I Am Terry Walker by Skye Andrews

Horrific confession-journal of a serial killer.

When a night out at a pub ends with a mindless, drunken murder, Terry Walker discovers that the horror at his actions also brings with it a deep feeling of satisfaction. Trying to recreate the feeling, Terry plots and picks up prostitutes, people he believes no one will ever miss, and murders each using a different method of torture. This story is presented in the form of a personal letter by Terry as he sits in his cell after being caught, tried, and sentenced to 120 years in prison: a confession-journal of his crimes, known and those that, until now, have gone undetected. Terry is writing the missive in an effort to increase his notoriety and is in no way seeking forgiveness.

This horror story starts out strong but does not sustain becoming a short recitation of different torture methods and vaguely how they work each occurring on Christmas of each succeeding year. The presence of a companion – a female tourist he kidnapped early in his years of crime – is mentioned infrequently during the years and I kept wondering (until the conclusion of his narrative) if she were still about or if he’d disposed of her at some point. The reader is privy to Terry’s thoughts and his motivations but there’s really not much to consider or dissect – I guess, though, that fits in with what we’re supposed to be reading: a quick and final confession of these additional crimes.

Horror is not my reading forte and I’ve not encountered the opportunity to book-talk the genre much. Having said that, when I say I cannot recommend this book, I really mean I am not able to suggest a group of readers that would find it a must-read. It is just too short and too shallow in its current form. It is often hard to understand because of uncertainties due to grammar. I do think the author is on to an interesting idea and it has the potential to become really horrific with care and expansion.

Murder at the Makeover by Sandi Scott

When Georgia Kaye receives an invitation to a high school class reunion (of sorts), she jumps at the chance to go see old friends and relive past memories. With sister, Aleta, in tow, the event unfortunately turns out to be little more than an attempt by Clara Lu, the event organizer, to introduce her pyramid-scheme, The Better You!, makeup business to her old friends, gain recruits, and expand her empire. Before the sisters can quietly slip away, someone screams and one of their former classmates, Samantha Alfred, is found dead on the floor of the ladies’ room. Chicago Police Detective Stan Toon, Georgie’s ex-husband, arrives on the scene to investigate and the sisters are once again embroiled in the search for a killer.

Murder at the Makeover is the 6th book in the sweetly, entertaining Pet Portraits Mystery series by Sandi Scott featuring the sixty-something twin sisters, Georgie and Aleta Kaye. In this story, readers are treated to a walk down the sisters’ memory lanes, revisit characters from previous books, and get a little closer look at Georgie’s feelings for ex-husband, Stan, and become more familiar with Aleta’s family. This series is recommended for readers that like their mysteries cozy, with lots of fun, snappy dialogue, and enjoy protagonists of a “certain age.” This series would be great on television! I can’t wait for the next one to come out.

Softhearted by Kim Law

Set in the Texas Hill Country, somewhere near San Marcos, Softhearted is the second book in the Deep in the Heart series by author Kim Law.

The series focuses on the women of Bluebonnet Farms – a foster home begun and continued by “Aunt Blu” Johnson. Softhearted features Heather Lindsay, the middle “sister” of Aunt Blu’s three original foster girls and continues from a point a little while after the story told in book one, Hardheaded. (Softhearted can be read as a standalone novel though I think readers will enjoy it more after having read Hardheaded.)

Of the three original girls, Heather is “The Soft One” with a heart as big as Texas and tender to boot. She was orphaned as a young teen when both parents were killed in a barn fire. Years later, this tragedy still looms large in her life and colors the choices she makes. Thrice disappointed in love, she finds herself attracted to what she fears is another bad choice – Waylon Peterson, the new ranch manager working for her foster sister, Jill and, soon-to-be-husband, Cal.

With the wedding only weeks away, the Bluebonnet women (Jill, Trenton, and Heather) are working hard on transforming Cal’s ranch house and grounds into the perfect setting for the upcoming nuptials. Adding to the expected pressure that a wedding brings is the fact that these activities are all being filmed as part of Jill and Cal’s new reality TV show, Building a Life. Heather and Waylon are like catnip to each other in this emotionally charged atmosphere. But both have some soul-searching to do before they can find their happily-ever-after.

Softhearted is a great next step in the Deep in the Heart series with a full-bodied story for foster sister, Heather, and some intriguing foundation laid regarding the future for foster sister number three, Trenton, and even Aunt Blu. The hero is a romantic and a single dad with a charming young daughter. I loved the setting in the Texas Hill Country and the mention of San Marcos. Horses played a featured role in this story which I also enjoyed. This book is recommended for contemporary romance readers.

Murder at the Car Show by Sandi Scott

Georgie Kaye is on the snoop again!

This time, Georgie and her twin sister, Aleta, are attending the Tri-Local Antique Car Show when one of the show’s employees is found dead in one of the vintage cars. Georgie had been asked to dress up and act as a model for a new photographer friend, Errol Barr. Aleta, as usual, has accompanied Georgie as her wingman. However, Aleta is the one that catches the eye of an admirer. Marley Gillibrand, an attractive older gentleman, is one of the participants in the show. When Hera Packard, one of the employees of the show’s organizer is found dead in Marley’s restored ’56 Chevy, Marley becomes the chief suspect in her death.

With Aleta considering venturing into her first relationship since the death of her husband, William, Georgie is determined to discover the truth behind Hera’s death, and exonerate Marley. In the meantime, she is also questioning her own romantic relationships including her true feelings for her ex-husband, Chief Detective Stanley Toon.

Murder at the Car Show is the fifth entry in author Sandi Scott’s Pet Portrait Mystery series about twin amateur sleuths, Georgie and Aleta Kaye. The characters remain interesting, the dialogue snappier than ever, and the relationships among the recurring characters genuinely fun. One thing that sets this series apart from others is that the characters are mature (if not always mature-acting) individuals; the twins are in their 60s and their beaus are the same and older. This book and all of the previous ones are just a fun time, and I really look forward to each new adventure.

The Dead Game by Susanne Leist

After graduation from college in New York, Linda Bennett is somewhat at loose ends. Her parents and brother had been killed in a car accident during her freshman year, and her future, without her family, stretched before her. Happening upon an advertisement for a bookstore for rent, Linda checks it out, signs a lease, and relocates to Oasis, Florida, the new proprietor of “Oasis by the Sea” bookstore and coffeehouse.

The quaint little town was picturesque and poised on the coast of northern Florida. But Oasis isn’t the idyllic respite Linda expected. Once there, with her bookstore open for business, she realizes the town harbors some shadowy secrets.

Lurking at the heart of the problem are the long-established residents of the town that live in the gated and oddly green-glassed mansions in the forest outside town, and only appearing at night. Frequently, townspeople and tourists go missing never to be heard from again. And then outside of town there is the mysterious and long abandoned mansion situated high on a cliff overlooking the ocean known as End House.

As shadowy figures flit through town at dusk, strange things begin to happen. Linda’s store and that of her friend, Shana, are vandalized looking as if a powerful wind had whipped through toppling bookcases and blowing things all around. And one day when Linda is out for a swim, she is grabbed underwater by a black-clad figure and almost drowns when she is rescued by the town’s most eligible bachelor, Todd Morrison.

Things really get dangerous when Linda and her friends, all newcomers to town, receive a mysterious, unsigned invitation to a party being held at End House, and they decide to attend.

The Dead Game is a horror story with elements of romance. The horror is fairly mild, scary, but not something that would keep a reader up all night afterwards. The romance is clean and sweet for the most part (no graphic scenes). Action is presented from the viewpoints of several characters. And there are questions left unanswered that would be a launching point for a sequel. This book would make a really fun movie. On the other hand, there are some confusing things that make reading a little tedious. There are a large number of characters involved that all have a part in the main story. The dialogue is repetitive in some instances BUT if this were a movie would probably make sense because additional characters would have to be updated on what was going on. And frankly, I wanted to smack almost every one of the characters at one point or another for dumb decisions, childish behavior, and stupid comments…you know, like in real life.

Stray (Touchstone #1) by Andrea K. Höst

When Cassandra Devlin left school on her final day of classes she thought she was headed home to prepare for a night of partying with her fellow graduates. But somewhere along the way she inadvertently traveled through a gateway away from Earth and onto another planet.

Alone, lost, and without resources other than what she had in her school backpack, she located a waterway and followed it downstream in hopes of finding civilization. Instead she came to a strange, deserted community constructed of blocky, white stone buildings.

Surviving there a month, she is discovered and rescued by a pair of young, black-clad soldiers (Setari) and taken to their home base, KOTIS, on the island-city of Konna, on the planet Tare. There she receives medical attention and is implanted with a device that helps her understand and learn the Taren’s language.

She is what they call a “STRAY,” and she’s not the first one that’s been found. There have been others.

Throughout the story, Cassandra expresses her desire to return home, but as she tries to figure out how to accomplish this, she is developing relationships with her rescuers and becoming embroiled and invested in their fight to save their world from destruction by the horrible creatures, the Ionoth, coming through the ENA. Her Setari friends believe that should she breach the ENA again to return to Earth she may draw the attention of the Ionoth and cause them to attack Earth just like Tare.

Told in first-person in the form of Cassandra’s diary, author Andrea K. Höst has developed an imaginative and compelling storyline in an interesting world. Familiar yet very different, the planets of Muina and Tare, and the concept of the ENA remain mysterious to the reader even at the completion of this first book in the Touchstone series. (The ENA is defined as “a dimension connected to the thoughts, memories, dreams, and imaginations of living beings,” however, it is a very real and scary place in the novel, filled with shadowy locations and dangerous creatures.

There are also a multitude of characters introduced (so many that there is a list of characters included at the end of the book.) While I enjoyed Stray, it took some effort to keep reading; the story develops slowly. Many of the characters are only superficially sketched out right now but I’m guessing some will become more substantial as the series progresses. I will definitely be going for the next book in the series, Lab Rat One, soon.

A Darker Shade of Sorcery (The Realmers #1) by William Collins

I loved this book!

Evander “Evan” Umbra never knew his mother or father, or anything about them. He was found abandoned in the forest as a newborn and reared by “Gran” until her death five months ago when he was sent to a children’s home for orphans. Since arriving in London he’d been visciously bullied by the neighborhood gang but still he steps when they target a smaller boy. As he’s beaten by the gang members, Evan sees a mysterious black mist emanating around him. Before he can wonder much about it, the beating ends and the mist disappears.

When Pete, another orphan at the home, goes missing, no one see or hears anything. His room is covered in blood so it is assumed that he’s been murdered and carried off. Then Evan sees a frighteningly, repulsive stranger lurking outside his school one day, watching and waiting, it seems, for him. After school, the bullies chase Evan down and as they pound on him, the stranger appears and reveals his true form – a horrible, nightmarish spider-creature. It kills Ollie, the gang leader, and attacks Evan. This time, instead of the black mist, Evan shoots green fire from his hands hitting the creature. But the creature survives, grabs Evan, and takes him through a portal to a different world as a gift for his queen.

Evan is saved from the queen by a silver-haired man and taken through another portal to the realm of Veneseron where there is a school for individuals just like him – Venators – Demon-Hunters!

Simultaneously in America, Brooke Carn is picked up by three Arch-Realmers – Arantay, Lok, and Tyrell – and taken to Veneseron. She, too, is to begin training as a Demon-Hunter. She meets Evan when he is attacked by a demon in his room at the Fortress. Along with others in their same Novice class, they form a group of friends and allies as they discover their skills in sorcery and try to keep Evan safe from further demon attacks.

The story is fast-paced and never dull. The characters are fun, interesting, and much like teenagers anywhere. There are some similarities to the Harry Potter series but it is different and entertaining. I was thoroughly engrossed once I started reading it.

EBBA, The First Easter Hare by Leen Lefebre

Somewhat difficult to follow due to a rough translation from the original Dutch into English, EBBA, The First Easter Hare, is the reimagined origin story of the Easter Bunny.

In this country, the tradition of the Easter Bunny (or “Osterhase”) is thought to have come to the U.S. via German immigrants in the 1700s. Their children made nests out of grass for the egg-laying hare where it would leave its colored eggs. Other sources say the association of a rabbit with Easter or Spring, in general, goes further back in time and was the symbol of the goddess “Eostre,” a goddess of fertility. Rabbits, of course, are known as early and prolific breeders.

In this new take, Ebba and her parents live in a dark kingdom ruled by her uncle, the cruel King Stern. It is a lightless place where the kingdom’s subjects are slaves: the males serving in the army protecting the borders and murdering any other creatures found inhabiting the kingdom. Females are expected to spend their lives gathering food for the king and his army.

One day, Ebba’s father, Atta, approaches his brother, the king, and requests to leave the kingdom for a place beyond the borders that is rumored to be sun-filled and free. The king refuses and they argue, but Atta goes anyway leaving baby Ebba and her mother, Hulde, behind with the promise to return one day and take them to their new home in the promised land.

Time passes, and Atta doesn’t return. Hulde and Ebba keep a low profile hoping for the day when they, too, can escape the dark kingdom until one day, while out gathering food, they discover a rabbit warren that has been destroyed by King Stern’s soldiers. Hidden away in a remote section, Ebba finds a clutch of runner’s eggs overlooked by the army. Ebba and Hulde decide that Ebba must take the unhatched eggs to the promised land beyond the borders to the runner mother that had desperately hidden her nest and fled when the army attacked. And so, begins Ebba’s journey to the borderlands and the adventure it becomes.

This is Book Two in a four-book series for middle graders and older that centers around one of each of the four seasons. (Book One was a winter tale.) Imaginative and short enough to hold the attention of children, it would benefit from some fine-tuning of the language to clarify what is going on and being said. Many times, I was halted in my enjoyment of the story because the word usage was just clunky and off-putting or didn’t make sense.

Zombies from Space ... And Vampires by Angela B. Chrysler

Zombies from Space …And Vampires by Angela B. Chrysler is an end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it novella in which UFOs arrive and deposit aliens that look and move and eat humans like in the classic horror movie zombie sense. The main character is 19-year-old Aria who witnesses the arrival of one of these UFOs and the immediate disappearance of her father, her only close relative. As she stands there in complete disbelief of what she is seeing, she is grabbed by a mysterious stranger who comes out of the shadows and sinks his teeth into her throat. The next thing she is aware of is waking in a castle on Singer Island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River. The mysterious stranger is Caius and he wishes to keep her with him in the castle on the island as his guest but before she can figure out what he’s about she’s rescued by two black clad women, Cin Dixon and Kylie.

Cin takes her to a ship, the “Slush Brain,” moored in the river, captained and crewed by an assortment of interesting and quirky characters. Before they can float safely out of reach of the aliens on the nearby shore, they are alerted to the predicament of another fleeing crew member. Chess, who has the barely sane, Max, in tow, is trapped by the surging horde of aliens at the water’s edge. The crew rescues Chess and Max from the aliens (known as Weeches) but before they can get the ship underway it is attacked and destroyed by Caius and his group of followers. The crew finds themselves back on land and fighting for their lives and freedom.

An interesting forward to the novella explains the origins of both the story and the characters – a writing project incorporating the author’s real-life friends. I thought this quite fun! The story moves swiftly and probably should be read in one sitting for maximum entertainment though not required, of course. The novella could benefit from some additional editing just to make the story flow a little better but if a hiccup here and there doesn’t bother a reader it is definitely an entertaining time.

I received a free copy of this novella through Goodreads. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Heirs of Power by Kay MacLeod

Always in twilight with never-ending lava formations encroaching on the inhabitants, Tenebria was dying.

When the world of the Tenebri began turning into a destructive, fiery land, the inhabitants broke through a magical barrier to safety, in a new land, a New Tenebria, to the kingdom of another people, the Lucidians. But the invaders were not welcomed and they were sent packing by a group of 10 super-beings, Lucidians that had embued the physical bodies of selected humans with their spirits, and enhanced with special gifts and powers. They were known as The Constellations after the special groupings of stars in the sky.

The Lucidians knew that the successful removal of the Tenebri was only temporary – they would undoubtedly try again. So, to remain prepared for the day that happened, the powers of The Constellations are passed on from the original holder to their first child at birth. It would be up to the original Constellation to nurture and train their replacement.

Kitty Fairlow is blissfully unaware of any of this when she and her father stumble upon a portal being opened between this world and Tenebri with a magical urn. Her father, Zander, one of the original Constellations, has told her nothing. At her birth, she inherited his gifts – those of the The Archer. She is sent to take the urn to Princess Judith who rules for her mother the queen in the city of Lanathere. There she meets her first Constellation – Serena Olbridge, The Dancer. The two women set out to bring all the Constellations (The Juggler, The Astronomer, The Swordsman, The Sculptor, The Mystic, The Duellist, and The Scholar) together to once again fight the Tenebri and save the world and the human race.

Heirs of Power is the first book in The Constellation Saga and introduces us to most of the Constellations and their enemies, the Tenebri. The author does a nice job of building the kingdom of Lanathere and adding in the history of the conflict between the Tenebrians, the Lucidians, and how humans became involved. The characters are fun, quirky in some cases, heroic, but still definitely human. This book is recommended for fantasy readers that enjoy a good mission and a hearty saga of a story. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

Draylon – The Beginning by Kenneth Balfour

Story excellent, and with some additional attention, this little book could be a real hit.

Draylon, The Beginning is a novelette about an alien-human hybrid sent from his world, Terspheriton, to study human life and civilization. When his spacecraft crashes into the ocean off Easter Island, he makes his way to shore, heals his cuts and bruises and remotely destroys the wreckage of his ship. On the island, he makes the acquaintance of Paul, who had witnessed the crash but believed it to be part of the meteor shower. Together they set off on an around the world adventure collecting parts of an alien amulet left on Earth centuries before by another alien race unaware of plotting against them by Draylon's own people back on Terspheriton.

I will definitely look for the continuation of the story to see how things work out for Draylon and Paul.

A Zombie Christmas Carol by Michael G. Thomas & Charles Dickens

It was interesting to see a zombie story inserted into the classic A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens with all the beautiful use of language to match. The zombie insertion is quietly done and builds to a nice crescendo.

I appreciated Scrooge's ability for sword work a lot, and the incorporation of minor characters from the original story into somewhat more substantial roles.

Recommended for those that enjoy A Christmas Carol (but aren't going to be put off by the deviation from the original, of course) and zombie mashups.

I believe I picked this ebook copy up for free on Amazon.com.

Second-in-Command (The Government Rain Mysteries #4) by L.A. Frederick

The Second-in-Command, another short story in The Government Rain Mysteries’ universe, showcases the history behind the character of Guy Hagan, a childhood friend and neighbor of Jed Soloman and his older brother. He pitied and protected the younger, weaker boy (Jed) from the area bullies until the day things went too far and Jed was almost killed. Soon after, Jed’s father died and the brothers disappeared.

Guy remained in the old neighborhood and grew up to eventually join one of the local gangs – The Ravens. As he advances his way up the ranks of the gang, he finds out he’s being watched by the unknown leader of “The Watchroom” – the chief criminal organization in New Hampton.

This series, although titled “Mysteries,” touches a broad range of reading interests (mystery, urban mystery, mutants, horror, sci-fi, dystopian, urban horror). There is something for almost everyone.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

The Lone Vigilante (The Government Rain Mysteries series) by L.A. Frederick

The rain changed Reinhardt – for the better. His body, his strength, his senses all improved when touched the rain that constantly soaked the city. But the city of New Hampton was imploding – only no one really understood that yet. Society was crumbling, and the city leaders were clueless (or uncaring). The city infrastructure couldn’t stand up under the influx of more and more homeless or the lawlessness that increased day by day.

The Lone Vigilante is a glimpse into the beginnings of the mysterious protector of what is left of New Hampton (and featured in The Rain) and simply known as Reinhardt. In this side story to The Government Rain Mysteries series by L.A. Frederick, Reinhardt and an old friend test his new-found abilities on a gang of criminals operating out of “The Watchroom” called "The Deadeyes.”

This story and series, although titled “Mysteries,” touches a broad range of reading interests (mystery, urban mystery, mutants, horror, sci-fi, dystopian, urban horror). There is something for almost everyone.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

The Skeleton Song (The Hollows #0.5) by Angela Kulig

The Skeleton Song is a prequel to Skeleton Lake, the first novel in The Hollows series by Angela Kulig.

The story is told from the viewpoint of a girl named Cassie about her VERY complicated relationship with two brothers, Raiden and Conrad, and gives some needed background and understanding for what's to come in Skeleton Lake. The writing is lovely. The story is mysterious.

Well worth reading before the full-length novel next in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

Skeleton Lake (The Hollows #1) by Angela Kulig

When Marlow shows up unexpectedly at a party and discovers that her boyfriend and best friend are a couple, she’s distraught. When she realizes everyone already knew this but her, she publicly humiliated and runs away, hysterical and hopeless, thinking to end it all in the lake. The next thing she knows she wakes up, being taken care of, in the bed of Raiden Mast, a boy from her school. She’s surprised and confused but even more so when Raiden tells her “Last night you ... died.” And thus, begins this highly imaginative and addictive story of the “Skeletons” of Skeleton Lake, the “Hollows,” and the “Fleshies.”

The Skeletons are former humans (Fleshies.) As children they had been sick and brought to Skeleton Lake where they are freed from their incurable bodies in the waters of the lake. To everyone else, they still look, act, and age like a human but they depend on the special water of the lake to heal their flesh-like coverings, their colorful glowing bones underneath, and maintain their strength. They mingle with the locals, go to school, shop, whatever, yet still pretty much keep to themselves living around the lake (which to human eyes appears to be a giant cornfield.) Skeletons only possess one half of a soul: sharing it with their intended life companion. If a Skeleton couple has a child, it will not have a soul such as their parents and are known as “Hollows” and seen as inferior. When a Skeleton dies, their half of the soul goes to a “replacement.” Marlow is the replacement for Cassie, the Skeleton girl who committed suicide when she became entangled with the “Hollow” Conrad, the brother of her intended, Raiden.

Just as Marlow is beginning to understand her new life and her feelings for Raiden and Conrad while keeping her parents in the dark, unexpected danger from outside arrives. Hollows from a distant community try to kidnap the young women of Skeleton Lake to take them back to their leader for breeding purposes.

The story is complicated and fascinating and just the beginning of this exciting, and totally different, series. This is recommended for readers that enjoy young adult, paranormal, and horror genres.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

The Forgetful Man (Government Rain Mysteries #3) by L.A. Frederick

The Forgetful Man gives us the backstory of one of the characters from The Rain – Nathan Fisher. An ordinary family man, the 40ish Nathan loves his job at the Royal Museum. Through his presentation to a school group at the museum, we get a glimpse at what has occurred in New Hampton’s history as well. Hundreds of years previously there had been “The Great Depression” (and it’s not the one that immediately comes to mind) where northern towns had failed, and thousands of people migrated south swelling the population of New Hampton to where it is today. Much of the land’s history had been lost so the explanation to the students for why the towns failed must remain vague and attributed to climate changes making the land uninhabitable. Later that day, Nathan is interrupted by men moving large crates of unknown contents into the storage areas of the museum, and some days later, Nathan is let go.

Without telling his wife and children of his job loss, Nathan looks for work during the day. One day he loses consciousness in the back yard when he runs out to retrieve the drying laundry from a surprise rain storm. Later, he is driving with his son in the car when he blows a tire. Changing the flat in the heavy rain, he frightens his son and himself when his skin begins to change color, his anguished scream shattering all the car windows. And, slowly, his internal voice begins to take on a life of its own.

This series, although titled “Mysteries,” touches a broad range of reading interests (mystery, urban mystery, mutants, horror, sci-fi, dystopian, urban horror). There is something for almost everyone.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

The Rain (Government Rain Mysteries #2) by L.A. Frederick

The second story in the Government Rain Mysteries series by L.A. Frederick, The Rain, is a robust and intriguing mix of mystery, horror, and urban dystopia. A more substantial, and far longer tale than the series kickoff, The Last Doctor, it places the reader smack dab in the middle of the confusion that is the lives and times of the residents of the doomed town of New Hampton.

In this entry, readers are introduced to the major players that will continue the series and learn more about the mysterious and creepy Dr. Zhirkov and this manufactured “government” rain that appears to be behind all the weirdness. New Hampton is on the brink of collapse, and while the regular residents of the area go about clueless to what is about to happen, there are some with special abilities that are beginning to see what’s going on.

This series, although titled “Mysteries,” touches a broad range of reading interests (mystery, urban mystery, mutants, horror, sci-fi, dystopian, urban horror). There is something for almost everyone.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

The Last Doctor (Government Rain Mysteries #1) by L.A. Frederick

The Last Doctor is the first story in the Government Rain Mysteries series by L.A. Frederick. It gives the reader a peek into the series’ core setting (the Newton Street facility) and some of the characters there. From this introduction, readers will get a pretty good foundation for where the plot is headed. Or at least you think so; turns out there are quite a few twists, turns, and layers to this series.

In story number one, a young doctor working at an incarceration facility of some kind has second thoughts and doubts about himself and his abilities to continue the experimental treatments he's administering so he resigns his position. Once back in society he begins to question the morality of what he was participating in and wants to notify the authorities of his concerns. But it’s not that simple where this government is involved. It looks like he won't be allowed to raise a red flag about the experiments.

This series, although titled “Mysteries,” touches a broad range of reading interests (mystery, urban mystery, mutants, horror, sci-fi, dystopian, urban horror). There is something for almost everyone.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

Murder at the Cabaret by Sandi Scott

The fourth entry in the Pet Portraits Mystery series by Sandi Scott, Murder at the Cabaret catches us back up with Georgie Kaye, the eldest of the Kaye twin sisters. In this outing, Georgie is enjoying a visit from her youngest child, son Andrew, and his friend, JR. The boys decide to treat Georgie to an evening out in a new activity – a cabaret show in New Town. With a front row table they are in prime seating for the curtain going up and revealing that the leading lady, Madame Bray, has been murdered.

With such a closeup view of the what happened, Georgie finds investigating the murder simply irresistible with plenty of stops for dessert along the way. This time she has a little help in the form of Andrew and JR. However, her information and efforts are demeaned and rejected by the lead detective on the case, Detective Schwarz, who is from a different precinct than ex-husband, Stan Toon. A recurring character from a previous book, Malcolm Oberfield or “Obby” as he is known, makes his interest in Georgie clear when he asks her out on a date. This gives Georgie plenty to think about as she reflects on her relationship with Stan.

Once again, the dialogue is witty, the mystery interesting, and conclusion a viable one. This cozy mystery series really continues to entertain.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

Mates: From The Beginning by Jay A. Lee

Lots of promise but not ready for prime time

Author Lee has come up with an interesting storyline, however it, and the characters involved, are never fully developed.

Adam and Eve never really show much emotion or ask the questions I would expect of anyone finding out that mom and dad have been lying to them their entire lives. And the “Eww” factor of becoming the mate of your sibling is really brushed past. Expecting to immediately jump in and produce several litters of children as quickly as possible with your brother or sister was quite acceptable to them, too.

I found this to be a very difficult reading experience. The grammar, spelling, word choices, and the often times painful descriptions of actions that must have been difficult to adequately get across to the reader all damage this imaginative story. I wondered if, perhaps, English was not this author’s first language. If this is true, then I commend the author for trying. All of this can be fixed.

Except for that thing with your sister, this whole thing screamed “middle-school gamer’s wet dream” to me.

Car Guts by Melody J. Bremen

Beatrice Tanner is having a bad life. Her father is in jail, her mother is sick and incapable of holding things together, and Beatrice is on a bus headed to Sandpoint, Texas, to live with the uncle she’d never even heard of before.

Uncle Kyle proves to be a man of few words, living out in the middle of nowhere with his dog, Rocket, fixing cars. He quietly welcomes Beatrice into his spare, neat home but pretty much leaves her to her own devices while he works beneath whatever car or truck needs his attention. He enrolls her in the local school for the final two weeks of the school year but Beatrice feels the pain of being the new kid and is targeted by the classroom “Queen Bee,” Erica Fields.

But Uncle Kyle is more than a small-town mechanic. Warned to stay away from the old barn on the property, Beatrice’s curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers that there is a whole world of magic lurking just out of sight. Kyle is actually a powerful wizard and magic runs in the family! Beatrice is going to be his apprentice.

What a fun story! Beatrice is a strong young lady, not a lot of feeling sorry for her plight either. Uncle Kyle grows on you and truly becomes Beatrice’s family. There are twists and turns in the story, mean girls to overcome, and an interesting set up to the magical world. The ending makes it look like this could be the start of a delightful series. I’m certainly hoping there will be more about Uncle Kyle and Beatrice.

Candy Canes, Corpses and the Gothic Haunt by Rachael Stapleton

So, this is the second book in the Haunted House Flippers, Inc. series by Rachael Stapleton, and much like the first, a fun, comfortable read. At present, the author has 3 cozy mystery series set in the town of Bohemian Lake all focusing on different characters featured in supporting roles in the other novels. It is almost like living in Bohemian Lake and keeping up with your neighbors.

In this series, the stories are set around holidays, this one being Christmas. Juniper Palmer and her business partner, Jack Young, have decided to turn their restored Victorian mansion that they initially purchased in Corsets, Corpses, and the Deadly Haunt (Book 1) into an inn and taproom, now “The Gothic Haunt.” As their grand opening set for New Year’s approaches, strange problems in the home keep popping up: cut exhaust lines, missing vacuum breakers, stolen Christmas gifts, and then Junie finds Head Chef and friend, Feliz Merlot, dead in the wine cellar. Although the coroner says his death was an accident, Junie is sure Feliz was murdered. Right before he died, Feliz had asked Junie to come to the inn because he had discovered who was behind all the problems. On her arrival, she had found food cooking on the stove – something Feliz would never have left unattended.

The story continues with Junie trying to discover the truth behind Feliz’s death, get the mansion ready for its upcoming grand opening, and the growing romantic relationship between her and Jack. We are treated to the inclusion of Junie’s friends – Pike Hart, Penny Trubble, Eve Banter, and many other familiar faces. Also making an appearance from the earlier book is Victoria, the ghost of the murdered bride of the home’s original owner. This book is recommended for the cozy mystery reader that also enjoys a bit of the “woo woo” in the mix.

Murder on the Movie Set (Pet Portraits Mystery #3) by Sandi Scott

While arranging for her next pet portrait commission, Georgie Kaye wins tickets from a radio station to go on location for a day with a movie being shot in the area. The movie stars Dustin Stetson, her twin sister’s secret crush, so Georgie takes Aleta along as her “plus one.” To their disappointment, Dustin is not shooting that day, but the sisters are delighted by the offerings on the Craft Services tables.

On location that day is the film’s difficult producer, Jason Hobbs, who stresses out everyone with his micromanaging. He screams at the caterer, demands the best lines of the ingénue be given to a minor male character, and continually orders major changes in the director’s plans and holding up production.

Breaking for lunch is a relief for everyone except the producer, from all appearances a young, healthy man, who suddenly has a fatal heart attack. But from all the gossip on set, Georgie is convinced Hobbs’ death is not from natural causes. When the lead detective investigating the death, her ex-husband, Stan Toon, decides there is no need to look into the death any further, Georgie finagles another couple of days on the set to investigate on her own.

The rapport between the two sisters and with Stan continues to develop and is vastly entertaining. The plot is straightforward, yet satisfying. The Chicago-area settings are fun and familiar. Although the series features pets, they are not the sole focus of the stories – it’s more about the people, their relationships, and the crime-solving. This story is highly recommended for cozy mystery readers.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Lullaby to a Jitterbug (Avon Calling!, #10) by Hayley Camille

At the end of the previous episode, we were left dangling on one heck of a cliffhanger. Donny and his mugs had the drop on Betty and were holding a gun to poor George’s head. Their daughter, Nancy, was racing little Georgie to the nearest hospital after he’d accidentally inhaled heroin. (He’d thought he was smelling sugar.) When Georgie had reacted to the drug she picked him up and ran for it, discovering hidden strengths and abilities she didn’t know she possessed: she was stronger and faster than any girl is supposed to be.

Betty, too, reaches deep within herself to take her battle with Donny and his goons to another level and defeats them with the sudden arrival and assistance of Detective Jacob Lawrence. Jacob tells Betty that he’d gone to her home before coming to her aid at St. Augustine’s Home for Unwanted Boys, and that her front door was open, the kitchen a mess, and the children nowhere to be found. He produces the jeweled jar that held the heroin. Betty reaches out with her mind and eventually connects with Nancy. She sees her thoughts and discovers what has happened. Betty comes clean with George at the hospital as they wait for Georgie to recover, and they spend the following weeks coming to terms with his new knowledge and understanding about Betty and Nancy.

Jacob though has uncovered a secret file at City Hall on Betty that shows the government is watching her and her associates (including himself, perhaps) and is trying to determine her possible agenda and usefulness in regards to the war effort.

With the exposure of Donny Pinzola and his affiliates, the focus of the story is swinging back to the war. Actual tidbits of history are woven into the narrative – war rationing, the draft. Also, the characters are becoming so well developed that one feels like they know exactly who they are dealing with and what they might be capable of. In this 10th entry in the ongoing Avon Calling! series, we get even more background information on Betty (Susie) and her life before George. I recommend this series, in order, it is episodic in nature, to those that like action and adventure set during the war, and look forward to the next installment.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

Serenade to a Savage (Avon Calling!, #9) by Hayley Camille

Holy moly! Episode 9 of the Avon Calling! series is action-packed and TENSE! We left our characters at the high-profile Charity Ball in the midst of a couple of showdowns: one among the two couples - Betty & George and Jacob & Adina, and the other between Betty and Donny Pinzolo. The couples are at odds with each other due to the suspicions of the “innocent” partners – George and Adina – about the true nature of the relationship between Betty and Jacob. Both couples leave the charity event out of sorts and Jacob and Adina seem to have split up completely. Time passes but George’s unease doesn’t, and he decides to follow Betty when she is lured out of safety in an attempt to save one of her Avon customers from Donny’s goons. She and George are both captured and taken to Donny’s headquarters at the St. Augustine’s School for Unwanted Boys for a final showdown with Uncle Donny.

Again, the author maintains the awesome “look & feel” of the 1940s while creating a supernatural suspense story. All the characters are becoming so well developed that one feels like they know exactly who they are dealing with and what they might be capable of. There are still mysteries and secrets lurking in the background and we are left with more than one cliffhanger so, hopefully, Episode 10 is not far off!

Guns and Glitterati (Avon Calling!, #8) by Hayley Camille

Betty’s plans for taking down her evil uncle, Donny Pinzolo, are starting to come together as the St. Augustine’s Home for Unwanted Boys Charity Gala approaches. First, Betty removes Rex Hatfield, the biggest bookie in town and one of Donny Pinzolo’s most lucrative sources of cash from the scene.

In the meantime, we get a surprising look into the life of Adina Sonberg, Sergeant Lawrence’s love interest. It seems she and General Brandway have a “history” – one that meant heartache for Adina.

The night of the Charity Gala arrives and anyone who is anyone is in attendance. As the music and alcohol flow around them, Betty and Donny confront each other. All this time, Officer Parker is keeping a protective eye on the Jones’ family but he may be seeing more than anyone realizes. And he may have a hidden agenda himself.

The surprises keep coming! The flavor of the era established and nurtured by dialogue, fashion, and the settings is strong and delicious.

Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered (Avon Calling!, #7) by Hayley Camille

Episode 7 in the Avon Calling! series lets the reader in on the romance that was budding between Betty (Susie Poletti) and Jacob Lawrence when they were just kids and before life took a turn for the tragic. Jacob is not welcome at the Poletti house so the two have been meeting on the sly. Jacob is teaching Susie everything he learns at his boxing and karate classes. Susie has developed super strength and is super fast along with her ability to hear thoughts – a legacy from her mother’s side of the family.

As an adult, Betty uses her speed and strength to whip through her housekeeping. She’s spied on by Felix, one of Pinzolo’s goons, and when she discovers him she chases him down and they come to an uneasy standoff. She can’t take him out right there in front of her home with the neighbors looking on and he can’t hurt her for the same reason. He knows she’s got some unnatural skills and she knows about Tilly, his “secret” girlfriend and love of his life whom he’s trying to keep under wraps and out of sight of the evil, Pinzolo.

And then Jacob Lawrence shows up on her doorstep. Surprise! She’s been waiting for him to track her down and help her make things right.

Each episode in the series advances the plot and gets us closer and closer to a show-off between Betty/Susie and her uncle, Donny. The author seems to have some nice surprises tucked along the way.

St. Augustine’s School for Unwanted Boys (Avon Calling!, #6) by Hayley Camille

The mob boys have to tell Donny Pinzolo that his nephew, Vince, and his gunzels have been killed at Kitty’s Kat House. Donny blames the messenger, Felix, for not having yet identified the perpetrator before this last hit.

Back at the Jones’ house, Nancy discovers her mother sewing money inside her mattress and questions her. Betty is able to offer an explanation that serves for the moment but she’s concerned that her smart and observant daughter is growing up so soon.

Betty leaves an Avon meeting at the home of a senior Avon lady and just misses running headlong into her old friend and NYPD Police Sergeant, Jacob Lawrence, as he slowly makes his way through a list of all Avon representatives in the city. He’s tracking down the origin of the Avon Calling! card found at the scenes of the recent mob slayings.

George and Betty meet with the mayor and Donny Pinzolo at St. Augustine’s to discuss the upcoming charity event. Betty ducks out of the meeting in order to check out the goings on in the basement with the mob, the orphans, and the stolen drugs. While Betty’s out of the room, George writes down his contact information for Donny on the back of one of Betty’s Avon Calling! cards that he rummages from her handbag. When the body of a dead gang member is found right after George and Betty leave the school, suspicion falls squarely on Betty, the only person that left the meeting, and now Donny has her home address.

The pressure is mounting and I kept wondering if George or one of the children was going to find out too much about Betty’s clandestine activities. With Jacob Lawrence on the right track to finding her and Donnie Pinzolo, himself, suspicious, Betty is starting to get into a very tight situation. This is the 6th episode of Camille's Avon Calling! historical suspense story. Due the episodic nature of the series, they should be read in order to understand what's going on and for maximum enjoyment.

In For a Dime, In For a Dollar (Avon Calling!, #5) by Hayley Camille

Betty confronts her old acquaintances and coworkers from her Uncle Frank’s mob in the offices of Kitty’s Kat House. Quite a struggle ensues, these boys don’t go down easy, but Betty eventually prevails and is able to claim all the cash in the safe and retrieve the stolen drugs that were meant for the troops on the battlefield. Once again, she stashes the drugs in a location that the police will be able to find them and get them back on their way to the war front. The back story of the old homeless guy in the park is revealed in this episode and just adds to the nastiness that is Donald Pinzolo.

This foray into the night has taken quite a bit of time for Betty Jones and now she must face the music at home. Little does she know that her husband, George, knows that she didn’t go where she told him she was headed, and these recent inconsistencies are starting to eat away at him.

Sergeant Jacob Lawrence is brought in on the case and the Mayor, himself, shows up on the crime scene at the bordello to threaten, cajole, and then bribe the sergeant into closing this case as quickly as possible.

The author is slowly building our knowledge of all the characters involved while moving the story forward. The era itself is one of those characters as is the setting. Betty has some skills but we’re starting to see that she’s not superhuman. This is the 5th episode in the Avon Calling! series. So far, each episode has been entertaining and they need to be read in order. Very enjoyable reading!

Kitty's Kat House (Avon Calling!, #4) by Hayley Camille

St. Augustine’s Home for Unwanted Boys proves to be a goldmine of unpaid labor to the local mob and mob bosses, Vince and Felix. When Betty runs across the new apprentices with the mobsters as she attempts to foil a robbery of a military truck convoy, she’s stymied. Taking out adult men is one thing but doing it when the boys could see and identify her is another. Finding another avenue to her goal leads her to Kitty’s Kat House later that night.

The author continues the Avon Calling series in this 4th episode, Kitty’s Kat House, and we not only get the reason behind Donald Pinzolo’s interest in the orphanage (besides good PR), but get another look at what makes Betty Jones tick. Her realization that the orphans were being used to further the mob’s aim of stealing the drugs meant for soldiers on the battlefield gives Betty a flashback to her own youth when she was forced to run drugs for her uncle. She watches helplessly as the convoy’s military escort is gunned down in the street.

The author continues to maintain the 1940s flavor with musical mentions, fashion, and language. Every now and then a term not normally used in this country slips in and you may realize that the author is from Australia (i.e., lorry, wireless) but you still get the “look and feel” of the times.

Chocolate Cake and Sandwiches (Avon Calling!, #3) by Hayley Camille

In Episode 3 of Hayley Camille's Avon Calling! series, while Betty tries to assuage husband George’s concerns about her intense attention to her Avon business (which she uses as a cover to mask her real actions and get her out of the house alone), we’re reintroduced to her childhood friend, Jacob Lawrence, now a newly minted police sergeant in the NYPD. As the new guy in rank, Jacob has caught the cases of the “random” mob killings in town.

Meanwhile, mob boss Donald Pinzolo, Betty’s ultimate target, is making nice with the NYC mayor by publicly becoming the benefactor of the city’s St. Augustine’s School for Unwanted Boys. However, the hits on his boys and their operations, not to mention the loss of money and product, has caught his attention and he’s out for blood trying to find the perpetrator.

Once again, the 1940s atmosphere is both charming and attention-grabbing. The author has clearly put a lot of time, effort, and research into recreating the mood and setting, making it feel genuine. Mixed with the noir are the superhuman traits that Betty brings to the table. It’s a fun mix, and I can really recommend this series to those that like the era, a strong female lead, and a touch of the paranormal in their thrillers. They’re just fun! Start with Episode One though, they are episodes of an ongoing story.

A Dream That I Can Call My Own (Avon Calling!, #2) by Hayley Camille

Episode 2 in Hayley Camille’s Avon Calling series gives us another look into Betty Jones’ backstory. Her ability to hear the thoughts of others is a family trait that appears in all the women of her line. Her daughter, Nancy, approaching adolescence, is due to soon begin experiencing her own form of the trait.

Betty is also ready to make a move against her despicable Uncle Frank, a lesser mob boss in the local crime syndicate. Uncle Frank knew all about the abuse going on her home when Betty was a child and chose to do nothing about it.

In this episode, she and her beloved husband, George, are having a night out dancing at a nightclub. While George waits for her to return from the ladies’ room, Betty goes to the club office and confronts Frank and his men who are waiting to meet with the “man” that hijacked their stolen drug shipment. Uncle Frank finally recognizes her as his niece, Susie, but that does nothing to save him from her revenge.

The author really brings the era to life with descriptions of fashion, language, and character attitudes of the times. Betty’s husband is concerned about her involvement in her Avon business. He provides for the family. But her Avon Lady gig is her cover for what her real agenda is – one that is still just unfolding for the reader. I recommend this for readers that like a historical slant to their mystery, thriller, and action reading.

Save Her Soul by Amanda J. Evans

Kate Ritter was out for revenge against the man and mob that raped and killed her younger sister. Drake Summerfield is the demon set on making sure she takes her vengeance and her soul is sent straight back to hell to be at his side for eternity. Little did he know, he was meant to be her salvation instead.

This scenario has been repeated for the past 500 years. A prophecy claims that Drake will be the one and only one that can save Kate’s soul from eternal damnation. He has always believed her soul was as dark as his, and has done whatever he could to lead her to kill during each and every reincarnation. But every new age, he is ripped from Hell by the guardians of light which includes her mother, Majeria, to find her soul and try to redeem her. Now, with the 500 years almost up, Drake has this last lifetime to fulfill the prophecy before they are both sent to Hell for good.

An interesting story with engaging characters, once I began reading Save Her Soul, I was hooked and didn’t want to put it down. Very enjoyable. Kate and Drake both are damaged souls. Their attraction is instantaneous and I was rooting for them to get back together throughout the story. The story of Kate getting her revenge is furthered and concluded by plausible means. She watches and follows and gets evidence against the villains through hard work and creativity – no paranormal, otherworldly assistance. But readers that enjoy the touch of the paranormal will enjoy this story as well.

Murder on the Great Lake (A Pet Portraits Cozy Mystery #2) by Sandi Scott

Once again, Georgie Kaye and her sister, Aleta, are party to a murder. This time the sisters are along for a ride on the annual lake cruise of the Fit Family Gyms, a fitness franchise in the greater Chicago area when the evening’s award winner, Deck Zannowski, goes overboard and drowns. Deck had been a nice guy, and had taken the franchise’s problem location on and turned it around to become the highest earning one in the group. When the autopsy reveals that Deck had been given Rohypnol and with several suspects from which to choose, Georgie, Aleta, and Georgie’s ex-husband, Stan – the lead detective on the case, investigate to track down who might have shoved Deck overboard.

I am really loving this series and hope the author does many more. The characters of Georgie, Aleta, and Stan are charming (as are many of the supporting players). I love the setting in the city and neighborhoods of Chicago and the mention of real places and things there. The mystery of who killed Deck Zannowski is simple but not straight-forward so the detective work is necessary to come to a plausible conclusion. I would recommend this book and series to cozy mystery fans.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

Welcome to the Apocalypse: CyberNexis by D.L. Richardson

The excitement in Book 1 (Pandora) of the series, Welcome to the Apocalypse continues in Book 2 (CyberNexis) as the story shifts from being the end-of-the-world scenarios being played inside a computer game to real-life. The Yellowstone Caldera, a supervolcano located under Yellowstone National Park, blew while the 100 plus Apocalypse Games launch day players were ensconced inside their gaming simulation pods at CyberNexis headquarters in San Diego. This triggered volcanoes around the world to erupt as well. The survivors in the U.S. have been directed to central evacuation camps near major population centers. The gamers were discovered by remnants of the military after an unheard-of three months hooked up to the CyberNexis system, and transported to the old site of the Lunar Receiving Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center in Houston because the gamers’ simulation pods and their physical conditions are so similar to astronauts coming out of a long space mission. Not all the gamers survived the damage that the CyberNexis headquarters sustained when the caldera erupted. Those that did are experiencing muscular dystrophy and other ailments.

The main characters from book 1 make a reappearance: some alive, some as casualties. Kelly Lawrence and Reis Anderson are recuperating at the NASA location. The doctors there are having difficulty though disconnecting Kelly’s brother, Jack Minnow, from the simulation pod and Pandora’s hold on him. And Jack doesn’t want to leave the game. He’s found and developed a bond with another player, Sasha Vaness, who though still alive in the game, was one of the casualties in real life.

The Lunar Receiving Laboratory was only meant to be a temporary stop for the Apocalypse Game players. On their recovery, they are to be bussed to the nearest evacuation camp in Fort Worth. Jack refuses to leave the lab and Sasha’s personality trapped inside Pandora as does Reekha Soodi, another player from book 1 who believes her husband, Naresh, is also trapped within. Kelly and Reis are both anxious to find their way back to California to check on family.

While Jack and Reekha conceal themselves at the lab, Reis and Kelly leave with the other gamers on busses headed for the Fort Worth evacuation center. Along the way, the bus convoy is attacked by a band of end-of-the-world mutations or Primals: humans that have survived and been changed somehow by the caldera eruption. Those that survive the attack crowd onto one of the other buses and make their way to the evacuation camp only to be redirected to Austin: no room in Fort Worth. The story continues from Austin as Kelly and Reis get on a train headed west and their goal – San Diego and CyberNexis, and from NASA headquarters where Jack and Reekha remained.

I enjoyed this installment of the series, and yes, there appears to be a third book coming – Welcome to the Apocalypse – Primal Scream (yay!) I enjoyed that a good portion of the story was set in my state near where I live and work. Of course, I compared for accuracy and found big differences, but who knows how the landscape would have changed after a supervolcano erupted, right? I recommend this book and this series but readers do need to have read the first book in the series to enjoy this one.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

Welcome to the Apocalypse: Pandora by D.L. Richardson

Three friends (since their teens) pay to participate in the grand opening of the next generation of virtual reality games called The Apocalypse Game. Players pay $5,000 each to be enclosed in a glass pod, interface with the gaming system to try and outlast an apocalyptic scenario of their choosing. Those that perish during the game wait out the rest of the 24-hour session in a “death dream” – a pleasant interlude tailored for the player while the clock runs down.

Of course, something goes terribly wrong and when Jack, Kelly, and Reis successfully survive the first game, they are sent into a second scenario. At first, players think they’ve been rewarded for their initial successes, but as they keep continuing into new games and the scenarios keep getting more bizarre, it becomes apparent they are trapped inside the system while their physical bodies deteriorate inside their glass pods.

The author touches on many different end-of-the-world game scenarios and it is very entertaining. The main characters all have interesting back stories that slowly come to light as the games unfold. Kelly, the young, grieving widow, looking to reunite with the spirit of her game programmer husband. Jack who is there to watch out for his sister (Kelly) and scope out the Apocalypse Game for his adventure tour company, undergoes some real soul-searching and revelations. Reis, Jack’s partner in the adventure tour company is, and always has been, in love with Kelly. Interesting NPCs (non-player combatants) and other players pop up throughout the various games, a few of whom I really became attached to. The story ends well but somewhat abruptly leaving several loose ends and questions. Only one of the three main characters (I won’t say whom) is featured in the ending and we have no idea what has become of the other two, let alone the rest of the players. Significant looks and pauses between others in this scene lead me to believe there was way more going on in the world than just a malfunctioning game though. I look forward to reading book 2 to resolve the cliffhangers.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader copy of this book.

Cookies, Corpses, and the Deadly Haunt by Rachael Stapleton

As an addict of the various TV remodeling, fixer upper, house flipping shows, I was already inclined to enjoy this series, and this first story was a lot of fun!

Former couple, Juniper Palmer and Jack Young, are business partners in the house flipping firm, Spirited Construction. In this first book in the new series by Rachael Stapleton, they have come to Jack’s hometown of Bohemian Lake to find their next project: renovating a spooky, old Gothic Revival house that has seen its better days. That project turns out to be the haunted “Doctor’s House” where 100 years earlier, the owner, the Doctor murdered his wife, Victoria, before turning a gun on himself.

Creepiness aside, the house really has potential and the partners are beginning to make some headway in bringing the old place back to life when Juniper’s best friend and former college roommate, Pike Hart, who also calls Bohemian Lake home, talks them into letting her hold the town's annual fundraiser Halloween Ball at the soon-to-be completed home. But before that can happen, Pike’s co-chair on the fundraising committee (and a descendant of the original owner) is murdered in the attic of the house. Strange music keeps playing, and the vision of a woman in white (the Doctor’s murdered bride?) is spotted on the grounds. Hunky police detective Cody Lumos is assigned the case and his interests include Juniper herself.

I liked the main characters – Juniper Palmer (from whose point-of-view we watch all the action), Pike Hart – her best friend, Detective Cody Lumos – her new love interest, and Jack Young, her business partner and former love interest. There are a number of plausible suspects provided, and a load of other interesting characters filling out the town of Bohemian Lake.

I really enjoyed this book even though I had a couple of issues with the execution of the book itself: point-of-view switches from first person to third and some grammar problems that can be easily cleaned up at some point. I was reading an advance readers copy so I'm sure some of these issues will not appear in the final edition. In spite of this, I still really liked this story and I'm already impatient for the next book in the series to come out. I will be seeking out books in this author's other series to tide me over.

I received a free, advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for my unbiased review.

Murder in the Art Gallery by Sandi Scott (A Pet Portraits Cozy Mystery, #1)

Oh, I am so going to like this series if this first novella, Murder in the Art Gallery, is any indication of what’s to come!

Set in Chicago, the story revolves around the 66-year-old twin sisters, Georgie and Aleta Kaye. Georgie, the older, more outgoing, and artistic of the two, has dragged a reluctant (but supportive) Aleta to the opening of a new exhibit of the hot, new Occhipinti Art Gallery. She is actually there to meet the gallery owner, Nate Stephenson, and discuss his interest in exhibiting her pet portrait artwork that he had admired in the neighborhood Earwax Coffeehouse. In addition to scoring some awesome noms at the exhibit, the sisters are front row & center when another local artist crashes the reception and loudly threatens to burn down the gallery and murder the owner’s financial partner, Jamal Landry.

The next day when the sisters return to the gallery to follow up with Nate regarding the details for Georgie’s proposed exhibit, they discover the Jamal’s dead body sprawled in one of the galleries.

I really enjoyed the sisters, their family and friends. The Chicago setting is presented and used so well I was ready to plan a vacation to go see the sights. I particularly enjoyed the back and forth between the sisters and between Georgie and her ex-husband, Police Detective Stan Toon. I was hoping for their collaboration and reconciliation from their first scene together.

I’m definitely looking forward to more titles in this series with more dogs, too. I can recommend this book to mystery readers that enjoy their mysteries on the cozy side and are looking for sleuths on the far side of 40.

Hello Again by Brenda Novak

Hello Again is the 2nd full-length novel in The Evelyn Talbot Chronicles featuring Dr. Eve Talbot and hunky Alaskan Trooper Sergeant Benjamin “Amarok” Murphy. Eve has regrouped from the previous novel where she was dealing with opening the program at the new maximum security research prison for psychopaths in Hilltop, Alaska. Along with the pressure of opening this facility in climate-challenging location where the local residents had not been enthusiastic, to say the least, she had also had to juggle the desires and egos of a high maintenance and difficult staff, the attentions of a stalker, and the murders of some of her coworkers. Just recalling all that had occurred up to this time, I was wondering what could possibly top that?

Hello Again delivered! This book is full of twists and suspenseful action throughout as well as the steadily growing romance between the two main characters. Being set in a prison specifically for psychopaths gives the story an immediate creepy factor. Every character behind those bars has the potential for a story of terror. This story features a lot from the viewpoint of Eve’s personal, UNincarcerated psychopath though: Jasper Moore. He’s getting closer …

I particularly liked how the relationship between Eve and the awesome Amarok progresses. She was such a damaged soul, and she’s concerned about being more than a few years older than him. He has turned out to be so much more patient, caring, and understanding than the usual romance novel hero – without feeling unrealistic, too.

I can wholeheartedly recommend this book (and this series) to romance and romantic suspense readers. It is great, and I can’t wait for the next is the series.

I received a free, advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for my unbiased review.

Avon Calling: A Woman's Work is Never Done by Hayley Camille

Ding-dong, Avon Calling!

It’s the summer of 1943, and Betty Jones is living the perfect life. Married to her beloved, George, a successful insurance man, with two children, George, Jr., age 5, and Nancy, age 11, she completes her days helping her Avon business customers and friends. Just when life becomes a little too much, the sound of “Avon calling” and the little bit of pampering that accompanies it can really boost a girl’s day.

But Betty isn’t all that she seems. Underneath that perfect exterior, Betty has secrets. For one, she can hear your thoughts.

Wow! Betty is my new super hero, and Avon Calling! is my new favorite series. A Woman’s Work is Never Done is the first episode and is a great start to this series. Episode 1 introduces the character Betty Jones and her family, and gives us a glimpse into her backstory, growing up with an abusive father who is a member of a local crime family in New York City and her heroin-addicted mother who uses the drug to quell the voices she hears in her head. Her mother could also hear other people’s thoughts, and the constant barrage from these voices drove her to find relief, and ultimately her death, in a syringe.

The author has incorporated the fashion, the language of the time, and the cultural history of the door-to-door Avon Lady into this story of mob crime and paranormal gifts. I can’t with to get into the next episode A Dream That I Can Call My Own.

Indentured (The Mystic Saga, #1) by Scott McElhaney

Declan Stringfellow is on a vigilante mission to take out the drug dealers and their organization when he is shot, rushed to a hospital, and undergoes an MRI to determine the damage. One minute he’s entering the scanner and the next he’s waking up (in a new, healthy, and fit body) in the far distant future aboard a spaceship. Future humans have developed the technology to highjack the results of MRIs collected in the past and imprint them on the brains of commercially-developed human bodies. Although the original Declan and the others with him lived out their normal lifespan in the past, the new beings only have memories up to the point of the MRI and nothing further. To their horror, they have been created to serve as “Indentures” or slaves. They are on this space vessel bound for an uninhabited planet light years away with the goal of building a base for future colonists already enroute from Earth. However, not everything is as it seems and many of the Indentured aren’t “on board” with their new lives.

This is the first book in a five-book series, The Mystic Saga, by Scott McElhaney. With an interesting storyline that goes from modern times to well into the future, a variety of characters, cool tech, heartbreak, and mysteries all around, the story had me hooked right away. There are intriguing developments all along the way that the characters question, just like I was doing. I’ve already obtained Book 2, Legacy, to continue the fun.

Severing Sidney by Jason Werbeloff

When Geppetto (the Gutter surgeon and 'parts' dealer from The Organ Scrubber) receives the "Save the Date" (awesome touch!) announcing the "Merging" ceremony of his only child (only daughter), Simona, he leaves his home outside the New York Bubble and travels back to his home country, the Roman Bubble. The announcement has taken its time finding and getting to him in the Gutter and he must leave immediately as the ceremony is to take place in 2 days time. Arriving in his former home, he discovers the ceremony has actually already taken place and Simona has already "become one" with her intended, Neville. To recognize their new relationship and state of being, they have taken a new name, Sidney, a melding of both their birth names. But Geppetto cannot find the true essence of his beloved daughter in the new being and sets about to rectify the situation as only a surgeon in the Bubble World would do!

This slice of life in the Bubble World adds to our knowledge and understanding of author Werbeloff's universe and we get to see some of the backstory of characters that appeared in the very first story: Geppetto and his niece, Florenza. I particularly was surprised by the introduction of Geppetto's ex-wife, Lilly White. I was suitably horrified by this latest installment in the Bubble World saga and look forward to more.

Patenting Peter by Jason Werbeloff

Jason Werbeloff and "The Bubble" continue to entertain me with each new addition to this world. In this latest story, Peter is a discontented husband acting out while his wife is at work. He suspicions that he is under constant surveillance by the Tokyo Bubble government, in general, and his wife in particular, while toting up the “movement tax” on his actions. He tries to garner his wife’s attention with more and more outrageousness until he succeeds. And succeed he does. Just not with the results he was hoping for.

The Bubble World short stories are a super addition to the Defragmenting Daniel trilogy. Don’t miss it or the supplemental stories.

The Sixth Man by Rupert Colley

Occupied France – 1943 - Six Frenchmen, picked up by the Germans for conspiring with the Resistance, have been held in a detention facility for the past six months. They are due to be released to go back to their homes on the morrow when they are informed by their captors that a train has been blown up by Resistance members. During the attack, five German soldiers were killed, and as an example to deter future attacks, five of the six Frenchmen are to be executed rather than released. It is up to the six to determine which of them is to be spared while the others die.

During the tension-filled night, the six decide to each tell their story and then vote, based on the lives they’ve lived and the deeds they’ve done, who is to escape the executioner. Rupert Colley has written an engrossing story with interesting characters and great background vignettes. I won’t divulge the final decision or results from the tense night of storytelling. Historical fiction readers will really enjoy finding out what happens.

Defenestration by Matthew W. McFarland

Originally a short story published as part of the author's previous work Fifty/Fifty and Other Stories, Defenestration has been expanded to novella length.

The story opens with our main character, Adam, looking back up to the 12th story apartment he’s just fallen from. He's falling, falling, and then ...

He is greeted by Gabriel and Michael who welcome him to the afterlife and give him an overview of his new situation. Turns out, the afterlife is whatever you believed it to be whenever you were alive. Adam decides he wants to know why and how he got to where he is, and the story takes off. And take off it does with many delightful interconnections deftly woven together to bring the story back around to where it started.

I love it when stories come full circle and tie everything together. This one is excellent! There were quite a number of the twists and turns that I never saw coming. All to the better for me. I highly recommend this book and the previous short story collections by the author.

City of Hope and Ruin by Kit Campbell and Siri Paulsen

Theo lives to protect her people from hellish monsters that sweep over her city each night when the sun goes down. She leads a trio of fighters on patrol to seek out and destroy them or be destroyed. Theo is the longest serving fighter on duty and has had numerous trio members wiped out by the creatures.

Briony is a healer in her village which lies near the border of her country and that under the control of the vicious Scarred. As the Scarred invade closer and closer, Briony is desperate to get her family to flee away from the border to the safer interior of the country.

One twilight, while Briony is deep in the forest with her mountain lion companion, Poes, she comes face-to-face with a projection of Theo. Over a series of meetings, they learn the rudiments of each other’s world and decide that their societies can and must come together to defeat their enemies and survive. While they work to solve the mystery of how their two societies got to where they are, the two begin to fall in love with each other.

It was my understanding that City of Hope and Ruin is a collaborative work by Kit Campbell and Siri Paulsen with one author writing from the point of view of one character and the other from another. Right there I was intrigued. The result was a very nice story. The authors have also posted pictures on Pinterest of settings that resembled their ideas of their characters and various settings. This was fun and I only wish that I’d run across that earlier in my reading - great pictures that really fit the story! The character names are awesome by the way.

City of Hope and Ruin is a solid fantasy with good character and world building, loads of exciting action, mystery, intrigue, heartbreak, and romance. This is the beginning of a series and I look forward to finding out what happens next.

I received an ARC copy of this book, and I was not obligated to write a review. This is my honest feedback.

Manufacturing Margaret - More awesomeness from Jason Werbeloff!

I don’t know what this author does day-to-day but he needs to write more and do less of whatever that is. Author Jason Werbeloff has a New Year's Resolution to produce a short story based in the world of the Bubble every month in 2017. This is the January 2017 story.

Manufacturing Margaret is a delightful addition to the world and history of the Bubble from the Defragmenting Daniel trilogy. If you’ve read the trilogy, you’ll know that Margaret is the murderous android that Daniel encounters first in his quest to regain his donated organs. However, Margaret has her own quest – to become more human by incorporating actual human parts into her android frame. This story tells about her earliest beginnings and what starts her on this quest. Werbeloff has crafted a truly creative origin story for Margaret!

I received an ARC copy of this story, and I was not obligated to write a review. This is my honest feedback.

The Boy Without a Heart (The Defragmenting Daniel Trilogy #3) by Jason Werbeloff

The Boy Without a Heart is the third installment in The Defragmenting Daniel Trilogy by Jason Werbeloff, and it picks up at the scene of the end of Part II. (The parts are not standalone pieces. They need to be read in sequence to understand and enjoy the trilogy.)

Android Margaret was always a loose cannon but she’s really gone over the top when she and Daniel confront the Stanton brothers after their concert at the Bacchus Mall. She’d become impatient and was ready to obtain the parts she still lacked to complete her “project” of becoming a human. Not only do they recover Daniel’s lungs from the brothers but she gets her lips (and when Detective Kage Jackson gets on the crime scene, he also scores some necessities as well from the fresh corpses!)

Author Jason Werbeloff ratchets up the action, tension, and horror in the final part of the trilogy. Daniel is closing in on the recipients of his last two organs and they turn out to be individuals with whom he has a connection. Daniel faces the dilemma of what to do with a lot of heart though.

With The Boy Without a Heart, the trilogy is done and proves to be a really satisfying reading experience complete with absolutely awesome plot twists at the end. I recommend this story to mature readers that enjoy horror and dystopian society tales.

The Face in a Jar (The Defragmenting Daniel Trilogy #2) by Jason Werbeloff

Jason Werbeloff has delivered AGAIN in the exciting and tension-filled 2nd installment of The Defragmenting Daniel Trilogy called The Face in a Jar.

Daniel Mendez is steadily gather up his original organs (taken from him as payment for his childhood upkeep) from the wealthy, priveleged Bubble recipients. However, the private investigator, Kage Jackson, contracted by the Bubble PD to track down the "Organ Thief" is steadily figuring everything out and closing in. Daniel is helped and hindered in his quest to become whole by Margaret, the robot that wants to become human and needs just a few parts herself to achieve her goal - Project Alpha. Her assistance comes at a price: Daniel must collect her desired parts as well as his own. Kage, a trans male formerly known as Kassandra, helped by love-interest, Una, is also hampered in his successful completion of the case by the police themselves.

The Face in the Jar builds wonderfully upon the world created in The Organ Scrubber (Book 1) and solidifies the totally hedonistic realm that is life in the Bubble. It reinforces the achingly vast difference between Bubble residents and those existing in The Gutter (the broken-down, poverty-stricken area outside). The story has explicit gore and sex and so much imagination of what makes up this world. It is exciting, tense and a definite page turner!

The Organ Scrubber (The Defragmenting Daniel Trilogy #1) by Jason Werbeloff

Daniel lives a grim, futile existence of endless work as an organ scrubber – flushing and preparing human organs slated for reuse by the wealthy and privileged. Orphaned at birth, Daniel grew up in The Orphanage with others in the same circumstances, selling his own organs as required to pay the high debt that even his meager existence incurs, replacing them with inferior cybernetic parts.

On his 18th birthday, he is entitled to receive the identification of his parents. Father unknown, but Daniel receives his birth mother’s name and last known address and leaves the relative safety and security of The Orphanage to find her. Along the way he discovers the fate of his mother and encounters people living outside the control of the known government. More importantly, Daniel decides he wants his own organs back.

Defragmenting Daniel: The Organ Scrubber is the first in of a trilogy by the talented Jason Werbeloff, and it is one heck of a beginning. Daniel's world comes to life, grim and horrific. Characters of a wide variety populate it and the action is non-stop. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the story!

Montana Rescue by Kim Law

After completing the first title in this new Kim Law series, Montana Cherries, and enjoying it so very much, I had to read book 2. I was delighted by the characters and setting in Montana Rescue. A handsome bull rider, Nick, part of a large family returns home, temporarily, to manage the family orchard business while his father and new stepmother take a long-needed vacation. Before even taking up his duties, he reconnects with the girl of his teenage dreams, Harper Stone, now widowed, who has also returned home after years away, and is helping her younger sister out with her business of providing the bucking bull stock to the Montana Pro Rodeo circuit (where Nick competes.) What follows is the story of how their relationship evolves and how they come to terms with their pasts.

It is a sexy, contemporary romance with two strong characters that totally melt when dealing with each other. It is also a story of healing and forgiveness – forgiving oneself and moving on. The setting in Montana was of interest to me. I’ve never been there but it sounds lovely and wild. Also, I enjoyed seeing this side of the workings of rodeo – that was a little different angle than I’ve seen before. As I mentioned before, this is the second book in this series about the large Wilde family but it stands on its own – you wouldn’t have to read the first book, Montana Cherries (although I liked it, too) to enjoy this one.

Montana Cherries by Kim Law

Dani Wilde’s life has been on hold for the last 14 years while she has kept house and looked after her father and brothers on their family farm after the sudden death of her mother during Dani’s first semester of college. But with the college graduation of her youngest brother, Dani plans to move back to New York City (where she’d been when her mother died) and pick up where she left off.

The plan is to stay through the summer cherry harvest when all her brothers return home, say her goodbyes, and attempt to restart her interrupted life. And then, in walks her older brother’s best friend, Ben Denton, the love of her life, who took her virginity 10 years ago and left for a high-profile, celebrity lifestyle as a fashion and “fashionable” photographer. But Ben has not returned home alone. He’s got his newly-discovered daughter, Haley, with him and no clue about how to proceed as a single father to a four-year-old girl.

The feelings between Dani and Ben are still strong, and when Ben and Haley are welcomed into the Wilde family with open arms, complications begin to develop. As harvest time closes in and Dani prepares to depart for New York, the truth and dysfunctionality of the family begin to come to light.

The characters in the story are all suffering and trying to heal from the impact of horrible mothers: the Wilde siblings, their father, Ben, and Haley whose mother kept her existence a secret until she dumped the child on Ben’s doorstep and abruptly left. All are victims of women that never should have had children. Each is trying to cope in their different ways under their different circumstances. There are some very heartbreaking moments.

The romance between Ben and Dani (both as their younger selves and in the present situation) is compelling and keeps the pages turning. I continued to wonder what the final outcome was going to be.

There is tension between family members rooted in their past but there is forgiveness and reconciliation as well making for some additional drama and emotional storytelling.

Altogether, Montana Cherries is unique in its premise and satisfying in its resolution. It is a lovely start to what I hope is a series featuring each of the Wilde siblings.

Her Darkest Nightmare by Brenda Novak

Twisted minds, twisted ending!

After a spectacular set up of the series in the prequel, Hanover House, author Brenda Novak has offered up a very suspenseful series opening in Her Darkest Nightmare. The story begins with a retelling of the horrific abduction, torture and murders of 16-year-old Evelyn Talbot’s 3 best friends by her boyfriend, Jasper Moore, and her subsequent victimization and almost murder when she discovers him in the act. Jasper escapes capture and justice, perhaps aided by his parents, and remains free to this day, haunting the adult Evelyn’s life and mind, always looming in the shadows ready to pounce and finish what he’d started all those years ago.

Dr. Evelyn Talbot is now a successful psychiatric leading a research facility attached to a new prison located in Hilltop, Alaska, studying psychopathic serial killers. Overcoming the fears of the locals and the only law enforcement in the area, Alaska State Trooper Sergeant Amarok, about having such a facility on their outskirts is tough enough but suspicions escalate with the murders of two prison staff members.

With the characters socked in and hampered by winter storms, the remoteness of the setting lending to the feeling of aloneness, and the absolutely terrifying craziness of some of the inmates, the story is really suspenseful. Evelyn and Amarok are immediately attracted to each other but their relationship is complicated by her past and his opposition to having the prison on his doorstep. Then, too, just when I thought I had it all figured out – SURPRISE!

I was so wrong.

And because I never saw it coming, the story was that much more frightening.

I highly recommend Her Darkest Nightmare to those that like their sexy romance with a big dose of suspense.

Hanover House by Brenda Novak

When Evelyn Talbot was sixteen years old, she was abducted, then tortured and left for dead by her boyfriend, Jasper Moore, in their hidden, secret rendezvous spot in the woods. She had walked in on his murders of her 3 best friends and he had to stop her from alerting the police. She was at his mercy for 3 days in the little shed in the wood before he slit her throat and left her to die amongst the bodies of her friends. But Evelyn managed to escape and get to help and did not die. Jasper, with the suspected aid of his parents, immediately disappeared, never caught and brought to justice: his memory and unknown whereabouts always lingering in the shadows and the back of Evelyn’s mind. She goes on to university making it her goal in life to unravel the secrets of the psychopathic mind.

Now a successful psychiatrist, Evelyn has gotten the Bureau of Prisons to fund and build a special maximum security prison and research facility for the study of psychopaths outside the remote Alaskan town of Hilltop. The townspeople there are of mixed opinion about having the prison located there: while it will provide some much needed economic development and jobs, it brings with it some of the worst criminals in the country to their back door. Leading the local opposition to the project is handsome, single, local boy Alaskan State Trooper Benjamin Murphy or “Sergeant Amarok (Wolf)” as he was known by the community – also the only law officer in the region.

When construction on the prison is interrupted by vandalism, Evelyn must travel to Hilltop to oversee its repair, hire some construction site security, and meet with Sergeant Amarok in an attempt to garner some support for the project in town. In the meantime, Jasper reappears on the scene.

The characters that populate the story are a wonderful mix – good/evil, supportive/adversarial. Evelyn is still vulnerable as an adult due to Jasper’s horrendous attack. It continues to color her life and her healing is an ongoing process and a major part of the story. Amarok also has a past that affects him. He had discovered only a few years earlier that he had a twin brother. His mother had left him and his father alone in Alaska taking this brother with her to live in Seattle without further contact. So both the main characters have trust issues with the opposite sex. There are also Jasper and the inmates, all suitably crazy.

The plot is tense and suspenseful with immediate romantic tension between Evelyn and Amarok. The setting in Alaska introduces a layer of hardship and remoteness into things as well which added up to keeping me on edge throughout the reading.

Hanover House is the precursor to the actual series which kicks off with Her Darkest Nightmare in August 2016. With such a dramatic and suspenseful build up, I will definitely be in line to pick up that title.

Saven Deception by Siobhan Davis

What a good story!

Set in a dystopian future Earth where society has been separated into 3 classes: Bullions (the elite), Coins (the middle-class), and the lowest level or Stars and segregated into living sectors by class centered around a core city, author Siobhan Davis has built a grim, hopeless, and wearing life for story protagonist, 18 year old Sadie Owens.

When offered a way out of her miserable life and horrible home situation through selection to participate in a government-sponsored experimental program, Sadie jumps at the chance. “The Experimento” is the creation and development of new underwater cities that are expected to ease massive overpopulation issues that exist on the surface. Sadie and her fellow program participants have been recruited as study subjects to see how, and if, humans can successfully adapt to a life lived in these cities under the ocean.

With much young adult romantic drama and the slow unfolding of secret government agendas, the story moves forward at an exciting pace with something always going on. There is foreshadowing of secrets yet-to-be-revealed, hopefully in the succeeding novels of the Saven series. I’m so on board for the next installments!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.