Monday, December 11, 2023

Review: The Dead of Night (True Crime Junkies #4) by Christy Barritt

About the Book
A woman disappears in the dead of night as a haunting crime from the past comes to life again.

When a mysterious email leads true crime podcaster Mariella Boucher to southeast Alaska on a quest for the truth about her past, she never expects to plunge headfirst into danger. But when a stranger with a troubled history saves her life, she’s drawn into a five-year-old cold case that leaves her chilled to the bone.

Jason Somersby has been living in the shadow of suspicion ever since his girlfriend was murdered five years ago. When another woman disappears under similar circumstances, everyone in town looks at him with accusation—and to demand answers he doesn’t have.

Mariella brings in the other members of the Arctic Circle Murder Club to help find the killer and clear Jason’s name. But the more the team digs, the shakier the ground becomes. When it becomes clear one of their own is the next target, they must scramble to stop the killer before he claims another victim.


MY THOUGHTS

This was another exciting and unputdownable installment of the True Crime Junkies series. I don’t know how, but this series just keeps getting better and better.

While looking into a mystery about her and her twin brother’s past, Mariella stumbles upon another disturbing mystery after a young woman disappears in the same place and in a similar fashion as another woman did five years ago. But looking into this case might just put Mariella in the killer’s crosshairs.

This book is focused more on Mariella than the previous books in the series, which had Duke and Andy taking the lead. I enjoyed getting to know her and her twin brother Matthew better, and I found the mystery of their past very intriguing. It took a while for the rest of the Arctic Circle Murder Club to show up, but that didn’t hinder my enjoyment a bit.

If you’re new to the series, this is a good place to jump in. It stands alone perfectly fine. I’d still recommend starting with book one, though, just because the whole series is so good.

FOUR STARS

Thursday, December 7, 2023

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: The Dead of Night (True Crime Junkies #4) by Christy Barritt

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 until Freda returns.

This week I'm featuring The Dead of Night (True Crime Junkies #4) by Christy Barritt. This series is quickly becoming my favorite from this author!

About the Book
A woman disappears in the dead of night as a haunting crime from the past comes to life again.

When a mysterious email leads true crime podcaster Mariella Boucher to southeast Alaska on a quest for the truth about her past, she never expects to plunge headfirst into danger. But when a stranger with a troubled history saves her life, she’s drawn into a five-year-old cold case that leaves her chilled to the bone.

Jason Somersby has been living in the shadow of suspicion ever since his girlfriend was murdered five years ago. When another woman disappears under similar circumstances, everyone in town looks at him with accusation—and to demand answers he doesn’t have.

Mariella brings in the other members of the Arctic Circle Murder Club to help find the killer and clear Jason’s name. But the more the team digs, the shakier the ground becomes. When it becomes clear one of their own is the next target, they must scramble to stop the killer before he claims another victim.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday
Zoe Hamlin unzipped the tent, stepped into the nighttime, and took a moment to breathe in the fresh air around her.
Alaska. Was there any purer, more beautiful place on earth?

Friday 56
She didn't know much about camping. In fact, really she'd only gone glamping before - nothing rugged for her.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Be the Serpent (October Daye Book 16) by Seanan McGuire

About the Book
October Daye is finally something she never expected to be: married. All the trials and turmoils and terrors of a hero’s life have done very little to prepare her for the expectation that she will actually share her life with someone else, the good parts and the bad ones alike, not just allow them to dabble around the edges in the things she wants to share. But with an official break from hero duties from the Queen in the Mists, and her family wholly on board with this new version of “normal,” she’s doing her best to adjust.

It isn’t always easy, but she’s a hero, right? She’s done harder.

Until an old friend and ally turns out to have been an enemy in disguise for this entire time, and October’s brief respite turns into a battle for her life, her community, and everything she has ever believed to be true.

The debts of the Broken Ride are coming due, and whether she incurred them or not, she’s going to be the one who has to pay.


MY THOUGHTS

Sixteen books into the series, and it's still good. In fact, it just keeps getting better. This book was filled with reveals. BIG ones. Mind-blowing ones. Ones that will change everything.

Things were going a little too well for Toby, so I just knew something bad was going to happen. That's just the way it seems to go for her. But, wow, I didn't expect it to be that bad!

I'm always amazed by the new ways Toby finds to put herself in danger. Her brashness and lack of self-preservation are astounding sometimes. There are times when I just have to laugh and be shocked that she's still breathing, because, my goodness, sometimes she has no sense, lol. It always makes for an entertaining read, though.

Despite the fact that this ends on the mother of all cliffhangers, this was a stellar read and, not only one of the best books in the series, one of my favorites I've read this year. If you're a fan of urban fantasy and haven't started this series, what are you waiting for? Run and grab a copy of book one and I promise you'll be hooked.

NOTE: This book contains some strong language.

FIVE STARS

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Can't Wait Wednesday: Double Take (Lake City Heroes Book #1) by Lynette Eason

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 Double Take (Lake City Heroes Book #1) by Lynette Eason releasing January 9, 2024.

About the Book
Detective James Cross has been honorably discharged from the Army Criminal Investigation Division due to wounds sustained when an IED blew up near him. Now with the Lake City Police Department, he's rooming with this good buddy and partner, Cole, while he figures out his family dynamics.

Physician Assistant Lainie Jackson is eighteen months out from an attempted murder perpetrated by her ex, which ended when she managed to grab the weapon and shoot him. When he appears to have survived and is back to finish the job he started, Lainie insists it's not possible. But someone keeps trying to kill her, and she keeps seeing his face.

Together, Lainie and James must work together to find out who, exactly, is after her and why he wants her dead. And failure is not an option.

USA Today bestselling author Lynette Eason will leave you breathless with this fast-paced first book in a brand-new series.


What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Monday, December 4, 2023

Review: The Retribution of Eden Pruitt (The Eden Pruitt Series #4) by K.E. Ganshert

About the Book
A VILLAIN DISGUISED AS THE HERO …

America is in peril. The public is being deceived. The enemy grows more powerful by the day. And Eden’s plans horrendously backfired.

Now she’s locked up with a hostile soldier whose upbringing couldn’t be more different from her own. And whose loyalty could change everything. She sets out to win his trust, prove herself to the Resistance, and somehow, make amends with Cassian. If there’s any hope of vanquishing the adversary, they must set aside their grievances and come together as one.

Join Eden and her crew as they fight to save the world in this final, sensational installment of The Eden Pruitt Series, where allegiances are tested, sacrifices are necessary, and the action never stops.


MY THOUGHTS

What a fantastic conclusion to this series! I was both excited and a little nervous to dive into this book. Excited because I was eager to see what would happen to these characters I’ve come to love. I was nervous for the exact same reason. Would they be able to defeat the bad guy and save the country? And how were they going to accomplish that? I was stressed from beginning to end because there were times when things looked impossible. Hopeless, even.

There was a sense of urgency and foreboding throughout the whole book, and my anxiety seemed to grow with each page I read. This was action-packed, exciting, and thought-provoking. I know it’ll stay with me for a long time. If you’re a fan of thrilling, eye-opening dystopias, you’ll love this series. I highly recommend it!

FIVE STARS

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: Be the Serpent (October Daye Book 16) by Seanan McGuire

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 until Freda returns.

This week I'm featuring Be the Serpent (October Daye Book 16) by Seanan McGuire. Sixteen books into this series and it's still so good! This book has some mind-blowing revelations that are sure to change everything! 

About the Book
October Daye is finally something she never expected to be: married. All the trials and turmoils and terrors of a hero’s life have done very little to prepare her for the expectation that she will actually share her life with someone else, the good parts and the bad ones alike, not just allow them to dabble around the edges in the things she wants to share. But with an official break from hero duties from the Queen in the Mists, and her family wholly on board with this new version of “normal,” she’s doing her best to adjust.

It isn’t always easy, but she’s a hero, right? She’s done harder.

Until an old friend and ally turns out to have been an enemy in disguise for this entire time, and October’s brief respite turns into a battle for her life, her community, and everything she has ever believed to be true.

The debts of the Broken Ride are coming due, and whether she incurred them or not, she’s going to be the one who has to pay.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday
It had been a normal night melting into a normal morning. Then the sun had glinted off the pond and the world had twisted around me, going from clear, comforting sameness to chaotic murkiness as the water that was my natural environment suddenly and convulsively rejected me.

Friday 56
Tybalt watched me go. When I looked back, one last time, he mouthed exaggeratedly, "Be careful."

What have you been reading lately?

COVER REVEAL: Riot: A Breed Apart Novel by Ronie Kendig and JJ Samie Myles


About the Book

Navy SEAL K-9 handler Beau “Danger” Maddox is at the top of his game—until an op goes south, leaving him physically and mentally scarred. Separated from the Navy, he’s determined to requalify as operational and get back in the action so he can take down the deadly South American cartel that killed his team. The last thing he needs is a distraction in the form of a beautiful new neighbor and her dog...

Trafficking survivor Paisley Reyna became a trauma counselor to help others after a harrowing captivity at the hands of the notorious Guerrero Cartel. When she unexpectedly inherits her cousin’s home and retired military working dog, Riot, she seizes the chance to eke out a quiet life in a small town in Texas. However, the Dutch shepherd upends her plans, destroys her belongings, and repeatedly escapes next door to the intense former SEAL, who poses a threat to her peace—and maybe even her heart.

When the local sheriff asks for Danger’s expertise and Paisley’s dog to intercept a trafficking deal, they’re quickly caught up in a battle against the very cartel that marked both their souls. Along with a paramilitary team, they plunge deeper and deeper into the Venezuelan jungle—all too aware that making it out alive a second time will take nothing short of a miracle.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Ronie Kendig is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty-five books. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army veteran husband have returned to their beloved Texas after a nearly ten-year stint in the Northeast. They survive on Sonic runs, barbecue, and peach cobbler that they share—sometimes—with Benning the Stealth Golden and AAndromeda the MWD Washout. Ronie's degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.

Growing up in the beautiful east of Switzerland, JJ Samie Myles spent her childhood chasing adventures and crafting stories with her vivid imagination. Curious what the big wide world has to offer, she became a travel agent and later a missionary, collecting enough writing-inspiration for a lifetime. Now she shares her passion for thrills and God’s grace through her suspense and faith-filled stories.

Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Pre-order sale price: $4.99 (ebook)
Retail price after release: $7.99 (ebook)
Release date: March 19, 2024 Available in ebook, print, and audiobook


A Breed Apart: Legacy
Book 1: Havoc
Book 2: Chaos
Book 3: Riot
Book 4: Fury
Book 5: Surge

A Breed Apart by Ronie Kendig
Book 1: Trinity
Book 2: Talon
Book 3: Beowulf