Review: The Bark of Zorro (Gone to the Dogs Book 4) by Kathleen Y'Barbo

About the Book

Who Is Spray Painting the Dogs in Brenham, Texas?

Cozy up with your favorite pooch and unwind with a small-town mystery in book 4 of the Gone to the Dogs series.

Strange happenings are afoot in Brenham, Texas, as dogs start showing up at the Lone Star Veterinary Clinic with a Z spray painted on them. The cops blame pranksters, while pet owners are blaming each other. Receptionist Cassidy Carter uses her social media expertise to try to get the culprit caught on camera, but Texas game warden, Justin Cameron, thinks online media attention is the last thing this case needs. It’s bad enough he’s currently being followed around by reality TV cameras. When Cassidy’s post goes viral, more dogs are found painted and her new home gets marked with a big Z too. How could her good intentions have backfired so badly?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

This was another fun addition to the series. I was excited for Cassidy to get her own story. She's relatable, kind, and has a strong faith that I admired. The mystery she stumbles upon is a head-scratcher. Why are dogs showing up all over town with the letter "Z" painted on them? I was eager to figure out what was really going on.

There's a new game warden in town who added an interesting new element to things. I didn't know what to think of Jason at first. He was very serious, gruff, and a strict rule follower. He's pretty much Cassidy's opposite, so I was unsure about the prospect of a romance between the two. But by the end of the story, I came to understand him and ended up liking him.

Even though this is book four, it works just fine as a standalone. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys light cozy mysteries.

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

FOUR STARS

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: A Whisker Behind (The Worlds Behind Book 1) by W.R. Gingell

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 A Whisker Behind (The Worlds Behind Book 1) by W.R. Gingell. This is the first book in a spinoff of The City Between series. It was so good! Exceeded all of my expectations!

About the Book

Searching for redemption in the shifting realm between the human and fae worlds, not-so-reformed fae steward Athelas seems likely instead to find death, dismemberment, and deadly magic…

Exiled, excommunicated, and with a bounty on his head, Athelas is lying low in Seoul for exactly one reason: he has a wedding to attend. Whether or not he’s welcome is another matter.

Luckily for Athelas, several bodies have turned up with their soft insides gnawed out, whether by magic or Behindkind—and the latest of those bodies is at the very wedding hall he has been staking out. The Behindkind investigators suspect one of Athelas' housemates: YeoWoo, a gumiho with a thirst for revenge and an even greater appetite for soft underbelly than Athelas. To buy herself time, YeoWoo barters alibis with the suspiciously quiet fae sharing her house, but to remain free, she must find the real murderer.

By joining the investigation, Athelas has exactly the chance he needs to prove that he is now a repentant, changed, and selfless fae, bent on atoning for former deeds…no matter how many Behindkind and humans he has to cut through to confirm that impression.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

There was something about the Gyeongui Line Park Walk at twilight.

Friday 56

"I'm creditably informed by more than one person that a cup of tea solves many of life's problems," he said, sitting down beside YeoWoo on the edge of the platform. "In any case, it will at least take the early frost off the day, don't you think?"

What have you been reading lately?

Review: My Phony Valentine by Courtney Walsh

About the Book

A chance meeting. A hunky hockey player. A fake romance.
Hardly an ordinary day in the life of Poppy Hart.

My days usually consist of agonizing over my failing restaurant, worrying about my mountain of debt and nursing my broken heart.

Everything changes when I bump into a man in the coffee shop and claim him as my new boyfriend. To my absolute horror, he turns out to be hockey’s most renowned bad boy, Dallas Burke. To my absolute delight, he goes along with my story.

When his no-nonsense manager and meddling grandmother jump in the picture, they see a win-win solution for my failing restaurant and Dallas’s less-than-stellar reputation.

A full-fledged fake romance complete with contract negotiations, pretend dates and phony PDA.

But as I get to know the real Dallas Burke, who is not the man the press says he is, it becomes clear that if this isn’t real. . . someone better tell it to my heart.

Amazon / Goodreads

Available in Kindle Unlimited at time of posting

MY THOUGHTS

I absolutely loved this book! The fake dating scenario was so well done and has to be the most entertaining one I've ever read. The first chapter pulled me right in. It was so great and funny!

Poppy was refreshingly realistic. She was slightly awkward but so likable. She had such a kind spirit, and I found myself rooting for her from page one. Dallas was the very definition of swoonworthy. My goodness, I had a massive crush on him! And that crush just kept growing the more I read. I kept thinking he couldn't possibly get any better, but then he would. He's found a place near the top of my favorite book boyfriends. I loved his relationship with his Gram. She had a ton of sass and attitude, which I loved. Some of the things she said had me laughing out loud. She was a hoot!

I pretty much had a smile on my face the whole way through this book. It was such a sweet and fun read. Author Courtney Walsh has just found a permanent spot on my 'must-buy' list. I can't recommend it highly enough!

FIVE STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: Lost in Wonderland (Beyond Wonderland Book 2) by Tabitha Bouldin

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 Lost in Wonderland (Beyond Wonderland Book 2) by Tabitha Bouldin releasing March 14. A steampunk Alice in Wonderland retelling? Yes, please! I enjoyed the first book and have been eagerly awaiting this sequel!

About the Book

If you make a deal with evil, be prepared for the consequences.

When a metal dragon kidnaps Alice, Hatter gathers the troops and charges off to rescue her. If only things were so uncomplicated. In the Ivory Kingdom, they find upheaval of the worst kind and all heading to civil war spearheaded by a man known as the Bandersnatch.

Turmoil and the terror of fighting against a giant wolf, the Bandersnatch is bad enough, but when the Ivory Queen’s secrets are exposed, Hatter and Alice face off in a battle of wills and points of view. How can Alice trust a woman who deceived them? Why can’t Hatter see the bigger picture? If they don’t reconcile their differences, more could be at risk than the Ivory Kingdom.

More questions than answers bombard them in their quest for truth and freedom for all. Who is stealing children? What dark secret overshadows the Ivory Kingdom? Can they avoid the Bandersnatch’s clutches? And most important of all, who can they trust?

Join forces with Alice, Hatter, old friends and new, and be prepared to discover that trust and risk are often two sides of the same coin in this next Beyond Wonderland novel.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: A Medium Fate (The Haunted Life Cozy Mystery Series #1) by Lynn Cahoon

About the Book

I see ghosts, but I do my best to ignore them.

When Eddie Cayce turned home to New Orleans from her carefully built Seattle life, it’s not just for her grandmother’s funeral. She’s home to stay. More to the point, now that she’s broken it off with the almost fiancé and quit her corporate junior designer position over one too many trainings on how to run a copier, she has no reason to return.

With the money she’ll receive in her inheritance, she can finally open the antique store she’s always dreamed of – that as long as her ability to see ghosts stays dormant. In Seattle, her gift had dwindled down to seeing the occasional ghost during her morning runs in her Queen Anne neighborhood. But here? New Orleans is filled with the visitors, as her grandmother always called them. And now, they are finding Eddie and want to chat. Especially about the most recent murder.

Can Eddie carve out a real life here among the spirit world?

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

This was a short but entertaining cozy mystery. It felt like just an introduction to the series, like it was setting everything up for future installments. The mystery didn't get started until about the halfway point, and since this was such a short read, it felt a little rushed. I did enjoy getting to know Eddie and her brother, and the unique family gift. And I always love a New Orleans setting. I definitely plan on checking out the next book. If you're in the mood for a quick and light paranormal cozy, I think you'll enjoy this one!

3.5 STARS

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: My Phony Valentine by Courtney Walsh

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 My Phony Valentine by Courtney Walsh. This was so much fun! I absolutely loved it!

About the Book

A chance meeting. A hunky hockey player. A fake romance.
Hardly an ordinary day in the life of Poppy Hart.

My days usually consist of agonizing over my failing restaurant, worrying about my mountain of debt and nursing my broken heart.

Everything changes when I bump into a man in the coffee shop and claim him as my new boyfriend. To my absolute horror, he turns out to be hockey’s most renowned bad boy, Dallas Burke. To my absolute delight, he goes along with my story.

When his no-nonsense manager and meddling grandmother jump in the picture, they see a win-win solution for my failing restaurant and Dallas’s less-than-stellar reputation.

A full-fledged fake romance complete with contract negotiations, pretend dates and phony PDA.

But as I get to know the real Dallas Burke, who is not the man the press says he is, it becomes clear that if this isn’t real. . . someone better tell it to my heart.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday (Poppy's POV)

I don't know why I did what I did.

Friday 56 (Dallas' POV)

I'm not superstitious, and I don't really believe in luck, but knowing Poppy and her dad are in the stands, that there are people there cheering for me, not just nameless fans, but people who know me and really want me to succeed, it's settled something inside of me.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Her Darkest Secret by Jessica R. Patch

About the Book

When a cold-case serial killer returns, FBI special agent Fiona Kelly has one last chance to stop him before he claims the prize he’s always wanted—her.

The sight of a goose feather at a murder scene modeled after a children’s poem is enough to make FBI special agent Fiona Kelly's blood turn to ice. Almost two decades ago, a feather was left with her sister's body—and with every subsequent victim of the Nursery Rhyme Killer. Now he's back. Only this time, his latest gruesome murder is a message to the only one who ever got away: Fiona.

Finding “Rhyme” is an obsession that's fueled Fiona's career—and destroyed her marriage to fellow FBI agent Asa Kodiak. Now Fiona and Asa have to put their past tensions aside and work together one last time. But Rhyme is watching, and catching this killer may force Fiona to reveal her biggest, darkest secret…the one only he knows.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

Wow! I'm struggling to find the words to describe just how fantastic this book was. It's one of the best I've read this year so far. It's downright chilling and features one of the creepiest villains I've ever read about. I was invested from the first page and couldn't read fast enough. There were twists and turns galore. Many I never saw coming. I had lots of suspicions about who Rhyme really was. I thought I had it figured out a couple of times, but, in the end, was utterly shocked by the reveal. It was so good!

I liked Fiona and Asa right off the bat. While Fiona could be a bit abrasive at times, it was never off-putting. And Asa was really working on himself. Trying to be a better person. I loved watching him grow in his faith. Speaking of faith, there was a very strong, powerful, and inspiring message here, which I loved!

I can't recommend this book highly enough. It's perfect for anyone who enjoys romantic suspense, especially fans of Nancy Mehl and Irene Hannon.

FIVE STARS

FAVORITE QUOTES:

It was Fiona’s job to expose the darkness. Bring light back to families—that’s what they hoped for. Some kind of good to come from the surrounding evil.

I’m certainly not implying God orchestrated this evil—He didn’t. But maybe He’s taking what was meant for evil and doing something good.