphas, sassy heroines, and hot paranormal romance with a heart, Dragon Protected is for you. Dragon Protected is a standalone in Dragon Shifter Island Series. The books can be read alone but best in order.

Grab this steamy dragon shifter romance that’s bound to pull your heartstrings.

  • Genre: Dragons, Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Supernatural
  • 214 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published January 14, 2024 by Passion Press
  • Series: Dragon Shifter Island, #2

ABOUT SCARLETT WEST

Scarlett West

Scarlett West writes steamy, paranormal romance featuring sexy Fae. Deep characters and hot romance are her thing.

An avid reader and writer who will never stop dreaming, Scarlett has traveled to many countries and been on tons of adventures. She draws her stories from these places, life experiences, and her grand imagination.

Besides writing, she’s a hobby herbalist and a dancer. If she’s not by the computer typing these things up, she can be found in a forest, on a mountain, or by the ocean.

Scarlett West would like to thank her three F’s: Fans, Family, and Friends. Thank you forever for your support.

Website / Facebook / Twitter

MY SCARLET WEST REVIEWS

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Enemies To Lovers – Blood Champion by Kay Widow @KayWidow @booksirens

Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

He calls me Lady Death. I am his weapon to wield as he pleases, sharpened like the fatal point of a wooden stake. In the ring, I am nothing but blood, bone, and fury.

I love the soft colors and sweet look of the cover for Blood Champion by Kay Widow. It hides the viciousness and savagery of the cage fights inside.

Monique feels a debt of gratitude to her master, Felix Fee, never questioning his demands. Because of her, his destiny as the heir to the Fee dynasty has never been questioned. He had saved her life, giving her everything she now has. But what exactly is that?

Now, he has given her a task that could end up costing her her life. She is not the only one given this task, and it will lead to changes she never could have anticipated. When she meets Noah, she is awakened to possibilities.

Noah, a werewolf, is in New York City, given the task to obtain the Book of Lilu from Lord Blackwood, the vampire hosting the games that Monique will participating in. I think we can all see what is on the horizon, but the journey will not be an easy one.

Noah is bold, determined, walking a very dangerous path by putting himself amongst the vampires, hiding behind cologne and the humans sprinkled throughout. He ends up playing a part in the fights that could be the end of him. He is not one to go down without a fight, but how can a werewolf survive being caged with a vampire, surrounded by other vampires.

The quotes below, at 20%, made me sit up and pay attention. The descriptions Kay Widow created are powerful and something I have not read before:

I hate crowded places. Most of my kind do…we remember just how much louder and brighter and more intense this world is now that we’re monsters. A simple breath of laughter becomes a shrieking whine to our ears, often accompanied by the stench of stomach bile or curdled coffee and cream. The muted glow from a chandelier becomes painfully blinding, overloading our senses with out mercy.

The never ending thirst hits at the peak of it all. Razor sharp claws raking down your throat. The ripping and shredding of your gums as you fight to keep your fangs at bay. That wild, primal part of you that seeks to satisfy those discomforts by orchestrating a bloodbath.

Amongst all the debauchery and violence, we do have our moments of lightness and laughter. I do like that the ‘love’ is not an immediate hop in the sack and, as Monique’s feelings for Noah develop, so does she. Possibilities….

Blood Champion is the third in the series, and, by far the best. Monique is a character that quickly became someone I couldn’t turn away from. She is challenged at every turn and I loved that she didn’t turn away from the hard questions, but opened herself up to the chance of a new life…and freedom. I want more.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

I’ve lived a warrior’s life defined by death, cage fights, and submission to my vampire master.So when commanded to infiltrate the underground fighting pits of Manhattan and retrieve a coveted tome, my mission takes priority.But that resolve is tested upon crossing paths with an infuriating werewolf who seeks the artifact for his own pack’s survival.Though we are sworn enemies, an electric attraction sparks between us that I find difficulty resisting.Noah’s defiant spirit and the thrilling risk of our affair make me feel alive in ways I’ve never experienced.Compelled into a shaky alliance by our common goal, we fight through sadistic opponents while confronting vampire lords at every turn.Both grappling between loyalty and our dangerous liaison that should not be.Dare I continue falling for a man from the enemy werewolf pack?Something or someone will break.Plunge into the seductive, gritty underworld of a vampire-shifter romance fused with lethal action today!

  • Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Fairy Tales & Folklore, Fiction, Paranormal, Romance, Shapeshifters, Supernatural, Vampires, Werewolves
  • 242 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published December 26, 2023
  • The Bloodline Dagger Series, Book 3

ABOUT KAY WIDOW

Kay Widow is a paranormal romance author. She writes page-turning romances that readers consume faster than she can produce.
If you love spicy romances with protective and dominant alphas who fall for sassy curvy women, then you might just love Kay’s novels.
Kay lives in Kansas with her husband, Irish twins, and all her book boyfriends.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

MY KAY WIDOW REVIEWS

  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
  • You can see my Reviews HERE.
  • 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.
  • Thanks for visiting fundinmental!