Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Dark Intercept (The Shepherds #1) by Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday.

This week I'm featuring Dark Intercept (The Shepherds #1) by Brian Andrews & Jeffrey Wilson. 

I haven't been able to read very much this week because we got a new puppy. She's an adorable 14 week old Lab/German Shepherd mix. She seems sweet and very smart. Our other two dogs seem to be adjusting to her okay. Jack, our Yorkie-Poo, seems indifferent to her, while Max, our Xolo, has been a little more leery of her. It's obvious that he wants to be her friend, but she's so enthusiastic (and already pretty much the same size as him), that I think she kinda intimidates him. I'm hoping they'll be best buddies in no time though. They've already made a lot of progress. 

About the Book

When dark forces rise, are faith and firepower enough?

On the eve of his medical retirement, Navy SEAL Jedidiah Johnson receives a frantic call from his estranged childhood best friend David Yarnell. David's daughter has been kidnapped off the streets of Nashville in broad daylight. The police have no suspects and no leads. The only clue: the body of a dead priest left behind at the scene. With the clock ticking, David is growing desperate, as is his wife, Rachel . . . Jed's first love.

Despite his painful history with David and Rachel, Jed agrees to help. But he's spent his career as a door-kicking Navy SEAL, not an investigator. His presence immediately draws unwanted attention, creates friction with the local police, and triggers a mysterious attempt on his life. Just when he thinks things can't get worse, it starts to happen again--the voices in his head, the nightmares, the visions. Dark memories and strange abilities, things he believed he'd left behind when he fled Nashville for the Navy at eighteen, begin to resurface.

Jed realizes that to save the missing girl, he must take a leap of faith and embrace the gifts he's denied for all these years. To foil this dark intercept, he'll need more than just his years as a SEAL operator, because he has no choice now but to take up arms and join the battle in the unseen spiritual warfare raging all around him. And there is far more at stake than just a missing girl: the world is not the place he thought it was--and he is not alone.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Tactical superiority, courage under fire, and unbreakable brotherhood - these were the traits that defined Naval Special Warfare.

Friday 56

Her footfalls were noisy—dead leaves crunching and twigs breaking with every step—and her hard panting seemed to echo in the forest. She was so very, very loud. Somewhere in her mind she recognized this was a problem, but fear drove her heedlessly, like a pack of wolves nipping at her heels. She tired quickly and desperately wanted to stop and rest, but the voice in her head wouldn’t let her.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt

About the Book

In 1936--A party at the Ringling mansion Ca d’Zan in Sarasota, Florida, leads to a robbery--and possibly death.

A successful historical mystery writer, Chloe Whitfield comes to Ca’ d’Zan to research her next novel. Chloe’s fascination with the circus is rooted in family stories of her great-grandmother Lucinda Conroy, who reportedly was a trapeze artist of some renown. She’s heard hints of scandal—and perhaps larceny, but no details.

Chloe’s grandmother—rumored to be Lucinda’s only offspring—was raised in an orphanage and never knew her mother. Intrigued as she is, Chloe has no intent of writing about Lucinda until she sees a poster featuring Lucinda as the star performer for a 70th birthday gala for John Ringling in May of 1936. From there the trail goes cold.

Who was Lucinda and what happened to her?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

I'm a sucker for any story that involves the circus, so I was instantly intrigued by High-Wire Heartbreak. And while there's not much circus "action", I absolutely adored it. It was even better than I thought it'd be. And Ca' d'Zan was such a great setting! It was so beautiful and grand. I didn't know anything about this winter home of John Ringling before this book, so I found it all to be quite interesting.

This dual timeline story follows Chloe in present day Sarasota as she's working on her next historical mystery, which she plans to set at Ca' d'Zan. We also get a peek into the past of her great-grandmother Lucy, who worked for John Ringling in the 1930s as a trapeze artist. I loved seeing how these two timelines intersected, discovering their secrets, and solving the big mystery surrounding Lucy. And while I enjoyed both timelines a great deal, I've gotta say, the past edged out the present just slightly as my favorite.

This was such a fantastic story that I highly recommend. It's the first book I've read by this author and I'll definitely be looking for more from her.

I won this book in a giveaway and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

4.5 STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: Blood Secrets (Skyworld #2) by Morgan L. Busse

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Blood Secrets (Skyworld #2) by Morgan L. Busse releasing August 9.  

About the Book

Not everyone wants to see the world saved . . .

Time is running out. Cities are being engulfed in the Mist and humanity is on the brink of extinction. Theo believes he has found a way to stop mankind from Turning, but he doesn’t know how to alter Cass’s unique blood into a cure. Or if it can even be done.

Meanwhile, Cass struggles with the idea that she is possibly the savior of the world—a world she is not sure is worth saving.

From the Winchester manse to the steel city of Decadenn, there is something more chasing Cass than the House of Lords or the masked man who can walk in the Mist. Soon she must decide if she will use her blood to save mankind or let those who only care about themselves perish.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Heroes in the Crossfire: Four Romantic Suspense Novellas

About the Book

Four Romantic Suspense Novellas by award-winning, bestselling authors.

Out of Time by Lynn Blackburn
An attorney in Raleigh, NC, Hope Malone has never let her wheelchair stop her from reaching her goals. She’s established a successful business law practice and enjoys the occasional pro bono work. But when a long-lost friend reaches out for help, Hope finds herself dragged into a world of organized crime, kidnapping, and murder— and right back in the path of the one man she’s determined to avoid, FBI Special Agent Charles Romero.

Just days away from arresting the notorious crime boss, Charles never expects Hope— the woman who ghosted him seven weeks ago— to show up at a crime scene and nearly destroy his entire case. If he wants to convince her to give them another chance, he’ll first have to keep her from sacrificing her life to save two innocent ones.

Code Trauma by Lynette Eason
Flight Nurse Practitioner, Holly Cooper, has an enemy who wants her gone from the hospital one way or another. She and her fiancé, Detective Andy McKittrick are “taking a break”, and a patient has died under mysterious circumstances. Life is complicated at the moment so when she’s attacked, her friends—and “on hold” fiancé come to the rescue. Andy may have his issues, but he’s never stopped loving Holly. When he hears someone is out to get her, he races to her side. Can they find a killer before the killer succeeds in sending Holly six feet under?

Dawn's Hidden Threat by Elizabeth Goddard
An Unexpected Search and Rescue uncovers a hidden threat. When Ridge Ledger’s SAR and avalanche dog discovers an injured woman, Ridge is surprised that she’s the woman who broke his heart two months ago---in California. Not Alaska. He doesn’t know why she’s not still in the Lower 48, and he’s caught off guard when she attacks him as if fighting for her life. He’s shocked to learn the woman he loved has forgotten him. Angie Harris—is that even her name? —can’t recall who she is. She doesn’t know whom to trust, except for the man who rescued her from a cold dark cave and a grizzly bear. But she can’t forget the face of the man who tried to kill her. Remembering the reason that she came to Alaska is vital to her survival, and as it turns out, Ridge’s survival too.

Point Blank by Lisa Harris
From USA Today Best-selling author, Lisa Harris, comes a novella that brings together fan-favorite characters from two of her series—Nikki Boyd, her husband Tyler, and Jack Spencer from her best-selling Nikki Boyd Files Series, and Madison James and Jonas Quinn from her more recent US Marshal Series. When one of Nikki’s teammates is killed during a routine training exercise at a shoot house, deadly secrets are revealed as evidence of murder surfaces. Now, the remaining team is caught up in a highly personal case that pulls them into a tangled web of deception as they race to find a killer.

Amazon / Goodreads

Available in Kindle Unlimited at time of posting

MY THOUGHTS

This collection contains four novellas from some of the top romantic suspense authors in the Christian fiction genre. All of the stories are connected to at least one of their series. I was worried I'd be lost with most of them since I haven't had the chance to read any of the series before, but that wasn't the case at all. I was completely invested and even more eager to check out the series these stories are connected to.

My favorites were Out of Time by Lynn H. Blackburn and Code Trauma by Lynette Eason. They were both super suspenseful and held my full attention from beginning to end. Elizabeth Goddard's story is a prequel to her forthcoming Missing in Alaska series and has an amnesia plotline. I'd recently read a couple of other mysteries that featured that same plot, so I was a little burned out on that trope. But it was an otherwise engaging story. Point Blank by Lisa Harris connects her Nikki Boyd and US Marshals series. I thought this one started out really strong, but the mystery took a bit of a convoluted turn. I enjoyed it nonetheless.

3.5 STARS

Cover Reveal: Forest of Scarlet by Tara Grayce

I'm so excited to be part of the cover reveal for Forest of Scarlet (Court of Midsummer Mayhem Book 1) by Tara Grayce! (Isn't it gorgeous?) 

About the Book

A stolen bride's sister
Robin Hood's brother
Their mission: steal humans back from the fae

When Brigid's sister was stolen by the fae, Brigid resolved never to let another family suffer that same pain ever again. Sure, everything worked out fine in the end, but not every human stolen by the fae fared so well. Now settled in the Fae Realm, she sets out to steal humans back from the fae, no matter the cost to herself.

But the fae don't give up their prizes easily. Brigid must out-fae the fae if she has a hope of keeping her identity a secret and save those who have been taken. She needs allies, and who better than a realm-walking Robin Hood and her merry band of brothers? Even if one of those brothers is a tad too sweet and too interested in Brigid for his good...or hers.

When the human-snatching takes an even darker turn, will Brigid and her band of allies be enough? Or will they, too, find themselves caught in the whims of fae willing to shed blood to get their darkest desires?

Inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel, Forest of Scarlet is book one in a new fantasy romance series featuring magic libraries, a whimsical and deadly fae realm, and crazy fae hijinks by bestselling author Tara Grayce!

Preorder Link for Forest of Scarlet: 

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B6Q49L7H

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/47YjAN

Release Date: TBD

Currently, the release date is set for July of 2023. But this date should change as the author finishes writing the book and has a better idea when it will release. Her goal is for the book to release sometime at the end of this year yet! Woohoo!

GIVEAWAY INFO:

HARDCOVER GIVEAWAY! 

You can win signed hardcovers of these lovely books featuring magical fae libraries or characters who will show up in Forest of Scarlet (Court of Midsummer Mayhem Book 1):
STOLEN MIDSUMMER BRIDE (Court of Midsummer Mayhem Prequel) by @taragrayceauthor
BLUEBEARD AND THE OUTLAW (A Villain’s Ever After / Court of Midsummer Mayhem Prequel) by @taragrayceauthor
ENTRANCED (Prince of the Doomed City Book 1) by @authorsylviamercedes

TO ENTER:

- Head over to Instagram
- Like and leave a comment HERE
- Follow @taragrayceauthor
EXTRA ENTRIES
- Invite/tag friends
- follow @authorsylviamercedes
- Share this post via stories

Entries close Friday, July 29 at midnight EST. The winner will be announced on or before August 5. Entrants must be 18 or older. This giveaway is open internationally. The author signatures may be provided in the form of a signed bookplate to place inside the book. This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram.

GOOD LUCK!

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday.

This week I'm featuring High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt. This is a really fantastic dual timeline. The first quote is from the present-day storyline and the second is from the historical timeline.

About the Book

In 1936--A party at the Ringling mansion Ca d’Zan in Sarasota, Florida, leads to a robbery--and possibly death.

A successful historical mystery writer, Chloe Whitfield comes to Ca’ d’Zan to research her next novel. Chloe’s fascination with the circus is rooted in family stories of her great-grandmother Lucinda Conroy, who reportedly was a trapeze artist of some renown. She’s heard hints of scandal—and perhaps larceny, but no details.

Chloe’s grandmother—rumored to be Lucinda’s only offspring—was raised in an orphanage and never knew her mother. Intrigued as she is, Chloe has no intent of writing about Lucinda until she sees a poster featuring Lucinda as the star performer for a 70th birthday gala for John Ringling in May of 1936. From there the trail goes cold.

Who was Lucinda and what happened to her?

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Sweat beaded Chloe Whitfield's forehead and soaked her neck. Her loose-fitting shift-style dress was a mass of wrinkles. Who had ever thought linen was a good idea for clothing? She'd chosen her outfit with the thought of wanting to present herself as the professional and successful woman she was.

Friday 56

“Please join us Nardo.” Mr. Jefferson indicated a second chair and then sat between them in the third. “As I was just saying to Miss Conroy, it would appear we are on the horns of a dilemma, my young friends.” He passed the newspaper to Nardo, who glanced at the article, then let the paper fall from his fingers as he sat back in the chair.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: The Buy-In (Graham Brothers #1) by Emma St. Clair

About the Book

"You can't Schitt's Creek a town, Tank."
"And you can't verb a noun, son."

When a family of former pro football players buy a small Texas town, they didn't intend to start a war with its residents ... or to fall in love.

Ever since his career-ending injury, Pat has bounced from job to job, idea to idea, short-lived relationship to short-lived relationship. But when his father purchases the town of Sheet Cake, Pat suddenly sees his life with clear purpose: get his brothers on board with his dad's wild idea and win back the one woman who got away.

Lindy was supposed to be traveling the world, not stuck in a small town, caring for her niece. But she would do anything to keep custody of Jo--even if that looks like a marriage of convenience with the man who already broke her heart once.

Now if she can only keep herself from falling back in love with her husband...

This is a small town, marriage of convenience romantic comedy with plenty of sizzle while keeping the bedroom door closed. It's the first in a spinoff series following Harper's brothers (from Falling for Your Best Friend). You don't need to have read the Love Clichés series first to enjoy this book.

Amazon / Goodreads

(Available in Kindle Unlimited at time of posting.)

MY THOUGHTS

This was an absolutely delightful romantic comedy. I loved that even though there were a ton of laughs, (seriously, I found myself laughing out loud on numerous occasions) there was a lot of depth too. There were some tough real-life issues addressed here. It felt like the perfect combination.

Pat and Lindy were easy to like. Right from the beginning, I was rooting for them. And Jo was such a smart and adorable little girl full of surprises. I really enjoyed the Graham family dynamics too, and how close the siblings and their dad were.

I loved the town of Sheet Cake. It definitely needed a lot of work, but it was such a charming place full of a ton of potential. And I really liked all (well, most) of the residents. Winnie, Val, Chevy, Mari, Ashlee, the Bobs... the list could go on and on. I'm so eager to visit the town again and see what everyone's up to now.

This was my first full-length novel by this author and I'm kicking myself for not reading her books sooner. All the praise I've heard is well warranted and I'm eager to read more. This book is definitely making my "Best of" list for this year. Needless to say, I can't recommend it highly enough.

FIVE STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: Out of the Night (The Epic Story of RJ and York #1) by Susan May Warren

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Out of the Night (The Epic Story of RJ and York #1) by Susan May Warren releasing August 9.

About the Book

He’s not looking for trouble…

All former spy and current national security agent York Newhouse wants is to propose to the woman he loves, RJ Marshall. Then they can move to Shelly, Montana, and start the calm, safe life he’s been dreaming of for over a year.

Too bad trouble doesn’t agree…

Or maybe RJ simply attracts trouble because she’s just going out for coffee when she spots a wanted, known terrorist standing in the middle of a street in Paris. At least she thinks it’s international criminal Alan Martin, the mastermind behind a plot to kill the president.

But he’s in jail, right?

Wrong. Martin has escaped, and it’s up to RJ—and York—to keep him in their sights until he can be apprehended. But chasing down Martin means following him into the darkness of whatever plot he’s cooked up now.

Will he ever outrun trouble to find his happy ending?

So much for York’s epic proposal. Now, he just wants to escape Europe with their lives.

The romantic trilogy ignites in book of the Epic Story of RJ and York!

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Double Review: Signal Moon by Kate Quinn & My Evil Mother by Margaret Atwood

I received both of these short stories for free through Amazon Prime and thought I'd go ahead and post my thoughts about them together. Signal Moon releases August 1 but is available early through Amazon's First Reads program. 

About the Book

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye comes a riveting short story about an impossible connection across two centuries that could make the difference between peace or war.

Yorkshire, 1943. Lily Baines, a bright young debutante increasingly ground down by an endless war, has traded in her white gloves for a set of headphones. It’s her job to intercept enemy naval communications and send them to Bletchley Park for decryption.

One night, she picks up a transmission that isn’t code at all—it’s a cry for help.

An American ship is taking heavy fire in the North Atlantic—but no one else has reported an attack, and the information relayed by the young US officer, Matt Jackson, seems all wrong. The contact that Lily has made on the other end of the radio channel says it’s…2023.

Across an eighty-year gap, Lily and Matt must find a way to help each other: Matt to convince her that the war she’s fighting can still be won, and Lily to help him stave off the war to come. As their connection grows stronger, they both know there’s no telling when time will run out on their inexplicable link.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

I was absolutely riveted by this story. Lily was optimistic and upbeat, and always trying to cheer everyone else up, even though in actuality, she was covering up how terrified she was. She had a very serious job as a WREN. She intercepted live radio communications sent to enemy vessels. One night, while searching the signals, she came across an American's transmission as they faced trouble. But it didn't make any sense... The date the transmitter gave was 80 years in the future... What's going on?

This story had such an intriguing premise. Someone from the 1940s intercepts a radio signal from 2023 and tries to find a way to stop WWIII? Yes, yes, yes! This was right up my alley! It was an extremely quick read that I really enjoyed. It did have some language that didn't seem wholly necessary, but other than that, this was an absolutely stellar read. I'll have to look into this author's other stories.

FOUR STARS

______________________________

About the Book

Life is hard enough for a teenage girl in 1950s suburbia without having a mother who may—or may not—be a witch. A single mother at that. Sure, she fits in with her starched dresses, string of pearls, and floral aprons. Then there are the hushed and mystical consultations with neighborhood women in distress. The unsavory, mysterious plants in the flower beds. The divined warning to steer clear of a boyfriend whose fate is certainly doomed. But as the daughter of this bewitching homemaker comes of age and her mother’s claims become more and more outlandish, she begins to question everything she once took for granted.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

I have no idea how to rate this. I had some serious issues with it. There ended up being quite a bit of language at the end and there were some things that were discussed that I really could’ve done without. But it was such a captivatingly quirky and, dare I say it, heartwarming read. I literally couldn't put it down. I had to see where things were going. It kept me entertained and had me laughing in quite a few spots.

I really didn't think I'd end up enjoying it as much as I did. I had only planned to read a few pages and thought I'd probably set it aside to come back to another day, or more than likely forget about it. Man was I wrong! I read it in one sitting in the middle of the night when I couldn't go to sleep.

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: The Buy-In (Graham Brothers #1) by Emma St. Clair

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday.

This week I'm featuring The Buy-In (Graham Brothers #1) by Emma St. Clair. I can't even tell you how much I loved this romcom! It's awesome! Thanks Cindy's Book Corner for the recommendation! 

About the Book

When a family of former pro football players buy a small Texas town, they didn't intend to start a war with its residents ... or to fall in love.

Ever since his career-ending injury, Pat has bounced from job to job, idea to idea, short-lived relationship to short-lived relationship. But when his father purchases the town of Sheet Cake, Pat suddenly sees his life with clear purpose: get his brothers on board with his dad's wild idea and win back the one woman who got away.

Lindy was supposed to be traveling the world, not stuck in a small town, caring for her niece. But she would do anything to keep custody of Jo--even if that looks like a marriage of convenience with the man who already broke her heart once.

Now if she can only keep herself from falling back in love with her husband...

This is a small town, marriage of convenience romantic comedy with plenty of sizzle while keeping the bedroom door closed. It's the first in a spinoff series following Harper's brothers (from Falling for Your Best Friend). You don't need to have read the Love Clichés series first to enjoy this book.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

"You bought a what?"

Friday 56

I lean back against the counter, closing my eyes. This is a mistake. Isn’t it? Everything in my life feels so infinitely fragile. I’m like the little pig who’s built a house of toothpicks and tissue paper, and Pat is the big bad wolf, here to blow it down with one breath.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: The Fabrication of Eden Pruitt (The Eden Pruitt #1) by K.E. Ganshert

About the Book

Studious and principled Eden Pruitt stepped out of line just once. Unfortunately, that reckless decision ended with an arrest, a mug shot, and two very concerned parents. Now they’re starting over. In Iowa, of all places. On the cusp of her senior year, of all times. The situation is less than ideal but she’ll just have to manage, and without complaint. The change of address was her fault after all, and she isn’t going to make anything harder on her parents, who have already been through enough.

But life in Iowa turns strange fast. Odd things are happening, and Eden has no idea what any of it means. Then she comes home from her first day of school to a ransacked house and the nightmare officially begins. Her parents are missing. She’s convinced something terrible has happened to them. But nobody believes her. Except for a hardened, mysterious stranger who is as dangerous as he is enticing.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

Wow! What a mindblowing thrill ride! I don't even know where to begin. There's so much I want to say, but I feel like I have to be really careful because I don't want to spoil anything. A lot of the fun with this book was never knowing what was going to happen next. There were so many shocking surprises along the way. So many twists and turns that I never saw coming. And I loved every second of it. I was pulled in and completely captivated from the very start. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I didn't want it to end. I've already got the next book preordered and am so glad there's not too long of a wait for it. If you're looking for a pulse-pounding thriller that's impossible to put down, I highly recommend this book.

4.5 STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: They Call Her Dirty Sally by Amy Matayo

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring They Call Her Dirty Sally by Amy Matayo releasing August 2. I've loved everything I've read by this author, so I'm really excited for this new one from her. It sounds really interesting!

About the Book

For years, the town of Silver Bell, Arkansas has quietly mourned the hospital fire that claimed the lives of nine of its residents—the town doctor, a young expectant mother, and seven infants. So, when journalist Finn Hardwick is assigned the story as part of a national thirtieth anniversary memorial service, he arrives at the town ready to interview its residents, thinking they’ll be ready to share and eager to make headlines.

He isn’t prepared for the resistance. Or for what appears to be a collective unwillingness to answer his questions.

Faced with one roadblock after another, Finn enlists the help of Billi Ellis, the young motel receptionist that everyone in the town seems to like. Maybe she can get them to open up to him. Maybe she can help him make sense of everything he keeps uncovering. Especially the unexpected tie this tragedy appears to have to his own life.

A tie that leads him directly to the old woman who seems to hold the key to everything. The woman everyone avoids…the woman they call “dirty”…the woman who hasn’t spoken a word to anyone since the day the hospital burned.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Touchstones: A Collection by Stephanie Burgis

About the Book

The glass molded to my foot as neatly—and as chillingly—as if it had been made for me.

“This,” I said, “is a most unfortunate coincidence…”

From tongue-in-cheek fairy tale reframings to forbidden Victorian-era romance and contemporary ghosts, dive into an immersive world of magic. Touchstones is a collection of sparkling short fantasy fiction from Stephanie Burgis, including two new stories as well as fourteen short stories and novelettes that have been previously published in magazines and anthologies.

This collection includes The Wrong Foot, Undead Philosophy 101, A Cup of Comfort, Dreaming Harry, Offerings, Dancing in the Dark, The Disastrous Début of Agatha Tremain, The Wildness Inside, The Art of Deception, Midnight, Clasp Hands, Crow, True Names, Good Neighbors, Love, Your Flatmate, and House of Secrets.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

Collections like this one are always hard for me to review. Touchstones contains sixteen short stories written by Stephanie Burgis. There were some stories I enjoyed, but I hate to say it, most of them just weren't my cup of tea. They weren't necessarily bad, but they weren't my kind of thing. I think I've come to the conclusion that I much prefer this author's full-length books over her short stories, so I'll keep that in mind in the future.

I thought I'd go ahead and tell you about the stories I did enjoy. There were two Cinderella retellings, The Wrong Foot, which addressed a plot hole from the original tale that I always questioned, and Midnight, which was extremely short, but entertaining nonetheless. Undead Philosophy 101 featured a college student trying to stop her roommate from becoming a vampire's servant. Dancing in the Dark was a bittersweet, but beautiful story. And A Cup of Comfort takes the reader to a teahouse that holds a surprising secret.

I wanted to add that although this collection wasn't for me, I appreciated the fact that all the stories, even the ones I didn't care for, had some sort of big twist that I never saw coming.

I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

2.5 STARS

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: The Fabrication of Eden Pruitt (The Eden Pruitt #1) by K.E. Ganshert

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday.

This week I'm featuring The Fabrication of Eden Pruitt (The Eden Pruitt #1) by K.E. Ganshert. 

About the Book

Studious and principled Eden Pruitt stepped out of line just once. Unfortunately, that reckless decision ended with an arrest, a mug shot, and two very concerned parents. Now they’re starting over. In Iowa, of all places. On the cusp of her senior year, of all times. The situation is less than ideal but she’ll just have to manage, and without complaint. The change of address was her fault after all, and she isn’t going to make anything harder on her parents, who have already been through enough.

But life in Iowa turns strange fast. Odd things are happening, and Eden has no idea what any of it means. Then she comes home from her first day of school to a ransacked house and the nightmare officially begins. Her parents are missing. She’s convinced something terrible has happened to them. But nobody believes her. Except for a hardened, mysterious stranger who is as dangerous as he is enticing.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

“Eyyyyyyye-oh-wahh.” Eighteen-year-old Eden Pruitt drew out the syllables, shaping each one with the exaggerated stretching and contracting of her lips. Over the course of the past few days, she kept saying the word at random times to nobody in particular. In the dark of night, her blonde hair tangling with the ocean wind. In the car by herself on the last leg of a long journey. In the gas station bathroom while staring at her reflection in a dirty mirror. And now, on the threshold of a box-laden bedroom with another one in her arms. Perhaps if she said it enough, this new reality might feel less like a lucid dream. 

Iowa.

Friday 56

A perfunctory knock sounded on the front door. The person on the other side didn’t wait for an answer. Jack Forrester let himself in, and almost immediately, Eden’s stomach clenched into a fist. Judging by the look on Cassian’s face, he wasn’t pleased to see him either.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Maxine Justice: Galactic Attorney by Daniel Schwabauer

About the Book

Can Justice Save the Earth from Extinction?

Maxine Justice is an ambulance-chasing lawyer desperate for relevance and cash when aliens hire her to represent them before the United Nations. An off-planet consortium wants to heal humanity of every natural disease in exchange for 30% of Earth’s gold reserves.

The deal launches Max to legal stardom and makes her an international target for assassins. MediCorp, Star Cross, PharFuture—the big medical companies all have good reasons to want Max out of the way. Worse, she discovers her alien clients may be planning something more sinister than anyone has imagined.

Can a lawyer who failed the bar exam three times find some way to save the world from global and interstellar conspiracies? Or will humankind’s future end in a galactic courtroom?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

This was so much fun! It was exactly the kind of book I needed. I recently read two pretty emotional books, so this was a much needed change of pace. I loved the fact that it's a sci-fi legal thriller. I've never seen those two genres combined, but it worked so well. I'd definitely like to read more books like this.

Maxine was a great character. Not perfect in the slightest, but realistically flawed. She also had the absolute worst luck ever. If something could go wrong, it would most definitely go wrong for her. She just couldn't seem to catch a break and would find herself in one mess right after another. I also really liked Kenji and Singh a lot too.

This was the kind of book that was hard to put down, but when I had to set it aside for real life things, it was always on my mind. There were lots of surprises. I never knew what would happen next. There was one thing that I probably should've seen coming, but I was absolutely stunned by it. And the ending? My emotions were all over the place! I'm adding Daniel Schwabauer to my autobuy list. This is one of the best books I've read this year.

FIVE STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Italian Ballerina: A World War II Novel by Kristy Cambron

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring The Italian Ballerina: A World War II Novel by Kristy Cambron releasing July 12.

About the Book

A prima ballerina. Two American medics. And a young Jewish girl with no name . . . At the height of the Nazi occupation of Rome, an unlikely band of heroes comes together to save Italian Jews in this breathtaking World War II novel based on real historical events.

Rome, 1943. With the fall of Italy’s Fascist government and the Nazi regime occupying the streets of Rome, British ballerina Julia Bradbury is stranded and forced to take refuge at a hospital on Tiber Island. But when she learns of a deadly sickness that is sweeping through the quarantine wards—a fake disease known only as Syndrome K—she is drawn into one of the greatest cons in history. Alongside hospital staff, friars of the adjoining church, and two Allied medics, Julia risks everything to rescue Italian Jews from the deadly clutches of the Holocaust. But when one little girl who dreams of becoming a ballerina arrives at their door, Julia and the others are determined to reunite the young dancer with her family—if only she would reveal one crucial secret: her name.

Present Day. With the recent loss of her grandfather—a beloved small-town doctor and WWII veteran—Delaney Coleman returns home to help her aging parents, even as she struggles to pick up the pieces of her own life. When a mysterious Italian woman claims she owns one of the family’s precious heirlooms, Delaney is compelled to uncover what’s true of her grandfather’s hidden past. Together with the woman’s skeptical but charming grandson, Delaney learns of a Roman hospital that saved hundreds of Jewish people during the war. Soon, everything Delaney thought she knew about her grandfather comes into question as she wrestles with the possibility that the man she’d revered all her life had unknown ties to Rome and may have taken noble secrets to his grave.

Based on true accounts of the invented Syndrome K sickness, The Italian Ballerina journeys from the Allied storming of the beaches at Salerno to the London ballet stage and the war-torn streets of WWII Rome, exploring the sometimes heart-wrenching choices we must make to find faith and forgiveness, and how saving just one life can impact countless others.

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Review: Off the Chain (Gone to the Dogs #1) by Janice Thompson

About the Book

The Town of Brenham, Texas, Has Gone to the Dogs!

Curl up with your pup and sink into a delightful small-town mystery as riddles and rescues stack up in book one of a new cozy mystery series.

Marigold Evans’ first attempt at rescuing an abandoned pooch lands her in a drainage pipe in Brenham Texas. . .and almost in jail, until Parker Jenson comes to her rescue. Then a bad day only gets worse as the Lone Star Vet Clinic, where they both work, is vandalized and the list of suspects starts to climb. With the help of her fellow employees, Marigold sets out to simultaneously solve the crime, rehab the rescued dog, and help more dogs in crisis. But why would anyone continue to work against all their good efforts?

More in the Gone to the Dogs Series:
Book 1 - Off the Chain by Janice Thompson
Book 2 - Dog Days of Summer by Kathleen Y'Barbo
Book 3 - Barking Up the Wrong Tree by Janice Thompson

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

This was a cute and fun cozy mystery full of hilarious moments, endearing characters, adorable doggies, and a good mystery.

I loved the opening of the book. I was literally laughing out loud. Mari and Cassidy were quite the pair! We're first introduced to the friends as they're trying to rescue a dog from a drainage pipe. What followed was an entertaining comedy of errors and misunderstandings. They were both instantly likable. I loved Mari's passion for dog rescue and was really hoping her plans for her own rescue would come together successfully. Parker was a great guy. So helpful and always there when anybody needed anything. And I LOVED Grandma Peach! She was a hoot!

This was a lighter mystery, which I enjoyed. There was no murder to solve, but there was a burglary at the vet clinic that caused quite a bit of damage. There were plenty of suspects, and while I had my suspicions about the guilty party pretty early on, I was never a hundred percent sure.

There were some really sweet moments throughout the book, and I found myself smiling more often than not. This was such a feel-good story and I'm excited that it's the start of a new series. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one!

I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

FOUR STARS