BOOK REVIEW: Hemlock by Kiersten Modglin

 
3 Stars

Forget the book description:  

    She thought she’d escaped her poisonous past…
    Thirteen years ago, Maggie Ellis left her small town and vowed to never return. In her rearview mirror were two men she loved and an ominous secret that would forever haunt her.
    Now, tragedy has brought her back, and she’s determined to forget that fateful night. But in a town like Myers, with familiar faces and chilling memories lurking around every corner, moving on is easier said than done.
    Before the ink can dry on the closing documents for her new residence, Maggie begins to feel unsettled. In every room, there’s the unmistakable sensation she’s being watched. The strange sounds, odd smells, and bizarre occurrences only add to her paranoia.
    There’s something sinister about her new home…
    When she discovers the devastating truth about the house and its grim history, Maggie’s worst fears are realized. In order to survive, she must unearth the secrets she’d always planned to keep buried.
    After all, they say that home is where the heart is, but as Maggie knows, home is also where the skeletons lie.
    Seamlessly blurring the edges between psychological thriller and romantic suspense, million-copy bestselling author Kiersten Modglin brings us a dark and twisted romantic thriller, perfect for fans of Verity, Tell Me Lies, The Ghost Writer, and YOU.

Because it is misleading. If your impression was ‘haunted house suspense story,’ well know that’s only a small aspect of the book.  I went into this thinking it was a mystery/suspense so I went in blind, and if you like to go into stories that way, skip my review. But if content and genre matters, keep reading.

What this book serves up is romantic suspense with just a side helping of mystery. Calling it a psychological thriller is a huge stretch.  And before romance readers get too excited about it, it’s best to also know this is first and foremost, a love triangle drama. Given all the men in the protagonist’s orbit and the angst surrounding them, that should be disclosed in the blurb. It’s such a huge foundation of the story.

On the plus side, because it’s more romance than mystery, it’s more character driven than many mysteries that are solely plot driven. On the downside, the characters are…well best to break them down.

Upon her mother’s passing, Maggie returns to her hometown and uses her inheritance money to buy the house she always adored. Once she gets there, she finds that it needs more work than she remembered and that the two men she left behind aren’t so far away. Told via Maggie’s first person POV, the chapters alternate between the past (13 years prior) and the present, where really not a lot has changed.

Thirteen years ago, back in college, Maggie is going to confess her feeling to her childhood best friend, Clayton. But his big break into showbiz comes a calling before she gets the chance. When he returns to town a few months down the road with a fiancé, Maggie is hurt and takes the local bartender, Tucker, up on his offer to make Clayton jealous.

For a romance, Maggie and Tucker’s ‘fake’ dating is cute and they have a good rapport with each other. I definitely felt the romantic vibes and relationship building with them.  Tucker is a sweetheart!  I was rooting for him from very early on…until I wasn’t sure he didn’t deserve better than Maggie, who was just too far up Clayton’s butt.

Holy wishy-washy Maggie. I went from liking her, to wanting to shake some sense into her, to wanting to slap her silly.  While I could give her some leeway with not seeing things when she was younger, by the “present,” she was old enough and lived enough that she should have clued in. It’s not like Tucker wasn’t spelling it out for her. And if Maggie could have read people better, she wouldn't have even been in a love triangle in the first place. She also could have saved herself a lot of heartache by simply communicating effectively with these men.  The 13-year gap in the timelines just makes the whole thing pathetic and problematic. 

Clayton was both a tool and a doofus.  And the more the story progressed, the more I couldn’t stand him and by extension was getting beyond annoyed with Maggie for indulging him. And then throw in appearances from Maggie’s ex-boyfriend, Nick, who she broke up with before coming home, and there's more relationship drama and distractions from the house mystery.

The majority of the novel is just that—love triangle drama. That’s not to say the story doesn’t deliver some twists, because it does.  But as far as a thriller goes, it’s really not one. Her creepy house is not just a slow burn mystery, but basically on the back burner for more than half of the book. There are some eerie vibes regarding the house and the backstory was unsettling, though ultimately not explored enough especially after its connection is revealed. There's also some missed opportunity to develop the mystery/suspense, and I don’t mean the supernatural kind because I was more than fine without it. Ultimately, the ending felt abrupt and rushed, and there really wasn’t enough comeuppance. 

Anyone reading for the “romance,” here's the safety details:

This one is tricky since it's a love triangle spanning over a decade, but here goes: Maggie and Clayton (thankfully) never hooked up. Clayton has a kid with his fiancé. Maggie and Tucker hook up once in the past and then again in the present. Believing Maggie has left him for Clayton in the past, Tucker (set up by Clayton) is with his professor. Maggie catches them and this ends the past relationship. During the 13-year separation, Nick is her boyfriend for 5 years; they lived together a few months. No rape or sexual abuse. HEA between Maggie and Tucker.

GOODREADS

*Title borrowed from the library’s e-loan app. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions.

BOOK REVIEW: We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough

 3 Stars

Following her recuperation from an accident that left her in a near death coma, Emily and her husband, Freddie, seek solitude in a quiet English town on the moors where Freddie has purchased a large property for her remaining recovery. But despite the isolation of the landscape, Emily soon senses they are not alone.

Told via Emily and Freddie’s 1st person POV as well as some 3^rd person chapters from the raven—yes, really the bird, this is a supernatural suspense/haunted house story with distinct element of gothic.  As you might guess, there’s also plenty of Poe references. It’s a slow build and not so much a whodunit as ‘who is haunting their abode.’

While it’s certainly not a romance, marriage and relationship (specially relationship struggles) is a strong theme driving the plot. In fact, given the couples in this book, I don’t think anyone would want to run out and get married after reading it.

For the most part, I found Emily fairly rootable. She’s not without her flaws, but I sympathized with some of her issues. Freddie, on the other hand, what a pathetic douche.  He becomes utterly reprehensible for numerous reasons.  Also, their friends were rather flat and not likeable. They definitely needed to be better developed as did a few plot points (i.e. the cause of her accident). 

The story kept me engaged, but I didn’t have any big reveal or ‘aha’ moments. While the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of the goings-on isn’t too obvious, I could figure it out as it went along.

All in all, an interesting spin on the haunting part of the tale, but otherwise the mystery is just okay and the characters are hardly sympathetic people.    

GOODREADS

*Title borrowed from the library’s e-loan app. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions. 

BOOK REVIEW: Hate You (Rebel Ink #1) by Tracy Lorraine

 

4.25 Stars

Unbeknownst to his upper-class family, Zack Abbot owns Rebel Ink, a chain of tattoo studies in the UK and US.  While he’s out of town, his staff at his home shop in London hires a new receptionist, and she’s everything he doesn’t think he wants or needs.

“You’re everything I hate in a woman. Everything I’ve tried to leave behind. Yet you’re here. Tempting me. Driving me crazy.”

An art grad student, Tabatha Anderson wants to escape her parent’s elite and snobbish life. But Zack’s too blinded by his distain for what he thinks she represents to get to know her…well until he starts to get to know her in other ways.

It’s not short on steam, which is plus. And the pair definitely have chemistry. It’s a love-hate romance so their interactions are both heated and combative.  

“Everything’s fair in love and war, Kitten.”

Told via their alternating first person POV, Zack struggles with emotional attachment and social class hang-ups and takes it out on Tabitha. And while she doesn’t take his crap, especially in the beginning, I would have liked to see her push back more as things progressed and it continued. There’s alpha and then there’s anger management issues and Zack had both. Though he does thankfully grow as a character and begins to open his eyes. I was kinda surprised when they were both stated to be 27 since their issues of finding their identity and accepting themselves seemed more representative of 18–24-year-olds rather than late 20s.

Never the less, I did like both characters as well as the supporting ones too. I’m interested in reading about the other guys in the shop who were all sweeties to Tabby. I hope the series continues some unresolved plot points with Tabatha’s life (i.e. her parents) that seemed like it got brushed over in the epilogue.  One last note, I also gotta say, Zack’s mom was a saint when it comes to his family.

Finally, major points on the realistic cover art! I loathe these cartoon covers that have taken over the adult romance market (like don’t even get me started) so it was refreshing to see a real person/model who reflects the character.

Safety Recap:

Safe. No cheating. No sex scenes between OP.  OM/OW drama: Minor—h goes on a few dates with a friend of the H’s (though unbeknownst to her). Nothing happens between them. They ultimately end up friends. H takes a “date” to an event. They are actually long-time platonic friends (her deceased brother was a friend of his) and while the first time “OW” meets the h she implies they slept together in jest, once she knows H is into the h, she actually encourages him to pursue h/give her a chance. Past history: h is not a virgin; H was not into commitment before the h/no prior serious relationship, just casual, but didn’t come off as a big manwhore either. No rape or sexual abuse. HEA.

 GOODREADS

*E-book purchased from Amazon.. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions.

BOOK REVIEW: Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston

 

4 Stars

Camille Baybliss wants out of her marriage. But to be free of her controlling husband she has to find evidence of his bad deeds.

Aubrey Price wants justice for her parents who were killed in a car accident ten years prior.  The man convicted insists he’s innocent and believes there’s evidence to prove it.

Camille and Aubrey’s paths cross as their opposite worlds begin to come together, intensifying after Camille’s husband, Ben, is found murdered.  

But are they allies or alibis?

This book pulled me in right from the start. I didn’t have any problem getting into it, and it had an engaging premise.

As far as the characters went, I liked Aubrey, Deacon, and Hank (Ben’s law partner).  While Aubrey and Camille are presented as the focus of the story, Hank is really the one who serves in a type of detective role for this mystery. I can’t honestly say though that I understood what he saw in Camille. She just came across as naïve and privileged. Nice but lacking substance. She’s essentially a doormat heroine who seemed like she stuck her head in the sand most of her life.

I wish Ben would have been better developed. For the most part, I believe the intention was for him to be a jerk, which he was. But then some of the flashback scenes made him a little more sympathetic and I had to wonder if he and Camille had just communicated better….well then part of the mystery wouldn’t exist. (The fact that she walks out when he finally seems to be giving her answers made her particularly frustrating.)

On that note, there are some cliched tropes sprinkled throughout the novel. It’s annoying when characters know there’s a threat, yet they are too trusting/not suspicious when they should naturally be on guard.

The story isn’t super twisty.  While the end did come full circle to the title and had a good closing line, it also felt a little abrupt and wrapped up quickly.

The romance reader in me would have like to have seen Aubrey and Deacon’s relationship more fleshed out. (You can take that literally too.) They had good chemistry and a little steam to the novel might have helped make up for the somewhat anticlimactic reveals on the mystery end.

The non-linear story is told via Camille, Aubrey, Hank, and Ben’s first-person point of view alternating from the past and the present, both before and after the murder.

GOODREADS

*Title borrowed from the library’s e-loan app. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions.

BOOK REVIEW: Classified as Murder by Miranda James

 

4 Stars

Librarian, widower, and proud cat owner Charlie Harris has a week off work, but between his son’s sudden arrival and a request from one of the library patrons to assist with a private collection project, his time is quicky filling up. Wealthy rare book collector James Delacorte thinks someone in his household might be stealing from him so he enlists Charlie’s help to inventory his rare collection. But when James is found dead, Charlie has both a book and a killer to find.  

Though #2 in the series, this is my first Cat in the Stacks mystery. I didn’t have any trouble following though so it can be read as a standalone. The amateur detective protagonist was likeable as were the supporting characters and the pets. The cast of suspects were eclectic and entertaining, adding a touch of humor to the story.  It’s a cozy mystery so it’s light-hearted.  

I enjoyed the story. It kept me engaged even if there weren’t any real twists. I did feel like the resolution was abrupt, and there were some plot points that I would have like to have seen materialize better. I assume they continue in future books, but still felt there should have been more closure since they were introduced in this one.

With 17 books in the series to date, I’ll probably check another one out, even if it’s not a must-read series for me.

GOODREADS

*Title purchased from Barnes & Noble. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions.

BOOK REVIEW: Haunting America: The Making of Myth and Legend by Karen Stollznow

 

3.75 Stars

If you’ve watched Netflix’s Files of the Unexplained episode on the Myrtles Planation then you’ve come across author Karen Stollznow, and that’s how I came upon this book. I liked the way she infused historical accuracy into the haunted tales. While I can certainly appreciate a good ghost story as well as a place that emits an eerily haunting aura (Halloween is one of my favorite holidays), I’m also in the skeptic category and have limited patience for cheap gimmicks or misleading and manipulated narratives with an agenda, which some of these locales perpetuate. 

This book explores 8 supposedly haunted sites, many of which claim they are the “most haunted.”🙄 While some of the ghost stories and folklore may have come about more organically, others are clearly purposeful propaganda, part of a business plan to make money rather than understand the past and the people associated with it.  Each chapter relates the circulated myths, folklore, urban legends, and ghost stories about the locations and then details what historical records actually reveal. It's a bit of compare and contrast, and often there’s a big discrepancy. Personally, I found the realities more interesting and certainly more informative than the myths or, in some cases, tired old haunted theatrics, distorted facts, and the power of suggestion. Truth is, as Twain once asserted, stranger than fiction.

This title is a needed addition—call it a voice of reason—in a world where misinformation and "fake news" runs rampant. History can be lost or distorted. And some of these places certainly have their sights set on rewriting it, if they haven’t already.

The title’s intent is a solid five stars; the execution a three. The book could certainly benefit from an editor and professional formatter. The infamous Alcatraz escape is incorrectly listed as July instead of June. There are distracting punctuation and quotation mark errors throughout. Pagination doesn’t align with typical publishing standards. Photo captions are sometimes disconnected from the photo. For the price and given this is its second printing/edition, I’d expect better quality.

In addition, the narrative could be clearer in places. For instance, each chapter begins with the reported story and then leads into the more verifiable information and historical accuracy. Basically, Stollznow repeats the myth and then debunks it. However, it would be beneficial to more clearly designate the claims with “according to legend…” or “the ghost stories told say…” to better differentiate what the general public and tourists have been told to believe from what historical records and science indicate really happened.  

Locations discussed include Alcatraz, Coral Castle, The Lemp Mansion, The Myrtles Plantation, The San Antonio Railroad Tracks, Silver Cliff Cemetery, Wavery Hills Sanatorium, and the Winchester Mystery House. Before visiting any of them and hearing their supernatural tales, this would be a handy guide to read first. If nothing else, it's a reminder to always look deeper, research, and think critically about your surroundings. 

GOODREADS

*Paperback purchased from Barnes & Noble. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions.

BOOK REVIEW: Broken Plea: The Explosive Search for Truth Behind the Idaho Murders by Christopher Whitcomb

 

4.5 Stars

To date, this is really the only reliable book on the Idaho Murders.

Based on unredacted law enforcement reports, court files, (particularly the prosecution’s discovery which was turned over at plea), and unredacted crime scene photos along with interviews of sources named (defense forensic expert Dr. Brett Turvey is interviewed) and anonymous, retired FBI agent Christopher Whitcomb walks readers through the case, the players, the evidence, or lack thereof, with the benefit of his years of law enforcement expertise, explaining investigative concepts and theories along the way. The tone of the book never feels sensational nor does the author approach the subject matter for shock value. That’s not to say there isn’t shocking details to be explored.

-Posed bodies with post-mortem abuse;

-Hair not matching the accused in victims' hands and beds; 

-Bloody crime scenes absent of a blood trail;

-A knife sheath with serious chain of custody issues that may or may not belong to the never located murder weapon but changes positions nonetheless;

-A lab that delivered not the accused name after DNA analysis, but the (undisclosed) name of four brothers unrelated to the accused;

-A prosecution expert who believed the accused streaked through the multi-floor college residence, dodging a beer pong table in the nude waving a knife… or two?

-A police force who took speed reenacting to a new level, madly dashing through the now conveniently torn down house to try to prove a quadruple homicide could be completed in their tight timeline. (Spoiler alert: It can’t be duplicated.)

“It did not happen in four minutes. The prosecution’s narrative makes no sense whatsoever….” (199). -Dr. Brett Turvey

-Two in-the-house-at-the-time-of-the-murders roommates who heard nothing and everything but saw their unconscious roommate on the floor in her underwear and yet waited 8 hours to call for help while they scrolled social media and played with photos and videos.

This is a must read for not just true crime followers, but anyone who ever caught a snippet of this case on the news. Because what’s largely been reported in the mainstream media has been more fantasy than fact and more biased than accurate.

Thankfully this book doesn't emit any grifter vibes. Instead, it feels more whistleblower, bringing to light things that have been largely buried and ignored that shouldn't have been because they were critical to the integrity of the case.

“In this era of crowd-sourced inquiry, is it not our obligation to point out gaping holes in the prosecution’s narrative, and in lieu of a trial, look deeper?” (418).            -Christopher Whitcomb

Did one stranger who seemingly never knew the King Road residents existed brutally attack, stab, beat, and strangle four victims in a multi-story unconventional layout party house on Homecoming night in less than ten minutes or was this the work of multiple perpetrators with multiple weapons and a grudge, grievance, and plan to muddy the crime scene and confuse the investigators?

Those seeking the truth can only hope that someone finally digs deep enough to unearth what really happened November 13, 2022, that a day will come when there’s more answers than questions, when integrity and justice matter more than a university’s reputation. Until that time, this book is the first to help set the story straight, or at least as untangled as any case can be when witnesses with inconsistent and contradictory narratives were never interrogated, where law enforcement made obvious and blatant mistakes, and when reasonable doubt continues to mount.

"In this case, there was no Johnnie Cochran" (423). -Christopher Whitcomb

GOODREADS

*Hardcover purchased from Barnes & Noble. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions.

BOOK REVIEW: The Only One Left by Riley Sager

 

5 Stars

Taking care of the town’s very own Lizzie Bordan is the last job Kit McDeere wants, but since her last home care giver position ended in her being the accused, she doesn’t have a whole lot of job prospects. So to the site of a triple murder she reluctantly goes to fill the shoes of the previous caregiver who disappeared into the night. Kit can certainly understand why her predecessor might have abandoned her post in a house where fifty-four-year-old blood stains still reside on the carpet. But the personal belongings that still occupy her room is puzzling and a bit unsettling, though not nearly as much as the strange noises and unexplained motion coming from a mute invalid’s room in the middle of the night.

Hand taps and a typewriter are Kit and Miss Hope’s only means of communication so when the elderly and disabled ostracized socialite offers to confide in Kit the decades old mystery that still haunts her and the town, Kit quickly gets drawn in and so did I.

To me, this is one of those mystery gems. It captures the elements of gothic and offers an intriguing collection of curious characters who might also be suspects in the creepy going-ons at Hope’s End in an engaging suspense story that’s well paced with many twists and reveals that keep you guessing and reevaluating what exactly is going on both in 1929 when the origional murders took places as well as in the novel’s 1983 present when Kit arrives.

The setting is done well, both the subtle cultural references to 1983 sprinkled in the descriptions, never forced or shoved down the reader’s throat, and the dilapidated cliff-side mansion tilting into the Maine coastline and crumbling from the weight of its secrets, a symbolic manifestation of its occupants of outcasts whose broken lives of repressed traumas have them tilted on their own axis. Meanwhile, Miss Hope’s 1929 typings provide a story within the story as she relates the house’s sordid history, a gothic gilded age soap opera.

Both decades emit vibes of Poe and Hitchcock and if Netflix hasn’t scooped up the rights to this one for Halloween, then they’re sorely missing out because it would come to life even more on screen.

This was an easy five stars. I didn’t even have to think about what to rate it as I enjoyed it right down to the final page. It’s one of those books where you savor the whole journey even as you are drawn into the mystery that has you turning pages to gather more clues and try to solve the who-done-it. 

GOODREADS

*Title purchased from Barnes & Noble. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions.

~Also by the Author~

Book Review

BOOK REVIEW: The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

 3 Stars

Widow and actress Casey Fletcher has taken refuge, though she’s also kind of been banished, to the family lake house after her career tanks.  While I get why her family and friends feel she needs to be out of the public’s eye for a while, I kept scratching my head why they’d leave a woman with a drinking problem basically secluded with access to alcohol. Because her drinking is really out of hand. And one can only read about the protagonist taking another drink so many times before it starts to feel like the book has a drinking game built in for the reader.

If you’re not getting drunk alongside Casey, you’ll probably notice the slow build. And the fact that Casey’s inebriated state is the main thing helping some of the suspension of disbelief with this story.

The premise isn’t original, so it doesn’t have that going for it.  Bored and drunk most of the time, Casey finds entertainment spying on the new neighbors after acquiring a savior complex for the wife.  

The initial mystery had promise, but I’ve got a beef about bait and switch marketing. A book with paranormal elements should be indicated in the description or genre listing. And while I didn’t hate the supernatural elements of the plot, I would have much preferred a fully real-world suspense. While the story is entertaining and has a positive ending which I enjoyed, it would be a much better mystery without the paranormal. Not only did it open the door to another realm so to speak, it also opened the door to some plot holes, if not silliness.

Luckily, I inadvertently bought two books by this author only a few days apart. This was my first read and it was okay, but the next one (see below) was the real prize. 

GOODREADS

*Title purchased from Marshalls. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions.

~Also by the Author~

Book Review

BOOK REVIEW: Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose

3 ‘Meh’ Stars

On the heels of reading You Shouldn’t Have Come Here, I decided to check out other titles by the author. I couldn’t resist the cool VHS tape cover of Home Is Where the Bodies Are and the premise sounded promising.  But, as the saying goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Instead of a suspense-thriller like the cover suggests, this story is bogged down by dysfunctional family drama as three thirty-something siblings gather following the passing of their mother only to discover that their family mementos include home videos of a dead body, a scene which their parents appear complicit in.  The opening chapters of the mother dying are depressing, and the rest is a lot of sibling resentment and squabbles.  The adult children do not solve the mystery; they just stumble through it. There are flawed characters and then there’s just face in your palm characters and these fall in the latter category—especially the parents. By the end, they were reprehensible.

Speaking of the recently departed mother, her chapters were particularly cringey to get through. The attempts to paint a picture of 1999 was not only blatantly forced but led to awkward narration that didn’t resemble how a person would talk or think in the moment. Not to mention some of the cultural references were off. It was painfully clear this was not written by a Gen Xer who knew the decade firsthand, but by someone younger trying to pretend like they did.

For the record, people weren’t walking around in 1999 describing what other people were wearing while also pointing out technology (by brand name to boot) that coincidentally was going to be obsolete in twenty years. And moms sure weren’t standing around taking selfies with their bestie neighbor because they would have known those doubles they were promising to get would be a waste of film processing since cameras of that decade were not designed to be used that way and thus, aside from a lucky shot, it didn’t turn out. Oh and teenagers weren’t knocking on doors asking for someone to come out and play. (Not ‘hang out’ or ‘go do something’, or even ‘play [insert sport]’ but plain old childlike “play” as if they were six.)

To say the book could be researched better is a bit of an understatement especially when you also factor in the inaccuracies with everything from safety deposit boxes to the inheritance process.

All in all, while the plot had potential, it fails in execution.  The mood lacks suspense and thrill. The characters don't exactly come across as people you can really root for. And the ending message of forgiveness felt like it belonged more in a hokey but misogynist Sunday church sermon than a supposed thriller novel with a broken and bloody VHS tape cover.

It would be like seeking forgiveness for Jason Voorhees. 😱 

GOODREADS 

*Title borrowed from library. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions.

~Also by the Author~

Book Review

BOOK REVIEW: You Shouldn't Have Come Here by Jeneva Rose

    It sure has been a while 

    (*dusts off the cobwebs* surveys the clean-up needed*) 

    Well one thing at a time. 

    Speaking of time, I don't really have enough to vet a new romance read so I walked into a bookstore, headed for the mystery section, read a few back covers, and otherwise (aside from checking POV—gotta be 1^st for me) went in blind, something I can’t do with romance. 

    Maybe it’s because it’s been a while since I’ve picked up a novel for leisure, yet alone a mystery/suspense, but this one wasn’t like how I remembered them. The formula was different. Or maybe times have finally changed. Regardless, I had no intent to start writing reviews again. I got into that [reviews and blogging] for fun, but it became more like work, and a time suck which ate into more important priorities. Women have enough unpaid labor in the world, so I took a break. (*glances at the time stamp on the last post*) Okay a long break. But here I am again. I finished the book and my fingers were itching on the laptop keys. Some girls just have itches we gotta scratch. Mine is words. So here goes.  With this long of an introduction, I’ll try to make it quick. (But that’s probably a lie.)

4.5 Stars

You Shouldn’t Have Come Here was on a table in between the mystery section and the romance section. Was it a romantic suspense? I pondered even as I neared the last quarter of the novel.

Or was it gonna be a suspense thriller? 

It’s suspense for sure with a theme of things are not as they seem.

The mystery is in the genre, and it’s a slow build mystery, one that simmers longer than Grace’s brussels sprouts or Calvin’s hotdogs and beans. There are hints of menace in the background as our dual first-person narrators explore their push and pull relationship that has an expiration date, always front and center in their minds as well as the readers as the book sections count down the days of her stay.

Do they overcome their obstacles and ride off into the metaphorical sunset? Only the final pages would tell so I’ll dance around this a little more. Besides, I was getting ahead of myself.

Grace Evans threw a dart at a map and booked her yearly vacation at an Airbnb ranch in Wyoming. Before she even gets there, the creepy encounters begin. And they only continue to pile up once she’s settled in. Are they coincidences? Or simply Grace’s nagging paranoia? She is a fish out of water, a NYC banker in the remote west where wild animals outnumber the people in population. But the locals aren’t short on problems. There’s Calvin’s brother who has as many hang-ups and resentments as he has had drinks. As well as Calvin’s pseudo mother and wanna-be girlfriend, both of which aren’t subtle with their opinion that an outsider like Grace doesn’t belong.

Grace certainly experiences some culture shock as her host’s friends, family, and nature begin crawling out of the woodwork. As does a lot of new vacation experiences that aren’t exactly Instagram worthy.  But she mostly takes it in stride, projecting her cool city confidence with this insular crew.

I gotta admit, I’m not sure if the author intended for some of the drama that ensues to be humorous or not, but I got a kick out of it while I played armchair detective and psychologist, analyzing which characters might be psychos and which might only be small town crazy.  As a result, it kept me turning pages.  I was also torn between wanting to see Grace and Calvin emerge unscathed and get together (the romantic in me) and wanting a good twisted thriller (the horror movie fan in me).

There’s, of course, the business with the missing girl, which makes the Sheriff a frequent guest even if he’s not booking a reservation.  And what skeletons are lurking in everybody’s guarded past?

All I’m gonna say is that the novel delivers the promised twists. And while I considered most possibilities, I was still surprised at the ultimate reveals.  I want to praise not just the execution of the ending, but also the way it broke the mold. There are enough helpless heroines in literature, and thankfully Grace isn’t one of them. A one-time feminist literary theory student, I closed the book with a sense of satisfaction. Though I’ll admit, I craved a bonus chapter with Dubois’s reaction. This would make a good limited-episode binge-watch Netflix kind of movie.

 Romance Safety:  

In the end, it is a suspense thriller.  But because there is a relationship between Grace and Calvin, romance safety readers will consider this mostly not safe. Feel free to message me for more specifics if you aren’t worried about spoilers

. 

GOODREADS

*Title purchased from Barnes & Noble. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions.

BOOK REVIEW: Frisky Business by Kim Linwood

 

4.35 Stars

Axton Graves is the oldest brother in the Graves family and funeral home business.  He has a reputation as a workaholic, which he lives up to until he’s had enough.  Josie Garcia is a small-town florist and a good friend of Axton’s sister-in-laws.  With a new greenhouse business and a surly neighbor, Josie has a lot on her plate, but the two are able to give each other a hand.

I think I need a vacation as much as Axton, and this little reading sojourn hit the spot to escape for a short while.  It’s lighthearted, fun, and sexy.

“‘If we’re going to get frisky I want to make sure I’m not going to accidentally poke a stab wound you forgot to tell me about.’”

With action, danger, and suspense too.

The story moved along well. Maybe a little too fast; the end arrived sooner than I expected.  I would have liked a little more of an epilogue rather than a sample of the first book. Hints at the next story would have been welcome too as I’m anxious to see other Grave family members get their special someone.

A highly recommended, cute, steamy, and romantic series, I enjoyed Axton and Josie’s story just as much as the previous ones. Axton is a smart and swoonworthy guy. He’s not a manwhore or a chauvinist, something the romance world tends to have too many of.  We need more sweet, sexy, and respectful men like Axton.

Told via Axton and Josie’s alternating first person POV, it’s a story of a city boy and a country girl.  Couples from the previous books have supporting roles as we see their happily ever afters play out. Carter even has a cameo chapter.  Readers meet a few new characters too, including a lively introduction to Blossom who was a fun addition.

Safety Recap: 

No cheating. No sex scenes w/OP. No OW/OM drama. No appearances of OW/OM at all. h is not a virgin/H is not a manwhore. No rape or sexual abuse. HEA

*I volunteered to review this ARC from the author. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions. In the interest of providing unbiased book reviews and to avoid misleading other readers, it is the blog’s policy not to withhold or delay any reviews no matter the star rating. To the best of my knowledge, this title was presented to the blog without any conditions or stipulations.

GOODREADS        BOOKBUB

~Also in the Series~

#1

Book Review 

#2

Book Review

REVIEW & INTERVIEW: Sacrifice by Charisse Moritz

~Book Review~

4.5 Stars 

Daisy Goodwill is a recent high school graduate on her own, lonely, and getting by with a job, apartment, and skimpy wardrobe all courtesy of The Choosy Beggar’s bassist’s generosity and wheeling & dealing. 

Meanwhile, Choosy Beggar’s drummer Shae Kristakakos is an almost nineteen-year-old single dad, also barely getting by. The last thing he thinks he needs or wants is a girl or a neighbor. But he’s coming face to face with both. 

 Told via their dual alternating POV, the characters engaged me right from the start. Like the previous book in this series, Shatter, the character development is strong. You really get a sense of what weighs Shea and Daisy down and what lifts them up. And while they pull you into the ups and downs of their lives, the supporting characters, toddler included, also add to the fullness of the story—creating an admirable group of friends— as well as entertaining. 

For example, Minnie was a hoot: 

“‘You could pull the zipper down now and then. Let loose. Pound the duck….This is me watching my language.’” 

And Mutt…You can’t muzzle him, and I certainly wouldn’t want to. 

“‘We won’t be coming out until Satin’s skank has been exorcised….And Shae, either handle this right or start a go-fund-me page so you can afford a working set of balls.’” 

Oh Mutt made me want more from him, his own story up next. And I was happy to see Tia from the previous. 

“‘Who wants easy?...Take exhibit A. You don’t think that took some patience and work?’” 

But back to our hero and heroine, Shae bowed me over with how amazing he was as a dad. Despite his rough and sometimes grouchy exterior, he was such a sweetie underneath, so devoted and so selfless. Even though he was reluctant at first, I liked how once he got to know Daisy, he never doubted her. They complimented each other well. 

 “He blinks and the tides rush in. He moans with pleasure and this daisy blooms.” 

Shae was definitely a keeper and rocked the romantic hero role. He will make reader’s hearts, ovaries, and panties melt. 

 This is a largely a new adult tale with a nice balance of heartwarming, heartstring-pulling, adventure, sweetness, and sexy. There’s fun banter and reveals I did not see coming that kept me on my toes and turning pages. And while the characters have their struggles and heartaches, the angst was kept in check nicely keeping the tone and mood positive. 

 “I don’t think there’s any way it could get any better, but we should practice…a lot…just in case. Maybe, probably even again tonight. At least once more…” 

At this point, I’m definitely invested in the Choosy Beggar bunch. I kinda didn’t want it to end. They have a great little crew of misfit friends and I look forward to reading more of their stories. 

 Safety Recap:

No cheating. No sex scenes w/OP. H is not a manwhore; has been celibate for about a year or so. h is not a virgin. OW/OM drama: H’s ex/mother of his son is a real piece of work who has made H’s life difficult and threatens to cause problems. h’s ex is a drug dealer/dangerous who she’s ran away from. No rape (but threat of) or sexual abuse. Brief references to past dubious consent. HEA.

GOOODREADS    BOOKBUB    

*I was gifted a copy from the author to review. All reviews written by Book-Bosomed Book Blog are honest opinions. In the interest of providing unbiased book reviews and to avoid misleading other readers, it is the blog’s policy not to withhold or delay any reviews no matter the star rating. This title was presented to the blog without any conditions or stipulations.

~Character Interview~

Book Boyfriend Data Sheet

Name: Shae Kristakakos

Age: 19

Birthday: 🎂 August 25 ♍

Birthplace:🌎 Upstate NY

Measurements:📏
Height 6'4"
Weight: 260 lbs.
Length: That’s personal 
Girth: What the hell is girth?

Turn-ons:👍 Daisy in a yellow dress 

Turn-offs:👎 Mutt in a yellow dress

Guilty Pleasures: Sometimes, late at night, I google Sabian Artisan cymbals. I put the 13” Artisan Hi-Hats in my cart and let them sit in there for a while. 

Idea of a perfect date: I skipped this question, answered the others and came back to it. I thought about all the fancy places I could take my girl, but I’d really just like to sleep with her. Actually sleep. Literally sleep. Raising a two-year-old is exhausting. Getting time alone isn’t easy. Give me a king size bed so my feet don’t hang off the end. Let me spoon my gal, sleep in without setting an alarm … I’m a happy man. 

Favorite song to sing: 🎵 My bandmates came up with a really aggravating song called Gravy Toad that’s catching on with our fans. Now I’m adding lines about a dirty dog and a yardbug. Payback is sweet.  

My next tattoo will be:  A daisy. Right under the word Amo over my heart.

You're stuck in an endless line at the DMV, and Patrick is squirming. When you reach into your backpack, you realize there's only one book, which you'll be reading on repeat. You're thankful it's not one of Daisy's, but which title do you hope is there— Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Go Dog Go, or The Monster at the End of this Book? 📘 I would never be caught at the DMV without a backpack full of toys, books and snacks for my boy. But I’ll play along and choose Go Dog Go. Colors, rhyming, counting, up and down concepts … it’s got everything.

Mutt pulls some epic strings and gets a celebrity drummer to perform alongside you at the next Choosy Beggar gig. Who is it

 —Ringo Starr, Tommy Lee, or Dave Grohl? 🥁 I hate to miss out on Tommy Lee and the chance to play the Dr. Feelgood drum part … it’s iconic, but I’d probably pick Dave Grohl, just so I could ask him about his time in Nirvana. I’d avoid the topic of Foo Fighters and just keep asking about what it was like to write with Kurt Cobain. 

Daisy is wearing her Lick Me tee and holding a pint of ice-cream🍨 in her right hand and a container of cupcake frosting 🧁 in her left. Your choice, which one are you tasting off her? Sounds sticky. Do you have any idea how hard it is to clean up melted ice cream? And frosting is pure sugar and fat. No thank you. All I need is pure Daisy. 

A big thanks to Charisse for making Shae available! 💜

Emily Award Finalist and Melody Of Love Award Finalist, Charisse Moritz divides her life between upstate NY and northern Florida. When not barricaded inside her writing cave or enjoying every possible minute with her husband and three kids, you’ll find her listening to 60’s music, singing off key and looking for new reads.

~Also in the Series~

Shatter (The Choosy Beggars #1)