REVIEW: Getaway with Murder

 Getaway With Murder
Author: Diane Kelly

I love reading cozies set in western NC because I live here! So glad I read this one -- loved it! Great start to a new series. I'm definitely going to be reading this series!

The Basics: Misty Murphy turns 50...gets divorced....and buys an old inn sitting atop a mountain in Northwest NC. The inn needs a lot of work, but she finds a handyman in her price range to things up. Opening weekend the inn is full and everything looks great. Until.....

There is always an until....

Yep -- a murder. One dead yoga instructor and Misty's new business venture might just crumble around her ears. So she starts doing some sleuthing to find the killer. Can she discover who offed the yoga instructor before someone else is killed?

Such a fun story! I love the characters and the setting (of course). The chapters even have some thoughts from Misty's cat - Yeti is awesome! :) 

Glad I read this cozy. It made me smile the entire time. Nicely paced. Plenty of humor. Fun setting/premise. Great cover art. I will definitely stick with this series!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martins Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Red Boat Fish Sauce Cookbook

 The Red Boat Fish Sauce Cookbook
Author: Cuong Pham, Tien Nguyen, Diep Tran

It isn't often that I actually sit down and read a cookbook...but I read this one! I loved the story about how Red Boat Fish Sauce got started, the intro about Vietnamese cooking and ingredients, and the family anecdotes and photos! 

My son and his wife have been living in Vietnam (she is a teacher there) for two years now and they always talk about how wonderful the food is. I have already ordered a physical copy of this book (comes out in October -- can't wait!) not only because it will allow me to try Vietnamese foods, but also because the instructions are clearly explained and the ingredients lists are easy to follow. I did not find a single ingredient that I couldn't find at a local store or Asian grocery. Yay! 

The recipes are gathered into chapters covering everything from breakfast dishes and party foods to stocks and desserts/drinks. The recipes are printed in an easily read font with lovely color photographs. The cooking instructions are simple, but clear. I have never cooked any Vietnamese dishes before...but I'm confident that this cookbook will help me do that with little problem. 

Lovely cookbook with varied recipes! I've already made a couple of dishes -- so good! Can't wait to get my physical copy! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this cookbook from Mariner Books. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**

REVIEW: The Infant Spirits

 The Infant Spirits
Author: Janice Tremayne

This is the 4th book in the Haunting Clarisse series, but the stories can be read a stand-alones -- no real need to enjoy them in order. There are a couple mentions of prior stories, but no huge spoilers. 

As with all Janice Tremayne books, this story is well-written and quite spooky! Clarisse and Harry are tasked with looking for spirits at an asylum. The story moves at a nice pace and there are several great twists. I'm not going to say much about the plot itself as suspense/spooky tales are best with as little prior knowledge as possible. Spooky. Asylum. Ghosts. That's all I'm saying.

I like the characters and each story has a new spooky site or type of haunting to keep the stories fresh and creepy. 

Love this series! I read each installment as it comes out - can't wait to find out what horrors await in the next tale!!

REVIEW: Hooked on a Feline

 Hooked on a Feline
Author: Sofie Kelly

I've been reading this series faithfully since book 1. Hooked on a Feline is #13. I really, really enjoy this series! Cozy mystery....a couple magical cats....entertaining characters.....it all keeps me coming back each time a new book comes out! 

This time, it's summer in Mayville Heights and Librarian Kathleen Paulson is enjoying the reunion of a favorite local band. Everyone is! Until.....one of the band members is found dead. With a local favorite murdered, nothing could stop Kathleen from investigating....with the help of her two special kitties, of course!

I listened to the audio book version of this story. Narrated by Cassandra Campbell, the audio is just shy of 7.5 hours long. Easy listening length. I listened on my work commutes, and thoroughly enjoyed the story! 

Another fun cozy mystery in this series! I will definitely be back for #14!

REVIEW: Christmas Dessert Murder

 Christmas Dessert Murder
Author: Joanne Fluke

I love the Hannah Swensen series. I've been a reader since book one came out in 2000. It was literally the first cozy culinary mystery I ever read. I read every single book as soon as it comes out. And I've seen every Hallmark movie several times. Gotta get my Hannah fix! Each year there is usually a holiday story or novella at Christmas and a new book. This time, the holiday story is a reprint of two earlier books in the series. I have to say I was a bit disappointed to not get a new Hannah holiday treat. I don't necessarily dislike reprints, but if I was going to choose two earlier Hannah stories, it wouldn't have been these two. Just not my favorites....

This book includes: Christmas Caramel Murder (Book #20, published in 2016) and Christmas Cake Murder (Book #23, published in 2018). 

I'm a dedicated reader of this series. I will keep reading each new book until there aren't any more. The series went through a rough patch a couple years ago, but things seem to have improved. 

Readers will enjoy these two holiday cozy stories. The recipes sprinkled amid the stories are wonderful, as usual. And Hannah and her crew are awesome. I've been reading this series for more than 20 years -- what more can I say! :) I keep coming back again and again for Hannah, Mike, Norman and the whole gang....plus recipes from The Cookie Jar!

I, of course, reviewed both of these prior books when they came out. Here are those reviews: 

CHRISTMAS CARAMEL MURDER (Originally reviewed 2/2/2017)

Christmas Caramel Murder is the 20th book in the Hannah Swensen series. This story is a novella of only about 200 pages or so, including the recipes sprinkled throughout the book.

Hannah's new husband, Ross, asks her why The Cookie Jar won't be selling Christmas caramels for the holidays. Hannah replies that she and Lisa, her business partner and good friend, believe the candies they made last holiday season are bad luck. When she made them last Christmas, she found a bag of them near a dead body. Then she settles in to tell Ross the whole story of the murder case and a Christmas spirit that appeared to her.

This story at first reminded me a lot of a prior Hannah Swensen holiday novella, Candy Cane Murder. Hannah saw something in the snow and walked through the drifts down into a ditch and found a body. Both stories started out the same with a naughty Claus dead in the snow, but in Christmas Caramel Murder, it's the local slut who was playing Mrs. Claus in the Christmas play who got iced.

This story was short, but basically enjoyable. It's pretty much fluff with lots of recipes and subplot like what they are baking for the holidays, the broken popcorn machine at the high school and Norman's new huge television. The mystery is simple and not that involved. But, this is a cozy mystery....so fluff and light mystery is ok. That's how it's supposed to be. This would be a great cozy to read in front of the nice fire on Christmas Eve.

I was a little disappointed in this book. Mostly because it's so short. If you leave out the subplot unnecessary-to-the-mystery portions and the recipes, the mystery itself is maybe 50 pages tops. The rest is fluff stuff. And I found some parts of the plot to be just too cheesy -- like Hannah's father appearing as a ghost visiting her in the night to help her with the case. Really? At one point, he told her to throw a pen at him to prove he was a spirit. Umm....yeah. A bit too hokey for me. Plus, this story is told as a flashback to her new husband, Ross....the parts with Mike and Norman still acting all in love with her was just a bit weird since it was a story she was relating to her husband. I dunno....just seems like Joanne Fluke wrote this hurridly without paying too much attention. I feel like maybe she took the basic plot of Candy Cane Murder, replacing the victim with a woman and making little tweaks here and there to form a new story. Old hat. But.....the story would still be a nice cozy read during the holidays. It is what it is. After writing 21 books in this series, it might just be running out of steam a bit.

I'm surprised this wasn't another holiday collection like Candy Cane Murder that also included stories by Linda Levine and Leslie Meier. I could have justified the $20 price tag of the hardback book a little more if it had more than just the short, fluffy Hannah Christmas tale. But, it was an enjoyable read. I checked it out of the library, rather than buying it.

CHRISTMAS CAKE MURDER (Originally reviewed 8/2/2018)

I have been a fan of the Hannah Swensen series for years. Although there are a lot of culinary cozy series now, this series was one of the first. After 23 books, this series is still one of my favorites, despite some....disappointments....in the last couple of books (not going to say what so I don't spoil things for newer readers but those who have read the entire series know I'm talking about R.) This book is a prequel taking readers back to before Hannah opened her bakery, The Cookie Jar, ....so it circumvents the R debacle. I was so excited when I saw this available for review. A Hannah prequel! Yep -- I'm up for it!

I'm going to delve into what I love about this book first, then get to several problems I see. Always the good first! :)

I love the fact that the plot of this book is a bit different....a bit of a story inside a story. Hannah comes home after college, not sure what to do with the rest of her life. She settles back into life in Lake Eden, helping her mother and sisters after the recent death of her father. An elderly much-loved resident of the little MN town has fallen on hard times and is in the hospital recovering from a fall. Hannah and her mother discover that the woman has been living in squalor in the old theater building in town. They come up with a plan to recreate the annual Christmas Ball, an event that Essie remembers fondly. And, they go to the old building Essie has been living in to pack up some of her belongings to bring to the hospital. While looking for items Essie has requested, they find some old notebooks. Essie was writing a story. Hannah, her sisters and mother all get totally sucked into Essie's story, which turns out might be a real mystery about the past. So...a story within a story. Nice creative touch for a Hannah Swensen Christmas tale!

I liked the fact that this story was completely pre-love triangle. For those new to the series, through most of the series, Hannah was torn between two men in Lake Eden. Things just dragged on too long, and when it finally did resolve, it was disappointing. But, in this prequel tale, Hannah is busy deciding to open her bakery and coffee shop. No love triangle. No male competition. Not even Moishe, Hannah's kitty cat.

Lots of recipes! From pork roast to breakfast burritoes and peach pie to mint cookies, there is a recipe to tempt almost everybody!

There is some nice character development in this prequel. Dolores has just lost her husband and is having difficulty dealing with the loss. Hannah has just finished college and wants to change her life plan of teaching college to something she will actually enjoy -- baking. The story gives some nice insight into Hannah, her sisters and her mother. I'm invested in these characters after years of reading this series. It was nice to read about what things were like for them before Hannah opened The Cookie Jar.

Much as I love, love, love getting a Hannah-fix, I do have to give an honest review.... Some problems evident in the past several books in this series are still a problem with this one.
Clunky, clumsy dialogue. Overuse of characters' names. Over explanation of situations, or characters unnecessarily repeating conversations or situations to other characters. It's just different (and more amateurish) writing than what I'm used to from this series. I went to my library's digital site and downloaded an early book in the series to see if I'm imagining things.....and no, I stand by my analysis. The writing style is completely different, and much less polished than the rest of the series. The last 3 books have been problematic. Ghost writer? Different editor? Something has changed. I'm invested in this series after 23 books and years of reading, but I'm disappointed by the changes in quality of writing and in the characters' behavior.

But.....all in all....I love this series and the characters. This was a nice Christmas story with some new elements that I enjoyed. But I have to be honest and say that the story should have gone through another round of editing to tighten things up, bringing it up to the standard of the first 20 books or so of this series.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**

REVIEW: Nothing But Blackened Teeth

 Nothing But Blackened Teeth
Author: Cassandra Khaw

I knew that this story was going to be creepy.....but holy crap! This story is just downright horrific! Awesomely horrific!

A group of "friends'' -- really people who used to be friends but have basically destroyed their relationships through growing up, poor decisions, and thoughtlessness. The cohesiveness of young bonds broken by adulthood and change. But, they are together again. To celebrate a wedding. In the weirdest venue ever -- a dilapidated, remote Japanese mansion with a haunting, creepy history. Nadia & Faiz celebrating their love. Peter performing the ceremony. Lin and Cat rounding out the party. Nadia has always dreamed of a wedding in a haunted house....and Nadia gets what she wants. But, the house also wants...and what it wants is dark and gruesome. 

Wow. Just wow. This story is short, but it packs quite a supernatural punch in 100 pages. I could see this being a Japanese style horror movie. Wicked camera tricks. Black eyed spirits. Weird lighting and jerky movement. Perfect! 

Great story! This is the first story by Cassandra Khaw that I've read. I'm definitely going to read more! Loved it! The cover art is perfect!

10/2/2021 - As I read my early review copy of this book earlier this year, I kept thinking how awesome this spooky bit of folklore based horror would be in audio format. So....I snagged an early copy of the audio book. OMG -- so awesome!

The audio is just over 2.5 hours -- easy listening length. Narrated by Suehyla El-Attar, this is a great spooky story set in an abandoned mansion. Great job of voice acting. So glad I listened to this story after reading it. For whatever reason, horror stories hit harder with me when I'm listening to them....sort of like hearing ghost stories around a campfire! But.....while nestled comfy in my house with a cup of tea!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Macmillan/Tor-Forge. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Beyond the Veil

 Beyond the Veil
Author: Various, edited by Mark Morris

Beyond the Veil gathers 20 horror short stories. I had the best time reading this varied collection of creepiness! I love short story anthologies, especially scary ones. So, I took my time....savoring each story and just enjoying the horror. 

Most of these writers are unfamiliar to me, which put a bit more fun in the mix. I love trying out new-to-me authors and adding their books/stories to my TBR. New styles. New ideas. Different shades of horror. Loved it! 

My favorite story? So hard to choose one -- I enjoyed reading every single one. But if I have to pick one....I'd choose:  Arnie's Ashes by John Everson. I've read several of Everson's books....and this short story was short and creepy. Loved it! But, like I said, all of the stories in this book are good! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this story anthology from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Fan Fiction

Fan Fiction
Author: Brent Spiner

Ever been in the mood to read something different....something a bit off the usual beaten genre path? When I read the blurb for this book by Brent Spiner I was in that mood. I needed a bit of a genre palate cleanser....something odd....something wacky.....

And Spiner delivered just what I needed!

I read the first portion of this book in digital ARC format, then switched to the audio book. The story was fun to read ..... but even more fun having Brent Spiner read this tale of fame gone wrong. Had I not realized this tale was fictionalized to make it more entertaining, I would have been alarmed at the story. A stalker. Weird notes. Gross things in boxes. Fear. Body guards. STNG fans don't like to think about one of their fav actors being stalked by a wackadoo. But.....this book isn't alarming.....it's entertaining, witty and funny. And exactly what I expected from Mr. Spiner. I kept seeing the joyful look on his face in that episode of Big Bang Theory when he pulls open Sheldon Cooper's mint-in-package Wesley Crusher action figure saying "Remember how we used to make these things look like they were masturbating?''  LMAO.  I laughed my way through this entire book. 

I highly recommend this book / audio book for any Star Trek fan who doesn't take things too seriously. There's some great moments for Trek fans, but more of Brent Spiner just having fun telling a story. Just go with it.....

It's an easy reading or listening length. The audio is just short of 7 hours long and mostly narrated by Spiner, with drop-ins from fellow Star Trek actors and other familiar folks. 

Fun, entertaining....and very very different. Loved it! It was nice to see Data finally get that android cob out of his butt... ha ha

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book (and listened to the audiobook). All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Shadowless - The Dark Veil Opens

 The Shadowless: The Dark Veil Opens
Author: Christopher Schmitz

Three scientists are conducting a university study into an unknown entity. They know the creature is real. To prove it, they have to capture one, study it and learn how to contain it. What could possibly go wrong?  

Lots of things..... 

Loved this intro story to Christopher Schmitz's latest horror series! This is a prequel story to set the tone -- and boy...what a tone! The story kept my attention from start to finish. Horror with a splash of humor thrown in. Very entertaining! I can't wait to read the rest of this series!

There are three novellas in this series so far! I'm definitely reading the rest. I like Schmitz's writing style and plots. Already got Book 1 - Bloodguilt queued up in my Kindle app! Have to find out what happens next! Thanks a lot Schmitz for making me break my self-imposed book buying ban....I have no will power when it comes to excellent horror! 

REVIEW: Three Sisters

 Three Sisters
Author: Heather Morris

Three sisters are sent to Auschwitz. They promised their father earlier in life that they would always stay together. At the notorious death camp, they make another promise.....to stay alive. 

This book was hard to read at times, but beautiful, too. The sisters stay strong in the face of extreme hardship, buoyed up by their love for each other. So although this story was rough on me emotionally (I kept thinking of the stories passed down to me of relatives that died in the concentration camps), I'm so glad I read it! 

Three Sisters is the third book in the Tattooist of Auschwitz series. Every book has been outstanding! 

I read part of this book in ebook ARC format....then listened to the audio book. Narrated by Finty Williams, the audio is just over 13 hours long. Williams does a great job of voice acting. Very moving audio performance! 

Very thought provoking....emotional.....and beautiful! Glad I read/listened to this book!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from St Martins Press (and Macmillan Audio). All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Dark Shadow

 The Dark Shadow: The Haunting of Bridge Manor part 2
Author: Marc Layton

This novella continues the dark story of The Lady of the Lake in The Haunting of Bridge Manor series. Rachel and Ben survived That Night and are living in Chicago with their Aunt Christine. They should be safe.... right? 

The Lady of the Lake isn't done with them yet! Rachel is having vivid nightmares and Ben is talking to invisible children. To everyone around them it seems they are having emotional trauma due to the events at the Manor....but it's way, way more than that!

Another creepy story from Marc Layton! I can't wait to read the final installment in the story: The Lady of the Lake! Got my ARC copy queued up on my Kindle so I can find out what happens to Rachel and Ben! 

I love the cover art for this novella! The story is an entertaining, quick read. Definitely has me eagerly waiting to find out what happens next! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this novella. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Slashing Through the Snow

 Slashing Through the Snow
Author: Jacqueline Frost

There's nothing like reading a Christmas themed cozy when it's close to 100 degrees outside! I read my review copy of this book in August....I turned my AC up in my reading room.....brewed some hot tea....sat in my favorite chair with my chihuahua... and let my mind sink into holiday mode!

I enjoyed returning to Mistletoe, Maine and the Christmas tree farm! Now, the farm has a new B&B, and Holly is excited to be running it. But there is always a Grinch lurking.....a B&B reviewer with a reputation as a harsh critic shows up to check out the new inn. Cleo the Evil Critic is true to form and behaves badly. When her dead body is discovered crammed into a toy drive donation box, there are plenty of suspects. Can Holly, along with her friends and family, discover the identity of the killer before anyone else dies or the holiday is ruined?

Another fun read in this series! The plot moves at a good pace, there is plenty of action/sleuthing, and the story is just plain fun! I'm definitely looking forward to the next book! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Wandering Earth

 The Wandering Earth
Author: Cixin Liu

After reading and loving The Three Body Problem, I definitely wanted to enjoy more stories by Cixin Liu. I love sci-fi, and these translated stories bring something different to the table than most of the modern Sci-Fi I read. 

The Wandering Earth is a collection of 11 stories. I first wanted to read this collection for the title story - The Wandering Earth - since a movie was made from this novella. I have a rule of always reading the book/story that a film is based on before watching the movie, and wanted to experience the story the way the author wrote it first before going to Netflix to watch the movie version. I heard the movie version was terrible so wanted to have an informed opinion. The reviews are correct -- the movie is terrible IMHO. Story is awesome....a bit absurd in spots but a great story nonetheless. The movie.....well.....watch it for yourself and see what you think. 

I'm glad I listened to this audio book in its entirety instead of just listening to the main story I wanted to hear. All 11 of these stories are an ode to the Earth. Some are related to each other, but all can be read as stand alone stories. The author's stories encompass some hard-hitting topics - the environment, culture, society, human nature, and science. 

Cixan Liu's writing is very thought provoking. It isn't the sort of sci-fi that involves robots and laser gun fights -- although I love that sort too. It's the sort of Sci-fi that makes one think about the place of human kind in the universe. The stories are varied...some are awesome, others a bit absurd....but all make the reader think deeper thoughts. At least I did. 

**I voluntarily listened to an review copy of this audio book from Macmillan Audio. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Weekend Escape

 The Weekend Escape
Author: Rakie Bennett

Right off the bat I'm going to say that this story is nothing new. A tale of friends who go on a trip to somewhere remote as a fun excursion, a reunion, to have fun...but secrets/lies/jealousies/evil intentions change the trip from fun into pure terror. It's been done before....many, many times before....

But....I love that story line! So yep -- read this book, got sucked right into the drama and enjoyed every word! Because an island....a violent storm....six self-absorbed people with mucho past drama = perfect setting! 

It didn't take long for these six "friends" to start turning on each other. Once that started, I couldn't put the book down! I didn't really like any of the characters...but that's not really the point in a suspense novel like this one...right? I'm supposed to dislike them and get totally immersed in the drama, trying to discover which one is out to get the others. And I did. I kept finding myself imaging what I would do in such a situation....besides totally freak out. I think at the first injury/death/disappearance, I would just gather up food/water/a good book and lock myself in my room with the door barricaded and wait for the others to kill each other, hoping they would all just forget about me. Ha! 

Very entertaining and suspenseful story! I think the lesson I take away from it is to never go to an isolated island with people I haven't seen in 10 years. Nope. In all the books I've read with this plot, it never turned out well. Ever. 

This is the first book by Rakie Bennett that I've read. It appears The Weekend Escape is her first book unless she writes under another pen name. I'm definitely going to read her next book -- can't wait to find out what she comes up with next! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from HarperCollins. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: The Woman at the Front

 The Woman at the Front
Author: Lecia Cornwall

In 1917, Eleanor Atherton is proud of graduating from medical school despite every obstacle (including her own family) that got in her way. Now she wants to go help the war effort. World War I is raging, and Eleanor wants to use her medical skills to help wounded soldiers, but women aren't allowed to be doctors at the front. A position as a private doctor to a wounded man gives Eleanor her chance. She's soon at the front in France, and learns what a horror war can be....

This is such a compelling story. Eleanor is a strong, courageous main character. I can only imagine how horrible it was to be at the front during WW I. This story brought some of the danger, violence and courage to life so that I could understand better what it would have been like to be there. 

I got sucked into this story immediately and enjoyed it! I thought at times that the horrible behavior of her family was a bit melodramatic, but I think that might be due to the fact it made me mad! And at times the plot was a bit more romantic than I would have liked. But all in all....I enjoyed the story. 

This is the first book by Lecia Cornwall that I've read. Her other books are mostly romance novels so I won't be reading those, but if she pens another story like this, I will definitely read it! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: What Lives in the Woods

 What Lives in the Woods
Author: Lindsay Currie

What a fun creepy story! Perfect for Halloween season, or anytime!

The Basics: Ginny Anderson wants to spend her summer relaxing, maybe writing a book and just being a kid. But her dad has other ideas. Her father restores houses....so he drags them all to Michigan for a month. Sight seeing? Nice hotels? A woodsy campground by a lake maybe? 

Nope. 

They get to stay in a run-down old mansion in the middle of nowhere. Woodmoor Manor. The house is 30 rooms of creepy shadows. Local lore tells tales of weird creatures in the woods around the house. It isn't the summer vacation she wanted, but Ginny decides to do some sleuthing into the creepy goings-on in and around Woodmoor! 

What a spooky-fun middle grade story! Very entertaining! The story is scary, but age appropriate scary. Nothing too bad. 

I wish I had gotten to spend a month in a creepy old house in the woods when I was young! Ginny is my kind of main character! She's an Agatha Christie fan so she goes at the mystery like Christie herself! :) 

Great book! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Sourcebooks Kids. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Deadly Summer Nights

 Deadly Summer Nights
Author: Vicki Delany

Great start to a new cozy series by Vicki Delany! 

The Basics:  It's 1953. Elizabeth Grady's mom inherited a resort in the Catskills two years before and Elizabeth is doing her best to run the place. It's not always easy -- especially when a guest is found dead and a copy of  The Communist Manifesto is found in his cabin. Was a Russian spy lurking in the Catskills....is a nearby competing resort owner trying to close them down....or is another guest a murderer?

I enjoyed this story, although the constant 50's slang got a bit annoying at times. It just seemed a bit over-done. I loved the characters and it did invoke memories of some fun vacations when I was a kid. That was in the 80s and in the Ozarks....but the woodsy resort feel was at least similar in my mind. :) I was definitely reminded of the feel of the Trixie Belden books with a bit more adult vibe thrown in. 

Very enjoyable story! I'm definitely sticking around to read more of this series! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Berkley Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Striking Range

 Striking Range
Author: Margaret Mizuschima

The Timber Creek K-9 series is one of my favorites! I love the setting, the characters and the plots! I have yet to be disappointed with this series. 

Striking Range is the 7th book in the series. The plot is fast-paced with lots of twists and sub-plots. Entertaining as usual! Mattie travels to question a suspect in a Colorado prison, but the prisoner dies leaving some mysterious clues in his cell. Add in a missing pregnant woman, puppies and a blizzard -- it all adds up to the usual great Timber Creek K-9 story! 

This newest book is one of my favorites in the series so far! The action was non-stop and I couldn't stop reading! I am eagerly awaiting the next book.

I read most of this story in digital ARC format, but waited to read the ending until the audio book became available then started over! For someone who used to dislike audio books, I have certainly come full circle -- I listen to so many now! Narrated by Nancy Wu, the audio is just under 10 hours long. Excellent listening experience as usual! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books (and listened to the audio book from Dreamscape Media). All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Why We Fought

 Why We Fought
Author: Jerry Borrowman

I first saw this book just after binge watching Band of Brothers for the 5th or 6th time since it came out. I knew immediately this book would be perfect follow up reading. Why We Fought gathers seven stories of people who went above and beyond to assist the Allies during WWII. 

Most of the people I had never heard of before. Their stories are so interesting and definitely heroic. One story I had definitely heard before -- Marlene Dietrich. Borrowman definitely did in-depth research on all seven. The stories are detailed, informative and amazing!

This is the first book by Jerry Borrowman that I've read. He's written several military history books and even one about Hoover Dam. I'm definitely reading more of his books. I like his writing style. Sometimes history gets bogged down in facts and gets to be like reading a textbook. Borrowman keeps the topic interesting while still be incredibly informative. 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Shadow Mountain Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**

REVIEW: No Gods, No Monsters

 No Gods, No Monsters
Author: Cadwell Turnbull

Wow! This book is weird....but creepy-cool weird! I loved it! 

What would happen if monsters were suddenly and completely real? Myths, legends, strange gods....all those things your parents told you weren't in your closet, under your bed or outside at night.....   

It took me awhile to get into this audio book. The story switches from character to character and jumps perspectives without any warning. But that weird vibe of constantly switching directions fits with this story. Once I got into the rhythm of the tale, I was hooked! 

There's more to this story than just a monster tale though. It's not hard to see through the supernatural trappings and understand what the author is really getting at. 

So creative! So many facets to this book. It's definitely a story that warrants a second listen....and a third! This is the start to a series -- can't wait to find out happens next!

The audio is almost 10 hours long and narrated by Dion Graham. Excellent voice acting -- Graham did a wonderful job! Very entertaining -- and thought provoking -- listening experience!

**I voluntarily listened to a review audiobook from Blackstone Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Horseman

 Horseman
Author: Christina Henry

Prequels, sequels, retellings.....most of the time they are hit or miss for me. I've had a few revisits to classic stories that I loved, but most are just disappointing, to be honest.  I decided to take a chance on this sequel to Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow because the premise really sounded interesting. It was a good decision -- I really enjoyed this story! 

The Basics: 20 years have passed since Ichabod Crane disappeared from Sleepy Hollow. Brom Bones married Katrina Van Tassel and life went on. Strange things happen in the woods around the little village though. Bente Van Brunt, Brom's grandchild, ignores the legend, except for running through the woods with his friends playing Sleepy Hollow Boys. Bente - who prefers to be called Ben - just wants to be like Brom. Then one day, while running around in the woods, the boys find the body of a child....and the head is missing. Is the Horseman back? Or is there another evil lurking the woods around Sleepy Hollow?

I loved Ben as a character. Born a girl, but a boy at heart, Ben struggles to make his grandmother understand him...and to become the person he wants to be. Brom is larger than life, of course, just like in the original story. 

This tale is definitely written for a YA audience, but at 50+ I enjoyed it, too! It was interesting to revisit the story and characters from Irving's tale....this time with a real supernatural feel to it. 

Definitely a great book to read (or listen to) during Halloween season! It fit right into my spooky reads for October! 

The audio book is almost 9 hours long, and narrated by Em Grosland. Grosland does a great job of voice acting. She brings the story to life! I got about halfway through my digital ARC of this book and realized I wanted the audio book -- I love listening to spooky stories! And this one had enough supernatural events and suspense that I knew it would be a superb audio book! Bought the audio the  minute the book released! 

So, although at first I was a bit skeptical that anyone could do the original story justice, Christina Henry took the feel of the original and made it her own. Loved it! Now that I've read this book, I want to read Henry's story Captain Hook! And she has a story based on Alice in Wonderland, too! I obviously have a lot of reading to do! Yay!  Full stars from me -- this story is spooky and very entertaining! This would make an awesome movie! *hint hint* And the book cover art is AWESOME! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy (and bought/listened to the audio book) of this story from Berkley Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** 

REVIEW: True Raiders

 True Raiders: The Untold Story of the 1909 Expedition
to Find the Lost Ark of the Covenant
Author: Brad Ricca

I love it when my favorite movies have a bit of truth in them! I'm a huge Raiders of the Lost Ark fan, so I grabbed up a review copy of this book the moment I knew it was coming out! And the true tale is even more adventurous and mystical than the Hollywood version!

1909. Monty Parker, a larger than life adventurous Brit, is dared to go on an expedition to find the Ark of the Covenant. Beautiful women. A mysterious scholar. Adventurous men. Even Psychics. And a secret archeological dig near Jerusalem. It is the stuff of Legend....and the telling of this story sucked me right in and kept my attention from start to finish! The history junkie in me was in complete heaven -- and no, I didn't see the Ark there. 

This book is phenomenal! Anyone who loves tales of archeological digs in the early 1900s and strange history will LOVE this book! Sometimes it completely factual that truth can be stranger than fiction! 

Love, love, love, LOVEEEEEEE this book! 

I read a portion of this book in ebook format, then switched to the audio book. The audio is just short of 10.5 hours long. Narrated by Stephanie Willis, the audio is an excellent listening experience. 

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book (and purchased the audio format) from St Martins Press. All opinions expressed (and exclamation points, Capital letters, etc) are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Whisper Cottage

 Whisper Cottage
Author: Anne Wyn Clark

Stina and Jack purchase a rural cottage. Their neighbor, elderly woman named Mrs Barley, seems nice enough...but why do the villagers whisper terrible things about her? 

Lots of whispers, rumors, gossip, secrets in this awesome suspense novel. The story sucked me in immediately. I read the first part of this book in digital arc format....then started the story over when I got a copy of the audio book. I couldn't stop listening to this story -- I had to know what was going on in the cottage and in the nearby village! I grew up in a little town....and whispers, secrets, rumors...it really brought me back to weird, secretive (or just downright mean) stuff that went on in my little hometown. 

I didn't expect the last third of the book....but the story worked. It's enjoyable when a story goes in an unexpected direction, especially when it's better than what I thought was going to happen! 

The audio is about 9.5 hours long and narrated by Lauren Moakes. Moakes does a great job of voice acting. She reads at a nice pace and brings the characters to life. Very enjoyable listening experience! 

I enjoyed this book. Curious what this author will come up with for her next book! 

**I voluntarily read a review copy (and listened to the audio book after release day) of this book from Avon Books. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**