✱✱Book Review✱✱ Village in the Dark by Iris Yamashita

 

Detective Cara Kennedy thought she’d lost her husband and son in an accident, but harrowing evidence has emerged that points to murder--and she will stop at nothing to find the truth in this riveting mystery from the author of City Under One Roof.

On a frigid February day, Anchorage Detective Cara Kennedy stands by the graves of her husband and son, watching as their caskets are raised from the earth. It feels sacrilegious, but she has no choice. Aaron and Dylan disappeared on a hike a year ago, their bones eventually found and buried. But shocking clues have emerged that foul play was involved, potentially connecting them to a string of other deaths and disappearances. 
 
Somehow tied to the mystery is Mia Upash, who grew up in an isolated village called Unity, a community of women and children in hiding from abusive men. Mia never imagined the trouble she would find herself in when she left home to live in Man’s World. Although she remains haunted by the tragedy of what happened to the man and the boy in the woods, she has her own reasons for keeping quiet.
 
Aided by police officer Joe Barkowski and other residents of Point Mettier, Cara’s investigation will lead them on a dangerous path that puts their lives and the lives of everyone around them in mortal jeopardy.

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

When I started reading Village in the Dark, I didn't know it was a sequel. Needless to say, I hadn't read the first book, so I went in blind. Thankfully, author Iris Yamashita gave me enough information about characters and circumstances that I was able to follow the story with no problem. Am I curious about that first book? After reading this one and meeting the characters, yes, I am, and I intend to satisfy that curiosity.

As for this book, it's very well written, and the pacing is equally good. It's the kind of pacing that, when combined with such a good storyline, you find yourself awake late into the night, one more chaptering it until the sun rises. The characters are so well developed that you'll feel like you've met them, and you'll want to know all their secrets - there are plenty of secrets.

Between what looks like a conspiracy to figuring out who's bad and who's not, the story steadily builds in intensity as it reveals its secrets. Some elements of the story seem a bit farfetched, but the characters feel so real that I barely noticed. I won't reveal those elements because I think every reader should learn them on their own as they follow these characters through each clue.

So, I'd have to say that I enjoyed this mystery by Iris Yamashita. The story pulled me in and held on through each clue the characters uncovered, and I loved how the author paints such vivid pictures with her words. 

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✱✱Book Review✱✱ Blog Tour: One of the Boys by Jayne Cowie

 

If you could test your son for a gene that predicts violence, would you do it? From the author of Curfew comes a suspenseful, heart-wrenching novel about the consequences of your answer.

Antonia and Bea are sisters, and doting mothers to their sons. But that is where their similarities end.

Antonia had her son tested to make sure he didn’t possess the "violent" M gene.

Bea refuses to let her son take the test. She believes his life should not be determined by a positive or negative result.

These women will go to any length to protect their sons.

But one of them is hiding a monster.

And there will be fatal consequences for everybody....

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

One of the Boys will totally mess with your mind. I know it sure messed with mine. It's definitely a book that makes you think, and it's one that will stay with you long after the final page is read. I'll admit that I didn't find either of the sisters particularly likable, but that wasn't really a requirement with this one. As I mentioned, this is a book that makes you think, but it's really not about why each sister made the choice they did - at least, that's the way I felt about it. For me, it was more about what happens next, and I'm not going there. This is a thriller, after all, and we can't start throwing spoilers around. I will say that if you're worried about the science (I know I was), you don't need to be. Jayne Cowie keeps it simple, and I was pretty thankful for that. When it gets too technical, my eyes start to glaze over, and I don't get the full enjoyment of the story. That's not a problem at all with this book. The writing flows very well, and Cowie has a style that makes it easy to get lost in the story and forget everything else. She also gives us a fair number of twists, some I saw coming and some not at all, which makes for a totally hard-to-put-down thriller. 

Bea glanced at her phone, saw the ten percent charge remaining, and reluctantly called Antonia. She kept it short. Yes, everything was fine. A boy. Nine pounds. Yes, that was big. She was tired. She had to go. Yes, she would send a picture. (She didn't.)

Bea was more surprised than she should have been when, half an hour later, her brother-in-law tweaked back the curtain and stuck his head round. "Mind if I come in?"

That was Owen, always perfectly polite. He smiled at Bea, nodded at Alfie. Bea had finally managed to get Alfie to sit down, but he hadn't taken his coat off, and there was a smear of yellow mustard on his chin. When she looked at Owen in his shirt and tie and white doctor's coat, she felt a pang of shame.

"I heard you had a rough time," he said as he stood next to the plastic box that they called a cot and looked down at her son, who was asleep, still in his Mother Teresa getup. One hand had managed to escape, and he was sucking his thumb, tiny fingers splayed across his face like a starfish.

"Do you mind if I . . ." Owen began, but he was already unwrapping the baby, so she didn't bother to answer. What was the point? She watched as Owen examined him, touching his hands, his feet, his round little tummy with the blue stump of his surprisingly juicy umbilical cord in the middle of it, and she gritted her teeth as her son howled out his disapproval. Her gaze flicked to Alfie, and she realized that he, too, was watching. She wondered how he felt, seeing the ease with which Owen touched his son when he'd been too afraid to even pick him up.

"He seems healthy enough," Owen said, wrapping him back up again. "You were lucky that nothing went wrong. Giving birth alone can be very dangerous."

"I didn't do it on purpose!"

"At least you were in the right place," Owen said, continuing as if she hadn't said anything. "Quite the drama. It's all anyone downstairs can talk about."

He stroked the baby's cheek and then, finally, he turned his attention to Bea. Her bed was next to the window, and the light outside was fading. What remained bathed Owen in soft shadow. Bea pulled the sheet up to her chin, a shield against him. All of a sudden, she felt very vulnerable and leaky and sore and afraid. Everyone knew in theory that you were allowed to tell a doctor you didn't want them to touch you, but to actually do it was something else entirely. She didn't want Owen to touch her, especially not in front of Alfie. She didn't want him to put her in the position of having to stop him.

"Congratulations," he said. "He's a lovely little boy. Have you got a name for him yet?"

"Simon," Alfie said. "After my dad."

Bea looked at Alfie in disbelief. That hadn't been on their list. He'd never even mentioned wanting to use it. And anyway, shouldn't it be her decision, given that she was the one who'd done all the work? She opened her mouth to reply, but Owen got in there first.

He looked at Bea. "Are you going to have him tested?"

"Tested for what?" Alfie replied, although Bea knew that the question had been directed at her.

"For the M gene. It's simple, completely painless."

"I don't know," Alfie said, turning to Bea, looking for the answer.

Bea ignored him. "Why?" she asked Owen.

"Why what?"

"Why should I have him tested?"

"It's important to know what you're dealing with," Owen said.

"I'm dealing with a baby," Bea said, and she turned her face to the window, away from Owen, away from Alfie, away from her son. She hadn't had any of the other tests while she was pregnant, and she had no intention of having this one. She didn't understand why anyone did. The idea that you would want to classify a baby as right or wrong, good or bad, perfect or imperfect, was abhorrent to her. As far as she was concerned, you got what you were given and you made the best of it.

---

Excerpted from One of the Boys by Jayne Cowie Copyright © 2023 by Jayne Cowie. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

photo credit to Derek George

An avid reader and lifelong writer, Jayne Cowie also enjoys digging in her garden and making an excellent devil’s food cake. She lives near London with her family. You can find her on Instagram as @CowieJayne.

✱✱Book Review✱✱ Try Not to Breathe by David Bell

 

An ex-cop sets out to find her missing sister and discovers the shocking truth about her family...

A traumatic experience in the line of duty forces thirty-year-old Avery Rogers to abandon both her relationship and her position as a Kentucky State Police officer. She retreats to a college town where she works an unfulfilling job as a security guard, breaking up fights between drunken frat boys. 

But a frantic phone call turns Avery’s life upside down. Her father—a retired cop who never fails to convey his disappointment in Avery—says her half sister is missing and in danger. Avery is sure Anna’s just crashing with friends, but her father strong-arms her into searching for the sister she barely knows.

Anna Rogers is fed up with her family—a half sister who resents her existence and a domineering father who thinks it’s okay for cops to shoot unarmed civilians. She hits the road to attend a protest against police brutality, unaware of the danger that awaits her there. 

Just after catching a glimpse of Avery at the protest, Anna receives a shocking text. Now she’s no longer road-tripping; she’s running, pursued by an older sister she doesn’t trust and a violent stranger who has been stalking her for weeks. 

When Avery discovers Anna’s hiding place near a remote cave system, she risks everything to save her. Little do the sisters know that a secret is catching up to them—a secret at the very heart of their family history.

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

I always enjoy a David Bell novel, and being a Kentucky girl, I like that I can picture so many of the settings he mentions in his books. Try Not to Breathe started out a little slower than I expected from Bell, but it does pick up as the story progresses. It never quite makes it to what I would consider a thriller, though. It feels more like a domestic suspense. That said, there are a couple of things going on that raise the creep factor a bit. Like the mystery around Anna's stalker. The family secret wasn't too hard to figure out, but the twist at the end was still a pretty good one despite the predictability. The book is well written, and while I didn't find the characters exactly likable (at least at first), I wanted to know how things would turn out for them. All things considered, this one isn't my favorite David Bell novel, and it's more domestic suspense than thriller, but it's still a good book overall. I feel like this one would do well on screen with its colorful characters and family drama. 

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✱✱Book Review✱✱ Blog Tour: DARK HUNGER by Christine Feehan

 

Experience Christine Feehan’s Carpathian classic like never before with this edition of Dark Hunger which includes the original novella which inspired the manga and a new note from the author!

He is Riordan...Carpathian male. Immortal. Seer. Now trapped and caged, his honor is compromised by his captors. They’re in his mind. They’re in his blood. And not one can withstand his desire for revenge.

     She is Juliette...A beautiful activist devoted to the liberation of animals from the foul and humid confines of a secret jungle lab. What she has stumbled upon is unexpected—a prisoner like no other she has ever seen. Or touched.

     She will release him from his bonds. He will release her from her inhibitions. Each has a voracious appetite that must be sated....

 

Photo credit to Michael Greene

Christine Feehan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the Carpathian series, the GhostWalker series, the Leopard series, the Torpedo Ink series, the Shadow Riders series, and stand-alone romantic suspense novels. Learn more online at www.christinefeehan.com.

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

I don't get much opportunity to read manga these days and to be honest, I had kind of gotten away from it. Dark Hunger caught my attention, and I figured if I was going to jump back in after so long away, Christine Feehan would be a solid choice. This one has both the manga and the original novella, so it's the best of both worlds. I went into the story fully expecting to enjoy it, and I certainly did. Plus, after reading the note from the author, I couldn't help but get emotional about the book. I haven't read all of Feehan's Carpathian series, but the more I read by her, the more I want to read. This one is very well done, and I liked both the manga and the novella. The story has a good pace and is engaging, and you can't help but root for the characters. If you enjoy manga, I'd recommend this one, and if you're new to the art and enjoy Christine Feehan, I'd say this is a good place to start. 

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✱✱Book Review✱✱ Girls and Their Horses Blog Blitz

 

Set in the glamorous, competitive world of showjumping, a novel about the girls who ride, their cutthroat mothers, and a suspicious death at a horse show…from the author of Good Rich People

When the nouveau riche Parker family moves to an exclusive community in the heart of Southern California, they believe it’s their chance at a fresh start. Heather Parker is determined to give her daughters the life she never had—starting with horses. 

She signs them up for riding lessons at Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian, where horses are a lifestyle. Heather becomes a “Barn Mom,” part of a group of wealthy women who hang at the stables, drink wine, and prepare their daughters for competition. 

It’s not long before the Parker family is fully enmeshed in the horse world—from mean girl cliques to barn romances and dark secrets. With the end of summer horse show fast approaching, the pressure is on, and these mothers will stop at nothing to give their daughters everything they deserve. 

Before the summer is over, lies will turn lethal, accidents will happen, and someone will end up dead.

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

After reading Good Rich People, I had high expectations for Girls and Their Horses. And Eliza Jane Brazier delivers. Being a Kentucky girl, the world of horses and the competitiveness of the sport is something I'm familiar with. The author did a great job of bringing that out, and some of these characters are absolutely ruthless. The story has the feel of a domestic thriller with its slow burn, and it's full of all those things you find in a small community of people, especially the kind who don't mind a bit of backstabbing and drama. It also feels a little like watching a reality show, only those don't go quite as dark as this. It's that whole peeking-through-the-windows vibe of watching these people and learning their secrets. The more I read, the more hooked I became on these characters and what they'd do or say next. I thoroughly enjoyed every page, and I'd certainly recommend it. 

Maple stepped into the cool shade of the breezeway. The horses stuck their heads over the doors and watched her. One noticed the carrots and whinnied. Then they all started whinnying, pacing around their stalls and tossing their heads. One even bucked and cantered a tight circle. They were freaking out. It was kind of scary.

Maple had a sense, always, that something terrible was about to happen now. Right now. She called it prophecy; her therapist called it generalized anxiety disorder.

"What are you doing?" A girl slipped out of a stall and into the aisleway.

She seemed older than Maple, but she was small and delicate. She was wearing a bright red coat, like a girl marked for death in a horror movie. But she had the face of the killer.

"You can't be here," the girl continued. "Didn't you read the signs?" She noticed the carrots. "Oh my God! Are you giving the horses carrots? Don't you know you can't do that? They could have Cushing's disease. Or bite you. I know this girl, and her mom got her finger bitten off by their horse, and the horse swallowed it. Seriously, I'm not fucking kidding."

Maple dropped the heavy bag on the ground. Her whole face burned. She wanted to run, but her legs felt weak. She was dizzy. She wished her mom were there.

Heather never seemed to be bothered by drama. In fact, she often seemed drawn to it. If there was a kerfuffle at a restaurant, if gunshots rang out, Heather drifted steadily toward it, clutching her purse and smiling benignly. Can I help?

"My mom-," Maple started.

"You need to leave," the girl said. "Seriously, you're actually trespassing. And why are you wearing riding clothes? It's Monday."

Maple burned up even more. She'd tried to warn her mother about this, when she had dressed Maple up like a doll.

A woman who must have been the other girl's mom appeared. She shared her daughter's red hair.

"What are you doing here?" she said. She also shared her attitude.

"My mom's here," Maple said, not answering the question. "I have to go get her." She took off like a lunatic toward the offices. She abandoned the carrots in the barn aisle.

"Hey!" the girl yelled after her. "You can't run around horses!"


Maple found her mom practically in the middle of breaking and entering. It would never have occurred to Heather that the office wasn’t hers to open.

"Why are you running?" Heather asked, trying a combination on the lock. "I was thinking I could write them a note. I think this is the main office. I've already left seven voice messages."

Heather had been trying to contact this barn since before the move. Instead of giving up, she got only more determined.

Maple was breathing hard. She was on the verge of tears. "They said we can't be here!" Her voice rose precipitously. "They said we're trespassing."

Heather perked up. "Who said that? Is someone here?"

Heather started in the direction Maple had come from, but then the red-haired woman appeared, matching daughter in tow. When she saw Heather, she smiled so fast it was like a quick draw in a shoot-out.

"Why, hello there!" Her eyes ran fast over Heather, like she was calculating the value of everything she saw-Heather herself included. "I'm Pamela and this is my daughter, Vida."

"I'm Heather. Parker. And this is my daughter Maple."

"I was just telling your sweet girl that unfortunately this barn isn't open to the public." Pamela was holding Vida's hand, their fingers laced, like they were best friends instead of mother and daughter.

"Oh, we're not the public," Heather said. They had been rich for a short amount of time, but Heather had adjusted beautifully. "We're here to sign up for riding lessons."

"It's Monday," Pamela said. "No one comes in on Mondays. And this isn't a lesson barn. They don't have school ponies or summer camps."

Heather stepped forward, crossed her arms neatly. Since she had become rich, Maple's mother had changed, although not completely. The root of what she had always been was still there. But she had become more herself.

"We just bought a house a mile from here," Heather said, as if that had anything to do with it.

But Maple could see Pamela's expression change. It softened a little, like the Parkers were closer to belonging not just there but everywhere.

"How lovely! That makes us neighbors," she said. "But I will warn you, this probably isn't the barn for you."

Maple knew the woman couldn't have tempted her mother more.

"There's a good riding school in Olivenhain. I can give you their number."

"No, thank you. I like this one. It's closer to our house. I want Maple to be able to walk to the barn if she wants to," Heather said. As if Maple would ever walk a mile. "Would you mind taking my number? Then you can pass it along to the owners for me. I've been trying to reach them."

"Kieran Flynn," Pamela said, like the name meant something to everyone. "He's the owner and the head trainer."

Pamela clearly didn't want to take her number, but Heather just waited. Pamela finally took out her phone. She typed Heather's number in quickly.

Then she added, "This is a show barn. Last year, we outperformed every barn at the Southern California International Horse Show. We demand total commitment to the program. We're a very tight community. You have to have your own horses, and your horses have to be in the training program. That means all of your rides are supervised by a trainer, and your horse is schooled by a Professional rider. It's really not a place for fun."

"Good," Heather said, taking Maple's hand like she was aping Pamela. "We don't want to have fun."

There was nothing Heather loved more than the word no.

Excerpted from Girls and Their Horses by Eliza Jane Brazier Copyright © 2023 by Eliza Jane Brazier. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.

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✱✱Book Review✱✱ Dead Drop by M.P. Woodward

 

International nuclear negotiations turns allies into enemies in this electrifying thriller from the author of The Handler.

Nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran have reached a crisis point. The new American administration is determined to move ahead, but there are several stumbling blocks, not the least of which is Lieutenant Colonel Kasem Khalidi, the Iranian intelligence officer the CIA has hidden away in one of its safe houses. 

As always, John and Meredith Dale are caught in the middle. Mossad—the Israeli intelligence agency—wants Meredith's help to find the lead Iranian rocket scientist; while John is in a desperate race to keep Kasem one step ahead of an Iranian hit squad. 

They are pawns in an international chess game, and any player knows you cannot capture the king without sacrificing some pawns.

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's been a bit since I read a spy thriller, and now I'm wondering why I got away from the genre. Needless to say, I haven't read the first Handler book, but now that I've met these characters, I want to know more about them. That doesn't mean this one can't be read as a standalone. As far as I'm concerned, it works well as a standalone - at least, I didn't feel like I was lost at any point. The story is fast-paced, and the writing draws you in and holds on tight. It's the kind of book that makes you want to read just one more chapter before going to sleep, then you find that you've been up long past bedtime reading another and another chapter because you're hooked. There's plenty of intrigue to keep you guessing, and M.P. Woodward is certainly worth checking out. I've thoroughly enjoyed this one and the only thing left is to read the debut that started it all and introduced these terrific characters. If you like a good spy thriller, this one should definitely make your TBR. 

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✱✱Book Review✱✱ Blog Blitz: The New One by Evie Green

 

A suspenseful, cutting-edge novel about two parents who finally get the daughter they’ve always wanted—it’s too bad she isn’t real. From the author of We Hear Voices.

For Tamsyn and Ed, life is tough. They both work long hours for very little money and come home to their moody, rebellious daughter, Scarlett.

After a tragic accident leaves Scarlett comatose and with little chance of recovery, Tamsyn and Ed are out of options until a lifeline emerges in the form of an unusual medical trial. In exchange for the very best treatment for Scarlett, a fully furnished apartment, and a limitless spending account, the family must agree to move to Switzerland and welcome an artificial copy of their daughter into their home.

Suddenly their life is transformed. Tamsyn and Ed want for nothing, and the AI replacement, Sophie, makes it feel just like having their daughter back—except without all the bad parts. Sophie is engaged, happy, and actually wants to spend time with her parents.

But things take a turn for the worse when Scarlett makes a very real recovery and the family discovers that the forces behind their new life are darker than they ever could have imagined.

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

Admittedly, I don't read a lot of sci-fi, medical thrillers, or futuristic-type books, but The New One intrigued me - and it delivered on all fronts. This book kept me turning pages while giving me that spine-tingling feeling. You know the one; the one that makes you look over your shoulder because it feels like someone's watching. Logically, I know no one was watching, and this is fiction (right?), but that didn't stop me from being all kinds of creeped out. Evie Green's writing style and storytelling pull you in and hold on tight, and if you don't white-knuckle your Kindle a few times, you're stronger than I am. I was holding on for dear life, knowing that this whole thing had to go horribly wrong. This may not fall into the genres or tropes I usually pick up, but this is definitely my kind of thriller. If you like a bit of intensity and some chills, you need to give The New One a read. 

PROLOGUE

I listen for a long time before any of the words make sense. When they do, I can grab only a word here or there. Soleil. Le weekend.

I try to hold on to the other words but I can't reach them. Everything comes and goes. I am floating.


After a while I realize I am not floating. I have a body.

I am in a body.

I am a body.

My eyes are closed, and after a long time I think that since I am back in my body, I might try to open them. After some more time, I try. It doesn't work.


I know there is noise, but I can’t make sense of it. My sense of smell seems as if someone switched it on, and it is unbearable. The smells crowd into my head and I want them to go away. It smells like medicine, clean things, chemicals. Not home.


Things hurt. People do things to me. They poke me and move me, and sometimes it hurts and sometimes I don’t feel anything. I sense light outside my eyelids. It goes away and comes back. It gets darker and then lighter. I drift back to my dark place, and I come up again.


One day the sounds start to form shapes and I find that I know a word. I know that it is the word for the person I need, the person who will pull me out of here.


I try to make my mouth say it: “Mum.”

Chapter 1

Five months before

November

She had been daydreaming. The water had evaporated and the cauliflower was sticking to the bottom of the pan and the potatoes were burning, because she'd forgotten all of it. It was salvageable, but she didn't want it.

"Oh, shut up," she told it nonsensically, and turned off the gas ring. Everything annoyed her.

She tried to focus on the television. It was a reality show, one that usually distracted her just enough. Tonight, though, it wasn't working.

Scarlett wasn't missing. She was out. If she hadn't overdone the cover story by throwing in Leanne, it wouldn't have been worrying yet. It was still all right.

She messaged her. Please just send a text. Nothing happened. She messaged again and called her phone and she didn't answer.

She turned the TV off and messaged Ed, hating the fact that she was admitting defeat again. He replied at ten forty-five.

Fuck's sake honey! Again?!????
Yeah, I'll find her.

At least he replied to her when it was about Scarlett. Since he worked late nights and she worked early mornings, they hardly saw each other. That was why they were still together.

She looked at the photo on the wall. They had been happy once.

It was a picture of the three of them taken when Scarlett was about four. They had been on the beach at Perranporth, standing in front of the Atlantic Ocean, the beach wide and sandy around them. Their hair was blowing around and they were laughing. Scarlett stood between them, holding their hands.

They had been happy because Scarlett had been a dreamy child. They had been happy because their relationship was newer, and they weren't ground down by life. Scarlett had been an adorable little girl, always asking questions about everything. They had kept her supplied with books from the library, had tried to find the answers she needed, had done everything they could to help her have a better life than they did.

She had learned to read before she went to school, and together they had all learned a bit of French from an app. Her parents agreed (as all parents probably did) that their daughter was exceptionally bright and brilliant, and as the years went by, they encouraged her to do her homework, to be top of the class, to excel at everything and keep her options wide open.

She was exactly average-sized for her age, which seemed like a good thing: she could never be teased for being too big or too small. She had curly dark hair and intense brown eyes, and she would climb into bed with them at night, cuddling up and whispering, "I love you so much, Mummy." She used to ask for a baby brother. Her favorite color was blue. She wanted to see snow. She wanted to have snowball fights, to climb mountains, to see the pyramids. She wanted to do everything.

She had been the best child ever. And then, a few weeks before she turned thirteen, Scarlett had changed.

 

Excerpted from The New One by Evie Green Copyright © 2023 by Evie Green. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved.

Evie Green is a pseudonym for a British author who has written professionally for her entire adult life. She lives by the sea in England with her husband, children, and guinea pigs, and loves writing in the very early morning, fueled by coffee.

✱✱Book Review✱✱ Blog Tour: Smolder by Laurell K. Hamilton

 

Vampire hunter Anita Blake is no stranger to killing monsters. It’s part of her job as a Preternatural U.S. Marshal, after all. But even her experience isn’t enough to stop something that is bent on destroying everything—and everyone—she loves.
 
Anita Blake is engaged to Jean-Claude, the new vampire king of America. Humans think she’s gone over to the side of the monsters. The vampires fear that their new king has fallen under the spell of the most powerful necromancer in a thousand years.
 
In the midst of wedding preparations—including getting Edward, aka U.S. Marshal Ted Forrester, fitted as best man—Anita gets a call that the local police need her expertise at a brutal murder scene linked to a nationwide slaughter of vampires and humans, dubbed the Sunshine Murders.
 
But there is more than just a murderer to catch: an ancient evil has arrived in St. Louis to challenge Jean-Claude for his crown, his life, Anita, and all they hold dear. Even with Jean-Claude’s new powers as king and Anita’s necromancy, it isn’t enough; they must embrace their triumvirate or allow primeval darkness to spread across the country, possessing first the vampires and then the humans. Evil will triumph unless Jean-Claude and Anita can prove that love conquers all.

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book #29! How is that even possible? I guess that makes sense considering how long I've known these characters. And yes, I said what I meant - I feel like I know these characters, and there are a lot of them. But it sure feels like time has flown by. This series is also kind of sentimental for me. I read the first book, Guilty Pleasures, around the time my son was born (maybe while I was on maternity leave?), so it's aged right along with him.

Smolder is basically the first part of a bigger story, so don't expect a lot of answers because there aren't many of those. We get plenty of questions but not much in the way of resolution. We do get to spend time with so many favorite characters. An old flame even pops back in, so I'm wondering how that's gonna go and to be honest, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I'm hoping we don't have to wait too terribly long for everything to play out, so I'll just reserve judgment on that part until then. I was happy to get a bit of Edward. He's been one of my favorites in the Anita Blake world, almost from his first introduction. I'm always glad to experience his ruthless planning, even if I have to wait for those plans to come to fruition.

According to Google, the definition of smolder is to burn slowly with smoke but no flame. Based on that, I have to say it's a pretty good title for a couple of different reasons. One is about the characters and storyline. There's a serious lot of dialogue as various things are discussed and settled on the personal front. I feel like those things that were settled here will be important later, and like that old flame's return, I'll stay neutral until I see where things go. Anyway, there's a new big bad in town, and this book leaves us guessing what's next, so the story is kind of smoldering as we wait - some of us maybe not so patiently (raises hand).

I was surprised at the pacing in Smolder, but it also gave me time to really enjoy the characters. Of course, not everyone is here, but I got to visit with several, and I certainly enjoyed that. So, 29 books and counting, and I've been friends with these characters long enough that I'm thoroughly invested. As for what's to come - I'll just be over here, tapping my foot, anxiously waiting.

Laurell K. Hamilton is a full-time writer and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series; Zaniel Havelock series; and the Merry Gentry series. She lives in a suburb of St. Louis with her family. Learn more online at www.laurellkhamilton.com.

✱✱Book Review✱✱ Blog Blitz: BURNER by Mark Greaney

 

Court Gentry is caught between the Russian mafia and the CIA in this latest electrifying thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling Gray Man series.

When you kick over a rock, you never know what's going to crawl out. 

Alex Velesky is about to discover that the hard way. He's stolen records from the Swiss bank that employs him, thinking that he'll uncover a criminal conspiracy. But he soon finds that he's tapped into the mother lode of corruption. Before he knows it, he's being hunted by everyone from the Russian mafia to the CIA. 

Court Gentry and his erstwhile lover, Zoya Zakharova, find themselves on opposites poles when it comes to Velesky. They both want him but for different reasons. 

That's a problem for tomorrow. Today they need to keep him and themselves alive. Right now, it's not looking good.

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

When a series is at number 12, and it's still this good, still this fresh and exciting, it's here to stay. It has been a minute since I've read an international espionage thriller, and to be honest, I'd forgotten just how nerve-wracking they can be. Burner was quick to remind me, and I found myself white-knuckling my Kindle for a whole lot of the 500+ pages. The story is fast-paced with loads of action and adventure. There are so many colorful characters - some to love and some to love to hate - and the writing is some of the best I've seen in the genre. The storyline is current, and for the most part, it's plausible, which is kind of scary when you think about it. The only drawback for me was the way the author portrays some of the women, even ones that are a major part of the story. I'd like to see the women come into the light, so to speak. Women can be very much the hero, and I just kind of felt like they were relegated to sidekick status for much of the story. That said, I still enjoyed the book. Greaney's writing is top-notch, and his gift for drawing a reader in is about as good as it gets. If you enjoy the genre, I'd certainly recommend this one.

Mark Greaney has a degree in international relations and political science. In his research for the Gray Man novels, including Sierra Six, Relentless, One Minute Out, Mission Critical, Agent in Place, Gunmetal Gray, Back Blast, Dead Eye, Ballistic, On Target, and The Gray Man, he traveled to more than thirty-five countries and trained alongside military and law enforcement in the use of firearms, battlefield medicine, and close-range combative tactics. With Marine LtCol Rip Rawlings, he wrote the New York Times bestseller, Red Metal. He is also the author of the New York Times bestsellers Tom Clancy Support and Defend, Tom Clancy Full Force and Effect, Tom Clancy Commander in Chief, and Tom Clancy True Faith and Allegiance. With Tom Clancy, he coauthored Locked On, Threat Vector, and Command Authority.

Visit him online at www.markgreaneybooks.com.

✱✱Book Review✱✱ Blog Blitz: Harmony of Lies by Brian Feehan

 

Danger threatens to shatter the hope for a new beginning in a world of angels and demons in this explosive paranormal romance by author Brian Feehan, son of legendary #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

After being forced away for seventeen years, Alice is finally home. But home isn’t what she thought it would be, and every day the secrets she holds from her parents grow with weight. But how do you tell your mother and father that you’re not normal? That the world is a far more dangerous place than they have ever known and you are anything but the small, innocent child who was torn from their arms all those years ago?
 
Owen can’t say goodbye, and Alice can’t hold on to him tightly enough as the pressures of danger and obligation grow stronger and stronger. With a broken heart, Owen is headed to San Francisco with his crew of musicians. But the Golden City is filled with history and secrets, and brutal deaths are just lying in wait for Owen and his people. To survive these trials and this city, Owen will need everything he has—even the broken parts he gave to Alice—to have any hope of doing the impossible one more time.

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's back to Brian Feehan's intriguing world of magic for Harmony of Lies. This is the second book in the Alice & Owen series, and I do feel the best reader experience is from starting at the beginning. The author does give us what we need to get the gist of the characters and everything going on, but it's still a better experience, in my opinion.

As far as this book goes, it's as exciting as I expected, and Feehan gives us a good mix of humor with the heavy, so it's a well-rounded, engaging story. I just love the originality of this series and its characters, and Owen and Alice are so easy to root for.

As with any urban fantasy, world-building is essential, and while the introduction to this world was in book one, this one still has plenty of world-building. It's very well done, which is another area I expected greatness and got it. From scene setting to dialogue, Brian Feehan is showing just how talented he is. This second Alixe & Owen book is a solid addition to this new series, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. 

An old wooden ladder led up toward the space Owen had claimed for himself. More importantly, it was private.

“We aren’t going up there tonight.” Owen smiled, and in that smile it was easy to see he had been looking forward to this moment.

“We aren’t going up to your bed? That’s a first. Where are you taking me?”

“This way,” he said, leading beneath the loft and deeper within. They moved past a trove of shovels and tools until she spotted a door she hadn’t used before. Owen pressed hard, and hay and dust fell off the frame as another wave of the night air broke over them both.

“So what’s out here?”

“It’s a surprise. It took a little work, but Max and I finished it this morning.”

Alice’s eyesight adjusted to the low light as Owen shut the barn door behind them. She took a glance around. She had thought this side of the barn was just where the farmer parked his rusted tractor and broken-down truck. Toss in a couple of old oil barrels and some leftover parts, and there wasn’t much to look at, particularly at night. She couldn’t fathom why Owen had brought her out here.

“You know I’m not really a tractor kind of girl. If you’re thinking we are getting kinky on that old thing, you’re far better off taking me back up to the loft.”

Owen laughed, and she felt it down deep.

It was nice spending time with the others, but every time they found a chance to be alone she saw it was easier for Owen to be himself.

“Back here. I set this up for us,” Owen said.

They weaved around an old rusted oil barrel and some empty propane canisters until she spotted a large something covered up by a sheet of old gray plywood and blue tarp.

“It’s not jewelry or a gun. For the record, I like both those things. What is it?” she asked.

“Patience,” he said, letting go of her hand and moving around the side. With practiced ease, Owen spread his long arms and grabbed both the old plywood and tarp beneath. A gentle pull and lift and a large, curved wooden hot tub was uncovered.

“How in the world did you find this? We are in the middle of nowhere.”

“We found it right off. It took some heavy lifting and more than one hour of cleaning. But the real problem was the pump and heater. You like it?” he asked.

“It’s clean?” she asked.

“Of course.” Owen used his foot to flip the metal switch that started the pump. Already there was steam rising into the air.

“And bubbles. Owen, I feel you’re giving me the full treatment.”

Owen didn’t answer.

There was something about the night sky mixed with the back-glow of the barn that framed Owen. He stood there watching her but was lost under the weight of leaving, leaving her. She could see it as clearly as his deep green eyes and strong face.

Owen reached over toward an instant propane heater and clicked it on. She heard the whoosh as gas met spark.

“Owen?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I have never met someone like you.”

And I don’t want to say goodbye.

It was his thoughts that drifted in the air between them, but she thought she could hear him and understood his view. For the last couple of weeks, he had made a point of talking about the chaos of his life. How every road traveled twisted and turned, and those devoted to living as a musician changed with every trip. In short, he was saying that now that it was time to leave, this could be the end of their relationship. That he didn’t know where he going, but he was sure he couldn’t come back.

Excerpted from Harmony of Lies by Brian Feehan Copyright © 2023 by Brian Feehan. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

photo credit to Michelle Greene Photography

Brian Feehan lives in his mind, creating vibrant characters who talk very loud and far too often. When real life comes knocking, it is likely to be the love of his life, Michelle, or their son, Dylan. The three of them live on the northern coast of California, which is far different from any other part of California. Learn more online at brianfeehanauthor.com.