Can't Wait Wednesday: Karabos (The Timebound Duology Book 1) by Lyndsey Lewellen

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 Karabos (The Timebound Duology Book 1) by Lyndsey Lewellen releasing October 13. 

SYNOPSIS

Enter a dangerous game of magic beetles, buried secrets, and shifting time.

Winslet Nubek knows bugs better than she knows people. The sixteen-year-old, homeschooled entomologist is determined to earn her place among the ancient and dangerous ranks of magical insect hunters. With her father’s failing mines pushing them toward bankruptcy, winning the Tournament of Scarabs becomes her only shot at securing her dream and saving her family from ruin. But when she touches a forbidden time scarab before the competition begins, she’s left with a mark she can’t explain and trips into the past she can’t control. Forced to hide her mistake, Winslet enters the tournament with a growing fear of being discovered. As her secrets grow, so do her slips through time.

Rafe Stormholt charts maps like other people write diaries, but his own future isn’t his to navigate. He needs the tournament prize to keep his grandfather’s company out of treacherous hands. After the preliminaries go awry, Rafe ends up on a team of academic misfits, including the bug girl he’s already judged as a liability. But when he’s dragged into the past alongside her, Rafe uncovers truths that shatter the faith his family has held for generations.

Bound by a time-slipping curse, Winslet and Rafe must navigate the tournament’s perilous trials while unraveling a conspiracy buried centuries deep. As enemies close in and the past begins to bleed into the present, they’ll have to decide what they’re really fighting for and what they’re willing to lose to win.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: The Sisters Grimm by Merrie Destefano

SYNOPSIS
Descended from the Brothers Grimm. Hunted by an evil regime. Their story was never just a fairytale.

When her sister is gravely injured during a rescue attempt, Ivy Grimm is forced to team up with River, a disowned Fae prince, to save children trapped in a dark fairytale world. But their mission quickly turns into something far more dangerous.

With a rising rebellion, a ruthless enemy closing in, and a love neither of them expected, Ivy must decide how far she’s willing to go to rewrite this story’s ending.

With echoes of The Nightingale, Nazi oppression, and Grimm’s Fairytales, The Sisters Grimm is a romantasy of courage, hope, and the fight to survive—even when the darkness seems endless.

The Sisters Grimm will launch on Kickstarter soon. Be sure to follow it so you'll know when it goes live!

Follow on Kickstarter

MY THOUGHTS

The Sisters Grimm is Merrie Destefano at her finest. I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her, but this is a new favorite. I know I’m going to want to read it again and again. The premise was great, and the world-building was stunning. So rich and immersive. There was such a grand feel to the whole story.

I loved Ivy and River so much. They were wonderful characters who were easy to root for. I loved that we got both of their POVs.

I enjoyed seeing the supportive and sisterly bond between Ivy and Sparrow. I thought the whole cast of characters was great. It was very interesting to see some of the classic fairytale characters in a new way.

I didn't want this book to end. I didn’t want to say goodbye to these characters or this storyworld. It sucked me in and still hasn’t let go. I can’t say enough good things about it. I highly, highly recommend it!

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

FIVE STARS

Friday Book Snippets: The Story Between Us (The Maple Lake Collection | Falling for Flannel Book 1) by Susan May Warren & Sarah May Warren

Friday Book Snippets is a weekly blogging event co-hosted by Anne@HeadFullofBooks and Olivia at Bemused and Bookish. Directions: Share two snippets (a sentence or short paragraph) from a. the book's beginning and b. page 56 (or another page) in the book you are currently reading. No spoilers, please.

This week I'm featuring The Story Between Us (The Maple Lake Collection | Falling for Flannel Book 1) by mother-daughter writing duo, Susan May Warren & Sarah May Warren

SYNOPSIS

Best friend’s older brother. The almost-kiss summer. And one bestselling manuscript that’s years overdue.

Livvie Fox has spent six years being too nice for New York publishing—bringing cupcakes to the man who stole her promotion, watching senior agents take credit for the books she fought for, smiling while the bestseller list ticks past her name and lands on someone else’s.

Then her agency drops the bomb: bestselling reclusive author Ian Rivers is two years past deadline. The contract is about to die. The agency is about to die with it. Someone has to get him to write.

Someone like the woman who knew him before he was Ian Rivers.

Before the bestsellers. Before the funeral. Before the night on a Maple Lake dock when she told him exactly how she felt and he just stood there, frozen, while every star in northern Minnesota watched her heart break.

Nate Rivers shouldn’t open his door.

Not for the publisher. Not for the lawyer. Not for the woman who walked off his sister’s dock seven years ago and took half the world with her.

But Livvie Fox is back in Maple Lake. With stolen soup. With his sister’s name in her mouth. With a publisher’s deadline that could cost him the only house left where Emma still feels real.

The town is gearing up for the Flannel Festival. The maples are turning. The dogs already love her. And the chapter Nate has been refusing to write for three years is suddenly demanding a co-author.

Some what-ifs deserve a second chapter.

Book Beginning / First Line

The barista had spelled her name wrong again.

Snippet from 28%

He held her gaze for one beat longer than comfortable. "Not everything you make has to be good, Livvie. Some things you make just because you need to make them."

What have you been reading lately?

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Sisterhood of Unlikely Friends by Sara Brunsvold

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 Sisterhood of Unlikely Friends by Sara Brunsvold releasing October 6.

SYNOPSIS

She's spent a lifetime keeping her heart under lock and key. Now others are reaching out. But is she ready to receive them?

At forty-two, fiercely independent Jess Becker is starting over in Kansas City with minimal furniture, two houseplants, and a newfound faith. After a lifetime of poor choices, she's determined to finally get it right.

When she befriends her fourteen-year-old neighbor and agrees to drive her to church, she's swept into a caring community where she meets Reva, a wise mentor figure, and Austie, a troubled young woman. Jess reluctantly opens her home to pizza nights with her new friends, unwittingly opening her heart to a sisterhood of faith.

Just as these relationships begin reshaping her carefully controlled life, Jess receives news that changes everything. Now she must decide whether to accept the very help she's been trying to give others or risk losing everything she's worked so hard to build.

Sara Brunsvold presents an authentic story about the transformative power of community, exploring themes of vulnerability, redemption, and the courage it takes to let others in. Perfect for readers of Christian women's fiction and inspirational stories about female friendship, faith, and belonging.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Fatal Pattern (The King Legacy Book 2) by Kate Angelo

SYNOPSIS

A COVERT INVESTIGATION
A stalker attacks behavioral analyst Dr. Tori Crew at knifepoint, shattering the fierce independence she's built since her parents' unsolved murder. Forced into an off-the-books criminal investigation, Tori must push her expertise--and her fiercely guarded heart--to the breaking point as a killer's pattern emerges.

A LOOMING THREAT
Homicide detective Blade St. James has been Tori's friend and protector since childhood. Haunted by his own past of parental abandonment, Blade is determined to build a stable life and find the peace that always seems just out of reach. But when Tori's life is threatened, his guardian reflexes collide with everything he's been trying to build.

A HIDDEN MENACE
As the conspiracy rooted in Tori's past pulls them deeper, the boundaries of their friendship blur, and the truth neither can deny becomes impossible to ignore. Can they unmask the sophisticated serial killer before they become the final, fatal piece in the pattern?

In this gripping romantic suspense thriller, Kate Angelo delivers pulse-pounding psychological suspense and forensic investigations threaded with slow-burn romance and a heart-stopping cold case. Perfect for fans of Criminal Minds, Lynette Eason, Nancy Mehl, Colleen Coble, and Irene Hannon.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

Girl Lost, the first book in this series, was one of my favorite reads last year, so to say I was excited for this sequel is an understatement. Fatal Pattern was so good! I think I liked it even more than Girl Lost, which is saying something!

This starts off with an intense and compelling opener that had me hooked and holding my breath. The intrigue and suspense just kept climbing from there, making this a truly unputdownable read.

Tori and Blade were really likable characters. I loved the banter between the old friends. And I loved seeing how they were there for each other when they needed it.

The mysteries were intricate and layered, which kept me guessing. I was surprised on multiple occasions by the turn of events. I didn’t see it coming at all! I’m not much of a math person, but I thought the talk about fractals was fascinating!

I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys good twisty mysteries with a dash of romance. I’m very eager for the next book. With the way this one ended, it can’t come out soon enough.

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

FIVE STARS

Friday Book Snippets: Fatal Pattern (The King Legacy Book 2) by Kate Angelo

Friday Book Snippets is a weekly blogging event co-hosted by Anne@HeadFullofBooks and Olivia at Bemused and Bookish. Directions: Share two snippets (a sentence or short paragraph) from a. the book's beginning and b. page 56 (or another page) in the book you are currently reading. No spoilers, please.

This week I'm featuring Fatal Pattern (The King Legacy Book 2) by Kate Angelo. 

SYNOPSIS

A COVERT INVESTIGATION
A stalker attacks behavioral analyst Dr. Tori Crew at knifepoint, shattering the fierce independence she's built since her parents' unsolved murder. Forced into an off-the-books criminal investigation, Tori must push her expertise--and her fiercely guarded heart--to the breaking point as a killer's pattern emerges.

A LOOMING THREAT
Homicide detective Blade St. James has been Tori's friend and protector since childhood. Haunted by his own past of parental abandonment, Blade is determined to build a stable life and find the peace that always seems just out of reach. But when Tori's life is threatened, his guardian reflexes collide with everything he's been trying to build.

A HIDDEN MENACE
As the conspiracy rooted in Tori's past pulls them deeper, the boundaries of their friendship blur, and the truth neither can deny becomes impossible to ignore. Can they unmask the sophisticated serial killer before they become the final, fatal piece in the pattern?

In this gripping romantic suspense thriller, Kate Angelo delivers pulse-pounding psychological suspense and forensic investigations threaded with slow-burn romance and a heart-stopping cold case. Perfect for fans of Criminal Minds, Lynette Eason, Nancy Mehl, Colleen Coble, and Irene Hannon.

Book Beginning / First Line

The cold edge of the blade kissed Tori Crew's throat, drawing a rivulet of blood that began its descent down her neck.

Snippet from 52%

The sound cut through the gray fog like a blade through silk. Voices. Two voices, familiar but distant, as if filtered through water.

What have you been reading lately?

Can't Wait Wednesday: Coordinates of Death (Arctic Protectors Book 2) by Darlene L. Turner

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 Coordinates of Death (Arctic Protectors Book 2) by Darlene L. Turner releasing October 6.

SYNOPSIS

A police officer will do anything to catch the serial killer that got away—even if it means playing a deadly game in the icy wilderness.

Sweetwood Falls, Yukon, has seen too much terror for one small town. Corporal Aurora Hunt still blames herself for not catching the Shadow Box Killer before five women lost their lives. The killings stopped two years ago, and her colleagues believe the murderer is dead. But Aurora isn’t convinced.

A chilling discovery on a winter’s morning confirms her fears. The crime scene is all too familiar—a woman’s mutilated body, and beneath it, a box containing a gruesome souvenir. But this time, there’s a special message, daring Aurora to play a game that will lead her into the wilderness to try and save the next victim.

Canadian Watcher Squad survivalist Kordell Greene is part of the past that Aurora has tried to put behind her. He’s also the only person equipped to guide her through this deadly terrain. But somehow, the killer knows all their secrets. Solving cryptic clues as they battle the elements, Aurora and Kordell must confront dark truths they’ve withheld, even from each other. And always, the Shadow Box Killer is one step ahead, drawing them deeper into a twisted game where the slightest mistake may be their last.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Shadow (Heroes of Renegade Book 7) by Susan May Warren

SYNOPSIS

The most dangerous man isn't the one who lies to you. It's the one who makes you want to believe him anyway.

SHE PROTECTS EVERYONE. EXCEPT HERSELF.
Daphne Cross hasn't lost a witness in thirty-two protection details. She's fierce, independent, and operates by one rule: trust no one. It's kept her alive. It's kept her alone. And it's kept her heart safely locked away since her father died a hero and she swore never to let anyone close enough to destroy her again.

But this job requires the one thing she's spent fifteen years avoiding—returning to the hometown where she buried her father and left her heart behind.

HIS JOB IS LYING. TO EVERYONE.
FBI Agent Asher Morrison has spent eighteen months undercover as a corrupt agent, feeding intelligence to the Shadow Syndicate while secretly working to destroy them. He's watched witnesses die. Betrayed colleagues who trusted him. Become the monster he's hunting.

All to bring down the criminal empire that murdered his sister seven years ago.

But when a coordinated hit exposes a mole inside the FBI and puts two more witnesses in the crosshairs, Asher's carefully constructed lies begin to crumble. Someone inside is selling witness locations. And his new partner—a woman with trust issues and a perfect record—suspects him.

HOW DO YOU TRUST SOMEONE WHOSE JOB IS DECEPTION?
To protect their witnesses, Daphne and Asher must pose as husband and wife—hiding in plain sight while the Syndicate hunts them and their own agency might be compromised.

Daphne knows better than to trust a professional liar. But Asher sees past her walls. He makes her laugh. He makes her feel. And that's more dangerous than any bullet.

Because the woman who protects everyone has no defense against falling for a man who might be exactly what he seems—or the greatest lie she's ever believed.

Good men are worth fighting for. But is he good? Or is she just another mark who wants to believe?

SHADOW is Book 7 in the Brave series—a heart-pounding Christian romantic suspense featuring an undercover hero who's forgotten how to tell the truth, a fiercely guarded heroine learning that some risks are worth taking, fake marriage with very real sparks, and a faith journey from darkness into light. Can be read as a standalone.

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light." —Isaiah 9:2

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

What a great conclusion to this series! Full of twists and turns, there was never a dull moment. The suspense started early and hardly ever let up.

Asher and Daphne were great characters. Daphne was really good at her job. She had a serious, no-nonsense attitude, but I liked seeing her open up. I thought her and Asher made a great pair. Asher had been undercover with the Shadow Syndicate for a while. But you could tell he was a genuinely good guy. Hardworking and diligent. He was put into some tough spots, but I thought he handled things pretty well considering.

Things with the Shadow Syndicate come to a head in this book, and what a finale! I thought I had things figured out, but, man, was I surprised! There were some big shockers that I never saw coming. I really enjoyed this series and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys faith-filled romantic suspense.

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

FOUR STARS

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Shadow (Heroes of Renegade Book 7) by Susan May Warren

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. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. Friday 56 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. It was started by Freda at Freda's Voice, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over for the time being.

This week I'm featuring Shadow (Heroes of Renegade Book 7) by Susan May Warren. 

SYNOPSIS

The most dangerous man isn't the one who lies to you. It's the one who makes you want to believe him anyway.

SHE PROTECTS EVERYONE. EXCEPT HERSELF.
Daphne Cross hasn't lost a witness in thirty-two protection details. She's fierce, independent, and operates by one rule: trust no one. It's kept her alive. It's kept her alone. And it's kept her heart safely locked away since her father died a hero and she swore never to let anyone close enough to destroy her again.

But this job requires the one thing she's spent fifteen years avoiding—returning to the hometown where she buried her father and left her heart behind.

HIS JOB IS LYING. TO EVERYONE.
FBI Agent Asher Morrison has spent eighteen months undercover as a corrupt agent, feeding intelligence to the Shadow Syndicate while secretly working to destroy them. He's watched witnesses die. Betrayed colleagues who trusted him. Become the monster he's hunting.

All to bring down the criminal empire that murdered his sister seven years ago.

But when a coordinated hit exposes a mole inside the FBI and puts two more witnesses in the crosshairs, Asher's carefully constructed lies begin to crumble. Someone inside is selling witness locations. And his new partner—a woman with trust issues and a perfect record—suspects him.

HOW DO YOU TRUST SOMEONE WHOSE JOB IS DECEPTION?
To protect their witnesses, Daphne and Asher must pose as husband and wife—hiding in plain sight while the Syndicate hunts them and their own agency might be compromised.

Daphne knows better than to trust a professional liar. But Asher sees past her walls. He makes her laugh. He makes her feel. And that's more dangerous than any bullet.

Because the woman who protects everyone has no defense against falling for a man who might be exactly what he seems—or the greatest lie she's ever believed.

Good men are worth fighting for. But is he good? Or is she just another mark who wants to believe?

SHADOW is Book 7 in the Brave series—a heart-pounding Christian romantic suspense featuring an undercover hero who's forgotten how to tell the truth, a fiercely guarded heroine learning that some risks are worth taking, fake marriage with very real sparks, and a faith journey from darkness into light. Can be read as a standalone.

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light." —Isaiah 9:2

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Asher Morrison was tired of being a traitor.

Friday 56

This was what happened when you let your guard down. When you trusted. When you fell for the one person you had no business falling for.

What have you been reading lately?

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Resurrection of Evania James by Jaime Jo Wright

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 Resurrection of Evania James by Jaime Jo Wright releasing October 6.

SYNOPSIS

If walls could talk, what nightmare might they expose?

1879
When Eloise James's sister, Evania, goes missing after being admitted to an asylum, Eloise is determined to find her sibling but instead discovers evidence of dying patients and missing remains. Wannabe journalist Silas Dobbs has his own suspicions that something more nefarious is at work, and that black market sales may originate at the asylum. Together, they are intent on learning whether Evania is alive, or if her body has also been stolen. But unraveling a web of underground resurrectionists proves daunting, and the dead cannot share their secrets.

Present Day
Tilly Thompson is horrified to find historical human remains entombed in a wall of the Gothic mansion her grandfather just purchased, launching her into an investigation of the original owners' questionable past. The James family legacy harbors a darkness tightly woven through decades of secrets, but the past refuses to remain ensnared by silence. Will revealing the truth resurrect dangers best kept buried forever?

Jaime Jo Wright masterfully weaves a dual-timeline gothic suspense novel that brings together a haunting historical tale and a shadowy modern-day mystery. For fans of atmospheric thrillers, spooky reads, the Victorian era, creepy mansions, and dark family secrets.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Stricken (The Lost Sovereign Book 5) by Anna Hawke

SYNOPSIS
Stripped of his magic. Dying behind enemy lines. Forced to trust a woman with secrets of her own.

For centuries, Asher has fought rogues and protected the innocent, knowing that his magic demands a terrible price. His most recent mission is one he doesn't intend to survive: he will either end the madness or become the very thing he hunts.

Estelle has spent centuries resisting the tyrant’s rule, concealing her involvement from allies and enemies alike. When Asher is injured on a mission, she risks everything to save his life—including the secret that could bring ruin to the rebellion.

Hunted through enemy territory, they have no choice but to trust each other. With every mile, they draw closer—and begin to want more than either of them expected.

Some secrets are worth dying for. Others are worth surviving.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve really been looking forward to Asher’s story and, I’ve gotta say, Stricken did not disappoint. It’s my favorite of the series so far! It was raw and heartbreaking and incredibly compelling. I had a very hard time putting it down. I loved it so much!

I really liked Asher and Estelle. Asher had me very worried throughout the whole book, though. He was so close to going rogue and had essentially given up on everything and was putting himself in dangerous situations. My heart broke for him. Estelle was such a great counterbalance for him. Brave and loyal. A bright spot in the darkness.

I can’t say enough good things about this book or this series. If you’re a fan of closed-door paranormal romance, you’ll love it! With the way this book ended, the next book can’t come out soon enough! I can’t wait!

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

FIVE STARS