Virtual Book Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Damned Lovely by Adam Frost

The Damned Lovely

by Adam Frost

August 29 - September 23, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

“She wasn’t pretty but she was ours…”

Sandwiched between seedy businesses in the scorching east LA suburb of Glendale, The Damned Lovely dive bar is as scarred as its regulars: ex-cops, misfits and loners. And for Sam Goss, it’s a refuge from the promising life he’s walked away from, a place to write and a hole to hide in.

But when a beautiful and mysterious new patron to the bar turns up murdered, Sam can’t stop himself from getting involved. Despite their fleeting interaction, or perhaps because of it, something about her ghost won’t let go…

Armed with the playbook from the burned-out ex-cops, Sam challenges the police’s theory on the killing, butting heads with hardened detectives and asking questions nobody wants to answer. As his obsession takes hold so does his sense of purpose—as if uncovering the truth about the killer might heal some part of his own broken life. But the chase sets him on a collision course with a crooked charity, violent fundamentalists, corrupt cops, brazen embezzlers and someone dangerously close to home—all who want to make sure the truth never comes out.

Praise for The Damned Lovely:

“The Damned Lovely is the LA crime story born anew, an addictive mystery and a love letter to the careworn and forgotten places of Los Angeles—Los Angeles as it is right now. Adam Frost is a crime writer with a sharp new voice, telling a tale about the one thing everyone in Los Angeles has: desire. Desire for truth, for justice, for love, or maybe just a place to call home. Highly recommended.”

Jordan Harper, Edgar Award-winning author of She Rides Shotgun

“Frost’s crackling debut novel belongs on the shelf right next to Joseph Wambaugh and Michael Connelly. Crisp prose. An intricate plot worthy of Raymond Chandler, packed with scruffy, lovable, and lived-in characters that leap off the page. Frost brings a fresh voice and much-needed new blood to LA crime fiction.”

Will Beall, author of L.A. Rex and creator of CBS’s Training Day

“An unputdownable and suspenseful whodunnit: anchored in the quandary of manifesting destiny in grief and lost opportunity.”

Blake Howard, producer and host of the One Heat Minute podcast and Film Critic

“Every bourbon-soaked sentence in this endlessly entertaining first novel proves Joseph Wambaugh dipped Adam Frost by his ankle into the L.A. river. Roll over Michael Connelly, tell Raymond Chandler the news.”

Adam Novak, author of Rat Park and Take Fountain

Book Details:

Genre: Mystery, Crime
Published by: Down & Out Books
Publication Date:
Number of Pages:
ISBN: 1643962531 (ISBN-13: 978-1643962535)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | The Down & Out Bookstore

Read an excerpt:

I took a sip and checked my phone. Waiting for the screen to siiiing. Praying. Hoping.

She held her ground and I lost the fight.

The empty telephone. Reminding me, I had no excuses. To be in a better place. To be successful.

I was an American.

I was white.

I grew up safe and surrounded by love.

There was money for birthday parties and proper schools.

I had a college degree in communications.

I’d traveled to Southeast Asia. Seen Europe. Touched down in South Africa. I had a sweet girl who liked to cook and wanted a ring. We had an apartment in West Hollywood with good light.

I’d found a marketing gig early and wrote ad copy for seven years. Logos. Corporate promos. Internet ribbons. Microcopy drawl. Quippy garbage that paid the rent and then some.

I was on the right track.

Until I broke. Crashed the cart and pulled the plug on my world of California lies.

Staring into those smiling faces across a Doheny dinner table one night.

The masquerade of happiness.

The Instagram sham.

There was no substance. No truth. No intent for anything more than gain.

I had sealed the truth for years. Locked and bottled that depression south, convinced I could kick it. Convinced the gnaw would pass.

Things are great, I kept saying. Things are great.

But something about those faces on that very Doheny night popped the cork and shattered the glass. I called it out. I let it rip ugly. These weren’t my friends. They were assets. Nothing more.

This wasn’t love. This was compliance on rails.

I needed something pure. Something with purpose and mine all mine. That I truly adored.

So I quit the girl who liked to cook. Lost the apartment with the light and moved to Glendale. Where it was cheaper. Where there was no good light.

And worst of all. I was compelled by a force inside my bones to write something real. Something long and from the heart. Something maybe even wise.

This, more and more it seemed, may have been a grave mistake.

It was in no way working out.

Still, I refused to believe in misery. An honest rut is all. It’ll turn around soon. It has to. Because when you’re going through hell in Glendale, keep going. Right?

So. Soldier on. Live with intent and drown those voices out.

Drown. Them. Out. Soldier!

Swish. Swish.

A red Trojan alpha bro was swipin’ right at the bar. Americana run off sipping a sea breezer with a skinny lime. Slice and I shared a healthy glare of disdain when Jewels crossed behind me and nodded to stool 9.

“She’s baaaack,” Jewels cooed.

And there she was. Hiding her green eyes under a black felt fedora and a worn-out paperback of To the Lighthouse. She had dark brown hair pinned low at the back. Wore a simple tight white V-neck tee exposing that soft skin around her collarbones. She sat straight. With her legs crossed in black jeans that pinched in at her waist and exposing a band of flawless smooth lower back. She kept her face down. Never spoke to a soul beyond ordering a drink. And never looked at her phone. Not once. Not once had I seen her look at her phone. Instead, she just buried her eyes in that book. Drowning out the world with a Negroni and Woolf’s words like some kinda mystery from a different era. She’d been in four times now by my count. And it was consistent. Early in the afternoon. Same drink. Same book. Alone. Like an oasis in this godforsaken Glendale desert.

***

Excerpt from The Damned Lovely by Adam Frost. Copyright 2022 by Adam Frost. Reproduced with permission from Adam Frost. All rights reserved.

Review: 

5 stars!

The Damned Lovely was a genuine page-turner of a book that kept me reading late to get to a good stopping point. The problem for me was the story was so good, with Sam's ongoing investigation and constant drama, there just wasn't one. I always wanted to see what was going to happen next. 

Sam is a good guy, but he's worked himself into a hole. His literary agent is a harpy, his roommate is an inconvenient convenience rather than a friend, and his friends are a bunch of barflies with their own troubles. I loved the collection of personalities and stories the author has conceived for The Damned Lovely's regulars. Everyone has a story. The author has a knack for dialogue and a talent for putting the reader in the story. 

The bar itself also has a personality, as does Goss's Glendale. The moody descriptions set a tone and paint a vivid backdrop for the book's action and events. I could clearly envision the bar, Goss's home away from home. 

But the plot is what kept me in my seat, or rather on the edge of it. The police investigation goes in a different direction than Sam's, with twists and turns to follow and some entirely believable red herrings. The clues to uncovering the truth behind the murder are right there, one by one. 

With the main character's alcohol-infused decision-making and struggles, gritty action, sudden violence, moody setting, and overall feeling of impending doom, this modern mystery is spectacularly reminiscent of early crime and detective thrillers and movies. I recommend THE DAMNED LOVELY to readers of mystery fiction, especially those that enjoy the film noir genre of the 40s and early 50s.

Author Bio:

ADAM FROST was born and raised in Vancouver. He began as an actor, and now works as a television writer and producer, best known for the crime shows Tribal and Castle. He lives on the east side of Los Angeles. He’s also one helluva T-ball coach.

Catch Up With Adam Frost:
www.AdamFrostWrites.com
Instagram - @thedamnedlovely
Twitter - @Afrostbite23
Facebook - @adam.frost.9655

 

 

Tour Participants:

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GIVEAWAY:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Adam Frost. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

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Lord of the Fly Fest by Goldy Moldavsky

Lord of the Fly Fest by Goldy Moldavsky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You don’t have to love Lord of the Flies to love this book!

Like many others, Rafaela "Rafi" Francisco had ponied up all her savings to attend Fly Fest, the ultimate music festival and hottest party in the Caribbean. However, Rafi had an agenda for attending. It's not that she wasn't a music lover or wanted to party with the rich and famous, but rock superstar River Stone was a headliner, and Rafi was going to get an interview with him at all costs. Rafi was a fledgling podcaster, and after a mildly successful debut year, her show Musical Mysteries needed a spectacular second season to draw in sponsorships and more listeners.

Australian River Stone had burst on the music scene a couple of years earlier with a tragic tale of love and loss that shot him to the top of the charts and into the hearts of millions of loyal fans. Before he'd come to the music world's attention, River, a struggling singer-songwriter, and his girlfriend had headed outback for a camping trip. While River napped, his girlfriend had written him a "Dear John" letter, taken his car, and disappeared, leaving him stranded miles away from help. The girlfriend was never heard from again. The police investigated and backed up River's story, but his explanation always sounded suspicious to Rafi. Now, after a bit of research and a whole lot of speculation, she intended to garner an interview with the superstar and ask the tough question everyone else seemed to give him pass on: "What really happened to Tracy?" She fully intended to interrogate him into confessing he was a murderer.

But that was the plan before she and the other Fly Fest attendees, most of whom were social media influencers, were dropped off on the tiny Caribbean island for the festival. When Rafi and the others arrived on the island, there was no sign of any festival: no greeters or transportation. There was no evidence of the promised private villas or gourmet chefs. In fact, there was no food or water available except for what was growing or raining from the sky. Worse yet, there was no cell service for the Instagram and TikTok movers and shakers. The festival was a scam, and the promoters had left the hapless attendees to fend for themselves for the next seven days.

Apparently, rumors that something was off about Fly Fest had floated about during the week leading up to the event, and at the last minute, all the musical guests, save one, River Stone, had canceled. His current girlfriend, Hella Badid, the supermodel spokesperson for the event, was supposed to have met him there, but she had missed her flight and was a "no show." With her quarry in sight, though, Rafi intended to make the best of the situation and get her story. But when a famous social media influencer goes missing, and the last person she was seen with was River Stone, Rafi realizes that maybe cornering a serial killer on a remote tropical island wasn't her best plan.

Lord of the Fly Fest was a fun and clever story made even more delightful by the allusions and parallels to William Golding's classic, Lord of the Flies. Rafi is surrounded by social media influencers and one of the few voices of reason on the island. She is a wonderful character, but the author also has a variety of fabulous secondary ones that parody the influencer communities of Instagram and Tiktok. I laughed until I about cried several times over the absurdities the situation created and the exaggerated but realistic portrayals of the various lifestyle influencers still trying to maintain their online habits. Throwing back to the classic foundation novel, one character lovingly calls his followers "piggies." The author creates a remote island setting, frightening and surreal, reminiscent of the island from Golding's work, and includes similar names and outcomes that echo the original. There is so much to love about this story, especially if you're a fan of the Lord of the Flies novel or movies.

But parody aside, the plot is about Rafi exposing River Stone, a young man who has been very kind to her, as a murderer based on very little evidence. She initially feels she is above the shallowness of the rest of the stranded festival-goers (and yes, they are shallow and awful people) but comes to realize she's not perfect either nor entitled to be so righteous. There is a nice revelation of truths, and mistakes are made, leading to her heartfelt offer and attempt to redeem herself. There is a great wrap-up that closes out the hanging subplots, too.

I recommend LORD OF THE FLY FEST to readers of young adult fiction, especially those who are fans of online social media or social media-related stories or have read Lord of the Flies.

#CaribbeanIsland #LiveYourBestLife #NoThreeHourCruise #WheresMyVilla #DoesThisPigDungMakeMyButtLookFat #AreBananasGlutenFree

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through NetGalley and TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

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Aos Sí (Viking P.I., #4) by Tommy Ueland

Aos Sí: A Viking P.I. Mystery by Tommy Ueland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Viking PI is back for Book 4!

Tommy Ueland, as his alter-ego, is back with another case for the Viking P.I., and, once again, his girlfriend, Alvide, is the investigator busting his chops. This time, the murder victim seems to have left a clue to his killer by way of a bloody message scrawled near his body. With things pointing in Tommy’s direction, Alvide brings him in, and the police chief, disgruntled with Tommy from a previous encounter, takes advantage of the opportunity to flex his authority. With Alvide angry at him and the evidence supporting an easy resolution with Tommy as the murderer, tempting the police to call it a day, Tommy has no choice but to find the real killer himself.

Aos Sí (a Celtic woodland paranormal creature) is another short, exciting case from the Viking P.I.’s logbook. As always, the dialogue and Tommy’s delivery delights. New readers should start with Book 1, as this entry doesn’t have a lot of backstory to really understand and enjoy the character dynamics. But, even if it did, the previous books in the series are not to be missed. Alvide definitely doesn’t show her good side in this one.


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The Epic Story of Every Living Thing by Deb Caletti

The Epic Story of Every Living Thing by Deb Caletti
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A thoroughly satisfying, modern coming-of-age tale, full of the discovery of self and wonder of the real world around us.

Harper Proulx is a social media star with a secret. She's popular, pretty, smart, and has the hottest boyfriend, Ezra, to take her places and document her every move. Her thousands of followers "Like" or comment on her posts as she curates her carefully staged pics to reveal only what is in sync with her brand. But her dedication to engaging with her audience and creating an image compensates for what she secretly wants: to know who she really is. She wants to know who her father is.

Harper's mother, Melissa, the daughter of a renowned economist and herself a respected professor of economy at the local university, conceived Harper via artificial insemination: had chosen the anonymous sperm donor from a catalog of desirable traits, such as the combination of vibrant auburn hair and vivid blue eyes. However, her mother could give her no information other than his medical history: not his name or address or likes or dislikes; their state did not allow for this disclosure, she said. But one day, a follower posted on one of Harper's pictures that Harper looked just like someone else she knew, Simone, another online influencer with an intimidatingly massive social media following. With only a tiny bit of research, Harper agreed. Looking at Simone was like looking at herself in a mirror: eerily familiar. Could she be an older half-sister? Later, there was a similar post. There were more out there like her!

What an amazing and satisfying coming of age and facing your fears story! The plot follows the main character, Harper Proulx, as she determinedly creates and maintains a "nature girl in symmetry with her environment" persona. It's an elaborate masquerade, though, as Harper is terrified of everything, thanks to her overwhelming exposure to "the sky is falling" content on social media. The stress of maintaining her brand and FOMO is compounded by her helicopter mom's relentless push for safety and academic perfection.

This never-ending cycle of "keeping up" doesn't allow Harper to share her real insecurities, her inner self, or her secret need to find out about her father or her discovery that she's got half-siblings with her faithful boyfriend, Ezra. This unknown conflicts with her perception of her perfect persona. I loved that her need to know trumps her need for safety and leads to adventure and a quirky "found" family. I loved all of the siblings' reawakening to the wonders of life, and the setting in Maui is irresistible, full of mystery and beauty.

Told from Harper's point of view, readers are privy to her thoughts and motivations. I was subtly absorbed into her preoccupation with her social media presence; honestly, it felt normal; she was so effortlessly good at it. In fact, I initially felt Ezra was being overly sensitive. It didn't feel so all-encompassing until it was missing. I had been sucked into Harper's life that completely. But the story changes focus to the real people around Harper, and so does she. It is mind-boggling how easily one can shut out what's right before your eyes and become distracted and absorbed by the allure and massive volume of a "created" online world.

I truly enjoyed the main characters: Harper, Ezra, Dario, Wyatt, Simone, and their new "found" family, including Beau and Greer. I loved that more siblings were occasionally revealed as the story went on. I think it must be a universal desire or need to discover such connections with the many anonymous others out there, hence, the popularity of genetic matching services. And frankly, I could relate to Melissa Proulx, her fears and desires for her child. I can't believe she wouldn't hop on a plane to Maui during all this, though.

Author Deb Caletti has crafted a thoroughly modern tale of discovery: discovering self, identity, and wonder. She captures perfectly that blasé feeling, that sense of inurement to what's going on in the world because of the constant bombardment of news, information overload, and the overwhelming number of calls to action. Her reigniting of wonder felt so pure and simple and joyful.

I recommend THE EPIC STORY OF EVERY LIVING THING to readers of young adult fiction, especially those who enjoy the phenomenon of online life and influencers, the idea of the hunt for DNA relatives, scuba diving, and the around-the-world travels of clipper ships during the mid-1800s.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through NetGalley and TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

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Creatrix Rising: Unlocking the Power of Midlife Women by Stephanie Raffelock

Creatrix Rising: Unlocking the Power of Midlife Women by Stephanie Raffelock
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Part memoir, part self-help, completely inspiring!

In Creatrix Rising, author Stephanie Raffelock introduces and discusses society’s, including women’s, beliefs about a woman’s place in the world once reaching menopause. Early women’s studies have classified a woman’s life into three ordered stages or archetypes: maiden, mother, and crone. It seems that we as a society have an ingrained sense that a woman’s entire worth culminates during the mother phase, on one’s ability to produce children. Once that is no longer an option, a woman moves into the crone phase, one of less or no value.

As I’ve aged, and as my friends and family have also done so, I have heard that wistfulness in the tone of voice when we talked about entering menopause. It is a change to one’s identity, much like when one retires. (But as I liked to think when I retired, I’m just retiring from HERE (that job), I’m not retiring from life. Frankly, I’ve got stuff to do, places to go, and people to see.) But even before retiring from a job, menopause happens, and the insidious labeling of irrelevance can start to invade. Raffelock proposes we jettison the image of the crone as no longer relevant and replace it with the more accurate archetype of Creatrix: a woman who is comfortable and free to be true to herself and embrace the creativity she has within. The book fleshes out the nature of the Creatrix and how it manifests under current circumstances much better than I can.

The author narrates the audiobook edition of the book herself, and she is captivating. I can absolutely understand why she would be in demand as a speaker (which makes one of her life vignettes regarding her speaking to groups particularly poignant.) Raffelock puts her life on view for the reader, warts and all, describing her personal experiences and revelations on her way to where she is today. Like everyone, she made some mistakes in her life, and she is very candid about hers. This book is inspirational and illustrative rather than simply biographical, but I imagine her complete life story would make for fascinating reading. This book was absorbing, and found it difficult to pause my listening to the audiobook.

Each chapter concludes with a set of outstanding questions for personal reflection and journaling to assist the reader in recognizing the Creatrix in themselves and promote thoughtful consideration. Sometimes the questions were difficult for me to find a starting point to form a response to; others served as an open door. Many made me wish I was listening to the audiobook with friends and family because I wanted the discussion that was sure to follow after.

I will recommend Creatrix Rising to those friends and family and women approaching this pivotal point in their physical life and psyche.

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As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Simply an amazing debut novel based on the ongoing conflict and atrocities in Syria!

Salama Kassab lives in Homs, Syria, an area held by the revolutionary Free Syrian Army as the dictatorship's militia slowly but surely beats them down. At 18 years old, she had completed one year of pharmacy school at the university when she lost her family. One day, her father and older brother, Hamza, were arrested and imprisoned for participating in a protest against the government. The following week, her mother was killed when their home was destroyed in a bombing raid. Salama had been blown free, barely surviving the blast. She now lives with her pregnant sister-in-law, Layla, while volunteering at the local hospital.

The dire circumstances in Homs, this last holdout of the FSA, necessitated that Dr. Ziad, the lead surgeon at the hospital, recruit and train Salama in surgery and emergency care – something she never imagined she would ever have to do. But without much other medical staff, she does what needs doing. Casualties are constant, day in and day out, as the dictator's army rains death and destruction down on the civilians in residential areas and schools. Snipers target children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Without a secure food or water supply, Salama and the surviving population of Homs are slowly starving to death. It's just a matter of time before the FSA retreats entirely, and the city is taken.

Salama had promised Hamza that should anything happen to him, she would get Layla to safety, and Layla wanted them both to escape to Germany. However, despite suffering from PTSD, exhaustion, and starvation, Salama is reluctant to abandon her duties and people. But as things continue down their desperate path, fate reconnects her with a young man from her past.

Kenan has also lost his parents to the fallout of his country's revolution. He is the sole caretaker of his younger brother, Yusuf, and younger sister, Lama. When Lama is struck by shrapnel during an attack on their neighborhood, he rushes her to the hospital for emergency care. Complications after Lama's surgery bring Salama to their home, where they discover their past connection. Like Salama, Kenan loves his country and does his part for the revolution by recording the protests and conditions in Homs and posting his videos online, revealing what is truly happening in Syria to the outside world. He wants to remain in Homs to fight, but he agonizes over the danger to his younger siblings as the FSA quickly loses its hold on the city and its residents face certain death.

As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow is the amazing debut novel by Syrian author Zoulfa Katouh. It is a gripping tale from start to finish and exudes the ever-present fear of the main characters and their neighbors. The story is absolutely heart-wrenching and made even more so with the understanding that it is based on actual events and ongoing conditions in Syria. The tension was constant from the beginning but continued to build as the story unfolded. The author doesn't pull any punches. There is no softening of the blows of the revolution's impact on the characters or the reader. There is death and danger at every turn of the page. I had to step away from the story to recover before going on. I can't imagine the reality of those that cannot.

The story is told in first-person from Salama's point of view, so we are privy to her thoughts and feelings. The effects of her PTSD manifest themselves in Khawf, who shows up at all hours of the day or night to harangue and taunt her. But Salama is an extraordinary and extremely likable young woman, a real underdog everyone will want to succeed. Amid her desperate daily life, romance finds its way to her, and it is accomplished in a most natural way and satisfying way.

The story isn't all heartbreak; there are moments of joy and recollections of good times. There are descriptions of life in pre-revolution Syria, college memories, friends and family, food and drink, and mentions of the glories of Syria's past. Layla and Salama have been best friends since childhood, and they still have some BFF moments, sharing secrets and giggling together when they can, although, under the circumstances, this is infrequent. (This book also presents one of the biggest and most shockingly blindsiding twists I have ever encountered in a plot. All I will say is I totally did not see that coming.)

With its engaging heroine and other main characters and tense, desperate plot, I highly recommend AS LONG AS THE LEMON TREES GROW to readers of young adult fiction and suspense, especially those who enjoy stories based on actual events. Please note that the subject matter is tough and comes with a list of content or trigger warnings.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through NetGalley and TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Fate in Suspension (Horn & Haven, #1) by Archer Kay Leah

Fate in Suspension
Archer Kay Leah
(Horn & Haven, #1)
Publication date: June 30th 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Paranormal, Romance

Quiet. That’s how he likes life, no drama to clean up…

Tai Xen-Vorsy leads a straightforward life: work, time at the local clubs where shapeshifters like him can play without fear, and the comforts of home with a cat that’s more than half attitude. After breaking up with his last submissive, he’s even taking a break from Dom duties.

Meeting Gates changes everything, and when Tai’s childhood home is destroyed, his simple life goes up in flames.

The Callensdale haven was his refuge as an orphan, a hideaway that saved his life. Now it’s time to return the favour. Bringing in the Fluff Brigade Brotherhood would make all the difference… if he could just get them back together. Tai won’t give up—he’s not that kind of unicorn. But can he reunite the brotherhood and keep his new relationship with Gates kindled at the same time?

The darkness is dragging him into the shadows, one case at a time…

Helping others is all Gates Colfaethe wants to do, being mostly unicorn shifter with a splash of Faerie. But years as an agent on trafficking cases leave him fearing just how far he’ll lose himself in the job before he burns out completely.

A random hookup with Tai might be the very change he needs. A new Dom means new rules and the chance to create safe distance from work—until his worlds collide in a twist Gates should leave well enough alone. What he knows is bad enough, but running headlong into danger could kill him.

Horn & Haven is an MM+ romance series featuring a found family of unicorn shifters brought together by tragic circumstances. Friends out to save a magical world in trouble. Family fighting to protect those they love. Lovers falling for the kinkiest unicorns this side of their universe… Welcome to the Fluff Brigade Brotherhood.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

Excerpt from

FATE IN SUSPENSION

For previously posted excerpts, visit these blogs:

Ilovebooksandstuffblog

Never Hollowed By The Stare

Books, Tattoos and Tea

Unicorn 

The vibration of a heavy stomp on the ground had Tai turning back to Gates, only to lose his breath. 

Even in the darkest of nights, he'd recognize a unicorn. 

The crushing pull on his heart wasn't the only thing that dragged him closer to Gates right then, but it may as well have been for all the devastation it wreaked inside him. He hadn't seen one of his own in their other form in a long time, and this… 

He couldn't breathe. He couldn't even stop blinking back what was gathering in the corners of his eye… Dust, he was sure of it. Maybe. If he was lucky. 

"Hey." Hand outstretched, Tai stilled as Gates's nose pushed into Tai's palm in a gentle nuzzle, the hot huff of a breath playing along Tai's forearm. Gates, who stood taller than him now by several hands, dark blond hair traded for a long, kinked white mane, and his eyes… Tai couldn't tell their exact colour, though he'd wager they resembled the richest violet wine. Up close, Gates smelled of musk and earthy sweetness, a hint of vanilla laced through the scent. 

Gates was gorgeous in this form too, all of the human lustre stripped away. Moonlight caught on the sheen of Gates's pale cream-coloured coat and the glimmer of his spiraled horn. Gates's muscles twitched and flexed beneath Tai's caress up his shoulder, his coat even softer than his mane, stirring memories long buried. It'd been years since Tai hadn't cared about turning; those times when he'd taken to being nothing but a unicorn and ran whenever he wanted, for however long he wanted. The haven had not only given him the freedom, but the joy, nothing locked down, and not a single worry about being snitched on— 

Gates huffed and mouthed at Tai's shirt, only to step back before ramming his forehead against Tai's hand. 

Tai chuckled. "Still know what you want," he teased, stroking Gates's mane. Gates drew close, one feathered hoof stopping just shy of Tai's foot. "I'm almost tempted to join you." 

Gates paused before butting his snout against Tai's chest. A second gentle shove nudged Tai back. 

"Really?" Tai grinned and held his arms open wide. "Tell me again." 

With a snort, Gates shuffled back, then tramped towards Tai and butted him hard enough to send Tai to the ground. 

Tai's burst of laughter sent the Faeries into a scattered frenzy around the clearing. A handful swooped over him in circles of gold and silver light, leaving trails above his face. "Got the point, gorgeous. Got the point." 

Up on his feet, Tai stripped out of his clothes and tossed them next to Gates's. He hadn't turned in a long time, well before he'd moved to Keikei at Ratchet's encouragement. His short stint in military training hadn't afforded any safe opportunities to take to hoof, and he hadn't bothered using the holosuites at Dragon's Lare to let loose. The last time had been at the haven, before the last few members of the brotherhood left. 

"Let's see if I can still do this," Tai muttered, staring at his open palms. The night air played over his naked skin, and he shivered as he willed the magic to come; to devour him whole and spit out a part of him he barely even knew anymore. Could he have lost it? Would the magic deny him, throw him back— 

Fuck! 

His heart all but exploded. The sensation of fists battering his insides went on a searing rage, rattling through his ribs and shaking his legs until he stumbled back. He took the agony, biting down as white light wiped away everything in his sight. The night erupted into nothing but pain. Joints—disjointed. Limbs—further from human with every second. Senses—hyped up and killing his head, colliding into a solid ball of screaming aches behind his eyes. The ground—not where he'd left it, not on two feet. 

By the time the night returned to his sight, he was ready to pass out. He'd forgotten how awful the change could be… how thrilling.

For additional excerpts, coming tomorrow, visit these blogs:

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Quill and Ink Book Tours

Author Bio:

Archer Kay Leah is an LGTBQA+ romance author that you’ll often find getting lost in strange, fantastical worlds with characters who can’t help but find trouble and shake things up. Fantasy and sci-fi romances are Archer’s speciality, especially when they’re complex and emotionally charged. But at the heart of Archer’s stories are friendship, family, and there’s always a happy ending–it might just take a whole lot of complications to get there!

When not reading and writing for work or play, Archer is a nerd of much geekery, loves music to depths that will never be contained, and is fascinated by behaviour, psychology, and ecology. Born and raised in Canada, Archer lives in London, Ontario with a non-binary partner who loves all things out there in the vast space of the universe.

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It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames

It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Exciting and horrifying plot along the lines of John Carpenter’s The Thing and Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None with very likable YA characters

The ad was for a two-week summer stay in Antarctica as part of a young adult scientific data collection team offered by the auto tech billionaire Anton Rusk. And after the horrible school year, she’d just completed, Riley Kowalski jumped to apply. It’s just what she needed, a chance to get away, a new start with people who had not witnessed her humiliating and debilitating panic attack in the hallway at school that day. Soon she found herself at Victoria Station in one of the loneliest places on Earth, with four other student workers, an unfriendly chaperone from the sponsoring company, and the lone scientist leading the two-week project.

Riley and the others were impressed by the sumptuous luxury of the accommodations that greeted them at the SladeTech facility: lots of unexpected amenities, and everything was plush. The following day they were quickly trained and began their duties by taking ice core samples to be examined for microplastics eventually. The work wasn’t difficult, the conditions were good, and everyone seemed to mesh well and get along. Riley and Luke, another student worker, struck up a friendship early on, relieving some of Riley’s anxiety that she didn’t fit in.

Things fell into a routine until one day, while out collecting samples, the group caught a glimpse of an odd snake-like creature that disappeared down into the surface of the ice. Up to this point, they’d not seen a single other sign of life, not even a penguin, and when they investigated, it appeared the creature had bored its way through the ice somehow! However, that evening another animal was seen briefly through the station’s common room window. With dim light conditions and the creature at a distance, no one got a good look, but the thing seemed to be watching the students.

However, things took a horrifying left turn when Greta, the scientist, returned from a trip to retrieve supplies from their drop point. Not only was she dangerously late getting back, but she did not seem herself when she returned. Later, after everyone had gone to sleep, Riley was awakened by an odd noise in the hall outside her dorm room. Getting up to investigate, she saw Greta, wearing only her sleepwear, standing outside on the ice ground surrounding the station. Was she sleepwalking? But as Riley watched and wondered if she should wake Luke to help her get the woman back inside before she froze to death, Greta dropped to all fours, her arms and legs bending in directions they were never meant to go, her face taking on the shape of a muzzle before her very eyes!

It Looks Like Us was an exciting and fun horror story, with the vibes of the movie by John Carpenter, The Thing, and hints of the great Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. I loved the whole setting of a remote science facility in Antarctica and the part the wealthy Anton Rusk plays in putting the teen characters there. These young adult characters represent a variety of personalities, backgrounds, races, and even sexual identities. But no matter their backstory, each one was engaging in their own way and easy to like.

The story fell within both the mystery and horror genres, and both were well developed. The action was non-stop, and there were shocking twists and turns throughout that kept me glued to the pages. The author inserted bits of factual information about Antarctica that I found interesting. However, it is the horror elements that take centerstage. They were imaginative and frightening, and I wish I hadn’t started the book right before bedtime. For those that need to know, as the action and tension ramps up, so does the use of expletives, including some heavy-duty choices.

With its exciting, non-stop action and engaging young adult heroines and heroes, I recommend IT LOOKS LIKE US to readers who enjoy young adult fiction, mystery, and horror stories or are intrigued by a story set in Antarctica.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through NetGalley and TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

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The Bluest Sky by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

The Bluest Sky by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Atmospheric and tense, the story held my attention from start to finish.

Hector loved his home, family, and friends, but the 1980s in Cuba were difficult times. Castro’s regime permitted no complaints, and those that spoke against the government soon found themselves imprisoned, thrown out of the country, and worse. Hector’s own father had spent years in prison before being exiled to the U.S. as a traitor, forced to leave behind his wife and two sons. Hector had been four when his father’s troubles began and had few memories of him, but Mamá and his older brother, Rodrigo, remembered and longed for the day they could all be together again as a family … in MIAMI. This was dangerous talk if someone overheard.

At 11, Hector, though cautious about his words and actions outside his home, was content. He excelled at mathematics and was studying with a tutor to represent Cuba at the upcoming International Math Olympiad in Easy Germany: the first student from their school to do so. His best friends, twins Teo and Isabella, lived across the street, and they had always been inseparable. Their loving family had opened their hearts and home to Hector despite the danger of association with a known traitor’s family.

But Mamá secretly had plans to reunite the family now that Castro had opened the port for those wishing to leave the small island country. But the path to freedom was not an easy one. The government erected administrative roadblocks all along the way and heaped humiliation after humiliation on those wanting to make their exit. To make matters worse, Hector’s abuela was an influential member of the Communist Party with spies everywhere who watched the family’s every move. She despised her daughter’s choice of husband, denouncing him every chance she got and demanding that Mamá and the boys forget him and follow her into the Party. But when Mamá’s plans came to light, the family’s decision to leave Cuba came with consequences that carried a terrible price.

The Bluest Sky by Christina Diaz Gonzalez is a new middle-grade book that older readers would also enjoy and find enlightening. It combines historical events with fictional ones that could easily be the backstories of many Cuban refugees that literally landed on these shores. There are moments of complete heartbreak but also hope for new lives and freedom.

Although Hector is content for much of the first part of the book, it becomes clear he is so because he’s never known life to be anything different. The author envelops the characters and reader in an atmosphere of oppression, fear, poverty, and lack of the freedoms we know as fundamental to our lives in the U.S. But as the reality of life is revealed to Hector, he quickly loses that contentment. Just the effects the American embargo had on the Cuban people’s ability to maintain their homes (they couldn’t get the materials to do so) was eye-opening. The author has put names and faces, albeit fictional, to those suffering, personalizing it and making it real.

Besides the oppressive setting, the plot quickly becomes tense and dangerous. I held my breath numerous times during the family’s harrowing process of leaving the country and teared up with both sadness and relief at others. It may take me a while to get over this story.

The juvenile main characters are engaging, strong, and brave: boys and girls with whom young readers will readily feel a connection. The plot includes features of their everyday living, home life, food, and growing up. The dialogue is liberally sprinkled with Spanish words and phrases whose meaning must be construed from context or looked up. Although it slowed the reading process down somewhat, I enjoyed looking up those that I didn’t recognize or couldn’t translate on my own.

With its taut storyline and engaging characters, THE BLUEST SKY would be a great book to share and discuss. I recommend it for middle-grade or older readers, which was well worth the reading.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through NetGalley and TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

View all my reviews

Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: All the Broken Girls by Linda Hurtado Bond

All the Broken Girls

by Linda Bond

August 22 - September 16, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

When one falls

Crime reporter Mari Alvarez was never able to solve her mother’s murder ten years ago. But when a woman is gunned down on the doorstep of her West Tampa neighborhood, Mari can’t shake the eerie sense of connection.

The others will break

Now there have been two murders in two days. Each crime scene awash with arcane clues―and without a trace of DNA from the killer. And for each victim, a doll. The first is missing an eye. The second is missing a heart. But are these clues leading to the killer…or messages for Mari?

Unless she plays the game...

Caught up in a maelstrom of Old-World superstition, secrets, and ties to her own past, Mari has only one option. Put the puzzle together before someone else dies―even if it destroys her career. But there’s no escaping the hungry spider’s web when it’s been made just for you…

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller
Published by: Entangled Publishing, LLC
Publication Date: August 23rd 2022
Number of Pages: 368
ISBN: 1649372140 (ISBN13: 9781649372147)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

Read an excerpt:

I’m running fifteen minutes late after driving my Abuela Bonita to her doctor’s appointment. But that’s not bad, actually, for Cuban time. Of course my statement high heels click on the uncarpeted floor like my abuela’s disapproving tongue and all I can think of is that silly commercial with the tagline “Wanna get away?” Except I can’t escape. It’s my first day back at the TV station after two weeks at home with no work and no pay. I’m still on probation, and I need this job like I need water and air.

Speaking of which, the thought makes me notice how parched my throat is and I’m afraid my voice will crack when I talk. My lungs are so empty I’m not sure I can deliver any story pitches, even if my job depends on it.

Which, it does.

Reporting is in my blood.

But my paycheck—also a necessity.

I rub my right wrist. The red rope bracelet is there. The pea-sized, black gemstone dangles from it. I roll the azabache charm between my fingers, silently going through my routine: twist the stone three times to the right, three to the left. Six times in all. My lucky number. I swear I’ll never go to a crime scene again without the charm. I’ve learned my lesson. Asi es. Truth. That’s how it is.

I pull out the chair across from Mr. Payton and accidentally scrape the floor. It’s loud. Que escandalo!

More stares cut my way. The air conditioning kicks up a notch, but that means nothing to the sweat rolling down my back, sliding into the most inconvenient places. I ignore the wet tickle and stand even taller before taking a seat.

My boss drills me with that intense stare that says everything he’s not allowed to vocalize for fear Human Resources will reprimand him. “Thanks for joining us, Ms. Alvarez.”

“Had to drop off my grandmother at her doctor’s office. She doesn’t drive.” I sit and twist the water bottle on the table until the label faces me. I look at El Jefe and force the corners of my mouth up. Abuela Bonita always told me, no matter what’s going on inside, you can win over the world with a warm smile.

“Let’s continue.” Mr. Payton looks at Paul Johnson, our political reporter.

Paul clears his throat. “As I was saying, the governor is going to hold a press conference on the opioid crisis at a local…”

I cross my ankles to keep my leg from bouncing. It’s clear my boss doesn’t trust me anymore. Not since my serial killer story got the station sued.

I catch the ambitious, crime reporter wannabe eyeing me from the right corner of the room. Bet she’s dying to know what happened to warrant my suspension. She probably already knows. Secrets don’t stay secrets for long in a newsroom.

What the hell had gone wrong?

Abuela Bonita calls it mala suerte. She insisted I wear the azabache bracelet today to ward off the bad
luck following me. I find the charm again and twist.

I will fix this. Don’t know how. But I will repair my damaged reputation.

“Alvarez?”

I flinch in my seat.

“You have anything to add to the meeting?” El Jefe taps his engraved pen on the table in a slow, rhythmic pattern.

“Well, Mr. Payton.” He likes it when we use his last name. “I thought I’d do a feature on a young girl in New Tampa Hospital who needs a kidney transplant.”

“That from the crime beat reporter?” I hear the words he isn’t speaking.

“I know.” I answer in my head. “Eleven Emmys, and I still messed up that last crime story, didn’t I?” Out loud I say, “She’s an artist—truly amazing gift— and she’s willing to auction off her paintings to raise money so people can get tested to see if they’re a match. We could save her life by sharing her story.”

My boss nods but says, “Busch Gardens is showing off a new baby sloth this evening.”

My cheeks burn. I sit back. The heat floods down into my chest. “A baby sloth?” I’m pretty sure this is what a public castration feels like.

“We have enough crime, corruption, death, and destruction today. We need something positive after Weather. Sloth baby it is. Can’t go wrong with baby animals,” he says.

Can’t get the station sued again, you mean.

“You’re on that, Alvarez.”

“Gracias.” I close my eyes and visualize a sloth picking at El Jefe’s bushy, needs-to-be-cut eyebrows
with those two big claw-like toes. In slow motion, of course. “If our viewers see what I’m envisioning, they’re going to love it.” I smile. Warmly.

Whatever. It will keep me employed for at least one more day. My sister Izzy and Abuela are counting on me.

My phone goes off. I look down, fumbling it as I try to flip off the ringer. “Sorry. Sorry.” It’s not someone calling. It’s my home RING security camera alerting me. My pulse takes off like an F-16. Someone is at our front door. My heart stalls. And falls.

“An important source?” El Jefe asks.

A scoff from the right corner of the room. “Baby sloth police calling?” Crime reporter wannabe gets the room laughing.

Wannabe must have missed her café con leche this morning. I join the laughter and wink at her, despite the slow scalding heat I’m feeling. Abuela Bonita also taught me you get more with honey than vinegar. “No. No. Sorry.” Just my sister’s boyfriend of the week, who is not supposed to be at our house. I shake my head.

“Alvarez?”

My spine straightens. “Yes?”

“You can take the new photographer, Chris Jensen.”

That pulls me back to the moment. “But I always work with Orlando.” A big eyeball fills the RING camera at the front door, but it isn’t Izzy’s new boyfriend. His eyes are as blue as the Florida sky. Isabella’s are dark brown, so dark you can’t tell where the pupil ends, and the iris begins. Izzy pulls back and yells at the RING camera, “Stop spying on me! De conseguir una vida!”

My younger sister is telling me to get a life of my own.

Snickers flicker across the room.

Every hair on the back of my neck rises. The audio on my iPhone is still on. Wanna get away?

I glance at my friend Kiara. She smiles and shakes her head. I appreciate her support. Time to turn the sound off my iPhone.

“Everything okay?” El Jefe’s features remain constant. He doesn’t chastise me for my sister’s outburst, even though she interrupted his busy news meeting.

“Yes sir, I’m fine.” Wait till I get home, Isabella Alvarez! “I’m fine.”

He nods, but his eyes narrow.

I sit through one of his nerve-wracking, wish-I-knew-what-he’s thinking pauses.

He says, “You can take Orlando.”

I exhale.

El Jefe is throwing me a peace offering, I think. Or maybe he believes I can’t even handle an animal story with the newbie photog, so giving me Orlando is like tossing out a safety vest.

Wow.

Two weeks ago, I would have rolled my eyes at the insult of such an easy, nonrelevant assignment. I would have been deeply offended by the shade of making sure I had a veteran babysitter with me.

Tonight, I’m grateful for it.

Even though I know I can’t possibly screw up a baby sloth story, right?

***

Excerpt from All the Broken Girls by Linda Bond. Copyright 2022 by Linda Bond. Reproduced with permission from Entangled Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.

 

Review:

5 stars!

Murder and the ever-present threat of the

evil eye create an atmospheric story of danger and dread.

All The Broken Girls was a fantastic thriller of a mystery! Mari, the disgraced reporter, had my complete and immediate sympathy. I admired how she kept her head up when all her coworkers were eyeing her, and her boss blamed her for the lawsuit when she knew she had the goods all along. I loved her relationship with her abuela and was fascinated by the inclusion of her practice of Santeria traditions, rituals, and belief system. I liked that Mari was clever and figured out the clues quicker than her police contacts. I felt her heartbreak as she identified with the two Rodriguez sisters and later discovered the betrayal of family members. I enjoyed the sprinkling of Spanish in her thoughts and dialogue throughout the story.

I also liked the police detective, Antonio ‘Tony’ Garcia, and the tension and eventual chemistry between the two main characters were fabulous. His family was delightful, especially his mother. I loved how she was so in charge of the family and her son. I liked how they and Mari’s family were such an integral part of their neighborhood. 

The setting in West Tampa was unique, and I enjoyed the geographical mentions and the tantalizing inclusion of the market and other real places. The descriptions of the Cuban-American community were both colorful and comfortable. The subtle references to traditional foods and dishes teased me to find the nearest Cuban-influenced restaurant "quick, fast, and in a hurry." 

The action is constant, and I had trouble finding a good stopping point to put the book down. Consequently, I couldn’t leave the story alone for long; it was that absorbing and exciting. There was a sense of urgency to see what happened next. There was that feeling that whoever was behind the murders was watching the heroine, and something terrible would happen. With a creepy stalker dude hanging around somewhere just out of sight, mysterious and puzzling notes cropping up, and the ever-present threat of the evil eye, the story had a continuous atmosphere of danger and dread. 

I recommend ALL THE BROKEN GIRLS to readers of mystery and thrillers who like strong female protagonists and those who would enjoy the Cuban-American flavor of its West Tampa setting.

Author Bio:

By day, Linda Hurtado Bond is an Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist. By night, she’s an author of James Bond like adventures and heart-stopping thrillers. Linda met her husband Jorge on assignment in Cuba, twenty-some years later they've raised a doctor, a nurse, a pilot, a paramedic firefighter, and an aspiring psychologist. A breast cancer survivor, she’s active in the Tampa community raising money and awareness. When not working she finds time for her passions, her husband Jorge, world travel, classic movies, and solving a good mystery. Visit Linda at lindabond.com.

Catch Up With Linda Bond:
www.LindaBond.com
Goodreads
BookBub - @lindahbond
Instagram - @authorlindahurtadobond
Twitter - @AuthorLindaBond
Facebook - @authorlindabond

 

 

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GIVEAWAY:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Linda Bond and Entangled Publishing, LLC. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

 

 

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Virtual Book Tour & Giveaway: Immoral Origins (The Desire Card, #1) by Lee Matthew Goldberg

Immoral Origins 

by Lee Matthew Goldberg

August 29 - September 9, 2022 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A PULSE-POUNDING THRILLER THAT ASKS HOW FAR WE'RE WILLING TO SHED OUR MORALS IN ORDER TO HELP THE ONES WE LOVE.

It's 1978 in New York City, and disco is prominent. As are mobsters, gritty streets, needle parks and graffiti-stained subways.

Jake Barnum lives in Hell's Kitchen. He's a petty thief selling hot coats with his buddy Maggs to make ends meet and help his sick kid brother. At a Halloween party downtown, he meets a woman with a Marilyn Monroe mask who works for an organization called The Desire Card-an underground operation promising its exclusive clients "Any Wish Fulfilled for the Right Price."

As Jake becomes taken with its leader, a pseudo father and sociopath at heart, he starts stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. In other words...himself. But as he dives deeper in with the Card, begins falling love with Marilyn, and sees the money rolling in, clients' wishes start becoming more and more suspect-some leading to murder.

The first book in the Desire Card series, Immoral Origins follows those indebted to this sinister organization-where the ultimate price is the cost of one's soul.

Praise for Immoral Origins:

"Careful what you wish for, especially from a nefarious shadow organization, in this gripping start to Lee Matthew Goldberg's fast-paced, highly-compelling, buzz-worthy new series. Can't wait to get my hands on Prey No More to see where this endlessly exciting story takes me next!"

D.J. Palmer, critically acclaimed suspense author of Saving Meaghan and The New Husband

Book Details:

Genre: Thriller
Published by: Rough Edges Press
Publication Date: June 14th 2022
Number of Pages: 276
ISBN: 1685490859 (ISBN13: 9781685490850)
Series: The Desire Card #1
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

SO CHERYL WAS LYING LIKE THE GYPSIES ON MY BLOCK WHO PROMISED FORTUNES TOLD.

Swore up and down she’d never been with Crazy Eddie and the clap was really a yeast infection. I wasn’t buying it. My girl would twirl a curl every time she fudged the truth. Wrapping her white-blonde hair around a pink nail-polished finger and looking off in the distance like something far away caught her eye.

“I’m not even attracted to Crazy Eddie,” she said, throwing up her arms. “He’s got noodles for legs.”

I could argue that multiple people saw them tonguing at the Two for One bar, but she was already going ballistic.

“Maybe you’re accusing me because you were with Gina Constantine,” she said. Gina, who had a lazy eye and a pronounced limp. I was offended by the association.

“Gina’s been the hospital,” I said, which was true because she was getting her leg realigned.

“And how do you know that?”

I ignored her. I’d went back to Tiffany’s and stolen the tennis bracelet right, then came over that Halloween night to invite her to this party Maggs heard about. Maggs was waiting downstairs so we could take the train. I wanted to be the bigger person, but Cheryl made that hard.

“The point is, Cheryl, you’re the one who cheated and here I, good ol’ me, came to give you a tennis bracelet, but you won’t even admit to what you’ve done.”

“A tennis bracelet?” she asked, rubbing her hands together and pouting her lips. Cheryl had a Cupid’s face with big eyes that always seemed surprised, baby fat cheeks, and Farrah Fawcett hair like every damn girl on the block. She lowered the volume of “How Deep is Your Love” on the record player because she was actually interested in the conversation. She even had the nerve to hold out her wrist.

“I was gonna give it to you if you were honest.”

She huffed. “I am!”

“I can smell Crazy Eddie’s English Leather aftershave on you.”

“That’s ridiculous. You’re ridiculous.”

“And I was gonna invite you to this party–”

“A Disco party?”

She’d been obsessed with Disco since seeing Saturday Night Fever. I had to take her twice. I didn’t see the fuss. With the movie or with Disco. John Travolta may have been a Casanova in Cheryl’s mind but I thought he was a putz.

“It’s a Halloween party.”

“That explains the clothes.”

“I’m Robin Hood.”

“Aren’t you a little old for dress-up?”

I took out the tennis bracelet just to see her get jealous. She nearly knocked me over to get at it.

“Tiffany’s?”

I opened the box and then closed it as her grubby fingers reached for the shiny object.

“Jake!”

“Nuh-uh, you haven’t fessed up.”

She blew her bangs from her eyes. “Fine. Fine, Jake. Ok, I was smashed and ran into Crazy Eddie at the Two and One. Well, two and one led to four and two, which led to–”

“I get your point.” I was already putting away the Tiffany’s box.

“And you weren’t around.”

“Emile got sick again. Like, I’ve been taking care of my kid brother.”

“You weren’t in the drunk tank?”

“Maybe for one night but other than that I’ve been on sick brother duty. And Maggs and I ain’t working at the Nedicks anymore so there’s no money coming in.”

She gestured blah, blah, blah with her hand like she’d heard it all before.

“So you lifted the bracelet?”

“Would you care if it was on your wrist?”

She rose one shoulder, slender and egg-shaped, resting her chin against the bone.

“I think it’s time for you to go, Robin Hood.”

When I got downstairs, Maggs was smoking his John Player’s, pinching the cigarette between his index finger and thumb like a mobster. His mustache flapped as he spat out the smoke and then ran his hand through his shaggy hair. I didn’t have to tell him that Cheryl wasn’t coming, a look said it all. He squeezed my shoulder, gave me a smoke, and we headed toward the 1 train because this party was way downtown.

In the train car, leaning our heads against the graffitied walls where someone tagged faloupoo in big block letters, trying not to listen to a group of teenage girls singing songs from Grease—I couldn’t escape John Travolta—Maggs doing this trick where he puts a penny on the back of his hand and then abracadabra it’s gone. It got me every time.

“But where does it go?”

Like I was a little kid, he reached behind my ear and presto the penny appeared.

“So you and Cheryl are Splittsville?”

“Yup,” I said, chewing on a piece of Freshen-Up, the liquid center bursting and oozing down my throat.

“No girl, no job…” he said, shaking his head.

“Hey, you ain’t such a good cheer up committee.”

“This party may be the turnaround you need.”

“Who’s hosting again?”

“You know Jack, Jack Something-Or-Other. Jack with the nose, you know he’s got that nose.”

I didn’t know.

“Jack, one of Georgie’s guys.”

Georgie. Some might call him a mobster. In Georgie’s mind, he liked to think he was. Mostly he sold hot coats down by the FDR.

“I picked up some odd jobs from Georgie,” Maggs said. “Just opening up the back doors of delivery vans while they’re stopped in traffic and swiping the goods. Most don’t lock ‘em. Then he gives me a cut.”

“Lemme guess, seventy-thirty in his favor.”

Maggs got quiet. Bingo, I was right.

“Okay, okay,” he said. “But it’s money and I ain’t choosey. What gigs do you have?”

“I spent my last twenty on this outfit.”

Maggs eyed me up and down. “Not such a wise investment. If you want, I’ll put a good word in with Georgie.”

It wasn’t that I was against working for a so-called mobster like Georgie. Ethically, I mean. Rather I wanted a cut better than thirty percent. Emile’s medical bills were reaching the five figures.

“We’ll talk to Jack at the party and figure it out from there,” Maggs said, before jumping up and joining the gaggle of girls by singing “You’re the One that I Want” in a high falsetto. The girls flipped their hair and pretended not to care, but I could tell they liked Maggs because everyone did. He flexed a muscle at them, then switched to the other arm, back and forth until they finally giggled. When we were three, our mothers left us in a sandbox and Maggs whacked me with a Tonka Truck. He split my head open and I needed stitches and our moms went apeshit. After the doctor’s visit, Maggs’s ma invited us over where we ate ambrosia salad and watched fucking Howdy Doody because they had the only television on the block. We’d been friends ever since.

He whipped out a penny and the girls ooohhhed and ahhhhed as he made it vanish and then produced a penny from behind each of their tiny ears.

“Hey, you ain’t making enough to be giving those pennies away,” I said. The girls giggled more but the train slowed at Chambers Street and Maggs realized it was our stop so he grabbed me by the collar and pulled me onto the platform. The girls gave peace signs through the window before they disappeared into the tunnel. Maggs opened up his palm revealing a stack of pennies.

“But how did you…?”

“A magician never reveals their trick,” Maggs said, with a smile that only showed his bottom teeth because his mustache was so damn bushy.

***

Excerpt from Immoral Origins by Lee Matthew Goldberg. Copyright 2022 by Lee Matthew Goldberg. Reproduced with permission from Lee Matthew Goldberg. All rights reserved.

 

Review:

The author's immersive writing drew me in from the start,
and I flew through the story.

Immoral Origins is the first book in a thrilling new series, The Desire Card, by Lee Matthew Goldberg. With its very different sort of hero and plot that includes him successfully performing dirty deeds, I was hooked. I was glued to the story every step of the way, not wanting to put it down until the very last page.

The characters surprised me. I don't believe there was a genuinely likable one in the bunch. Jake is pretty much a loser. Marilyn is a damaged young woman, and Gable, the boss, a power-mad sociopath (as are all of The Desire Card's employees.) Thugs, hoods, and mobsters populate the story, showing their very worst sides. But through it all, I was compelled to root for Jake to overcome the odds and come out on top. I had much the same experience when reading The Godfather, heinous people doing horrible things that you still are compelled to get behind. 

The Desire Card operation was fascinating. Everyone works incognito, wearing masks when doing a job, visiting the office, and even attending the annual office holiday parties. Their rich and famous clientele also wear masks at the client events hosted by the company, and everyone goes by the name of the person the mask depicts: Marilyn Monroe, Bette Davis, or Errol Flynn, to name a few. 

The late 70s setting encompassed iconic people and places and the headlines and music of the time. It was so well done; I was immersed in that time and that place. Goldberg's writing drew me in from the start, and I flew through the story, feeling Jake's confusion, hopelessness, and fear as he tried to make sense of it all. The story was fascinating, with a heavy dose of bizarreness that had me turning those pages for more. 

With its well-defined setting, laden with recognizable persons, places, and events, extraordinary characters, and fascinating plot, I recommend IMMORAL ORIGINS to readers of thrillers and mysteries, especially those who like stories set in New York or organized crimes and like a touch of the bizarre. 

Author Bio:

Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of nine novels including THE ANCESTOR and THE MENTOR and the YA series RUNAWAY TRAIN. His books are in various stages of development for film and TV off of his original scripts. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the Prix du Polar. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared as a contributor in Pipeline Artists, LitHub, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Mystery Tribune, The Big Idea, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, Hypertext, If My Book, Past Ten, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Maudlin House, Underwood Press and others. His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City.

Catch Up With Lee Matthew Goldberg:
LeeMatthewGoldberg.com
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BookBub - @leematthewgoldberg
Instagram - @leematthewgoldberg
Twitter - @LeeMatthewG
Facebook - @leemgol

 

 

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Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson

Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A suspenseful story of magic and magical creatures that even a reluctant reader will enjoy.

Anna Ballinkay had just turned 13 when her power manifested itself. But rather than being something cool, like moving things with her mind or seeing into the future, she was given the ability to see death. If she touched someone who had witnessed someone dying, she had a vision of that memory. Not cool, frightening, to say the least, and what was she going to do with that?!

Anna's family owned and operated the Ravenfall Inn in Wick, Oregon. Nora, Anna's mother, was the proprietor while her father was gone most of the time, seeking out and securing magical objects around the globe. Nora was helped by her sister, Elaine, and brother, Roy, when they weren't traveling to Ireland or squabbling all the time like, well, siblings! Kara and Rose, Anna's magically gifted older twin sisters, rounded out the Inn's staff while the house itself, a magical house no less, made sure the beds were made up, the rooms cleaned, and minor repairs were completed as needed.

Anna loved Ravenfall, and it was her dream to one day be in charge. But to say she was disappointed with her magical gift would be an understatement; she worried its lack of usefulness would jeopardize her chances to run the inn eventually. Then during a big party at the Inn, Anna inadvertently brushed against someone in the crowd in the ballroom and had a vision of a dead woman and a man dying at the hand of a shadowy, distorted figure and a boy about her own age bursting into the room. If Anna could find the boy, she could help him find his parents' murderers. However, she had no idea who the boy was or where to find him. Anna began to think that maybe there was a use for her gift after all.

Colin Pierce and his family had been on the run for several months, never staying in the same motel long. His parents had told him that they were in the witness protection program, but he didn't know the details or why they were now having to flee for their lives. One evening Colin and his older brother, Liam, were away from the latest motel room and returned to find two strange men inside, their mother dead and their father dying. Liam attacked the man who seemed to be in charge, wounding him severely, but the two killers still got away. The boys fled to a safer location, and as Liam prepared to pursue the murderers, he told Colin to meet him at the Ravenfall Inn if he didn't return in a couple of days. When Liam failed to show up, Colin set off for Wick, Oregon.

Ravenfall by author Kalyn Josephson is an entertaining and exciting middle-grade novel full of unique supernatural creatures, magic, and mystery. It is also a coming-of-age story, though under extraordinary circumstances, told from the dual viewpoints of Anna and Colin. The cast of characters is broad, and young readers will find a diverse range of strong, good, and capable personalities. I enjoyed the wide array of magical abilities presented in the story and liked Anna's remark about living with a sister whose special power was hearing other people's thoughts. One that would surely come to mind for all of us if that ability was real.

"It's hard not to think about something you don't want Kara to hear, because by thinking about not thinking about it, you always end up thinking about it."

I liked that both the lead characters, Anna and Colin, experienced similar feelings about their place in their families and the world. These are feelings that almost all of us can recall experiencing at one time or another growing up: not fitting in, not feeling valued, not belonging, or feeling like no one is listening or taking us seriously. Both are lonely kids, though in vastly different situations, revealing these feelings can occur under a variety of circumstances.

Both Anna's and Colin's families are loving ones with a lot going on at the moment, and in their different ways, they are just trying to keep their children safe. But both Anna and Colin are kept in the dark about certain family matters, with their parents not recognizing they are growing up faster than they thought.

The story is set in the charmingly described town of Wick. Surrounded by old woods with colorful cottages, shops, and a Faerie Garden, the magical and non-magical live side by side with one group none the wiser. I enjoyed the interesting and unique beings, some of which I'd never heard of before, mentioned throughout the book, such as cù-sìth, dybbukim, or merrow. The author borrowed from a wide range of cultures. Max the "cat" is mischievous, fun, and definitely, my favorite.

With its exciting and suspenseful plot, interesting characters, and dual viewpoints, RAVENFALL grabbed me from the beginning and kept me engaged and entertained until the very last page. I was delighted to read that there is a sequel in the works. I recommend this book to middle-grade readers who like a story with magic, magical creatures, and determined and capable young protagonists.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through NetGalley and TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

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Black and White: Tales of the Texas Highway Patrol by Ben H. English

Black and White: Tales of the Texas Highway Patrol by Ben H. English
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A memoir well told!

You run into very few outstanding storytellers over a lifetime, and Ben H. English, the author of Black and White: Tales of the Texas Highway Patrol, is undoubtedly among the best. The words flow, and the stories unfold, and with them comes truth and emotion.

Mr. English is upfront that Black and White was a book he never wanted to write. The subject matter is achingly personal, and the people involved are important not only to him but to many others (perhaps the entire state of Texas in some cases.) But he felt the stories needed telling; the subjects deserved to be known, appreciated, and honored. And so we have them. And they are well worth the time you’ll spend sitting, reading, and absorbing.

Black and White is a collection of stories linked together by being incidents occurring during Mr. English’s career with the Texas Highway Patrol. Some of the same individuals are involved in more than one, his coworkers or family members, and you get to know them. Some tell of tragic events, while a few are more light-hearted or end in a good place. Photographs of many individuals who are the subject of these memories are included, making those people much more real.

I appreciated the author sharing these vignettes from his past; you see these men and women usually only on the interstate checking speed or writing citations, but these stories prove there’s so much more to what they handle. I particularly enjoyed the humorous recounting of the recalcitrant Christine, but I was deeply affected by others. (I had to pause and regroup after reading The Memory Thief.) And, too, there is just something about this area of the state where these incidents took place. The author had me feeling the open emptiness and almost tasting the dust. I have driven these counties (always going elsewhere), and now after reading these stories, I want to go back and see the area again with them fresh in my mind.

With its evocative storytelling and exciting action of deeply personal and actual events, I recommend BLACK AND WHITE to readers who enjoy memoirs, good law enforcement narratives, and true stories set in rural Texas.

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Book Blitz: Bride of the Corpse King by Emily Shore

Bride of the Corpse King
Emily Shore
Publication date: September 1st 2022
Genres: Adult, Fantasy

~From Bestselling Kindle Vella Author Emily Shore

“I will have you on my throne. And worship you like the goddess you are.”

Flowers have followed Isla Adayra her whole life. Things are no different in the City of the Dead.

After volunteering to be Bride of the Corpse King to save her family, Isla sets a course to woo the God of Death. From seducing him with her corpus roses to accepting his mark of Death, Isla must keep him from reaping her soul.

With Death in his cursed form, the Corpse King, Allysteir, meets his match with Isla and her passion. It isn’t long before his feeble heart falls for the girl who eats forbidden fruit and grows roses and thorns from her flesh. But could she truly tempt Death? And break their land’s Curse?

For fans of A Touch of Darkness comes a dark and rapturous fantasy retelling starring a brooding and tortured Corpse King and a heroine strong enough to conquer the God of Death…

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

—

Author Bio:

As a bestselling Kindle Vella Author for fantasy romance, I love to feature strong, badass heroines, dark, tortured love interests, spicy romance, and queer inclusivity. My past work includes a Top 100 YA anti-trafficking dystopian: The Uncaged Series.

After finding my voice late 2020, I am celebrating my newer debut works. Bride of the Corpse King: A Hades and Persephone Retelling and Bride of Lucifer are my top Kindle Vella books. Learn more at “Emily’s Vella Verse” on FB or connect with me on any social media pages, especially Tiktok!

An abuse survivor and trained advocate, I’ve worked as an awareness speaker all over Minnesota including the MLA and MEA conferences attended by hundreds of educators and librarians. As a recently out and proud bisexual feminist, my passion through my advocacy work and writing is to celebrate and normalize queer characters, showcase trauma-overcoming themes, and to empower female audiences, including my two daughters.

Please subscribe to Emily’s newsletter at - www.emilybethshore.com - to keep up with my series projects, author promos, and contests to receive fun prizes!

Emily lives in Saint Paul with her husband and two daughters. When not writing enemies to lovers with sex positive and empowered females smashing the patriarchy, Emily is pursuing grad school for domestic abuse advocacy.

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