Release Week Review: The Girl Upstairs by Jessica R. Patch

  

“Jessica R. Patch weaves a dark, twisty tapestry that’s both unsettling and unexpectedly hopeful. Masterful.” –New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan

She bought this house to save her marriage. Unearthing its secrets might just claim her life.

Gwen McDaniel’s life is broken. But she knows the perfect place to fix it. Cold Harbor, Maine is where she used to vacation with her parents as a child, an idyllic small town with views of Acadia National Park. Here, she and Steven can start over, renovating their cliff-side fixer-upper while patching up their marriage. Soon, everything will be better.

Except from the moment they arrive, Gwen sees and hears things, and it’s more than just the drafts and shadows that are part of any old house. Steven downplays her fears, warning her not to fixate on problems as she has in the past. But Gwen spent years as a homicide detective, and her instincts don’t lie. Something happened here. Proof comes when she rips up the attic’s old carpet to discover a chilling message carved into the wood.

As Gwen delves into the history of the house and Cold Harbor community, she begins to piece the fragments together. And gradually, a terrifying picture emerges: A missing girl. A house of horrors. And a dark, decades-old nightmare that is more haunting than Gwen ever imagined…

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What I thought about The Girl Upstairs

Something is creepy from the start in this psychological suspense tale, complete with the rumors of a haunted house, stories of murder, human bones on the property and a family that just seems "off", and I don't mean just a little! I spent the day reading this because I couldn't put it down. 

Gwen McDaniel is the narrator. She's a former detective who has lost purpose in her life, along with her job. There are hints from the start that she's had some sort of trauma. Her marriage rest on tenuous ground. I just had to keep reading very early on to find out what was going on with this family and their new home. 

I've been reading this author for a while and each book is better than the last. While branded a Christian fiction writer, this aspect of the story is handled with sensitivity rather than righteousness and when juxtaposed with the dark elements of the story, the inclusion seems understandable. And I like that not everything is spelled out specifically and calls for the reader to complete the picture. 

I really enjoyed this story. It grabbed my attention right away and kept it until the end. The characters are not flat. They are multi-layered and interesting. The story is intriguing with the feel of a haunted house to maintain the suspense of the setting. And the clues. The twists and turns made for a good mystery to unravel. This one checked all my boxes. 5 stars.

 

Review: The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer

 

She can hop into any novel, she just can’t stay there. Come along with the book witch in this magical and inspiring love letter to reading from the USA Today bestselling author of The Wishing Game.

Rainy March is a proud third-generation book witch, sworn to defend works of fiction from all foes real and imaginary. With her magical umbrella and feline familiar, she jumps into and out of novels to fix malicious alterations and rogue heroes. 

Book witches live by a strict Real people belong in the real word; fictional characters belong in works of fiction…. Do not eat, drink, or sleep inside a fictional world, lest you become part of the story. Falling in love with a fictional character? Don’t even think about it.

Which is why Rainy has been forbidden from seeing the Duke of Chicago, the dashing British detective who stars in her favorite mystery series. If she’s ever caught with him again, she’ll be expelled from her book coven—and forced to give up the magical gifts that are as much a part of her as her own name.

But when her beloved grandfather disappears and a priceless book is stolen, there’s only one person she trusts to help her solve the case: the Duke. Their quest takes them through the worlds of Alice in Wonderland, The Great Gatsby, and other classics that will reveal hidden enemies and long-buried family secrets. 

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What I thought about The Book Witch

What if you could just jump into your favorite story and interact with your favorite characters? Book witch Rainy March can, and she is called to help in the fictional world. There are rules of course, but rules are made for breaking!

This story is super creative and a bit mind bending as I've come to expect from this author. The attention to detail and realism of it all is just fabulous. The writing moves along nicely and the twists and reveals keep coming.   It touched about my early reading experiences, which were wonderful. It made me remember books like the Nancy Drew series, which were required reading in my early days.  I really enjoyed this story. Very clever and lots of fun.

 

Review: The Ten Year Lie (Dark and Dangerous #1) by Debra Webb

A wrongfully convicted man and the key witness against him join forces to figure out who framed him for murder in a riveting novel of small-town secrets by USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb.

Every person in Pine Bluff, Alabama, stood behind Emily Wallace when she testified against Clint Austin. After all, Emily knows what she saw that terrible Clint, covered in blood, holding the body of her best friend Heather.

But Clint has always maintained his innocence, and now, after a successful appeal, he has come home to prove it.

The whole town is furious about his return, and Emily becomes obsessed with sending Clint back to prison—until her father reveals a devastating secret that casts doubt on the whole trial. What if she was wrong?

When another person with a connection to Heather turns up dead, Clint and Emily embark on a desperate search to find the truth. Because ten years ago, they were both betrayed by someone they know. So who, in a town full of liars, is getting away with murder?

Revised Previously published as Traceless, this edition of The Ten Year Lie includes editorial revisions.

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What I thought about The Ten Year Lie

Clint Austin goes to jail for ten years for a crime he didn't commit. When he is released due to issues with the evidence against him, he returns to Pine Bluff to look for who set him up.

Emily Wallace also returns home to make sure Clint never forgets he's a killer. The people in Pine Bluff hate him and want him gone.

But there are real holes in the evidence and the stories from all involved. Can Emily and Clint work together to solve the case? After all, Emily did have a little thing for Clint before he killed her friend!

I liked this story and became really involved once Emily and Clint deal with their relationship. The romantic elements were solid and entertaining, and the mystery of who killed Heather unravels with a few surprises. My only complaint was that the first half was a bit slow and it took some time for this to become a page-turner for me. 4 stars. 

Review: My Kind of Guy (Hockey Guys #4) by Sarina Bowen

 

He’s a backup goalie with a broken game. The only thing he needs more than a win is the hot, grumpy bartender who pours his weekly beer.

Becker James is having a spectacularly bad season. Once a top draft pick, he’s now riding the bench in the minors, one failed save away from being cut. The highlight of his week? A lonely hour on a barstool at Sportsballs, Denver’s queerest watering hole—and Forest, the bartender with flannel sleeves, a gruff voice, and a beard that stars in Beck’s dreams.

Opportunity strikes when Forest’s LGBTQ hockey team—the Stickhandlers—loses their goalie last-minute. Beck makes Forest an offer: he’ll help them beat the most hated team in the beer league, but he wants something in return—one night together.

Cue the record scratch, because Seth Forrester doesn’t do hookups. After his last one went horribly wrong, he swore off men for good. He’s definitely not falling for the awkward hottie who just stammered through an indecent proposal.

But Beck is prepared to press his case, no matter how awkward it gets. And one beer league game turns into something messier, sweeter, and so much harder to walk away from…

Links

Digital copies at:

Amazon
https://geni.us/MKOG-Kindle

Apple Books
https://geni.us/MKOG-Apple

Kobo
https://geni.us/MKOG-Kobo

Nook
https://geni.us/MKOG-Nook

Google Play
https://geni.us/MKOG-Google

Audible: Coming soon!

Books page
https://sarinabowen.com/my-kind-of-guy

Series links page
https://sarinabowen.com/hockey-guys-links

ADD TO GOODREADS:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245204597-my-kind-of-guy

What I though about My Kind of Guy

Hockey goalie Becker has a huge crush on Forest, the bartender of the bar where he likes to hang out. When the opportunity to fill in as goalie in the bar-league, Becker grabs at the chance to finally be with Forest. 

Only Forest has some serious baggage from a prior incident and he's hesitant to get involved with anyone, with good reason. But that's not going to stop these two from inching toward being a couple, because they are just too darn good together!

This author excels at two things that I like in a sports romance -- an attraction that gradually builds to a deeper connection, with exciting sports segments that uplift the story. There are some great moments for Becker in My Kind of Guy, both on and off the ice. Becker and Forest were just perfect together.

If you are looking for an M/M romance that will leave you smiling, you might just like My Kind of Guy. 

Review: The Boy in the Wall (A Chicago K-9 Thriller, 3) by Jeffrey B. Burton

 

The discovery of a missing boy’s body uncovers cruel schemes in this twisty, fast-paced K-9 thriller series set in the Windy City of Chicago.

What if the past won’t let you go?

It was supposed to be a fun dog demo day for the students at Henry Horner Elementary School in Chicago—but when Cory Pratt’s cadaver dogs sniff out the body of a missing teenage boy wedged into the wall of the cafeteria, his family’s life is shattered.

It seems like tragedy follows the Shortridges. With the eldest son having taken his life a few years earlier, Patrick being found mutilated and murdered devastates the whole clan further. Now everyone is fearing for seven-year-old sister Charlotte.

When a kidnapping attempt on the young girl fails, Cory and his detective sister Crystal are sure someone is targeting the Shortridges. But who is behind these savage attacks and why would someone want to kill off such a seemingly unassuming family? 

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What I thought about The Boy in the Wall

Cory and Crystal Pratt take on a new mystery when cadaver dogs Alice and Rex find a body at the local school where Cory is giving a demonstration of what his dogs can do. First off, I love the dogs in this book. Alice and Rex are just wonderful in so many ways, and they warm this dog-lover's heart!

The story takes some twists and turns as they discover that identity of the boy and the tragic past of his family. I'll just say that it takes revenge to a whole new level.

Cory and his sister are always a good duo in their respective fields and Cory's private life makes an appearance when he realizes his feelings for a school colleague. I did like this part of the story.

Overall, this is an entertaining mystery, with some good twists. There's also a great canine duo helping out! 

Review: Crown of War and Shadow ( Kingdoms of the Compass #1) by J. R. Ward

An outcast burdened with a curse and a mercenary who’s out for himself collide in this star-crossed, slow-burn, high-stakes romantic fantasy from #1 New York Times bestseller J. R. Ward.

In the dead of night, passions rise and empires fall. Welcome to Kingdoms of the Compass.

The Fulcrum is failing, and demons are slipping into the mortal world, stalking the night.

No one is safe.

Especially not Sorrel. An orphan and an outcast, she’s spent her whole life within the walls of her small village, ostracized for her mystical abilities. She wants to survive…and maybe find somewhere she can call her true home. But Fate has other plans.

Sorrel has been chosen. Cursed.

She must cross the Badlands to return the Queen’s crown and convince the fearsome female to save their world from destruction.

Well aware she’s no brave hero, Sorrel makes a dangerous deal with Merc, a brooding, commanding mercenary known only by his unscrupulous profession.

The deal? A night in his bed that she will never forget, in exchange for her safe passage.

But Merc has secrets of his own, and even though passion runs hot between them, enemies are around every corner, and danger and betrayal threaten at every turn.

Crown of War and Shadow is the first book in the Kingdoms of the Compass series.

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What I thought about Crown of War and Shadow 

In this first installment of the Kingdoms of Compass series, Sorrel is a young woman with powers that frighten. She's considered cursed, so she hides her skills, although the townspeople aren't above calling on her if they need her. When a mercenary arrives in town, she sees it as her ticket out. Of course, there's a price to pay for that and adventures to come as they escape.

J. R. Ward does what she does best here, creating an interesting cast of characters with an intricate plot with lots of great reveals and plot twists. I liked that about the story. The romance is of the slow burn variety, but that worked here and the pace was great aside from a smattering of slow spots. There's a cliff hanger too, which I do like in a series. Overall, a great start to the series! Looking forward to more.

Review: The Fatal Confidant by Debra Webb

An aspiring DA must put his trust in a criminally seductive fixer in a twisty thriller about secrets, manipulation, and murder by USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb.

Deputy district attorney Carson Tanner is nicknamed the Avenger for good reason. Fifteen years ago, the murder of Carson’s family fueled an unrelenting need for justice. His latest investigation into Birmingham crime boss Otis Fleming is a career maker—if he can crack Fleming’s closest confidant.

Annette Baxter is a fierce and cunning fixer who makes the dirty deeds of the city’s elite disappear. She’s ready to turn on Fleming to save herself—but Carson may not be ready to face all the secrets she protects.

Annette claims there’s more to Carson’s brutal past than he could have imagined, and a string of new murders suggests that someone in town is tidying up loose ends. Can he trust her long enough to find the truth? Can she trust him long enough to survive?

Revised edition: Previously published as Faceless, this edition of The Fatal Confidant includes editorial revisions.

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What I thought about A Fatal Confidant

Carson Tanner is a dedicated prosecutor and in line for the new district attorney job once his boss moves up. He's given a case to deal with it -- take down the local crime boss by way of a woman named Annette Baxter. Carson has already met Annette and it could cause him big trouble in his quest for the top spot. 

A bit part of this book is figuring out who is the bad guy and who isn't.  Annette has many of those answers but it could cause her to lose her life. She has to decide whether she wants to help Carson or not.

There were some romantic elements in this story and I liked that about it.  The growing relationship between Carson and Annette was my most favorite thing about this story.

I did find this to be a slow read.  It was hard to get invested in the characters. There was so much going on in the story that dominated things over the characters, which is why I am rating this 4 stars.