WHAT ARE WE READING & REVIEWING IN OCTOBER 2023?

Spooky stories and ghost galore are all waiting in our books. Tell us what you plan to read in October.

Carol October Reads
👻 - ★
47/47
👻What Darkness Brings - C.S. Harris - 5★ (Group Read)
👻The Haunted Child - M. L. Bullock - 3★ (Friend) - 2/2
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👻Finding Hope - Sloane Kennedy - 4.5★
👻Rise and Fall - Aiden Bates - 4.5★
👻It's Just Us - Roan Phoenix & Chris Mc Hart - 5★
👻Role Play - Morticia Knight - 5★
👻Bondage Play - Morticia Knight - 5★
👻In The Name of The Father - Morticia Knight - 5★
👻A Boy Unleashed - Sue Brown - 3.5★
👻Humbled - Kate Hawthorne - 3.5★
👻Undone- Leslie McAdam - 5★
👻On the Double - Cara Dee - 4★
👻Got Me Wishing - Casey Cox - 4★
👻Got me Looking - Casey Cox - 4.5★
👻Got Me Thinking - Casey Cox - 5★
👻Got Me Going - Casey Cox - 4.5★
👻Got Me Merry - Casey Cox - 4★
👻Got Me Talking- Casey Cox - 5★
👻Cutting It Close - Reese Knightly - 4.5★
👻Love and Monsters - Max Walker - 5★
👻Midnights like This- Max Walker 4.5★
👻Our Wives Under the Sea - Julia Armfield - 4.5★
👻Rebel - K.M Neunold & Nora Phoenix- 5★
👻Tank - K.M Neuhold & Nora Phoenix - 5★
👻Heart - K.M. Neuhold & Nora Phoenix - 5★
👻Campy - K.M. Neuhold & Nora Phoenix - 5★
👻Pixie - K.M. Neuhold & Nora Phoenix - 5★
👻Fire And Ermine - Andrew Grey - 5★
👻Austin's Lost Fireman - Della Caine & Kaytea Kat - 4★
👻Zander - Carly Marie - 5★
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👻The Stranger Upstairs - Lisa M. Martin - 4.5★
👻Road of Bones - Christopher Golden - 4.5★
👻A Witch's Guide to Murder - Aubrey Harper - 4★
👻Boys in the Valley - Philip Fracassi - 5★
👻The Bones of the Story - Carol Goodman - 5★
👻Lay Your Body Down - Amy Suiter Clarke - 2★
👻Shutter - Ramona Emerson -4.5★
👻Thornhedge - T. Kingfisher -4.5★
👻The Creeper - A.M. Shine -3★
👻Little Secrets - Jennifer Hiller - 5★
👻All Things Slip Away - Kathryn Meyer Griffith -3.5★
👻Blessing of The Lost Girls - J. A. Jance - 3★
👻Such Pretty Flowers - K. L. Cerra - 4★
👻Down The Hill, My Descent into the Double Murder in Delphi - Susan Hendricks - 5★
👻It Waits in The Woods - Josh Malerman - 5★
👻The Sallie House Haunting: A True Story - Debra Lyn Pickman - 4★
👻C.H.A.R.O.N. - Gail Z. Martin - 5★
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Rise and Fall - Aiden Bates - (New York)
Vanguard Towers Series Book #5
Narrator: Guillaume Dubois
Genera: M/M Romance /Found Family
4.5 ★
The men at the Vanguard Towers call themselves "brothers"...and they are, only not by blood. They all grew up in foster care...and the Vanguard Towers is an old building that several of them bought and restored into apartments in the first book. It's home to all of them and their ever-growing family of significant others. This is one of the brothers, Owen, and his "love interest"...Howie's story. They are two men who find love in this edition of the series. This series is one of the first M/M Romance series that I acquired... but it hasn't by any means been my last. I bought this series, book by book when it when it first came out and am now rereading it for probably the fifth or sixth time. There were hints in books 1-4 books that something was going to happen between these two, but you don’t need to have read all 4 of those to completely understand this one. It nicely stands up on its own. Owen and Howie get the story started with a hook-up that afterward each man thinks was more than likely a bad idea. Their attraction for one another brings them back together, but they try to keep it casual. The more time they spend together though, the more they’re starting to realize it’s much more than just casual. Howie is ready to jump into the commitment. but Owen, is much more cautious. He has a lot of trauma, which is why he's in Howie's office to begin with...caused by an unprofessional shrink, long ago. He's never properly dealt with it and now when he finds love its holding him back from trying to have a relationship with his current shrink and the personal friend of all the guys at the Vanguard Towers. One of Aiden Bates’ best themes is "found family". He adds scenes that include all the Vanguard Towers "brothers" (and significant others) interacting with both Howie and Owen. These are some of my favorite scenes. Bates also keeps things low-angst and sweet. If you’ve read and liked previous books of this series; or others like it... you’ll enjoy ‘Rise and Fall’ also. Although I have all the books, I decided it would be fun to hear the guys, so I listened to the audio. Guillaume Dubois, the narrator...did a fantastic job on the voices. It was quite the experience to hear the individual voices.

On The Double- Cara Dee - (Columbia)
The Renegades Series Book #3
Genera: M/M/M Romance/Kidnapping
4★
Possible Triggers: Kidnapping and Graphic Murder
Shay Tenley...twins, River and Reese Tenley's husband, has been kidnapped right off their home property and right under their very noses. The book cover, rightfully tell as that "The streets were going to run red with blood until they had their boy back". This series is suggested that it be read in order and of course, I didn't. Does that come as a surprise to anyone? This series, although I was happy to see that it brought together all of the characters, is just SO different from "The Game" series that came before it. As crazy as I am about these characters. I'm not at all crazy about mercenary type stories. Anyone that enjoys that type of story, will more than likely really like it, much more than I did. I have to admit that I read it because of the featured characters.... Reece, River and Shay. The Tensley twins are going to find and bring their husband, Shay, home even if it means destroying an entire county. The brothers and their friends cut a deadly swath through Carillo’s, (a character from the other 2 books that I didn't read), known associates, murdering and torturing along the way, in order to find Shay. There are a few flashbacks which helped to give some background to the relationship...for those that didn't read The Games series, that show pieces of how Shay met Reese and River, and how they came to share their kink and their lives. Shay was anything but fragile, even from book #1 of The Games series. He was always a fighter and a survivor. This is what he's doing now while a captive... always knowing that his husbands will move Heaven and Earth to find him. You can see immediately how much of a connection these three men have. The rescue becomes more of a sure thing as more of the group of friends arrive to help with the operation to kill off the heads of the cartel and bring their kidnapped "friend", and husband, home. The story is filled with a lot of investigative work aa well as a lot of action and suspense. I guess I'm going to have to search out book #2 since I really want to learn more about Crew and Adrien's relationship story. This one is an entertaining as well as a fairly quick read...but be warned it does end with a cliffhanger.

Role Play - Morticia Knight - (California)
Play Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/Age Play/Power Exchange
5★
This is the first book in the "Play" series. We are introduced to Terry and Phil who also carry on into book #2, Bondage Play. The start of the story felt like the reader should have known what was happening, but we were missing some of the basic but important facts. Phil and Terry had been a couple that had split up three years earlier, when Phil took a job in Toronto leaving Terry stunned and broken hearted. Phil has learned a lot about himself in those three years and he’s now back to get "his man". Lucky for him Terry has been pretty much grounded in one place and not attempted to move on at all...in fact he was pretty much stuck right where Phil had left him. I liked Phil and was impressed with him for telling Terry why he left and why he was back and asking Terry to give him another chance... but the way Phil left made me I think that Terry was way to quick to take him back. It is a short book...so... guess the story had to move on. With a very quick conversation Phil explains that while he was gone, he has trained as a Dom and is interested in a D/s relationship...but only with Terry. In fact, he wants to go all in with a Total Power Exchange. They were very quick to declare their love for each other, moving in together and setting up a scene that seemed way too risky for a new couple...one of which is only just being introduced to BDSM. Although the book appeared to lack some important back-up information, it seemed to work for both characters. Book 2 is a continuation of their story.


Bondage Play- Morticia Knight - (California)
Play Series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance/Age Play/Power Exchange
5★
This is the continuation of the story from book #1, Role Play. Terry and Phil have begun what promises to be a very satisfying D/s journey together. Their rough role play was a success, and Terry is ready to allow Phil to have more control over him in all ways. But even seasoned and experienced Masters have doubts. Then when things take an unexpected turn in Phil's film production career, he worries that he's not properly taking care of his "boy"...plus there is the chance of another long-distance separation. Terry and Phil have begun what promises to be a very satisfying Dom /sub journey together. Their rough role play was a success, and Terry is ready to allow Phil to have more control over him in all ways. But even some experienced Masters have doubts. Things take an unexpected turn in Phil's film production career causing him to worry that he's not properly taking care of his boy.
Terry now knows that being submissive answers a need within himself that he never before realized existed. Then Phil decides to take their scenes to the next level, and he introduces Terry to more extreme bondage. When an old nemesis from Master Gerard's BDSM gatherings returns it spells real danger to Terry. When the Phil and Terry decide to play with Master Gerard and his boy, Marco, the danger becomes even more frightening than they all could've imagined. These two books should diffidently be read in order as book#2 is the continuation of the story from book #1. The story has a happy ever ending. I see there is a book #3 but I haven't been able to find it, but I'll keep looking.

The Haunted Child - M.L. Bullard
Idlewild series Book #4
Genera: Paranormal/Horror
3★
I'm not a stranger to reading out of order as everyone knows by now. This one...I asked the library to find the book and it took them a LONG time to come up with this one...the last in the Idlewild series. I guess fate was somewhat on my side as I asked for it in January and they got this one in time for Halloween. I've read other books by this author and have always enjoyed her spookiness. Maybe it was because it's the last book in this series, but I felt that something was missing. There wasn't as much goose-bump producing scenes as there had been in some of the others by this author. For one thing I felt that I was left hanging with unanswered questions. What happened to Gage and Bridget? I have no idea.... but would have liked to know. Maybe they are they going to be Idlewild's next ghostly visitors. What about Carrie Jo and Ashland? Did the house ever settle down? I Know it was a short book, less than 200 pages, and this writer's imagination has always been off the wall fantastic enabling her to create stories that the reader doesn't soon forget. This one (?)...it just felt like she was...well, just finished. It's a good story.... but maybe I just wanted more.

It's Just Us - R. Phoenix and Chris McHart
Genera: M/M Romance /Daddy Little/BDSM
5★
This little, (no pun intended), story could easily be used as a primer to introduce folks to a part of the BDSM lifestyle that is less familiar than what people often think of when those four letters are mentioned. A lot of people picture whips and chains...but that is a very small part of the lifestyle and is often not even found in many clubs. The story starts with a "little"...Micah... that is so new at this part of himself, that you can almost hear him squeak. He's never been exposed to the lifestyle in any way and is not even sure where he fits in... but he knows without question, that it's where he feels safe. The authors take the time to work into the characters dialog some explanations and some basic terminology along with some of the issues faced by the "little" community. Specifically, that "little" play is about being able to regress for stress relief, and to be able to play and act out childish things without fear of being judged or ridiculed. On the adult side of this equation is the "Daddy" ...in this story Carter...or sometimes there's a "Mommy". Either is the adult who is able to take care of a/his/her partner in the persona, and not an actual child. It's consensual play between two actual adults. That said, this story is a good place to start for anyone that is even a little bit curious about the "little" lifestyle. The story is not at all too overwhelming. It does, very briefly, include discussion about articles of clothing that might appeal to a "little". Not all "littles" want or need the same things. There is also a discussion about feminization, and men being comfortable using nail polish and makeup if they wish to. There is an actual older version of the "little"...known as a "middle"...an adult regressed to about the age of a 9- or 10-year-old. Along with the good things the story brings out about the lifestyle there is, unfortunately the necessity to bring out the discussion about bullies, alcoholism, being disowned by family, and what I consider one of the top things on the list... respect for the privacy and choices of others. By the end you can see a pretty good chance of many, many years of happiness and joy in Carter and Micah's future.

Got Me Wishing - Casey Cox - (Virginia)
Vet Shop Boys series Book #2
Narrator: John Solo
Genera: M/M Romance
4.5★
Fulton is thirty-four-and-a-half-year-old...you can't have too much birthday cake. He finds himself damaged and thinking that he's unlovable. His experience with dating has been no one stays. A highly intense few hours with a beautiful stranger who...you guessed it... left and Fulton is alone...again. Only this time he has great memories. It’s been two months and Bishop is almost completely settled in Brookhaven, his animal shelter is almost finished, and no one has recognized him so far. He still remembers his very first day arriving here, meeting Fulton was everything... leaving him (??). He has to remind himself that he’s here for a new start and not t fall in love. How Fulton feels about himself goes very deep. He just can’t keep any guy interested. He keeps telling himself he’s perfectly happy with his cats and his friends, colleagues and animals at work. Then Filton and Bishop meet again because of an injured animal. Bishop now knows that Fulton is a vet, an animal lover... so is he! what are the odds of that? Fulton and Bishop are different yet have so much in common. Their love for animals, they both have secrets, both have to live with hurts from their past, they are both strong, beautiful and kind. This is much more than a simple romance. There is a whole world hidden behind each of these beautiful people. There’s humor, friendship, forgiveness, trauma, healing, second chances, deep connection, peeling away layers and walls with the hopeful results of opening up something incredible, magnificent and fulfilling. The story is a beautiful balance of hurt, comfort, sexiness, and sweetness. Just wait for the moment when Bishop meets Harry! It is so worth it. The entire story is sweet, low angst, mature, and considerate. Bishop and Fulton are a pair to remember, and you'll meet them again throughout the series.


Got Me Looking - Casey Cox - (Virginia)
Vet Shop Boys series Book#3
Narrator: John Solo
Genera: M/M Romance
4★
Boring, that’s what Gus’s ex told him he was, he’s boring in everything...every day. Gus just wanted to settle down with the man that he gave his heart to just like he had years ago with the one true love of his life, Andrew, who had passed away. Now he’s being called boring by the man who cheated on him just minutes after they had said their "I do's" and were still at the church, not even an hour after their wedding! Gus is determined to not do anything boring ever again. Gus, his best man and best friend along with his vet shop friends are his wingmen. Tate and Gus have mutual friends, so when one of Gus’s friends asks Tate to be keep an eye on Gus; Tate is more than willing. He's at least twenty years younger than Gus but he’s such a good listener, and that he's also very cute is a plus. Of course, they end up doing more than talking. They are sure that nothing more than friendship between them will ever work. Gus is a "one-guy" man while Tate is poly and convinced that he will never find his "everything" with just one person. Tates mother is determined to see her son, if not married, at least in a relationship that lasts more than a week...so Tate talks Gus into being his fake boyfriend while his mother is visiting. Gus is more than willing...but to Gus; it's anything but fake. In spite of their preconceived differences on relationships and dating they fall into a sweet romance with very little drama, which ends in an awesome happy ever after.

Got Me Thinking - Casey Cox - (Virginia)
Vet Shop Boys series Book #4
Narrator: John Solo
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
This is not just a love story, it’s also about family, trust and the courage to step out of your comfort zone and explore what life has to offer you. Chase and Fisher are both in their thirties and are at a crossroad. One is openly outed and the other thinks he’s ready for a new relationship. These two men are so amazing emotionally. Chase is a vet with the vet boys, so we see the whole gang throughout the story and there are pets involved....a big loveable dog, about a dozen cats and a pot-bellied pig. Chase is divorced after finally admitting that he’s gay and is searching for his true self. He doesn’t want a relationship; he wants to experience feeling free being and being himself. He lives in a house that could use some slight repairs, but is comfortable and not in danger of falling in. Fischer lives a few houses down from him, has a nice home. He had two little girls that was left with him when his partner couldn’t handle this life and left him and the kids that they had together. He wants to start dating but needs to be sure that if he becomes serious about another guy, that he will want to co-parent with him. After meeting on their morning walks, they find that they share lots of interests and the main one is to each other. A beautiful friendship begins to bloom. Every Friday night Fisher tries dating other guys, and sometimes Chase looks after Fisher’s little girls. Every Saturday evening Fisher and his girls head go to Chase's for dinner and to talk about Chase's latest dating disaster. You just have to love these guys. They are real, honest, conscious, mature, flawed, passionate, humorous, easygoing, warm, and sweet. There was not one smidgen of angst in this story...something that I appreciated. It’s all about two ordinary men, building a friendship, finding out there are more feelings involved, making decisions, taking big steps, and honestly acknowledging what’s happening between them. The epilogue skipped forward 19-years and was absolutely adorable. It beautifully completed the story! Every story thus far in this series has been a memorable experience and excellently written.

In The Name of The Father - Morticia Knight - (Oregon)
Narrator: Nick J. Russo
Genera: M/M Romance / Age Play/Daddy, Older Boy
5★
It's the story of the rescue of a shattered runaway "boy", and a somewhat older man who’d once been a "daddy", but who’d almost given up on that part of his life following the cancer death of his beloved “boy” 10 years earlier. I was immediately taken with the character of the "boy", Seth, but also felt sorry for Malcolm, the "Daddy", who are both voiced expertly by one of my favorite narrators, Nick J. Russo. Seth is a young runaway, (21 years old), from Idaho, who had a monster of a father, who took his religion to a level that no God ever intended, and only vague memories of his mother who died from cancer when he was 5 years old. Twice his father and his "church" sent him to “Conversion therapy camp”, and of course the only thing it accomplished was that he is now almost sure that there isn't any such thing as God and left him with rock-bottom, zero self-esteem. His vulnerability was so apparent to Malcolm that the "Daddy" in him told him that he had to at least befriend the kid while resolving to keep it all short term and to “not get involved.” We know that Malcolm’s resolutions stand about as much chance of success as ice-cream left in the sun, but so did Seth's chances of survival without him. I love Morticia Knight's books and this one left me with lots of warm feelings and downright anger with Seth's father and his so called "church". The greatest part of the erotica scenes are fairly low key and come from affection, with the reader easily seeing that the wanting for a bit more on both Seth and Malcom's parts certainly is there. Malcom has more a desire to build love and trust and faith back in Seth while fighting his desire for anything further. There are discussions between the two men that helps to bridge the gap between “kink” and "vanilla" that is a big part of M/M fiction. A word about the narrator...one of my favorites. As usual Nick J. Russo does an amazing job as the narrator. The pacing and the voices of both Malcom, and Seth, are all distinctive and so very well done. The “authoritative” voice of Malcolm and the eager, shy, sometimes confused and frightened "puppy" voice of Seth all combine to add a level of charm to the audio version.

A Boy Unleashed - Sue Brown - (Nevada)
Pet Play By The Lake series
Genera: M/M Romance/Pet Play
3.5★
I like this series. It's filled with sweet pups, kittens, and a variety of other animals. Some like horses and sloths. Be aware that these "animals" are all human. I can't begin to imagine how any human being could possibly relate to a horse or a sloth enough to go into the mind set to "become" one for even a short time. Puppies and kittens ...I kind of get. But to each his own and whatever "floats their boat". Mason, who was a "pup", wanted more than anything in the world, to belong to a "Master". Mason had decided that this was going to be his last year at the Pet Play on the Lake if he didn't find his forever Master. He wasn't rich...worked a low paying job, and it took him all year to save enough to even attend the four days as it was. Almost immediately after arriving at the resort, he meets Benedict. who saved him from two guys that were making fun of him. Mason just knew that Benedict was the perfect Master for him, and Benedick knew Mason was his perfect pup...but they were only going to be together the four days of the event. They should have, but of course they didn't count on falling in love. I became frustrated with Benedick. He kept saying that he was a workaholic and didn't have enough time to care for a pup...but he had time to attend this four-day event?? He doesn't go home at night?? Mason wouldn't be at work himself all day?? Come on Benedick! Even though I knew how the books in this series always turn out...I still had to wait WAY too long for Benedick to go and bring his "Pup" home.

Got Me Going - Casey Cox - (Virginia)
Vet Shop Boys Series Book #5
Narrator: John Solo
Genera: M/M Romance
4.5★
Tyler and Daly dance around each other, both too shy and embarrassed to ask the other out. For months Daly’s highlight of the week is "Thirsty Thursdays" when Tyler comes by his grandmother's bakery and orders drinks and pastries for all his colleagues at the Vet Shop. Daly knows there’s more than the sassy attitude Tyler presents; he's seen him without it and that version was just as adorable as his smart-mouthed one. Daly's grandmother goes off to Europe and leaves him in charge of the bakery and this is when he finds that the business isn’t doing well and hasn't made a profit for some time now. In spite of his working seven days a week, ten hours per day, and he’s out of ideas on how to make better revenue. He’s only twenty-five and the only fun in his life is Tyler. Tyler is the sassiest, sweetest, and the youngest of all the veterinarians from the Vet Boys Shop, only he thinks he’s pathetic and wants something to do about it before he turns twenty-five in a few months. Daly offers to help him out, with the condition that they get to know one another first.... without strings attached. Daly has no time for a real relationship with a failing bakery on his hands. The lightheartedness of the two characters was a good counterbalance to the heartbreaking baggage they both of them carry. There are so many hilarious moments, but also many warm, compassionate and caring moments. The ideas that emerge to turn this failing business into something successful and thriving and meeting the other guys from the other books again, made the story complete. It all came together perfectly in spite of a real scare that made the reader hold their breath. A wonderfully balanced story, with humor, hurt, comfort, seriousness, fun, business, and lots of pleasure.

Finding Hope - Sloane Kennedy - (Montana)
Finding series Book #5
Genera: M/M/M Romance
3.5★
Possible Triggers: depression, suicide attempt, child abuse and rape
19-year-old, Beck, is Cade and Rafe’s son. He was adopted by his fathers when he was 13 and has been struggling with depression for most of his young life. His struggles became very bad a year and a half ago and now he's ready for a time out. Especially time away from his dads, who love him but who are also watching and analyzing his every move...and for the people who he thinks are "looking at him funny". He's going to spend his summer in Montana working on a ranch. However, before he gets there…he makes a little detour that will change his life forever. He meets Brody. Brody is the son of a politician. Three years ago, he finally escaped the clutches of his family….. and jumped, without much thought, out of the closet. He is now working as a paramedic, and also has a small construction business on the side. He is happy living out and proud and doing what he always wanted. The only thing he misses from his former life is his twin brother, Nathan. Quinn is a rancher. Two years ago, his happy life was ripped apart. Now he just goes to gay bars for hook-ups, because he just isn’t interested in something more. He already had his happily ever after…even though the "ever after" part got missing in the equation. It's in one of these bars that these three guys come together. All three of them are surprised by how good and worry free they felt being together but none of them are as surprised as Beck...so he does what he always does...he panics and runs. That was supposed to be the end for the three of them, but fate has something else in store for them. The story is well done as all of Sloane Kennedy's books are but there are some hard to read parts that will tear your heart apart.

The Bones of The Story - Carol Goodman
Genera: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
5★
This is an author that I really enjoy, having read two of her previous books. This was the perfect opportunity to become reacquainted with her work. This one had plenty of dark academia vibes and was also a locked-room mystery. The atmospheric pull to it gave the reader a true feeling of "being there". I am not particularly an Agatha Christie fan, but I loved Christie's "And Then There Were None" and this one made me think of that. The vibes are certainly there, but this author put her own spin on things so that you never really knew what to expect. There is a very strong sense of place, and I am always a fan of that. The wintry setting completely sets the mood and adds to the overall tension. This is a dark and ominous story that kept me engaged from start to finish. Between the traditions of the school that we learn from the past storylines to the secrets that are being kept, this is one twisted story that you cannot stop reading. It kept me guessing all the way through.

Down The Hill, My Descent into the Double Murder in Delphi - Susan Hendricks - (Indiana)
Genera: True Crime
5★
Before February 13, 2017, what was known about anything that happened in the small town of Delphi, Indiana was kept among its residents. Among those residents were two teenage girls Abigail "Abby" Williams and Liberty "Libby" German, and the man who would, five years later, be arrested for their murders, 50-year-old Richard Allen. Now, the area has a population so small that it doesn't even have a hotel to accommodate the jury that will be selected for Allen's trial in 2024, but will forever be associated with the killings that took place there and the ominous phrase heard by the two young friends when they encountered him while exploring a nearby hiking trail on a day off from school, captured by a brave and quick-thinking Libby, and later recovered from her cell phone as a key piece of evidence. This is one of the last things Abby and Libby heard as they were led to their deaths in broad daylight. It's also the title of a book, written by veteran CNN and HLN journalist Susan Hendricks, who has reported on this case since the beginning. She has spent time with the victims' families and advocating for them against a sea of headlines that, more frequently than not, gives a voice to the girls' killer rather than the other way around. For Hendricks, the decision to focus her first book on this case was not to recount the grisly details of what's been titled the "Delphi murders", but to keep the memory of Abby and Libby alive an to remind the residents that these girls had had lives in Delphi that was cut short in a way that law enforcement has yet to fully reveal, other than to call their deaths "brutal." She follows the case from 2017 to just after Allen's arrest, and frequently mentions the girls' families waking up, day in and day out, telling themselves, "Today's the day." Meaning, today's the day justice will finally be served. After seven long miserable years, that day will soon finally be here. The account, I can't bring myself to call it a story, is about a small town in middle America that’s been haunted by an unfathomable act of violence and the ways families and communities cope with grief and move forward after tragedy. It's also about the limitations of local law enforcement and the rise of technology in helping to solve cases. The reader has to remember that this is really "Small Town America" and the police had never before even remotely encountered anything resembling this nightmare that was left on their doorstep. It shows that compassion, connection, empathy and resilience is still alive on a very real, very human level in spite of the way the world might seem to be headed.

C.H.A.R.O.N. - Gail Z. Martin - (Pennsylvania)
Night Vigil Series Book #2
Narrator: Jeffrey Kaffer
Genera: Fantasy/Paranormal/Adventure/Thriller
5★
Travis Dominick is an X-Priest, and his creature hunting partner, Brent Lawson is an ex-FBI agent. Together they make up the bad-ass team that hunts demons, monsters, and other supernatural troublemakers. Brent gets a call for help from an old army buddy, so he and Travis head to central Pennsylvania. The town is experiencing strange and really gruesome and unexplained deaths by demonic creatures that are taking the paranormal activity to a new level. The murders are similar to crimes that took place decades ago. These creatures aren't bad enough, so let's throw in a shady government experiment that, as can be expected...make the bad situation even worse. Imagine that! Constant rain and overflowing rivers mean there's no way to escape the creatures from the shadows of Hell. The creatures are found to be the results of people's deepest fears and thoughts. They literally feed on human terror. With the lives of everyone in the town at stake, Brent and Travis are their only hope. They'll have to uncover the dark secrets, which includes the secret supernatural government program, as well as Brent and Travis's own not so pleasant memories. C.H.A.R.O.N. is a dark fantasy filled with old world spirits, legends and lore. Add some vengeful ghosts, magic, secret government agencies, Vatican ninja-priests, family, small-town secrets, grouchy but helpful bartenders, psychics, mediums, witches, small-town heroes, and an unshakable bond of friendship, then mix well and you have the recipe for a scary, creepy, well told tale that just may have you leaving the lights on at night. What more could you ask for? I have met these two heroes, Brent and Travis, before as they have made appearances in other series of books authored by Gail Z, Martin that she writes as Morgan Brice. She's one of my favorite authors and her books are some of my always go-to rereads. "Badlands", "Witchbane", and "Deadly Curiosities" have hosted these two characters, many times as they come to the assistance of the main characters of these books. Gail Z. Martin, a.k.a. Morgan Brice is a wonderful author that gives life to Brent and Travis as well as their many friends.

The Stranger Upstairs - Lisa M. Matlin - (Australia)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Paranormal
4.5★
“Want a great deal on a house? Buy one where someone was murdered!” From this first sentence you want to yell "NO! STOP! ARE YOU NUTS?", at the stupid determined to buy, buyer. Hasn't she ever read a paranormal or a mystery & suspense novel? Is Stephen King or Shirley Jackson a mystery to her? Evidently so...because she buys it lock, stock and barrel. From there on the story is an ever-accelerating rollercoaster ride. Lisa M. Matlin is a debut author that has created an excellent first novel. She has managed so well to drop one dizzying twist after another until all reality threatens to disintegrate...and what is left is an interesting and intriguing haunted-house tale. When we first meet therapist and social media diva, Sarah Slade, she has just taken on a whopper of a house-flipping challenge: Melbourne’s infamous Black Wood House. Sarah doesn’t seem to mind that the prior occupants perished in a grisly murder-suicide, or that her new neighbors would rather see the place burned to the ground and the ashes buried rather than ever see it sold and renovated, or any occupant to ever enter it. Sarah is NOT just the house’s next innocent victim. Behind her polished persona, you will find that Sarah carries some very disturbing secrets of her own. Just sit back, keep turning pages and keep your fingers crossed for poor disillusioned Sarah... and by no means place any of your hard-earned money betting on the outcome of this horrific matchup from hell. We, the reader, realize long before Sarah that she is losing the game against this house that is straight out of every classic gothic horror story ever written. The only question we can hope to find the answer for is who will prevail...and I think before the last page is read that we already know the answer. If you like psychological thrillers with a spooky atmosphere that even manages to deliver some dark humor, although it is with a mean streak.... you will like this book...a lot.

It Waits in The Woods - Josh Malerman - (Michigan)
Narrator: Lauren Ezzo
Genera: Horror
5★
I believe that I have loved everything that Josh Malerman has ever written, including this one. It's a short story that has everything needed to be completely compelling. The author brings to life a story that feels complete and very well-rounded. The character of Brenda is outstanding. You understand her motivation, and there are some things about her parents that are just alluded to. After all, she does mention that her parents blamed her for her sister’s disappearance. Three years after the disappearance of her younger sister Amanda, Brenda, an aspiring filmmaker, decides to return to the woods where she disappeared. Everyone believes that Amanda was kidnapped, but after hearing about the local urban legend, Brenda wants to find proof of what took her sister. What makes this short story even more exciting is the urban legend of Opso and the bridge. Some like me may remember sneaking a book under the covers and reading late into the night, the stories like legend of Ospo that made the hairs on your arms stand up and goosebumps cover your body. Not to mention that the perfect campfire story is about something hiding in the forest, searching for something that it lost, threating anyone who stumbles across it with meeting some unspeakable fate. Most of this story weaves around Brenda’s search for closure of her sister’s disappearance. Her encounter in the forest begins slowly, with her search for the bridge, and once she finds it. This is where Lauren Ezzo wonderful narration abilities come into play. Her narration makes this novel delightfully extra frightening confronting those unknown nightmare things who go bump in the night. Or, more specifically in this case...the forest. As the book cover states, "Some campfire tales ring too true to ignore." The story is an eerie fun treat for horror fans. I couldn't help but think to myself, "what a movie this would make!"

Humbled - Kate Hawthorn - (California)
Trophy Doms Social Club Series - Book 1
Genera: M/M/Romance/BDSM
3.5★
Grayson knows that getting involved with his sexy boss, Robert McAvoy, would be a supremely bad idea. Rob is commanding, gorgeous, wealthy, and a Dom. But Grayson is a Dom as well, and he is not interested in getting on his knees for Rob, and he knows Hell will freeze over before Rob is getting on his knees for him. Not to mention that people don’t tend to stick around in Grayson’s life and the idea of finally having Rob and losing him is more than Grayson can handle. Rob wants Grayson and he knows they could be amazing together. He loves that Grayson is strong willed and it makes it all the more rewarding when Grayson is willing to submit to him. Rob is also pretty sure that Grayson isn’t the total Dominant that he believes himself to be, but getting Grayson to give them a chance isn’t easy. Luckily, Rob loves a challenge. The characters in this first book, and it seems that it's going to be true for the rest of the series, are a group of very wealthy, and extremely gorgeous Doms. The conflict is that both of these men are a little skittish about relationships in general, combined with the fact that they are both dominate. Grayson might have more of a desire to submit than he has realized...or at least, to submit to Rob. Knowing it and accepting it is two entirely different things for Grayson...and that creates a lot of on again, off again. I think the author does a really good job of exploring things for both men... what they want from each other...what they are willing to give. Grayson has the biggest change, as he is fearful both of accepting his interest in submitting to Rob, but also of taking a risk on any type of relationship in general. I liked the characters, and I liked the idea of the storyline. My biggest issue was that this is such a l-o-n-g story with so much push and pull. It just went on a bit too long with no compromise in sight. Every time it looked like the guys had found a way to get on the same page, something immediately seems to happen to throw them off again. About the time that you think you've reached a part where they have figured it out, they'd be right back to where they started. Some of it is a lack of communication and some of it seemed to be just insecurities coming back. It was just way too much repetition and not enough give and take taking place to move things forward until really late in the story. I think ultimately things come together well when they do finally manage to get it together. In this story we also meet Grayson’s best friends, Wes and Miles. Wes and Miles play big side roles here and their new relationships are impacting Grayson and part of what is making him nervous about being with Rob. There are other connections to various Hawthorne stories as well. Archie, from this book, gets his story in the next book, Edged

Shutter - Romona Emerson - (New Mexico)
Soho Mysteries
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Native Americans
4.5★
The story follows a Navajo police photographer almost literally to hell and back. Rita Todacheene sees dead people. Since most of her attempts to talk to someone about her special power while she was growing up on the reservation ended in disaster, she has tried to keep it to herself during her five years with the Albuquerque Police Department. Her hard-earned peace is shattered by the death of Erma Singleton, the manager of a bar owned by Matias Romero, her common-law husband. Although Detective Martin Garcia, who is less than ambitious, has decided to call the case closed and has gone on record saying that Erma death was from she fell from a highway bridge, and her body was struck by the truck that hit her on the roadway below. Erma, however, oh yes, she quite vocal even though she is also quiet dead... insists that she was pushed from the bridge. She previously had asked Rita to help me "get back to my baby". She emphasizes that request by telling Rita. "If you don't help me, I’ll make your life a living hell.” Since Rita is a civilian employee, she has few resources for starting or conducting any type of investigation. It seems that Erma, even dead, is not without some strange powers....and she opens a portal that unleashes scores of ghosts, all clamoring for justice or mercy or a few words with their loved ones they left behind. The nightmare then propels Rita forward, with things like her taking photos of Judge Harrison Winters and his family and their dog, who then are all shot and killed in what Detective Garcia calls a murder-suicide. Then something unexplained shows up that links these deaths along with Erma’s, to the drug business of the Sinaloa cartel. All this is interwoven with repeated flashbacks that shows Rita’s early years on her Navajo reservation and in her Catholic grade school as she struggles to come to terms with this "gift" that she never asked for or wanted that feels more and more like a curse. I found the character of Rita, and her Navajo background, as well as her being a forensic photographer for the Albuquerque police department, fascinating as well as educational. Her unique talent helped to make this story exciting and almost believable.... but who can say? What I did find a bit confusing was telling the story in the present time in one chapter, and the past in the next one. I really liked the idea of giving each chapter a title that referenced a particular camera, or camera setting, and even something to do with a computer was a good touch. Overall...I really enjoyed this novel.

Got Me Merry - Casey Cox - (Virginia)
Vet Shop Boys Series Book #6
Narrator: John Solo
Genera: M/M Romance
4★
Lawson and Chester are best friends since they started their studies to become veterinarians, they share a two-bedroom apartment, they run together every morning, they think the world of the other, and now… they both have an internship at the Vet Shop Boys clinic. Lawson is sweet but can be a bit grumpy, the complete opposite of Chester. Lawson hates Christmas time and all the fuss, and his father ruined it for him years ago. Noe he's on his own and that's just how he wants it. This year Chester is on a mission, to let Lawson enjoy Christmas, yes, enjoy it all! All the Vet Shop Boys are in on this mission, but that last part Lawson doesn’t know. Chester is the only one Lawson feels safe with since his family has no use for him. He finds that havening Chester near is soothing. Because of all their different work schedules at the Vet Shop Boys clinic, the whole of December is for holiday festivities, they open their houses on different days, so all colleagues will have a celebration. What all the employees already saw from the first moment they laid eyes on Lawson and Chester, took them a bit longer, all the feelings they have for each other. They are cute together, and their friendship is special, so they figure that a kiss here and there won’t destroy it, it’s nothing permanent. So, they keep it loose, just to see how it goes. Another wonderful story in this series. it's fun, emotional, has depth, and this one is quite a slow burn. Besides Chester and Lawson and their new relationship there is also the clinic, and all the other guys from this series. What a bunch! Overall, a consistently and wonderfully written story, when finished it gives you that "feel good all over" feeling.

Road of Bones - Christopher Golden - (Russia/Siberia)
Genera: Horror/Supernatural
4.5★
When an American producer who was eager to score a big hit, travels to Siberia to film a reality series along the desolate Kolyma Highway, he gets more thrills than he bargained for. At first, the only obstacle for Felix Teigland and Prentiss, his British cameraman, friend, and investor, is the 40-below temperatures. A young guide's introduction to the legendary "Road of Bones", beneath which hundreds of thousands of gulag prisoners are buried, gives Teig a great subject as well as a great title for his series. But no sooner have they arrived than the filmmakers are threatened, and worse...by shadowy wolf creatures and a screaming humanoid spirit who had something to do with the sudden abandonment of a town by everyone except a strangely possessed 9-year-old girl that Teig becomes determined to save. When he was a child, his younger sister was abducted and murdered, and this young girl stirs all those tormented memories for him. Meanwhile, a frail but determined old woman, Ludmilla, travels the frigid Kolyma Highway to bless those buried there. This is a task that she has taken on herself and as a result has cost her several fingers and toes. The air around the road is said to be "murderous". It immobilizes people that come in contact with the area. The description of the forest animals is like something from a Disney cartoon. I kept expecting to see Bambi gathering flowers. Our Ludmilla, in addition to her desire to offer blessings also has an over-the-top devotion to Bruce Springsteen which quickly becomes way, way too much. I do have to give Christopher Golden his due credit for being great at atmosphere. The desolate surroundings are "a stark reminder of how small we humans are in the entire scope of nature." And I ask you...how can you resist the charms of a 50-foot-tall reindeer woman? Overall... I was entertained...but not as much by the story itself but what this author was going to bring out next to "play" with Bambi and the 50-ft reindeer woman. :) It did have some chilling things happening but, also some really silly ones you wouldn't expect in a horror/supernatural novel. Am I glad I read it? You bet!

side note: This novel had to have been born from a bit of truth, most like this one, and legends are...so I asked Mr. Google for more info. This is interesting, and I now think that there may really be a 50-ft reindeer woman out there. Here is the website if you are like me and want to search it out.

https://www.rbth.com/history/333033-road-bones-kolyma-gulag

Got Me Talking - Casey Cox - (Virginia)
Vet Shop Boys Series Book #7
Narrator: John Solo
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
I truly hate to see this series end...but what a beautiful, warm and lovely story to end it, leaving these men who have entertained us through 7 books to enjoy their found happiness. Jeremy has been so present through the last six books and now he gets his story as well as his well-earned love and happiness. We have heard him struggle with his stuttering causing him to hide from life in the bakery. While his close friends don't have a problem with his stutter, Jeremy’s experience has been that everyone he has dared to try to have a relationship with, put their own desires and wants before giving any thought to what makes Jeremy and others like him, special in their own right. Just one short, arranged night in New York allowed Jeremy to have an unforgettable night with an unforgettable and attractive silver fox...Montgomery. Jeremy went away from his hometown for the encounter as he didn't want to take the chance that anyone would know him and know about his stutter. He pulled this off with one big requirement for the "date"...the one condition? no speaking, absolutely no talking. Montgomery...The guy he was meeting, was beyond kind and had no trouble with Jeremy's "rule".... after all, they were never going to see each other again. Montgomery was a Brit that was moving to the U.S. to work at the Vet Boys Animal Clinic, in Jeremy's hometown...but Jeremy didn't know that since ...the "no taking" rule. Montgomery has his own problems.... he's grieving his late mother, but he wants to make a clean start, away from the UK all the way to the U.S. With an overlay in New York, he grabbed the opportunity to have this encounter with this guy with the "no speaking rule. You can guess what happens when Jeremy gets home. He is shocked, and to say he's surprised, would be the understatement of the year. So... he tries his hardest to simply ignore and avoid Montgomery. Even though Jeremy's situation was painful, I had to laugh because it was freaking hilarious the lengths that Jeremy went to, to avoid speaking to Monty. At last, they reconnect, and Monty is more than understanding. They are such a great team. Slowly they build a friendship and more. It has been such a pleasure to meet these guys and to know not only Jeremy but also Montgomery because he has his own story to tell, which we learn by the end....and we get to see how Jeremy and Monty are doing 39 years into their future at the end of the story. I have to give Casey Cox a tremendous amount of credit. She has masterfully created this series and these characters, my compliments and my thanks to her!! It was a wonderfully written series...it was fun...it was emotional...it was engaging and adorable. I'll be revisiting these guys at some point.

A Witch's Guide To Murder - Aubrey Harper
A Book & Candle Mystery
4★
Rory has inherited her grandmother’s house and cult bookshop, so she decides to make the move back to her old town, where she discovers that she’s a witch and her grandmother may have actually been murdered by another witch. With the help of her grandmother's ghost...her witchy cousin...and her book nerd friend, Rory will learn to use her new witch abilities and find out what really happened. At first, the story felt slow and repetitive with it being mostly back-and-forth dialogue between the characters. There was some magic, and the story was cute and crafty. I liked how Rory got the hang of her new witchy powers quickly, especially since she was a “person of interest” in not just one but two of the murders in town. I thought throughout the story that maybe she should’ve stayed in New York. Who did the town blame for everything from murder to petty crimes before she came to town? In the second half of the story, when we get down to who the real killer was, is by far, the much better and actually the best part. I got the killer right since I have learned and remembered that It’s always the person you least suspect. Overall...for those that are fans of cozy mysteries, or if you just want a short witchy story for the Halloween season...you might give this one a try.

Our Wives Under The Sea - Julia Armfield - (England)
Genera: F/F Romance
4.5★
The biggest question is what happens to a marriage when the person you married is no longer the person you married? Leah and Miri find themselves having to come to terms with that question. The two women had always had a conventional marriage of mostly comfortable routine. They shared a love of movies, and genuine happiness at having actually found each other. Then Leah, who is a marine scientist, goes on a three-week submarine expedition on which things go disastrously wrong. She and her shipmates disappear for six months to the bottom of the ocean. Most of the story from here is in Miri’s narrative which is composed mostly from excerpts from Leah’s diary of the mission. We learn of their growing awareness and grudging management of the changes and relationship losses they both endured as a result of their prolonged separation. Although Leah returns home, things do not go as Miri had envisioned. From the time of her return there has been an unanticipated transformation, a terrifying dissolution of her human form into something unfamiliar and strange which heavily challenges Miri’s assumptions about the course of what their life was to be for them together. Life for them grows deeper and darker as the novel slowly reveals that the horrific situation Leah tolerated may not have been as accidental as it first was revealed to be. The unearthly circumstances of Leah’s underwater captivity and mutation are horrible enough, but take on new meaning in relation to other, more understandable situations Miri has faced in her life...the metamorphosis her mother underwent during a fatal illness and the sometimes-irritating voices she hears constantly emanating from an unseen neighbor’s television. Is Leah's current circumstance just further along the lines associated with human understanding of loss and endurance...or is it something much less understood or expected? The author does a great job of guiding the reader through the unsure and unexpected parts of the couple’s lives and even sometimes approaching them with ironic humor. We see that the bleakest horror story can often also be a love story.

Such Pretty Flowers - K.L. Cerra - (Georgia)
Genera: Suspense/Horror/F/F Romance
3★
I had a lot of mixed feelings about this novel. Some things I really liked...others bothered me. The overall plot was actually compelling. I love gothic horror, and from the book's cover description, it sounded promising. It wasn't long though before I found that I didn't really like any of the characters, and the up and down pace of the story was really frustrating. I just couldn't become immersed in the story almost from the beginning. The idea for the storyline had good bones for the birth of a really creepy psychological thriller...but the follow-through just didn't seem to be happening. There was too much focus on the on again off again romance between Holly and Maura, and some questionable methods that Holly used to investigate her brother’s death. The story didn't explore these enough to add anything to or advance the plot much. The discussion of how much Holly didn't trust Maura, but still gets sexually involved with her became repetitive. I’m always on board for a good gothic horror novel with some romance thrown in the mix.... but this one just doesn't hit that mark very well. The romance is obviously entirely wrong and should never have gone beyond the attraction stage since Holly believes that Maura was involved with her brother’s death. "I think you might have something to do with my brother's death..., but in the meantime...let's go to bed". I don't think so! As I said there was lots of "mixed feelings about the story on my end. I think this author has a great deal of talent and this is a first novel for her...so I'm hoping that she will release another. I would be more than willing to give her another try.

Zander - Carly Marie - (Tennessee)
Johnson Family Rules, Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance / BDSM
5★
Cute, sweet and kinky. Exactly what I'm used to from Carly Marie...and you can add a slow-burn also. Sometimes I really like a slow burn story, but sometimes I really hate the waiting for the characters to get their act together.... This time it almost morphed in the hate category, because I wanted these two guys to realize that they were made for each other and get all the unexplained misunderstanding out of the way. Noah was so cute, but oh so awkward every time he came anywhere near Zander. To make matters worse...Zander was his boss. Zander is the Chief of Police and Noah is the new patrol officer. It was funny, but exactly right...at least for this romance. I waited quite a while but finally saw the crush turn into love. Zander was so good in every way... and a "Daddy" in every sense of the word. He watched out not only for Noah, but also for one of his brothers who was a "little" but didn't have a "Daddy" yet. The brother is a firefighter, and his book is coming up. Can't wait! The family and their friends were really sweet together. Almost all of them work at the club...even Grandma! I can't remember the last time I read a Daddy/Boy kink without age-play being involved. I almost forgot how those work. I really enjoyed this book and the entire, wonderful, warm. lovable Johnson family and all their friends.

The Boys in The Valley - Phillip Fracassi - (Pennsylvania)
Genera: Horror/Mystery
5★
We meet Peter, a 16-year-old boy traumatized by his past following the unexpected death of both his parents. He now finds himself the eldest boy at a grueling orphanage run by the parish priests. Needless to say, he's forced to grow up quickly when evil makes its presence known, throwing the entire place into murderous chaos. One thing I particularly liked about this story is how easy it was to read, and how smoothly the plot flowed and came together. I didn't have to wait long before it became spine chilling. There is a fair amount of gore and violence but it's not really over the top and it won't leave those readers that are lesser inclined to these elements, horrified, shuddering and shivering in a corner. I really liked the characters...all with their own back stories and darkness to be explored. I believe my favorite was Johnson. He had an incredibly dark past and isn’t unaccustomed to being aggressive and abusive to the children, and yet there is an internal battle with shades of hope making him more than a stereotypical antagonist. My one complaint with this book is that it was too short. I really would have liked to have had more time delving into the character backgrounds. Johnson being a good example. His character was what I would call "gray"... not by any means good but yet not ready to be seen as entirely bad or even evil. If I had to describe this book, I would have to say that The Exorcist and The Lord of the Flies had a baby and named the little devil The Boys in the Valley. If you’re looking for a book that will keep you up at night and keep you turning the pages, you might try this one.

Blessing of The Lost Girls - J. A. Jance - (Arizona)
Walker Family Series Book #1
Joanna Brady Mysteries Book #20
Genera: Mystery Suspense/Thriller
3★
I have read the Joanna Brady series since book #1, so was really happy to find that J.A. Jance not only had a new series but had also managed to bring an "old friend", Cochise County Sheriff Joanna Brady, into this first installment of the Walker Family chronicles. Joanna isn't the "star" of the show this time...but hey...she's there! Mostly the characters you will see the most often are Joanna's grown children who are following in their mother's footsteps. Dan Pardee, a federal agent with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Task Force, asks for her help when the body of a young woman is discovered outside Tucson three years ago but has only now been identified as Rosa Rios, who was followed out of a local bar and strangled shortly after she had been expelled from high school. As the husband of Dr. Lanita Walker-Pardee, Dan is the main figure who ties together the many parts of a convoluted tale that combines Indigenous family history and serial homicide. It’s criminal-justice major Jenny Brady, Joanna's daughter, who realizes that the case her mother has described to her has unsettling parallels to the recent attack on Jenny’s rodeo competitor, Deborah Russell, who was lucky enough to be rescued by her worthless boyfriend with whom she’d had a meeting. Deb hasn’t reported the incident because she was afraid...and rightly so... that her Mormon family would be scandalized by both the boyfriend and the rendezvous, so she has no intention of reporting it now or ever. This means that there’s no official record of an attack ever happening, and Jenny and Dan, are the only ones that have access to the information that will ultimately unmask a killer revealed on the first page as Charlie Milton, nee Ronald J. Addison. Readers may find the manhunt lacking in much of a surprise and learn more from the updates on Lani and Dan’s complicated family life. I can't say that I liked it a lot, a little, or not enough to continue. I'll probably give this series another try before deciding...but it doesn't have the 'flavor" of the original series that fans loved...but everything eventually changes.

Midnights Like This - Max Walker -(Georgia/France)
Narrators: Simon Dornet & Javi Wilder
Book Club Boys Series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance/Mystery
4.5★
Colton has returned to his hometown of Atlanta, to solve a murder that's way too close to home. His best friend and former lover, Eric came home to find his mother had been murdered and it looks like the killer is going to be one of his family. It doesn't take long for the two guys to hook up again. They complement one another perfectly, but their past may prevent them from moving on and having a future together. Max Walker is one of my favorite M/M romance writers and with this one he has written an emotional roller coaster ride complete with chemistry, loyalty, family, friendships, anxiety, communication, second chances, challenges, and most importantly...love. All that leads to a fun and entertaining mystery, which Colton ad Eric cleverly solve and then decide that forgiveness was the best way for them to rebuild what they once had and both want again. What a sweet ending it has. I can't wait for the next one...Tristan's story.

What Darkness Brings - C.S. Harris - (England)
Sebastian St. Cyr Mysteries - Book #8
Genera: Historical Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
5★
Napoleon and Prinny, England’s Prince Regent, both lust after a 45-carat blue diamond. After Daniel Eisler, a gem merchant with a fascination for the occult and a sideline in blackmail, is shot and killed in his house, magistrate Bertram Leigh-Jones catches Russell Yates, a homosexual profligate, standing over the deceased and whisks him off to Newgate to await a speedy trial. Sebastian St. Cyr, who still devoted to his first love, Kat, who is now in a marriage of convenience with Russell Yates, is determined to prove him innocent. This decision, although noble, is not only endangers his own pregnant wife, Hero, but pits him at odds with her father, Lord Jarvis. Cutthroats hanging around Haymarket, and a host of French agents that Napoleon has sent in pursuit of the diamond that was once stolen from the French crown jewels during the Revolution and was thought to have been in Eisler’s possession. Why was Eisler killed becomes the question. My question was why he wasn't killed long before he was? The task of all the agents and seeming everyone else except Sebastian St. Cyr is to retrieve the magnificent blue diamond. Was Eisler killed by someone so far in debt to him that he had to let Eisler debauch his wife as partial repayment? Did the Prince Regent himself target Eisler to reclaim the diamond that had been pawned by his unpopular wife, Caroline? Jenny, a prostitute who was hiding in a priest’s hole during Eisler’s murder, knows who killed him...she saw it through a hole in the door. However, can Sebastian locate and save her from assassination and save his friend Russell Yates from the gallows before it’s too late? Believe me, there is a LOT happening with a LOT of characters to keep straight along with many multiple plots. We also see that not much has changed in the political world since the early 19th-century...treacheries and moral indiscretions are alive and abundant. You cannot start in the middle of this series...it's hard enough reading them in order...but oh, it so worth it.

Thornhedge - T. Kingfisher
Genera: Fantasy/Fairy Tale
4.5★
I know that words such as "beautiful" are not the words usually used to describe the darker corners of the fantasy world...however, that is what T. Kingfisher has done so well in this story. This is really a novella, a stunningly written novella. Though the story’s darkness is inescapable. Our heroine, Toadling.. is so sweet everyone feels that she should be protected at all costs. She is a changeling baby stolen at birth and raised by child-killing, flesh-eating, fish fey in fairyland. Now when you have absorbed that bit of fantasy and are still reading...you will be ready for the rest of the tale. This story makes a really good read for those who enjoy darker novels. You also have to be willing and capable of suspending your disbelief and just go with it. The author shows that, even with some very dark events in a short space of time, darkness is not absolutely overpowering. If you are a fan of this type of literature this story will tick all the boxes for dark and gritty, while throwing an imperfect protagonist into the mix. It exceptionally written, with some small pieces of escapism and can easily be read in one sitting and in just a couple of hours. I'm not a big fan of fantasy, and if it hadn't been that it fit a challenge category, I probably would never have picked it up...but it was worth the hour or so spent in Kingfisher's fairy world.

The Creeper - A.M. Shine - (Ireland)
Genera: Horror
3★
The atmosphere of this story makes you want to check over your own shoulder while reading. At first, I felt this novel was very similar The Watchers, also by this author, but then realized that only the premise is very much the same; someone or something constantly stalking the characters with no good intentions. If you’ve seen the movie "It Follows", that’s what the vibe is like. A relentless entity of impending evil without a real cause. Once again, the darkness is its realm, a temporary safety is alluded to during the daylight, which is a feature used in both of A.M. Shine's novels. The writing is excellent, with just the perfect balance of action, dialogue and description that keeps up a consistent pace to hold the readers interest throughout. Shine takes us back to Ireland with the remote setting as we follow the characters on an excursion to identify the folklore of an unknown incestuous tribe which has been hidden for over 200 years and frozen in time. The characters switch between an archaeologist, a historian and the strange, wealthy intellectual that has hired them. I wanted slightly more from The Creeper. There were many intriguing aspects mentioned but never really expanded much on. It was almost as though pieces of plot or the manuscript, had been cut out. This made the ending very abrupt leaving me asking myself "what happened"? I even checked to see if pages were missing. Perhaps it was done as a set-up for a third book...but it was confusing and disappointing.

Undone (Vino & Veritas) - Leslie McAdam - (Vermont)
Vino & Veritas series Book #18
Narrators: Iggy Toma & Tim Paige
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
This exceptional M/M romance features the effervescent, ever loveable, Davey Murphy (“Murph”) improbably falling head over heels for his (not really, well maybe) straight, beautiful landlord and roommate, Jason Falkner. If you’ve been reading the whole V&V series, you may remember Murph as Reeve’s BFF from Book 16, When the story begins, Murph is moving into Jason’s home where he will share the top floor apartment with Jason, who he already thinks of as “Handsome McHandsomer”, and “Mr. Hottie McHotterson”. Murph has adorable and hysterical nicknames for Jason, who he also describes as “a total snack”, then upgrades him to “grade A steak” status. Jason is a kind, generous, solid, dependable, and a very lonely...that is until he met Murph. Jason’s a simple, straightforward guy that hasn’t been very invested in his own life. His father rules most of his decisions and the #1 thing that Dad keeps harping about is for Jason to get married and produce house full of grandchildren...but only with a woman...and with one that Daddy approves of. I hate those type of parents!!! Jason is shades of grey to Murph’s vibrant, colorful personality and outlook on life. While Jason doesn’t prevaricate and would never intentionally hurt someone, he’s also oblivious, with a total lack of self-awareness. Murph and Jason seemingly have nothing in common, but they actually fit like a hand in glove. Despite appearances, they actually have a lot of shared interests and enjoy the same activities...like watching Forged in Fire and pretending it’s for the weapons, not the brawny, built, tattooed men wielding those weapons. They bring out the best in each other. Jason sees Murph as rainbows, sunshine, and light. Unapologetically himself and someone Jason would like to emulate if only he could figure out how. Murph and Jason’s romance when it finally happens is absolutely beautiful in every respect. Suffice it to say it’s full of heart, energy, and adoration mixed with some doubt, trepidation, and lots and lots of questions. These two men...they are what Undone is all about. Ms. McAdam expertly crafts their complex characters in a way that is so authentic and real. Leslie McAdam masterfully explores this dynamic as part of a colorful, emotional romantic journey between two men who you can’t help but fall for.

Ballsy Boys Series - K.M. Neuhold & Nora Phoenix - (California)
Genera: M/M/ Romance/Adult Entertainment
5★
I debated a long time before deciding to post a review for this series, but then gave it another thought. The authors of these type of books, although I KNOW and totally understand that they are not for everyone, but these authors work just as hard writing and marketing their books as more conservative authors do and deserve to have their efforts recognized. I also ALWAYS list the genera so that anyone that doesn't feel comfortable reading about guys together can skip over them and it won't hurt my feelings in the least. I wish there was more of this series. I will try to keep this review short while doing all 5 books in one review.
Rebel - Book #1 - Rebel is one of the original Ballsy Boys, the premiere gay porn site. He is very comfortable with who he is and loves doing what he does. He has trouble keeping a guy that wants him for himself, and not just for what he does for a living. When he gets a singing telegram, from a guy in a banana suit no less, he learns his latest is breaking up with him...but Troy...the "Banana Suit" guy is perfect to take his place. This book introduces us to all of Rebel’s Porn Star coworkers. This one especially, should be read first...actually the entire five books should be read in order.
Tank- Book #2 - Tanks story is actually combined with another Ballsy Boy, Brewer. Theirs is an "enemies-to-friends-to-lovers" story about the two porn stars who met through the Ballsy Boys studio. Tank and Brewer have known each other for a few years, but there is only hatred between them. It’s not just a dislike, it’s pure hate, and the reason is nothing deep, angsty or dramatic. It’s pretty simple and I thought really kind of stupid and hollow. They hated each other at first sight because something about the other’s personality bugged each of them. They simply didn’t click and that, through time, translated into hate. They disliked each other’s and made no attempt to get along. Slowly, through many months, they begin to get to know the real person behind the porn persona and become good friends and then much more. I really liked them better when they stopped hating one another.
Heart - Book #3 - What’s not to love here? We get Heart and Mason’s story…oh and there’s Lucky too! It’s a threesome that is very well done. These guys get it all. Heart has a secret that, thanks to his partner at the time he was 18, earned him 3 years in prison for a crime that his supposed lover set him up for. Lucky is his P.O. and Mason is a sweetie that is head over heels for Heart. It's fun friends that enjoy each other’s company and eventually enjoy each other's company with benefits.
Campy - Book #4 - I knew deep down that Campy’s story was going to be special with how secretive and aloof he was. Campy has so many secrets that they are about to suffocate him. He lies to Bear, the head of the studio, and the rest of the guys at Ballsy Boys that he’s gay when he’s really straight. He lies to his mother that he’s a vet tech when he is truly a gay porn star. It’s the only way he can keep a roof over his and his mother's heads and the afford the meds that his mom so desperately needs to stay alive. The biggest lie that he tells is to himself! Then a sexy cowboy shows up to share his apartment, Campy tells him he’s straight but luckily Jackson sees through the lies and helps him open his eyes to who he truly is and what is most important in life.
Pixie - Book#5 - The last book in the series but the one that everyone that has read the series from Book #1 has waited for. I had a really hard time starting this one because I knew it was the end of the series and I just wasn’t ready to let the guys go. Luckly, I bought the series and I love to reread. It was obvious from the time we first met Pixie that he had feelings for Bear…he was Pixie's perfect "Daddy" type. Anyone who had eyes knew that Bear was very, very, sometimes overly protective of Pixie...so it didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that it was more than just employer concern for his employee. Now these two have to finally get on the same page and open up about their past and their concerns. Bear had been severely hurt by his past and a promise that he made to his dying partner many years ago. As for Pixie (Eli), I liked that he knew what kind of man and the type of relationship he needed to survive and thrive. Bear sent some mixed signals, and he scared me when seeing how little he knew of real life, and figuring out that the promise he made had long ago expired. It was heartwarming how Rebel and the rest of the boys had Pixies’ back when he needed it the most. Bear finally takes charge, like he should have to start with. An absolutely great series that I have loved and looked forward to each of these books by these two amazing authors. Their books are nothing short of solid gold in my opinion.

The Sallie House Haunting: A True Story - Debra Lyn Pickman - (Kansas)
Genera: True Story/Haunting/Horror
4★
This book was interesting, but really only scary if you were reading it on a dark night while alone in your house...but it was interesting. It doesn't really matter if you believe in ghost or not... if this is really happening, then there was at least one very active presence. I wish it had been written to voice Debra and Tony's experiences instead of just what Tony had experienced and his thoughts at the end. Also, the book said there were pictures but there were only two not very clear pictures in the entire book. I found a few...actually a very few, interesting comments about the house from people who had visited it that will share. I believe a lot of it was things these folks who had forked over a great deal of money to "investigate" or just to visit, brought in their own imaginations, hoping to find something to be true. "We walked in the door to a heavy feeling. We immediately went to open the basement door, where most of the activity seems to stem from. We hear footsteps going up the stairs above, but no one but us was in the house and we were all in the kitchen. From there it was a parade of shadows, equipment going off, voices, you name it." Then there are many more comments from people that saw it as an overpriced supposedly haunted "Disney World". The Sallie House was a huge disappointment. The main concern was people coming up and knocking on the doors and windows asking to come inside, or just popping up in a window and taking photos. There are not many blinds or curtains in the house. The house is on a busy street so all you see are car lights going around the rooms. In summer you will have the old AC unit making noise. We did not get any sense of anything out of place and was not scared nor did we have any strange feelings anywhere in the house. I honestly would recommend you NOT waste your money. The history of this house does not show at any time there being a little girl called "Sallie" in the house much less dying in the house. . It's a good Halloween story...but is it true? Who knows? As my Irish grandmother used to tell us as kids when we scared ourselves silly reading ghost stories..."I'm not sure if there are ghosts but I'm not looking to invite one to tea".

Lay Your Body Down Amy Suiter Clarke -(Minnesota)
Genera: Mystery/Thriller (this is how its library listed...I would call it propaganda with a big capital P)
2★
This can best be described as a cult-themed book, which I generally try to avoid at ll costs. So why am I reading this? First of all, it was recommended by a trusted friend and secondly my neighbor bought it, read it, and is still singing its praises. I found that Amy Suiter Clarke’s Lay Your Body Down is not the typical cult book. Somehow, she manages to toe the line between cult and the "mega-church gone haywire".... but it's still brain washing no matter what fancy names you give it. She cleverly raises the question, and has characters mention the word "cult" several times but leaves it to readers to decide for themselves. The Messiah, or “The Mess,” ...isn't that cuteness personified?), doesn’t immediately have all the markings of a traditional cult leader. The followers can attend college, but only colleges preferred by "The Mess". They can have contact with people and family that are not a part of "The Messiah".... but they are carefully and secretly monitored. So as far I could see the whole shebang had all the distinct characteristics of a cult where the members didn't question authority...they were told what they needed to know...with all the typical patriarchy structures. It takes a bit from another religion with the confessionals. I found out that in this religion it is called "Auditing". “The members here are so afraid of being shunned that they even started making up sins to please the elders. Frankly, in spite of it being an "eye-opener" about these groups...I spent the majority of the read saying "What is the matter with you people? Stop acting like little lab rats"!! Then I just became overly frustrated with them all and stopped reading.

Cutting It Close - Reece Knightly - (Texas/Kenya)
Code of Honor Series Book #1
Narrator: Troy Duran
Genera: M/M Romance/Special Forces/Military
4.5★
Captain Maddox Stone is ready to put the men who messed with his family on the train bound for elimination. Eliminating the enemy is the only thing he’s good at anyway. He sure isn’t good at connecting, no matter how much his heart says to give it a try. Then, his past comes walking through the door. Now if he can only work up the courage to explain what really happened that night so long ago. The thing that sent the only man he ever loved and still loves, away. Lieutenant River Seeger has returned to the Triple R ranch when his grandfather calls him for help. With no other recourse, he returns but makes it clear it’s only for a limited time. He’s left the past behind and with it, his youthful dreams. Since he’s here, shouldn’t he at least see Maddox and try to get some answers? Two soldiers faced with the past. One man struggles with a tragic secret while the other one demands answers. What’s even worse... When Maddox deploys on a mission and River takes on the kidnappers, time is running out for at least one of them, maybe both. The only thing for certain is they’re definitely, as the title say...cutting it close. The two leads seemed well suited to each other though there wasn't a whole lot of alone time for them to deal with their issues. While I don't care for, this is one that the angst level could have been ramped up a lot. It was just barely touched on. Everything was wrapped up way too quickly and neatly when you consider what the two leads will have to deal with in the future. At least they are happy and they are together in a much safer job.

Little Secrets - Jennifer Hillier - (Washington)
Genera: Psychological and Domestic Mystery & Suspense
5★
The story begins with any parent’s worst nightmare: the disappearance of a child. This is a story about grief and how we respond when our lives are shattered, and the desperate measures we turn to when we cannot accept the new reality in which we have found ourselves. This is a psychological suspense story with a big, beating heart of its own at the core. The story centers around a married couple, Marin and Derek, who have a picture-perfect life. They have it all. A successful business, a beautiful home, and a young son, Sebastian, whom they absolutely adore. Then one day, on a busy afternoon at the Pike Place Market in Seattle, Marin is distracted for just a moment by a text message from Derek, and Sebastian disappears. Every parent's unthinkable occurrence has taken place...Sebastian is gone...kidnapped. A desperate search takes place, but no luck. Sebastian is nowhere to be found. Now we "fast forward" one year later, and the trail has gone cold. Still Marin refuses to give up on her son and hires a private investigator to keep the investigation alive. One day the investigator finds something unexpected. She discovers that Marin’s husband is having an affair and has been for some time. The rage that follows this discovery gives Marin a new reason to live. She will devote herself to uncovering the extent of her husband’s betrayal and seek her revenge. This is a story where readers are almost better off going into it with as little information as possible. It's loaded with entertainment along with a couple of genuinely surprising twists and reveals. Jennifer Hillier has, written a story with a blend of thrills and lots of heart, tension, and emotion. A gripping, heartbreaking psychological suspense story that will keep you up reading well into the night. If you are a fan of psychological and domestic suspense...I'm almost sure you will like learning these Little Secrets

All Things Slip Away Katheryn Meyer Griffith - (Illinois)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
3.5★
Frank is a retired cop from Chicago who has moved back to hometown of Spookie to write books. Annie found this quaint little town after her husband was killed. She is a great artist and has started painting ads for some the town's businesses. When a young girl disappears and a mud doll is left in her mailbox, Frank knows it is the same serial killer he had been chasing in Chicago for killings that had taken place there. He figures the killer has followed him to seek revenge for Frank shooting him. As the plot thickens and more people disappear in their little town. It sets everyone on edge. The story keeps getting better as it goes along and is well worth the read. The only thing that I found frustrating was not with the story or the author...it was a with the lack of a good editor.

Love and Monsters - Max Walker - (Georgia)
Book Club Boys series Book #1
Narrators: Simon Dornet & Javi Wilder
Genera: M/M Romance/Mystery
5★
I checked, and I have now read or listened to every book that Max Walker has thus far, pulled out of his head and put on paper...some of them more than once. This one, Love and Monsters, is the start of a new series..."The Book Club Boys". Like all of Max Walker's books, I absolutely loved it. The characters of Noah and Jake are so good together from the time that they first met. They are coworkers as well as friends. Noah is fairly sure that Jake is straight but is surprised and happy to learn that Jake is bi. Noah has a book club composed of friends that he has known all his life and knowing Noah's love of reading, he invites him to join the next book club meeting. While at the meeting a package is delivered to Noah’s neighbor instead of Noah's home. This starts the mystery. Noah is frightened to think that anyone would do this to him, and the police was less than enthused to be much help, so Jake invites Noah to spend the night at his house. Of course, we know that this will start what will bloom into a sweet romance. That there was ever going to be a romance was evident from this point on, but they didn't just kiss and fall into bed right away. I really liked that they instead, set out to get to know more about one another before sparks ignited too much. Noah was still receiving scary, unwanted "gifts" from who by now we knew to be a stalker. It was actually pretty late in the book before anything heavier took place between Noah and Jake but was well worth waiting for. The mystery was well done, and the secondary characters were hilarious. Max Walker dangled the " gift bearing stalker's" identity in front of us almost from the start, but I never made the right connection...but I know that I can't wait to read the next one.

Fire and Ermine - Andrew Grey (Pennsylvania/Veronia) (Veronia may not be a real place)
Carlisle Troopers Series Book #3
Genea: M/M Romance
5★
I have never read a book by Andrew Grey...and I think I have read them all... that wasn't 5-star and more, worthy. His characters are so down to Earth and always looking out for their partners happiness...and he lets them all find it. I don't really care for children in my romance stories, but he always places the little devils into the story:) The children that appear in his books are always treaded well and put first in their parent's lives...which is usually a single father. Talk about different lifestyles...Prince Franz (Reynard as Fisher called him), and Fisher really did appear to live on different planets. Franz was a Prince of Veronia, but he knew he would never be King unless something happened to his older brother. That was more than okay with him since he only wanted to be of service to the people of his country. He wanted to get them involved with planting gardens and taking an active part in making their small country a prettier and better place to live. Fisher was a police officer in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He loved being a member of law enforcement...but the time that he had spent with Franz when his car broke down when he was in the U.S. and escaping the pomp and circumstance parts of his life, changed his views of life forever and made him want more. Just what that more was...he wasn't sure, but he wanted it with Reynard, whatever it was. Reynard had no intentions to never return home...just not right away. A fire at the hotel where he was staying, left him with nowhere to go so Fisher and his grandmother offered him their guest room. Of course, you know how long he stayed in the guest room:) This is an M/M romance after all. The way the two main character's lives revolved and came together was probably more the stuff of fairytales...but I think that might be what the author intended. At any rate it was a sweet love story with a HEA ending.

Austin's Lost Fireman - Della Caine & Kaytea Kat
Found By Daddy Series Book #4
Genera: M/M Romance/Age Play, Daddy-Little
4★
I have always loved stories that feature "Littles", They always have happy ever after ending with almost no turmoil to get there. Trevor is a "little" that loves building with plastic bricks and building toys...his favorite is a firetruck with a little fireman that Trevor thinks of "his friend" when he's in his little mode. He feels like the little fireman looks out for his wellbeing since a real fireman's job is protecting people. When his "Daddy" buys tickets for them to the Brick & Build Con, he thinks he is the best Daddy ever...and then he discovers that his "Daddy" has a secret family and Trevor is only his side piece. Trevor immediately cut ties with this person and moves to another city and another job. The creep has scared " little" Trevor to the extent that he is afraid to go to any event that might bring out his "little" side, but he believes he will be brave and give it a try, surely his little fireman will help him. In the event he loses his brave little fireman, but an honest Daddy finds him and makes social media posts to try and find the little one who owned him. This was a sweet story about a little who eventually found his forever Daddy. Trever was simply adorable, and you just wanted to hug him at some of the painful times in his life. I loved the idea of the social media posts featuring the little fireman. All of the books in this series are short, easy reads, with such good feelings and wonderful characters. I love the covers of this series, but they may be misleading concerning the content. Be aware that these are and do contain adult themed stories with some BDSM elements.