Tag Archives: read in 2023

Risen From The Dead – The Legend Of Rachel Petersen by J T Baroni #JTBaroni

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I was excited to get my hands on this book. I mean, look at that cover..and his inspiration for writing it. How cool is that? Welcome to fundinmental J T.

How did this book come about?

          While hunting whitetail one year, I stumbled upon a weathered tombstone in the middle of the woods. Waiting patiently for that big buck to cross my path gave me plenty of time to think about that lone grave’s inhabitant and ponder her story, which I was then driven to write.

          Eerily enough, this is the premise of The Legend of Rachel Petersen, my first novel that Damnation Books in California published in 2012, which I have just recently revised, then self-published. Between holding down a job as a transformer repairman, and life in general, it me took two years to write the original book back then.

          However! I am now enjoying retirement; and in the first half of 2023, I revised the story by adding 165 pages and a new ending chapter. My ghost tale is now even more descriptive, has added details, and the final chapter comes out of left field and smacks you upside the head!

Describe your writing habits.

         I simply write when it’s raining, or when the urge hits, but mostly when I think of a good scene and the thoughts are flowing. Sometimes the rough draft will sit on the shelf for a month or longer, then I’ll dust it off and look at it with a fresh perspective.Only after ten or more chapters when I get lost, do I start an outline.

Do you listen to music while writing?

          Sometimes I tell Alexa to play Santa Esmeralda, Supertramp, Bob Seger, INXS, or the Golden Oldies, or the news. At times, silence, especially when I’m using the narrator function during editing.

Which authors influenced your writing?

         I enjoyed Harold Robbins’s The Adventurers, Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer, and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. I know I’m telling my age with that answer, but I enjoyed their books because they wrote captivating stories that held my interest to the last page.

Are there any projects in the works now?

            I’m 32 chapters into a psychological thriller. The plot revolves around a psychologist and an attorney who are planning to rule the world; they both share the same dark secret, but one of them has a deadly, ulterior motive. Three more chapters should finish it. Then edit, edit, edit… Keep your eyes open for, “Tell Me about your Childhood.”

It’s funny, but when I asked you for your thoughts I left it up to you, and you covered all the things I was thinking of. I love when great minds think alike, don’t you? LOL I’m excited to see what you come up with next, since I think The Legend Of Rachel Petersen was a hit!

Amazon / Goodreads

UPDATE: J T Baroni now has an Apple audiobook available, created by AI.

MY REVIEW

I confess. It was the cover that drew me in. It had that horror, paranormal, supernatural feel to it and I investigated further. When I finished the book, I found where the author’s inspiration came from. He was deer hunting and came across a tombstone. As he sat there, waiting for that elusive big buck to come through, he had plenty of time to wonder and ponder…and that What If came to life.

Christian Kane is a sports writer for The Post Gazette. He doesn’t get the anticipated promotion he was expecting and quits to write fiction. The Legend of Rachel Petersen is about the characters finding a tombstone hidden in the briars on their property and what happens after.

“We are living in a house where a twelve year old girl went cuckoo, killed her family, an’ then hanged herself in our barn.”

A book in a book is always a fun concept. J T Baroni did foreshadow what was to come and I love that he did it in such a way that I never took notice. Well done. I found myself laughing…at myself. There are other moments of laughter and I love an author that incorporates fun into some doom and gloom.

The ending was worth a star alone. I love when an author can catch me so off guard I am left with my mouth hanging open. I highly recommend The Legend Of Rachel Petersen by J T Baroni and I would love to know what you think.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Legend of Rachel Petersen by J T Baroni.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Did his book raise the dead? Outraged when The Post Gazette overlooks him for a promotion, thirty-nine year old sports writer, Christian Kane quits and moves to the country to write fiction. Inspiration flows from a grave he stumbles upon in the woods. He compiles The Legend of Rachel Petersen, a fascinating story revolving around the dead twelve year old girl lying beneath the weathered tombstone. His book becomes a Best Seller; then Hollywood makes it in to a blockbuster movie. Kane becomes rich and famous, but only to have Rachel rise from the grave to seek revenge on him for slandering her name!

  • Genre: Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural
  • Kindle Edition (Revised Edition)
  • First published November 23, 2011 by Sky Publishing

EXCERPT

Page 79

               Staring back at him were two large empty eye sockets in a tiny skull, which rested on a satin pillow. Her facial skin, once having a flawless peaches and cream complexion, was now brown, deeply gouged with wrinkles, and drawn tight, exposing her baby teeth. Her nose was reduced to two narrow slits. Red hair, parted in the middle, covered her forehead before coming to rest in curls on her shoulders.

Page 80

               While jumping up and down, he tripped over the shovel’s handle and fell face first over the freshly dug dirt pile back into the grave, landing three inches from Rachel’s mummified face; he swore he saw Rachel smile at him!

Page 82

               His eyes widened and his jaw fell open. Floating on top of the broth were the words… ‘help me’… spelled out with the alphabet macaroni! Thaddeus quickly stirred his soup and watched in awe as the words reappeared amongst the chunks of chicken, chopped celery, and diced carrots — ‘help me.’

ABOUT J T BARONI (from Amazon)

Living in Western Pennsylvania all my life, I have been an avid Whitetail hunter since I was old enough to tote a rifle, which is also about as long as I’ve had a fondness for word games and literature. While hunting last year, I actually did stumble upon a weathered tombstone in the middle of the woods. Waiting patiently for any deer to cross my path gave me plenty of time to think about that lone grave’s inhabitant and ponder her story, which I was then driven to write. Eerily enough, this is the premise of The Legend of Rachel Petersen, my first published novel. I have also composed several songs that are currently signed with a music publisher.

My home is Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a small town outside of Pittsburgh, where my wife Becky and I are both proud members of the Lions International. We share our home with our son, Skyler, and an AKC boxer, Butkus.

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Eco Friendly Gardening – The Broken Bridge by Iris March #IrisMarch

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cozy mysteries with an eco twist

I won a copy of The Broken Bridge and The Story That Made Us Stronger by Iris March.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I got what I expected when I cracked open The Broken Bridge: A Succulent Sleuth Cozy Mystery (Succulent Sleuth Series Book 1) by Iris March. While there was nothing earth shattering about the story, it is well written, with fun characters, and some eco friendly gardening tips that add a little bit extra to the story.

We are at Patty’s Plant Place (try saying that three times fast), an eco friendly garden center. The twins, Molly and May, and their cousin, Shannon, inherited it from their grandparents. May is the numbers person with an outgoing personality. Molly is more of an introvert and loved playing with the plants. Shannon only stops by to complain.

The Broken Bridge is a pretty laid back cozy mystery. We do have a little bit of danger and the kitty that makes it’s home at the garden center. We have characters that can’t help but put their nose where others don’t want them to be, and people who aren’t what they appear to be.

If you are looking for an easy reading, laid back mystery, The Broken Bridge by Iris March may be fore you. I have another book by Iris March, The Story That Made Us Stronger, that I will be starting very soon.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Broken Bridge by Iris March.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

An abandoned backpack. A damaged walking stick. A broken bridge. What happened on the Buckeye Trail?

Succulent-savvy sleuth, Molly Green spends her day tending her eco-friendly garden center, inherited from her beloved grandmother. She wants nothing more than to nurture her nursery and share her plant passion with the world.
When a hiker goes missing on the Buckeye Trail that runs behind the garden center and a bridge on the trail is damaged, the police suspect foul play. As clues mount up, Molly fears she may know who is to blame, perhaps someone in her own family.
To make matters worse, Molly must navigate the inconvenient appearance of a loquacious colleague, pulling her from her path to uncover the mystery of the broken bridge.
Can she discover what really happened that day on the trail? Or will the spikes and thorns surrounding this mystery take Molly out as well? Find out in the first book of the Succulent Sleuth Cozy Mystery series, The Broken Bridge.

  • Genre: Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Series
  • 218 pages, ebook
  • Published May 24, 2022 by Wandering Ginkgo Press
  • Series: Succulent Sleuth

ABOUT IRIS MARCH (from Amazon)

Iris March has a reputation for killing house plants and now she’s killing people off in books? Coincidence? Perhaps not. Iris has spent two decades working in the sustainability field and is usually either reading a book or on a trail. She lives in Ohio with her husband, son, and three cats. Learn more about upcoming books and sign up for her newsletter at irismarchbooks.com.

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Creature Feature – What Doesn’t Kill You by Ken Brosky #KenBrosky #Horror

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The intriguing cover for What Doesn’t Kill You by Ken Brosky caught my eye and I had to check further. I am glad I did, because I love creature features and stories that put characters to the test…and they will be. Not all will survive and I love that too. (evil grin)

Emma rolls into town, bringing with her a gift that will change the town forever. It invades the town slowly, and has a sweetness to those who claim its gift. Don’t we all know that nothing comes without a cost, and no on knows what the cost will be.

Valerie and Danny are the stars, but they are not alone. Some of the most surprising characters are those staying at the halfway house, seeking help for their addictions.

In a small town, there are no secrets, and Seven Sisters is in dire need of anything that can help the people, since Highway 55 became the Old Highway 55. How many towns have died because progress has passed them by? Why do they stay, when there is no future? What would be the lure that would compel people to move on? Does Emma know?

For Seven Sisters to survive, residents will be put to the test, needing the courage to fight for what is their lives. They will need to work together. They will need to draw from deep inside and find the strength to overcome their fear.

What Doesn’t Kill You by Ken Brosky was not exactly what I thought it would be, but the more involved I became, the more the characters drew me in, the more the tension built. The pacing and action allowed the suspense to build and I did not see the end coming. I do appreciate an author that can make me say, “Well, I sure didn’t see that coming.”

I felt the rating jumping between a three and a four. Whenever that happens, a four it is.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of What Doesn’t Kill You by Ken Brosky.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Valerie Miller and her younger brother have spent their entire lives in the dreary town of Seven Sisters, where most people are resigned to a bleak future of debt and despair. But when a mysterious woman with a dark past arrives, she brings with her a gift that could transform the town’s fortunes – and the lives of Val and Danny.

This extraordinary woman’s power is both awe-inspiring and terrifying, capable of unleashing a force that will shake Seven Sisters to its core. The stakes are high, and danger is omnipresent. Can Val and Danny rise to the challenge and seize the opportunity to finally break free from the suffocating grip of their hometown? Or will they fall victim to the terrors unleashed by this enigmatic figure? One thing is certain–when the sun rises on Seven Sisters, nothing will ever be the same again.

Part creature-feature, part survival story, What Doesn’t Kill You will keep you on the edge of your seat as Val and Danny fight for their lives and all of Seven Sisters.

  • Genre: Fiction, Horror
  • 274 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication September 5, 2023 by Timber Ghost Press

ABOUT KEN BROSKY

Here’s the short and skinny:

  • I got my bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from UW-Eau Claire
  • I got my Master’s Degree in Writing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
  • I wrote a bunch of books and short stories.
  • Some got published, many did not.
  • I self-published a YA series, which was awesome.
  • More stuff got rejected.
  • I sold a book to Kindle Press.
  • I wrote a mystery novel.

Sometimes, in between this stuff, I do woodworking.

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Giveaway & Review – Sammy & Scarlett’s Coral Reef Adventure by Robert Andrew Provan @ireadbooktours

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Book Details:

Book Title:  Sammy & Scarlett’s Coral Reef Adventure by Robert Andrew Provan
Category:  Children’s Fiction (ages 3 to 7), 46 pages
Genre:  Children’s Book
Publisher:  Archway Pub
Release date:  May, 2023
Content Rating:  G.  This children’s book is for everyone.

MY REVIEW

I love the magnificent illustrations created by Mary Wentzel in Sammy & Scarlett’s Coral Reef Adventure by Robert Andrew Provan. Detailed and colorful that lead us, step by step, through the story. I was eager to get my hands on it, and wasted no time diving in. I love anything to do with oceans, seas, lakes, ponds…and all of their inhabitants. I am fascinated with water and find it soothing, hypnotizing.

We are introduced to Sammy, a sergeant major fish, and Scarlett, a yellowtail snapper who are washed out of their tidal pool, fiding safety in the mangroves. They decide it”s time to head to the Florida Keys, where they will spend their adult life.

They meet Howie, a Hawksbill Sea Turtle, and become fast friends. They learn a lot from him, as did we. Didn’t we, little ones?

I can imagine the delight a young child can gain from the wonderful illustrations as they learn about the symbiotic relationship of the Florida sea creatures. As Sammy and Scarlett learn from Howie, so do we. We learn of corals, reefs, solitary fish, schools of fish, who could be a friend, who could be your enemy and who could eat you. We, also get a glimpse of ourselves and our contributions, good and bad.

I loved it. I loved it. I loved it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Sammy & Scarlett’s Coral Reef Adventure by Robert Andrew Provan.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars
Book Description:

Sammy, a sergeant major fish, and Scarlett, a yellowtail snapper, are best friends who have found safety in a mangrove forest after being washed out of a tidal pool in a large wave. But they’ve decided to leave the mangroves and their friend Manny and journey across the sea-grass meadows to the barrier reef of the Florida Keys, the place that will be their home in adulthood.

Along the way, they make a new friend, a hawksbill sea turtle named Howie. Howie is a kind sea turtle who gives the young fish the guidance they need to get where they’re going and stay safe. The three quickly become fast friends and learn that they can trust one another through thick and thin. Howie protects the little fish from predators, and in return they help keep the turtle safe from the dangers of human litter such as plastic bags. Join Sammy, Scarlett, and new friend Howie as their epic journey continues through the magnificent Florida Keys.
Buy the Book:
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Meet the Author:

Robert Andrew Provan is the author of three children’s books Ronnie the Raindrop, Sammy & Scarlett’s Mangrove Adventure, and Sammy & Scarlett’s Coral Reef Adventure.

Born and raised in Vermont, he has lived most of his adult life in the Sunshine State of Florida. When not writing, he is often to be found in the Florida Keys snorkeling or scuba diving as he conducts research for the next book in his children’s series. You can learn more about Robert at www.robertandrewprovan.com.

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads 
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Vigilante Justice – The Disposables by David Putnam @daveputnam @oceanviewpub

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The Disposables
The Disposables
The Disposables
The Disposables

I was so excited when I won hardcover, signed copies of The Disposables, The Squandered, and The Heartless, and a signed paperback of The Scorned by David Putnam.

Today, I am going to share The Disposables in the Bruno Johnson Thriller series by David Putnam.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

I have read the Bruno Johnson series out of order, but now I am back with the first book in the series, The Disposables by David Putnam. David’s personal life bleeds into his fiction in a realistic fashion. His characters not only walk the Thin Blue Line, they cross it…repeatedly. Bad Boy Bruno Johnson is a disgraced Los Angeles policeman, recently released from prison for murder. He is constantly amazed to have a girlfriend like Maria, who only sees the good in him. Neither one can turn their back on the abused and neglected children that enter their lives. I love the lengths these characters will go to do the right thing. Vigilante justice is something I can understand, even though, if everyone took the law into their own hands, we would be back in the Wild West. I don’t have Book II, The Replacements on hand, so I will be skipping to Book III, The Squandered.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of The Disposables by David Putnam.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Bruno Johnson, a tough street cop, member of the elite violent crime task force, feared by the bad guys, admired by the good, finds his life derailed when a personal tragedy forces him to break the law. Now he’s an ex-con and his life on parole is not going well. He is hassled by the police at every opportunity and to make matters even more difficult, his former partner, Robby Wicks, now a high-ranking detective, bullies him into helping solve a high profile crime – unofficially, of course. Meantime, Bruno’s girlfriend, Marie, brings out the good, the real Bruno, and even though they veer totally outside the law, he and Marie dedicate themselves to saving abused children, creating a type of underground railroad for neglected kids at risk, disposable kids. What they must do is perilous they step far outside the law, battling a warped justice system and Bruno’s former partner, with his own evil agenda.

  • Genres: Action and Adventure, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Vigilante
  • 272 pages, Hardcover
  • First published April 26, 2014 by Oceanview Publishing
  • Series: Bruno Johnson #1

ABOUT DAVID PUTNAM

Best-selling author David Putnam comes from a family of law enforcement. During his career, he did it all: worked in narcotics, served on FBI-sponsored violent crimes teams, and was cross-sworn as a US Marshall, pursuing murder suspects and bank robbers in Arizona, Nevada, and California. Putnam did two tours on the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s SWAT team. He also has experience in criminal intelligence and internal affairs and has supervised corrections, patrol, and a detective bureau. In Hawaii, Putnam was a member of the real-life Hawaii Five O, serving as Special Agent for the Attorney General investigating smuggling and white-collar crimes.

Putnam lives in Southern California with his wife, Mary.

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Giveaway & Review – Wedding Bells Brew Murder by Carolyn Arnold @dollycas @Carolyn_Arnold #WeddingBellsBrewMurder #NetGalley

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Wedding Bells Brew Murder (Sara and Sean Cozy Mystery Series)
by Carolyn Arnold

About Wedding Bells Brew Murder

MY REVIEW

Carolyn Arnold is always a must read for me. Cozies can be fun and mysterious, so I was excited to be able to get my hands on the second book, Wedding Bells Brew Murder, of the Sara And Sean Cozy Mystery series.

Sean McKinley had inherited a fortune and proposed to Sara. Since then, their lives have been a whirlwind. They quit their jobs as homicide detectives for the Albany Police Department and have spent their time traveling the world.

Tomorrow was on track to be a perfect day, their wedding day, but knowing Carolyn Arnold, it won’t stay that way. And it doesn’t. Sara and Sean are on the job, but not. They are told to stay out of the way, by an admirer and the the leader of the investigation, Ryan. He’d always had a crush on her, so maybe she did the wrong thing calling him.

Magnum is their trusty beagle and can sniff out all kinds of things. He can be a bit disobedient, but all in all, he fits right into their lives. He will prove very helpful.

The past comes a calling. Carolyn Arnold does visit the past to fill in the blanks and I love that about her books. They can stand alone, though I always recommend beginning at the beginning. Each one is enjoyable and adds hours of entertainment for your reading pleasure.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Wedding Bells Brew Murder by Carolyn Arnold.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

SYNOPSIS

With all the guests at Sara and Sean’s wedding suspected of murder, her walk down the aisle will need to wait…

Everything is going perfectly on the big day until Sara opens the door of her bridal suite. Darlene Day, who made the wedding cake, falls into the room, a serving knife plunged into her back.

As the organists start to play “Here Comes the Bride,” Sara calls a pause to the proceedings. There’s a murder to solve, and the motive may be in the icing.

Darlene wasn’t the most loved person in the small town of Cotton Spring Falls, but rumor has it that she refused the offer of a big franchise to buy her bakery. Did they go so far as murder to put her out of business?

But when it’s discovered their wedding cake was poisoned, Sara and Sean could have been the intended victims all along. Did Darlene stumble upon the killer’s conspiracy and they silenced her before she could reveal their secret? Is it someone on the invitation list or the mysterious wedding crasher?

As long as the coffee is hot, and Sara has Sean and her beagle, Magnum, at her side, she isn’t going down in a heap of tulle and lace.

Wedding Bells Brew Murder is a closed-room mystery in the fashion of the great Agatha Christie that fans of Emma Davies, Verity Bright, and Helena Dixon will enjoy reading.

About Carolyn Arnold

CAROLYN ARNOLD is an internationally 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 readers police procedurals, hard-boiled and cozy mysteries, thrillers, and 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.

Author Links

Purchase Links – Amazon – iTunes – B&N – Kobo – Google 

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Obsession – Deadly Risk by Jane Blythe @jblytheauthor #romanticsuspense

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Amazon / KindleUnlimited / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Storm Gallagher was a dangerous man. He’s not a stupid man, but when his plans, in the previous series (Protecting Dove) failed, he had enough men to start over. BUT, he needed his sister, Mackenzie Arden to be the coup de grace. He is sick, demented, cruel, brutal, and everything bad you never want to run across.

Because Prey already had him in their sights, Bear rescues her from Storm’s clutches. She had been stuffed in a hole in the ground, beaten, fed scraps and, even though she was weak and injured, when they fled, she pulled her own weight. They saved each other more than once, before the rest of the team pulled them out of danger.

I love that they had to race through the woods, kill or be killed, and swim for their lives. My heart was racing as much as hers when the two men came across them, barely able to fight. Mackenzie is strong, capable, determined, and very much attracted to Bear. He’s attracted to her too, but when it comes time to part company, he doesn’t even come to say goodbye.

Of course, that doesn’t last for long when the team has to rescue her again. Having a house full of hunkalicious males does not stop Storm from trying to flush them out. Once he makes up his mind to be there, they do not hesitate to admit their feelings. That is, until his ex wife manipulates a situation. The thing I like about it, Mackenzie did fall for it and run, but she called another Prey operative and had no intention of running alone.

Jane Blythe Is pretty darn good at creating fascinating characters that grab me and don’t let me go. It’s fun to have a gruff, growly teddy Bear be putty in a woman’s hands.

Action packed. Intense danger. Suspense abounds. Even though Mackenzie and Bear have their happy ever after, the series is not over and Prey Security is still on the job.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Lethal Risk by Jane Blythe.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

SYNOPSIS (from Amazon)

The last thing he wants is to fall for her.

Mackenzie Arden knows she’ll never be free of her brother’s violent obsession with her, and now she’s his prisoner and an unwitting pawn in his plot. When she’s rescued by a man who is as intriguing as he is intimidating, she finally starts to feel safe for the first time in her life, only he wants nothing to do with her.

Luca “Bear” Jackson has been betrayed too many times to put his trust in anyone. Especially a woman who might be embroiled in her brother’s terrorist plot. Try as he might to stop it from happening Mackenzie manages to make him feel things he has no interest in feeling.

But the danger isn’t over and if Bear can’t set aside his fears of being hurt again Mackenzie will pay the ultimate price.

If you loved USA today bestselling author Jane Blythe’s inclusions in Susan Stoker’s Operation Alpha world, you’ll be thrilled with DEADLY RISK, the first book in the Prey Security: Alpha Team series.

Scroll up and one click to start this thrilling military romantic suspense filled with alpha heroes, tough heroines, danger, action, and love! HEA guaranteed!

  • Genre: Adult, Contemporary and Literary Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Thriller
  • 266 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published February 21, 2023 by Bear Spots Publications
  • Series: Prey Security: Alpha Team #2

ABOUT JANE BLYTHE

USA Today bestselling author Jane Blythe writes action-packed romantic suspense and military romance featuring protective heroes and heroines who are survivors. One of Jane’s most popular series includes Saving SEALs, part of Susan Stoker’s OPERATION ALPHA world! Writing in that world alongside authors such as Janie Crouch and Riley Edwards has been a blast, and she looks forward to bringing more books to this genre, both within and outside of Stoker’s world. When Jane isn’t binge-reading she’s counting down to Christmas and adding to her 200+ teddy bear collection!

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MY REVIEWS FOR JANE BLYTHE’S BOOKS

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Supernaturalesque – Chasing Demons by C D Kester @CD_Kester

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I received an email from C D Kester with an opportunity to read and review The Bunker and Chasing Demons. If you check out the covers (find The Bunker here), you will see why I did not hesitate.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Just looking at the cover for Chasing Demons…and the one for the novella, The Bunker by C D Kester, made me jump all over these horror, paranormal, supernatural stories. You would benefit from reading The Bunker first. I will introduce you to the evil permeating these small towns. It is filled with detestable characters, heroic characters, and those that overcome their fears and make the ultimate sacrifice to save others.

I have so many highlights in my ereader, I had to sift through them and try to share only those that will tell you why I love the world that C D Kester has so vividly created. Thanks to the Supernatural TV show, it was easy to visualize many scenes and the actions of the demons that are called forth by vile humans that will do anything for greed and power.

I didn’t know what to rate the book, a four or a five, so I figured I would wait and decide while I write this review. Will it get my dander up, after it being a week or so since I have read it. Now, I will browse my highlights and we shall see. The point of view shifts from character to character, allowing us to experience their individual terror.

It has been ten years since The Bunker.

We are back in Texas, in a small town called Fairmont, right next door to Fern Hollow. If you are traveling in the area, don’t stop. Keep on driving. I am immediately drawn in as a body is dumped in a landfill. From there, the evil spreads, and spreads, and spreads. Blood flows and heads roll, literally.

The main characters are four youngsters, Tim, Mike, Logan and Dominic. They are in a band. They are bullied at school. Basically, just average kids, doing average things, until…

When Mike walked into the garage with a shadow following him, all I could think is…not Mike. He has been through so much. He doesn’t deserve this. And it goes downhill from here. It’s a good thing he has such good and loyal friends that will not turn their back on him.

Logan is sent to Camp Gensis for conversion therapy. I think most of us know what that means. Cruelty and torture, but this camp is run by a pedophile. A sheep in wolves clothing.

Nancy is the owner of the Halloween story and has become their friend. Her, on the airplane, I was terrified. I have a fear of flying and sure wouldn’t want to read this book while I was on a plane. LOL

There are so many evil, terrible characters that belong on the bottom of the pond, or that may be too good for them. They conjure evil worse than themselves and I can only hope it will demand a steep price from them for doing so. After all, demons are not your friend.

Every time I turned around, another evil popped up and I was terrified for all the characters I came to love. I was constantly surprised, shocked, saddened, devastated…and the ending. As I write this and check out my last note in my ereader…

She broke down into tears…

And so did I, at least, tears formed in my eyes…again. And that is worth a 5 star rating.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Chasing Demons by C D Kester.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
5 Stars

GOODREAD BLURB

Be true to yourself and stand up for what’s right. Michael, Tim, Dominic, and Logan are four buddies in the suburban town of Fairmont, Texas. Their lives are turned upside down when a demonic entity begins to terrorize their families and all of Fairmont as a whole. Logan knows that he is gay, but has to deal with his family that go to a hate-fueled church led by Johnny Cumberland, otherwise known as Johnny Gospel. The four friends must band together through thick and thin to stand up in the face of evil and hatred. Days and years may come and go, but one thing remains the same. When you’re at your lowest you shouldnt be afraid to admit you need help. And don’t forget, that we can get by with a little help from our friends. Thanks, Joe Cocker.

  • Genre: Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural
  • 298 pages, Kindle Edition
  • First published November 17, 2022

ABOUT C D KESTER

C. D. Kester is an author of fiction who does most of his work in the horror genre. He lives in Kingwood, Texas with his wife and two children. Kester recently published his first full length novel, Chasing Demons. His first self-published work is a novella titled The Bunker. He has also had many stories published in anthologies, ezines, and read in podcasts and YouTube videos.

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Couldn’t Stop Reading – Nobody by T Joseph Browder #TJosephBrowder

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The hunkalicious NCIS looking customer ordered a Chocolate Overdose and said, “Keep your head down.” Robyn Carr wondered why he kept hanging around after finishing his drink. Four clowns enter, begin blasting away with their automatic weapons, until the customer makes a stand. When Robyn asked who he was, he responded, “I am Nobody.”

And that is the beginning of the book. It took me by surprise, because I thought I had it all figured out early on, and I was sooo wrong. So wonderfully wrong. The writing flowed smoothly, leading me deeper into this fabulous story, making me unable to stop until the last word was read, shaking my head, and thinking….what an awesome ending! Sure didn’t see that coming.

Arianna Price was fourteen years old when Nobody had saved her life. Twenty five years later, she is a Special Agent of the FBI. A profiler. She has never quit searching for the man who appears at violent, traumatic events, saving some and letting others die. She has a question only he can answer, and she will not quit looking until she finds him. WHY? Why did he save her and her mother, but let her father and brother die? That is the question I always seek an answer to when I read a murder mystery, when I read about serial killers. Many times the why is never answered, but this time may be different.

Is she special…or is it more than that?

Arianna had fought for her position, being a black woman in a man’s world. When she met Goldenfeather, a Navajo woman, she was told her to stop searching. It is a fight between good and evil and it will destroy her. I love the addition of Navajo folklore, myth and legend, and voodoo.

The history of the pacemaker was fascinating.

The ‘In The Bank’ chapter was wonderfully inspiring.

I also learned about the immortal jellyfish, Turritopsis dohrnii. I love a book that has me going to the web for more information, and the author did his research.

If you love books about battles between good and evil, this is for you. I got so much more than I had anticipated, and I have read a couple other books by T Joseph Browder, so my expectations were pretty high. No worries. He met and surpassed them.

Be sure and read the Afterword and Acknowledgments and let us know if you think T Jospeh Bowder was prescient.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Nobody by T Joseph Browder.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Fourteen-year-old Arianna Price, rescued, bloody and terrified, from a bathtub by a stranger after witnessing the brutal slaying of her father and brother during a home invasion, had no time to ask questions of the man who’d interceded on her behalf before disappearing, without a trace, into the night. Twenty-five years later, her future and profession dictated by that single event, Special Agent Arianna Price of the FBI is determined to bring the still unidentified vigilante, her erstwhile savior, in for questioning. Except he seems to have never existed. He has no name. No past. No identity. He appears during horrific acts of violence, intervenes, then vanishes like a wraith. Evidence suggests he’s been doing so for thirty years, or more. Yet, according to witnesses, he has never aged. He is punishment. He is vengeance. He is Nobody.

  • Genre: Angels and Demons, Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural, Vigilante
  • 296 pages, Paperback
  • Published: June 5, 2023 by T. Joseph Browder

ABOUT T JOSEPH BROWDER

T. Joseph Browder

T. Joseph Browder was born in Lima, Ohio in 1969 and is the author of ‘Dark Matters,’ ‘Plague,’ and ‘Infernal,’ the first in a series of novels about the Multiverse and the age-old battle between good and evil.

Of writing T. Joseph Browder says, “I’m an addict. Some people are addicted to alcohol, some to marijuana, coke, or heroin. I’m addicted to writing. It’s my drug of choice and like the monkey on the back of the heroin user it compels me to sit down at my computer every day and check out of reality. Since I work a full-time job in the meat industry my time is limited. If I don’t ‘use’ often enough I suffer withdrawals. The pain is tangible. For me, writing is a high like no other. It’s one helluva buzz.”

A student of Psychology, T. Joseph Browder also holds Doctorates in Divinity, Metaphysics, and Religious Humanities. “I’m an ordained minister,” Browder says, “but that’s a prerequisite for the education I was pursuing. I’ve performed a wedding ceremony or two but have never felt the urge to preach before a congregation.”

Like his education, Mr. Browder’s writing is driven by an insatiable curiosity for what makes people behave the way they do, make the choices they make, and feel the way they feel. Drawing on an intimate knowledge of the evil alive in humanity his work centers on the darker aspects of life, the sudden changes and left turns life throws at all of us and how we react to those things that lurk around the next corner and go bump in the night.

Mr. Browder currently lives in Kansas with his wife, Marie, and is hard at work on a new novel.

Website

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Dark Net Horror – Mr Sticks by Jeffrey Hale @jhalehorror @SandsPressPub

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I want to thank Perry Prete for introducing me to Sands Press and Sands Press for the opportunity to read and review Mr Sticks by Jeffrey Hale.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

The dark net is filled with monsters. It’s frequented by thieves, drug dealers, child predators, and cold-blooded killers. But Mr. Sticks is the most fearsome of them all.

Mr Sticks, Mr Sticks, master of tricks,

Tallas a shadow and wide as a mouse.

Call him and tease him, but don’t displease him…or you might end up stiff as Barb Klaus.

That was the hook for me. The cover makes me think supernatural horror, but the dark net makes me think horror of the two legged kind. Sure did make me curious and I pushed it to the top of my reading list.

Let’s talk characters: Lucia is the main character. Finley is her sixteen year old sister. Their parents are no longer together, and the fact that Finley has gone missing doesn’t affect them at all. If Lucia hadn’t come home, no one would be looking for her. Brian Van Pelt is her old boyfriend, and her sister’s current boyfriend. I immediately disliked him and everything I thought about him being a douche came to light. The only redeeming quality he had was that he was willing to help her search for her sister. Peter is a computer whiz and comes on board to help them navigate the dark web and search for Finley.

Lucia does exactly what I kept telling her (LOL) not to do and l lost a lot of respect for her, but she was willing to put her life on the line to find out what happened to Finley, so I have to give her kudos for that.

Mr Sticks was definitely creepy and not easy to figure out. I felt like yelling through my ereader at Lucia. Everyone knows you don’t go off on your own. Nothing good comes of it. But, if she didn’t stay persistent, she would have had no answers at all. I give her a lot of credit for going the distance, but, boy of boy, did she make some boneheaded moves.

My rating is what it is because of my inability to figure it all out…and I was still left shaking my head and thinking WTH. Seeing Mr Sticks is a series, the story is not over and I am curious where Jeffrey Hale will take it.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Mr Sticks by Jeffrey Hale.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
4 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

The dark net is filled with monsters. It’s frequented by thieves, drug dealers, child predators, and cold-blooded killers. But Mr. Sticks is the most fearsome of them all.

Mr. Sticks uses the dark net to locate the lost and vulnerable; to lure young men and women into his web. And once he has a fly in his web, he doesn’t let go.

Nobody knows what happens to Mr. Sticks’ victims, after the dance is done, but Lucia, an office administrator from Eaton, Colorado, is determined to find out. Before her sixteen-year-old sister becomes another notch on Mr. Sticks’ belt.

  • Genre: Fiction, Horror
  • 250 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Published April 30, 2019 by Sands Press
  • Series: Mr Sticks #1

ABOUT JEFFREY HALE

Jeffrey Hale is no stranger to suburban horror. He’s been accosted by goat-human hybrids, chased by inbred wenches, attacked by giant killer bees, and survived countless hours of prime-time television. When he isn’t busy fighting for his life, he can be found reading, writing, playing the bass guitar, or otherwise making a damn fool of himself.

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