FLAME AND SHADOW by Nevermore

Fiction, Paranormal Romance, 322 pages

5*****

Blurb: Half-daemon Envy Starr is destined to die on Midsummer’s Eve, still a virgin, on some crappy cult’s live-stream feed. With thirty days left to live, the chance to escape her fate and get some action compels her into her absentee father’s world of beautifully cultured cruelty. Once there, she’s the object of a deadly game, slated to alter the Fae realm’s power structure. Worse, the rules keep changing, and everyone has an ulterior motive, including her dae-licious guide, Brennan. Under a geas he’s desperate to break, she can’t trust him, or herself. Stupid Stockholm syndrome. But unless she can come to terms with what lies in her heart, her unlikely survival will be a fate worse than death. For her, and the rest of Fae.

Thoughts: Wow. This was not the kind of story I usually read, but once I got started, I could not put it down. The writing is witty, snarky, and comes across as if the character is sitting there in the room with you, just telling you about what happened. The world building is exceptional — though I will admit, I got a bit confused at times with the twists and turns of the plot. But the storytelling is amazing. And that makes any confusion worthwhile. This is not a sweet type of romance. There’s a lot of nasty stuff that goes down (Come on, there are demons. What do you think is going to happen?), and the main character has some serious parental issues and a mouth on her. But the ending definitely left a smile (okay, a wry one), but a smile on my lips.

Recommendation: If you like your stories full of demons, fae, imps, a bit of the apocalypse, elementals, and more, definitely pick this one up. You won’t be sorry. And I can see where there will be more coming.

Disclaimer: 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”

Note: If you haven’t read this series, you definitely need to. It’s full of wit, snark, romance, and mystery. Pick up any of this author’s mysteries for laugh-out-loud shenanigans. 5*****

POISON IVY: AN IVY MORRIS RO-MYSTERY

Ivy Morris may be an adult, but she has never lived outside her father’s home and in fact sleeps in the same room her mom decorated over a decade ago. Until she gets a letter with the words “your inheritance” offering her a home and a costume shop of her own 3000 miles away. When she arrives to assume her new life as a homeowner and proprietress of a popular costume shop, she is bombarded by a slew of people looking for the perfect dominatrix or disturbingly tight wrestler costume for the upcoming Harvest Ball. Between overpowering biddies and stolen lingerie from the worst-kept secret side business, things get even more complicated when a woman is murdered at the ball – a woman wearing the same costume as Ivy. With the help of her new friends, including a cute guy trying to rev up his journalism career with this mystery – and revving up her heart in the process – she must solve the murder before someone succeeds in their quest to poison Ivy.

Amazon

About the author:

Misty Simon always wanted to be a storyteller…preferably behind a Muppet. Animal was number one, followed closely by Sherlock Hemlock… Since that dream didn’t come true, she began writing stories to share her world with readers, one laugh at a time. Touching people’s hearts and funny bones are two of her favorite things, and she hopes everyone at least snickers in the right places when reading her books. She lives with her husband in Central Pennsylvania where she is hard at work on her next novel or three.

Http://www.mistysimon.wordpress.com

CHRISTMAS AT SOLACE LAKE by Jana Richards

Fiction, Romance, 306 pages, Book 4 of “Love at Solace Lake” series

4****

Blurb: It’s Christmas time at Solace Lake Lodge, but a series of thefts threatens everyone’s holiday spirit. An emergency brings Drew Barnes to Solace Lake Lodge, an inn deep in the Minnesota woods owned by his aunt and uncle. He’s sure desperation is the only reason they’d allow him to fill in as their bookkeeper. No one in his family has believed in him since his mistake got him fired from his previous job. Soon after he arrives, Drew is disheartened to discover a series of thefts and financial irregularities. The last thing he wants is to be put in the middle of another crime. Sous chef Celeste Bishop has made a good life for herself and her nine-year-old daughter in the three years she’s worked, and lived, at Solace Lake Lodge. After being unfairly fired, this was the only job she could get, and she’s grateful her gamble on the lodge paid off. The only sticking point is the isolation since she never learned to drive. How can she show her daughter independence when she’s always relying on others? Drew sees Celeste’s frustration and offers to teach her to drive. A powerful attraction ignites between them, and soon deeper, stronger emotions blossom. Drew is all in, but Celeste resists her feelings. She’s nine years older than Drew. An interracial relationship didn’t work for her parents. And loving Drew feels like a betrayal of her deceased husband. As Christmas approaches, the thefts escalate. Can Drew stop the thief and redeem himself in his family’s eyes—and his own? And can he convince Celeste they deserve the gift of a happily ever after this Christmas?

Thoughts: First of all, this is an interracial romance. Not a problem for me, but might be for some people (unfortunately). The characters are really good. Drew has issues – a mistake he made in the past still haunts him and colors everything he does. Celeste is the sous chef at the restaurant, is a widow, and has a nine-year-old daughter. Though Drew befriends her and she feels something more than friendship for him, she decides that nothing can happen between them. She is nine years older than he is, and she is black. He is not. Celeste’s mother spent years telling her that an interracial marriage is a mistake. Then there’s Drew’s sister and her wheelchair-bound boyfriend. And thefts in the kitchen and the accounts. Things are going downhill fast for Drew. But, like in all romances, things do eventually work out. The characters are really well done. The story is full of conflicts, showcases prejudices—not just racial, but for the handicapped as well. I loved how Drew handled the little boy who was picking on Celeste’s daughter Hope. A sweet ending that satisfies.

Recommendation: Recommended.

Disclaimer: 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”

Tagline: It’s Christmas time at Solace Lake Lodge, but a series of thefts threatens everyone’s holiday spirit.

Blurb:

An emergency brings Drew Barnes to Solace Lake Lodge, an inn deep in the Minnesota woods owned by his aunt and uncle. He’s sure desperation is the only reason they’d allow him to fill in as their bookkeeper. No one in his family has believed in him since his mistake got him fired from his previous job. Soon after he arrives, Drew is disheartened to discover thefts and financial irregularities. The last thing he wants is to be put in the middle of another crime.

Sous chef Celeste Bishop has made a good life for herself and her nine-year-old daughter in the three years she’s worked, and lived, at Solace Lake Lodge. After being unfairly fired, this was the only job she could get, and she’s grateful her gamble on the lodge paid off. The only sticking point is the isolation since she never learned to drive. How can she show her daughter independence when she’s always relying on others?

Drew sees Celeste’s frustration and offers to teach her to drive. A powerful attraction ignites between them, and soon deeper, stronger emotions blossom. Drew is all in, but Celeste resists her feelings. She’s nine years older than Drew. An interracial relationship didn’t work for her parents. And loving Drew feels like a betrayal of her deceased husband.

As Christmas approaches, the thefts escalate. Can Drew stop the thief and redeem himself in his family’s eyes—and his own? And can he convince Celeste they deserve the gift of a happily ever after this Christmas?

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CH5DTYNS

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CH5DTYNS

CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CH5DTYNS

AU:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198424344-christmas-at-solace-lake

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/christmas-at-solace-lake-a-love-at-solace-lake-romance-by-jana-richards

Jana Richards has tried her hand at many writing projects over the years, from magazine articles and short stories to full-length contemporary romance, paranormal suspense and romantic comedy. She loves to create characters with a sense of humor, but also a serious side. She believes there’s nothing more interesting then peeling back the layers of a character to see what makes them tick.

When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).

Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and two senior cats named Layla and Leelou. You can reach her through her website at http://www.janarichards.com

Social Media Links:

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Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor

Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janarichards155/

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards

Amazon UK Author Page:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG

Newsletter Signup: http://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards

Birthdays: Nathanael West (1903), Ester Wier (1910), Arthur Miller (1915), Jimmy Breslin (1930), Robert Jordan (1948), Wally Lamb (1950), David Means (1961), Patrick Ness (1971), Ariel Levy (1974),

Ester Wier won the 1964 Newbery Honor for “The Loner”

Robert Jordan is best known for his “The Wheel of Time” series

Quote: “If you want your prayers answered, get up off your knees and do something about them.”― Wally Lamb, She’s Come Undone

 “You have to have talent to some extent – I certainly hope I have talent – but you have to have luck as well. Once you get that first shot, that will get you noticed for the rest of your books and that will give the rest of your books a better chance.” – Robert Jordan

Tip: If you have several projects you want to work on but can’t decide which one to do first, take fifteen minutes and write on each project. Just write, as quickly as you can for fifteen minutes, then take a short break and go on to the next project. The project to work on is the one where you forget to stop after fifteen minutes and keep going or the one which, when you read it, it really grabs you. 

Jumpstart: This is what I knew about love before he came along. Now, I know better…

PUBLIC ANCHOVY #1 (Book 3 in Deep Dish Mysteries) by Mindy Quigly

Fiction, Cozy Mystery, 320 pages

4****

Blurb: Public Anchovy #1 is the third book in Mindy Quigley’s delectable Deep Dish Mystery series, set in a Wisconsin pizzeria. While Geneva Bay’s upper crust gets ready to party down at a Prohibition-themed fundraiser, pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is focused on seeing her struggling restaurant through the winter slow season. The temperature outside is plummeting, but Delilah’s love life might finally be heating up, as hunky police detective Calvin Capone seems poised to (finally) make a move. But Delilah’s hopes of perfecting a new “free-from” pizza recipe for a charity bash are dashed when a dead body crashes the party. Soon, Capone, Delilah, and her entire staff are trapped in an isolated mansion and embroiled in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. To catch an increasingly-desperate killer, Delilah will have to top all of her previous crime-solving accomplishments, and a few pizzas, too.

Thoughts: Agatha Christie did the original people stranded with a killer and no way to get out story (“And Then There Were None”), and the plot has been done multiple times in books and movies since then. This book is one of those stories – but with a twist—a cat with “swipe at you from hiding places” tendencies. Butterball the cat is a vital part of this story. In this third book, Delilah and her crew are catering a high-end event. One of the attendees ends up dead and thus begins the problems. While most of the guests make it out of the mansion, several are trapped there by a bad storm that brings down trees and isolates them from outside help. Fortunately, police detective Calvin Capone is there—something Delilah is happy about. Maybe this time, she can break through the stoic cop’s stiff outside. 

Oh, and there are some amazing recipes—including a gluten free pizza one that I am looking forward to trying.

Recommendation: Yes! But I suggest you read the previous two books in the series first so you have a better grasp of the personalities and their relationships.

Disclaimer: Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. 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

Birthdays: Virgil (70 BC), P.G. Wodehouse (1881), Friedrich Nietzsche (1844), George Turner (1916), Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. (1917), Mario Puzo (1920), Italo Calvino (1923), Ed McBain (1926) (aka Evan Hunter), Laurie McBain (1949), Walter Jon Williams (1953), Stephen Clarke (1958), Roxane Gay (1974)

Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. was a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for History and Biography.

Mario Puzo is best known for his books on the Mafia like the “Godfather” series

“I don’t trust society to protect us, I have no intention of placing my fate in the hands of men whose only qualification is that they managed to con a block of people to vote for them.” – Mario Puzo

Quote: “I love writing fiction because I can totally lose myself and I get to make up the rules of the world that I’m writing.” – Roxanne Gay

Tip: Any reputable agent should be willing to provide you with a list of sales and clients. Verify that these books and authors exist. Check references. If they claim to be a member of AAR, check them out on the web site.

Jumpstart: You live alone. While you were gone for a weekend, someone ransacked your home. Who would do that? Why?

Birthdays: e.e. cummings (1894), Katherine Mansfield (1888), Lois Lenski (1893), Hannah Arendt (1906), Rick Boyer (1943), Katha Pollitt (1949), Kate Grenville (1950)

Quote: “We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” – e.e. cummings

“Two pieces of advice: One, write out of an urge to write, not a desire to be ‘a writer’. That is, write about things that are important to you rather than things you think will ‘find a market’. Two, find some kind of paid work that will free you from the need to make a living from your writing, while giving you some time to write.” – Kate Grenville

Tip: If an agent you’ve never heard of comes to you out of the blue and asks for your stuff, be wary. Check them out carefully. Agents get enough requests that they don’t have to come looking. The same goes for book reviewers.  

Jumpstart: Today is National Dessert Day. What kind of dessert would your character eat when alone? On a date? Why?

Birthdays: Mary Kingsley (1862), Conrad Richter (1890), Arna Bontemps (1902), Richard Howard (1929), Dalene Matthee (1938), Mollie Katzen (1950), Colin Channer (1963), Emily Gould (1981)

Conrad Richter won the 1952 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for “The Town”

Richard Howard won the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for “Untitled Subjects”

Quote: “Give your teachers the respect they deserve, because they are the ones who can help you get where you need to go.” – Richard Howard

 “To some extent the shorter the writing assignment is, the harder it is to accomplish, and a blurb is 200 words max.” – Emily Gould

Tip: If an agent or publisher is charging you to print your book—run in the other direction. You should not have to pay, unless you’re getting the printing done by yourself.

Jumpstart: One Saturday in the fall, it finally happened… (use: peppermint, library, clock)

CRUEL LESSONS by Randy Overbeck

Fiction, Mystery

4****

Blurb: On a school camping trip, fifth graders experiment with a dangerous new hallucinogen and die in a horrific accident, their deaths shattering the quiet town. Assistant Superintendent Ken Parks, hoping to redeem a fatal mistake from his past, grasps the opportunity to conduct the district investigation of how students are getting the drugs. Almost before he begins, the cops make a stunning arrest. But Parks battles on, convinced the real pusher is still out there, poisoning more kids until he receives an anonymous if he continues, those close to him will pay. Is Parks willing to risk those he loves for a chance at redemption?

Thoughts: Mr. Overbeck writes very good mysteries and this one is no exception. He uses great imagery to put you right in the action. His characters are well-developed and realistic. This story is set in 1995 so you have to realize that when reading because of the technology being used. It begins with the drug use and deaths of four young boys on a school outing. Their teacher, Stacy, is arrested for being the one who supplied the drugs. The assistant superintendent, Ken, is tasked with finding out who else is involved. Meanwhile, Ken’s marriage is in trouble because of the time he spends on the investigation. Between Ken, his police friend Bart, and a custodian, the investigation gets intense. There is a good ending, but there are also several threads left dangling so I’m quite sure there will be more with these characters.

What I liked: the imagery, the characters, the story. All very well done. And a good ending.

What I didn’t like: the dangling threads. But knowing this author, I know they will be addressed in possible later stories. 

Recommendation: Recommended. 

Disclaimer: 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”