Dead Scared

If you love dark thrillers, you'll enjoy this one from SJ Bolton.  Dead Scared is the second book in the Lacey Flint series. When DC Lacey Flint went undercover in Cambridge University from her SO, she learned about the darkness and the rash happenings of student suicides. Or was it? Lacey posed as Laura Farrow and witnessed a brutal treatment. We followed Lacey's undercover investigation in the college, while Dr. Evi Oliver helped her out with her own findings. Someone played a dark game of bringing out the fears from them and used it to their advantage. The closer they came to the truth, the more they found out who messed with their minds and how they did it by picking out their victims. Through their eyes, they uncovered the hidden patterns and the dark history behind it.  It was pretty dark, shocking, and a lightning fast thrill ride on one cold winter in Cambridge, England.

I loved how we learn about Lacey's and Evi's background and their secrets fears. I became concerned and scared myself for Evi, when she suffered from PTSD as someone close to them preyed on their emotions. The gripping hook in the beginning and the intense conclusion in the end makes you want to hold onto your hates like a plunging roller coaster ride. The backdrop of the English countryside made for picturesque scenery. I hated the college students and the evil people they hooked up in their own secret society on torturing young and vulnerable people. This would give you goosebumps and accelerate your heart rate, when we experienced what Lacey and Evi did in this dark thriller that would leave you with chills and breathless in Dead Scared. 


 Check out this British thriller and leave the lights on today!

Bungalow 2

If you love timeless and beautiful romances, this one is one for you from Danielle Steel. In Bungalow 2, we're introduced to Tanya Harris and her family in Marin, California. When she received an offer from her agent to write a script, it was an once-and-a-lifetime deal for her. For the first part of the story, we witnessed her first shot in making it in Hollywood, while it caused friction with her family and a strain in her marriage. Behind the scenes, she learned the hidden truth, while she was hard at work. Halfway through making the movie, she discovered deceit and heartache from her husband and best friend. When she was hooked on Hollywood, she feared she might've outgrown her former lifestyle. But we watched the only thing she latched onto was her children and her dreams. The second half was focused on life after divorce, when she championed for her dreams to come true and the men she met to give her a new profound layer of happiness. This pulled the heart strings, when I read Tanya's story, and cried along with her. She later learned, she would have to kiss a lot of ugly frogs and toads to find her new Prince Charming, and some small sacrifices to make it work. A beautiful romance of life, love and making dreams come true.

The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon

If you love a cat-friendly cozy, this new cozy series from Leann Sweeney is a real treat.  In The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon, the 4th book in the Cats in Trouble series, Jillian Hart was a widow who created quilts for cats and lived with three of her own. But when she was tangled up into another murder mystery, it was messy like a runaway ball of knotted yarn. It all started with a car crash, when her boyfriend Tom ended up injured and his stepson from his previous marriage had gotten concussed from the same crash. Out of the woodwork, Tom's half-brother was lurking around and other surprises were in store for them, like his estranged ex-wife and secrets about her first marriage. Jillian and her cats were stuck in the middle, when they needed to separate the lies from the truth and fact from fiction. Before she knew it, they were trapped until the real motive comes out in the end. This is an enjoyable read.

I always enjoyed a cozy featuring cats and other family-friendly pets. Cats are amazing creatures of habit and loving family members. I became intrigued with Jillian's quilting and became fascinated with her caring nature to Tom's step-son. I think I see a relationship  blooming in the future between the two of them. I didn't like his half-brother or ex-wife either. They rubbed me the wrong way and left me feeling cold and empty. But you did feel genuinely real, when you were gripped from the first page to the shocking ending.

If you love cats, you'll love this purr-fect cozy! Check it out today!

Forbidden Magic

Cheyenne McCray took us to a whole new world in her paranormal romance series. Forbidden Magic is the first book in the Magic series. Take urban fantasy and mesh it up with paranormal romance and a hint of eroticism and romanticism. Silver Ashcroft was a good witch who abided by the Wiccan ways. She'd been the chosen one to lead the fight against evil. Estranged from her father and her sister  who had gone missing, she had been taught not to use grey or black magic. But this was a force to be reckoned with. There was an eclectic ray of fantasy creatures here of good and bad. Besides her witch clan in San Francisco, she fell for Hawk of the D'Danannan warriors from the Otherworld, which is reminiscent of angels from Heaven. There was the Demons from the Underworld, which were the devils from Hell. Both worlds clashed in this battle royale. She fought the pull of Darkwolf's lure to join the dark side and never experienced love and pleasure from Hawk to take it a whole new level. Lots of suspense, drama, romance, and experience, when we go above and beyond and back to Earth in this magical and delightful series.

I really enjoyed the book and the descriptive settings of both heaven and hell. The Wiccan magic gave this novel a fantastic twist. We learned a lot about Silver's backstory and how close she was to her family. I loved the transformations of Hawk and his fellow friends when they flew in the sky. I most certainly laughed and cried at every page turn. You'll be hooked and gripped in the beginning to be taken on a wonderful reader's journey. I didn't like Darkwolf and his fellow minions. They gave me creepy chills and a bad state of my mouth.

Ready to explore new magic territories? Check out this book today!

Kidnap & Ransom

Michelle Gagnon brings up a shocking conclusion to the Kelly Jones thriller series in Kidnap & Ransom. It continues where it left off in the Gatekeeper. More drama and tension were in the air as Kelly dealt with the loss of her leg and wearing a prosthetic ankle, while she was on leave. There was friction with her relationship with Jake, while it took a backseat for the while. When his brother Mark was missing in action in Mexico, he brought his K&R team along to help rescue Cesar Calderon and his brother. We saw how Kelly felt about the situation, when she felt useless and unwanted, and considered a hindrance. She set off on her own mission with her former FBI partner, Danny Rodriguez, to find Stefan Gunderson from the Tunnels. There was plenty drama and shocking twists and turns over here and a surprise ending I won't give away. From California to Mexico, we could really feel for Kelly and Jake and despise Syd Clement and the bad guys in this explosive finale.

This was a bittersweet end to the thriller series. I really felt bad for Kelly, who had to endure a loss of her leg from the explosion, and worked her way with a prosthetic leg. I didn't like Syd Clement, Jake's partner, who was nothing but rotten and jealous of Kelly. I did feel bad for Jake, when he wanted to go save his brother's life. This was intense and deep as it gets. In the end, I cried. What a way to end the series.

Ready to head down south? Get ready to go deep undercover right now!

The Long Quiche Goodbye

If you're a big fan of cheese and wine pairings, you're in for a treat in this new cozy series. This new cozy had everything you want and more. The Long Quiche Goodbye is the first book in the Cheese Shop Mystery series. Charlotte Bessette had a lot going on with her grandmother's re-election campaign for mayor, and someone buying the building her cheese shop was  located in Providence, Ohio--a small town near the Amish community. When her grandmother was accused of murder, things took a quick turn for the worse. It was now up to Charlotte to find out who was behind it--and she wouldn't stop for nothing. With her grandmother's rival up to no good and stirred up trouble, and troubles with her cousin's twins, she had a full plate on her hands and a business to run. There's something for everybody in this series--romance, drama, and plenty of intrigue. There's an interesting love triangle between Charlotte, Chief Umberto Urso, and Jordan Pace, a farmer with a past.

I love culinary cozies because they have delicious recipes to try at home that were featured in the series, whether in the middle or at the end of the book. I loved how Charlotte's family came together as a community to help bail her grandmother out and outrun the competition in the political nature. I didn't care for much for those who picked on Charlotte and preyed on her vulnerability. I enjoyed a sliver of good-natured backstory on her upbringing.  In this cozy, you'll root for Charlotte and her friends, and learned a lot about wine and cheese pairings and their delectable varieties to try at home in the Long Quiche Goodbye. I'll be reading more in the future.

If you're hungry for new culinary cozies to try, give this book a try today!

Tempted Again

In the spirits of light-hearted contemporary romances with a sense of humor, you'll enjoy Tempted Again. Marissa Bennett was broke, unemployed and divorced, when she returned home to Hopeful, Ohio. As for starting over, she'd gotten a bumpy start. We come across her family--her mother experiencing menopause, her father's obsession with Egypt, and her baby sister Jess, who was a bit of a drama queen. To make matters worse, she ran into Connor Doyle, her former flame who burned her, a decade ago. We saw things from Connor's and Marissa's POV, when they rubbed each other the wrong way, and fell in love when sparks fly, while they kept their secrets in the past. There's some humorous bits here that'll make you smile and laugh, like with her demon car. They took a chance on each other and rolled the dice to doubled their odds.  This one you'll root for them and fall in love with,  too.

This contemporary romance have something for everyone.  This would also tug on your heartstrings as well. I loved Marissa's family--they each had a bit of personality to add to Marissa's story to give it some real feelings to care about them. I enjoyed Connor's involvement with the teenage kids and helping them to stay off the streets. I despised at Marissa's demon car, though I laughed at it a couple of times. God help her! This romance will make you feel good and warm inside.

Ready to read an enjoyable contemporary romance? Pick up a book today!

Revenge of Innocents

In the 4th installment of the Carolyn Sullivan series, Revenge of Innocents, Nancy Taylor Rosenberg delivered us a shocker and took us a dark side. While planning her wedding to Marcus, Carolyn learned about her best friend's death. From there, she became entangled into a web of lies and deceit and other family secrets. When she became the legal guardian of her oldest daughter Jude, she didn't know what to believe between fact and fiction. We watched how emotionally involved she was to the case that pushed her to the limit. She took her career seriously, while others helped her pick up the pieces to this startling dark legal thriller. We see how she unraveled, while trying to keeping it together. This one delivered us a sucker-punch. I wished Nancy Taylor Rosenberg's wrote new books.

This legal thriller dealt with hard core topics of abuse, eating disorders, and murder. This was like a bitter pill to swallow and so much more. I did hold my breath and let it out a couple of times, since it dealt with nitty-gritty subject matters. I felt bad for Carolyn, when all this stuff have happened. I didn't like Jude so much or her father Brad.  I adored Marcus, Carolyn's son John and her daughter. I was so happy that they finally got to make things final between them as a family. I could see how devoted Carolyn was to her career as a probation officer.

Go out and check out this legal thriller today!

Shear Murder

Marla Shore had a lot in her hands in the latest installment in the Bad Hair Day series in Shear Murder. While she planned her wedding to Dalton, opened a day spa, and kept  her salon busy with customers, she had gotten a full schedule ahead of her. When she attended her friend's wedding, she discovered a new murder and was on the case. With not much time on her hands, we'll see how she was devoted to Dalton and Brianna and trying not to stay out of trouble. She was really up to her ears on this drama, when she discovered family secrets and other surprises in the background. The closer she was to the truth, the more threatening danger looms to her and her business. In the end, it was s a close call between life and death for her. Lots of surprises in store this one for sure.

This was another great mystery with a whole lot going on. I loved the flower arrangements in the storyline, including the birds of paradise. It was so nice and romantic for Dalton and Marla's interfaith marriage to take place, while another one happened before that.  I loved her friends and colleagues in this cozy mystery series who help Marla out. I believe Marla had met her match with Dalton.

Ready to set "I Do?" Grab a copy today!

Edge of Black

In the second installment of the Dr. Sam Owens series, JT.Ellison packed a punch with this enthralling novel in Edge of Black. After losing her family in the flood in Nashville, Sam moved to Washington D.C. to start her new life over. She had a new man in her life and was taken to a new and dangerous adventure. When there was an attack at the Metro train station, it rocked her world. We followed Sam on her darkest case ever, when there was a shade of black. We saw how connected she was to Xander, and what he went through to help her out and to define their blossoming relationship. She learned about a deadly poison that's homegrown to kill in their backyard. From D.C. to Colorado, there were many twists and turns to this thriller with a pummeling backstory as well that will blow you away. They were on the hunt for a bomber. There were so many surprises you didn't see coming.

We could really feel the depth of Sam's loss, when she lost her family in the flood. That heart-breaking sorrow was real on the pages. I felt sad for her, when she had to move and start over in a new town. Xavier was an interesting character with a peculiar family with hippy names.  We do get to see how much he cared about her, his family, and for his heathen environment. There was a strong outreach and outpouring of compassion from his family to her to make her feel one of them own. I cried and was at the edge of my seat in this thriller as well. This would leave you ... breathless.

Ready for an intense thriller? Grab a copy today!

Secret Identity

In Paula Graves's Secret Identity, welcome to the dark world of danger and intrigue. Amanda Caldwell was a former agent who'd been keeping secrets and living on the run. When someone tracked her down, she was on the run for her life. We saw her toss and turn with mixed emotions, when she met her former flame, Rick Cooper. Amanda's world's turned upside-down, when someone was gunning out for her. And she didn't know why. Three years ago, she couldn't escape her past. And neither could Rick. We have discovered how Rick was concerned for her and wanted to keep her safe. When they came together, the sparks continued to fly. Together, they took on their adversaries in a blaze of glory, when her secrets were exposed wide open. No one wanted the truth to come out in the end. What a burning rush!

This was a fantastic romantic suspense. I loved the non-stop action that took place in Tennessee. Amanda had a complex and interesting fast. Rick was pretty smooth and suave and sexy as well. The pairing between them was unstoppable and intense as well heated. I loved the backstory of Amanda's past  and how it unfolded when Rick protected her. Gripping page turning suspense and great action.

Ready to get heated up? Check this out this weekend!

The Silver Needle Murder

If culinary cozies are your average cup of tea, this series is for you. Laura Childs introduced us to Theodosia Browning and her interesting array of characters in her tea shop series in Death by Darjeeling. In the ninth installment of the Tea Shop Mystery series, the Silver Needle Murder, when one of the judges was found dead at the local awards show, she was asked to fill in his shoes. For Theo, that was a tall order for her to fill. Along the way, while she ran her tea shop demands, things were daunting, when new revelations came out about the victim. The more deeper we watched her dig her heels in, the more threatening it had gotten for her. And a producer had his eyes on her, when we observed her romance blossom with Parker. And when her close friend ended up murdered, we would be amazed who's behind the act, when the world of  documentary film-making was more than a cutthroat business. This is a delightful cozy with tea recipes and tips.

This is another spectacular culinary tea cozy.  This shone a spotlight on the Hollywood side of things in a small town. There was an interesting love triangle here between Theo, Parker and Johnny. But jealousy could be a dangerous thing. Things do get personal for Theo. I began to care for her and concerned for her as well. I didn't care for Johnny, who only used Theo for his own vicious gains. I could see an intriguing love match between Parker and Theo.

Ready to shine like Hollywood stars? Grab a copy today!

Darkness UnMasked

If you loved the Riley Jensen Guardian series, take a walk on the wild side. Welcome to Risa's dark and dangerous world in Darkness Unmasked, the 5th book in the Dark Angels series. She was half-werewolf, half-Aedh, an energy being like an angel. From her point of view, we witnessed every twist and turn in her life, when she embarked on a lethal mission to find a serial killer like no other, and how she'd gotten entangled into a spiderweb of her own. With one of her friends hurt and the other had gone missing, she had a complicated family life and a questionable relationship with Azriel, a reaper, who might be her better half. Besides a quest for the keys, we watched her wield her demon sword Amaya to protect her and fought a dangerous fight to get answers she was well-deserved.

This paranormal romance was way out of this world.  Like Riley Jensen, she was part-werewolf. Unlike her, she was part Aedh, an interesting characteristic to make her more holy and spiritual to fight evil dead on. I liked learning about her world in Australia, another wonderful location for this series. I didn't like it, when evil threatened her at every turn. But I loved her sword Amaya to catch a spidery serial killer. This made me gasp and sigh. Great drama, wonderful action in every scene, and a etherworldly romance to spark a romance.

Ready to fight evil? Grab on for a wild and dark ride?