Beg for Mercy

If you love paranormal romances and anything paranormal, you'll be interested in the Mercy Hollings series. Mercy is anything but normal. She has a special "gift", when she can take control of their minds with the "press". Sometimes she uses it for a greater good, while other times not so much. We can get into her world--and her mind--on when and how she controls it by a flick of a switch in her mind. And she's been a loner with no clue to her biological parents. But when her friend Sukey is in danger, she's on a mental fight for her own. And in the process, she made new friends. Great action with some action and a spice of romance. We see more on Mercy's world in the rest of the series. Don't make her mad!

2013 Book Reading Challenges

Well, once again, it's time of the year to do the book reading challenges post. I'm one book away of finishing this year's by tomorrow night and before midnight. Sadly, this year was the final year that my Romance BookClub egroup would have a romantic-theme challenge. It's closing its doors this week. So now I have the usual to line out this year's challenges, one by one. So here we go.

P.S. Good news. Someone saved the Romance Book Club from closing the egroup. I'll keep my challenges open until March to create some room in my TBR list.

To Be Read Main Picks
1. FreeFall by Joann Ross
2. Wild Wild West by Casey Daniels
3. Blood Vines by Erica Spindler
4. Halfway to Her Grave by Jeanine Frost
5. Sprinkle With Murder by Jenn McKinlay
6. The 9th Girl by Tami Hoag
7. Hot Dish by Connie Brockway
8. Sing It to Her Bones by Marcia Talley
9. Afraid of the Dark by James Grippando
10. Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare
11. Shear Murder by Nancy Cohen
12. Tunnel Vision by Gary Braver

TBR Alternates
1. Gone  Girl by Gillian Flynn
2. Perfect Timing by Catherine Anderson
3. Posed for Murder by Meredith Cole
4. Shooters and Chasers by Lenny Klenstad
5. Can't Stand the Heart by Louisa Edwards
6. Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron by Stephanie Barron
7. The Rope by Nevada Barr
8. Master of Surrender by Karin Tabke
9. Deadly Grind by Victoria Hamilton
10. The Whisper by Carla Neggers
11. Secret Identity by Paula Graves
12. The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon by Leann Sweeney

TBR Lite
1. Nightwatcher by Wendy Corsi Staub
2. Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo
3. Mastering the Marquess by Vanessa Kelly
4. The Lincoln Conspiracy by Tim O'Brien
5. Coyote Waits by Tony Hillerman
6. Forbidden Magic by Cheyenne McCray

On the Porch Swing
1. One of the senses--Touch of Frost by Jennifer Estep
2. Spell out the month March: M for Midnight Comes Again by Dana Stabenow
                        A for Arsenic and Old Paint by Hayley Lind
                       R for Rapture in Death by JD Robb
                        C for Can You Keep A Secret? by Sophie Kinsella
                       H for Hell's Belles by Jackie Kessler
3. Salutation--Hello Goodbye by Emily Chenowith
4.  Somewhere where you were born: Mind Scrambler by Chris Grabenstein (New Jersey)

Mystery Readers Cafe
1. Flower/Herb/Spice in title--Slay it With Flowers by Kate Collins
2. Grave/cemetery, etc. in title--Skirting the Grave by Annette Blair
3. A body part or organ in title--Eyes of the Innocent by Brad Parks
4.  Favorite color in title/book cover--The Turquoise Girl by Aimee Thurlo, The Silver Needle Murder by Laura Childs

Beth's Challenge
1. Something in the Kitchen--A Night of Long Knives by Rebecca Cantrell
2. Lost/Missing or Equivalent--The Missing by Chris Mooney
3. Up/Down or Equivalent--Dolled Up in Murder by Jane Cleland
4. Fire/Burning, etc.--Burn by Linda Howard
5. Party/Celebration--Wedding Party by Robyn Carr
6. Emotion--Dead Scared by SJ Bolton

Tell Me Lies

If you want a good laugh on a day when you have the blues, you'll enjoy Jennifer Crusie's Tell Me Lies. In this wonderful woman's fiction novel, there's romance, drama, mystery and intrigue. Welcome to the fictional town of Frog Point, Ohio, when Maddie Faraday's world came tumbling down. And it all started with a pair of black crotchless panties and gets weirder and worse from there. Add a former high school flame into the mix and people who's after her husband Brent too. But people kept piling up more lies on her. We see how close she is to her mother and grandmother, her daughter and her best friend. But when she's mixed up into Brent's mess, she's in a world of hurt and a lot of trouble. You'll love and cry, you root and cheer for Maddie, a former good girl gone bad, and to hell with the world. This is an enjoyable read.

The Postcard Killers

This is one of James Patterson's finest thrillers with the set of the backdrop of European countries for some international intrigue. We're introduced to Jacob Kanon, a NYPD detective who's hunting down the Postcard Killers who've killed his only daughter. And he comes to Sweden, when he's introduced to Dessie Larssen, a Swedish journalist, who he's attracted to, and helps him breaks the case wide open. One by one, young couples are being killed all over Europe, with Interpol hot on the scene. When they pick up the pieces to this case and piece them together, it makes sense. And it's up to the both of them to stop them dead at the tracks, before they kill again. Plenty of shocking twists and turns with Europe as a great backdrop in Europe and some in the USA. And what a great collaboration with Liza Marklund. I might be interested to read her books someday, too.

Stealing Shadows

This is a great thriller with some romantic suspense elements. In Kay Hooper's Stealing Shadows, the first installment in the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit, we were introduced in Cassie Neill, who had a special psychic gift. When she arrived in Ryan's Bluff, North Carolina, she stormed her way into Judge Ben Ryan's office and told him why she was there. At first, Sheriff Matt Dunbar had his doubts and dithers about her. But with her psychic connections, she lead them to a trail of a serial killer. But with her late aunt's warning, she dared not to fall in love with Ben Ryan. We do get to know more about Cassie more and her own dangers in her world, day and night, and understood where she was coming from. But when she was close to her own danger, it put her at risk. We also delved into Ben and Matt's worlds and saw it through the eyes of a killer. A real good rush into the psychic realm.

This was a brilliant introduction to the paranormal thriller series. I did care about Cassie and Ben and Bishop's SCU team. This gave me chills, goosebumps, and so much more. I love the combination of the psychic-paranormal connection to the thriller genre. There's plenty of thrills here for sure. I liked the location of Ryan's Bluff for a small town in North Carolina for the setting. If you love both genres, this is the right series for you. Great drama, good suspense and intrigue, and tons of chilling action in this novel.

Will you be stealing shadows today? If so, grab a copy for yourself!

When Calls the Heart

This is a beautiful story about Elizabeth Thatcher, a new teacher in the Canadian Rockies in Calgary, when she moved from Toronto to join her self-brother Jonathan and his family. It's told from her view on her trials and tribulations of what she endured as a teacher in the teacherage and her class. She learned a lot on life and death, and learned about love, when she falls for a Canadian Mountie named Wynn Delaney, Jon's best friend. And they fall in love, a good start to this six-book series. This is real beautiful and got inside her head to see her emotions and how she persevered through it all. Really touching.

The Attenbury Emeralds

If you've read Dorothy Sayers's mysteries, you'll love this continuation to the Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane series, which happened thirty years later. If you haven't read the Wimsey Papers like I haven't read it, you'll do get a recap from the original story. We see how much Peter is loved and respected in the English dukedom and how he loves his son and Harriet, a detective fiction author. They unravel the original mysteries with new insight and a shocking conclusion of to present day latest developments. It did have a slow start and more telling via dialogue than showing, (so I guess you have to read the original book in the series). Plus good drama and good suspense.

Kill For Me

In Karen Rose's Kill For Me, the 9th installment in the romantic suspense series, and the first one in the Daniel Vartanian series, this one was one of the best yet. There were lots of drama here and tons of shocking twists and turns. Susannah Vartainian and GBI Agent, Luke Papadoupoulous were on a disturbing case, when her brother was hospitalized from a lethal attack. And from there, it had gotten more twisted and perverse than that, when someone gunned after her for their own nefarious reasons. Family secrets and a sex slave human trafficking ring were a crux for this plot. But it also brought them together and make them perfectly matched. We do get deep inside Susannah's mind and witness her past and discover her present state of mind, when Luke showed his true feelings for her. We also enter the evil mind of the people who wanted to draw their first blood on her. What a great read.

This was another one that would make you hair raise on edge and your head spin. I cared about Daniel, Luke and Susannah, when they've gotten embroiled into another hairy mess. I do love the Georgia location for this novel's setting as well. Those two people who were meant to be together fought long and hard to defy the odds. Great drama, good exciting suspense and tons of explosive action will keep you reading all night.

Check Kill for Me out today!

Big City, Bad Blood

Welcome to Chicago, Illinois. Ray Dudgeon is a former newspaper reporter and now a private detective. He's been assigned to protect Bob Loniski from the Mob, before he goes to trial. Not an easy job for Ray. While he's on protection duty, we're introduced to him and his relationship with his girlfriend, Jill, his friend Terry, and his assorted associates. We watch him interact and get out of sticky situations. Here's an interesting guy with a shaded past history. There's plenty of non-stop action and drama in this novel. When he becomes a target himself, he would do anything to save himself, even by breaking the law and covering his tracks. And when it comes to the Mob, it's a messy business, when there's lots of twists and turns and shocking surprises in the end, when things turn up the heat.

She'll Never Tell

If you love shocking twists and turns, she'll enjoy the first romantic suspense/thriller with a scary serial killer called the Bloodsucker. But we're introduced to Marcy's life, before and after her car accident. Six months later, she's transformed with a new life and look to pick up the pieces with her family and deal with her twin sister, Phoebe. Meanwhile, while she recovers from her injuries and insecurities, there's the Bloodsucker out there, who's setting his sights for specific victims and one in particular. Police Chief Claire Drummond is on the hunt for a serial killer and tackles her job too as a single mom. We don't know the real identity of the serial killer until the next two books in the series. So we'll keep guessing who he might be. This is more thriller and very little romantic suspense though.

Night Game

If you love good eco-thrillers with a hint of drama and mystery, the second book in the John Marquez series in a good one. We're introduced to another tough case by Game Warden John Marquez, when it deals with bear poaching and baiting and a corrupted warden. It started with a murder of a camper and escalated from there, going downhill. We watch Marquez with his SOU team and how he cares about his wife and step-daughter. And when Marquez gets closer to the truth, we see how he reacts in danger and protects his family. Even at night time, there's no time for gun and games, when dealing with dangerous animals. Great action and drama and plenty of suspense. I felt sorry for those poor bears. You'll get an inside look of the world of the fish and game wardens, too.

The Brass Verdict

If you love good courtroom drama/legal thriller series, you'll enjoy this one from Michael Connelly. Mickey Haller has received a lucky break, when his friend and fellow lawyer Jerry Vincent was found dead. We're introduced to Haller and his comeback from his hiatus to law. We see how he interacted with his colleagues and to the police. He's a devoted father and wants to reconcile with his estranged ex-wife, when he's changing his life round. We also meet Harry Bosch from his best-selling Harry Bosch series. There's plenty of twists and turns in this one, inside and outside the courtroom, and interesting characters arrive on the scene. Haller's boat load of cases would soon become his downfall later. And there a shocking curveball at the end of the novel that no one saw coming. What a good way to end it.

Delicious

Welcome to the world of restaurant business. In this sizzling new four-book series by Susan Mallery, in Delicious, we're  introduced into the food business and the hot foods to make it success. This story is about Penny Jackson, a chef who's carrying a secret of her own, and her ex-husband, Cal Buchanan, who has one he kept for a long time, when she works for him. But when they're reunited, more than sparks fly. We see how devoted they are to make his  restaurant a success, in spite of his evil grandmother. We all see how connected she is to her best friend, Naomi, and to her former in-laws, Reid, a former baseball player and womanizer, and Walker, a retired Marine who's on a mission, and Dani, who's having a troubled marriage. And cal connects to them too as well. Yummy! This novel is a delicious contemporary romance.

Whiskey Sour

If you love good mysteries, you'll love the Jack Daniels series. In Whiskey Sour,  the first book in the Jack Daniels series, Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels had a lot going for her, besides an ex-boyfriend and chasing the Gingerbread Man. She avoided the FBI's weird profiling computer, joined a dating service, and get mixed up with thugs, it was up to her and her partner, Herb, to catch the Gingerbread Man before he killed again. There was a lot of good action, tons of good humor, and a great mystery to solve with interesting characters. I love the titles, all names of great bartending drinks featured in the novel. Pretty darn clever along with the covers. We do care about Jack and how she solved the case, how she got along with her partner Herb and how  close she was to her mom. We got involved into her personal and love life, and even to the wicked man who was the Gingerbread Man, too. Fast-paced action for a quick read in one setting.

This was a great introduction to a light read for this mystery series. I love the name of the liquor-related books with its corresponding book covers. I also love the main characters of Jack Daniels, which was pretty clever to use for "Jack" instead of Jackie for Jacqueline. I thought his partner Herb was a bit amusing in natural. I loved how she was devoted to her mom. The Gingerbread Man serial killer had a twist to the classic fairytale. Great whimsical humor, quick suspense and a good mystery to cork this mystery with a surprising ending.

Want a whiskey sour down the hatch? Give this one a try tonight!

To Have and To Kill

You're in a good treat with this fast-paced thriller by Mary Jane Clark. We're introduced to the world of baking and stardom with Piper Donovan, an actress from a soap opera. With short chapters and tons of action, we watch the scene unfolds in quick action. We watch how close Piper is with her family, her friends and a possible interest in Jack. The baking scenes are interesting and succinct to provide a good mystery and a thriller for this series. This is a great page-turner. This one keeps you guessing on whodunit with a possible motive of murder. When Piper close to the danger, she discovers who wanted these people dead. This book includes a yummy recipe too in the end.

Amber Beach

In Elizabeth Lowell's Amber Beach, the first book in the Donovans romantic suspense series, we were introduced to Honor Donovan who was looking for her missing brother and some missing ambers. With help from Jake Mallory as her fishing guide, they teamed up to go look and find him. But Mallory had a different agenda of his own. But dangers followed them on and off the ocean for the hunt, while it brought them together and closer in love. This also kicked off a leg to this four -book series.

This romantic suspense had a lot going on and so much more. I cared about Jake and Honor and worried for them searching for Honor's lost brother. I loved the location of Amber Beach in the Eastern coastline, when it brought forth danger and romance on the ocean. This made me want to hold my breath  and so much more. This also had tons of humor, lots of sparkling sexual chemistry, and a great suspense that kept us on a great ride. This book is a jewel of its own.

Will you visit Amber Beach? If so, bring a copy today!

Secondhand Spirits

If you love cozies with a twist, this one is one for you. In Secondhand Spirits, we'll introduced to Lily Ivory, a friendly good witch and owner of a vintage clothing store. This one has oodles of paranormal elements from ghosts, goblins and some good old witchcraft, when it comes down to a good old murder. The intrigue comes along with two men vying for Lily's attention gives it some flair and sets this series on fire. But we do learn more about Lily's life and had she came to witchcraft with her friends and family secrets. This is an enjoyable cozy series with not-so-scary ghosts and goblins. This is almost out of the world.

Five Days in Summer

This is an excellent thriller. It's dark, disturbing, pure psychological and suspenseful. On a typical summer afternoon, Emily Parker disappears in Cape Cod. A madman abducted her. We're warped inside her head as a hostage for the next five days and a search start for her. We see how her family reacts and panics, when they learn about the serial killer. Enter a former FBI profiler, John Geary, and his best friend, Roger Bell to solve the case, while we learn about Emily's family and the people involved who's on her rescue. You'll care for them as I did, while the clock ticked and the countdown begun. Fast-paced for an easy read, this makes you want to hold your breath for a wild ride. And this one will keep you guessing who done it and why. Very deep for an edge of a seat thriller. What a rush!

Causing Havoc

This is a great spin of contemporary romance. I love how Lori Foster add some spark from introducing her readers to the SBC fighting world and all about the sport to kick off the series. When Dean Conor returns to his old home in Kentucky for his sister, things get interesting for him. For Dean, we watch how his sisters welcome him back into their lives, how his aunt treated him, and how the women like Eve fall for him. There's plenty of drama, suspense and oodles of romance to keep you reading to the end. And not only that he fall in love in this novel, others do too. Some people are lucky to get a second chance and to do things right. Did I mention hot and dreamy men?  You need a big glass of lemonade to cool you off.

The Complaints

If you love great mysteries set in different locales, you'll enjoy the Complaints set in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Complaints is the Scottish version of our Internal Affairs. And we're introduced to Scottish police, politics and great locales. Malcolm is part of the Complaints team, when he's embroiled into a real tough case of dirty politics and corrupt policemen. Plenty of twists and turns with tons of drama and curvy surprises to keep you at the edge of the seat. We follow Malcolm's every move, meet his father in a nursing home and his sister who's involved with a troubled relationship. There's a lot of things you would never see coming. What a great introduction to a new series.

A Man Of His Word

This is a beautiful inspiration romance set in Amish country in Ohio. We're introduced to Moriah Byler-Miller and her husband and his twin. This novel really pulled in my heart strings, when we watch how events folded for Moriah's life and for her brother's too. This one captivated my heart with two romances with a love triangle twist. Talk about complicated, this one is moving and touching and heart-broken all at once. You really feel for Moriah and fall in love with her character, when she went through marriage, heart break, pregnancy and loss of her husband, and possible a possible new romance. Inspirational romances teach you to have faith and to God for help. We also learn about Tobias's feelings for Rachel, a fellow neighbor. This series also teaches you how the Amish live and about their culture. Bring your hankerchiefs!

Ill Wind

I've read a few urban fantasy novels in over the past two years. And this one was something different and unique. We're introduced to the world of Weather Wardens who control different kinds of weather. And we meet Joanne Baldwin, a young warden who's on the run for murder, across the country. And in her car Delilah, we see her life before she became one of them with her family life, and then how she was introduced to the others. We learn a new kind of word from the weather wardens, and the indecision she made, when she falls in love with a Djinn, a special kind of genie in the bottle. But for Joanne, we learn, it's the race against time to save her life from a scorching evil mark, while she's dying and in pain. This one will take your breath away in a whirlwind and give you a ride for your life...

In Plain Sight

In CJ Box's In Plain Sight, the 6th installment of the Joe Picket thriller series, this one is another fantastic thriller.  When Joe Pickett was on his newest case to find the wealthy matriach Opal Scarlett, things took a turn on a dime. We saw how much he loved his family and would do anything to protect them. As a game warden, he protected the land in Wyoming and defended the law. But when someone was out the blood for him, it took a dangerous turn for the worst with some violent pranks. We watched how it  really affected him, his career and his family, when he wondered if it had anything to do with this case or his own dark past. And sometimes, he had done it in his own terms. Beautiful scenery in Wyoming for a great thriller to read.


This was another action-packed thriller from start to finish. I continued to care about Joe and his family, while he worked on a precarious missing persons case. I loved the vast Wyoming settings and locations for this novel, even in fictional Saddlestring with the mountains. Joe Pickett became a man of his word to do anything in his power to make things right. This would pull you in for a wild horse ride with non-stop action, drama, intrigue and plenty of mystery.

Will you find what you're looking for in plain sight? If so, give it a go today!

Summer at Willow Lake

This is a beautiful contemporary romance series that tugs your heart strings. This series is about family and memories of the past with some hidden secrets. We meet Olivia "Lolly" Bellamy and Connor Davis, who met each other for the first time at summer camp at Camp Kioga. This romance is so moving about transformations, reminiscent of Danielle Steel's Big Girl, and others like it. You really feel for Olivia and Connor, who've crossed each other's paths in the past, and reunited back again. This made  me cry and sigh, and smile and laugh. Maybe you can't forget about your first love, who may be your true love. A wonderful romance novel.

Past Perfect

Although it took me a while to finish this book after a couple of nights I ran out of steam to read it, it's a good read. I classify it with woman's fiction with a slice of drama for a genre. Katie Schottland is a former spy and investigates why she was dismissed for no reason. We see how committed she is to her TV show, her family, and her determined to find out the truth. We go on the same journey as she does, which takes her across the country and back to tie up those loose ends. There's a hint of action to this too. It does connect to the title in a way.

Three to Get Deadly

If you love a great mystery series with some good drama and oodles of humor, you'll love Three to Get Deadly. It's been a year or so, since I read the first two books in the series. Once again, we watch Stephanie get into trouble on a new case, and bump into her ex-boyfriend, Morelli. Once again, we root for Stephanie get out of a pickle and pull out of the stops. This will make you laugh out loud for a quick read, smile, and watch Stephanie's world unravel in New Jersey. You can just gobble up each book in the series for fast reads in one setting. This is enjoyable. I really cringed and panicked, when Stephanie encountered dangerous trouble.  She's no ordinary heroine, when she saves the day.

The Burden of Proof

This is another great and fantastic legal thriller. This one deals with Sandy Stern. This one deals with tons of surprises and some trips down to Memory Lane with flashback, right after his wife commits suicide. But from there, he deals with an emotional load of stuff with his children and his client/brother-in-law in an embittered battle. But with every twist and turns, he discovers some family secrets behind the scenes. We really see the emotions he goes through from grieving to outraged through the end. We do see a different side of him than before. This one will really grab you on the first page and shock you. Not bad for the 2nd Kindle County installment in the series.

For My Lady's Heart

If you love timeless and classic historical romance novels, you'll love For My Lady's Heart.  She introduces you to Ruck, a green knight, and Princess Melanthe, a mystical woman, who won each other's hearts. But this one really pulls at your heart-strings since the first one, since they had many struggles to find each other. This one makes you root for Ruck and have a love/hate relationship with Princess Melanthe, on what she did to Ruck. You'll also cry and transported to Medieval times from the jousts, the plague, and the evil in the world.  This one made me gasp at each shocking twist. I can't wait for her to write more great stuff in the future. I highly recommend it!

Storn Prey

If you love good mysteries with plenty of twists and turns, this is a great series for you. This also carries some medical thriller suspense in it too. We're introduced to Lucas Davenport and his wife Weather. Set in a wintry Minnesota,there's a lot of action-packed suspense and a good crime from the get-go to get your heart racing on every page to turn. From the hook to the ending, we see how Weather and Lucas interact with the people in their circles and with each other. Opposites do attract for them in a way. Plenty of surprises you didn't see coming. This is a great read.

Invasion of Privacy

Perri O'Shaughnessy's Invasion of Privacy was the second installment in the Nina Reilly series. This was one of the best legal thrillers so far. When Nina represented a civil case, things changed on a dime for her, when her client hated her guts for a reason. And then her past reared its ugly head in this case, when we learned what happened to her in the past and how her family was affected by it. It was really an emotional roller coaster ride that had thrown her for a loop. Old secrets and past wounds came up in her personal life, and a shocking twist or two surprised us all in the end. You really get involved and see what happened in Nina's world and inside her psyche.

This was an awesome nail-biting legal thriller. This dealt with Nina's personal life on the level.  We really do care for her and for her son as well. I hated to see her put through some torment by an aggressor. I do like the Lake Tahoe location between Nevada and California. I did feel bad for Paul, who wanted to be more than Nina's friend and colleague with her legal cases. This had plenty of action-packed scenes that you didn't see coming.

Ready to protect your home life? Get a copy today!

Tempting the Beast

I have to admit, that I took an adventure reading this novel. I'm a big fan of paranormal romance. But I haven't read erotica/romantica before. I have to admit to it, that I thought it was all right. I've made it through. But we're introduced to Merinus Tyler, who's investigating Callan Lyons, part human/part lion, due to a bad genetic DNA experiment. But when he counters Merinus, a female human who's investigating his mother's death, the chemistry is more than primitive and after a first taste  of each other, their hormones bring out the call of the wild for a "mating frenzy." We see how they feel in this sexual and erotic journey to find each other and how they feel about each other and their families with some background history. This hooked me in wild curiosity. I might read more somewhere down the road in the future.

Hell Hath No Curry

If you love enjoyable cozies to read, this one's right for you. It came with Amish-Mennonite recipes too for your own pleasure too. In the 15th installment, Magdalena's got a full plate with planning her wedding to Gabe, and as mayor of Hernia. There's been a couple of new changes in Hernia, when she's on a case of another murder in her inn and there's more than one suspect out there. We're welcomed into her Mennonite world and her feelings of marrying Gabe, who's Jewish, and how there's a couple of obstacles in the way. But we see how close she is to her sister and cousins and her foster daughter. There's some twists and turns and some humor into this cozy to keep you into suspense.  We see the world around her from her own eyes and our own eyes too. This is a quick read to give you laughs. You'll root for Magdalena for sure, when she's close to danger once again.

Prime Witness

If you love legal thrillers, this one is a good one for you. There was a lot of drama, action and suspense in this one. We were really involved with Paul Madriani's world in and out of the court room in the second installment of the series, Prime Witness. We can really see him keep his emotions in check and keep it all together.  There was non-stop shocking surprises to keep you guessing, right to the twist you didn't see coming in the end. When six murders rocked a college town, it was up to Paul in the DA's office to find the killer and stop this case from falling apart at all angles. Even death threats to his wife and daughter and other obstacles were tossed along the way. Great legal drama to hook you to the end.

This had a fantastic storyline twist from start to finish with non-stop dramatic action. Again, I love the focus between Paul and his family in central California. I loved how it affected them from outside the courtroom to his own home. This one was really disturbing with some of the gruesome scenes of the college students. This one sent me shivers down the spine. It kept on getting better and better from the first page to the ending.

Ready to find a witness? Go out and grab a copy today!

One Reckless Summer

When you read One Reckless Summer by Toni Blake, you're on a ride for your life. We're introduced to former "good girl" Jenny Toliver, who's comes home to Destiny Ohio from a divorce. Who said who can't come home? Destiny isn't your type of hometown. It's close knit, small and town, with a beautiful view of a lake and stars. We see Jenny on her homecoming when she reunited with her father and her friends. But we see how her life was in the past and even now, since her mother's death years ago, and how her dad is protective of her and finds a new love of his own. But you root for Jenny and how she changed her life in a whole different way. When trouble with a capital T comes to town, Mick Brody, a bad boy who rocks her world, and carries a deep secret of his own. This type of contemporary romance has some erotic spice to it to make it stand on its own. This is an enjoyable new romance series to love.

Permed to Death

If you love fresh and entertaining cozies, this one is for you. Nancy Cohen's Permed to Death, the first book in the Bad Hair Day Mystery series, took place in Plantation, Florida. We were introduced to Marla Shore and her fellow colleagues at her salon. They were eccentric and had their own shares. And when a fellow customer died in their salon, it made Marla curious. There was an instant connection between Marla, a Jewish divorcee, and Detective Vail, a handsome detective on the case, who wasn't  so Jewish. We also meet her family and friends. There was a lot of drama in her own life, and root for Marla, who won't back down on preserving her reputation and her salon. This was a good page-turner. Marla's not just an ordinary heroine who has some flair in this series.

I loved the location in Plantation Florida and the hair salon setting. That set it apart from the other cozy mysteries out there. I enjoyed Marla and her gang at the salon. It's so rare to see a Jewish character, except for the Faye Kellerman Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus series. And Detective Vail wasn't bad himself for a piece of eye-candy. Their connection had good chemistry together. We care about Marla's family as well and why she wanted to clear her name.

Check out this cozy today, while you're waiting for your next haircut! 

Unknown Means

This is another good installment for the Evelyn James forensic series-albeit the last one after Trace Evidence, before Elizabeth Becka became Lisa Black to write a new series still set in Cleveland. We're so wrapped up into Evelyn's life as a forensic scientist, a single mother of a teenage daughter, and a new love interest in her life, who wants to take it one step further. When she's on a case with many curvy twists and turns and a possible connection to her best friend's attack, it's almost too close to call when it hits home. There's plenty of non-stop action as we're enveloped into Evelyn's life and welcome into her world, 24/7, with many surprises along the way.

Nobody's Darling

This is a beautiful historical romance set in 1840s USA and England. We're introduced to two different people from two different classes, Esmerelda Fine from royalty in England and Billy Darling from Calamity NM, an outlaw and a dirt farmer's son. Instantly from the beginning, those two worlds collide when they meet and sparks fly. We're drawn into both of their worlds when we see things from them. A tale of opposites attract and defying the odds when it comes to add. We learn more about both of their lives and see how well-matched they are when it comes to Fate. This is a "darling" romance to become a classic.

The Orchid Shroud

This is the second book I read in the Death in the Dordogne series. It's beautifully set in France and deals with orchids as a theme. This one has a bit of a historical fiction aspect to it, to give the storyline an authentic theme. We learn some much about orchids here and French culture and life in the vineyards. This has a paranormal feel to it a tiny bit. We do care much about Mara's relationship with Julian and how others treat her, since she's Canadian. There's plenty twists and turns in this storyline to keep you guessing, right to the surprising twist in the end.

Red-Blooded Murder

If you love great thrillers, you'll also love the second installment in the Izzy McNeil series. In Red-Blooded Murder, it picked up six months later from Red Hot Lies. We really have gotten involved into Izzy's world, when she tackled a lot that have been going on in her life. And man, did she have a full plate in this series? We saw Izzy on an emotional roller coaster ride. I really became worried about her, since she became stuck and embroiled into another murder mystery of her own, when she was the center of the attention. Not only that, she juggled relationships and moonlighted in another job. But we watched how close she was to her mom, brother and step-dad. Fast-paced for a great ride.

This was a great continuation of the Izzy McNeil series. Once again, I love the backdrop of Chicago for this storyline. The tension between Izzy and Sam was tight and tough.  I didn't care for much for the second murder she encountered that placed her in the spotlight. I hated for Izzy to lose another friend when she was murdered. But I liked how she teamed up to moonlight with Mayburn. Plenty of good drama and suspense in this legal thriller.

Ready to catch a criminal? Give this book a go!

Some Girls Bite

If you love great urban fantasy novels with a hint of romance, you'll love the Chicagoland Vampires series. Meet (Caroline) Merit. We're introduced to her. She's not a typical grad student. When she's attacked by vampires, her world is changed. And we watch it unfold in front of our eyes. When Merit learns about becoming a vampire, so do we. We witness everything including a possible love triangle between two Vampire masters and her role of the house. Life's not easy for Merit in Chicago. But when you read this novel, you'll be rooting for her all the way. She's not an ordinary hero, but maybe a future unsung hero. I liked her since I've read the first page.

The Crack in the Lens

If you love historical fiction in the USA, you'll love this one set in San Marco, Texas. In the 1890s, we're introduced to two German red-haired brothers, Gustav "Old Red" Amlingmeyer and Otto "Big Red" Amlingmeyer. We watch them travel across the USA, solving mystery along the way with the Holmes method, based on Sherlock Holmes. Otto's a novelist, and Gustav tag along for the ride. There's tons of humorous moments in this historical mystery that separates them from the rest. When they enter the wild west, it's up to them to solve an old murder, when the town's against them, for stirring up the hornet's nest. We watch them fight against evil and get them out of trouble. They're caring brothers, through thick and thin. I clearly cheered them on. You get hooked on them and their adventures through the west and midwest.

Blood Men

When you read Paul Cleave's novels, you're thrown into the dark world of Christchurch, New Zealand, and its city of crime. In Blood Men, we're introduced to Edward Hunter. A typical family man who loses everything with a tainted bloodline. We enter his world and see how his world crumbles like a cookie. We meet the people he meets and how it lost it all. In a race against time, he takes Christchurch by storm, when he demands answers and revenge. This is dark, hard core and a bit gritty. Hold onto your seat belts and watch how his world is engulfed in flames. This is a real page turner.

The Perfect Temptation

This is an excellent historical romance. This one has something different than all other historical romances don't have. Besides being set in London, this deals also with Indian cultures and has Indian characters. This makes it special and the novel much better. Here, we care about Alexandra Radford, who cares for the king's son as his tutor, and has a special connection to the Indian king himself. We learn so much about her and her life here, especially when she hires and meets John Aiden Terrell. Both of their worlds collide and takes a different turn, when things heat up between them. We also learn about his life as well, and what they have some things in common. This is an excellent one about romance and culture clashes. An excellent read.

The Tale of Holly How

This is another delightful installment in the Beatrix Potter mystery series. Reminiscent of Dr. Doolittle with the talking animals, it adds a tiny bit of fantasy to it. This is the second mystery she solved. For those who like less gore in their mysteries, this is a light one for you. There's a lot of drama in Beatrix's world, even for the ladyship too in her own home, when there's talk of a new head teacher. Three events happen in Holly How around the same time. An easy and delightful read.

Black Out

In Black Out, Lisa Unger enthralled us with another heart-pounding thriller. In this one, we were introduced to Annie Powers, a wife and mother, who had a secret life. And not everything was what she seems. We discovered her turbulent past life in flash backs, when she was known as Ophelia March. Somehow we watched how it trickled back in her past, when she broke down and cracked at the surface. Terrible headaches, bad memories, flashbacks and nightmares return. Everything she knew and trusted changes. We were delved into her psyche and watched how she tried to hold it together, when she fell apart, until it left her no other choice, no other way out, to confront her past and move on her life, before she blacked out for good. This dealt with you on an emotionally, physically, and spiritual level. This sucked me right into her world, when she told her story. It would do the same for you.

In this thriller, I really began to feel strong caring feelings for Ophelia aka Annie. When she had those painful headaches to block out with, I cringed and gritted my teeth for her. I really didn't want to see her in so much pain. I hated when her past life resurfaced to bring her back into the void. In three parts, you would care for her as well.

Embrace yourself with this nail-gritting thriller! Grab a copy today!

The Lake House

Although this novel took me longer to read, on and off, it's also difficult to classify it under genres. I kept it as mystery, since I didn't read When the Wind Blows, and since Patterson writes mysteries. But it does have sci fi/fantasy elements in it, the mad science appeal of Robin Cook's Mutation and horror elements a tiny bit of Dean Koontz. So it's a combination of this and that. Maybe I should've read When the Wind Blows first. When I do read that book, maybe I can understand it better. This is a weird tale of a bird-human hybrid of six children from a dangerous DNA experiment in a hospital and their mad DNA experimentation. We're introduced to Kit and Frannie and the six bird children, mainly from Maximum aka Max's POV, when they fight evil forces and the press and the people who want them dead. Beautiful scenery in crisp chapters, but a bit bizarre for me. I almost gave it a two-and-a-half scene, but there's no half-stars here.  I really felt for Max and Frannie and their own struggles. So it's about so-so for me.

Chosen to Die

If you loved Left to Die, you would enjoy the second installment in this Alvarez/Pescoli romantic suspense series. This continues from the first, when we're knee deep into the Star-Crossed Killer murderer and why he targeted his victims. Here, Detective Pescoli's one of the victims. We root for her and her survival to life, during that wintry holiday season in the Montana mountains. We're in her psyche and the killer's, when Regan's family falls apart, and people are on the hunt for the shocking twist and turns in store for them in the end. And we never saw it coming! Very descriptive scenes to connect with Regan and Selena.

Hide

In Lisa Gardner's Hide, the 2nd installment in the D.D. Warren thriller series, it happened two years later their first case. D.D. Warren and Bobby Dodge were investigating a new case that dealt with mass graves. He was now a detective and  D.D. a sergeant, who have had ancient history with each other. There were plenty of drama here. We were introduced to Annabelle, someone who'd been hiding and living on the run from something or someone all her life. And when her past did get caught up with Bobby's newest case, it was time to re-evaluate her life and the secrets. We really do get inside Annabelle's and Bobby's lives here, see how closer they were to the danger and the people they meet, right to the end.

This thriller had sent chills and literally goosebumps up and down my spine. This would send you on a careening amusement park ride with plenty of surprises in store for the readers.  I continued to care about DD and Bobby, while I became concerned about Annabelle's life. I loved the Boston location and settings for this series, which painted the perfect picture for it. Great drama, intense non-stop action with intrigue and mystery along the way.

There's no reason to hide behind the book? Check it out today!

Lucky Charm

If you love a great contemporary romance series, you'll love this Lucky trilogy. This one has great drama, suspense and plenty of romance. We're introduced to the Corwins, who were once cursed in love and fortune years ago. Each  men had their share of misfortune. Derek's one of them who gave up his high school sweetheart. He's a down-to-earth caring man--he loves his pre-teen daughter and his family. When Gabrielle, his former flame, comes into town, sparks heat up again, when they defy the odds of a superstitious curse. Instantly, you see the chemistry between them--it haven't faded. And this time, they would make this works. We can see how Gabby's close to her parents, her best friend, and how she's devoted to her work. It's a good start for this trilogy.

Grave Sight

This series has a good balance for paranormal fans and perfect for cozy fans. Not too gory with ghosts, this one sets up a great series of mysteries. Harper Connelly, and her half-brother, Tolliver Lang, are in Sarne Arkansas, when asked to visit someone's grave and how she died. But things go from bad to worse there. Treated like pariahs, we see how Harper and Tolliver are treated in a mixed bag of emotions, especially for Harper, who was once struck by lightning at a young age. When they discover the truth behind the other murders, people are after them and causing them a boat load of trouble in family secrets. We really get involved into Harper and her relationships Hollis and Tolliver. I rooted for her in every twist and turn. And so would you.

Silent Mercy

In Linda Fairstein's Silent Mercy, the 13th installment of the Alexandra Cooper series, Linda Fairstein took us on a wild thrill ride on her latest case yet. For Alex Cooper, she was called to go to the Harlem Baptist Church to find a decapitated body there. And then there was another one like it in Little Italy. Besides the Star of David necklace imprinted in their flesh, that's when they discovered a serial hate crime motive behind it and nothing religious to link the two. It was up for Alex and her team to stop the killer, before there was another woman who was bound to die, as they dove through the serpentine path in the city's religious history to find a connection between the past and present. When it all added up, it might lead them to serious danger.

We were so deeply involved into this one, when it dealt with religious beliefs. We rooted for Alex to find out a connection between old and new murders from this serial killer, which took us all over to New York. There were plenty of surprises in this one, that would leave you breathless on every twist and turn she had in store for you, the fellow reader. I love Alex's closeness to Chapman and Mercer and her fellow colleagues, even a bitter rival with Pat McKinney, and how intact she was to her French chef. From the court room to the scene of the crime, this one was packed with drama, action, suspense and a lot of mystery in one package.





Will you be fallen to a silent mercy? If so, check it out now!

Bobbie Faye's Very Very (Very Very Very) Bad Day

This is a great read, if you need some laughs. The main character, Bobbie Faye Sumrall, is a caring person who defends her family and protects her niece and helps her brother, when he's in trouble. Known as the Contraband Days Queen, this mystery takes you all over the place in New Orleans. We understand why this bad day has gotten worse by the minute. And with every twist and turn, we're in for a surprise at the end. Every dog has its day, but for Bobbie Fays, she ends up with tons of rotten luck. There's a hint of romance and oodles of humor into this mystery series. When you think it couldn't worse for her, it did with tons of obstacles. This one is a hoot.

You Slay Me

If you love great romantic suspense novels with a twist, you'll enjoy the Aisling Grey series from Katie MacAllister. This paranormal romance will send you into Paris and into another world of its own. There's tons of humor into this series, like Aisling's talking demon-dog.  You're personally invested into Aisling and her love affair with Drake, a wyvern in which she has a love-hate relationship, when her life is thrown for a loop and then some. She does get into heaps of trouble, when she wants to return home to good old USA. You can really feel for her and her dilemma.  I cheered and rooted for her all the way through. This is a good summer read.

Ties that Bind

In Phillip Margolin's Ties that Bind, the 3rd book in the Amanda Jaffe legal thriller series, it packed a big punch of surprises on both sides of the spectrum. Murder, intrigue, politics, it was all in there. Amanda Jaffe survived the Cardoni attack, a while back, while it left her traumatized and avoiding the limelight. That was until she took on the case on Jon Dupre, who ran an upscale call girl service, and was accused of murdering the US senator. But he had proof of the existence of a secret society of men in politics who were bonded as brothers with a political right of passage. But that's when she was pressured to walk away from the case, she didn't want to give in to threats to investigate the issue more, while she put her loved ones in danger to find out the truth.

This was a terrific legal thriller. I really had gotten invested into Amanda Jaffe's world and life, one year after she survived the Cardoni attack. Here, when she tackled a new client, we saw her deal with a boatload of emotions and fought fear with a vengeance. I loved the Portland locations in this novel. I cared about Amanda and maybe Dupre a bit, while I didn't like that secret male society of powerful politicians. With an eclectic cast of characters, this one made you root for the underdog and for Amanda Jaffe. It remained hard to separate who the good guys were from the bad. But this is one powerful thriller that you'll enjoy to read.

Will you find out about the ties that bind? Check it out today!

 

Liver Let Die

If you enjoy culinary cozies, you'll enjoy Liz Lipperman's Liver Let Die, the first installment in the Clueless Cook culinary cozy series. She introduced us to Jordan McAllister, a journalist in a small-town in Texas. In an instant,  we welcomed Jordan into our world, when she struggled to make ends meet as a journalism for a small newspaper, and how she glowed into the limelight, when this new assignment of hers was a hit.. with yummy recipes for you to make.  She filled in for the culinary reporter and went to the steakhouse with a murdered waiter outside her door, with her name and number. Now she became the prime suspect and needed to clear her name on who murdered the waiter, before she was next on the killer's list.  There was an instant connection for her and Alex, how close knit her friends were to her, and how she had gotten into a heap of trouble. There were some laughs in there with a hint of romance. This is a new cozy to enjoy for years to come. Jordan McAllister was someone to cheer for.

This was a great terrific culinary cozy debut from Liz Lipperman. I enjoyed getting to know Jordan and watch how the chemistry grew between her and Alex. I also cared about her newfound friends. Ranchero was an ideal location for a small town with idealistic scenic settings. This would make you take you for a ride of culinary delights and sink you teeth into a terrific book. Great drama, good action and intrigue with plenty of romance and humor to keep you reading to the end.

This spring, check this culinary cozy series out today!

Missing

You would love powerful romantic suspense novels, this is the one with you. This brought together two people, who were Missing things in their life. It did have a little bit spiritual zing to it, which gave me a whole lot of meaning. This one would have your heart strings pulled tight and taut like a fishing rod and have you rooting for both Ally Monroe, a lonely girl in a small West Virginia town with a foot deformity, and Wes Holden, a former solider from Georgia who lost his family. When this two meet, chemistry spark between them. My heart went out to both of them. It's beautifully written with a bittersweet ending. This novel is true to form to the war overseas today, when we have loved ones over there fighting for our country against terrorism. Three cheers for this one!

The Templar's Code

Wow. This is really an excellent thriller. It packs a wallop of a punch and so much more. Part action-adventure, part thriller, this novels takes you all over the East Coast and London and back again. We really know the main characters well and their relationship. Caedmon Aisquith is an eccentric Englishmen, while Edie Miller, his assistant/lover, had a troublesome past. We really feel for them and experience their pain, their heartache, and their quest for a great adventure. But they're a great team, when they're on the quest to find the great puzzle know to men, while evil lurks right behind them. Non-stop action, this would take you on a thrill ride on every page, packed with tons of knowledge and insight into the Knights of Templar. Buckle your seat belts. You'll root for Caedmon and Edie in this series of esoteric thrillers that's reminiscent of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code.

Dead Connection

If you love a great suspenseful mystery series, you're at the right place. Alafair Burke introduces into the world of Ellie Hatcher, a new NYPD detective who's assigned to a new case. When we meet Ellie, we're welcome into her world as how she's treated as a fellow police officer, and how people look at her. Tough as nails, we see how she cares for her mother and brother, and how devastated she is, with some emotional baggage back in Kansas. She doesn't give up. This mystery series packs a punch of twists and turns, dealing with hard-hitting facts, and tons of surprises. When you meet Ellie, you'll be rooting for her all the way through. She's your kind of heroine who doesn't give up.

The Pretender

If you enjoy great historical romances, this is the one. Celeste Bradley does it best here, when she introduces us to two different people cut from the different cloth: Agatha Cunnington, who's looking for her brother, and Simon Raines, someone who works for the Liar's Club, a prestigious club for men to gather information and spy for their country. Two world do collide when Simon and Agatha meet. It's not an easy relationship. Once they stop, they can't get enough with each other. There's danger, intrigue and romance, all thrust into this novel. When apart, we see why they need to belong and how they feel for each other. It's Kismet for this star-crossed lovers. I really pulled for them here and applauded their efforts.

The Passage

In Justin Cronin's The Passage, the first installment in his futuristic thriller trilogy series, you would be taken into a whole new world as we know it. With a combination of paranormal/urban fantasy/horror into this thriller, this is epic and long like Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth historical fiction series. With a paranormal feel to it than horror with sci fi and fantasy elements, it had launched a trilogy and reminiscent William Golding's the Lord of the Flies, without the cannibalism parts. Welcome to their world, when an epidemic virus had flat lined the total country population with war-torn states as their own countries. We follow Peter and Amy in their fight of survival against the virals who had decimated their families and the whole country. With their circle of twelve friends, when they fall in love to find their own victory with a band of their brothers and sisters. Non-stop, we learn about their lives and how they came to this stage of their lives.

For this epic post-apocalyptic thriller debut, it had everything you ever could want in this long novel.  We care about Peter, Amy and their friends in this futuristic new world they were in. We learned how Amy had became warped into the passage of the vortex to lead the fight. We all care about the country as a whole with their remaining survivals on the search for peace and justice. For this enjoyable read, you're catapulted into a whole new world in the future from Texas and beyond. Drama, suspense, a hint of romance, intrigue and a lot of mystery was packed into this novel.

Go check it out and get warped into their future.

Silent Scream

If you love great romantic suspense novels, then you're in for a treat. In the 11th installment of Karen Rose's romantic suspense series, Silent Scream, it was dealt with two lovestruck people, David Hunter and Olivia Sutherland. Both of them had emotional baggage, while working together on a complicated serial arson case. David was devastated when he couldn't save a teen girl in the fire. They shared a passionate night, a long time ago, and someone knew their secret. It was up to them to stop the fire and face their blackmailer before it was too late.

 In the second installment of the Minnesota series, I loved how it was the central location for this novel. I cared about David and Olivia and were glad to work things out to get back together again. I didn't like the serial arsonist and the blackmailer one bit, even in a fiery situation. There was  plenty of fireworks between them, a lot of heated suspense and drama, and tons of twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end with plenty of action and romance, too. Bring the fans! This was an enjoyable read. Karen Rose's romantic suspense novels will get you hooked on reading her work from the first page to the end.

Get ready to have a silent scream? Snatch a copy today!

Slave to Sensation

Wow! This is a brand new series in paranormal romance. We're talking exotic and erotic between changelings, half-human, half-animal creatures, and the Psy, Psychic humans. Never have been them a well-packed combination of Sascha Duncan, a Psy, and Lucas Hunter, a changeling of a leopard. This gives it a twist to other PNR novels like it. Red hot, steamy, and totally set your hearts on fire. For them, they would discover what's it like to feel and to beloved, to belong and sacrifice for life. We can see how Sascha struggles with her being a different kind of Psy, and what it must take for her to break those bonds and be with her mate. For Lucas, he has a haunting past of hurt and loss, and protects his Pack and the one he loves. Danger does brew, but in the end, they're together. Turn up the heat on the ACs!

High Heels Are Murder

If you love good cozies, you'll enjoy High Heels Are Murder, the second installment in the Josie Marcus series. Josie Marcus, a single mom, was a mystery shopper to make ends meet. We really do feel for her and her situation, especially with her pesky neighbors from hell. But this one, she witnessed a possible match--or mismatch--with her boyfriend Josh. I do feel for her some more, when her heart was broken as she discovered how he lied to her. We saw how devoted to her mom and how close she cherished her relationship with her best friend Alyce, and she loved her daughter Amelia and protected her from harm, as she grew up. She did get into danger, when she learned of a murder and found out who wanted to do her boss in with his sick foot fetish. It did go over her head and was in too deep of trouble, when she discovered who it was with a shocking twist. Lots of drama with twisted and turned and shocking revelations.

I love the Mystery Shopper series. Josie and Alyce are a hoot for two best friends. I loved how Josie cared for her mother and daughter. I loved the backdrop of St. Louis and the targeted malls, shops and boutiques. I didn't care for much for Mel, who was a pervert. But Josh seemed like a good match for her and a caring person as well. Her daughter was adorably cute as her mother was a gem to help her out in a pinch.

Ready to put on your walking shoes? Give them one a try!

Murder of a Small Town Honey

If you love a great cozy, you'll love the Scumble River Mystery series by Denise Swanson. It's a charming cozy series with Skye Denison, the lead character, who gets caught up in an embroiled murder mystery. In the fictional town of Scumble River, everyone knows everybody in a small town. We see how close she is to her family and what happened to the past, ever since she left town. In a small town, anything can happen, when secrets rear their head. Skye is an ideal heroine for a small town as a school psychologist. And when her family's in the pickle, she's there to help them get out of the jam. We see how devoted she is to her occupation and how hard it was for her to come back home. There's also a romance blooming between Skye and Simon Reid. Anything's possible, even danger...

Scandalous Desires

If you love novels that take place on the sea, you'll enjoy this red hot novel that deals with pirates. In Elizabeth Hoyt's Scandalous Desires, the third installment in the Maiden Lane book series, we were introduced to Silence Hollingbrook, a young widow. When I've read this novel, I've became captured by her tale of loss, scandal and compassion for a young babe, one she had taken care of as her own. No doubt about it, her family took care of her and protected her well-being. Then, we met Mickey O'Connor, a river pirate, who had an agenda of his own. We saw how he took care of his crew and employees. We watched him in action and witnessed his secretive past unraveling like yarn. Whoever thought river pirates can be sexy? Little by little, we observed how sparks flew between Silence and Mickey. It's steamy. Talk about a scandal! But we witnessed how they encountered danger together to the bitter end. All aboard!

This was a steamy and sexy historical romance that was set on the ocean and featuring pirates. I cared about Silence, an intriguing name no less, and her adventures on the sea. I also cared about Mickey and his band of river pirates. I loved the location of England and on the river as well to add some adventurous spice to this novel. This would make you sway and swoon and sigh with relief in the end. Overall, great drama, plenty of intense action and lots of steamy romance and intrigue to hook you and reel you in like a barracuda.

Do you want some scandalous desires with river pirates? If so, come aboard with a copy today!

The Spider's Web

In Margaret Coel's Wind River Reservation mystery series, all of her novels have a twist and something different--it deals with Native American cultures and customs. That's what makes it unique. In this story, we're into a tangled web of deception and heartbreak. We learn how the Native Americans feels about the white people, even now to this day, and how they live in the reservation to this day. I loved the setting of Wyoming and the Wind River Reservation itself. Very intricate in nature. We're really get caught up into Vicky Holden's life, when she takes on a new client, and learns about her hardened life. We learn about the family and her co-workers, who have their own dramas. I felt shock and awe and assorted sets of emotions, when she's stuck on this case, which has a twisted ending. Good drama, excellent suspense.

Bourne Betrayal

If you love non-stop action thrillers, you'll enjoy this action-adventure thriller. With non-stop action, this novel takes you all over the world from Washington D.C. to Africa to Eastern Asia. I remember seeing the first Bourne movies years ago and on TV--now this propels us to post-9/11 world with terrorists and intricate plotlines. I've been wrapped up into a fast paced world. We can see Bourne struggle with his memory and how he copes with his loss. My heart sank with him. But we see him never give up and team up to fight the bad guys in various ways. Even injured, he's relentless. With the fourth Bourne thriller hitting the movies this summer, this one takes off where that left over. Breathless, heart racing a storm, this sent chills down the spine. I kept rooting for Bourne all the way to the end.

Midnight Crystal

When I read Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle, I'm transported to a futuristic post-Earth world. She really created her own for the setting of the story. Right from the start, we're introduced to Adam Winters and Marlowe Jones, two people from rival families. From the start, we learn about their history and background. You can't miss the sparks flying between them. The chemistry  is there. I rooted for them to come together and tempt Fate. Still, they took us to a new kind of world, the underworld--it's not the kind we've read about it in the past. I became impressive with the nightmares and dreamscapes, the psychic world of pulsing energy. It's exotic and out-of-this-world. Who knows what the future brings in our world? But, from start to finish, I'm exhausted from taking that magical carpet ride into the future, when things aren't what they seem and danger lurkers them like no one's business. I gasped and winced and kept reading the pages until I've finished the book. I recommend you read this book, if you wanted to be transported to a new world.

A Cutthroat Business

In this brand new series by Bente Gallagher, we enter the world of real estate. Savannah Martin, a newbie realtor in Tennessee, is our narrator. We learn how she's treated by experienced co-workers in the realty business. But nothing crushes her spirit. She doesn't give up. I'm so proud of her. We follow her to her first home showing.  I've cheered for her, when we see how she struggled in the business, and how  she turned her life around with incentives. In A Cutthroat Business, we discover how caught up she is, in a semi-love triangle, and the temptation there. We witness the chemistry and the forbidden attraction. Also, she's real loved by a real close knit southern family in Tennessee, when we meet her family, and how she rebounded from a bad divorce. I'm proud of her for taking the right step into the dating world agian. There's a bit of good humor and nice Southern locales into this piece. It's a sweet cozy.

Term Limits

If you love great thrillers, you'll love this stand alone political thriller by Vince Flynn. In Term Limits, the readers like myself get embroiled into political mind games between the White House and Congress. In every page, I've watched plenty of drama, suspense, violence and intrigue unfold before my eyes. We saw what's holding Michael O'Rourke, a young and new Congressman, back. Due to heated politics in Washington D.C., fireworks flew between the White House and Michael and potential threats. The tension was so thick, we could cut it with a knife. We observed how close he was to his family. We witnessed the love he had for his girlfriend, Liz Scarpatti, a reporter. I felt bad for Liz, who had a duty to report the facts for her paper, and how devoted she was with Michael. We' were shocked and awed by the actions of this players and how payback was returned with retribution. This would get you hooked into the drama and sucked in, right away.  A lot of violent drama, when it dealt with politics, then and now, and how it could affect the presidency.

This stand-alone political thriller had a lot going on. I loved the ideal concept of it, when it dealt with politics and elections. I liked Michael being fresh and new for Congress. We know how devoted he was to his family and to his career. We saw his passion for Liz, who loved a scoop for the newspaper edition. I couldn't fault anything wrong with this stand alone thriller. It had passion between Michael and Liz, lots of drama and action-packed suspense to keep you turning the pages.

Ready for a battle? Grab a copy today!

One Last Breath

In One Last Breath, the first book in the Borderline series, we're introduced to Francis "Feenie" Malone, a divorcée who's seeking revenge on her ex-husband. We can see her struggle in the journalism field, making a name for her own, and her anger and heartbreak on her ex-husband. I really felt for Feenie, ever since for page one, and how her former in-laws treated her. Her best friend, Cecilia Strickland, always supporting her, while we witness her own struggles with her own husband. Enter Marco Juarez, a former cop now turned PI, who turned up the heat. We know for sure, sparks would fly between them, a certain chemistry, ever since they got trouble. He's a man on a mission too. Is it hot in here or just me? He's hot, sexy and not bad on the eyes. We witness the chemistry between them, and their love grow, while they both stop at nothing to get the same man, one way or another. This romantic suspense will cool you down this summer.

A Killer Crop

If you love culinary cozies, you'll enjoy this one from the Orchard Mysteries. When I've read A Killer Crop, it was a good cozy. We were enveloped into a rustic world of living in Massachusetts, when a murder took place. We were introduced to Meg Corey, who now learned the ropes of apple picking for her orchard. There was so much that goes into the process, whether by hand or by machine, even to make cider, for harvest season.  It was a lot of hard work to learn about apple picking.  It's educational and informative all at once, highlighting Meg's life in the story. When she was tired from a hard day at work, so am I.  We saw her struggle, when her mom visited her, on telling her about her boyfriend, Seth. I'm so glad that later on, she introduced him to her. He was some kind of handy eye candy in my opinion.  But we could see a growing relationship between Seth and Meg, even before and after she told her parents about him. We also learned more about Emily Dickinson's life and Meg's fictional relationship to it. It was  a good balance for a culinary cozy with a hint of historical fiction and tons of intrigue, when Meg solved her another. This is an enjoyable read.

This was another fantastic culinary cozy. I continued to love the small town community of Granford, Massachusetts. I loved how they came together. I love seeing Meg with Seth. The insight of the apple orchard process  was quite interesting as well. Her mother's appearance was quite amusing and inquisitive to know about her family. I loved the Emily Dickinson genealogical twist to this cozy as well.

Ready to pick up a good cozy? Give this one a go today!

The Alexander Cipher

When I read the first book in the Daniel Knox series by Will Adams, The Alexander Cipher is a total package of action-adventure and historical fiction for this thriller. Set in Egypt, this is reminiscent of the Indiana Jones movie trilogies. Plenty of action, danger and suspense, when we're introduced to Daniel Knox and the characters in the novel. My heart sank, when Gaille and Daniel revealed about loss in their family, the same for Elena on her  husband, and my heart ache on Mohammed's sick daughter. He would do anything to save his daughter's life, even illegally. We learn about the secrets of Alexander the Great's tomb and his origins between Macedonia and Egypt. The location is exotic and interesting. The historical aspect of Alexander's life and Egyptian customs--then and now--makes this for a good read. We're really set in the throes of danger and adventure in every page with a shocking conclusion, and a cliffhanger for the other four books in the series. Get ready to plunge into heart-pounding danger in Egypt.

Scent of Darkness

In Christina Dodd's Scent of Darkness, the first installment in the Darkness Chosen paranormal romance series, a couple of words had popped into my mind when I read--red hot, primal, sexy, exotic. That summed it up. This paranormal romance would make you purr like a cat or howl like a coyote. You would be introduced to Jasha Wilder, a sexy Russian immigrant and wine producer, as we would learn about his dark side and his hidden and secret past. Ann Smith, his administrative assistant had a dark secret of her own and a troubled past, too. But when you read about them, you couldn't miss the smoldering chemistry, the passion, the romance, and the intrigue between the Wilder family and what they went through to get here. I became curious to know them more and to see them get together in a more than professional way. They do make an attractive couple in more ways than one. For both of them, they would have to find the light of the tunnel and know they were meant for each other. Bring a fan for this one or turn up the AC, when you read this steamy paranormal series.


 This was a fantastic and thrilling paranormal romance novel. This had piqued my interest in so many levels. I became interested in Jasha's life with a dark side and concerned about his past. I thought Ann had something going on with her, when she turned up the heat with Jasha. There was something about him that had brought out the wild side between them. I loved the California locations and the vast settings for this novel. This would make you fall for this shape-shifter with drama, hot romance, intrigue and lots of non-stop action.

Will you follow the scent of darkness? Check it out today!

Now May You Weep

If you love great mysteries with a twist, you'll enjoy Deborah Crombie's Now You May Weep, the ninth installment of the Kincaid/James series. This time, it was set in England and in the Scottish Highlands. We were introduced to a bit of historical fiction to set up the scene. When I've read this book, I'm transported back into time for those flashbacks and then traveled to the beautiful countryside of the Scottish Highlands. As a reader, the beautiful scenic depictions took me there and later back to her native England. When  Gemma met her neighbor Hazel and others at a cookery class there, we were there with her, observing the people and scene as a tourist. Later, there was a conflict between Hazel and Donald Brodie. It was something that worried me, like it did for Gemma. Back home in England, there was tension between Kincaid and his son Kit that was built up. But there was  love brewing between Kincaid and Gemma, a new-found love, whether there were on the phone or in person. Gemma was shocked, when she discovered a dead body, as she transformed to a police officer on the scene, questioning others and wondered about the background. This book kept me glued to the end.

 This was a terrific mystery in the Kincaid/James series. I cared about Gemma and Kincaid, when they worked together and became to fall in love with each other as two single parents with a child. I also cared about Hazel as well. I loved the background with the flashbacks and the settings of the Scottish Highlands for the location of this storyline. This would make you hooked and reel you in for a great mystery. Great drama, great non-stop action and suspense with lots of intrigue to hook you to the end.

Will you weep for this terrific mystery? Calm down with the tissue and a copy today!

Takeover

This is a great thriller. Set in real time and in the course of one day, it's reminiscent of the hit TV show, 24. In this novel, we meet Theresa MacLean and watch her go through her harrowing ordeal. In every page, I become hooked  into this novel. We see her work as a CSI officer and watch her take control of her emotions in a crisis. I could relate to her in a way, as I could see her try to keep them in check. I discover her unravel when her world comes tumbling down. As the clock counts down and ticks down the hours, my heart beat races along with my pulse rising on every page. You're really don't know what's going to happen next, until you turn the page and hold your breath. In the end, it's heart-breaking, when we watch her heart break. My heart deflates like a balloon. This is a heart-racing thriller to kickstart this series.

Dead Witch Walking

In Dead Witch Walking, I've entered a paranormal/an urban fantasy world I never seen before. Everything's changed. When I'm introduced to Rachel Morgan, a white witch on her own, I follow her on this journey with every turn of the page. With every page, chapter and scene, I cheer her on and hold my breath. I almost cried in a couple of scenes. The scenery of a fictional Downtown Cincinnati is spectacular, which included the Hallows. There's plenty of nonstop drama and action to leave you breathless and wanting more. If you haven't read urban fantasy, dive into this series.

Sweet Tea At Sunrise

This is a beautiful contemporary romance. We're introduced to Sarah Price. A recent divorcee and mother of two, who wanted a clean slate from her messy divorce to her home in Serenity, South Carolina. I, as a reader, rallied for Sarah. My heart broke, when she endured such a hardship from her husband Walter and his verbal abuse. We witness her low self-esteem and having no trust for me. When Travis enters into Sarah's life, we can really see the sparks flying between the two in a hate/love relationship. He didn't give up on her. He's a champion in my opinion. Although both of them have baggage, like Travis being known as a player and former ball player. We do see a lot of changing also in Serenity--even Walter, Sarah's ex, who wants to be a better father and ex-husband for each other. Second chances is the best way to explain it. I'm happy to see one for Sarah with a happy ending.

Monkeewrench

In PJ Tracy's Monkeewrench, the first installment in the Monkeewrench mystery series,  we were introduced to an intriguing new police procedural. We were right in the heart of the matter when both sets of crimes had taken place in two states: Minnesota and Wisconsin. We were introduced to Grace and the Monkeewrench crew--all of them had secrets to hide and covered their tracks--when they developed a new computer game that caused tons of publicity--the bad kind. We can really feel the pain, when someone imitated life after their computer's graphic art. We followed their footsteps, heading right into danger, when no one was none the wiser between them. It was very fast paced and placed you into the heart of the suspense and danger. Your heart's racing and you're sweating, because you  don't want to me in the killer's path too. This novel would keep you into suspense in both set states, and put you in Grace's shoes, when we learned her secrets and how she protected herself from evil... which might be next door.

This was a great new mystery debut. It tackled hard crime with a dose of humor. I really cared about Grace and her crew and became intrigued with the MPD, especially when she meets Leo Magozzi. You can instantly see a growing attraction between them. I loved the dual locations of Minnesota and Wisconsin for the settings for this novel's dark crimes. This would pull you in for a ride on every page that's filled with non-stop action, drama, intrigue and plenty of suspense.

Will you check out Monkeewrench today? If so, give it a go!

Warning Signs

If you love medical dramas on TV or in the movies, you'll love the second book in the Angels of Mercy series by CJ Lyons. In Lifelines, we were introduced to Nora, Amanda, Gina and Lydia, which became Lydia's story. Now in Warning Signs, this medical thriller would shock you in Amanda's POV.  Like any medical drama, we were right into the heart of the matter of a medical emergency for these medical students. Each one of them had a crisis to face, whether it turned up bad or good. We experienced their professional life in the hospital, and their social and love lives. And this one hit close to home to the four friends. When I read this novel, I felt like I was right there with them in the ER or outside the hospital. You would too, when you read this novel and experience drama, romance, action and suspense, all wrapped up in one medical thriller series. This shocked me into suspense and had me drawn into the heart of the matter for anyone involved.

This would pull you in and take you in for a wild ride. I loved how this focused on Amanda and told her story on how she found love with Lucas Stone. I loved the Philadelphia location, inside and outside of the hospital. I loved how they bonded and all pull together, no matter the crisis they took on in the Emergency Room. Great suspense, nice action and plenty of romance and intrigue to get absolved into this great medical thriller.

Ready to watch for warning signs? Give this one a go today! 

Summer Secrets

This is a beautiful contemporary romance about three sisters and the summer that changed everything. We learn about Kate, Ashley and Caroline McKenna and their secrets, their pain, and the sailing race that they raced, eight years ago, and how it changed everything. When Tyler Jamison arrives in their island, their world is upside-down, when they meet this reporter. For the three of them, they suffered heartache and tragedy, concealed their secrets and covered their tracks. But for Kate, we discover her hidden desires to be with Tyler, as Ashley struggles to be with Sean, her former boyfriend who she cares about it. The scenery is beautiful, the story's well-written, and the romance is breath-taking. As a reader, I've felt torn as they did, when the past became slowly unearthed and rose to the surface. Life does go on, but when the secrets are out of the bag, anything goes.  This is a must-read.