10.31.2019

Review: The Whisper Man by Alex North

The Whisper Man by Alex North 
Published: August 20, 2019
Publisher: Celadon Books
Format: audiobook
Rating: 3/5

Synopsis
In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town.

After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town. Featherbank.

But the town has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed "The Whisper Man," for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.

Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter's crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man.

And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window.

My Thoughts
In theory, The Whisper Man had everything I wanted in a book, it was a thriller with hints of real scariness that I was so ready to get into. It’s the story of Tom wants a new start with his young son after the loss of his wife, until his son encounters “The Whisper Man” and Tom doesn’t know what to think. The Whisper Man was a man who years ago came to the window of young children to kidnap them and do harm. However many think the man who was convicted had an accomplice and now the police are out to find out what is really going on.

This story is told through different timelines and POVs, so much so I found myself confused at times. While I was so looking forward to reading this it wasn’t what I thought it would be. I was imagining something more scary or haunting but it wasn’t so much that than a story of fathers and sons. and their relationships with one another. Don’t get me wrong there were some scary elements but nothing like I thought it would be. Although it wasn’t what I was expecting it was a good read, one with an interesting storyline and characters that will leave a lasting impression.

10.30.2019

Review: My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing

My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing
Published: March 26, 2019
Publisher: Berkley Books
Format: via audiobook
Rating: 4.5/5

Synopsis
Our love story is simple. I met a gorgeous woman. We fell in love. We had kids. We moved to the suburbs. We told each other our biggest dreams and our darkest secrets. And then we got bored.

We look like a normal couple. We're your neighbors, the parents of your kid's friend, the acquaintances you keep meaning to get dinner with. We all have secrets to keeping a marriage alive. Ours just happens to be getting away with murder.

My Thoughts
My Lovely Wife is the captivating tale of a couple who from the outside look to be living a normal life but behind closed doors, they have one odd and scary hobby...they like to kill. The story is told in the POV of the husband who we only know as “Tobias” and he tells the story of how he and his wife met and how she likes to kill people. According to him he doesn’t actually kill these women his job is to lure them in and his wife does the rest. He doesn’t know what she does or how she does it, he simply rather not know.

During the story we get to know “Tobias” and how he seems to want to stop doing these things for his wife, he knows its wrong and he starts to feel guilty for leading these women on and wants to stop but his wife convinces him to do this one more time. We soon start to see how crazy and sick his wife really is and how if she doesn’t get her way he will pay for it.

This story has so many twists and turns, just when you think you figured something out something else comes out of left field. To see the lengths one will do to get revenge is mind-blowing! Not to mention just when the story ends you think that’s it, then you are thrown another twist that left me with my jaw on the floor. This is one great thriller that just gets better as the story goes along, peeling back the layers until you are blown away at the end. This is one book that I highly recommend.

10.29.2019

Review: Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi

Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi
Published: 1974
Publisher: W.W. Norton Company
Format: via audiobook
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis
The prosecuting attorney in the Manson trial, Vincent Bugliosi held a unique insider's position in one of the most baffling and horrifying cases of the twentieth century: the cold-blooded Tate-LaBianca murders carried out by Charles Manson and four of his followers. What motivated Manson in his seemingly mindless selection of victims, and what was his hold over the young women who obeyed his orders? Here is the gripping story of this famous and haunting crime. 50 pages of b/w photographs.

My Thoughts
I’ve always been fascinated by true crime stories and the one that has had me for as long as I can remember is The Manson Murders. From their evil mastermind of a leader, Charles Manson to his royal and true followers their whole story is haunting yet their story is one that decades later still has people wanting to know more.

In Helter Skelter, we get detail by detail of the Manson murders and their victims. We get how Manson and his followers decided to pick their victims and how they came together to become part of Manson’s evil cult. While we have grown to know this wickedly gruesome story but to read this book I still found out some things I didn’t know before. This is a really good book from someone close to the original case and if you're a true crime junkie like myself I’m sure you will find this book as interesting as I did.

10.28.2019

Review: A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson

A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson
Published: June 25, 2019
Publisher: Celadon Books
Format: via audiobook
Rating: 4/5

Synopsis
Eighteen-year-old Stella Sandell stands accused of the brutal murder of a man almost fifteen years her senior. She is an ordinary teenager from an upstanding local family. What reason could she have to know a shady businessman, let alone kill him?

Stella’s father, a pastor, and mother, a criminal defense attorney, find their moral compasses tested as they defend their daughter while struggling to understand why she is a suspect. Told in an unusual three-part structure, A Nearly Normal Family asks the questions: How well do you know your own children? How far would you go to protect them?

My Thoughts
In A Nearly Normal Family, Stella is accused of killing an older man. In alternating POVs and timelines, we see pieces of the puzzle and it keeps you thinking could Stella have killed this man, or was it someone else. The next question is if she did why did she? What could have happened to make her do this unspeakable crime? In the process, we met her father who is a pastor and her mother who is a lawyer. I like how we dive deeper into her family and we see how they all interact with one another. We start to see how these relationships play a part in things that have happened. They think they know their daughter but honestly how well do we really know each other? I liked the twist and turns of this book so much and the way things played out I never saw them coming. This is one book that is weird in a good way and with characters that are definitely interesting plus with a storyline that pays off in the very end.

10.23.2019

Blog Tour + Giveaway: The Christmas Dare by Lori Wilde



A jilted-at-the-altar bride reunites with her high school sweetheart in Lori Wilde’s sensational new Twilight, Texas Christmas novel.

Kelsey James always played by the rules and look where it got her—dumped and half-drunk in a poofy white dress, her Christmas wedding ruined. Then her best friend talks her into going on her “honeymoon” anyway, daring her to a “Christmas of Yes.”  It’s about time she lets loose a little, so Kelsey agrees to say “yes” to fun, to romance, and to adventure! And adventure leads her right smack into the arms of sexy Noah MacGregor.
Noah’s never one to say no to a risk—from leading his NBA team to victory to making Christmas cookies in Twilight, he’s up to the challenge! But a lot has gone on since they were teenagers, and he knows he has to take his time to make Kelsey dare to believe that what they feel is more than just the holiday magic that’s in the air.

 About the Book

The Christmas Dare
by Lori Wilde



Series
Twilight, Texas



Genre
Adult
Contemporary Romance



Publisher
Avon Books



Publication Date
October 22, 2019



Purchase Your Copy Today!
Amazon  |  Avon Romance  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo  |  iBooks


 Tour Wide Giveaway
To celebrate the release of THE CHRISTMAS DARE by Lori Wilde, we're giving away a paperback copy The Christmas Key by Lori Wilde to one lucky winner!
GIVEAWAY TERMS & CONDITIONS:  Open to US shipping addresses only. One winner will receive a paperback copy The Christmas Key by Lori Wilde. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Books.  Giveaway ends 11/4/2019 @ 11:59pm EST.  

 About Lori Wilde
A fifth-generation Texan, LORI WILDE is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 82 works of fiction. She’s a three-time nominee of the Romance Writers of America prestigious RITA award and has won numerous other awards. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Texas Christian University and a certificate in forensics.
She is also a certified Hatha yoga instructor and runs a yoga/creativity retreat for artists at Epiphany Orchards in Weatherford, Texas, the Cutting Horse Capital of the World.
Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon

Blog Tour + Giveaway: Finding Home Again by Brenda Jackson

Today we have the blog tour for Brenda Jackson’s Finding Home Again! 

Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Finding Home Again by Brenda Jackson

Genre: Contemporary Romance


About Finding Home Again

Ten years ago, Kaegan Chambray went to his sweetheart Bryce Witherspoon’s with an engagement ring in his pocket…and had his dreams shattered. Now he’s returned to Catalina Cove to run the family seafood shipping business and make his home. But no place has ever felt like home since losing Bryce.   Bryce Witherspoon’s heart still races every time she sees Kaegan, no matter how much she tells it not to. He broke her heart when he walked away all those years ago. But when the lie that tore them apart is revealed, Kaegan is determined to make up for lost time.   Soon Kaegan is surprising her with a sweet and sexy courtship, and she’s reminded of the man she once knew and is getting a glimpse of the man he’s become. Bryce swore never to forgive him, but beneath the hurt runs the one thing Bryce fears the most: that irresistible, oh-so-familiar jolt of attraction. She thought she’d buried that part of herself, but maybe, just maybe, it’s possible to have the future they once imagined—if only they give love a second chance.  

Grab Your Copy Today

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | Google

Bryce Witherspoon moved around the party intent on enjoying herself, although the host was the last person she wanted to be around. However, she knew Kaegan Chambray felt the same way about her. Yet, as always whenever he hosted one of his acclaimed cookouts, he’d included her on the guest list. They both knew the reason why.
Since moving back to town, their childhood friend Vashti Alcindor-Grisham, forever the peacemaker, had let them know she was best friend to them both and wouldn’t take sides. Nor would she allow either of them to pit her against the other. So whenever Vashti was invited to one of his cookouts, Kaegan sent Bryce an invitation, as well, to keep the peace. Vashti’s motto was There Are Things That Happen In The Past That Are Best Left There.
Bryce figured she could make things easier on Kaegan by not coming, but then, why should she? He certainly didn’t try making things easier for her by coming into her parents’ café regularly. Kaegan would arrive every morning at the Witherspoon Café for blueberry muffins and coffee, knowing she would be there and, more likely than not, be the one to wait on him.
It wouldn’t be so bad if she could forget what he once meant to her. It had been ten years since their breakup. She wasn’t twenty-two anymore. Since then she’d dated, but what she’d shared with Kaegan had been special. At least she’d thought it had been. He’d been her first in a number of things and on so many levels. That was why the pain of their breakup still managed to linger even after all this time.
And it hadn’t helped matters when he’d returned to the cove four years ago with a chip on his shoulder, still believing he was the one who’d been wronged. She’d decided to show him that he wasn’t the only one who could carry around a chip, and at this stage of the game he could believe whatever he wanted about her. All those years ago she’d tried proving her innocence and he hadn’t wanted to listen to what she had to say, so what he thought now didn’t matter.
Coming to his parties let him know she could be in the same room with him and feel absolutely nothing. She figured he was determined to prove the same thing to her, which was probably why he frequented the café every day.
Okay, she knew there was another reason why he patronized the café. He might not like her, but he loved her parents and they loved him. He was good friends with her two older brothers. But they didn’t know the whole story.

About Brenda Jackson

 
 Brenda Jackson is a New York Times bestselling author of more than one hundred romance titles. Brenda lives in Jacksonville, Florida, and divides her time between family, writing and traveling. Email Brenda at authorbrendajackson@gmail.com or visit her on her website at brendajackson.net.  

Connect with Brenda

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Enter Brenda’s Giveaway

10.22.2019

Review: Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi

Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi
Published: September 3, 2019
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR
Format: via audiobook
Rating: 3/5

Synopsis
After a year of college, Pablo is working at his local twenty-four-hour deli, selling overpriced snacks to brownstone yuppies. He’s dodging calls from the student loan office and he has no idea what his next move is.

Leanna Smart’s life so far has been nothing but success. Age eight: Disney Mouseketeer; Age fifteen: first #1 single on the US pop chart; Age seventeen, *tenth* #1 single; and now, at Age nineteen…life is a queasy blur of private planes, weird hotel rooms, and strangers asking for selfies on the street.

When Leanna and Pab randomly meet at 4:00 a.m. in the middle of a snowstorm in Brooklyn, they both know they can’t be together forever. So, they keep things on the down-low and off Instagram for as long as they can. But it takes about three seconds before the world finds out.

My Thoughts
Pablo is just a guy working at a local deli when Leanna enters his world and turns everything upside down. One night Leanna walks into the deli and sparks fly and they hit it off and things take off from there. If they want to have fun and see where this goes they can’t let anyone know, meaning they must stay offline.

Each of them are having their own problems so they know this whatever it is won't last forever. Pablo is dealing with family issues and his college career is up in the air. Leanna has been in the spotlight all her life and all she wants is to have some time off and just be herself. I felt that they both entered each other’s lives just when they needed someone. They used each other as a means to escape what they were going through.

While I didn’t love this read I thought it was okay. I liked the characters but some of the storylines just went on longer than I thought they needed to. This was a middle of the road read for me but I would give the author another chance in the future.

10.21.2019

Book Blitz: Let It Be Me by Laura Chapman

Let It Be Me banner

This is my stop during the book blitz for Let It Be Me by Laura Chapman. 
This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. 
The book blitz runs from 21 till 27 October. 

Let It Be Me
Let It Be Me (Amarillo Sour #2) by Laura Chapman
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Age category: Adult
Release Date: September 30, 2019

Blurb
Who says history is boring?

Professor James Mitchell has a rock star reputation. With a waitlist for all his classes, a best-selling book, and the requisite leather jacket, the university and publisher are eager to capitalize on this British sensation. But after his girlfriend leaves him for another man, James goes from rising scholar to spiraling bad boy. Forget contracts and tenure, James wants out—of his job, his book deal, and, better still, the country. He’s well on his way when his boss’s daughter walks into his favorite bar . . .

Aspiring filmmaker Ali Ferguson-Day doesn’t scare easily. She’s been given the means to make a film of her own—on the condition she tames the professor. As the daughter of a famed documentarian and a renowned historian, she’s more than ready to step out of her parents’ shadows and shine on her own. She won’t let anyone—not even an unexpected charmer—get in her way.

James and Ali butt heads from the start, but it isn’t long before their sparring gives way to attraction. There’s the promise of even more, if they can get past the fear of history repeating itself to let love in . . .
You can find Let It Be Me on Goodreads

You can buy Let It Be Me here:
- Amazon
- Kobo
- Apple

EXCERPT
Ali swiveled in her seat, searching the faces of the dozens of men crowded in the bar. It wasn’t an easy task. Amarillo Sour catered to an eclectic mix. There was everyone from a group of barely legal college guys to a couple of white-haired men stooped over their pints.

“Okay, I give up.” She shook her head. “Which one is he?”

“Do you see the guy with the Link Digital shirt and the pretty blonde who are chatting up Ford?”

Nodding, Ali squinted her eyes in an attempt to get a better look. The guy was tall and lanky, and like Sidney said, wearing a royal blue T-shirt with the LD logo on it. Even though she’d been away for the better part of a decade, Ali had heard about the tech start-up that had become one of the city’s top employers during the past five years.

Not that he couldn’t wear whatever he liked, but why would the professor have one of those shirts?

Ali had been way off on her description of the professor. He looked more like a software developer than a historian. “You’re right. He’s not at all what I expected.”

“That’s not him either. That’s Ian.” 

Ali’s eye twitched. “Are you trying to drive me crazy, or are you just being cute?”

“See the guy in the leather jacket on Ian’s other side? That’s the professor.”

“The leather jack . . .” Ali trailed off as her eyes landed on the man Sidney claimed was James Mitchell. 

She’d still been wrong in her guess. 

Beyond the leather jacket, his thick brown hair was neatly cut but messily styled. She wondered if that came from running his fingers through it or careful minutes spent in front of the mirror. 

She had the same questions about the tattoos she saw scattered over the knuckles of his fingers.

If she had to guess, she wouldn’t put him over his early thirties. Not much older than her. 

He was . . . hot. There were better ways to describe him. As a storyteller, she should have found countless words, but she was drawing a blank. It was hard to believe the dangerous-looking young man was the historian behind the book tucked away in her purse. Then again, Ali hadn’t even looked him up online yet. 

“Who would have thought?” Ali murmured. “That’s James Mitchell.”

“Or so he tells us.” Sidney cocked her head to the side. “I actually read his book. It’s pretty good.” 

Ali had too many questions to dwell on his writing style. “What’s he like?”

“He’s . . . complicated. Honestly, I’m not sure this will be an easy assignment. He’s been through a lot.”

“Like what?”

Sidney shook her head. “You’ll have to get that out of him yourself. Doctor-patient confidentiality.”

“You’re not a doctor.”

“No, but I’m a bartender. That’s almost as good as being his therapist. But”—she lowered her voice—“anything he’s told me was off the record.”

That was a term Ali understood. That made it all the more intriguing. “You think I’m going to have a hard time cracking him?”

“You’re going to have your work cut out for you.” 

It was a good thing Ali didn’t mind getting her hands dirty. Especially when a project intrigued her. And James Mitchell definitely seemed intriguing.

Check out book 1 in this series: Counting on You
Counting on You
Is love worth the risk?

Links:
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Google Play
- iTunes


About the Author
Laura Chapman is the award-winning and Amazon best-selling author of sweet and sexy romantic comedies. A born and raised Nebraska girl, she loves watching football, traveling, crafting, and baking. When she isn’t writing her next story, she is probably working at a museum by day and binge-watching Netflix with her cats Jane and Bingley at night. So, basically, she’s living large.

You can find and contact Laura Chapman here
- Amazon

Giveaway
There is a tour-wide giveaway for the book blitz of Let It Be Me. 
One winner will win a $20 Amazon gift card.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

10.18.2019

Book Blitz: Amber Sky by Cassia Leo


Amber Sky by Cassia Leo 
Publication date: October 18, 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

From New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo comes a new stand-alone novel, Amber Sky, the haunting, atmospheric love story of Walker Ainsley and Cassidy O’Connor.
A devastating car crash leaves Cassidy O’Connor stranded in rural Pennsylvania. Her only company is Walker Ainsley, the ruggedly handsome man who saved her from the wreckage and took her into his home. But when her ride back to town arrives after the crash, Cassidy can’t bring herself to leave Walker behind. She is determined to convince him to go back to town with her, until she begins to wonder if she actually survived the crash that brought them together.

EXCERPT
The door to Walker’s bedroom is wide open. As I approach, I try to think of what I’ll say when I wake him. But when I arrive at the threshold, I find him awake, sitting on the windowsill, gazing out at the night sky. He’s wearing nothing but a pair of jeans, and his dark hair is wild as if he’d been tossing and turning before he got up.
I enter without announcing my presence, but a creaky floorboard does it for me. Walker turns his head slowly to watch me approach. He doesn’t seem surprised to see me in his bedroom.
I stand next to him and look out the window to see what he’s gazing at. The sky is pitch black and studded with twinkling stars of various sizes and colors. It’s not a city night sky, muted by light pollution. It’s a brilliant, shimmering cloak wrapped around the world, beckoning us to embrace the night.
When I turn away from the window, Walker is staring at me, a new quiet confidence in his eyes. The moonlight paints silvery streaks over his cheekbones, collarbone, and pectoral muscles. He looks beautiful enough to paint.
Taking a cue from the look in his eyes, I turn toward him to let him see all of me. His gaze skims over every inch of my body, stopping for a while on my breasts. Taking a step forward, I take his hand in mine and hold it for a moment. When his eyes look up to meet mine, I lay his hand on my chest, so he can feel my heartbeat.
The corners of his mouth turn up at the sensation of my pulse pounding against his fingertips. “You are real.”
Author Bio
New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she’s not writing, she spends way too much time re-watching Game of Thrones and Sex and the City. When she’s not binge watching, she’s usually enjoying the Oregon rain with a hot cup of coffee and a book.

GIVEAWAYS!
Enter to win a FAB giveaway on Cassia’s Facebook Page!
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10.08.2019

Review: All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood
Published: August 9, 2016
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Format: via audiobook
Rating: 4.5/5

Synopsis
As the daughter of a meth dealer, Wavy knows not to trust people, not even her own parents. Struggling to raise her little brother, eight-year-old Wavy is the only responsible "adult" around. She finds peace in the starry Midwestern night sky above the fields behind her house. One night everything changes when she witnesses one of her father's thugs, Kellen, a tattooed ex-con with a heart of gold, wreck his motorcycle. What follows is a powerful and shocking love story between two unlikely people that asks tough questions, reminding us of all the ugly and wonderful things that life has to offer.

My Thoughts
All the Ugly and Wonderful Things is the heartbreaking tale of Wavy who for all her life has had it rough. Her mother has mental issues and her father sells drugs, so when one of her father's associates takes an interest in her who would've thought it would have taken the turn that it did.

Kellen is an ex-con who isn't at all what he looks like. He is a big guy but he is nice and kind when he wants and he feels bad for Wavy, so he takes it upon himself to care for her and be there for her since no one else does. He makes sure she goes to school and that she has what she needs but slowly over the years he falls in love with her and this is where things get...uncomfortable. Especially since he’s known Wavy since she was young and he is older than her. Kellen’s intentions were never to fall in love with Wavy like that but over time his feelings for her become real. 

This is where things get iffy in this book. I see how people can be uncomfortable with this book since they met when Wavy is a child, but in my mind, I never got the feeling that Kellen went into this situation having any ill intentions with Wavy. I honestly felt he felt sorry for her and felt like someone had to look out for this kid and someone had to be there for her since no one was there for him. He saw her life and how it could end up and he didn't want that for her. While I know some see their relationship later seemed icky I didn't see it as him being a pervert from the start.

This novel can be controversial without a doubt but I really did enjoy this storyline. I see two lost people who are brought together for a reason. While this relationship is the main focus of the book I also enjoyed the storyline with Wavy’s aunt and cousin and how they all have issues in the family that they dealing with. All the Ugly and Wonderful Things is a great novel with a storyline that might make you uncomfortable but one that will have you thinking about this novel way after the last page is turned.

10.01.2019

Monthly Wrap Up: September

I’m still here waiting for Fall to hit Texas but in the meantime, it was another slow reading month for me. I went into September determined to complete my Goodreads challenge but I fell short. My reads were average this month with the exception of a one really good read. Here’s to hoping next month will be way better, here’s how my month went reading-wise.

Books Read
45. Stolen Things by R.H. Herron
46. Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi
47. All The Ugly and Wonderful Things by Bryn Greenwood

Reading Stats
5 Stars - 0
4 Stars - 1
3 Stars - 2
2 Stars - 0
1 Stars - 0

Genres
Fiction - 1
Thrillers - 1
YA - 1

Pages Read - 1,114

Books via Publisher
The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes
Invisible as Air by Zoe Fishman
Christmas Angels by Nancy Naigle
Let it Snow by Nancy Thayer

ARC’s via NetGalley/Edelweiss
You and Me and Us by Alison Hammer

That’s it for my September Wrap Up please feel free to share your wrap up I love to check out all things bookish!!