Synopsis

 

An incendiary and utterly compelling thriller with a shocking twist that delves deep into the heart of institutionalized racism, from an exceptional new YA voice. Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students’ dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can’t escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn’t afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they’re planning much more than a high-school game…

 

 

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If you have triggers when reading a book, please check out the list of content warnings

 

Check out the trailer on the author’s Twitter account

 

 

Review

 

I was not expecting the twists that this book provides the reader and it kept me glued to the pages wanting to know who was involved, why, and how would it all turn out.

Devon and Chiamaka are the only two black students at this private academy and they have both been chosen as prefects their senior year. What they don’t expect is for their world to start falling apart without any clue as to who or by whom. The answer will surprise you.

This YA novel includes many topics including racism, LGBTQ, death, drugs, sexuality, and so much more. But all of these topics wind together to create an amazing tale that will appeal to many different readers. The chapters alternate between Devon and Chiamaka’s point of view and it provides the reader with different views of the same situation. We also see how these two characters handle the situation at hand and if their upbringing plays a part in their decisions. Chiamaka is from a family of wealth while Devon is at the academy on a scholarship, this means they handle situations quite differently but it plays to their advantage in the end.

The tension builds as the story progresses, but the real excitement is in the last 10% as everything comes to a head. There are so many things that are unbelievable, but believable at the same time. I think my jaw might have dropped a few times in disbelief. But sadly, I’m sure much of this can still be found across the world and that saddens me in how we have progressed over time in our thoughts and actions of other people no matter their background.

This thriller will definitely keep you on your toes. The epilogue is wonderful and the last line of the book?  Oh my! Things do come full circle.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Website * Twitter * Instagram

 

 

Synopsis

 

A LOVE STORY SET AGAINST THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

Nicole Vogel survived childhood in a Paris orphanage by holding to her dreams of one day becoming a great hat designer. Inspired by the ideal of the pursuit of happiness, she has become a gifted millinery apprentice by day and a street revolutionary by night. In the treasonous world of coffee houses and night rebellions, she meets Luc Chatillon, the only son of a family that has made great wealth breeding thoroughbreds for the royal stables.

Luc, recently returned from America, is inspired by the notion of liberty and freedom. Still, caught in the mores of his wealthy father’s world of arranged marriages and conventional mistresses, he has become cynical about love and marriage. In Nicole he finds the strength and purpose he craves for his own life.

As their passion intensifies, secrets from Nicole’s past emerge, which could send her to the guillotine. She must decide if she can truly depend on Luc as dangerous intrigues threaten to destroy her and those she loves.

 

 

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Review

 

I enjoy historical fiction because if researched properly, it can be educational as well as entertaining.

This story is set in revolutionary France, specifically Paris. The novel melds political uprising with a love story and proves that true love will win out in the end despite the atrocities of war.

Nicole is an orphan that has a talent for designing hats for the ladies of Paris. In a way, I’m envious of the fashion of this time and can only imagine having a closet full of hats to wear on a daily basis. I loved the descriptions of the hats that we are given and could picture them in my mind. Despite her talent, she can’t remember much about her past, and the few things she thinks that she remembers she questions because no one can validate her memories. There is a long story to this and it is revealed towards the end of the books. Let’s just say I felt bad for Nicole and was ashamed of the others that could have told her the truth years ago.

Luc is trapped in an engagement he doesn’t want with a woman that he really doesn’t love. The woman he is engaged to, Georgette, has her own issues and can be downright nasty when she isn’t getting her way. Luc thinks that he might have to end up marrying Georgette, that is until he meets Nicole and the sparks fly. He is willing to defy his family to seek a relationship with Nicole. The two do love each other, but life and the revolution do get in the way at times.

There are so many intricate storylines woven into this tale and each one adds depth and dimension to the novel. Besides Luc and Nicole, there is Gus the milliner that Nicole is apprenticing under, Antoine who is in the fight to free France from the aristocracy, Nicole’s friend Aimee from the orphanage, and so many more. Each character and their story adds dimension and complexity while showing another side to the times and the battle to emerge out from under the King of France.

This story kept me engaged and I wanted to know what happened next for Nicole and Luc. Perhaps there will be a follow-up book for these two.

We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Authors

 

Mary-Kate Summers is the writing team of Mary Janelle Melvin and Kate Evans.

 

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Synopsis

 

This is a collection of true life stories that together share the life of a young girl and her walk with God including how far she ran away from Him. Follow her through the valley to the other side!

By reading this three part series in one complete collection, all readers should walk away with a greater faith than what they began with.

This book is guaranteed to make you laugh and cry and laugh again! After all, isn’t that one of the reasons we read to begin with?

 

 

 

 

Review

 

An in-depth look at one woman’s journey in life and with God.

Wendy found herself in a place she didn’t think she wanted to be at a young age, but sometimes that is where you are meant to be and there is a journey planned out for you that you don’t think you want until you are traveling down that path.

While I haven’t made it through all of her stories yet, each one that I have read is raw and gets to the heart of Wendy’s journey, her feelings, and what she wants from life.

I enjoyed reading about her childhood and she had some pluck as a child! No matter what life threw at her, she persevered and made the best of things. Not every moment was beautiful, but each event taught her something about life and herself.

This is a book you will want to take your time reading and think about how you might react to certain situations and reflect on what have been teaching moments in your own life.

 

 

About the Author

 

My name is Wendy Glidden. I am a Mom of 10 and a Grandma of 7. God spoke to me at a young age and informed me that I would be a mother to many. I ran from that promise with a vengeance! However, despite my best attempts, I could not outrun God. He delivers on His promises for He is faithful! My childhood dreams were to be a famous author. As a child, I informed God how I did not need much; material possessions have never been a hang-up for me. Thank God for that! I promised God I would use all my riches to help others. I had dreams to say the least! When you start out life on your own at 16, unwillingly married and with child, your dreams have a way of falling to the wayside. Little did I understand that God was just thickening my story and adding immense color!! It’s funny what happens when you come to the end of yourself. Everything changes. This is what happened to me. My ministry is just developing. My focus is on total wellness. I love how well God has prepared me for my ministry. I love how God has been there for me even when I thought he wasn’t. I was blogging before I even realized fully what was going on. It amazes me that in less than 4 years, I have had over 62,500 page views. Even cooler to me than that is where I have been read. My stories have been viewed in places I did not even know existed until they showed up in my stat report. This journey has been quite exciting and I am looking forward to moving to the next step. This year I am republishing my trilogy in e-book format with West Bow Press. Alongside publishing books, I blog for my ministry ‘You Are Worthy Too’. If that wasn’t enough, I am currently pursuing my Biblical Studies Degree through Colorado Christian University and in my spare time, I market for a wellness company that is a just in time manufacturer of everyday needs. No fancy packaging but tons of value! Not often can you spend less and end up with more! This side business fits perfectly with my theme of total wellness and helping others. Often others ask me how on earth I manage to do so much. I reply, “Only by the grace of God do I do what I do.”

 

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GINGERBREAD KISSES

 

Hot in Magnolia Book 4

 

By Minette Lauren

 

 

Publication Date: April 30^th, 2021

Pages: 275

Categories: Sexy Romance

Scroll for Giveaway!

 

 

 

Hollywood actress Ginger Lynn Harding is broke, unemployed, and stuck in the glaring spotlight of a sex-tape scandal thanks to her lousy ex-boyfriend. Changing her coveted ginger-colored hair to brown, Ginger heads to small-town Magnolia, Texas, where she plans to hide out and wait tables at the Cupcake Diner and Dive.

As a Magnolia constable and possible candidate for mayor, Roland Karr prides himself on protecting the community. When he nabs a Lauren Bacall look-alike for speeding, Roland is surprised that he lets the sassy beauty off the hook, but he can’t help it. She looks like she could use a break.

As Ginger settles into life in Magnolia, she can’t stop thinking about the handsome and debonair cop, but can she risk losing her heart when she’s lost everything else?

 

 

 

 

Amazon | B&N

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I suggest having a fan close by to cool you off after reading this sizzling romance.

Usually, with romance novels, the focus is on one couple and their relationship adventure. Not so in this book, you get two romance stories in one and both are equally steamy. Ginger is on the run from a released sex video and being a Texas gal, she decides to head towards a place where she hopes that the press can’t find her, Magnolia. She is battling with what to do with her life and she feels like it is over, but I think she is admitting defeat way too early in her life. Perhaps, she just needed a place to lick her wounds until she can face the world again. I enjoyed watching her figure out what she wanted from life and taking what she wants….which just happens to include the hunky constable, Roland. Roland has his own issues and is perhaps just a little too straight-laced for his own good. I think he has something of a savior complex that he might need to revisit if he wants to have Ginger in his life. But I have to admire his dedication and loyalty to his family and watching out for them. Their story has its ups and downs and there are some intriguing twists at the end that surprised me.

The second romance is between Lexie and Noah. Because I haven’t read any of the previous books but discovered that Lexie and Noah are featured in Champagne Kisses. Their story apparently doesn’t end in a happily ever after in that book. The author does a wonderful job of filling us in on what transpired between the two in the past and how they ended up where they are today. I have to give Noah props because he knows what he wants and that is Lexie. They both have baggage and misunderstandings in the past, and it isn’t an easy road now but they persevere to work towards a future together.

I loved my first visit to Magnolia and all of the residents of this town. It is what I picture a small town to be like, where everyone knows everyone else (plus their business) and it is hard to keep a secret. I adored the Cupcake Diner and Dive and can only imagine how much fun that place can be to visit. I think my favorite character just might be Ms. Rosie. This is a woman that is not afraid to speak her mind much to the chagrin of her niece. I think the whole town takes her in stride because of her age and they might be just a smidge afraid of her. I think she is a crazy, yet loveable, woman and probably the life of the party.

This was a fun book and I am going to go back and read the first three books especially to discover Melvina’s story. There are brief glimpses of the other characters in this book but nothing that would give away too much of their story.

We give this book 5 paws up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minette Lauren is an award-winning author who loves animals and writes humorous romance in a small Texas town.

 

 

Website  | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

 

Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon Author Page

 

 

 

 

 

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

 

THREE WINNERS

First place: Signed copies of all the Hot in Magnolia series books (including the prequel) + $25 Amazon gift card.

Second place: Signed copies of all four books in the series

Third place: Signed copy of Gingerbread Kisses

(Continental US residents only. Ends Midnight, CDT, June 4, 2021.)

 

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

 

 

 

 

Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

 

For direct links to each stop on the tour, updated daily,

 

or visit the blogs directly:

 

 

5/25/21	Excerpt	Hall Ways Blog
5/25/21	Character Spotlight	Forgotten Winds
5/26/21	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
5/26/21	BONUS Promo	LSBBT Blog
5/27/21	Review	Julia Picks 1
5/28/21	Character Interview	That’s What She’s Reading
5/28/21	Review	Reading by Moonlight
5/29/21	Excerpt	All the Ups and Downs
5/30/21	Bonus Scene	Chapter Break Book Blog
5/31/21	Review	It’s Not All Gravy
6/1/21	Author Interview	The Clueless Gent
6/1/21	Review	Carpe Diem Chronicles
6/2/21	Sneak Peek	The Page Unbound
6/2/21	Review	Jennie Reads
6/3/21	Review	Book Fidelity
6/3/21	Review	Missus Gonzo

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

Sometimes all you need is one person to really see you.

Piper Parrish’s life on Frick Island—a tiny, remote town smack in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay—is nearly perfect. Well, aside from one pesky detail: Her darling husband, Tom, is dead. When Tom’s crab boat capsized and his body wasn’t recovered, Piper, rocked to the core, did a most peculiar thing: carried on as if her husband was not only still alive, but right there beside her, cooking him breakfast, walking him to the docks each morning, meeting him for their standard Friday night dinner date at the One-Eyed Crab. And what were the townspeople to do but go along with their beloved widowed Piper?

Anders Caldwell’s career is not going well. A young ambitious journalist, he’d rather hoped he’d be a national award-winning podcaster by now, rather than writing fluff pieces for a small town newspaper. But when he gets an assignment to travel to the remote Frick Island and cover their boring annual Cake Walk fundraiser, he stumbles upon a much more fascinating tale: an entire town pretending to see and interact with a man who does not actually exist. Determined it’s the career-making story he’s been needing for his podcast, Anders returns to the island to begin covert research and spend more time with the enigmatic Piper—but he has no idea out of all the lives he’s about to upend, it’s his that will change the most.

 

 

 

Review

 

This story filled me with hope, laughter, sorrow, and joy.

Piper loses her husband way too soon in their young marriage. I can’t even imagine the grief she felt learning to live without him. Then something odd happens, everyone acts as if Tom is there with her, hence the invisible husband. I loved how this small community rallied around Piper and tried to ease her grief in this way. While it wasn’t logical, they were doing what they thought was right at the time.

Anders has always wanted to be a journalist and his first job is with a smaller paper. You can imagine his disappointment expecting to work for a big name paper right off the bat. But everyone has to start at the bottom and work their way up. What he doesn’t expect is to find this small community on Frick Island and Piper. He is sent to this island to cover their annual cakewalk. It seems odd to have it on a Thursday, but as someone tells him, it has always been on a Thursday. Small communities find change harder than others. While on the island, Anders feels like he is thrown back in time with the lack of technology, a small community with large hearts, and a weird situation with Piper and her invisible husband.

Don’t take everything you think to be true at face value. There is the mystery of who sent an email to Anders that he was missing a bigger story? Is Piper insane or having a psychotic break? Is global warming and climate changes affecting the island and what do the citizens think about losing their island? Will Anders’ podcast become a success? How will he spin what he is experiencing on Frick Island that will capture everyone’s attention?

There are many parts that tickled my funny bone like the islanders thinking that Anders is a Mormon missionary because of what he is wearing that first day. Piper setting Anders up when giving him the island experience, and so many more.

There are some twists in the book that was unexpected and has the reader rethinking their original assumptions. One of these is actually kinda funny but you will have to read the book to discover the truth. There is also a situation where Anders has to face his own fears and past and come to terms with his own life.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Colleen Oakley is the USA Today bestselling author of You Were There Too, Close Enough to Touch, and Before I Go. Her books have been named best books by People, Us Weekly, Library Journal and Real Simple, and have been long-listed for the Southern Book Prize. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, four kids, and the world’s biggest lapdog.

 

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Instagram * Pinterest

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

A noir mystery set in a fictional midwestern city. As a gang war erupts, a gangster and the detective who sent him to prison work together to stop a serial killer and bury the past.

Kane Kulpa learned which laws could be bent and which broken after a short stint in prison courtesy of Detective Vincent Bayonne. Bound by time, integrity, and the reality of life in Central City, Bayonne and Kane made peace with the past. Now, gang tension spirals from corrupt to deadly, and a series of murders stresses Kane and Bayonne’s uneasy alliance. Kane balances on a razor’s edge to protect his bar, power, life, and family, and Bayonne hustles to keep another lonely man from being strangled.

Central City is a city struggling for identity. The cops protect the rackets, and the criminals shelter the injured. Innocence is only an appearance, and rage finds a voice.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Visit Central City Books to learn more about Central City and the characters.

 

 

Review

 

If you enjoy gritty noir mysteries, the mafia, turf wars and all that entails, then this will be right up your alley.

The book starts off with two young boys in the late 70s and their father in an altercation. The story jumps forward approximately 15 years and we meet a cast of characters that are intertwined in ways you may not even imagine. There are good and bad guys (and gals) and you might need a notecard to jot down who they are and how they know each other (or visit the Central City link above). We are drawn into the mystery of who is killing these men and why. Detective Vincent Bayonne is on the case with his new partner, Adam McKenna. Despite the fact that Adam is a new detective (and sometimes green around the gills), he plays an intricate role in this story.

Another key character is Kane Kulpa. Kane could be considered a CI for Bayonne but he isn’t without his own issues in this story. It took me a little bit to figure out how the various characters were tied to other characters. This is a good and bad thing because there is no shortage of characters, but there is a lot of backstories to wade through and get a good grasp on who each character is and the ultimate role they will play in this story.

There are some crazy twists near the end that really caught my attention and were not plot twists I expected. Perhaps I should have seen them coming, but alas I did not.

Noir mysteries are intriguing because while it is set in a slightly modern time, it feels historical. They don’t have cell phones or computers. The characters are in mafias or “gangs”. There are brothels. It feels very old school (think Rat Pack) to me but I like it!

We give this book 3 1/2 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Indy Perro is a novelist, an independent thinker, and a recovering academic. Indy has a degree in history, graduate degrees in religious studies, comparative literature, and education, and has spent more than a decade teaching philosophy, religious studies, writing, and literature. He lives in northern Colorado, and when he’s not at his desk, he loves to hike, run, read, and study languages.

Sign up to receive updates about new publications, news, and events on his Website.

 

 

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Synopsis

 

A “dazzling” (Bryan Washington, author of Memorial and Lot ) and brilliantly satirical debut novel for fans of Women Talking and Red Clocks about two best friends—a disgraced influencer and a struggling actor—who form The Atmosphere, a cult designed to reform problematic men.

Sasha Marcus was once the epitome of contemporary success: an internet sensation, social media darling, and a creator of a high profile wellness brand for women. But a confrontation with an abusive troll has taken a horrifying turn, and now she’s at rock bottom: canceled and doxxed online, fired from her waitress job and fortressed in her apartment while men’s rights protestors rage outside. All that once glittered now condemns.

Sasha confides in her oldest childhood friend, Dyson—a failed actor with a history of body issues—who hatches a plan for Sasha to restore her reputation by becoming the face of his new business venture, The Atmosphere: a rehabilitation community for men. Based in an abandoned summer camp and billed as a workshop for job training, it is actually a rigorous program designed to rid men of their toxic masculinity and heal them physically, emotionally, and socially. Sasha has little choice but to accept. But what horrors await her as the resident female leader of a crew of washed up, desperate men? And what exactly does Dyson want?

Explosive and wickedly funny, this “Fight Club for the millennial generation” (Mat Johnson, author of Pym) peers straight into the dark heart of wellness and woke-ness, self-mythology and self-awareness, by asking what happens when we become addicted to the performance of ourselves.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo * BAM

 

Review

 

This is a satirical look at the world today where men are put into or join rehabilitation centers (cults) to rid themselves of their masculinity and one such cult is run by two friends that are washed up in their own lives and perhaps this is better than nothing.

Sasha was a rising star until a man (troll) kills himself and blames her…and weirdly, society jumps on the bandwagon and starts hounding and harassing her and she is stuck in her apartment with no safe way to get out. Sound somewhat familiar in today’s world? This type of behavior by the masses is very common and one could say they are bullying her for something that really wasn’t her fault. She didn’t put the gun to the guy’s head. However, it is her words that are what get her into trouble. I found the whole situation very sad and felt for Sasha and what she was having to go through.

Dyson is a successful actor as long as he doesn’t have any speaking roles and is apparently sought after for those types of roles. I guess everyone has to have a strength somewhere. He decides to start a cult on some land his parents own/gave him in New York. What ensues is quite interesting between the men that become a part of this cult and what they have to do to stay there and become “better” men. On one hand, it is absurd, but on the other hand, Dyson starts digging into the men’s history and what brought them to this point in their life. In a way, it is helpful to several of the men. One thing I noticed is that the men in this cult were all white men and they were being taught to be less white….another stab at society today?

I have to give the author credit for poking fun at what we see in the world today and how out of control it has gotten. There are a few lines that did stick out to me that I want to share because I agree wholeheartedly with these thoughts:

“No one communicates. They’d rather troll and drag and call out and harass and cancel. It’s painful. And my industry is the problem – tech companies killed communication, with social media, texting, apps that tell you when to express your love for someone.”

“Because that’s the problem now: everyone has all these thoughts and ideas and they spread them without considering whether they might hurt someone else.”

If you are into satire and dark comedy, this is probably a book you will want to read. I saw another review that compared it to Black Mirror and the weirdness of that show, and honestly, I could see this book being made into an episode of that show.

We give it 3 1/2 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Alex McElroy is a nonbinary writer based in Brooklyn. Their first novel, The Atmospherians, will be published by Atria in 2021. Other writing appears in Vice, The Atlantic, Tin House, TriQuarterly, New England Review, and their first book, Daddy Issues, was published in 2017.
​
Alex has received fellowships from The Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, The Tin House Summer Workshop, The Sewanee Writers Conference, The Inprint Foundation, The Elizabeth George Foundation, and The National Parks Service.

 

Website * Twitter

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

The Hunting Wives share more than target practice, martinis, and bad behavior in this novel of obsession, seduction, and murder.

Sophie O’Neill left behind an envy-inspiring career and the stressful, competitive life of big-city Chicago to settle down with her husband and young son in a small Texas town. It seems like the perfect life with a beautiful home in an idyllic rural community. But Sophie soon realizes that life is now too quiet, and she’s feeling bored and restless.

Then she meets Margot Banks, an alluring socialite who is part of an elite clique secretly known as the Hunting Wives. Sophie finds herself completely drawn to Margot and swept into her mysterious world of late-night target practice and dangerous partying. As Sophie’s curiosity gives way to full-blown obsession, she slips farther away from the safety of her family and deeper into this nest of vipers.

When the body of a teenage girl is discovered in the woods where the Hunting Wives meet, Sophie finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation and her life spiraling out of control.

 

 

 

Bookshop * Amazon * B&N * BAM

 

Target * Apple * Google * Kobo

 

 

Review

 

Don’t mess with a Texas gal or her gun.

Welcome to the piney woods of East Texas in a small town where everyone knows everyone else and the rumors abound. Sophie and her family have moved back to this town where she spent two years in high school. She thought it would be a better place to raise her son compared to Chicago. She might be right and she may be wrong.

I will have to admit that the first half of the book (or so) was somewhat slow as we learned more about Sophie, Margot, Erin, Callie, Jill, and Tina. I learned that most of these women were catty and shallow, and liked to drink a lot. It seems like they were always getting drunk. I don’t know if they weren’t happy with their lives or if they were bored or something else. Sophie also has an obsession with Margot and it takes some time to really get down to the reason for the obsession. At the outset, it might be because she is bored with her life, and moving to this town may not have been what she was expecting.

Most of the characters are unlikeable but in a way, they draw you into their world. It is surprising what they manage to get away with and keep from their families, or are they? I think their spouses have an inkling about what is going on and either keep quiet or have their own agenda.

We learn at the beginning of one death, but you won’t get the details about that until much later. There is another death that shocks the small town especially when other information comes to light. One might think you learn who to trust or not trust, and just when you thought you had it all figured out there are some twists that will surprise you.

The moral of this story – don’t go looking for happiness in others because you will only find it in yourself.

Overall, I found this book to have some good suspense/thriller moments but it was hard to root for any of the characters except maybe Erin. We give it 3 1/2 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

May Cobb is a freelance writer from Austin, TX who won the 2015 Writer’s League of Texas Manuscript Contest. Her writing has appeared in Austin Monthly and the online edition of JazzTimes. Big Woods is her debut novel.

 

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Synopsis

 

Dakota Kilroy, a 28-year-old investigative journalist, is haunted by the unsolved disappearance of her best friend, Maddy Montgomery who went missing at the age of fifteen. When financial difficulties force her to move back home to Santa Monica, CA, she cannot take the unanswered questions anymore. Determined to find out what happened to Maddy, Dakota starts ShadowCast, a true crime podcast to publicize the case. But little does she know the man responsible for Maddy’s disappearance all those years ago is listening in and tampering with her investigation.

SHADOWCAST is a psychological thriller with page-turning suspense, a story that praises the value of friendship and the fearless pursuit of justice.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Black Rose Writing

 

 

Review

 

I have been on a psychological thriller kick over the last year and this one does not disappoint. It is a little different because we know all those involved, including the killer, and the story is told from his POV and Dakota’s, the protagonist. It is eerie reading the killer’s POV but it is also fascinating to see how a serial killer might think. There is more to his story than meets the eye.

Dakota is an investigative journalist that has been laid off and ends up going back home to CA from NYC much to her chagrin. Her parents are not 100% supportive of her career path and possibly even less so once she is out there and decides to start a podcast to try and find out what happened to her best friend Maddy. I don’t feel like we get to know Dakota’s family very well and I feel like they are shallow and only care about appearances.

While I don’t list to podcasts, I find the concept interesting. I know many listen to true crime podcasts and this would fall into that category. She is very matter of fact when sharing her findings and that draws attention to her show. But like anything on the internet, there are creepers out there and those that are willing to throw rocks at anyone and everyone from the perceived safety from behind a computer.

The story has a nice even pace and I was riveted to the story wondering what was the connection, would they figure out who he was, and how would that impact Dakota. The clues and details of what happened and parsed out at a good pace that keeps the story hopping. The revelation about the history of the killer and how long this has been happening is amazing. Goes to show you there are all kinds of weirdos about there.

There is even a bit of romance to this book between Dakota and Sean. Sean is about 16 years older than Dakota and is heavily invested in her search for Maddy’s killer. You will have to read the book to learn why he cares so much.

Overall this was an intriguing read and we give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

V.P. Morris is an award winning horror and thriller writer. She is also the creator of the fictional podcast, The Dead Letters Podcast. Her interest in true crime and criminal psychology inspired her debut novel, ShadowCast. When she is not reading or writing, she is sending time with her husband, son, and rescue dog in their Connecticut home.

 

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THE PARIS BETRAYAL

 

By James R. Hannibal

 

 

Publisher: Revell

Pub Date: May 4th, 2021

Pages: 352 pages

Categories: Fiction / Christian / Suspense

 

 

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After a rough mission in Rome involving the discovery of a devastating bioweapon, Company spy Ben Calix returns to Paris to find his perfectly ordered world has collapsed. A sniper attack. An ambush. A call for help that brings French SWAT forces down on his head. Ben is out. This is a severance–reserved for incompetents and traitors.

Searching for answers and anticipating a coming attack, Ben and a woman swept up in his misfortunes must travel across Europe to find the sniper who tried to kill him, the medic who saved his life, the schoolmaster who trained him, and an upstart hacker from his former team. More than that, Ben must come to grips with his own insignificance as the Company’s plan to stop Leviathan from unleashing the bioweapon at any cost moves forward without him–and he struggles against the infection that is swiftly claiming territory within his own body.

Award-winning author James R. Hannibal ratchets up the tension on every page of this suspenseful new thriller.

 

 

 

 

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Praise

 

“A masterful thriller is created by a masterful writer, and James R. Hannibal is at the top of my list. I devoured every page with the lights on!” —DiAnn Mills, DiAnnMills.com, author of Airborne

“James Hannibal once again displays his dazzling prose and ability to keep even the more experienced readers guessing. In The Paris Betrayal, Hannibal sets his hook deep and early, then drags you through a riveting, edge-of-your-seat story. Another gripping, high-octane book from one of the best thriller writers in the business.” — Simon Gervais, former RCMP counterterrorism officer and bestselling author of Hunt Them Down

“Riveting and action-packed! The Paris Betrayal is everything you want in a thriller–suspense, intrigue, and white-knuckle action. Hannibal has a knack for keeping you guessing in a plot that moves at a breakneck speed. This is one you don’t want to miss!” —Ronie Kendig, bestselling author of The Tox Files

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spies, Lies, and a dog…Oh my!

If you are in the mood for a good spy novel then look no further than this book. I was taken on a fast-paced adventure with many moving parts, flawed characters, and an adorable doxie named Otto. Yes, anytime there is a dog I am pretty sure I’m going to like the book.

The author has some first-hand knowledge regarding military operations and while this is not a military based book, I could see how that information could shape the direction Ben took in hunting down the virus and Leviathan before it destroys the world and the people that inhabit this planet. While the book was primarily written before the current pandemic, the author took advantage of this new information and added a few more twists to the story.

Ben is loyal to The Company and his mission. When he is burned he doesn’t stop trying to right the wrongs, he continues and puts himself in perilous situations. However, it seems like Ben is always on the go. This is probably to be expected in the spy business because once you are in play, I can’t imagine that you aren’t always on edge and looking over your shoulder. But that just adds to the drama of the novel and will keep you glued to your seat from start to finish.

In spite of his current situation, a few people still want to help Ben survive including Clara, a seemingly innocent bystander that is swept along into this nightmare along with her dog Otto. Clara manages to end up in the right place at the right time to help Ben out of a few situations. Is she as innocent as she appears?

I appreciated that while some characters were not major players in the book, we are provided sufficient information about each character so we can imagine them in our minds and the role they play in this novel and in Ben’s quest for the truth. I felt like each character added to the storyline no matter their role. Many were devious and it is obvious I was never trained to be a spy because I don’t think I could think that fast on my feet if I were in the same situation.

While this book has more of a serious tone, there are still many scenes that had me chuckling including one with a hacker that Ben thinks has blown up his girlfriend’s home. Between the dialogue and the actions of Ben, it was almost like watching a comedy routine but a little more dangerous.

This was the first book I have read from this author but it won’t be my last. I definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good spy novel. We give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James R. Hannibal is no stranger to secrets and adventure. This former stealth pilot from Houston, Texas, has been shot at, locked up with surface-to-air missiles, and chased down a winding German road by an armed terrorist. He is a two-time Silver Falchion Award winner for his children’s mysteries, a former Thriller Award nominee, and a 2020 Selah and Carol Award finalist for The Gryphon Heist–the opener for the CIA series that now includes Chasing the White Lion. James is a rare multisense synesthete, meaning all of his senses intersect. He sees and feels sounds and smells, and he hears flashes of light. If he tells you the chocolate cake you offered smells blue and sticky, take it as a compliment.

 

 

 

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GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

 

ONE WINNER receives a print copy of The Paris Betrayal,

Mini Pen Camera, & $10 Starbucks Gift Card!

 

US Only. Ends midnight, CDT, May 14, 2021.

 

 

 

 

 

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