A Couple of Novella Reviews: Initium by Natalie Walters & All the Moore by Toni Shiloh

About the Book

When an explosion rattled the cobblestone streets of Ireland in 1998, it left the CIA questioning one of their own, but Intel officer Tom Walsh refuses to believe his friend Sean is guilty. Tom is certain Sean wasn’t behind the misdirection of information that led to the deaths of dozens, but he’s missing and the CIA won’t go back to find him or the truth.

Unwilling to let Sean become a scapegoat for a botched mission, Tom quits the CIA and takes an unsanctioned contract job with the hopes of finding his friend and those responsible for the deadly attack. But when the new mission goes awry, Tom finds himself in a battle against an Irish dissident paramilitary group determined to strike again.

With only a hunch to go on and a red-headed bartender’s help, Tom puts himself in the path of danger and discovers his own passion for stepping in where the government can’t.

Get ready for Lights Out with this glimpse into the life of the man behind the SNAP Agency and what pushed him to find a better way to strategically protect and neutralize threats against America and her citizens. In this fast-paced novella you’ll meet Director Walsh as he assembles his team: Jack Hudson, Lyla Fox, Nicolás Garcia, and Kekoa Young.

Amazon / Goodreads

Available in Kindle Unlimited at time of posting

MY THOUGHTS

This prequel novella has me so excited for the full-length book. It describes how the SNAP Agency was formed. Part of it takes place in 1998 after a mission went bad and a team member gets left behind. It's this mission that gave Tom the idea for the SNAP Agency. Also interspersed between the details on that mission, we fast forward to seeing the creation of SNAP and how each team member joins the team. This was a stellar introduction. It's full of great characters that I instantly cared for and a fast-moving plot that kept me furiously turning the pages. I highly recommend it!

4.5 STARS

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About the Book

Leilah Anderson has been living behind the screen to hide her disability. Everything she does can be done from the safety of her home in a remote setting. When she starts a friendship online, she never thought they'd see each other face-to-face.

Reggie Moore can't believe he gets the chance to finally meet his online friend and fellow gamer, Leilah. Yet she seems happy with the distance between them. When a job promotion comes with an opportunity to close the distance, Reggie takes it as a yes from God.

All the Moore is book two in the Something Borrowed collection.

Amazon / Goodreads

Available in Kindle Unlimited at time of posting

MY THOUGHTS

This was such a heartwarming story full of hope and overcoming obstacles.

Leilah's been in a wheelchair for years now and has stayed isolated in her house, preferring to hide her disability and do everything online. She's able to teach online, attend a virtual church, and is an avid gamer. When an opportunity comes up for her to meet one of her online gamer friends in person, she's worried about how he'll react to her disability. Will he only see the chair and pity her, or will he look past it and see the amazing person that she is?

I immediately liked Leilah. She was genuine, kind, and a great friend. I loved watching her let her guard down and try new things. She's an inspiration, for sure. Reggie was such a nice guy, so sincere and sweet. They had such great chemistry, and I loved their playful banter. I really enjoyed getting to know them.

4.5 STARS