SELF-GUIDED SOMATIC THERAPY WORKBOOK by Sasha Stok
Nonfiction, Health, Self-Help, Therapy
5*****

Blurb: Somatic exercises and therapy techniques to release stress, rewire the nervous system, and create lasting relief. Self-Guided Somatic Therapy Workbook offers a practical guide to regulating your nervous system and releasing stored stress, trauma, and emotional tension. With clear explanations and step-by-step exercises, licensed clinician and Somatic Experiencing practitioner Sasha Stok, PhD, helps you reconnect with your body, build emotional resilience, and process overwhelming experiences without reliving them. Inside you’ll find: Guided somatic exercises for everyday practice; Trauma-informed tools that prioritize safety and boundaries; Clear instruction from a licensed clinical psychologist; A self-guided approach you can use from home; Practical techniques that bridge clinical theory and real-life healing. Grounded in trauma-informed somatic therapy principles, this workbook emphasizes safety, pacing, and self-compassion. Organized in progressive phases—from building awareness and stability to processing and integration—it provides a flexible path toward greater calm, connection, and embodied healing.

THOUGHTS: I thought this was an informative and practical addition to work started in therapeutic counseling. The workbook contains step-by-step instructions for you to follow. And, though you can skip through the sections, the author says up front that you’ll get more out of the book if you go through it in a linear way.

The author explains that Somatic therapy takes the entire body into focus, including the brain and nervous system. This kind of practice gives you the ability to notice and interpret sensations throughout the body. She also stresses that you should see a physician first for a check up and to continue with your therapist.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” Thanks to Zeitgest Publishing and Netgalley for providing this ARC.

LET THE WOLF by Amy Lane
Fiction, M/M Romance, Action/Adventure, #2 in Covert Series
4****

Blurb: The Special Crimes Task Force (SCTF) recruits guys willing to disobey a bad order and put civilian lives ahead of their own. It is tighter than most units—when they’re not protecting innocent civilians, they’re protecting their pack. Gideon Chadwick recruits Joey Carlyle, who has worked his entire life to escape his mobster father. Learning fast, Joey loves his new job, and Gideon discovers the kid’s company doesn’t suck. Joey sees everything as predator or prey; Gideon sees every problem as having a solution. Between them, they mix instinct and reason into an increasingly volatile combination. When their passion finally erupts, it’s more explosive than either of them anticipated—and in their line of work, that could be dangerous. While Joey tries to keep up with Gideon in the “think first” department, Gideon tries to remember how to think at all. Their unit’s lives depend on them, and they can’t let their pack down because they’re tangled up in each other.

THOUGHTS: This story was a lot darker than I usually read. At times it was too intense for me, but that just means it was well-written because it did evoke reactions. Joey Carlyle is a young man who is trying to escape his cruel, dictatorial father. He tends to separate people into the predator/prey line, which can be problematic at times. Because of his upbringing, he has always been a loner. He is recruited into a special crimes unit where he is teamed up with Gideon, someone who tends to think too much. But they bond over music, especially Bruce Springstein. The two of them become more than just partners at work, but Joey still has trouble accepting that he is part of a “family”. It’s only when he comes close to losing Gideon that he finally comes to understand what love and true family is.

I loved how Gideon’s family immediately accept Joey as part of their family, even though he doesn’t understand the concept (yet). But one of my favorite parts – and it was a lighter moment in a dark scene – was when Gideon asks his tormentor “Where do bad guys get help? From Minons-R-Us or Lackeys Incorporated?” Had to chuckle at that even though I cringed at the scene. I also loved how the entire unit takes care of Joey while Gideon is recuperating and he finally realizes what family is.

But… I will say that I was definitely confused in the beginning. I strongly suggest reading the first book in the series first – which I did not – so I was lost for quite a while, which made it hard to get into the story. But by the end, I did like the characters and their relationship, if not the action.

Recommended with the caveat of read the first one first.

DISENCHANTED by Lucy Jane Wood
Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy, Bewitched Series #3
4****

Blurb: Sage Hemlock has no interest in embracing her witchy side. Magic has betrayed her before, bringing nothing but heartache, and she will not let something so foolish happen again. Instead, Sage has thrown herself into her work and studies, running the local museum and largely preferring the company of her library and her cat to other humans. Her one goal is to fly under the coven’s radar so that she can finally shed her blasted powers forever. But when a strange historical book accidentally triggers a curse, Sage’s quiet, small-town life is suddenly overrun and magic is running rife. A beanstalk grows in her garden, and her friend and co-worker Casimir starts to look an awful lot like a handsome prince. Fairytales are coming true . . . Now, with the threat of the coven on her tail, Sage must confront the magic she’s always denied to solve the mysteries of the book and save everyone she’s come to love from being lost to a fairy tale forever. The question is, can she finally learn to be her own happily ever after?

THOUGHTS: Since Sage first gained her powers, she’s wanted to be rid of her magic and rarely uses it. Unfortunately, it pops out when least expected, frustrating her. Her best friend, and biggest headache, Casimir Everald, works in the local museum with her in Port Sylvan, which has a rich magical heritage. When Sage accidentally casts a spell from a historical book, fairy tales begin coming to life throughout the town. To keep the town from being permanently cursed, Sage has to confront the magic she’s spent years denying.

The curse’s origin was confusing or me. Sage seems to do everything she can to be a nasty type o person – wailing against her powers, giving tours that she seems to resent, and more. Her bff, Casimir, is the complete opposite as he is flamboyant, warm, and consistently supportive, even with Sage’s snark. Oh, and Sage lives with a ghost housekeeper, Maggie, who can appear solid enough to cook and clean for her (but can’t leave the house).

For me, the book was a little slow. I had trouble really getting into it, but when it really got going, I did enjoy it. If you’re into the series, definitely pick this one up.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” Thanks to Netgalley and Ace Books for providing this ARC.

SHORE TO KILL by Beth Prentice & Aurey Jackson
Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Saltwater Bay Secrets #2, Novella
4****

Blurb: Daphne Wright thought the hardest part about settling into her late grandmother’s beach shack would be finding room for all of her boxes. That is, until Saltwater Bay’s most cantankerous shopkeeper turns up dead—stabbed in his own store!—and Daphne realizes there’s more to this sleepy little town than meets the eye. But when her grandmother’s closest friend is hauled off in handcuffs, Daphne is dragged into a murder investigation that cuts far deeper than she ever expected. Can she sift through the secrets and navigate the murky waters of the seaside paradise before another body washes ashore?

THOUGHTS: This is a short (novella length) story of about 100 pages. It’s part of a series, but I honestly felt like I was coming into the middle of a story. I found the beginning rathe confusing, but it improved as I read. The book is set in the Caribbean Islands which automatically makes it exotic and fun. Daphne recently moved there when she inherited her grandmother’s beach shack. Her neighbor, Grayson, is someone who has issues with people touching him or talking with him, but he has developed a friendship with Daphne that goes both ways.

In this novella, a nasty shopkeeper is killed and Daphne’s grandmother’s oldest friend is arrested. Daphne is certain she didn’t do the deed and goes on the hunt for the real killer with the help of Grayson and other friends. On the way, she discovers that there may be more secrets than she wants to look at, but has to. I loved the connection between Grayson and Daphne, especially at the end. Nicely done.

Recommended if you’re reading the series.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

A DELICIOUS DECEPTION by Lucy Burdette
Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Key West Food Critic Mystery #16
4****

Blurb: Mother-to-be Hayley Snow bites off more than she can chew in the sixteenth installment of Lucy Burdette’s USA Today bestselling Key West Food Critic mysteries. When Sheriff’s Deputy Darcy Rogers asks Hayley for a small favor, she can’t say no. Nine months pregnant and temporarily benched from her food critic duties, Hayley’s itching for a distraction and eager to help. All she has to do is tag along while a young woman picks up her daughter from her father at Monroe County’s safe custody exchange location. Easy, right? Wrong. In the chaos of the Sheriff’s Office open house, the mother disappears. Then the father bolts, leaving Hayley with a terrified girl and the realization that something has gone terribly wrong. Hayley and Deputy Rogers head north up the Keys to search for answers. When a body turns up, Hayley realizes this isn’t just a missing-persons case—it’s a race against time. With the little girl’s safety at risk, Hayley must trust her instincts—and her heart—to uncover the truth.

THOUGHTS: Coming into a series this late is often a detriment, but the author did such a good job of giving us background on the characters and their lives that I didn’t feel lost. Yes, it would be better to start with the first book, but this one worked. The only thing I thought was a problem for me was that there seemed to be a lot of repetitions in the story. Plus we spent a lot of time worrying about her pregnancy – which is okay. But it did get a tad tiresome after a bit.

In this story, Hayley is asked to be a go-between for two parents exchanging their little girl. They do this at the sheriff’s parking lot, but during the wait, Hayley loses the mother when she takes off, then the father ends up dead, and the little girl is kidnapped. Hayley feels responsible for everything, though none of it is actually her fault so she goes on the hunt for answers, much to her family’s chagrin. Plus, her husband is four hours away in Miami with his father in the hospital so they’re connecting long distance. We are taken through the entire mystery wondering when Hayley is going to go into labor! The recipes at the end are amazing too! Yum!

Recommended.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

HEART OF A HERO by Andrew Grey
Fiction, M/M Contemporary Romance
4****

Blurb: Forrest Scoville is used to being sized up and found wanting—built like a linebacker, teaching kindergarten. His students follow him around like he hung the moon. It’s their parents who keep asking if he’s really cut out for working with five-year-olds. Conrad Langdon is one of those parents. Since he took custody of his grieving niece, Lizzie, she has flinched from almost everyone except her enormous, soft-spoken teacher. Even Conrad’s own wariness around big men doesn’t survive one real conversation with the man. A shared obsession with Lego bricks pulls them into each other’s orbit anyway, one late night at a time, until the gentleness inside all that size starts working on Conrad the way it already has on Lizzie. None of it changes the fact that Forrest grades her spelling tests, and dating a parent could get him fired. Falling for his daughter’s teacher breaks every rule Conrad has left, but staying away might cost Forrest the first person who’s ever looked past every inch of him and seen exactly the right amount of man.

THOUGHTS: Forest is big, bald, and a kindergarten teacher. I love that! It’s an unusual thing for someone like this. Conrad is dad to Lizzie, his sister’s daughter. Because of past experiences, he’s afraid of big guys, but has to overcome his fear for Lizzie’s sake. What he should be afraid of is the deranged man he works with. Conrad and Forest get to know each other better – thanks to Conrad’s mom and Lizzie. As they grow closer, they realize that something has to change or Forest may lose his job. Also, Conrad discovers that his coworker is more dangerous than they thought and puts his life in jeopardy. This is a hot contemporary romance that has a soft level of danger. It ends in a HEA which is great for this type of book.

Recommended.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

A PINCH OF ASSAULT by Misty Simon
Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Sunny Side Up Diner Series #3
5*****

BLURB: Welcome to the Sunny Side Up Diner, where the jukeboxes jive and the secrets thrive…

With things at her Sunny Side Up Diner sailing along smoothly for once, Jax Tapman has turned her attention to her personal life. It’s time to meet the boyfriend’s mother in person. And while Jax isn’t totally certain she’s up to the challenge, she agrees to show Eliot’s mom around a local retirement home. It sounds innocent enough, and it shouldn’t be too difficult to sell the woman on the idea of moving to be closer to her son. But instead of making her case, when Jax enters the model apartment, she and her potential in-law find one dead body and a whole lot of secrets! Suddenly it’s up to Jax to discover who the retirement home killer is—a task that only gets harder when someone from Eliot’s past shows up and might know far more about the crime than she’s letting on. The Sunny Side Up Diner is jumping with gossip, Jax and her best friend Dani are running interference, and Eliot’s mom is calling all the shots. But sorting out chaos and minimizing damage is something Jax has grown accustomed to, if she can only get a clue.

THOUGHTS: Except for the occasional murder, I want to live here! I want to go to Jax and Dani’s diner. I want to have some of Eliot’s waffles. And I really want to meet the entire family! In this story, we get to meet Dot, Eliot’s mother. Yes, Jax gets to meet the future Mother-in-Law – and she’s a hoot! When they go to look at a retirement community model apartment and find a body, Dot goes into “investigator” mode to Jax’s surprise. After all, Dot spent years working for the police so she knows all about procedure. The group all comes together to figure out suspects and Dot gets them organized better than ever with a murder board that is amazing in its organization. I love that they’re still using the “spindle” for clues in the diner. Oh, and Jax is totally in love with Glenda, the Thing (Dot’s vehicle). I find it funny that Stella Luna (the cat) steals Eliot’s clothes and now Maureen’s too in order to make a nest.

If you like your cozy mysteries with a touch of humor and shenanigans, you won’t be disappointed here. And though you don’t need to, I suggest you read the entire series so you get to know the participants even better.

Definitely recommended.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

MIDLIFE MOUNTAIN MAGIC by Renee Brume
Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy
4****

Blurb: It all started with a cheating husband and accidental magic. Now, she is on a one-way trip to hell. Beth Potentia yearns for more from her life. After a devastating discovery and an entirely unexpected crime spree, she is busted out of the big house by her father. She’s whisked back to her hometown, trying to wrap her head around how her life has so unexpectedly changed in a heartbeat. Now, she has her hands full dealing with her eccentric father and the shadowy government agency he seems to head. Their first mission, to prevent a demon horde from busting through and causing worldwide havoc and chaos, might be a disaster of biblical proportions unless she can harness the magic that is her birthright. Can Beth help her father and her new team go to hell and back before the devil himself makes his final appearance? Midlife Mountain Magic is the devilishly entertaining first book in a new Paranormal Woman’s Fantasy series. If you like middle-aged characters with accidental magic and more sass than is good for them, a quirky cast of magical sidekicks, and a slow-burn romance, you love Renee Brume’s hellish fantasy.

THOUGHTS: In this paranormal, Beth Potentia leaves a cheating husband with a burning business and drives his expensive sports car into a water-filled quarry. When she gets arrested, she calls her father who gets her out very quickly and takes her home, where she finds out some secrets that have her reeling. For instance, her father is a wizard who works for a secret government agency. Even more confusing, he wants her to join his team and eventually lead it. Beth is a witch, but untrained. Thus begins her adventures – including one where she ends up in Hell helping to get someone out and stop a full breakout.

This was a fun story, but there were a few issues. For instance, she has an 18-year-old daughter and is just now telling her the “facts of life”? And her romance with Clay was too sudden – it needs more buildup. Finally, the ending didn’t work well for me. These are personal issues, but they affected my feelings for the story. Still, if you can ignore these, go for it.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

THE GIRL’S GUIDE TO GUTS by Chloe Melas & Judy Batalion
Nonfiction, Self-help, Medical
5*****

Blurb: GAS, INDIGESTION, BLOATING, CONSTIPATION, DIARRHEA, PAIN…
60% of women suffer from chronic GI issues. But few people talk about our culture’s final the bowels. A must-have book for anyone who’s ever struggled with their gut health, with information you need to get from two women who’ve been through it all. Your doctor gives you medical advice. Your nutritionist suggests dietary changes. But who actually knows what you’re going through? Your girlfriends, of course—at least, the ones who’ve been through it all with gut health issues. In The Girlfriend’s Guide to Guts, NBC correspondent Chloe Melas and New York Times bestselling author Judy Batalion, two women with ulcerative colitis, talk to you in the way only a best friend can. Speaking to millions of their fellow sufferers, they share life stories, wisdom, and all the necessary, scientifically-backed information you need when facing a bowel disease diagnosis. Chloe and Judy share tips and tricks on how to live your best life with bowel disease, such as… “Dinner and a movie?” No! “A movie then dinner.” Eating can make you gassy and bloated, so it’s best to eat after other activities (and/or intimacies).
Protein rich meals, no nuts! Order grilled chicken or fish when eating out, especially during flares. The simpler the dish, the less likely it is that you’ll need to run for the nearest bathroom.
Aisle seats only! On a flight, there should be nothing between you and the toilet! (Except for 15 rows, a line of people waiting, and turbulence.)
Brush off the judgement. Your disease is not your fault. You’ve got gut health issues, but girl, you’ve also got guts.
And more!
From advice on probiotics to acupuncture to colonoscopies, healing your gut can be downright confusing! For practical tips—woman to woman—or just a reassuring voice to turn to when times get tough, this straight-talking guide will show you what to really expect when your bowels are going berserk.

THOUGHTS: As a person who struggles with GI issues, I found this book interesting and full of information that I can use. Up front, the authors admit that they are not doctors –though they did consult with medical professionals. “Colorectal cancer is the #1 cause of death in people under the age of 50.”Their advice comes from personal experience. In this particular book, they focus on IBS, BD, Celic, and diverticulitis.

I loved the humor in this book – something not usually seen in a “medical information” book. It helps turn a difficult, and usually taboo, subject into one that’s readable and understandable by anyone.

Recommended.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” Thanks to Netgalley and Dial Press for providing this ARC.

THE HAUNTED LIBRARIAN by Auralee Wallace
Fiction, Contemporary Fantasy
4****

Blurb: A lonely librarian finds love, friends, and a few ghosts between the shelves in this cozy, paranormal tale from beloved bestselling author Auralee Wallace.

It’s a dark and stormy night…and Amelia Bates is caught in the rain. Life hasn’t always been kind to her, and being a ghostseer certainly doesn’t make things any easier. Glowing warmly through the autumnal downpour is her safest the library. Amelia, the newly hired librarian, has always relished the comfort of curling up with a novel, vastly preferring it to the company of humans (alive or ghostly). But Amelia is shocked to discover the building is full of more than quiet stories and warm cups of tea. There are curious, talkative patrons, a shy, bespectacled head librarian who makes her heart skip a beat, and three quirky spirits causing paranormal havoc that endangers the future of the library. To help the ghosts and save the building, Amelia will have to gather all her bravery and wits, because learning to trust others might just be the first step to a happily ever after she only thought was possible in books.

THOUGHTS: This was a fun book to read, especially since I’m a librarian who worked at one time in a haunted library! Amelia is a great character with a rough background that has caused her to be extremely introverted. She was abandoned as a baby, grew up in the system, and was always thought of as “odd” because she talks to the air – except for her, there is a person there. A ghost. So in order to seem “normal” she comes up with three rules – don’t look, don’t talk, don’t interact. And it works well until she gets a job at a special library where three ghosts live. They can’t leave and can’t move on unless she helps them, so she must break her rules and they have to work together before the building collapses from a cosmic maelstrom. Oh, and there’s an adorable main librarian – Simon – who makes her heart throb, but she can’t let him know what she can do or he’ll treat her like everyone else does.

While I really enjoyed the story, especially the interaction between Amelia and the ghosts, I thought the relationship between her and Simon could have been better. There was really no build up at all until the very end which was a little hard to accept. I liked the quotes at the beginning of each chapter and how they related to the chapter. But I really loved the subtle reference to “The Wizard of Oz” and the Cowardly Lion – “I do believe in you (spooks). I do. I do. I do.” I had to laugh at that. There are other little subtleties like that throughout.

Still, even with the relationship issues, I really enjoyed this book. It brought back a lot of memories of that old library (housed in an 1800s mansion) and the idiosyncrasies that go along with old buildings.

Recommended.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books for providing this ARC.