If you’re a sci-fi and dystopian fan, you’ll want to get in on the Stuff Your E-Reader event starting today that goes through Saturday. Loads of books are either FREE or on sale for $0.99! The Gemini Connection is included with many others. Click HERE to go to the event page.
This Saturday I’ll be participating in the Christmas In July Craft and Vendor Fair in Hopkinsville, KY. With dozens of vendors, you can start your shopping early – indoors with air conditioning! Hope to see you there!
Everyone in the rural town of Ashling knows the tale of Veronica Green, a teen who was murdered in the woods. But did a party trick bring her back to claim her revenge? A fast-paced, suspenseful YA horror from the author of Summer’s Edge and People Like Us.
There is no one Hazel trusts less than her self-centered twin, Beth. Like when Beth storms out of a party, abandoning Hazel when she didn’t want to attend in the first place. Rather than chasing after her, Hazel throws herself into flirting and telling ghost stories over a Ouija board. She might not be the popular twin, but she can be fun too.
Except Beth doesn’t come home that night, and Hazel’s anger morphs into anxiety. It only sharpens when Beth reappears a day later, disoriented and claiming to be Veronica Green, a teen who was murdered in their small town years before. If it isn’t a possession, Beth is really good at faking it. Did they accidentally release a vengeful horror during the party?
Hazel must uncover what happened to Veronica all those years ago if she’s going to save Beth. But the truth may destroy them both—if they don’t destroy each other first.
Small towns hold tightly to their secrets, and Ashling is no exception. But some secrets refuse to stay buried.
The relationship between twins Hazel and Beth is challenging and complex at best depending on the day. Their personalities are nearly polar opposites, so that doesn’t help. When Beth disappears from a party and shows up the next day claiming to be Veronica Green, a teen who was murdered years ago, Hazel is determined to uncover the truth. But she isn’t prepared for what she finds.
As a fan of possession stories, this premise piqued my interest. Is Beth really possessed? Is it a hoax? Hazel and a likeable group of friends track down clues and and connect the dots to uncover shocking secrets that some people hoped never saw the light of day. Their carefully constructed house of cards gradually collapses. I like comedy intermingled with horror, and the humorous lines amidst the killings and blood made me snort out loud occasionally. A couple of twists are a little predictable, but I sure had fun with a chase scene near the end that takes place at a roller rink/arcade set to the music of a popular 80s song.
Recommended for readers who enjoy revenge tales, horror infused with comedy, and complex family dynamics.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th! When Son #1 and his wife asked what Mike would like for Father’s Day, he said a weekend spent with them in Lexington. And that’s what we did. Our DIL organized a weekend filled with fun activities and yummy food. I think our son’s contribution was calling the winery to make sure it was open. If everything had been left to him, we’d have watched soccer games in a bar every day. Another big thanks to her!
Friday was hot – 95 degrees – when we toured Buffalo Trace Distillery. Fortunately we were able to stand in the shade most of the time when outdoors, and the buildings either had fans or A/C. Our DIL and I carried handheld fans which also helped. The last time we were at the distillery was for a wedding, and that’s been several years ago. As you can see from the photos, the grounds are beautiful. They’ve also opened a casual restaurant, and we had lunch after making several purchases in the gift shop – and I’m not talking tourist items. Some of the photos will give you hints.
Saturday we had a delicious brunch at The Kentucky Castle and just missed seeing a baby goat yoga class. After that we visited an adorable small town that’s almost exactly what I’d imagined as the setting for my WIP. I took numerous photos that I’ll upload to my WIP Pinterest page. That afternoon, we went to Talon Winery located outside of Lexington. We enjoyed tasting a variety of wines, and then shared a bottle outside under a covered pavilion. It was breezy, quiet, and peaceful – a perfect afternoon.
That evening we played putt-putt golf (I won – first time ever), arcade games (I flew a jet for Top Gun), then had dinner. Sunday morning we saw Toy Story 5 – which I highly recommend. The topic of this one is kids and screens – very timely. Last night Mike and I concluded July 4th weekend by watching a classic – Jaws. It’s the closest thing to a horror movie he’ll watch.
A fun-filled weekend! And now there’s laundry, groceries, work, and my long to-do list. *Sigh*.
I’ve got a promo and an author event later this week, but I’ll post about it on Wednesday. Have a great week!
Bond and I are off the rest of the week to spend time with family and friends. To my American friends, have a safe and happy holiday weekend. To my non-US friends affected by heatwaves, I hope you get cooling winds of relief and lots of cold drinks. See you next week!
The Three Ws are:
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
A young apprentice under a feared monster hunter, a heartfelt tale of found family and second chances, and a magical family who made a deal with the devil are this week’s selections.
I don’t dabble much in middle grade, but I’ve read prior YA sci-fi titles by this author that I really liked. I checked out the reviews for Monster and Apprentice before requesting it from NetGalley, and nearly all of them commented on the complex characters and heartwarming relationship between Rolan and Luc – that cinched it for me.
After a life on the streets Rolan is chosen to apprentice under a feared monster hunter to slay Cryptics—deadly magical creatures born of secrets in this middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of Witcher and Demon Slayer.
Rolan Strider has never belonged—not at school, not in the city of Crisanth, and definitely not in the life of his crime-lord father. So when he’s caught vandalizing one of the city’s lanterns—a serious offense in a world where darkness breeds monsters—he expects prison. Instead, he’s claimed by the Arcanist, a legendary warrior who hunts terrifying creatures born from the secrets people hide.
Dragged beyond the safety of the city, Rolan is forced to train under Luc’s harsh guidance—learning to read, fight, and wield Arcana, the strange power drawn from slain Cryptics. And for the first time, Rolan begins to feel at home.
But the beast Luc has been hunting for years is closer than Rolan ever imagined—and tied to his own past in ways that could destroy them both.
To survive, Rolan must face the truth, wield the power of the very secrets he fears, and decide who he wants to be in this action-packed an outlaw, a hero…or something else entirely.
My favorite trope is found family, and if it’s also yours, grab Ghostly Interference. It’s such a moving tale about forgiveness, loss, grief, and second chances. I enjoyed every minute of it.
Jag Peters works hard to keep his karma clean and his life peaceful.
Then a near miss with a red Harley leads him straight into a world he never expected—and to Rena Jett, a fierce beauty who meets life with armor instead of open arms.
Rena has survived loss, danger, and heartbreak. She doesn’t need a soft-spoken stranger complicating things. But when Jag reveals he can see the ghost of her brother, everything she believes is shaken.
Her brother’s last gift, a rune stone etched with the “happily ever after” symbol, may hold more power than she imagines.
As Jag and Rena are pulled closer by fate—and perhaps something magical—they must face the hardest truth of all.
Sometimes love finds us when we least want it… and exactly when we need it most.
I’ve seen comp titles of Succession, The Inheritance Games, and Knives Out mentioned with Our Wicked Gifts, and I’m a fan of all of them – which made this book irresistible to me. Reviews are strong, so I’m excited.
The daughter of a sinister magical family who made a deal with the devil must stop the man killing them off, one by one, in this deliciously dark fantasy thriller that’s House of Hollow meets Succession, laced with a kiss-or-kill romance.
Cicely is the black sheep daughter of the powerful Winter family, who made a deal with the devil in exchange for riches and ruthless magic. Soren is the boy her family banished to the underworld. Their fates intertwine when Cicely’s loathsome Uncle Dorian winds up dead at a masquerade ball.
Once overlooked for her lowly gift of discovering secrets, Cicely is now her family’s only chance at survival, tasked with finding the killer before he takes out every last Winter. With time running out, Cicely narrows her sights on Soren, who she suspects is back for vengeance.
Yet the more Cicely investigates Soren–and gets to know him–the more she begins to question how much family loyalty is worth. After all, when it comes to being a Winter, one can have love or power, but rarely both…
In this atmospheric sapphic horror, a troubled teen is sent to a remote therapy camp in the Appalachian wilderness, where she must unravel a mystery of deadly occurrences as she battles harmful visions of her abusive father, sinister motives, and a lurking monster.
Penny’s abusive father is dead…but she still hears his voice in her head, encouraging her to hurt those around her. She can’t go to school or be around her friends or even draw with a sharp pencil without her intrusive thoughts urging her toward violence. Desperate to get a handle on her OCD, she agrees to spend the summer at Camp Whitewood—an exclusive therapy retreat in the woods.
She feels optimistic when she arrives. The other girls all have their reasons for being there, which makes Penny feel a little less alone. But then she starts seeing things that can’t possibly be there: the gold watch her father was buried with, his favorite whiskey spilled on her cabin floor…a terrifying figure she calls the Shadow Man looming at the foot of her bed. Penny thinks she is losing her mind, but when a girl goes missing, and is later found dead, it’s clear that whatever is happening at Camp Whitewood isn’t all in her head.
As the hallucinations become increasingly intense and more girls wind up dead, Penny must work with whoever is left standing to figure out what is real before the Shadow Man uses their traumas against them and claims their lives.
This novel reads like a slasher movie while also dealing with themes of mental health and trauma.
Penny struggles with her OCD and dangerous thoughts of her deceased abusive father, but she’s hopeful she’ll get the help she needs at Camp Whitewood, an exclusive therapy retreat. Upon arriving at the camp she meets the counselors and other teen girls and almost immediately feels a connection. But things aren’t what they seem. Soon her father’s watch and his favorite whiskey are appearing – things that couldn’t possibly be there. Some of the girls go missing and are later found dead. Then there’s the Shadow Man. Penny’s summer takes a turn she didn’t expect.
With a secluded Appalachian wilderness setting and tales of a monster lurking in the forest, this story provides atmosphere in spades. You’ll wonder if what Penny sees is real or a hallucination. Some scenes feel more like a fever dream as the girls relive past traumas. I wondered if Penny was an unreliable narrator more than once.
I had trouble keeping some of the characters straight, so I appreciated the short chapters that gave a peek into their back stories. Although the teens haven’t known each other long, their bonds of friendship are strong. Fighting for your lives together solidifies those relationships pretty quickly. I rooted for all of them to make it – but that didn’t happen.
This is a heavy read, so I’d recommend checking out trigger warnings if there’s a concern. Recommended for readers who enjoy survival stories, 80s and 90s horror movies, and secluded settings.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
We finally got some much needed rain over the weekend and were fortunate none of the flash flooding affected us. You might have seen in the news that other parts of KY weren’t as lucky. This week brings a heatwave with predicted temps above 90 every day. Our air conditioner will be getting a workout.
Last week I discovered a printed copy of the first book I wrote – the one that will never be seen by a living soul besides me. I honestly thought I’d tossed it years ago. I flipped through it and lost count of the number of times I cringed. It was written before I read books on the craft and attended workshops and writer’s retreats. Most authors understand that feeling. I rarely look at my earlier books because I’ve grown and evolved as a writer since those words were written. Any of you authors come across something you hadn’t seen in years?
I almost didn’t apply to the Louisville Book Festival this year, but I decided to give it a shot since it’s most likely the last time I’ll attend because of the upcoming move. I was thrilled to receive an acceptance email over the weekend. It’s a festival that’s experienced some rough patches since its inception in 2020, but it’s finding its stride and adds new features every year. I’m glad I’ll get one more visit with them.
Have you watched The Sheep Detectives? It’s a fun movie Mike and I watched on Prime over the weekend. Many of the lines are laugh out loud funny, and we enjoyed trying to figure out the voices (the sheep talk) before I looked them up. Here’s a description: George Hardy is a shepherd who loves to read murder mysteries to his sheep, never suspecting that they can understand him. When George is found dead under mysterious circumstances, the sheep decide to solve the crime themselves, even if it means leaving their meadow for the first time and facing the fact that the human world isn’t as simple as it appears in books.
Stay cool and have a great week!
Two of my favorite things in life are naps and boxes. Napping in a box is… there are hardly words to describe the perfection. My usual napping spots are on my tower in front of the window (prime sunning in late afternoon), on top of the shelf in the bonus room (I can go undetected for hours), under the guest room bed, and in the closet on top of Mike’s clothes. He complains about the fur, but I don’t see what the big deal is. I wear cat fur all the time, and it’s never bothered me. But sometimes I like trying new snoozing places.
Bathtubs are good spots. It’s usually cool, private, and darker with the curtain drawn. If there’s a drip, I play with the water. Unfortunately, there’s no drip in this tub, but sometimes I drag my toys in with me. When I bat balls around in the tub, they roll right back to me, and I don’t have to chase after them. It’s all about energy conservation. It’s also an excellent place to hide when Teri drags out that monstrous contraption she runs across the floor.
Sometimes I nap in my carrier. Don’t judge me. This may seem wrong to you because when the carrier comes out, that means I’m going to the vet. Teri stores it in a closet upstairs, so if it’s in there, I know I’m safe. She keeps the door closed, but I can open it with my paw. My old blanket was replaced with a nice, fluffy red and black checked one made by Teri’s mom that’s nice to burrow in. When you think about it, the carrier is like a box. And what’s that saying? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?
Since so many of you enjoyed my joke last week, I’ll leave you with another one. What do you call a cat who loves bowling? An alley cat.
Bond out.
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Werth is trapped in what feels like a never-ending nightmare. She’s the only person onboard Aloha Airways Flight 1333 who’s stuck in a 28-minute time loop, one that repeats over and over again. During each loop, four things always happen:
1. The Internet goes out and the pilot warns of upcoming turbulence.
2. There are five minutes of moderate shaking.
3. A woman in the very last row collapses.
4. The plane tilts forward and begins to nosedive.
When Orion James –the cute boy who’s been asleep the entirety of each cycle– wakes, it triggers an alarming change in the events Evelyn has come to count on. As the two grow closer and learn to trust each other, they discover there’s more to the loop than they initially realized. They must discover the hidden clues, piece together the moving puzzle, and save everyone onboard –before it’s too late.
This novel feels claustrophobic – but that makes sense since the bulk of it takes place on a plane. It’s also repetitive – but what can you expect when the characters are stuck in a 28 minute time loop? To the author’s credit, a new element is added at each iteration, and by the nail-biting end, it’s nothing like I’d expected.
The action starts on page one when Evelyn’s in the middle of a loop she’s experienced hundreds of times. She’s tried different approaches including getting to know the passengers, questioning flight attendants, and changing her actions – some resulting in her being held down and secured with zip ties – but nothing prevents the plane from nosediving 28 minutes into the flight. None of the other passengers realize they’re in a time loop. Except for Orion.
Orion slept through most of the loops, but when he’s awakened, he experiences them along with Evelyn. Finally she has an ally to help her figure out what’s happening. With another set of eyes they soon discover details, some extremely dangerous, Evelyn missed. But then they realize time is running out. I enjoyed trying to puzzle things out and connect the dots along with them, but I didn’t uncover the truth any sooner than they did.
I felt the characters’ frustration, especially Evelyn’s, over how many times she experiences the same 28 minutes, and then the sense of urgency when she and Orion learn their time is limited. I appreciated the epilogue that wraps up unanswered questions. It’s normal to not be okay after experiencing trauma, and the story does an excellent job at getting that message across.
Recommended to readers who enjoy locked room settings, life or death stakes, and the movie Groundhog Day.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes…what was that, exactly?
Luc and Oliver have been through it all: fake dating to save Luc’s career, I-guess-this-is-actually-for-real dating when all of that blew up spectacularly, (briefly) breaking up over irreconcilable differences, (definitively) getting back together over perfectly reconcilable everything else, (almost) getting married, (finally) moving in together, and ultimately celebrating years of perfect domestic bliss.
But as all their very grown-up-now friends begin reaching new life milestones, advancing careers and having babies, Luc and Oliver decide it’s time to open their hearts and lives to something new: a tiny, squirming, adorable bundle of furry joy named Spud.
And maybe now that hearts-and-lives are already open, there’s room for someone else. Something more. Something that may require them to find in themselves a little father material.
I’ve found another family I’d love to join. If that’s not possible, being part of their zany friend group would suffice.
First, a big shoutout to Joe Jameson. He’s narrated all three audiobooks in this series and now ranks among my favorites. His voices are distinct and perfect for the characters.
I’ve watched Luc and Oliver through fake dating to dating for real, then almost getting married, to moving in together. Their relationship has been full of peaks and valleys but never short on love. Now they’re dipping their toes into the pool of parenthood by adopting a dog before they foster children. Spud is a perfect, adorable addition to the family. Luc questions whether he’ll be a good dog dad, but it’s not long before Spud wiggles his way into Luc’s heart.
And then Jasmine, a fourteen-year-old girl, is placed with them, and Luc and Oliver become foster parents. Talk about a pothole-filled road. She challenges them at nearly every turn, and their interactions with an obstinate teen are entirely realistic. Neither of their fathers were role models to speak of, so both men are kind of winging it. Luc knew he’d struggle as a parent, but it was also nice to see Oliver, who’s usually good at everything, flounder as well. No parent is perfect, but these flawed characters communicate and work their way through it, and that’s the best you can ask for.
This may be the final book of the series, and it’s been a delightful journey every step of the way with these characters. Between their diverse, loyal friend group, Luc’s mother Odile, her friend Judy and her dogs, and Luc’s eccentric co-workers, I’ll miss them like they’re family. Highly recommended for fans of flawed characters who steal your heart, found family, and disastrous dinner parties (trust me on this).
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Books and Such 