Release Week Review: The Buried Hours by R.S. Grant

Is she following a path of redemption or an enemy’s revenge? A crime reporter’s traumatic past comes back to haunt her in a twisting novel of lies, betrayals, and killer secrets.

Investigative crime journalist Signe Gates’s life became a nightmare the day she was kidnapped and drugged. After forty-eight missing hours, she woke to a blur of unsettling memories and a warning from her unknown abductors: tell anyone what happened and they’ll die. They’ve already proved they will deliver on that threat.

For two years, Signe has been haunted by what she knows she did and terrified of what else could be buried in her memories.

Then an informant tells her two men recently found dead in Yosemite are connected to her missing hours, and more answers await her in the park’s backwoods. But she must hurry. Desperate to know who targeted her and why, she has no choice but to embark on the dangerous journey.

With a seasoned hiker acting as her guide, Signe ventures into the wilderness to solve a crime, get justice for the crimes committed against her, and overcome her demons. If only she could trust the man leading her into the backwoods…

Because with each new suspicion, deliverance is starting to look more and more like a trap.

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What I thought about The Buried Hours

This is going to be a short review because I don't want to spoil anything!

 

Wow! This story grabbed me on the first pages and kept me turning the pages until the end. There's plenty of action and suspense, which I love. And lots of twists and turns to keep things interesting. Signe is a fantastic heroine -- flawed, damaged, and strong-willed. I just loved her. This is definitely on my favorites of 2023. 

 

 

About the author

 

R.S. Grant also writes as Rachel Grant, the USA Today bestselling author of Dangerous Ground and Crash Site in the Fiona Carver series; the Flashpoint series; and the Evidence novels. She worked for over a decade as a professional archaeologist and mines her experiences for story lines and settings, which are as diverse as excavating a cemetery underneath an historic art museum in San Francisco; surveying an economically depressed coal mining town in Kentucky; and mapping a seventeenth-century Spanish and Dutch fort on the island of Sint Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles. In all her travels and adventures, Rachel has found many sites and artifacts, but she’s only found one true treasure: her husband, David. Rachel Grant lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and children. For more information visit www.rachel-grant.net.

Release Day Review: Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

 

An Indie Next and LibraryReads Pick!

Rival archaeologists must team up on a secret Aztec expedition, or it could leave their careers—and hearts—in ruins.

Archaeologist Dr. Socorro “Corrie” Mejía has a bone to pick. Literally. 

It’s been Corrie’s life goal to lead an expedition deep into the Mexican jungle in search of the long-lost remains of her ancestor, Chimalli, an ancient warrior of the Aztec empire. But when she is invited to join an all-expenses-paid dig to do just that, Corrie is sure it’s too good to be true...and she’s right.

As the world-renowned expert on Chimalli, by rights Corrie should be leading the expedition, not sharing the glory with her disgustingly handsome nemesis. But Dr. Ford Matthews has been finding new ways to best her since they were in grad school. Ford certainly isn’t thrilled either—with his life in shambles, the last thing he needs is a reminder of their rocky past.

But as the dig begins, it becomes clear they’ll need to work together when they realize a thief is lurking around their campsite, forcing the pair to keep their discoveries—and lingering attraction—under wraps. With money-hungry artifact smugglers, the Mexican authorities, and the lies between them closing in, there’s only one way this all ends—explosively.

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What I thought about Raiders of the Lost Heart 

Two rivals head out on an archeological dig in Raiders of the Lost Heart.  Corrie is an expert in Aztec culture and wanted to lead the expedition, but her former grad school nemesis, Dr. Ford Matthews is in charge, setting the stage for a romantic comedy.

I love stories that illustrate just what it's like to be a woman in what people might call a male dominated field like STEM. It's ripe for lots of different plot devices, like stealing someone's work or sabotaging a colleague.  Corrie and Ford start out as enemies but they must put their differences aside for the sake of the dig. Of course the sparks will fly!

Ford does make some questionable moves in this enemies to lovers story.  I really didn't like some of the things he did to Corrie and I wondered why she put up with his bad behavior. Some of his circumstances do manage to bring some sympathy to his behavior though and redeem some of what he's done to Corrie. The book does a good job of illustrating just how much a man can get away with, and how much harder women need to work for less consideration.  I liked that about it.

In spite of all this, Corrie and Ford do have some sexual tension that builds as the dig continues. Their competitiveness shines throughout the story, which is realistic for characters that must rely on investors to fund their research.  I did like that we got both Corrie's and Ford's point of view because that helped to make the characters likable.

Overall, not quite as much action as I would have liked, and the romance was well presented in some cases because of the rivalry between the characters.  I liked Corrie's spirit very much in this story.  There were some uneven spots that slowed down the story. This was a new-to-me author and I will be looking forward to future titles. 

About the Author

Jo lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband and needy, but lovable, doggo Henrik (Swedish Vallhund—look it up, they’re adorable).

https://www.josegura.com/

Release Day Review: Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas

We were perfect together. Until we met.”  From New York Times Bestselling Author, Penelope Douglas, comes the latest New Adult romance…

Misha

I can’t help but smile at the words in her letter. She misses me.

In fifth grade, my teacher set us up with pen pals from a different school. Thinking I was a girl, with a name like Misha, the other teacher paired me up with her student, Ryen. My teacher, believing Ryen was a boy like me, agreed.

It didn’t take long for us to figure out the mistake. And in no time at all, we were arguing about everything. The best take-out pizza. Android vs. iPhone. Whether or not Eminem is the greatest rapper ever…

And that was the start. For the next seven years, it was us.

Her letters are always on black paper with silver writing. Sometimes there’s one a week or three in a day, but I need them. She’s the only one who keeps me on track, talks me down, and accepts everything I am. 

We only had three rules. No social media, no phone numbers, no pictures. We had a good thing going. Why ruin it? 

Until I run across a photo of a girl online. Name’s Ryen, loves Gallo’s pizza, and worships her iPhone. What are the chances?

F*ck it. I need to meet her.

I just don’t expect to hate what I find.

Ryen

He hasn’t written in three months. Something’s wrong. Did he die? Get arrested? Knowing Misha, neither would be a stretch.

Without him around, I’m going crazy. I need to know someone is listening. It’s my own fault. I should’ve gotten his number or picture or something. 

He could be gone forever.

Or right under my nose, and I wouldn’t even know it. 

Trigger Warnings: violent and bullying behavior, homophobia, reference to sexual blackmail, body shaming, depression, and off-page death of a sibling, and reference to rape. Anyone who believes such content may upset them is encouraged to consider their well-being when choosing whether to continue reading

 Punk 57 is a STANDALONE New Adult romance. It is suitable for ages 18+

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What I thought about Punk 57

Ryen Trevarrow and Misha Lare have been pen pals since the fifth grade.  Back in the old days, letter writing was a great way to get to know someone, and these two really get to know each other through their communications. But when they finally meet, they are not really aware of each other as pen pals, and it's like they are two different people. Ryen's personality in the letters is much different than real life, causing all sorts of issues. She's not entirely likable, at least in person. Her behavior throws Misha for a loop and he'll need to deal with it when he ends up in Ryen's school.

There's plenty of teenage angst, high school drama, mistaken identity, rock stars, verbal abuse and steamy scenes.  It will make you remember all the bullies you ever encountered in high school. Bullying is a huge theme in this, and it does a good job of showing how bullies create more bullies from the people they bully!  This is a book that will definitely provoke some emotions and they may not all be good ones!  

This friends-to-enemies story is not for everyone. There are some unrealistic moments, but that was okay for this reader.  I wasn't looking for realism. Punk 57 is a darker sort of NA romance and it does straddle the line when it comes to how these two characters treat each other when they are not aware of who they are to each other.  

Overall, I thought this was a creative reverse sort of story that hit the mark in spots and didn't in others.  It does perpetuate many of the high school myths like mean girls are popular and guys that treat you badly like you.  I expected that in this story. 

 

 For more about the author

 https://pendouglas.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/PenelopeDouglasAuthor/

https://www.instagram.com/penelope.douglas/

Release Week Review: Consort of Fire (Bound to Fire and Steel #1) by Kit Rocha

 

Once Upon a Time…

For three thousand years, an ancient dragon god has protected the borders of the Sheltered Lands. In return he makes only one demand: every one hundred years, the mortal ruler must send their heir to serve as his consort… for as long as they can survive.

Sachielle of House Roquebarre is the thirty-first consort to be sacrificed to the monster who guards the mountain passes. She is young, beautiful–and she has three secrets.

First: she’s a disposable orphan trained in seduction.

Second: her assassin-trained handmaid, Zanya, is the only person she has ever loved.

Third—and most dangerous: she’s cursed. Sachi and Zanya have five weeks to murder the Dragon in his bed. If they fail, the mortal king’s curse will steal not just Sachi’s life, but her very soul.

The Dragon has only one secret: he is nothing like what they have been told. And he will do whatever it takes to possess them both.

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What I thought about Consort of Fire

I'm a big fan of the Beyond series from this author duo, and so when I saw this, I wanted to check it out. In Consort of Fire, Kit Rocha has created a world in the year 2999 full of dragons and rulers and rules. 

Sachi is promised to one of the dragon rulers but she has her own agenda with her handmaid and her best friend and woman she loves called Zanya.  They are out to kill the dragon but first Sachi must pretend she is a willing consort in order to lure him in.

Ash, the dragon is an interesting character. He's intrigued by Sachi and Zanya and has his own agenda.  There's plenty of erotic content here, which if you've read this author before, you know they can deliver with some super steamy scenes and they do not disappoint in Consort of Fire.  Loved it!

I did have a bit of a problem with the language -- the chapters start with a date, reminding the reader it's the year 2999, but the language seems very "old english" to this reader and it threw me off every single time.  I also found some of the early chapters verbose in descriptions that also kept me from sinking into the story.  This all got better as I kept reader, but it was something I notices and it took me out of the story at times.

Overall, a great start to what looks like a terrific erotic romance / fantasy series.   

About the Author

Kit Rocha is the pseudonym for co-writing team Donna Herren and Bree Bridges. After penning dozens of paranormal novels, novellas and stories as Moira Rogers, they branched out into gritty, sexy dystopian romance.

The Beyond series has appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists, has been nominated for best erotic romance in the RT Reviewer’s Choice award five times, and won in 2013 and 2015.

Website (Kit Rocha): http://www.kitrocha.com
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/TheBrokenCircle
Reader Group: http://www.facebook.com/group/TheBrokenCircle

Twitter (Announcements): http://twitter.com/kitrocha
Twitter (Bree): http://twitter.com/mostlybree
Twitter (Donna): http://twitter.com/totallydonna

Release Week Review & Excerpt: The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor

 

The Fiction Writer : A Novel

Jillian Cantor

On Sale Date: November 28, 2023

9780778334187

Trade Paperback

$17.99 USD

304 pages

From USA Today-bestselling Jillian Cantor, THE FICTION WRITER follows a mid-list writer hired by a handsome billionaire to write about his family history with Daphne du Maurier and finds herself drawn into a tangled web of obsession, marital secrets, and stolen manuscripts.

 Last night I dreamt I went to Malibu again…

The once-rising literary star Olivia Fitzgerald is down on her luck. Her most recent novel--a re-telling of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca--was a flop, her boyfriend of nine years just dumped her, and she’s battling a bad case of writer’s block. So when her agent calls her with a high-paying ghostwriting opportunity, Olivia is all too willing to sign the NDA.

At first, the write-for-hire job seems too good to be true. All she has to do is interview Henry “Ash” Asherwood, a reclusive mega billionaire, twice-named People’s Sexiest Man Alive, who wants her help in writing a book that reveals a shocking secret about his late grandmother and Daphne du Maurier. But when Olivia arrives at his Malibu estate, nothing is as it seems. Ash is hesitant to reveal any family secrets, and he seems more interested in her than their writing project. The more Olivia digs into his grandmother’s past, the more questions she has—and before she knows it, she’s trapped in a gothic mystery of her own.

With as many twists and turns as the California coast, The Fiction Writer is a captivating story exploring the boundaries of creative freedom and whose stories we have the right to tell.

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Excerpt

Prologue

Last night I dreamt I went to Malibu again.

I stood barefoot on the sand, the cool water nipping at my ankles. And there, high above me, perched on the edge of that magnificent cliff, his stunning house sat as it once had, alive, whole. It had ten bedrooms and was on three private cliffside acres, with a lap pool, a tennis court, and a garden blooming flush with pink and white bougainvillea. But from the beach down below all I could see was its long wall of privacy-tinted glass windows, slanting out toward the sea.

He could see me here, out on the beach. I was certain he could, even in my dream.

He was still behind those windows, watching my every step. Though I couldn’t see him. The glass was one-way. But I imagined him there behind the glass so vividly, it had to be real.

Until it wasn’t. Until the heat from the flames would shatter all the windows, break them apart, send smoke spewing from the piano room, down the cliff, evaporating in wisps into the lonely Pacific.

But in my dream, the flames hadn’t existed yet. Or, maybe they never would. He and his house were there, watching me. Wanting me. Haunting me.

“Come back!” His voice was a desperate echo, my undoing. The smoke was so thick, even out on the beach I couldn’t see, and I couldn’t breathe.

So that’s why I did it, in my dream. I turned away from the house, and I walked into the bone-chilling water. It was so cold, it numbed me, but I walked into the sea, up to my shoulders, my neck, my chin. Until I could no longer smell the smoke or hear his voice.

And then my entire head was underwater, and the tide was strong. It sucked me in, held me there.

But I wasn’t trying to drown. I really wasn’t. I was merely trying to escape the fire.

Excerpted from The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor, Copyright © 2023 by Jillian Cantor. Published by Park Row Books.

 What I thought about The Fiction Writer

Olivia Fitzgerald's second book didn't quite make any money and her live-in boyfriend has left her.  When she gets an offer to ghost write a book based on and because of her second book, Becky, a Daphne Du Maurier retelling, she needs the money and the jolt to her creativity, so off to Malibu she goes to work with an attractive widower, Ash Asherwood in a glass tower on the hill.

I'm not going to say much more than that because I don't want to spoil anything.  What I liked most about this story was the atmosphere. There's a definite creepy gothic vibe from the start which I loved, and Olivia just can make a reader want to throw something, which I found both frustrating and amusing at times.  But I did like the story and its twists and turns.  I haven't read this author before, but I will be looking for future titles.  

Overall, great gothic atmosphere, strange and frustrating characters, a quick, entertaining read.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jillian Cantor is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of eleven novels for teens and adults, which have been chosen for LibraryReads, Indie Next, Amazon Best of the Month, and have been translated into 13 languages. She has a BA in English from Penn State University and an MFA from the University of Arizona. Born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia, Cantor currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons.

www.jilliancantor.com

Author website: https://www.jilliancantor.com/

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