Review:Falling Apart and Other Gifts from the Universe by Catherin Ryan Hyde

Two disparate people—lost in their own way—find an unexpected healing connection in a poignant novel about redemption and chosen family by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde.

An army veteran with a career as a beat cop behind her, security guard Addie Finch is tough—on the outside. Internally, she’s in crisis mode. She’s lonely, introverted, struggling through AA, estranged from her son, and, at sixty-two years old, questioning her role as a protector. She also has a soft spot for the underdog that’s about to change her life.

Addie finds Jonathan, a homeless teenager abandoned by his mother, holed up in a warehouse and vulnerable to the elements and to predators. Touched by the boy’s gentle nature and a wisdom beyond his years, Addie offers him temporary shelter in her garden shed in exchange for maintaining the sprawling property. It’s an act of kindness and purpose that means the world to Jonathan. But when Addie faces a situation that sends her internal world tumbling, the emotional connection with Jonathan, once the unlikeliest of strangers, becomes her lifeline as well.

As both process past traumas, Addie and Jonathan forge a surrogate grandmother-grandson bond—a chosen family that could restore trust and heal hearts they thought were broken forever.

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What I thought about Falling Apart and Other Gifts from the Universe

Whenever I'm looking for "all the feels" as they say, this is a go-to author for me.  Her books are always soulful, taking a deep look at the human condition and all the terrible things that people can experience that might take them down.  And while it might seem from the description that this is a dark book, it also shines a light on much humans need each other for healing.

This one was another winner.  There are seriously deep emotions at play here and this author is great at writing about them in a way that lets the reader feel them.  Addiction and recovery are a big part of this story and are portrayed realistically and with sensitivity. The story moves along at a good pace and while the content is sometimes difficult it does maintain a sense of hopefulness that I like in this author's work. 

Review: 5 stars for You Can Scream (Laurel Snow #5) by Rebecca Zanetti

 

Twisted family relationships, sociopaths and conspiracy theories abound in the icy Cascade Mountains of Washington State in New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti's heart-pounding series about an FBI profiler and her equally brilliant sister on the wrong side of the law.

Laurel’s family was never simple—but her half-sister, Abigail, a brilliant, unpredictable psychopath, just made it lethal. Accused of murdering their father, a man she always called a monster, Abigail claims self-defense. As the trial unfolds and long-buried family secrets explode into headlines across Washington State, Laurel’s hard-won privacy is shattered. And the nightmare is just beginning.

Even as Abigail’s trial consumes public attention, new dangers close in as the murder of a prominent scientist and the illegal poaching of a rare Pacific plant point to something insidious. Laurel turns to Washington Fish and Wildlife captain Huck Rivers, her partner in work and life, for help. But the deeper they dig, the more the case seems to echo the chaos unraveling Laurel’s world.

With danger tightening around her, Laurel faces an impossible choice: trust Abigail in one crucial, treacherous alliance, or risk losing everything. Her career, her relationships, even her life hang in the balance. The clock is ticking—and if the threat breaks loose, nothing will be fast enough to stop it.

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What I thought about You Can Scream

Laurel Snow is back, still dealing with her crazy but brilliant sister and associates. Abigail is about to go on trial for killing her father when a sniper makes his presence known. But who is the target? Abigail or Laurel?

I just love this series. It's just so easy to fall into this story. Laurel is a extremely likable character and Abigail has enough crazy for just about everyone. There's always a complicated crime drama surrounding them.

And then there's Huck, the Fish and Game Captain and Laurel's colleague and more. This relationship has been building since the start of the series and really warmed my heart in You Can Scream. They are just so great together, whether solving a case or just spending time together.

Recommended for romantic suspense readers. Loved it!

 

Review: Secrets You Can't Keep (Vera Boyett #3) by Debra Webb

  

From USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb comes crime analyst Vera Boyett’s next case—a triple homicide that tears a small town apart…and an accident that could do worse to her family.

A cabin in the woods. Three dead, one in critical condition. Property owned by not just any Tennessee local, but one of the richest men in the country.

Vera Boyett isn’t quite sure what it means. But that’s why Sheriff Gray “Bent” Benton called to figure it out. Criminal analysis is what she does best. Even when the town is in panicked shambles, even when the case is more delicate than most…and even when it’s not the only case on her plate.

Vera’s family is caught in a deadly mess of its own. And while her pregnant sister seems an unlikely culprit, each new detail seems to point to her guilt. Desperate to protect her, Vera vows to find out what really happened.

As evidence emerges in both cases, Vera and Bent work to unravel a dangerous web of secrets to get to the truth. But their investigations reveal more than they ever expected… 

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What I thought about Secrets You Can't Keep 

Vera Boyett and her sisters are back -- with a new case to solve for Vera, and new family drama that could have devastating consequences in this third book in the series.

Vera is investigating a triple homicide in this book along with Sheriff Gray Benton. Things just aren't adding up and it will take both of these law enforcement officers to find the killers. Meanwhile, Vera's pregnant sister has a crisis of her own, when her mean mother-in-law is discovered dead from a fall. Or was it a push? Vera will need to figure it out to protect her sister.

I really like this series. Vera and Bent make a great couple, even though Vera can sometimes go off on her own. As is with this genre, things get wrapped up in the final pages when that key piece of evidence falls into place. Turns out there are some secrets that need revealing.

Overall, a nice addition to this terrific series. 

Review: The Black Dagger Brotherhood: 20th Anniversary Insider’s Guide by J. R. Ward

  

Vampire warriors in black leather and tattoos.
Passionate love stories that pierce the heart.
Dark nights filled with drama, chaos, and epic battles in the shadows of Caldwell, NY…
And then there are the unicorn pajamas. And the Tootsie Pops.

Welcome back to the world of the iconic, #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series. With millions of devoted readers across the globe, these unforgettable books have redefined paranormal romance. Now, to celebrate two decades of the Brothers, author J.R. Ward opens the door to their world once more.

Inside this all-new 20th Anniversary Insider’s Guide, Ward reflects on the journey—sharing behind-the-scenes moments, heartfelt memories, candid writing advice, and insight into the challenges and triumphs of her long and legendary career. She also brings back the original Brothers in a mix of classic content and never-before-seen material, including:

• A brand-new novella, Happy Anniversary– Revisit Wrath and Beth as they reclaim the time lost between them. Tender, erotic, and emotional, this story returns to the couple who started it all—and proves that happily ever after doesn’t always come easy.
• Brotherhood updates, as J.R. interviews the Brothers to reveal where they are now
• Fan-favorite features like Ask a Brother, Vishous’s Agony Aunt Column, Kitchen Corner with Fritz, and Bella’s Books
• Quotes, playlists, Lassiter’s journalistic takeovers, monthly horoscopes, and more
• Q&A with J.R. Ward, filled with new insight and revelations

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What I thought about the 20Th Anniversary Insider's Guide

This book is chock full of BDB world information, some of which fans may have already seen by way of previous released information.  That I had already seen some of the material in this didn't matter -- there's a lot of humor there that made re-reading it fun. And there's a new story about Beth and Wrath that reminds readers what they learned about this couple in Dark Lover. There's only one person who can handle Wrath and that's Beth.  It's worth picking this up for the Happy Anniversary novella alone. 

As a long time fan of this series, I learned a few things I didn't know and there were hints of what is coming. I loved reading this.

 

Review: Wild Instinct by T. Jefferson Parker

 A gripping high-stakes thriller by three-time Edgar Award winner and New York Times bestselling author T. Jefferson Parker ("A marvel...hits the high-water mark for crime fiction every time out." —Gregg Hurwitz)

Lew Gale, a former Marine sniper, now an Orange County California Sheriff’s detective, is assigned to track and shoot a mountain lion that has killed a man in Caspers Park, located in the rugged country east of Laguna Beach, California. The victim is Bennet Tarlow, a rich developer and man-about-town in upscale coastal Orange County.

The investigation takes an unexpected—and chilling—turn when Lew and his deputy sheriff arrive at the kill site in the Santa Ana mountains, only to discover that Bennet was dead before the lion got to him. And while Bennet might have been the first to die, he certainly will not be the last.

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 What I thought about Wild Instinct

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I did like these characters. Lew Gale, with his Native American background, is a dedicated detective by day, but a little shaky courtesy of his sniper experiences. He's got some scars. And his partner Daniela is similar in that she is a single mom with a teenage son who is possibly getting into some serious trouble. I really found both of these characters to be interesting and liked the pages that covered their personal lives.

Bennet Tarlow's murder investigation seemed to drag for me. It took me a long time to finish this book because the action just never grabbed me enough to want to keep reading, and yet I finished the book to find out more about these characters.

Overall, a three star read for me. Interesting characters with a slow murder investigation.

Review: Undead and Unwed by Sam Tschida

 

Bridget Jones’s Diary meets What We Do in the Shadows in this hilarious contemporary rom-com about a 300-year-old single vampire who inherits a fixer-upper in a quaint town in Vermont

Nothing sucks more than dating–especially when you've been bad at it for three centuries.

Tiffenie Ruba is 300 years old and still doesn’t have her life together. She doesn’t own a home—typical for a Millennial, which she often gets mistaken for–and she hasn’t had a relationship in forever (almost literally). When she’s not working at the local blood bank, she’s watching Hallmark movies with her cat. Tiffenie has an eternity to go but she knows she can’t go on like this.

But when she suddenly inherits a charming inn in the picture-perfect town of Valentine, Vermont (due to a case of mistaken–okay, stolen–identity), she has a chance to live out all of her Hallmark fantasies.

Unfortunately, she has to bring along a new vampire she accidentally created, pretend to be someone else, and navigate a love triangle with a hot Christmas tree farmer and her old master Vlad, who she’s still totally mad at. Can she pull it all off–and finally learn a lesson along the way?

With biting wit, a dash of spice, and the cozy warmth of a great Hallmark movie, Undead and Unwed will make you laugh until you cry as Tiffenie bungles her way toward self-improvement and true love. 

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What I thought about Undead and Unwed

Tiffanie is a 300 year-old vampire who still doesn't know what she wants!  She's not all that interested in living like a vampire and tries to exist on coconut water instead of blood, until that gets in her in a bit of hot water.   It's not good to drain your victims, even when you have somewhere to run by way of an inheritance.

This was a seriously cute take on the vampire trope in general.  No darkness here, just a good sense of humor and an easy way with the humans.  I really did like Tiffany a whole lot, and I was cheering for her to get back with her ex all along.  It was just right.  

There's a whole drama about assuming someone's identity and the mess that can get a person into as well.  Tyrone, the Christmas tree farm neighbor, was a interesting character, but clearly not right for Tiffany.

Overall, this was a very entertaining take on the vampire myth. There's romance inthere too, although for me it wasn't the centerpeice of the story. That all belonged to Tiffany. I also liked her friend Heaven who was the epitome of "rolling with the punches".  There are some slow spots, and a few head-scratching parts so it wasn't perfect, but for the most part entertaining. The ending fell apart a little for me, as it just didn't have the punch I expected, but it didn't ruin the fun. 3.5 solid stars.

 

  

Review: Witness to Murder (Colby Agendy: The Next Generation #4) by Debra Webb

Just one look

…shattered her life.

It was worse than the date from hell. Teacher Leah Gerard waited hours for the man…until she saw his bloody body being dragged away. Did she imagine it? The police believe she did, as there’s no body to corroborate her story. Then Leah becomes their prime murder suspect. Determined to find the truth, Leah hires ace investigator Owen Walker, who delves into every possibility while protecting —and captivating—Leah. But when her longtime roommate disappears, troubling questions and danger follow. Who wants Leah charged with murder? And who wants her dead?

From Harlequin Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.

Discover more action-packed stories in the Colby The Next Generation series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following

Book 1: A Colby Christmas Rescue
Book 2: Alibi for Murder
Book 3: Memory of Murder
Book 4: Witness to Murder

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 What I thought about Witness to Murder

This book starts out with a bad date and a murder, putting Leah on the cops radar and in trouble. She reaches out to the Colby Agency for help, and Owen Walker arrives to protect her while trying to figure out who is setting her up.

 This is the fourth in the Next Generation series.  There are light romantic elements and a solid murder mystery. In this case, someone is setting Leah up for murder.  This author always just gives enough info so that at some point, the reader can figure out what's going on and I like that about it. 

This was an easy-to-read mystery with romantic elements that made for a pleasant and enjoyable reading experience.