Review: Falling Down (The Boy in the Iron Box Book 1) by Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan

About the Book
A group of mercenaries on an unsanctioned mission survives a plane crash in whiteout conditions in the Tian Shan mountains. The men are accustomed to danger. Now they’re growing accustomed to fear.

Team leader Liev and his band of survivors are stranded in the bitter winds with little hope of rescue—or outlasting the wolves that have scented blood. In the distance is the apparent sanctuary of an abandoned stone fortress. That an ancient bulwark even exists on this forsaken summit is beyond comprehension. So is what lies on the other side of its walls.

From Academy Award–winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro comes Falling Down, part one of The Boy in the Iron Box, a blood-chilling series of short stories about an ancient secret that was never meant to be unleashed, featuring exclusive interior artwork. Each can be read or listened to in one breathless sitting.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

This was an Amazon First Reads bonus short story. It pulls the reader right into the action, right into the middle of things, and I was hooked! It was action-packed and full of an ominous sense of dread from beginning to end.

It’s a quick read that can be finished in less than an hour, but be warned, this is only the very beginning of a story that ends in a cliffhanger. Which was a bit of a disappointment, but I’m invested and will be checking out the next installment. It felt like the first episode of a TV series.

Just a warning: this was a bit gory, so if you’re sensitive to that, keep that in mind.

FOUR STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: Summers End (A Shady Hollow Mystery #5) by Juneau Black

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 Summers End (A Shady Hollow Mystery #5) by Juneau Black releasing July 9. I love this series and am so excited to visit these characters again!

About the Book

A unique take on dark academia, featuring everyone's favorite vulpine sleuth, Vera Vixen.

It's late August in Shady Hollow, and intrepid reporter Vera Vixen agrees to chaperone the school’s annual field trip to Summers End, an ancient tomb built by an early woodland culture. Naturally, her good friend Lenore Lee comes along to help her.

But when the group enters the tomb one morning, they find a corpse that is distinctly more. . . modern than expected. Digging deeper, Vera and Lenore discover that the deceased was involved in the recent excavation at the site, and very unpopular with their colleagues—including Lenore’s sister, Ligeia. Now the fox and raven must delve into the dark world of academia and archaeology to clear Ligeia’s name. Some creature at Summers End thought they were clever enough to get away with the perfect murder. Can Vera and Lenore unearth the truth in time?

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Cole and Laila Are Just Friends: A Love Story by Bethany Turner

About the Book
Cole and Laila have been inseparable since they could crawl. And they've never thought about each other that way. Except for when they have. Rarely. Once in a while, sure. But seriously . . . hardly ever.

Cole Kimball and Laila Olivet have been best friends their entire lives. Cole is the only person (apart from blood relatives) who's seen Laila in her oversized, pink, plastic, Sophia Loren glasses. Laila is always the first person to taste test any new dish Cole creates in his family's restaurant . . . even though she has the refined palate of a kindergartener. Most importantly, Cole and Laila are always talking. About everything.

When Cole discovers a betrayal from his recently deceased grandfather that shatters his world, staying in Adelaide Springs, Colorado, is suddenly unfathomable. But Laila loves her life in their small mountain town and can't imagine ever living anywhere else. She loves serving customers who tip her with a dozen fresh eggs. She loves living within walking distance of all her favorite people. And she's very much not okay with the idea of not being able to walk to her very favorite person.

Still, when Cole toys with moving across the country to New York City, she decides to support her best friend--even as she secretly hopes she can convince him to stay home. And not just for his killer chocolate chip pancakes. Because she loves him. As a friend. Just as a friend. Right?

They make a deal: Laila won't beg him to stay, and Cole won't try to convince her to come with him. They have one week in New York before their lives change forever, and all they have to do is enjoy their time together and pretend none of this is happening. But it's tough to ignore the very inconvenient feelings blooming out of nowhere. In both of them. And these potentially friendship-destroying feelings, once out in the open, have absolutely no take-backs.

If When Harry Met Sally had a quippy literary love child with Gilmore Girls' Luke and Lorelai, you'd get Cole and Laila. Just . . . don't tell them that.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

This was a fun friends-to-more romance full of endearing characters, hilarious moments, pop culture references, a charming small town, and a big city adventure to boot. 

While I really enjoyed the prologue, I was never fully pulled into the story. Not to say that I didn't enjoy it. I did. I just felt a bit disconnected from what was going on. But that was probably just me and the mood I was in.

I genuinely cared about Cole and Laila and only wanted the best for them. (Which was each other, of course!) And I really enjoyed catching up with Brynn and Sebastian.

I absolutely adored the small town of Adelaide Springs. I wish it was a real town! I'd love to visit it!

There were a plethora of pop culture references, and while I usually enjoy that, there were so many that it kinda pulled me out of the story at times.

While this wasn’t one of my favorite Bethany Turner books, I still had a lot of fun reading it and look forward to her next one.

This is connected to Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other, but you don’t have to read that to enjoy this story.

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

THREE STARS

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Flashpoint (Chasing Fire: Montana #1) 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 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. Freda is taking a hiatus right now, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over in the meantime.

This week I'm featuring Flashpoint (Chasing Fire: Montana #1) by Susan May Warren.

About the Book

SECRETS. BETRAYAL. SACRIFICE.
THIS TIME, THEY'RE NOT JUST FIGHTING FIRE.

An original series created by bestselling authors Susan May Warren and Lisa Phillips.

The Hollywood heartthrob and the firefighter with a secret…

Rookie firefighter Emily Micah is determined to prove herself as a new recruit to the elite Jude County Hotshots wildfire team. Assigned to the film set of The Drifters, Emily's mission is to protect the cast and crew from the special effects that could ignite the tinder-dry Montana forest and start a wildfire.

If only her favorite actor—TV star Spenser Storm—wasn’t getting in her way.

What could go wrong?

Haunted by the memory of a rabid stalker, former child TV star Spenser Storm is hoping to revive his career, but he’s torn between the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and the life of a cowboy on his family’s ranch in Montana. It doesn’t help when he sees the movie that’s supposed to launch his future is going up in flames.

And then there’s beautiful and brave Emily Micah, who not only saves his life, but seems to understand him, maybe better than she should.

As an arsonist threatens the film production, seemingly with the goal of destroying the movie entirely, Spenser realizes he'll stop at nothing to protect his future and the woman now stealing his heart.

But Emily harbors a secret…one that could destroy the flame between them. And when it comes out, it could cost them everything, and ignite an inferno that could destroy all of the northern Montana forest.

Chasing Fire: Montana Series, Book One—Flashpoint—delivers a thrilling and emotional rollercoaster ride that will leave you breathless, yearning for more, and eager to dive into the next chapter of the thrilling series.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday

Clearly, his last hope at a comeback was about to crash and burn.

Friday 56

Fear wins when it makes you do something stupid. That kind of behavior is dangerous - not just for you, but for your crew.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Paws, Claws, and Curses (A Purr-fect Relic Cozy Mystery #1) by DeAnna Drake

About the Book
What are cursed artifacts, a talking cat, and a dead body doing in the sweet little town of Citrus Grove? That’s what spirited shopkeeper Rebecca Cuthbert wants to find out, and she had better do it fast because she’s the prime suspect in the murder of the town’s shadiest antiquities dealer.

It’s a troubling start to her reunion with her long-lost grandfather and a far cry from the Southern California vacation she was expecting. So far, nothing in Citrus Grove is quite what it seems. Not her grandfather, who suspiciously disappears at the strangest times, not his curious antique shop, which has more secrets than customers, and certainly not the oddball neighbors, with their hidden motives and questionable connections.

As Rebecca races against time with her new feline friend to uncover the truth behind a mysterious murder, she finds herself tangled in a web of danger and deceit as captivating as Queen Cleopatra herself. With help from unexpected allies and an often-exasperating, yet undeniably handsome detective, Rebecca must outwit the cunning killer before she becomes the next victim.

Dig into this delightful series of cozy mysteries filled with quirky humor, friendships, ancient mysteries, and magic.

Amazon / Goodreads / Author Website

MY THOUGHTS

What an exciting start to this new series! The writing style was very inviting, and the mystery was intriguing. I had my suspicions as to who the guilty party was but immediately dismissed them, so I was shocked when the final reveal came. I love being surprised like that.

Rebecca was relatable and easy to like. I enjoyed seeing the growing relationship between her and her newly-found grandfather. He’s a very interesting character who I’m excited to get to know better. And I can’t forget to mention Aneksi. I’m not usually a cat person, but this one is hard to resist. What a fascinating creature! I’m eager to learn more about her in future books!

I really liked the charming Mayberry-esque small town of Citrus Grove. It sounds like such a friendly and inviting place.

I enjoyed this story so much and am very eager for book two! I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries. It’s so much fun!

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

4.5 STARS

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh

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 Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh releasing July 2.

About the Book

Sometimes you’re so busy writing other people’s stories that you lose the plot of your own.

This wasn’t how Kelsey Worthington’s day was supposed to go. She wasn’t supposed to be picking up Starbucks for her smarmy boss. She wasn’t supposed to get hit by a car that jumped the curb. And she certainly wasn’t supposed to wake up in a hospital room next to Georgina Tate—the legendary matriarch of New York City businesswomen.

Kelsey and Georgina couldn’t be more opposite. Kelsey’s a dreamer, a writer who questions her own skill. And Georgina is a confident businesswoman whose years of shouldering her way into boardrooms and making her voice heard have made her far too outspoken for the faint of heart.

But now, when Georgina’s failing kidneys force her to face some big regrets about the way she’s lived her life, the two women recognize they share a common thread. Maybe it’s time to confront a few things. They must ask themselves: What if I said yes to everything I’ve always said no to?

With Georgina as her companion, Kelsey soon finds herself doing things she’s never done before. Eating street food. Swimming in the ocean. Matchmaking for Georgina with the help of Georgina’s handsome son. And writing her own romance—both in book form and in real life.

So begins the Summer of Yes.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: The Crown Conspiracy by Connie Mann

About the Book

She’s a master at spotting a forgery . . . and knowing how to create one. But can she solve a decades-old mystery?

The media spotlight is the last thing art thief and forger Sophie Williams needs. But when one of three long-missing royal portraits turns up in Germany at her best friend’s art gallery, the spotlight is exactly what she gets. Since the tragic deaths of Princess Johanna of Neuhansberg and her two children forty years ago, the whereabouts of these portraits have been unknown . . . and the timing of their reappearance—just days before a new prince’s coronation—reignites questions surrounding the infamous accident.

Then Sophie’s best friend vanishes, and a rumor about hidden treasure connected to the paintings surfaces, seemingly confirmed by a cryptic message on the back of the first canvas. Convinced that finding the other two portraits will lead to her friend, Sophie begins a twisty investigation that pits her against other ruthless treasure hunters, a handsome investigator who seems to dog her trail at every turn, and a mysterious group that offers help, wearing an emblem identical to one on the painting.

From Germany’s grand castles and soaring cathedrals through the Alps to the canals of Venice, Sophie must choose her allies carefully if she hopes to find the portraits, rescue her best friend—and perhaps save a throne—before time runs out.

Amazon / Goodreads

MY THOUGHTS

“I believe in God even when He is silent.”

Oh my goodness! This book was a thrill ride from start to finish! It’s the very definition of unputdownable. I couldn’t read it fast enough. It has everything I love in a good thriller: intriguing mysteries, nonstop action, great characters, gorgeous settings, a powerful message of faith, and so much more!

I loved the friendship between Sophie and Lise. They were so supportive of each other. I liked how they were both trying to help people and right wrongs. It was so great to read about women supporting other women.

There was a lot going on in this book, but it never felt like too much. I loved all the twists and turns.

I’ve read a lot of great books this year, but this one tops the list so far. I’m so glad it’s the start of a new series. I’m very eager for more adventures with the Speranza team. I’ll be thinking about this story for a while! Needless to say, 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