Pre-Order Event! Dangerous Desires

 

Get your spook on. This Halloween, unleash your darkest desires. From hot bodyguards to haunted prisons, demons and dungeon masters, here’s four exciting short stories that will bring you to your knees. 



Lifting The Veil by Ann Howes 

What’s a girl to do when she has a stalker and the man guarding her is a grumpy, scarred, even scarier member of the Russian Mafia?



Dead End by Celeste Archer

My husband, Caine, is allergic to fun, but I can’t pass up the opportunity to book tickets to the prison’s Death Nights at East State Penitentiary, and since he can’t deny me anything, I get more of a spooky, sexy adventure than I bargained for.



Sins, Secrets and Summoning by Siberia Johnson

Running from the mafia is a fate I can handle, but when a demon finds me alone in the woods, he offers a taste of the forbidden that I can’t resist.



Spooky Thrills by Dina Hawthorn

Stalking my Dom to uncover what he’s hiding from me seems like a good idea, until I end up in a castle full of masked, scary men who convince me to play a game.

(it will be available for free if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited)

0

Review: My Rogue to Ruin (The Wild Wynchesters, #4) by Erica Ridley

                                    

Print Length: 352 pages

Publisher: Forever, Grand Central Publishing (September 12, 2023)

From Goodreads.com: Lord Adrian Webb is a no-good, roguish, rakish scoundrel of the first order, which is why his father sends him to the Continent and cuts him off without a farthing. When (penniless) in Rome, what's a disgraced gentleman to do, but dabble in some light forgery? After all, better to leave the original works of art where they belong instead of some English snob's drawing room. But soon his scheme snowballs out of control, and a blackmailer is out to ruin him.

The Wynchester family is known for their daring capers to help those in need. Until now, Marjorie has always let her siblings take the lead when it comes to planning undercover work. But someone in London is trying to pass off counterfeits and this time she's the only one with the skill needed to find the culprit. Her investigations lead her straight to Lord Adrian Webb. But every time Marjorie thinks she's figured Adrian out, she learns something new that turns all her assumptions on their head. He's a sinner. A saint. A heartless scoundrel. A loyal brother. A liar. A good kisser. Er…wait… She can't afford to lose herself in the passionate embrace of a man she'll have to turn over to the magistrate as soon as the case is closed.

                                                         *******************

My Rating: 3 stars out of 5

This was a cute read, however I felt that it dragged on unnecessarily in areas that had nothing to do with the romance, which to me, made that aspect of the book feel rushed and a tad unbelievable. 

Adrian was notorious for being a rake, that was even the reason for his banishment, so the fact that he immediately decided to make sexual jokes upon meeting Marjorie was just a major turn off for me. I get it, he was trying to scare her off, but as the story went on and the innuendos continued, it made it harder and harder for me to believe that he had genuine feelings for Marjorie and wasn't just lusting after her. The fact that they seemed to jump from strangers to friends to being "in love" also didn't help. 

And while I enjoyed the idea of them being in cahoots to bring down the villain, the execution was just too far-fetched for me. 

To begin with. We are lead to believe that the villain has guards everywhere, and therefore knows everything about what goes on in his domain. Except after Marjorie is told she cannot leave the house, Adrian manages to get past the two guards stationed to watch them and into her room to find.... two of her siblings AND a goat. I'm still trying to figure out how that happened. Also there were moments when a bird was able to fly into the window to announce (and deliver) messages, but no one noticed? Or heard?

And not only that, but then random people (as elderly as they may look) start showing up in the alleyway to converse with the "prisoner" in the workshop and the sniper on the roof just lets it happen? Yeah, the elderly couple made their "intentions" known, but there is no way it didn't come across as odd for the sniper and something that should have been reported to the boss. 

Aside from those areas, this was a really cute read that I think will appeal to fans of this series, or those who enjoy rooting for the underdog (as these two definitely were). I would read more from this author! 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

                                                         *******************

                                               

                                            My Rogue to Ruin is available on Amazon.com

                              

0

Whatcha Reading Wednesday

In an effort to get to know my followers better, I am launching a new segment called Whatcha Reading Wednesday! Tell me all about the book currently on your kindle (or in your hand). Are you enjoying it? How far into it are you? Are you likely to continue, or will this be relegated to your did not finish pile? Have you read this author (or series) before? 

GENRE: Historical Romance PAGE LENGTH: 352 pages PUBLISH DATE: September 12, 2023 FORMAT: Kindle PERCENTAGE: 58% READ THIS AUTHOR: Yes READ THIS SERIES: Yes CURRENT THOUGHTS: This one is a little slower than I would like, and even though I'm a little over halfway finished, I'm not feeling a connection to the characters. It's a shame because I have read other books in this series (this being the fourth), and I enjoyed them more than I am this one. I am hoping that as I continue, either the story-line picks up more, or something changes in the relationship between our MCs because right now, I'm not feeling their connection either.

0

Review: Shannon's Rebirth (Nick Shannon Thrillers Book 8)

                                   

Print Length: 236 pages

Publisher: Joffe Books (September 11, 2023)

From Goodreads.com: No bad deed goes unpunished.

As a favour to his old friend Sir Gerald Campion, Nick Shannon is investigating the books at an advertising agency to make sure everything’s kosher — his first mistake.

His second is attending the company’s annual fete for clients, employees and their families. It’s a wholesome affair with a selection of rides and stalls selling homemade and artisan products.

But the merriment comes to a grinding halt when a gut-wrenching scream escapes from the ghost train. Nick races to the scene to find Bradley, a prominent client, slumped in a train car with a knife sticking out of his chest. His final, cryptic McLuhan .

Now Nick has two find a fraudster and catch a killer.

With his wedding fast approaching, Nick’s race against time becomes a high-stakes gamble, where each step could cost him dearly.

The key to solving the enigma lies within Bradley’s final McLuhan . But the closer Nick gets, the more danger he’s in. Now Nick is entangled in a deadly dance where every move could be his last.

                                                         *******************

My Rating: 1 star out of 5

When you look at the synopsis for this novel, the first thing that stands out is that it's purported to be "AN UTTERLY GRIPPING, ACTION-PACKED THRILLER THAT WILL HAVE YOU HOOKED." And well, considering the fact that I have been on a good run of bad luck when it comes to books lately, I knew I had to give this one a chance. After all, it promised to break the cycle of disappointing books right? 

And while I will admit that I haven't read any of the other books in this series before, I didn't feel like I had to in order to understand this one. All of the characters and their relationships were well defined enough that I felt the story definitely can be read as a stand alone. My problem with it? 

I was utterly bored reading it. 

Not only was there very little action, but there was just way too much info dumping and things being dragged on for absolutely no reason. Each time Nick entered a room we got a complete picture of what everything (and everyone) looked like right down to the minute details of the books on the shelves, or the color of the shoes they were wearing. The actual interviews consisted of Nick asking every single person not only about their role in the company, but exactly how that role was performed and all of the little details that it entailed. Now I get that this may eventually be important information for Nick to know, however, there was just so much information being dumped on the reader page after page, that I found myself starting to skim just to get it over with. 

Another thing that I found a little bit unbelievable is the fact that the police relied so heavily on Nick and what he and his team could uncover, even though they should have been the ones investigating not only the murder, but who was after Nick himself. And even when Nick gave them crumbs, they didn't press him for more until he was ready to divulge that information. It just didn't make sense. Added to that the fact that Nick pretty much thinks and speaks in "turns of phrase" I just found his character to be annoying. 

Now that being said, just because this one didn't work for me, I can see where it might appeal to others, either established fans of this series, or those who want to know every little detail about every little thing happening in the setting the book takes place in. It just wasn't for me.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

                                                         *******************

                                               

                                            Shannon's Rebirth is available on Amazon.com

                                             (for free if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited)

                              

0

Review: Murder in the Studio (D.I. Siv Drummond #5) by Gretta Mulrooney

                                  

Print Length: 269 pages

Publisher: Joffe Books (August 31, 2023)

From Goodreads.com: A victim who’s made her last mistake.

A killer hiding in plain sight.
Detective Siv Drummond faces her toughest case yet . . .

One Saturday morning, Detective Siv is called to Lansdown Court, a secluded little seaside community of artists, entrepreneurs and drifters. Where someone just committed the ultimate crime.

Behind the doors of Jem Calloway’s studio, the walls, the canvases, everything is stained red. With blood.

Slumped in Jem’s chair, there’s a dead woman. A knife plunged deep in her neck . She is Luanna Forbes , owner of the bijou gift shop next door.

Jem says he has no idea how she got there. He spent the whole night at a party, in a drunken haze. Detective Siv has her doubts. Because her sergeant was at the same party.

And something was eating Jem that night. A secret he couldn’t tell.

What — or who — made him hold his tongue?

Siv must break through a wall of silence to uncover the truth. But in a tight-knit community where blood runs thicker than water, she’s got her work cut out . . .

                                                         *******************

My Rating: 1 star out of 5

I don't do this often as I feel as though any book I am lucky enough to be granted an ARC for deserves my time and attention so that I can put together an honest review, but I had to send this one to the DNF shelf. 

After making it to 45% and being utterly bogged down by too many characters and way too many unnecessary details, I set it to the side and read something else before giving this one a second chance. And sadly? I still just could not get into it. There is a lot of jumping around between characters, and so many of them that I never really warmed up to any of them, or gotten a feel for them as anything but a two-dimensional figure. 

The plot, what little of it there was, seemed entirely way too slow for my tastes, but then I enjoy more action in my thriller novels than was given here. If you are already a fan of this series, or enjoy a great deal of detail in your stories, then you may enjoy this one more than I did and I encourage you to give it a shot. 

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

                                                         *******************

                                               

                                           Murder in the Studio is available on Amazon.com

                                             (for free if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited)

                              

0

Freebie Friday!

                                     

 Every other Friday, I will be sharing a (small) collection of books that I have added to my to-be-read pile. At the time of posting, all of these books will be FREE from Amazon (but I highly encourage you to double-check the price before you purchase as we all know how quickly these things can change). 

I don't know about you, but the first thing I notice about a book is the cover; if the cover doesn't catch my eye for one reason or another, I won't even bother looking for more details. In the spirit of this - all books will be linked BY their covers; simply click on one if it catches your eye to be taken to the appropriate link on Amazon. 

0

Review: The Lost Daughter (Ray Flowers #5) by Jane A. Adams

                                 

Print Length: 280 pages

Publisher: Joffe Books (August 30, 2023)

From Goodreads.com: Three years ago, Ashley Summers watched the love of her life drop dead in a supermarket car park. Now, her friends all say she needs to move on. Live her life. But she has no idea how . . .

Until she meets Tim Bennett. He’s kind, caring, like no one she’s dated before.

Ashley calls her family, eager for them to meet the new man in her life. She makes a date with them — a date she never manages to keep. Just like that, Ashley’s gone.

Distraught, the family turn to ex-detective Ray Flowers for answers. He doesn’t usually take missing persons cases. But this one’s personal.

Tim Bennett. The name makes Ray’s blood run cold. Tim is Ray’s friend and a happily married father of three.

Ashley’s new boyfriend isn’t who he says he is — and Ray will stop at nothing to hunt him down. But, little does he know, his adversary has eyes on him.

A chilling threat to Ray, and everyone he holds dear, is enough to stop him in his tracks.

This imposter’s taken Ashley. What on earth does he want with Ray?

                                                         *******************

My Rating: 2 stars out of 5

To begin with, I did not have to read any of the prior novels in order to understand the basics of this one, although I did find it a little annoying that the main antagonist was purported to be someone from his past come back to haunt him, and Ray's friend Nathan apparently has a somewhat sketchy past, but we aren't really given any more detail other than this. 

There were also a lot of secondary characters included in this novel, to the point that it sometimes became confusing as to who was who, and what their connection was to the story (as a matter of fact, one of the deceased people named I couldn't tell you what their original connection to the story was). 

I also had to suspend disbelief on more than one occasion. First when Paul was able to obtain a transfer when a psychiatric evaluation advised against it, then when he not only escaped from prison, but was able to make it look like not one, but two, prison officers helped him. 

Never mind the way certain scenes played out that ended with his re-capture after everything. You mean to tell me that after all of this. All of the killing and the scheming and using others, and evading police capture for so long he gets taken down like that? I definitely expected more drama, and perhaps a bigger fight when it came down to it so this felt lacking. 

At the end of the day I wasn't invested enough (or interested enough) in Ray to go back and read the books I have missed (even though they are available on KU) at this moment. 

Will I in the future? Maybe. But I also think this book will appeal to a lot of others and I encourage you if you are a fan of the series, or think this one is to your tastes, read it. Then let me know what you think.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

                                                         *******************

                                               

                                           The Lost Daughter is available on Amazon.com

                                             (for free if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited)

                              

0

Review: The Silver Scream by Roy Merkin , Spencer Charnas & Andrew Justin Smith

                                

Print Length: 159 pages

Publisher: Rare Bird Books (August 8, 2023)

From Goodreads.com: They say it’s hard getting into the movies…try getting out! Fresh from the cutting room floor,  The Silver Scream  exposes the bloodiest behind-the-scenes details of the most gruesome, shocking, true-crime tragedy of our time. Part autopsy, part grisly director’s “cut,” this is the only book with a comprehensive exploration inside the mind of America’s notorious, celluloid-obsessed, rock star turned cinema-copycat murderer, Spencer Charnas. Bayonet Award–winning television reporter Roy Merkin is the only storyteller in possession of the journals scrawled by disgraced psychotherapist Dr. Ian Black.  The Silver Scream  reconstructs, with unflinching detail, how fiction became fact, art imitated death, and the most horrific movie murders by the likes of Jason, Leatherface, Freddy, Michael, and the rest became real. Merkin courageously slashes open the ghoulish mind and tortured nightmares of Spencer himself, probing deeply, with razor-sharp precision. Learn how the box office created so many oblong boxes. Understand why this rock n’ roll heartthrob chose to stop so many human hearts.

                                                         *******************

My Rating: 2 stars out of 5

This is proving to be one of the hardest reviews I have had to write in a long time. Let me begin by saying that I am a HUGE fan of the band Ice Nine Kills. I love their music videos and the way they are telling an entire story within their recent discography. In fact, I was so excited for this book to come out that I pre-ordered the hardcover back in May. 

When I first read the buzz around this novel, I thought it was going to be an in depth look into the murders, potentially leading up to Spencer's arrest, while managing to plant the seed of doubt into the readers mind as to just whether or not he was actually guilty. After all, a pretty face, charming personality, and a lot of money can make people overlook a lot of things. 

When I finally got my hands on it, I dove right in, eager to see what awaited me. 

And what that was... well a mess. 

On one hand, we did get a deeper insight into Spencer's psychologist Dr. Ian Black, but it was one that I could have done without. His jealousy of a fellow psychatrist just for being published, coupled with his misogynistic views of women and his blatant using of Spencer to try and get his own book deal, did not endear the character to me. In fact, I liked him better in the music videos. 

However, I think being a fan of the band also hindered my enjoyment of this one because... 

***SPOILER ALERT***

Basically? The entire book was just a re-telling of the music videos. I wish I was kidding, but that is what it was. Dr. Black takes on a new "rock star client" who is being plauged by horrific "nightmares". Nightmares that he recounts with shocking detail in each session. 

***END SPOILERS***

Sure it was fun seeing the subtle nod to different horror movies and the play on character names (Otis Spaulding was a particular favorite of mine), and also the way they were able to incoprporate former band members as well as the reason for them leaving (In my opinon having "Julio" killed off, but describing his body as laying "motionless in white" was genuis).

There was also the scene that took place in a radio station that was new (unless it is a spoiler for the new song that is going to be released in October) that was interesting, but other than that? 

Sadly, I found myself.... getting bored. I mean what is the point of reading a story when you already know what happens? There was nothing new or surprising about any of the "dreams", nor was the ending a surprise (although I will say if they decide to move forward with a second book, this one perfectly set it up). 

On the whole, is it a fun piece of INK merch to have? Absolutely. Will I read it again? Probably not. Would I buy a sequel? *shrugs* Maybe. But NOT as a pre-order. I would definitely wait and look at some of the reviews before deciding whether or not to buy it. 

DISCLAIMER: I have since loaned the book to my mother who is NOT familiar with the music videos and have asked her to give me her opinon on it once she has finished reading it. I am curious to see if she will enjoy it more than I did. 

                                                         *******************

                                               

                                                The Silver Scream is available on Amazon.com

                              

0

Sneak Peek! Back in Black by Julie Ann Walker

        

Title: Back in Black

Author: Julie Anne Walker
Genre: Romantic Suspense

Tour Hosted by: Inkslinger PR

 A secret identity mixed in with forced proximity on top of red-hot chemistry? What could go wrong?

The Black Knights are back and better than ever!

FBI agent Grace Beacham is on the run. After an operation to bring down a Russian disinformation campaign goes sideways and ends in her partner’s death, the Kremlin has sent its most notorious assassin to kill her. Not knowing who to trust inside the Bureau, Grace is forced to call on the one man who might be able to save her. The one man she hasn’t been able to forget.

BKI operative Hunter Jackson walked away from Grace Beacham three years ago. And he hasn’t looked back. But when his cell phone suddenly jangles to life with Grace on the other end begging for his help, he doesn’t hesitate to ride to her rescue.

Grace is no stranger to men like Hunter. Men who are devastatingly attractive and in love with their perilous professions and no-strings-attached lifestyles. As the two of them go off-grid to uncover the truth behind what happened on her last assignment, she fears her life might not be the only thing on the line. With Hunter, her heart could be in danger too.

“Some nights are so dark the dawn seems impossible.”

The words Grace Beacham’s father spoke to her that awful evening her husband filed for divorce came back to her as she used the outdoor spigot to wash the blood from her hands. Hands so shaky she could barely perform the task. Hands so pale the brightness shining from her lit cell phone screen made the skin appear translucent. She could see her veins snaking beneath her flesh like holding a leaf up to the sunlight.

Her father had been talking about the depths of her despair and the weight of her failure. But now she felt the simple truth of his words.

If she believed that text message , this moonless night may very well be her last.

Rubbing her wet hands on her thighs, she snatched her phone off the ground and forced herself to look at the screen again. Hoping the text had magically disappeared.

No such luck.

 Who would think six little words could have terror weighing her down until her body felt like a bag of wet concrete?

Orpheus is hunting you. Run. Hide.

Amazon | Apple Books |  Barnes & Noble | Kobo | BAM!

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Julie grew up in a house full of women – she has three older sisters. As you can imagine, there was no lack of drama… or romance. Her mother enrolled her in a book club as soon as she began to read and it was the small spark that ignited her voracious appetite for the written word.

Because of Julie’s early immersion in literature, she found writing came quite naturally. In high school, she won multiple writing contests and was the proud senior editor of The Tiger’s Tale – her school newspaper. 

During her college years, however, she longed for a challenge. “Reading and writing felt like second nature to me, so I looked for a way to flex my mental muscles,” she recalls. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree, Julie began teaching advanced high school mathematics.

 “I loved working with the students and facing the challenges of the classroom, but I longed for the occasional snow day when I could race to the local book store, buy two or three new novels, and curl up in front of the fire to read.

It wasn’t until a fortuitous move to Chicago that Julie once more returned to her first passion.

Now Julie loves to travel the world looking for views to compete with her deadlines. When she’s not writing, she enjoys camping, hiking, cycling, cooking, petting every dog that walks by her, and… reading, of course!

 Website | Facebook | Twitter | Bookbub | Instagram | Newsletter

0