Cowboy Christmas Homecoming by June Faver

September 24, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Cowboy Christmas Homecoming by June Faver
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (230 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

This cowboy’s finally coming home for Christmas

Zach Garrett is home from war, haunted by PTSD, trying to fit in to what has become an alien world. With the holidays fast approaching, his uncle Big Jim Garrett offers him a place on the family ranch. Zach isn’t sure he’s up for a noisy, boisterous Garrett Christmas…until he meets beautiful Stephanie Gale, and all his protests go up in flames.

Firefighter and EMT Stephanie Gale is ready for anything. She’s got her life under control…until she locks eyes with Zack and realizes her heart’s in a whole new kind of danger. But with a little help from Zack’s long-lost army dog, maybe he and Stephanie will be able to make this a Christmas of new beginnings after all.

This is a feel-good story. Perfect for the Christmas holiday. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read it any other time though. You know how sometimes it is easier to just close yourself off from others rather than try to explain? Both Stephanie and Zach have this problem. Keeps you from getting hurt doesn’t it? But this isn’t your everyday story. This is a story about a female firefighter and a veteran.

It’s a good story with some action and while romance is not my usual genre, this is not any kind of explicit romance. Romance is the side plot of this story. There’s plenty more of story to read and characters you’ll like, both good and bad.

I won’t tell you this is a heavy, complex book. It isn’t. But as I said it’s a story to enjoy and make you feel good and hope that things turn out your way.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Dreamcatcher by Julia Rohatyn

August 28, 2019 By 2 Comments


Dreamcatcher by Julia Rohatyn
Publisher: Neve Ilan Books
Genre: Mystery/Suspense, Contemporary
Length: Full length (254 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

An invitation to spend the weekend at her friend Ron’s Maine country inn ends in murder and sends Rebecca Bauer scurrying back to Boston, but when he is accused of murder, she organizes a team of lawyers and detectives. They solve a two-hundred-year-old crime to get the clues that will crack the case. The search for information about the Abenaki Indian victim leads to breathtaking discoveries about the people who were here first. The dark Maine forests that surround the inn hold mysteries and unexpected dangers for Rebecca whose nosiness risks a murderous response by the killer. There is no shortage of suspects. Maybe it is the selfish, apparently promiscuous, trophy wife, or the victim’s violent cousin, or the suspicious partner. Her search will reveal another kind of secret when she discovers, to her amazement, that the native tribes who still live in small groups in New England have been here for thousands of years. Their ancient legends and dreams open a way to solutions to both murders.

What a good read. Not a long, heavy novel, but rather a short book that I could not put down. I liked the setting…an Inn with a haunted room (or so the proprietress thinks) and a manager from a big hotel who is there to visit and advise a little. The whole thing sort of mixed cozy and business together, and I liked it. Both the owner and Rebecca have some business they need help with. Thus, starts a story of twists and turns, a little humor, and a little murder, at the Greenwood Inn.

Rohatyn’s characters were well-defined. Some quirky, some practical and business-like, some hard workers; just a whole mix and match of interesting people. The characters were crafted so well, you could picture them. This book does have a few chapters of swinging back and forth between the 1700’s and the present. While this can sometimes be confusing that was not true at all here. The two stories while clear, were not totally connected but rather one sort of set the stage for the other.

I think you can recognize my appreciation for this story already but to summarize… it was a fun and very quick read. One well worth my time.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Pretty Revenge by Emily Liebert

July 22, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Pretty Revenge by Emily Liebert
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Mystery/Suspense, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (320 pgs)
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

he name of the game is revenge—no matter the cost—in this emotionally charged thriller reminiscent of The Wife Between Us and The Perfect Nanny.

Kerrie O’Malley, jobless and in an unfulfilling relationship, can isolate the singular moment in her life when things veered off course—the night she was irrevocably wronged by someone she looked up to. Eighteen years later, when Kerrie sees the very woman who destroyed her life on television, a fire ignites inside her. The stakes are high. The risks are perilous. But she’ll stop at nothing to achieve the retribution she deserves.

Jordana Pierson is a gilded New Yorker who appears to have it all: wealth, glamour, a successful and handsome husband, and a thriving wedding concierge business. Her record is spotless. Her business is flourishing. No one knows the truth about her and the dark shadows of her past.

No one, that is, except Kerrie.

Exploring just how far someone will go for vengeance, Pretty Revenge is a riveting, compulsively readable novel bursting with twists and turns and plenty of suspense.

Is there revenge you could want bad enough to tear up and change your whole life in a day? There were some occurrences in this book like changing your appearance so much that someone who knew you well 18 years ago would never recognize you, like getting an assistant’s job immediately with the exact person you want to pay back. It was so hard to believe and seemed so very dramatic and then I remembered “oh yeah, this is fiction”. And I think that’s exactly how you have to view this book. It has everything you want in an easy to read psychological piece, but it isn’t a thriller or at least it wasn’t for me.

There is some good narrative writing in this story, and I liked the sarcastic tone used by the author now and then. All of the character definition is good. In fact, sometimes narrative writing between one character voice and another can really be confusing. It never happened here. I’m not sure if it was good character definition or good narrative writing. Maybe it’s both.

So, what I read was enjoyable. While I wanted neither character to end up sad, I think I wanted a bigger finale. It just seemed that the fizzle went flat before the end came. Maybe that’s misinterpretation on my part.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Harvested by Troy Lambert

July 17, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Harvested by Troy Lambert
Publisher: Unbound Media
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (256 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

Max Boucher, a former Seattle detective turned P.I. has just been handed a puzzling case. Dozens of dogs are disappearing all over the city, and no one knows why. The stretched Seattle police department can’t dedicate the resources needed, and Max may be the pet owner’s only hope. For the missing dogs, time is running out.

But Max is dealing with his own demons. Three years ago, his wife disappeared and his daughter was murdered. The police presume she is dead, but Max knows better. He’s still paying for the house they lived in together, terrified that he will sell the one place that holds the clues he needs to find his wife.

Will Max be able to find the dogs in time? Does this case hold an unknown clue to his wife’s disappearance? Once you start reading, you won’t be able to stop until the very end.

Another one of my favorite kind of books with the sad, kind, and yet tough P.I. as the main character. Max is having an impossible time recovering from the death of his child and the loss of his wife; even the death of his dog. This former cop has still left the family house sitting just as it was even though he can’t live there. He keeps thinking he’ll find one more clue, one more link to his family. But he has to take cases to pay the bills just like all of us. This time though he takes some he really shouldn’t have. I can guarantee you will never figure out the conclusion until the last page. And it is worth reading all the way to the last page.

Obviously, Lambert is good at defining characters because I already feel as if I know Max. I liked him as you already know. There were some action scenes where it almost felt as if I was watching a movie. Writing about and describing action and keeping the reader from being confused is not an easy thing to do; at least not with this reader. I knew “who was who” so to speak and even felt that emotion and tension of wanting the good guys or girls to win.

A really good book, definitely worth your time. The only problem I can see is that Max Boucher Book 2 doesn’t exist yet.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Grab by Jeff Elkins

June 18, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Grab by Jeff Elkins
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Contemporary
Length: Short story (54 pages)
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

A cheating husband. A missing nanny. A suspicious organization.

Moneta Watkins and Stacie Howe are on the case.

Private Detective Moneta Watkins has a special gift – she can relive people’s memories. With her partner, Stacie Howe, she tackles the cases no one else can solve.

The first installment in the Adventures of Watkins and Howe, Grab is a fast-paced, action-packed, supernatural thriller that will take you on a journey you will never forget.

This is a short, cute book with a quirky female private eye. A private investigator who helps the police instead of constantly butting heads with all of them. Nice for a change. A little bit of paranormal involved but not enough to throw me off at all and I am not particularly a fan of the paranormal genre. The talents of Moe, the private investigator, actually added to the story and in some ways made it more exciting. Moe is basically your beginning P.I., taking cases typical to all investigators…photographing cheating husbands, bail bond chasing, and so forth but this time Moe gets a case that’s a little more involved. Grab is book 1 in a 2-book series titled “The Adventures of Watkins and Howe a Supernatural Thriller”.

I was not disappointed with this story. However, I did feel that way not getting to know the characters better. Other than the fact that Moe had cute odd-colored shoelaces and Stacie loved good clothes we didn’t learn too much. Elkins says in his dedication that he is grateful for someone helping him to bring these two characters to life. He just didn’t delve far enough or deep enough to do that in my opinion. I could just tell I would like Moe and I wanted to know so much more about her. I wanted to know enough to be able to build a picture of her in my mind. I felt the same about her friend Stacie. You know, we readers like to be a part of the story. It’s what keeps us turning page after page as fast as we can. But it’s hard to become a part of the story if we can’t picture the characters involved.

What I’m trying to say is that this is an enjoyable read, and an interesting storyline, but I needed to know the characters much better to enjoy it all.

Jeff Elkins also has many other books published. All have good ratings. Check them out.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Shipwreck Island by James B. McPike

May 14, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Shipwreck Island by James B. McPike
Publisher: Fireship Press
Genre: Suspense/Mystery Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Length: Full length (210 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

In the year 1866 a ship named the General Grant lost course on its epic voyage to London and crashed upon a subantarctic island off the coast of New Zealand. Legend has it that its cargo contained one of the richest in history–gold all mined from the Victorian goldfields in Australia. After years of mishap and misfortune–even death–no one has been able to locate its exact whereabouts.

In comes Roy Berenger, one of the world’s foremost experts on salvaging shipwrecks. Recruited to solve the mystery once and for all, he must use all his trademark talents and wits to uncover the historic shipwreck. The strange circumstances around its harrowing disappearance are mysterious and all-too frightening. Putting together a local crew with the latest technological resources at his disposal, Berenger ventures to this far-off island to pull off an audacious search attempt. But in order to find it–he must brave the real-life perils of hypothermia, great white sharks, high-sea squalls, and human treachery.

A treasure hunt, pirate treasure, and even just a voyage on uncharted waters is something that makes us all dream a little. I think we have pictures of Captain Kidd or Blackbeard in our mind. Or maybe our minds picture something a little more modern and Jack Sparrow or Captain Barbosa pop into our view. Well, this is another one of those books. It’s fiction but it could be a real story. It’s exciting and it’s a little scary.

If you are beginning to get the impression that I liked this book, then you are observant. I liked the scary island, the fictional past history of so many missing souls, the past and present stories about the mystic yarns of lost ships and lost lives. Well, I didn’t like the lost lives but it sure did add to the suspense of the book. I’m describing descriptive writing done very well. Good characters, a really famous treasure hunter and a lovely woman hunting information about her ancestor.

This is not a long read and it flows well which makes it move along even more quickly. Actually, it made it move so well for me, I’m hoping Mr. McPike makes the treasure Hunter, Roy Berenger, have another adventure for us to read.

McPike has several other books published. Check them out.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Every Last Breath by Juno Rushdan

May 6, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Every Last Breath by Juno Rushdan
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full length (448 pages)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

48 hours
2 covert operatives
1 chance to get it right

Maddox Kinkade is an expert at managing the impossible. Tasked with neutralizing a lethal bioweapon, she turns to the one person capable of helping her stop the threat of pandemic in time: the love of her life, back from the dead and mad as hell at her supposed betrayal. Recruiting Cole to save millions of lives may be harder than resisting the attraction still burning between them, but Maddox will do whatever it takes…even if it destroys her.

When Maddox crashes back into Cole Matthews’ life, he wants to fight back. He wants to hate her. But the crisis is too strong to ignore, and soon the two former lovers find themselves working side-by-side in a breakneck race to stop a world-class killer with a secret that could end everything.

The clock is ticking.

This story is about two spies in different agencies and two people long ago in love. She thinks he’s dead. Her boss sends her out with a team to rescue someone and he “sort of” forgets to tell her it’s that same long-lost love, Nicolai, now called Cole. Years before, he left her to save her life and the lives he could save of his mob family. Did Maddox really cause this carnage? It’s quite possible it was all her fault when she told her CIA family that Nicolai’s dad was the Russian mafia. Both are drawn to one another; neither trusts one another, and yet they have a job to do.

This is an easy read, full of action. The characters are defined well enough to be believable. I spent a little time being impatient with this story, but it might not be for the reason you’d think. He kept saying “I can’t trust her” and she kept saying “I’ll be hurt” and it did seem to go on and on a bit. However, I can’t say it slowed the flow of reading down. I think quite possibly Rushdan did a good job at writing in a manner to create tension like you feel in a tv show. The kind where you wonder what’s going to happen and you cover your eyes because you can’t watch. I didn’t realize it until I reflected on the book after I finished.

So, what does all of the above really say? A good read, a little romance, definite action, and a little suspense all rolled into one book. This is Book 1 of a series titled “Final Hour”. I was going to say this is the kind of book that has characters who deserve a sequel, but in looking I realized there is already a Book 2. Check them out.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Spirited Quest by Julie Howard

March 14, 2019 By Leave a Comment


Spirited Quest by Julie Howard
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Short Story (127 pages)
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

Paige Norman believes in a tangible, explainable world. When her ghost-hunting niece comes for a visit, she tries not to scoff. But someone, or something, is stirring up trouble at the Deerbourne Inn and her niece, Jillian, is at the center of the mystery.

Paige is certain the handsome Aussie photographer is behind the unexplained disturbances, and she warns her niece to stay clear. Meanwhile, Jillian gets to know the otherworldly Lady of the Deerbourne, who foretells an encounter with “two men.” Then the pranks turn dangerous. Has her niece attracted a stalker or has she conjured an evil presence? Can the culprit be the man who has captured her heart?

Do you believe in spirits? How about ghosts? I’ve never thought too hard about it but one thing I know is they don’t leave things on your pillow or steal things from your room. Nonetheless, Jillian is sure that is the only type of visitor she has at the Deerbourne Inn.

This is a cute sort of cozy about a niece, Jillian, visiting her aunt in a small New England town. While that might sound “normal”, the fact that the Jillian has a blog dealing with spirits and ghosts and has thousands of followers world-wide makes this a little different than your everyday story. Jillian has come to visit her Aunt Paige but also to stay at the Deerbourne Inn to see if any spirits are trapped there. Jillian is also gorgeous, naïve, and friendly and sweet enough to make you gag. Oh whoops, the gagging thing wasn’t part of the story, that must have been my own jealousy creeping in. But actually, Aunt Paige begins to wonder if she herself isn’t just a little envious of the carefree nature and natural beauty of her niece.

This was a pleasant read. One of those “make you feel good” kind of books. It read quickly, the characters were interesting and defined to the point that they were visible in my mind. When you are a visual person, this becomes very important to the reader. You almost need to see the story. Not always done well by every author but well-accomplished here.

Julie Howard is an author to check out.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Hidden Worlds by Sandra Ingerman and Katherine Wood

February 20, 2019 By Leave a Comment


The Hidden Worlds by Sandra Ingerman and Katherine Wood
Publisher: Moon Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary, YA
Length: Short story (111 pages)
Age Recommendation: 12+
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

Were those people in Isaiah’s dream the same people from school? Popular soccer star Magda? George, who he’d never heard speak because he always left classes for special services help? Angry Rose, the Chinese girl who was always in trouble for fighting? And why were there dead birds and fish everywhere? When the four encounter one another the next day by the same pond from the dream, they realize they’ve shared a dream and there really are dead birds and fish covering the ground! This leads to real-life adventures and more dreams as they discover a toxic waste plant disposing of poisons illegally. Not friends in the beginning, romance blossoms as they work together with their Power Animals to close down the plant.

We are all misfits now & then, but it is very hard to be the one who doesn’t fit in with “the group”. At a young age this seems to be more achingly real and our imagination is even more vast. This is the story of four young children, maybe I should describe them as middle school age children, who don’t fit the mold and want so much to fit in or at least want a friend who understands. By living through an adventure and exciting experiences, a close friendship is formed.

This is a fun book, really a sort of fantasy and yet a teaching story all rolled into one. Some aspects of the story are very realistic, the problems pollution can cause, the easy way we can ruin our world when we don’t pay attention, the bullies, both young and old, we must face. Yet this is never a dry book in its teaching lessons. It’s one which children will fly through.

In the midst of all these lessons of nature and environment, are four young people wanting to help and working to do so. They all have individual personalities. I think most kids will find at least one character they can identify with. I thought the level of “other worldly” or “hidden worlds” was a little difficult for the authors to describe well and although they did so, there were a few times I had to look back to see if I had missed something. This made me lose my reading rhythm now and then and broke my concentration.

Sandra Ingerman has many publications, all with very good reviews. Now she and Katherine Woods have a book of what shamanic practice is, all in the source of a great fiction and very readable book for younger ages.

My best description is…different than I usually read, interesting, and definitely worth the time.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

A Deadly Business by Desiree Holt

January 21, 2019 By Leave a Comment


A Deadly Business by Desiree Holt
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.
Genre: Mystery/Suspense, Contemporary
Length: Full length (206 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

Someone to watch over her . . .

Her life in beautiful Arrowhead Bay seems like paradise. But for former CIA operative Marissa Hayes, it’s a deep cover she’s forced to live under after daring to take down a powerful enemy with strong terrorist ties. Out of necessity, she keeps her emotions as guarded as her life, even as she finds herself drawn to Justin Kelly, the most arousing man she’s ever met. But when Marissa must find a new place to hide, the able-bodied Vigilance agent is the first man she turns to . . .

Justin can’t get close to Marissa, if he hopes to keep her alive. Which only makes sharing a villa with her at a remote island resort all the more challenging. The passion rising between them is exquisite—and excruciating. Even more so when terrorists infiltrate the island, putting Marissa in the crosshairs. Now Justin will do anything to protect the woman he cares about more deeply than he dares to admit. . . .

Just how much would you put your life in danger to take down a bad guy?

Truly a romantic suspense but interesting and a quick and fun read. Although there is some implicit sex in this book, I can’t say I did any blushing. That’s saying a lot for me since romance is not really my genre. Did it add to the story? Well, I’d say yes in this sense. You see, this is one of those plots where there are good guys and bad guys, people you want to be gone and others you want to stay side by side with forever. Add to this the thought that you will have to hide for the rest of your life. No matter how you try to change your location, your appearance, your work, your walk, the way you swing your arms, someone always seems to find you. Then add a really A-one security company and a former SEAL as a bodyguard. Can that help?

These were interesting characters, ones described well enough that you can picture them which always makes for a good read. It didn’t hurt to have a beautiful resort with sandy beaches in the middle of nowhere. Maybe it was mid-winter when I read this. Maybe the author is absolutely great at descriptive writing or I just needed to be at this beautiful, luxurious place. I think maybe it was both. Nonetheless, for this reader it was a suspenseful page-turner book and a great dreaming of vacation type book all rolled into one.

A Deadly Business is Book 3 in a 3-book series titled Vigilance. Desiree Holt has many books published and I can’t find even one that isn’t rated highly. Check them out.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,
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