WHAT ARE WE READING AND REVIEWING IN MAY 2023?

What Are You Going To Read in May?

CAROL'S READS FOR MAY
🌸 - ★
49/49
🌸The Swell - Allie Reynolds - 3★ (Friend)
🌸The Bishop's Pawn - Steve Berry - 5★ (Group Read)
🌸Always the Almost- Edward Underhill - 5★
🌸The Long Run - James Acker- 4★
🌸Different for Boys - Patrick Ness - 4★
🌸Sidelined - Kara Bietz - 4.5★
🌸The World As He Sees It - A M Authur- 5★
🌸The Heart As He Hears It - A M Authur - 4.5★
🌸A Master For His Puppy - Della Cain - 4.5★
🌸Professor Daddy - Nora Phoenix - 3.5★
🌸Breaking The Rules - Triskelion - Jodi Payne & B A Tortuga - 5★
🌸Making A Mark- Triskelion - Jodi Payne & B A Tortuga - 5★
🌸Making The Rules -Triskelion - Jodi Payne & B A Tortuga - 5★
🌸No Limits - Nora Phoenix- 4.5★
🌸The Little CEO - Nora Phoenix - 4.5★
🌸Here Comes Trouble - A E Via - 5★
🌸Don't Judge - A E Via - 4.5★
🌸Nothing Special V - A E Via - 5★
🌸Naughty Hand - Nora Phoenix- 4.5★
🌸His Hart's Command- A E Via - 4.5★
🌸Love in O'Leary the Novellas - May Archer - 5★
🌸Snow Falling - Davidson King 4.5★
🌸Cutting Cords - Morticia Knight - 5★
🌸Facing Fears - Morticia Knight - 5★
🌸Peacemaker- Morgan Brice -5★
🌸No Way Out - Fern Michaels - 2★
🌸Vengeance - Mark David Abbott - 3★
🌸So Pretty - Ronnie Turner - 5★
🌸Last Chance - Kate Bold - 3★
🌸Wendigo Road - Doug Goodman - 5★
🌸The Secrets We Bury - Debra Webb - 4.5★
🌸Have You Seen Me? - Kate White - 4★
🌸Curse of Salem - Kay Hooper - 5★
🌸The Twisted Dead - Darcy Coates - 5★
🌸Graveyard of Lost Children - Katrina Monroe - 3.5★
🌸Sea Castle - Andrew Mayne - 4.5★
🌸A Flaw in the Design - Nathan Oates - 5★
🌸Seed of Evil - Greg Beck - 3★
🌸Wrong Place Wrong Time - 5★
🌸Lies Come True - Emerald O'Brien - 5★
🌸The Keepers - Tan Van Huizen - 5★
🌸Gone - Ruby Speechley - 4.5★
🌸The Suffering- M J Mars - 4★
🌸Doctor to the Dead - John Bennett- 4★
🌸After Glow - Jayne Castle - 2.75
🌸All That Is Mine I Carry With Me - William Landay- 5★
🌸Nightwork - Nora Robers - 4★
🌸A Flicker in The Dark - Stacy Willingham -5★

Here Comes Trouble - A.E. Via - (Georgia)
Nothing Special Series Book 3
Narrator: Aiden Snow
Genera: M/M Romance/Police Procedural
5★
Detectives Mark Ruxsberg, (Ruxs), and Chris Green are very good at their jobs. Being the enforcers for God and Day's notorious Atlanta PD Narcotics Task Force causes the crazy duo to get into more trouble than they can often get out of. The pair never misses out on an opportunity to drive their lieutenants crazy with their dangerous, reckless, and costly stunts, landing them in the hot seat in front of God...often. Ruxs and Green love their jobs and they don't mind the very demanding schedule that leaves them little time for socializing or dating. It's fine with them, they enjoy hanging out with each other anyway. However, most of the men in their close circle of friends and colleagues are pairing off and settling down. God has Day, Ro has Johnson, and their Sergeant Syn has Furious. For the past several years, Ruxs has only sought out the advice and company of one person, his partner and best friend Green, and vice versa. Both of these alpha males are presumed straight, but neither can deny the heat that's building in their once-"just friends" relationship.

This series has fast become one of my favorites. Lots of fast action, intricate storyline plots, hot alpha men and their equally hot alpha lovers. Add in the teammates who are like family, funny quips, some ridiculous situations... and that’s when you usually hear the names Ruxs and Green. The narcotics task force enforcers are synonymous with chaos and property damage. They've been best friends and partners on the force for a long time and this story is about how that friendship morphs into something way more. Ruxs mom is a junkie who treats him like no one ever should treat anyone, especially a son. The reader feels the shame and sorrow that she constantly brings to big scary Ruxs. The series diffidently need to be read in order as characters appear from the first two books like Curtis, the teen that God and Day busted and then befriended back in the original book. Green becomes a surgent dad to Curtis and of course you will want to see Ruxs and Green work out that each can be exactly what the other needs. Aiden Snow narrates all these books on audio, and he does a fantastic job of giving each of the characters voices and personalities.

Don't Judge - A E Via - (Georgia/Florida)
Nothing Special Series Book 4
Genera: M/M Romance/Police Procedural
Narrator: Aiden Snow
4.5★
Detective Austin Michaels didn't think life could get any better after he was accepted into the most notorious narcotics task force on the East Coast, headed up by two of the baddest Lieutenants with the Atlanta Police Department - Cashel Godfrey and Leonidis Day. Michaels knew he would fit right in as the team's sniper, having received his fair share of commendations for marksmanship. He was just as badass as the rest of the twenty brothers that made up their team. But when Michaels lets their prime suspect get away from a huge bust with over a quarter of a million dollars in drugs, he's willing to do whatever it takes to make it right. Left with no other options, God chooses to bring in outside help, calling on his long-time friend and bounty hunter, Judge Josephson.
Judge was considered one of the best trackers during his enlistment in the United States Marine Corps. After retiring, he used those skills to become one of the most sought out fugitive trackers in the country. When Judge gets a call from his old friend needing his help, he quickly tells God, yes.

Not my favorite of the series but it still had a lot to offer if you are a "dyed in the wool" fan of God and Day and their little group...which I certainly am. The two characters, Detective Austin Michaels...Gods sniper, and Judge Josephson, the bounty hunter...spent way, way too much time being rude and obnoxious to one another. Even when they were trying to be more "friendly" they were rude and obnoxious to each other. I didn't think they were EVER going to even like one another and had about as much chance of falling in love as a snowball's chance in Hell. At least the dog loved them both :) I believe that the major problem was that BOTH guys are VERY, VERY Alpha...most of the men in this series are but they compromised better than Judge and Michaels seemed to be ever willing to even begin to try. These two didn't make their road to happiness easy...they had to work hard for it. There are tense moments, laughter, tears and a couple of "I can't believe you even did that!" times. I really had my doubts though it all. Again, as always, Aiden Snow was nothing but magnificent.

Wrong Place Wrong Time - Gillian McAllister - (England)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
5★
He’s past curfew. As you watch from the window, he emerges, and you realize he isn’t alone: he’s walking toward a man, and he’s armed. You can’t believe it when you see him do it: your funny, happy teenage son, he kills a stranger, right there on the street outside your house. You don’t know who. You don’t know why. You only know your son is now in custody, his future shattered. That night you fall asleep in despair. All is lost. Until you wake . . .. . . and it is yesterday. And then you wake again . . .. . . and it is the day before yesterday. Every morning you wake up a day earlier, another day before the murder. With another chance to stop it. Somewhere in the past lies an answer. The trigger for this crime—and you don’t have a choice but to find it.

It’s after midnight and Jen is waiting for her eighteen-year-old son. Todd is late, but Jen isn’t too worried...at least, no more than she should be. When she sees him from the window, she feels relieved, but then she sees a man following him. Her relief turns to horror as she watches Todd stab the man three times. Jen spends the night at the police station, but soon awakes thinking it was a terrible nightmare than felt real and then she slowly comes to realize, the impossible has happened. It's not October 31...it is October 28 and she was t the police station on October 30. She doesn't question it too closely...she only knows that somehow fate has given her a reprieve and Todd has yet to kill anyone. The story follows Jen, a divorce lawyer, as she moves back slowly, and then faster, through time, investigating what might have led her son to commit murder, and her desperately trying to prevent it. When she finds a knife in his bag...she takes it out. Maybe that will that be enough. She has the knife. Perhaps the murder has been stopped. above all, maybe she will wake up and it will be tomorrow....or the day after. Anything but today...again. Fate is fickle and when she wakes... it's now two days earlier. I admit that I became a bit confused about what day I was in. It makes your head swim after a while...I can only imagine how Jen felt. The author is a genius pulling off this tightly plotted theme that moves backwards through time, following missing babies, criminal gangs, and a sinister antagonist, finally bringing it to an extremely satisfying conclusion. It's a mystery but also in many ways it's also a moving love story. You may think "Oh...another Groundhog Day type story", but don't you believe it. It is SO MUCH MORE!

Lies Come True - Emerald O'Brien - (British Columbia - Canada)
Avery Hart Trilogy Book 1
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller/Police Procedural
5★
Avery Hart narrowly escapes death after being attacked in the woods of Crown River. Ten years later... The body of a young woman is discovered along the path of a park in the same town. The killer is cunning and ruthless, but even the best killers make mistakes. Fiona Wolfe, the second woman to be attacked, survives and reveals a potential link between the current killer and the attack on Avery Hart. Noah Cotter, an ambitious new inspector, becomes drawn to the case when his curiosity combines with his attraction to Avery. The dangerous search for truth appears to be muddied with each shocking secret brought to light, as Avery, Fiona, and Noah realize that when someone is deceived for too long, sometimes... Lies Come True

This is a dark thriller as well as a very good murder mystery that will keep you wanting to read well into the night or however long it takes you to get to the end. The author has very cleverly written something that will completely throw you off track several times when you think you have it all worked out. This is a brilliant start to the series, and I am so looking forward to more. Be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster ride with lots of angst and fear. Avery was attacked ten years ago and has ever since lived her life in constant fear. When she sees a police report her world is once again turned upside down and her worst nightmare is coming back to rule her life again. She wonders, if with a crazy killer on the loose will the police be able to keep all of the girls safe. The only downside to this story is that it ends with a cliffhanger that will absolutely demand that you find book #2.

The Little CEO - Nora Phoenix - (Nevada)
Genera: M/M Romance/Little, Daddy Age Play
4.5★
Phex Blanchet seems to have it all. He’s a successful CEO, his house is ginormous, and he drives the car of his dreams. But he lacks a Daddy. Nothing relaxes Phex more than sinking into his little headspace, where he can play with cars or trains, drink from sip cups, and wear pull ups. But it’s hard without a Daddy. Sadly, no matter how hard he’s tried, he can’t seem to find a Daddy who wants him the way he is. Until he meets club owner Devlin “Daddy D” McHale. Could Daddy D be the perfect Daddy Phex has been searching for this whole time?

A 92-page short story featuring an exhausted CEO of a large company who is also a "little", add a sweet, caring "Daddy", plus all the hurt comfort your heart can handle, then sit back and enjoy their HEA ending when their dreams may have at last come true.

The Keepers - Tan VanHuizen - (Massachusetts)
Genera: Mystery/Horror
5★
There is evil in the swamp–the place where spirits dwell. Everyone in Titicut Township knew Carl Jenkins suffered from paranoid delusions, but what truly haunted him was far darker in nature. Whatever the small-town talk, only Carl and the shadow force of keepers (headed by Chief of Police, Elias Hicks) knew the truth. When outsider and city reporter, Don Williams, arrives to investigate a 1973 cold case involving Carl Jenkins and the disappearance of three men, Hicks knew time was running out. The secret order he swore to protect was under threat of exposure. As chief of police and head of The Keepers, his charge was two-fold: appease the warring spirits in the realm of the dead and protect the faithful against God's adversary. Hicks ordered Titicut locked down and called a meeting beneath the old meeting house, but something went wrong. It was the first time in the order's dark history a member would violate their oath of secrecy placing all within the township at risk. What only Hicks and the order knew is there were some secrets so grave, that if ever unearthed, not even God himself could save them.

The story takes place in a small rural town on the edge of a swamp in western Massachusetts. The "Keepers" are certain members of the local police force who have been charged with upholding a pact made between the Indians who lived there in the 1600’s and the settlers that wiped them out. The details are intentionally vague, but the gist is, if anyone dishonors the Indian spirits or ancestral land, there will be a literal hell the town will pay, no matter how many years have gone by. People disappear from the town from time to time, but as to exactly why, and what it has to do with the pact…that wasn't explained here so I assume that it's going to be addressed in a sequel. (?) Or maybe the reader is supposed to write their own explanation. This did not in any way distract from the story...just left the reader curious. The cast of characters is fairly large, but each group is connected in some manner to the plot. Part of the cast of characters is what is a group that is described as "juvenile delinquents". The father of one of them survived one of the disappearances years ago but refuses to discuss it with anyone, but it diffidently has something to do with the cops. As for the cops... only some of them Keepers, but they are supposed to maintain order...but only secondary to maintaining the old settler's pact with the Indians. Also in town is an investigative news crew trying to solve some of the cold case disappearances. There are quite a few story threads, but they slowly draw together by the end of the book. Despite the lack of answers for some major questions, there’s plenty to keep the reader entertained and reading. Some high-speed chases, an axe murder or two, people blowing themselves up in the swamp, some dark creature from who knows where that ride the wind across the skies…your usual "villains" that make up a story like this. Tan Van Huizen certainly knows how to write a page turner and how to keep most of the plot vague until the time for the reveal.

Nothing Special V - A. E. Via - (Georgia)
Nothing Special series Book #5
Narrator: Aiden Snow
Genera: M/M Romance /Police Procedural
5★
Atlanta's notorious narcotics task force is at it again. They are stronger, bigger, and better than ever. Especially when a city councilman sends RECON Marine Edwin Steele - who's been blacklisted from his Oakland department - to join the team. Steele was ready to hang up his shield. He was done fighting with bigoted bastards that couldn't respect the job. He was good at fighting; he just needed the right team to fight with. When his uncle - City Councilman Rasmus Steele - shows him a video of God's team in action, he knows right away it's where his nephew belongs in order to restore his faith. Steele was skeptical about his new placement, but when he meets God's technology specialist/computer genius, "Tech", he's willing to give it his all, and he definitely shows and proves. Tech is stunning. His sweater vest and khakis, a stark contrast to the blue-jeaned roughnecks he works with. A beautiful sheep amongst the wolves. Steel thinks there's no way the brilliant man would be interested in a hardhead like him, but Tech has a few badass hidden talents of his own and manages to surprise him...surprise all of them.

This special task force of sexy unstoppable men just got a little bigger with the addition of Edwin Steele. He's an ex-Marine with a classified background, but he needs to move on from his past. When he meets, "Tech", the computer genius for the special task force, on his first day he's head over heels for the super sexy, geeky man. He's quickly brought into the team and is so happy of being with a "band of brothers" again. Shawn...known as Tech...loves his job, but he became a detective because he wants to work in the field, not sit in front of a computer for the rest of his life. He needs to speak up...to prove himself if he wants to show his bosses, God and Day, that he can do the work. He's been on this team for a long time and wants to move up. He also wants to find someone special one day like the others on the team has. Someone to go home to at night. Someone to share his life and dreams with. Has he maybe found that in Steele? Tech loves Steele's dominating side, but he's no pushover. They aren't equally matched physically, but they are equals in every other way. Steel is turned on by everything about Tech, from his snazzy clothes to his brilliant mind that works like the most advanced computer on Earth. The two are sexy, sweet, dangerous, and hilarious. One of the selling points to this series has always been the "family" and the loyalty constantly displayed by this team. The author has done a wonderful job of creating a group that most people would give their right arm to belong to. I am slowly working through the entire series. A>E. Via will either have to write more of these books or I'll just have to visit with them again, which will certainly NOT be a hardship:) OH...almost forgot. There is a bonus story at the end of this book featuring the characters of Curtis and Genesis who we have met in previous books.

The Swell - Allie Reynolds - (Australia)
Genera: Suspense
3★
The waves are to die for. Three years ago, passionate surfer Kenna Ward lost her two great loves—after her boyfriend drowned, she hung up her surfboard and swore off the water for good. But she is drawn back to the beach when her best friend, Mikki, announces her sudden engagement to a man Kenna has never met—a member of a tight-knit group of surfers. Kenna travels to a remote Australian beach, entering a dangerous world far from civilization where the waves, weather, and tides are all that matter. Kenna is tempted back into the surf and drawn into the dazzling group and the beach they call their own. But this coastal paradise has a dark side, and members of the group begin to go missing. Kenna realizes that in order to protect Mikki and learn more about the surfers, she must become one of them…without becoming one of their victims. What follows is an adrenaline-fueled thriller packed with twists and turns, exploring the dangerous edge between passion and obsession.

Sports therapist Kenna Ward flies into Sydney from her home in England, determined to rescue her best friend, Mikki, from her new fiancé, Jack. Kenna hasn’t met Jack, but from what she’s surmissed by long-distance talks with Mikki, she's convinced that he's overly controlling and possibly even abusive. Her concern can in some ways be understood as Mikki and Kenna’s friendship goes back to their early schooldays when they were both surf crazy and shared many adventures together. Also concerning to Kenna was how sudden Mikki's engagement to Jack was. Kenna’s plans to investigate Jack take an unexpected turn when he and Mikki whisk her off to their secret hideaway, a remote beach in a semi abandoned national park. More disturbing to Kenna was the motley crew of buddies they hang out with, known as the "Tribe", composed of Victor, Ryan, Clemente, and Sky. All of them come from various places around the world and each one carries loads of emotional baggage, ranging from PTSD from a surfing wipeout, to opiate addiction after a damaging accident. Together, as a team...and they are somewhat of a team...they even have a motto... “Fear is fuel…. Panic is lethal!”! They spend almost all of their days surfing and egging each other on with trust exercises and super competitive tasks that test their physical and mental boundaries in the ocean and on the nearby cliff and rocks. Needless to say, all is not well in this surfer's paradise. The surfing tribe is like a pack of wolves. The location is a no-holds-barred tropical pleasure spot complete with mosquitoes, ants, jellyfish, bats, and snakes. Kenna is not without her own challenges to overcome. She lost someone close to her two years earlier and hasn’t recovered. Then there’s the sinister undercurrent of about several missing backpackers. All this has you wondering who will manage to survive? The characters were not remotely likable. Each one is damaged in some way . While the cause for that damage was clear in some and murky in others, the effect was to make all the characters appear stand-offish and hostile and their motivations seemed to be unclear and confusing and thoroughly self-involved. The relationships between some were more than confusing. To me Kenna's reason for taking off to "rescue" her friend seemed pre-mature and unwanted or needed.

Professor Daddy - Nora Phoenix - (Massachusetts/California
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM
3.5★
Hagen St. Croix didn't want to be Baxter's Dom. He wanted to be his Daddy. College professor Hagen St. Croix is done with his life as a Dom ever since two previous boys left him. When his former club organizes an event, he wants to go...but not alone. He finds a date-for-hire, but he's shocked when it turns out to be his sexy student Baxter LaFelle, and even more surprised by the feelings Baxter evokes in him. When tragedy strikes for Baxter, Hagen realizes that he doesn't want to be his Dom. He wants to be something else... but will Baxter let him? And what will happen when their contract is up?

It's a story of a slightly older than usual college student...Baxter, doing his best against some very steep odds and accidentally getting involved with his professor. You have to feel for Baxter's situation and see how hard he is struggling as life throws one obstacle after another in his path. Professor Hogan St. Croix learns why this bright young man is failing his class and why he is exhausted all the time, just as Baxter is presented with yet another obstacle. The professor comes to Baxter's rescue. What starts off as a paying job for the Professor quickly becomes much more, when Hagen not only realizes his honest attraction but his real need to take care of this boy who really needs someone like him. It was a nice touch by Nora Phoenix to have the privileged professor learning something from the impoverished student. Both are great characters in this sweet, sexy, but short, fun read.

Cutting Cords - Morticia Knight - (California)
Kiss of Leather series Book #6
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM
5★
Liam yearns for Master Neal’s harsh touch, but can a part-time Master give a full-time sub everything he needs? Liam’s world crumbled after the unexpected death of his Master. Prone to panic attacks and social anxiety, Liam doesn’t believe he’ll ever find another Dom willing to take on such a challenged sub full-time. Too distraught to go back to Club Consequence where he met the man he thought he’d be with forever, he decides to give Kiss of Leather a try. After doing a piercing gig at Kiss of Leather, Master Neal signs up to become a member. There he meets a sub who brings out his protective urge and makes his heart come alive. Neal isn’t scared off by Liam’s anxiety or social awkwardness. On the contrary, he finds the sub refreshingly honest and endearing. However, the road to love and a Total Power Exchange isn’t an easy one. Neal still hasn’t discovered all there is to know about Liam’s traumatic upbringing, and he’s not sure if he’d ultimately be the right Master for the skittish boy. Both men are forced to face the truth about love, life and what it means to share it with another person. Can Liam start over with Neal and cut the cords to his past? Liam yearns for Master Neal’s harsh touch, but can a part-time Master give a full-time sub everything he needs?

Ever since Liam was first introduced, I had wondered if we would ever know his story. Liam's character is drawn to be that of an anxious, hurting sub. That description only added to the reader needing to see him smiling and happy again. Thank you Morticia knight for finally letting us see him, as his past is revealed, and he learns to love again. The books in this series can be read as standalones but they are so much better if they are read in order so that you can have "visits" from past favorite characters. In this one we meet again with Chuck and Jordan from Gaining Trust, the book just before this one. We learn that Liam’s former Master has died, and Liam is devasted and completely lost. Filled with anxiety, this full-time sub is finding it almost impossible to function. He even finds going to their former club, "Club Consequence", is beyond difficult. His friends, Jordan and Chuck decide to help him make the switch to "Kiss of Leather", where he meets Neal. Neal is drawn to the young sub despite his anxiety and seeming lack of social skills. Neal finds that Liam would be perfect for him but isn’t sure he really wants a full-time sub, however, Liam desperately needs to be one. The two eventually learn to communicate, despite Liam’s difficulties saying what he means. Within a single breath Liam will present two different ideas, which often confuses everyone...everyone but Neal. I never wanted Liam’s story to end, or for that matter, I never wanted this entire series to end. I see that Morticia Knight has created more series like this one with hot, sexy guys...so I'll just pick up a few more.

Snow Falling- Davidson King
Haven Hart Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/Mystery
4.5★
After running from a past destined to kill him, Snow has been hiding on the streets. Tell nobody your name. Tell nobody your secrets. Trust nobody! These are the rules of the streets. His entire life changes when he saves an eight-year-old boy from a violent end. Christopher Manos is one of the most powerful crime bosses in the country. Don’t ask anyone to do something you aren’t willing to do yourself. Secrets can get you killed. Trust nobody! These are the rules he lives by. When his eight-year-old nephew disappears, he never expects the boy’s savior to end up being his own. A man with a dangerous past and a man with a dangerous future find love amidst murder and mayhem. But with Snow’s life being threatened at every turn, will Christopher’s best be enough to prevent Snow Falling?

This well written and entertaining story is part mystery, part action thriller, and part romance. A little something for everyone:) Snow is a streetwise young man, who happens to come upon the son of one of the local crime bosses trying to kidnap a young boy off the street. Little does he know just who that boy belongs to, or how much his own life is about to change. Snow does exactly what he knows is right and saves the boy only to end up in the home of yet another crime boss, this one eager to learn his story and help him out. Snow himself has a fairly dark past and is on the run and hiding out on the streets from a father who hides his own corruption under the mantle of Chief of Police. The life Snow left behind was one of endless fear, and nothing, not even the love of a man Snow fears has already stolen his heart, can make up for this. Everything appears to be fine on the surface of Snow's life and he's not above doing whatever it takes, including facing his father, if he means he can possibly have the love of Christopher Manos who sees Snow for so much more than who Snow sees himself as. The plot holds together well and made sense throughout the story in spite of the number of side characters that were introduced. I have read another series by this author and was expecting nothing less than excellence from her here.

Love in O'Leary - The Novellas - May Archer - (New York)
5 Short Stories from The Love in O'Leary series
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
The Date - Caelan James should've known better than to let a dating app set him up on a blind date. Nothing in life was guaranteed-perfect, especially not guys, and most definitely not guys in the immediate vicinity of tiny O'Leary, New York. But then sexy Navy SEAL Ash Martin walked into Cal's bakery, and made him wonder if fate might have cooked up something sweet for him after all. But could their perfect date last for more than just a night, or even a season?

The Note - I was one of the lucky ones. I found my soulmate back in high school, when my next door neighbor wrote me a love note that changed my life -- a love note that promised me "always." But apparently "always" ain't all it's cracked up to be, because here I am, a mere eight years later, planning my soulmate's dream wedding -- the most romantic Valentine's Day wedding in O'Leary's history. The only problem? He's not marrying me.

The World - What do the hot, genius entrepreneur and I have in common? Absolutely nothing.Taika Parata may be rich as hell, but he’s a total jerk. He spends his days traveling the globe in the lap of luxury, while I dreamed of leaving my tiny hometown for a nomadic life and never got further than Boston. But when fate throws us together, our preconceptions are challenged and suddenly we both have an entirely new perception of the world… and each other.

The Castle - My best friend believes in fairy tales—princes, castles, once upon a times, happily ever after, and true love. He's been that way since we were kids. It's beautiful. Adorable. Charming. And annoying as hell, because I've spent decades standing on the sidelines while guy after guy crushed my best friend's heart, leaving me to pick up his pieces. For as long as Brian has dreamed of fairy tales, I have dreamed of Brian. But if he's waiting for some guy on a white horse to wander into O'Leary, there's no way he's going To notice the man who's been by his side all along.

The Light - When Fran Goode kissed me goodbye four years ago, he took my heart with him. Sure, there were reasons we broke up, but they all seem silly now. And I know I should have moved on long ago, but the man's burned into my memory: his smile, his kiss, those long, unforgettable nights in his bed. So instead, I find myself driving up a mountain, on the eve of an O'Leary blizzard, to Fran's remote cabin. I need to see him again, to look into those gorgeous dark eyes, and to find out, for once and for all, whether the spark that flared between us has gone cold and dark... or has been burning like a beacon for us all along.

If you've read the books in the Love In O'Leary series, you will recognize the stories and the characters that "live" in these 5 short stories...several adding to the ending of the original book they are based on. Great that the author gave her fans these small treasures.

Different For Boys - Patrick Ness - (Washington)
Genera: M/M Romance/Censorship/YA Fiction
4★
Anthony “Ant” Stevenson isn’t sure when he stopped being a virgin. Or even if he has. The rules aren’t always very clear when it comes to boys who like boys. In fact, relationships of all kinds feel complicated, even with Ant’s oldest friends. There’s Charlie, who’s both virulently homophobic and in a secret physical relationship with Ant. Then there’s drama kid Jack, who may be gay and has become the target of Charlie’s rage. And, of course, there’s big, beautiful Freddie, who wants Ant to ditch soccer, Charlie’s sport, and try out for the rugby team instead. Ant’s story of loneliness and intimacy, of unexpected support and heart-ripping betrayal, is told forthrightly with tongue-in-cheek black-bar redactions over the language that teenagers would actually use if, you know, they weren’t in a story. Award-winning author Patrick Ness explores teen sexuality, friendship, and romance with a deft hand in this structurally daring, illustrated short novel. This spare, affecting novella takes place over the first week of eleventh grade, zeroing in on the dynamics between Ant, Charlie, Jack, and Josh. . . Ant’s first-person narration moves between the present day, his history with Charlie and Jack, and his reflections on love, sex, and friendship with appealing raw-edged frankness and humor, complemented by Tea Bendix’s sketch and collage artwork. Ness takes on the often-underexplored social dynamics among teenage boys with nuance and subtlety that will leave readers thinking long after they turn the final page.

It's short. In some ways it's WAY, WAY too short...104 pages, but Patrick Ness has delivered his message beautifully and said almost all that can be said. Some of you know that I volunteer time to the LGBTQ kids in my city and work almost exclusively with the 13–18-year-olds. Once a teacher always a teacher:) In addition, our library buys and furnishes the shelter with books...they aren't all LGBTQ subjects, but some are, and they help our kids relate to the things that they are feeling and are confronted with everyday...most are written by authors that went through some of the same emotions as these young people at their age. This one recently hit our shelves and has been passed around and has already been well read. The jest of the story is that four friends are grappling with their identities. They have an ally in Mr. Bacon, their cool AP history teacher, when he reconfigures the classroom setup, seating Ant and Charlie together with genial football player Josh Smith and the boys’ former friend, Jack Taylor, now a drama kid. The foursome have now been forced to deal with the fact that Jack is obviously gay...knows, and now could be a threat to Ant and Charlie’s "elephant in the room, secret". The boys all know that being gay is still as taboo as it’s ever been among the traditionally masculine boys and others in their school and state. The story has wonderfully done pencil sketches that help illustrate this really beautiful little story.

Seed of Evil - Greg Beck - (Australia)
3★
There’s something growing deep in the old Angel Mine – Something the Native Americans warned us about – And now it’s rising again. Mitch Taylor, ex-Special Forces medic, is seeking a quiet life in the town of Eldon. Tragedy has dogged his life, and he sees the small friendly place as a second chance. But buried deep below the friendly smiles and quaint painted houses is an old abandoned mine that holds a legend of an ancient and terrible god.In the mine’s labyrinthine depths, something has been growing, something from a time of myth when ancient gods strode the Earth and mankind hadn’t even stood on two legs.But when the earth shakes and the groundwater rises, it reaches out and those it touches begin to deform and reshape into the image of their god. Their one goal—to feed their ancient master deep below the ground. Mitch Taylor soon finds himself fighting again, this time for the town, the ones he loves, and for his life.The Seed of Evil is a horrifying legend of an ancient god that turned out to be real.

The story had good bones, but it was too short...it needed to a full-length book instead of a novella. The entire book is 176 pages. This monster should have had a lot more! There wasn't enough background making what could have been what I had come to expect from a Greg Beck book...a fantastic story with a real nightmare of a monster. Instead, it just felt rushed and a bit incomplete. The hero of the story, Mitch was wishy-washy and so unwilling, or maybe unsure, to put his plans into action...questioning nearly every possible move. I kept thinking "Monsters don't come with instruction manuals...DO SOMETHING...ANYTHING!! He knew...or at least strongly suspected what was feasting on the citizens of this town, but he kept questioning everything that he came up with to stop it. I was almost convinced the monster was going to win this one. If you are a fan of Beck, the first 60% of this will be right up your alley. The last...just felt unfinished.

Breaking The Rules - Jodi Payne & B A Tortuga- (Colorado)
Triskelion series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM
5★
Troy doesn’t know what he was thinking accepting a dinner invitation from a kid half his age, but everything feels right about their evening together, including Saul’s Dominant side. The rules for a twenty-five-year-old gay cowboy from years ago, though, are totally different than for a twenty-five year old college grad in Boulder now, and despite Saul’s confidence, Troy isn’t sure whether they can make it work. Saul and Troy manage to bend a good many rules in the name of caring and compromise, but in the name of love, there are some rules they’re just going to have to break.

Saul, twenty years younger than his lover, is a strong, patient, loving Dom who is just the man Troy needs. The dynamic of their relationship is beautiful and the strength they gain from each other is amazing. Neither man is without his faults, but together they work to build something that withstands anything that is thrown at them. The authors do a beautiful job of giving the reader everything they need to understand the ins and outs of who these men are. My only complaint is that the ending was a little abrupt. It left me with questions as to how, or if, the four men came together and if that interaction was good or bad for the couples. I’m believe that since I have read other books by these two authors and since this is the first book in the series, that the story will continue in book 2 of this series.

Making A Mark - Jodi Payne & BA Tortuga - (Colorado)
Triskelion series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance/ Polygamous Relationship/ BDSM
5★
When Troy and Saul became lovers, they worried about a lot of things. There was their age gap, their younger Dom-older sub relationship, and Troy’s health, which was made worse by job stress. They managed all that and more with a deep commitment, and with a lot of help from Troy’s longtime best friends, fellow Dom and sub couple Carter and Geoff. In fact, Saul seems to be what all three of the other men need to see what’s all been there along, and to provide the balance they need to deepen their relationship in a very meaningful way. They’ve already made their marks on each other’s hearts. Now it’s time to start living the life they’ve all been dreaming of. Nothing is ever perfect or easy, though, and they all have to shift their perceptions. Geoff has to come to terms with his need for submission and desire to dominate Troy, and Carter must redefine the two most important relationships in his life. Troy struggles to understand why Geoff and Carter want this with him now, after years of watching from the outside. And Saul has to create a whole new definition of family. Can they all break the rules again and become something more special than they can even imagine?

The first book, , was the platform of forming the beautiful relationship between Troy and Saul. In this one, Troy and Saul’s journey takes a bit of an unexpected, but unsurprising, turn as they open themselves to a polygamous relationship with Troy’s best friends, Carter and his husband Geoff who is the artist behind Troy's Triskelion tats and Carter is Troy's boss at the diner. The dynamic between these four is intricate and complex, particularly Troy’s struggle with Carter’s rejection for so many years, of refusing to be Troy’s Dom, and choosing Geoff instead. Now that Carter and Geoff want him, Troy can’t help but wonder, why. Why now? Why not before? Troy’s commitment to, and his need for Saul, solidly remains unchanged. Saul continues to provide Troy with the unwavering acceptance, dedication, and love he’s shown Troy from the first day they met. Saul chose Troy and there has never been any looking back. Saul is unquestionably what draws these men together...what makes the difference. The reader will empathize with Troy...be irritated with Carter and Geoff...and keep fingers crossed for Saul. In the end you can see how these men all end up where they belong with what they deserve. The relationship these four guys share is what makes Making a Mark so fascinating. Jodi Payne and B.A. Tortuga have delivered a story of making "four out of two" while keeping the "two's" firmly devoted to each other. We also learn a bit more about the meaning and import of the triskelia that covers Troys body that Geoff inks for Troy. Although building on the story as a continuation from Breaking the Rules, book 1, Making The Mark is different from book one...but it remains just as absorbing, impactful, and most importantly, enjoyable. These books really do need to be read in order. There is only 3 of them...but I do SO wish there were more.

Always the Almost - Edward Underhill - (Wisconsin)
Genera: YA Fiction/Transitioning
5★
Shane broke up with Miles two weeks after Miles came out as trans, and now Shane’s stubbornly ignoring him, even when they literally bump into each other. Plus, Miles’ new, slightly terrifying piano teacher keeps telling him that he’s playing like he “doesn’t know who he is” ...whatever that means. Then Miles meets the new boy in town, Eric Mendez, a proudly queer cartoonist from Seattle who asks his pronouns, cares about art as much as he does―and makes his stomach flutter. Not what he needs to be focusing on right now. But after Eric and Miles pretend to date so they can score an invite to a couples-only Valentine’s party, the ruse turns real with a kiss, which is also definitely not in the plan. If only Miles could figure out why Eric likes him so much. After all, it's not like he’s cool or confident or comfortable in his own skin. He’s not even good enough at piano to get his fellow competitors to respect him, especially now, as Miles. Nothing’s ever been as easy for him as for other people―other boys. He’s only ever been almost enough. So why, when he’s with Eric, does it feel like the only person he’s ever really not been enough for...is himself?

Another favorite book of my older kids. Miles is sixteen and has two goals for the year. 1. To beat his rival at the Tri-State Piano Competition, and 2. To win back his ex-boyfriend. Miles Jacobson, a White trans boy from Wisconsin, had been dating Shane McIntyre for a year before Miles came out and Shane broke up with him. He believes that if Shane really loved him, his gender shouldn’t matter. Miles’ New Year’s resolution to win Shane back is complicated by the arrival of Eric Mendez, a cute Latina guy who actually is queer and also likes Miles. As Miles works toward his piano goals with Stefania Smith, his demanding new teacher, a romance blossoms with Eric, even though Miles still has Shane on his mind. The author makes it clear that this is a happy ever after queer story, and it does live up to that promise. The story captures the delight of being not just accepted, but better yet...being understood. It also shows that being misunderstood can cause pain that may take years to recover from, but sometimes can be carried an entire lifetime. Miles’ real triumphs are celebrated. Everything from him finding a decent suit that actually fits and doesn't make him "look like a well-dressed dork", to mastering a Tchaikovsky concerto. Miles is an absolute sweetheart that is so likable as he tries to discover who he is on his own terms...not based on what others think of him. The author has chosen to include Miles’ birth name. This could be in some cases uncomfortable, but it could also be realistic for someone early in their transition. The supporting characters are well done and fit perfectly in Miles' story.

So Pretty - Ronnie Turner - (New York)
Genera: Horror
5★
Fear blisters through this town like a fever…When Teddy Colne arrives in the small town of Rye, he believes he will be able to settle down and leave his past behind him. Little does he know that fear blisters through the streets like a fever. The locals tell him to stay away from an establishment known only as Berry & Vincent, that those who rub too closely to its proprietor risk a bad end. Despite their warnings, Teddy is desperate to understand why Rye has come to fear this one man, and to see what really hides behind the doors of his shop. Ada moved to Rye with her young son to escape a damaged childhood and years of never fitting in, but she’s lonely, and ostracised by the community. Ada is ripe for affection and friendship, and everyone knows it. As old secrets bleed out into this town, so too will a mystery about a family who vanished fifty years earlier, and a community living on a knife edge.

This is the story of three very different people, each of them loners, who have been drawn together by some strange and twisted turn of fate. Its presence in each of their lives unleashes something quite intense and often uncontrollable. It’s also a story of obsession and the overwhelming need for possession. Actually, the entire story will many times make your skin crawl. Teddy is a young man who moves to Rye hoping to make a new start. He begins work at a shop called Berry & Vincent...a strange place that is filled with all manner of antiques and curiosities. The local people rush by the shop, but for visitors to the town it holds a strange, eerie fascination. Something about the place, and it's strange, uncommunicative owner, Mr. Vincent attracts Teddy also. Some of the scenes between the two of them feel very uncomfortable but still, strangely compelling. The way they start to impact each other results in the steadily increasing sense of unease that runs through this novel. The third person who makes up this unusual and ultimately destructive trio, is a young mother, Ada, who, with her son, Albie, moves to Rye for a fresh start. Like Teddy and Mr. Vincent, Ada lives a rather solitary life, with no real friends or people looking out for her, other than her father, and that will be, in part, the root of all of their undoing. With these three characters, the author has created a story which will produce a whole host of emotions and feelings. I initially felt sympathy for Teddy who is running from his past. He tried to fit in and not draw attention to himself. However, there is far more to Teddy than first appears... and working along with Mr. Vincent soon changes his personality. Soon those little quirks come boiling up to the surface. Mr. Vincent has little to say, but his interactions with Teddy will speak volumes without a single word being uttered. There was something not quite right about him that comes across right from the start. A dark side...which is slowly uncovered...scenes and revelations which will cause anger and disgust, which adds a layer of tragedy to an already disturbing tale. Ada is a stark contrast to the pair and this, and Albie’s delightful innocence lend a small ray of light to the dark and consuming shadows of Berry & Vincent. The chapters are short and they alternate between Ada and Teddy’s points of view. The differences of the personalities bring into the question of whether a person is born bad or becomes bad through circumstance...the old nature verses nurture question is strong and perfectly explored. There is also that sense that environment is a key factor in the slow descent into a kind of madness that envelops one of the characters. Be prepared to be surprised and held captive by this book.

The Long Run - James Acker - (New Jersey)
Genera: Young Adult fiction/M/M Romance
4★
Two track and field athletes find an unexpected but powerful love in this unapologetically blunt and unforgettably real YA debut. Sebastian Villeda is over it. Over his rep. Over his bros. Over being "Bash the Flash," fastest sprinter in South Jersey. His dad is gone, his mom is dead, and his stepfather is clueless. Bash has no idea what he wants out of life. Until he meets Sandro. Sandro Miceli is too nice for his own good. The middle child in an always-growing, always-screaming Italian family, Sandro walks around on a broken foot to not bother his busy parents. All he wants is to get out and never look back. When fate in the form of a party that gets busted, brings these two very different boys together, neither of them could’ve predicted finding a love that they’d risk everything for.

The story is a coming-of-age romance between two high school athletes in New Jersey. Sebastian Villeda, known as "Bash the Flash", and Sandro Miceli, called the "Italian Yeti", know of one another from school but they move in different circles in spite of them both being athletes. Black and Mexican "Bash" is a track captain, and Italian American Sandro, is a field captain, but they are as different as night and day...at least in the ways they’re perceived by most people. "Bash" has lost his mother, and since he started exploring the Spanish language, he has a word for how he feels: cansado, or tired, weary, or miserable, take your pick. His White stepfather works nights, so the two don’t spend much time together. Sandro, on the other hand, has a large family, but amid the crowded, noisy chaos of eight family members sharing a single bathroom, his overworked parents hardly ever talk to him. As the two seniors come together, they realize they have more in common than they’d thought, and an unlikely friendship starts turning into something more. The boys’ backgrounds and upbringings are fresh and intriguing and really lets us see the characters for who they wish to become. At times it did seem that they lacked the depth you would expect from two people in love, causing their relationship to lack the expected chemistry. It is NOT in any way a bad or uninteresting book. and it is a Young Adult novel, so perhaps I'm viewing it with a different perspective than a 16-year-old would. It is a beautiful story of love and friendship, and I'm glad my library gave my group of kids a chance to meet "Bash" and "Sandro".

Sidelined - Kara Bietz - (Texas)
Narrator: Jason Keller
Genera: Y/A Fiction/M/M Romance
4.5★
An emotional YA romance about small town secrets, and high school football. Julian Jackson has a short to-do list for his senior year at Crenshaw County High School in Meridien, Texas: football, football, and more football. He knows he's only got one chance to earn a college scholarship and make it out of his small town, and keeping his head down, his grades up, and his cleats on the field is that one chance. And then Elijah Vance walks back into his life, throwing all of his carefully laid plans into a tailspin. Elijah and Julian used to be best friends, maybe even on their way to something more than just friends. But three years ago, Elijah broke into the school to steal money from the coach's office, and Julian was the one who turned him in. After that, Elijah and his family disappeared without a trace. And now he's back, sitting at Julian's grandmother's kitchen table. But time and distance haven't erased all of their feelings, and Elijah knows that he finally has a chance to prove to Julian that he's not the same person he was three years ago. But with secrets still growing between them and an uncertain future barreling towards them, it may be harder to lean on each other than they thought.

It's Homecoming time in Meridien, Texas, and everyone is watching quarterback Julian Jackson and his long-lost once best friend and teammate, Elijah Vance. Elijah was a once-promising defensive player and until three years ago the two boys were "joined at the hip"...inseparable. Then, as often happens, Elijah and his family moved away without any explanation or even saying goodbye.... but Julian knows the "why" of it. Now that he’s back and unresolved feelings are stirred up between them just as the biggest game of the season against their rival high school team is coming up. This is a really well-done sports romance that includes all the pomp and gala of small-town Texas with not a single trace of homophobia. When it comes to their sexuality, both main characters experience nothing but love and support from their community, including their local pastor and...are you ready for this???...His Husband! There is tension but it focuses on their families’ intertwined histories...perceptions of teen pregnancy...and the pressure of upholding the tradition of a local rivalry with the rival football team. Some clues in the text describe secondary and background characters that indicate some ethnic diversity, which isn't a surprise for Texas...but gender representation remains solid. The book was a pleasure to read... written in first-person with chapters that alternate between the perspectives of Elijah and those of Julian, both of whom are presumed to be White. It's the "will-they", "won’t-they" suspense that moves the story along...but it moves almost too fast at some points, making the reader want/need a few more chapters...with the conclusion being a bit abrupt. Overall, it's a well written engrossing story of two guys discovering who and what they are and what they can be.

The World As He Sees It A. M. Arthur - (Pennsylvania)
Perspectives series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
Love knows no limits…but fear could keep them from seeing it. Gabe lives a double life. As Gabriel Henson, he works multiple jobs to support his remorseless, alcoholic mother. As Tony Ryder, he does internet porn for extra cash and regular safe sex without complications. Yet when he encounters a scared young man freaking out in a night club, he’s compelled to reach out. Ever since then, the memory of that young man has haunted him. Tristan Lavelle lives his life thirty minutes at a time. After a traumatic brain injury three years ago, he gets through his day recording his life in spiral notebooks and sticky note reminders. A month after Tristan’s embarrassingly public meltdown, another chance meeting with Gabe sparks a warm, emotionally fulfilling email relationship. Both men crave more, but fear of the next step stands between them. Until Tristan gets the opportunity to take part in a clinical trial that could improve his memory—if the side effects don’t kill him. But for Tristan, the possibility of a real life with Gabe is worth any risk.

Tristan is Noel's friend who sustained a life changing brain injury when they were attacked three years ago. Gabe rescued Tristan when he was having one of his frequent memory loss episodes in a bar. Neither could forgot the other. Gabe is interested and patient with the vivacious Tristan, which is what he needs.... especially the patience part. A new drug trial is starting that may help Tristan and he is willing to do whatever he can to regain even a small amount of his memories...but of course there are side effects, some yet unknown, some downright scary. As the two men get to know one another more, they learn that they each have problems and life challenges. Gabe supports his alcoholic mother by working three jobs...one is in porn. The porn job brings in good money, but there still never seems to be enough. There are several threads going on, each weaving a beautiful tale of two men who were fortunate enough to find someone who comforts them...who doesn't judge them...and who can thoroughly love them for just who they are. The reader can easily feel the frustrations Tristan has with his memory issues, and we can also deeply feel the love and devotion Gabe has for him.

Doctor To The Dead - John Bennett - (South Carolina)
Genera: Paranormal/Southern Folk Tale
4★
Twice-told tales about historic Charleston: "You ask for a story. I will tell you one, fact for fact and true for true." So, begins "Crook-Neck Dick," one of twenty-three stories in this beguiling collection of Charleston lore. John Bennett's interpretations of the legends shared with him by African-descended Charlestonians have entertained generations. Among them are tales of ghosts, conjuring, superhuman feats, and supernatural powers; accounts of ingenuity, humor, terror, mystery, and solidarity will enchant folklorists, students of Charleston history, and all those who love a good ghost story.

A chilling 240-page book that consists of supernatural stories that probably have been told countless times on a dark night by a campfire, or anywhere that there was a willing audience wishing for a good ghost story that leaves the question open as to is it real or is it fiction? They originate primarily from the Negro folk stories of old southern heritage from Charleston, South Carolina. These stories are tales of death...of mystery...and of bizarre incredibility's. It's composed of four long narratives, and eighteen short sketches, that range from diabolic influence, to demanding unrelenting ghosts...buried treasure...enchantments...miracles...visitations...and the dead that are dead but certainly not entirely dead. The tales are said to be based on a leading Charleston physician who falls in love with the ghost of a woman long since dead and buried. He becomes so obsessed with the condition of the dead in general that he ostracizes the conventional medical community and devotes the rest of his life to their care. They're not your average ghost stories in spite of the description, but anyone that loves history, especially southern history with a huge ghostly twist, will find this book fascinating. I found that the dialogue in which the stories were told to be a bit tedious to follow, and I was born and raised in the south.... hence the 4-star rating.

A Flaw in the Design - Nathan Oates - (Vermont)
Genera: Thriller
5★
The cleverest psychopaths hide in plain sight. Gil is living a quiet life as a creative writing professor in a bucolic Vermont town, when he receives some shocking news: His sister and her husband have been killed in a car accident, and their only son is coming to live with him and his family. Gil and his wife are apprehensive about taking in seventeen-year-old Matthew. Yes, he has just lost both his parents, but they haven’t seen him in seven years—and the last time the families were together, Matthew lured their young daughter into a terrifying, life-threatening situation. Since that incident, Gil has been estranged from his sister and her flashy, wealthy banker husband. Now Matthew is their charge, living under their roof. The boy seems charming, smart, and urbane, if strangely unaffected by his parents’ deaths. Gil hopes they can put the past behind them, though he’s surprised when Matthew signs up for his creative writing class. Then Matthew begins turning in chilling stories about the imagined deaths of Gil’s family and his own parents. Bewildered and panicked, Gil ultimately decides he must take matters into his own hands—before life imitates art.

Gil's life has been idyllic for more than a decade after making the move from New York City to the countryside of Vermont and becoming an English professor at a local college. He now lives a peaceful life with his wife and two daughters...until his nephew comes to stay. I will give Nathan Oates credit...He without out a doubt has won the "creep award" for creating the most despicable, unlikeable, character I believe I have ever met in the nephew, Matthew. Gil's estranged sister and her husband who have been killed in an auto accident have, much to Gil's surprise, left guardianship of their teenage son Matthew to him, even though Mathew was the culprit behind the falling out between Gil and his sister seven years before. But now Matthew seems to be changed, showing little of the sinister boy he previously was. He is seemingly now charming, capable of lulling those around him into a false sense of security. Gil, however, still harbors some guilt as well as anger toward the boy, not forgetting the day in which he put his daughter's life in danger. Gil hopes he's wrong, but he starts to suspect ulterior motives, especially after Matthew enrolls in one of his creative writing classes. The stories Matthew is turning in are disturbing stories with details that are too close to reality for comfort. When it seems that events may progress further, Gil feels he must take matters into his own hands in order to protect himself and his family and expose the truth that he's always suspected about his nephew. The story is an excellently crafted mind-bending puzzle, that leads readers down a rabbit hole of paranoia surrounding Gil and Matthew.

Making the Rules - Jodi Payne & B A Tortuga - (Colorado)
Triskelion series Book #3
Genera: M/M Romance/Foursome/BDSM
5★
The rules are changing as Saul and Troy and their good friends and lovers Geoff and Carter are figuring out how they all fit together in their evolving relationship. Subs Geoff and Troy test the limits of both their friendship and their Doms’ patience as they discover new things about each other, and Doms Carter and Saul wrestle with how to be the men their subs need and still become lovers in their own right. As they all push boundaries trying to decide how to move forward, Troy begins to feel like he’s constantly one step behind and he’s having trouble keeping up with his lovers. He’s unsure how much more change he can accept, so when a tragedy strikes, it threatens to completely overwhelm him. Geoff, Carter, and Saul all come together to help Troy cope, and to figure out what he needs. But what they soon discover is they have to understand what they each desire more deeply, and that making the rules is all about that balance.

I felt so much for Troy in this one. A tragedy strikes Troy right to his very core and the memories from his past ...are gone forever. He feels more lost and alone than he's ever felt before in spite of the care from his three guys. Saul, Geoff and Carter are there for him as always, but you feel like even though the men that he loves and loves him will always support him, it may not be enough this time. The four guys are still in the midst of building something brand new at the beginning of this story. Luckily, the power exchange relationships that all are involved in, means they understand the importance of true, honest communication. That doesn’t mean everything is effortless, however, or that the communication is always easy. Troy’s high anxiety is the "elephant in the room", the heart and soul of the problems that still face their dynamic, and that was true even before the tragedy had occurred. In a way, this trilogy functions as an extended book, making the dark moment that occurs early in this one the dark moment for the entire trilogy. This makes the rebuild afterward much more satisfying as a whole. A relationship that involves four people, even between two primary couples, means six very distinct connections that require care and attention. I loved the brand-new experiences that bond Carter and Saul together as much as I enjoyed the resolution of a lingering issue between Troy and Carter. From the very beginning, Jodi Payne and B.A. Tortuga let us know that nothing about this relationship will be a traditional romance, and this holds true for the conclusion. These writers have excelled at creating scenes and characters that are intimate and sexy, and believable. I’m more than satisfied with the conclusion to the story but of course, wish there was more. I bought the three books and I reread a lot, so I know that I’ll return to these amazing characters for more than one re-read in the future.

All That Is Mine I Carry With Me - William Landay - (Massachusetts)
Genera: Mystery/Thriller/Cold Case Investigation
5★
One afternoon in November 1975, ten-year-old Miranda Larkin comes home from school to find her house eerily quiet. Her mother is missing. Nothing else is out of place. There is no sign of struggle. Her mom’s pocketbook remains in the front hall, in its usual spot. So begins a mystery that will span a lifetime. What happened to Jane Larkin?

I had wanted to read this offering by this wonderful author of one of my favorite books, Defending Jacob...for a while, when a review by a friend helped to move it up on by reading list...and I am so glad that it did. I think if there was just one single book that I could recommend this year...it would, without a doubt, be this one. It's a devastating family drama that stretches out over 18-years. Jane Larkin vanishes, leaving her three children to wonder if their father could be a murderer. It’s 2015, and author Philip Solomon has spent two years in search of an idea for his next project. Inspiration finally strikes while he’s out for drinks with his childhood friend, Jeff Larkin, one of Jane's sons. In 1975, Jeff’s younger sister, Miranda, came home from school to find their Newton, Massachusetts, home locked and her mother, Jane, gone. Jane’s purse was still in the front hall, so Miranda assumed she was just running an errand, but strange to not take her purse. Hours passed, though, and Jane has still failed to return before night comes. The rest of the Larkin family, Miranda’s brothers, Jeff and Alex, and her father, Dan... have arrived home, but still no Jane. The police and Jane’s sister, Kate, immediately suspect Dan, who was no paragon of virtue, but was a known greedy, philandering criminal defense attorney, of foul play...but, there was no proof, therefore the district attorney couldn’t charge Dan with anything, and as you would suspect...the investigation went cold. Then, eighteen Years later, 1993...construction workers find a body...not just any body, but Jane’s body. Other than the undisputed fact that the body was obviously dead, and it didn't bury itself...it provided not a single clue. Jane's children are now adults and stand divided. Alex believes his father's claims of innocence, while Jeff and Miranda do not. Although the novel begins with Phil as its narrator, William Landay breaks the Larkins’ tale into a series of “books,” each set in a different era of the case and featuring a different storyteller and style. This approach allows the author to explore how Jane’s disappearance...and Dan’s presumed guilt...impacts key players over the course of their lives. However, it also leaves most characters only half-drawn but... this may be what Landry intended as it allows the reader the satisfaction of drawing them themselves when we are forced to face the devastating impact that doubt and suspicion can have on a family. You have to read right until the end of the book to get the answers...and I'm certain each reader will get different ones.

No Limits - Nora Phoenix
No Shame series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance/Multi couples
4.5★
Josh served his country and he paid the price. A self-proclaimed basket case, he can’t imagine anyone would be interested in him. Especially not sexy, built-like-a-freaking-wall Connor. Connor does want him, however, and the bossy cop with the massive equipment is the perfect match for Josh, even if Connor is a newbie at relationships. And bedroom activities. Bossy meets submissive, massive equipment meets eager recipient. But when Connor’s past endangers Josh’s special friend Indy, Josh has to make an impossible choice. Love...or friendship?

Josh is a quiet man. He has endured some really horrendous things in his past. He service in the military ended on a sour note, through no fault of his own. Since he was sharpshooter/sniper, he watched helplessly from afar while his best friend and lover was blown up. He and Noah have always had each other’s backs. The were friends-with-benefits but that was changing now that Noah had Indy in his life and his heart. It was time for Josh to give it a try but how could he possibly do that when he was so trapped by his PTSD? When Officer O’Connor came back to the house he was taken by surprise, something he doesn’t do well with. When the man wants to ask him out on a date he is overwhelmed and shuts down. When he discovers Connor, the name the cop prefers to be called, has left while he was “out of it” he realizes he has blown what might be his best and only shot at the gorgeous man. Josh then does the unthinkable. He goes to the police station to talk to Connor. “No Limits” is the continuing story of how Josh, Noah and Indy decide if they can let Connor into their lives. Book#1 needs to be read first to really understand where the story is going. This one was a bit confusing at times with so many things going on, so many feelings and so many intermingling relationships. Can't help but love these boys but a few issues still nagged. Hopefully ironing out the kinks in book #3 could really skyrocket this series.

The Bishop's Pawn - Steve Berry - (Florida)
Cotton Malone series Book #13
Genera: Thriller/Mystery & Suspense
5★
History notes that the ugly feud between J. Edgar Hoover and Martin Luther King, Jr., marked by years of illegal surveillance and the accumulation of secret files, ended on April 4, 1968 when King was assassinated by James Earl Ray. But that may not have been the case. Now, fifty years later, former Justice Department agent, Cotton Malone, must reckon with the truth of what really happened that fateful day in Memphis. It all turns on an incident from eighteen years ago, when Malone, as a young Navy lawyer, is trying hard not to live up to his burgeoning reputation as a maverick. When Stephanie Nelle, a high-level Justice Department lawyer, enlists him to help with an investigation, he jumps at the opportunity. But he soon discovers that two opposing forces―the Justice Department and the FBI―are at war over a rare coin and a cadre of secret files containing explosive revelations about the King assassination, information that could ruin innocent lives and threaten the legacy of the civil rights movement’s greatest martyr. Malone’s decision to see it through to the end--from the raucous bars of Mexico to the clear waters of the Dry Tortugas, and ultimately into the halls of power within Washington D.C. itself--not only changes his own life, but the course of history.

The Bishop's Pawn is the 13th book in the very intriguing and entertaining Cotton Malone series. Cotton is sent by his handler, Stephanie Nelle to retrieve an extremely rare coin from an underwater wreck off the coast of southern Florida. He finds more than he bargained for when in addition to the coin, he discovers a file containing information about "COINTELPRO", a counter-intelligence program that was run by J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI. The F.B.I.'s entirely possible involvement in the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King now is also on the plate. The story focuses almost entirely on Cotton Malone’s point of view, but also explores his past as a Naval Lieutenant and JAG lawyer as he is now focusing on a new career with the Justice Department. I was totally unprepared for the ending of the novel or how many twists and turns the plot took. While there are parts of the story based on truth and other parts are fictional, it isn’t based on any conspiracy theories. When I finished the book, I did think this an event that changed the face of America, both politics and life.

The Heart as He Hears It - A. M. Arthur
Perspective Series Book #3
Genera: M/M Romance/Life Altering Event
Narrator: Gary Locke
4.5 ★
While most of his friends have moved on to "real" careers, Jon Buchanan is content skating through life as a part-time waiter and gay porn star. Firmly single thanks to a previous relationship disaster, he focuses his spare time on Henry, a dear friend dying of cancer. And with Henry's happiness.

This is book #3 in the Perspective Series. Each of the book's themes touch on love, tragedy and disability. They are all "story" driven, with intense plots and well-developed characters that have real connections with the characters around them. Jon Buchanan works as a waiter and a gay porn star. Left reeling from an abusive relationship, he struggles with anorexia and poor self-esteem. He works hard to focus on staying healthy. Henry is Jon’s constant, the father figure that took the place of Jon’s biological father when his family asked him to leave....and Henry is dying of cancer. He has also just found out that he has a grandson, the son of a son that he never knew he had. Henry wants/needs to make connections with this grandson before he dies. Jon would do anything for Henry, including tracking down an elusive, almost reclusive, man who doesn’t seem to want to be found. Jon is an incredibly down-to-earth character; he is mature, knows his own faults, and would do anything for those he loves. Now...meet Issaac. Isaac is twenty-two and a total shut in. Surviving a severely abusive childhood has left him suffering from extreme agoraphobia...he cannot even open the front door without being affected by it. He doesn't own a phone, he orders groceries online, and has no contact with anyone, not even the family he has left. Everything about his day is and must be, ordered and predictable. That's how he copes with being alive…until his aunt brings a man named Henry who claims to be his grandfather into his life. He knows that Henry is the father of the man who abused him. Along with Henry is Henry's friend, Jon. Jon doesn't believe in terms like “love at first sight” or “insta-love” , so how can he feel an instant connection to a near-stranger? Nothing rational could explain it as anything more than simple physical attraction. Instant connection and an urgent desire to touch and know everything there was possible to know about someone? Just a myth... Until now.... Until Isaac. It's a slow buildup, with just the right light touch to make the progression of the relationship between these two men totally believable. Both have serious issues, and those issues are treated with respect and woven into their relationship in ways that make the connection stronger between the two. There’s also a cat, named Bear that is the cutest, cuddliest thing you will read about. Each book in the Perspectives series stands well on its own, but they should be readin order as the characters from the other books all know one another and interact in each other’s lives throughout the three books.

Our May group read of The Bishop's Pawn received a 4.78 overall average from the 9 participants. Good job folks!!

After Glow - Jayne Castle
Ghost Hunters Series Book #2
Genera: Paranormal/Alternate Universe
2.75★
Return to Harmony where nothing is as it seems. Life is complicated for Lydia Smith. She’s working at a tacky, third-rate museum, Shrimpton’s House of Ancient Horrors, trying to salvage her career in para-archaeology—and dating the most dangerous man in town. Just when she thinks she might be getting things under control, she stumbles over a dead body and discovers that her lover has a secret past that could get him killed. Just to top it off, there’s trouble brewing underground in the eerie, glowing green passageways of the Dead City. Descending into these twisting catacombs, Lydia will learn just what it’s like to put her heart, and life, on the line…

I don't believe I have ever read a book that actually had real, live dust bunnies in the story...although I may have encountered some that I believe were alive and reproducing in the corners of my house:) Anyway...I learned that this is the second story with Emmett London and Lydia Smith....why didn't I see that to start with? Things seem to be going along great for them. They are dating...hoping for some type of wedding in the future, and of course they have the usual problems that most normal couples encounter. I became bored with the two of them...confused by all the activity taking place in their alternate world... and wished the entire book could have been just about those cute little dust bunnies. I have to admit, in case you haven't guessed... this is NOT...in any way, shape or form...my type of book, but it fit into...what else???...yelp.... filling a category of a challenge! So, I can't and am not going to be too critical. I knew what I was getting myself in for before I reached the second chapter. I saw that it was only the 2nd book with those dust bunnies that do tend to take over the story...and quite frankly was the reason I continued to read...challenge or no challenge. It's not badly written...the characters are well drawn...if a reader likes this kind of story, it will be their "cupa tea". This author writes under several different names... Jayne Castle...Jayne Ann Krentz...and Amanda Quick. I guess all her books under any of those names, have something in common like her couple characters always being allowed to fall in love. One thing I'm sure they don't have are...DUST BUNNIES!

Vengeance - Mark David Abbott - (India)
John Hayes Series Book #1
Genera: Thriller
3★
When a loved one is harmed, and the system lets you down, what would you do? John Hayes’ life is perfect. He has a dream job in an exotic land, his career path is on an upward trajectory and at home he has a beautiful wife whom he loves with all his heart. But one horrible day a brutal incident tears this all away from him and his life is destroyed. He doesn’t know who is to blame, he doesn’t know what to do, and the police fail to help. What should he do? Accept things and move on with his life or take action and do what the authorities won’t do for him? What would you do?

John is an everyday, average man that works for an average business in India. His wife joined him anxious to capture the scenery on canvass. Then she was missing. John received no help from the police...they weren't even interested in looking for her...just told him she must have left. So John now is on his own with no close friends, and no idea what may have happened. I found the story to drag and spend too much time in John's mind. We didn't need to be privileged to his every thought and idea. It had some things going FOR it also. I liked that John wasn't "a Jack Reacher", he wasn't a private investigator or a super soldier...he was just a man on his own, in a strange land, who had suffered a terrible tragedy, just trying to find what happened to the woman he loved. I'm not sure if I will read book #2 or not...but this was not in any way a bad story...just a bit too slow.

Curse of Salem - Kay Hooper - (North Carolina)
Bishop Special Crime Unit Series Book #20
Genera: Paranormal/Mystery & Suspense
5★
Possible Triggers: Horrific murders and torture
The small town of Salem has been quiet for months...or so Bishop and his elite Special Crimes Unit believe. But then Hollis Templeton and Diana Hayes receive a warning in Diana's eerie "gray time" between the world of the living and the realm of the dead that a twisted killer is stalking Salem, bent on destroying in the most bloody and horrifying way possible the five families that founded the town. The stakes are high, especially for new friends Nellie Cavendish and Finn Deverell, both members of the Five. This time Bishop and his wife, Miranda, will lead the team to hunt down a vicious killer and uncover a dark and ancient curse haunting Salem.

I have read and enjoyed the "Bishop Special Crime Unit" series for a very, very long time. The stories, most of the time, feature long known members of the team but there are enough completely new characters to keep the series fresh. The longtime members often make jokes or references like any group of people that work constantly together do...but a new reader, one that doesn't start at the first may not understand them all...so if you like this type of story you might want to read some of the earlier books first. This being said...this one, Curse of Salem follows on the heels of the previous one in the series, Hidden Salem. The setting and some of the characters are the same as in this previous book, so you may want to read that one before this one. Most of the earlier books I would call "romantic suspense", but these later books are diffidently "paranormal mystery". Bishop's team returns to Salem, where things have again gone wrong. Hollis is usually the key figure on the team, but she doesn't feel she's 'right " for the job this time. Noone is very comfortable being here and Hollis soon realizes that she needs to let some of them with other abilities take over, which added a refreshing element to the storyline. There is lots of suspense with this killer, and his work is nothing but horrific, and the team is missing vital clues as the killer seems to have the ability to jam their receptive talents. I have always loved this series which has a specific kind of magic and is absolutely perfect for the "ghost story junkie".

Peacemaker - Morgan Brice - (Missouri)
Sharpes & Springfield Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/Thriller/Paranormal
5★
Secret agents, forbidden love, danger, and magic! Supernatural Secret Service agents Owen Sharps and Calvin Springfield meet on the train to their new assignment in St. Louis, and sparks fly between them. But it's 1897, and they need to be very careful falling as falling in love can be dangerous for men like them. It's their first case together, investigating mysterious disappearances—including the two agents who preceded them. Grim evidence leads them to look for a darker purpose. Old ghosts haunt the railroad line, zombies rise, signs point to ritual sacrifice, and they suspect someone is trying to open the gates of hell. Can Calvin and Owen stop the mayhem, thwart the vampires, and find true love, or will everything go up in smoke? Peacemaker is a high-stakes steampunk MM romance thrill ride filled with found family, paranormal Pinkertons, intrepid reporters, mysterious disappearances, nefarious land brokers, hellhounds, zombies, vengeful spirits, dark spells, absinthe magic, a ruthless vampire railroad baron and a love that won't be denied. Before Colt and Winchester, there was Sharps & Springfield!

Morgan Brice was the first M/M romance author I ever read, and her "Witchbane" series was the start of my love of M/M romances, and I have been hooked ever since. I have read and own everything she has written in this persona...all the "Badlands", "Witchbane" and "Treasure Trail" series, so needless to say I was excited to see a new series appear. So far there is only 2 books in the "Treasure Trail" series, so I am sincerely hoping that there will be more than 2 books in this one. Our new characters are Owen Sharps and Calvin Springfield who meet for the first time on a train. Each unknown to the other, they find that they feel the same attraction toward who they later find turns out to be their new "Supernatural Secret Service" partner. Unfortunately, the proprieties of the day, 1887, mean it would be both improper and dangerous to act on their attractions. I wondered since they were going to facing life and death, if it would really have been so bad? Those same rules, make it hard to determine a person’s orientation, so they spent the majority of the book testing their theories about each other and being wrong. They gave "Don't ask...don't tell" a whole new meaning. The book is listed as a historical paranormal series, which is not a new theme for Morgan Brice as all her series have had hot guys with at least one having paranormal abilities. In this series both partners have different abilities, that no matter the situation, they are covered and at least one of them will live on...at least for now. Being the first, the story sets the tone and introduces the "ground crew". As I said...I have enjoyed several series by this author, and this series looks to be very promising. We get to see the viewpoints of both Owen and Calvin as the chapters alternate. They are going to be perfect partners both in bed and on the job. Unlike modern times, they can’t simply give a nudge and a nod in the local nightclub. Back then, society’s rules kept many aspects of life behind tight lips. So, the men must navigate the subtext of exchanges. The groundwork for the series has been beautifully accomplished...the cast of players are superb, and I so look forward to reading further books in this series, which will hopefully include more paranormal and a lot more romance between Calvin and Owen.

His Hart's Command - A.E. Via - (Georgia)
Nothing Special Series Book #6
Narrator: Aiden Snow
Genera: M/M Romance/Thriller/Police Procedural
4★
Lennox Freeman (Free) is one of the best hackers in the world which has caused him to spend most of his life on the run. Never able to put down roots, he couldn’t trust anyone not to take advantage of him, even his own family. If it wasn’t for his best friend, Tech, shielding him, Free’s father would’ve sold him and his skills to the highest bidding crime family when he was still a student at MIT. Free owed Tech his life; so when his friend called for him to come to Atlanta to work with him, he couldn’t say no. However, he wasn’t expecting the overprotective group of detectives that made up Atlanta PD’s most notorious task force. And he certainly wasn’t prepared for the large-and-in-charge SWAT Captain that was responsible for their safety. Ivan Hart has lived and bled one creed all of his life: To Serve and Protect. His intense focus and determination in law enforcement has led him to finally commanding his own team. He’d worked hard to put together a squad of badasses capable of backing up a very dangerous team of detectives. Being God and Day’s last line of defense came with a lot of responsibility that he took very seriously. After his divorce was final Hart turned right around and remarried his job. He had his good friends there in the office with him every day, so it was easier to ignore the few quiet hours he spent at home alone each night. He’d settled well into his new routine and was comfortable with it. Then God decided to disrupt everything by hiring another tech specialist for his department. A man whose brains, trendy looks, and voice would leave Hart tongue-tied and captivated at their first introduction. Free quickly awakens a passion in Hart that he long thought was dead. An attraction he didn’t know existed. He couldn’t fathom that the sexy cyber genius could be interested in an over-sized, big-bearded brute that served criminals the bottom line for a living. No matter what his best friend, God said. A future with Hart could be potentially dangerous and often times full of terrifyingly close calls; but little did he know that so could falling for the most hunted hacker in the world. All Lennox Freeman wants in life is security, love and protection… Hart had all that to give and more.

In this contemporary action/romance set in an Atlanta PD, we follow the development of Free and Hart’s relationship. Free has lived a life on the run until he landed a job in God and Day’s department. After Hart’s divorce, he became married to his job protecting and serving as a SWAT team Captain. Finding love was the last thing on their minds when they first met, so falling for each other is a surprise that neither expected to face. I wanted to strangle Hart's ex-wife who couldn't wrap her head around the word "EX". I can't image why a man like Hart would allow this at all. Aiden Snow did a magnificent job narrating, as he has for the previous five books. I love his voices, and he does a good job of keeping them unique. One of the parts of this book that I thought stood out from some others that I've read including this series, that is very often passed over or not mentioned at all, is that men can also be the victims of abuse, both verbal and/or physical. A.E Via not only included it in this story, but she did a fantastic job...and she did it with a great deal of tact. We can see the aftermath of how it affected Hart despite his physical appearance of being a tall, broad and commanding presence...how his psyche was shattered from the verbal abuse from his ex-wife. It was a great way of showing that anybody can become a victim regardless of their outer appearance or their characteristics. I also liked how mild manner Free gave the slimy homophobic Vasquez something else to think about other than running down a way of life that he doesn't personally approve of.

Sea Castle - Andrew Mayne - (Florida)
Underwater Investigation Unit - Book #4
Genera: Myster/Thriller/Police Procedural
4.5★
When a young woman washes ashore on a Fort Lauderdale beach, Sloan McPherson of the Underwater Investigation Unit is called in to consult. Sloan’s instinct says murder, but even then, there are too many questions. For answers she reaches out to Gwen Wylder. The Miami homicide detective is notorious for being manipulative, bitter, a tyrant to her peers, and wicked smart. And she demands something in return from Sloan: fresh insight into seemingly unrelated cold-case murders and disappearances―and a possible serial killer trolling the Florida coast. As loose ends of the old files begin to come together, another woman disappears. Sloan and Gwen are certain she’s the newest link in a deadly chain. They are determined to track her down before she dies, but they soon find themselves in uncharted waters. And the deeper Sloan and Gwen go, the stranger the case gets.

A corpse washing ashore proves to be just the beginning. The discovery of a dead girl with a rope around her neck on a Fort Lauderdale, Florida beach triggers a call to detective Sloan McPherson of the Underwater Investigation Unit. Medical examiner concludes that Nicole Donnelly was strangled, but by hand, not by a rope. This is the first of several inconsistencies that make Sloan suspect that the case will be complex, a hunch that’s confirmed with every new twist in her investigation. Mayne’s fourth thriller reads like a long-running, forensic crime TV series, with a huge cast of smart witnesses and lots of regulars who make short appearances over several chapters. Although Scott Hughes, Sloan’s partner in previous installments, is away in training, she finds welcome support from veteran detective Gwen Wylder, the perfect partner for a case focused on women at risk. Clues emerge at a truck station that may be the scene of more unsavory sexual activity; in the ocean, courtesy of an Underwater Robotic Vehicle; and through a trio of less than desirables that Sloan identifies by the names he's associated with them, "Silver Teeth", "Brio", and "Half Face"...and a charismatic cult leader. The plot comes together like the proverbial jig-saw puzzle, each piece added a little more to the very disturbing big picture that was forming. I enjoyed the mystery and the characters but wished there had been a bit more taking place in the water, but Andrew Mayne as written an excellent mystery.

The Secrets We Bury - Debra Webb - (Tennessee)
The Undertaker's Daughter series Book #1
Narrator: Chelsea Stevens
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
4.5★
Doctor Rowan Dupont knows death. She grew up surrounded by it in her family’s Victorian funeral home, and it’s haunted her since the day her twin sister drowned years ago. Between her mother’s subsequent suicide and the recent murder of her father, coming home to run the funeral home feels fitting - even if it leaves her vulnerable to an obsessive serial killer. Rowan refuses to let fear keep her from honoring her family. But the more time she spends back in Winchester, Tennessee, the more she finds herself questioning what really happened that fateful summer. Had her sister’s death truly been an accident? And what pushed their mother to take her own life? The dark lake surrounding Rowan’s hometown holds as many secrets as the bodies that float in its chilling depths. But Rowan is running out of time if she’s going to uncover the truth before somebody sinks her for good.

Rowan has a childhood friend on the hometown police force who wants to be sure she stays safe. Both have always held an attraction for the other, but neither will admit it, which caused me a bit of frustration as they constantly circled around one another. The question was: can the serial killer change all that and is the small-town police force enough to stop the killings? Rowan moved back to the family home in Tennessee and has taken over the funeral home that's been in her family for years. It's just her and her German Shepherd, Freud, all alone in the big old place with a basement and two upper stories. The more time Rowen spends back in her hometown, the more she finds herself questioning what really happened that fateful summer years ago when her sister died. Had her sister’s death really been an accident...and what pushed their mother to commit suicide? The dark lake that surrounds Rowan’s town seems to hold as many secrets as it gives up. Now Rowan is running out of time if she’s going to uncover the truth before more bones and bodies from the past turn up creating more cold cases for the police to add to the cases they already have. The serial killer is certainly lurking nearby and seems to always be one step ahead. Rowan has lost her entire family...her father, her mother, and her sister, leaving her alone to run the family funeral home. This is a book with a great "creep factor"...and one that you won't want to put down. It will become an imperative that you find out what is going to happen next.

Facing Fears - Morticia Knight - (California)
Kiss of Leather Series Book #7
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM
5★
The men at Kiss of Leather celebrate the destruction of the kidnapping ring. However, Tobey has gone missing, and Master Hunter worries he’ll never see the sub he rejected again. Danger abounds as Chuck chases after one of the key figures behind Corey’s kidnapping. As the critical moment arrives when Chuck corners the members of the human trafficking ring, he makes a horrifying discovery. The case might get resolved, but that doesn’t mean everyone will make it out alive. Master Hunter is officially part-owner of Kiss of Leather, so he’s thrilled to raise a toast in celebration now that the mystery has been solved. Still, he can’t help but feel left out. Everyone is paired up except for him. He’s never believed in monogamy before, but after Tobey’s disappearance, did he make a horrible mistake by not sharing his true feelings? Tobey has been miserable ever since leaving West Hollywood. The only place he’s ever felt he truly belonged was at Kiss of Leather, yet Master Hunter’s thoughtless remarks left him crushed. Can he face Hunter if he goes back to Kiss of Leather? And can Hunter figure out what he really wants from life and love?

This quickly became one of my favorite series after the 2nd book. Some of the major events from the other six books are solved in this one and a new genderqueer character has been added to the workers at Kiss of Leather. The mystery of who was behind Corey’s kidnapping and the deaths and disappearances of the other subs in the area has finally been solved thanks to Chuck’s persistence. He was absolutely awesome. That entire storyline added another level of excitement to an already amazing story. These books always feature a vast array of wonderfully diverse characters and Ms. Knight has written all of them beautifully. Facing Fears is Hunter and Tobey's story, and Tobey has more fears that anyone should ever be burdened with. He can hardly carry on a conversation with a friend much less a stranger. We didn't see much of their interactions in the previous books, but with returns of many of the previous characters throughout each book, we didn't have much chance to previously get to really know Hunter, except that he was a good Dom that really cared for his subs. I was very interested in what was going to happen with Tobey. I knew that Hunter would get his act together and be able to help Tobey be a whole, trusting person again and find exactly what he needed. When they finally came together it was a delight to read and so beautiful. As I said before...I have loved every single book in this series, and I am so glad that I own them all. Morticia Knight has an exceptional ability to keep the reader entertained with multiple events going on while keeping the focus on the characters whose story is being told. I was happy to have found that there is one more book in the series.

The Twisted Dead - Darcy Coates - (Canada)
Gravekeeper series Book #3
Genera: Mystery/Paranormal
5★
Someone may be using an army of the undead to take over the world? Hunted and haunted, all she wants is to put her mysterious past behind her and move forward with her new friends as Blighty Graveyard's groundskeeper. But then she receives an invitation to dinner at the local recluse's crumbling ancestral estate. The mansion is steeped in history that is equal parts complicated and bloody―and at its center is the man who once tried to kill her, now begging for her help. Dane Crispin believes his home is haunted―and that the unquiet dead clawing through the ancient house are after him. Unnerved but intrigued, Keira opens her second sight and discovers he's right: resentful specters cling to Dane…and if she can't find a way to stop them, threaten to consume everything in their path. There's something dark happening in the world beyond most peoples' vision, and if Keira isn't able to sever the ties between the living and the dead, the chained spirits may not be the only things twisted beyond saving.

Keira not only sees dead people, but she also talks to them. She much prefers their company to that of Dane Crispin...and who wouldn't?? Dane is the sole heir of the Crispin estate, and Keira is fully convinced that he has invited her and her friends, Zoe and Mason, for dinner at his ancestral home in Blighty, which was founded by his ancestor, Mortimer Crispin. She believes it was so that he can kill them all. Now I ask you...WHY WOULD YOU GO??? Dane has quite a different agenda in mind...he needs her help. The man has been driven to the point of madness by the vibes he picks up every day, he asks plaintively, “Are there restless spirits in my home?” DUH! Keira is well equipped to take on the job of evicting the ghosts from his house, but she soon realizes that the spirits are not attached to Dane’s house but to Dane himself. How is Dane and his ghostly companions connected to the recent murder of Keira's friend Mason’s, fellow medical student Evan Radeck? Evan was stabbed 18 times last year by someone who thought he was just "too dang successful"! Keira, had hoped to solve Dane’s problems by as she put it...“fishing him out of a pot of ghost soup and letting him drain,” but it seems that someone or something has blocked Keira's abilities. She is alarmed to discover that she “can’t see a single normal ghost. Only their shades. As the evidence mounts that she’s dealing with something a lot more sinister, or at least much bigger and nastier than just the haunting of one unhappy man. If you enjoy horror that is not too extreme, the paranormal, suspense, and mystery...you'll enjoy this entire series.

Last Chance - Kate Bold - (Florida)
Kaylie Brooks Series Book #2
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Police Procedural
3★
Kaylie Brooks, a modest Midwestern girl out of place amongst the wealthy of Palm Beach, has decided to use her brilliant mind and pursue her passion for profiling, working for the police. When a wealthy divorcee turns up dead, floating face down in the pool of her mansion, suspects abound. But to find the killer, Kaylie will have to return to the world of the uber wealthy and unearth their darkest secrets.

I read the first book in this series, Last Breath, and gave it 5 stars so was really hoping that this one would continue the "5-star streak". I was a bit disappointed. Not that it was exactly a bad book...it just lacked the "reality" that the first book had. The main character, Kaylie, is not a police officer and she doesn't even have her degree yet in "criminal behavior" yet the Chief of Police calls her in to investigate the murders? Really??? My husband spent 10 years in two Florida police departments and 22 in years with a department in Michigan. When I asked him if this would ever happen, he looked at me like I had grown an extra head and then said .."oh, you're reading "cop fiction" again.". Kylie did scatterbrained things and was way too reckless when confronting possible murder suspects. I thought she had a latent death wish. I know that many authors like to draw a reading audience for their next book by leaving their current book readers with a cliff hanger...which I don't particularly like. This one has one of those...but then so did the first one. I want to know how the story that I'm currently reading ends and not having to wait sometimes a year or more for the next one.

No Way Out - Fern Michaels - (New York/Missouri)
Genera: Mystery
2★
Ellie Bowman barely remembers the incident that put her into a coma. When she awoke, filled with unease, all she knew for certain was that her boyfriend, Rick, was missing. She knew she needed to get away from her old life and recover in safety. With the proceeds of a video game, she helped develop, Ellie starts over in rural Missouri, working from her cottage and trusting no one except her friend and business partner. Yet even in this quiet small town, it’s impossible to completely isolate herself. Especially when a curious eight-year-old boy, smitten with Ellie’s pup, stops by every day to talk to him over the fence. Little by little, Ellie is being drawn back into the world through the neighbors and community around her, realizing that everyone has their own fears and obstacles to contend with. When Ellie hears that Rick has resurfaced, her nightmares return, and with them, small snippets of memory. No one has heard from Rick since before the incident, so why is he back now? Ellie wants to move forward with her life, but first she must find the courage to look into her past, no matter what she finds there.

I was very disappointed with this book. It wasn't "gripping" or even very suspenseful. I had pretty much figured out the outcome just by reading the description. The writing was repetitive, a lot of the dialog was in the third person, making it hard to follow, and the characters were "ho-hum"...not even in the category of "so-so". I really expected more from a writer as talented as Fern Michaels. I'm quite sure there are a plethora of others out there that loved it or are going to really like it...I just didn't happen to be one of them.

Have You Seen Me? - Kate White - (New York)
Genera: Mystery/Thriller
4★
The key to her missing memories could bring relief—or unlock her worst nightmares. On a cold, rainy morning, finance journalist Ally Linden arrives soaked to the bone at her Manhattan office, only to find that she’s forgotten her keycard. When her boss shows, he’s shocked to see her—because, he explains, she hasn’t worked there in five years. Ally knows her name but is having trouble coming up with much beyond that, though after a trip to the psychiatric ER, she begins to piece together important facts: she lives on the Upper West Side; she’s now a freelance journalist; she’s married to a terrific man named Hugh. More memories materialize and yet she still can’t recall anything about the previous two days. Diagnosed as having experienced a dissociative state, she starts to wonder if it may have been triggered by something she saw. Could she have witnessed an accident—or worse—had something happened to her? Desperate for answers, Ally tries to track where she spent the missing days, but every detail she unearths points to an explanation that’s increasingly ominous, and it’s clear someone wants to prevent her from learning where those forty-eight hours went. In order to uncover the truth, Ally must dig deep into the secrets of her past—and outsmart the person who seems determined to silence her.

Ally is a woman suffering from memory loss. When she arrives at work one morning, she’s shocked to find out that she hasn’t actually worked at this office for years. Somehow, she’s suffered a dissociative episode, and while the memories of the past eventually come flooding back, she still cannot remember anything that happened over the previous two days. Alarmed, she seeks out her therapist...her friends...her husband, trying to put the pieces together. There’s been tension in her marriage because her husband is pressuring her to have children, so when Ally finds out they had a fight the night before she “disappeared,” the root of her memory loss seems to be clear. However, there are still too many loose ends. Such as why were there bloody tissues in the pocket of her coat? What happened to her cellphone? Could any of this be related to a murder investigation from her childhood? Not sure who she can trust, Ally hires a private detective who also is murdered. One thing is for certain...someone is willing to go to great lengths to prevent Ally from recovering her memory. The author provides the twists and shocks that any reader of domestic thrillers expects, but she also manages to use some of our expectations to create clever dead ends. Ally’s need for self-discovery has an immediacy, of course, but also a larger resonance, as she begins to realize that she hasn’t always made choices that are completely authentic or independent. Perhaps recovering her memory will be the first step in a larger quest to find herself. Overall, this is an engaging, cleverly written novel that will engage and entertain most, if not all, mystery lovers.

Graveyard of Lost Children - Katrina Monroe
Genera: F/F Romance /Paranormal
3.5★
At four months old, Olivia Dahl was almost murdered. Driven by haunting visions, her mother became obsessed with the idea that Olivia was a changeling, and that the only way to get her real baby back was to make a trade with the "dead women" living at the bottom of the well. Now Olivia is ready to give birth to a daughter of her own…and for the first time, she hears the women whispering. Everyone tells Olivia she should be happy. She should be glowing, but the birth of her daughter only fills Olivia with dread. As Olivia's body starts giving out, slowly deteriorating as the baby eats and eats and eats, she begins to fear that the baby isn't her daughter at all and, despite her best efforts, history is repeating itself. Soon images of a black-haired woman plague Olivia's nightmares, drawing her back to the well that almost claimed her life―tying mother and daughter together in a desperate cycle of fear and violence that must be broken if Olivia has any hope of saving her child…or herself.

The narrative is told through two different perspectives. The first is that of Olivia, a new mother to baby, Flora, whose own family history involved her mother trying to kill her when she was four months old, by throwing her down a well. No Mother of The Year Award being given out here! Olivia has had no contact with Shannon and has found herself now in a loving marriage to her wife, Kris....but Flora’s birth brings up a lot of fears and anxieties. The first perspective is that of Shannon and follows her pregnancy and the months leading up to Olivia’s attempted murder. Throughout these timelines both women are seeing and hearing visions of a "Black Haired Woman", which gives them feelings of self-loathing, paranoia, and delusions about themselves and their babies. By the time the two storylines came together they melded very well and seemed to be fairly believable. The "Black Haired Woman" started coming back again with whispers and intuition that evolved into something more visceral and terrifying. This part of the story was done so well that it could hold its own with any ghost story ever written. The author really knew how to create not only a very unsettling ghostly supernatural being, but also how to create very real human characters who have loads of baggage, and many complex sides. Eventually, it’s the little things that turn into very big things. We see the new mother experiences of Olivia and Shannon as the story goes on. We also see that the two women are not faultless, and it ISN’T always the "Black-Haired Woman" doing the damage. With Olivia, it’s the constant comparison between her experience and the experiences of other new mothers. For her the whole motherhood deal is difficult and exhausting. How can it possibly seem so easy for others? She thinks that maybe it’s the fact that while her wife Kris is trying to be loving and supportive, she still has to prioritize her job, thanks to a less than understanding family leave policy where she works, Kis is also gone a lot, so she just doesn’t "GET it". Olivia feels like a failure, and everything becomes too much. Her medical professionals are dismissive and flippant when she raises concerns. I'm not at all unsympathetic, but by this point I was pretty much willing to drop her back into that well that her own mother had tried for all those years ago. All these people going on with their lives and simply ignoring her was also a bit unrealistic...maybe some would... but certainly not all of them.??) The "Black-Haired Woman" was the supposed villainess in this story, but there were other villains as well. Mostly the people that were supposed to support her and see that she was calling for help...although I admit some of it was way "over-the -top"...but I believe that was the entire point that the author was trying to make. Beware, that while this is in its own way, an interesting story, it's going to be absolutely gut-wrenching horror for many.

The Suffering - M.J. Mars - (England)
Genera: Paranormal
4★
Possible Trigger Warning
Lots of gore and body parts
"It was a suffering like no other. And, oh, how they suffered." Recreating the séance that led to the infamous Victorian Suffering massacre seems like a good idea at the time. But Kyle Birbeck soon discovers that the ghosts his distant ancestor banished into the walls of Brackenby House in 1876 have been lurking, waiting for a chance to come out. One by one the 5 terrifying ghosts latch onto each of the students who reside at Brackenby, preying on their deepest fears: A 3-eyed Incan giant. A member of the Hellfire Club who struck a deal with the devil to keep his fortune in the afterlife. A thieving factory hand who fell to his death, torturing them with endless footsteps. An oracle with a horde of dead sailors to do her bidding, and a 17th century axe-wielding executioner with a murderous hobby. It's up to Kyle and his friends to uncover the real secrets of the séance and banish the ghosts for good. But they soon come to realize it isn't Brackenby House that's haunted. They are. And the ghosts will stop at nothing to continue The Suffering.

It's Victorian England in the year 1876. A seance at Brackenby House, calling upon five ghosts with various, dangerous backgrounds for the power for a person to see their fate. However, that fate was quickly realized when everyone in the house was massacred, except for Lucius Holgrove, the psychic who summoned the apparitions. Now we fast-forward to Halloween, 2016 at Brackenby House, where Lucius’s great-great-great-grandnephew, Kyle, and Kyle’s housemates, who are all aware of the legend and stories about the house, including the rumor that the ghosts are still within its walls, decide to hold a seance. Because, of course, they’re just stories… right? After the seance, the housemates don’t feel as though the house itself is haunted, but that they, themselves, are progressively being haunted, even outside of the house. One roommate suddenly has vertigo, another hears the pattering of footsteps, and one starts smelling mold in his immediate area and saltwater when another roommate leaves the room. Can Kyle and his housemates figure out how banish the ghosts before The Suffering: Part 2 occurs? The story provided great spooky vibes, and I was hooked from start to finish. There were incredibly creepy parts and be aware there are also vividly described gore and body parts horror where noting much is left to the imagination. It was fast paced through the majority...but I was disappointed that the buildup that took place through most of the book led to a flat and very quick ending. I felt like I needed more explanation especially from one particular character...that left me a bit unsatisfied, and it cost an otherwise good book to receive a 4-star rating instead of a 5.

Gone - Ruby Speechley
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
4.5★
Last night my son, Shay, sneaked out of the house and didn’t come home. He promised not to go to the illegal party in the woods. But someone’s been attacked and Shay has gone missing. The police want to know if he saw what happened. I’m worried he could be involved. After all the trouble he’s been in lately, mixing with the wrong crowd, coming home beaten up and scared, I thought we’d put it all behind us. Trouble is, Shay resents me moving my new boyfriend into the family home. I found all sorts on his laptop, including a half-written email warning me not to trust David. What does he know that I don’t? I’m beginning to fear for his safety. What is David hiding from me? Who have I let into our lives? I don’t know who I can trust. Will I ever see my son alive again?

We quickly meet Rachel as she tries to find her son Shay, when he doesn’t return from a party he wasn’t even supposed to be attending. When the party site becomes a crime scene after a girl is attacked, and more local children start to disappear Rachel becomes more desperate to locate her son. There is also a real possibility that Shay may have had something to do with the attack on the girl. With every passing hour, the reader is made to clearly understand that there is less and less chance of Shay coming home at all or alive. Other shocking possibilities soon come in focus and Rachel turns to dangerous routes still trying to track Shay down. For anyone who's had a teen-age child that is coming closer to becoming an adult, this story could be really frightening. There are so many ways in which children of any age can now be manipulated and groomed without ever leaving their homes. The storyline is gritty and suspenseful as the search continues and Rachel tries to find answers. I have three children that are no longer teens, but remembering when they were, I’m not sure I, or anyone I know, would have been as brave as Rachel in her search. I guess no one really knows what they would be capable of doing until they encounter that situation. There is an added advisement about on-line dangers and what parents should watch for that I thought was a good addition.

Just Dex - Jodi Payne & B A Tortuga - (New York/A short time in Texas)
Les's Bar Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM
5★
When Dexter (Dex) Appleton’s best friend Huck commits suicide, it damn near kills Dex too. Huck was a bull rider with a crazy life, and leaves behind a big house, and a ton of unanswered questions. But Dex is just a simple guy, just a Texas redneck trying to scrape together a life, and he can’t handle much more before he breaks. Cyrus Hughes is a professional Dom. He’s shocked to learn that Huck is gone, he’s met with Huck twice a month for years, and didn’t expected to miss a client so much. When he heads to Texas to pay his respects, he instinctively feels protective of Huck’s anxious and unlikely best friend, Dexter. The attraction between them grows, even long distance, until Cyrus insists he needs Dex with him in New York. Clinging to his last bit of hope, Dex takes a leap of faith and moves what little he still owns in with Cyrus, hoping to find his place is in the world, and learn how to love a lifestyle Dom. Their path is full of trial and error, adjusting expectations and discovering how they fit together. Cyrus and Dex try to smooth out the rough edges and create their own family, one where Cyrus hopes to convince Dex that he’s not “just” anything.

Nearly 600 pages packed full of love and acceptance and personal growth and friendship...a beautifully done story. Dex and Cyrus, (Cy) fit together like a hand in a pair of well-worn, favorite gloves. In spite of being a hugely long book, it was NEVER boring or respective, it just took us along on the journey allowing us to see how Dex grew and became more confident and with Cyrus's patience and help began to learn that he was so much "more" than he had ever been allowed to believe. Cyrus was patient and truly loved him from the start...all he had to do was teach Dex to love himself...not a simple task...but what a journey! I wanted to hug Dex throughout most of the book:) This was the first book, but I think there should have been one before it that would have let us meet and understand Huck and what motivated him to do the things he did and why his rodeo life that he obviously loved, led to his death. I got the feeling that Dex and Cyrus, nor anyone else, really "knew " him at all...and Dex was supposedly, his best friend. The secondary characters in the story are vividly portrayed and helped to bring a life of its own to the story. Dex is a baker that makes mostly holiday type cookies and many times takes on way too much...and has way much heart, allowing his ambition and kindness to do him more harm than good. If Cyrus ever gets tired of Dex, he can send him my way with his cookie pans:) I have the other 2 books in the series...why can't really good series like this one, have more than 3 books!!!????. I can't wait to learn the stories of some of Dex and Cyrus' friends and maybe we'll get to visit Les's Bar more often.

Nightwork - Nora Roberts - (Illinois/Lousanna)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
4★
Greed. Desire. Obsession. Revenge . . . It’s all in a night’s work. Harry Booth started stealing at nine to keep a roof over his ailing mother’s head, slipping into luxurious, empty homes at night to find items he could trade for precious cash. When his mother finally succumbed to cancer, he left Chicago―but kept up his nightwork, developing into a master thief with a code of honor and an expertise in not attracting attention? Or getting attached. Until he meets Miranda Emerson, and the powerful bond between them upends all his rules. But along the way, Booth has made some dangerous associations, including the ruthless Carter LaPorte, who sees Booth as a tool he controls for his own profit. Knowing LaPorte will leverage any personal connection, Booth abandons Miranda for her own safety―cruelly, with no explanation―and disappears. But the bond between Miranda and Booth is too strong, pulling them inexorably back together. Now Booth must face LaPorte, to truly free himself and Miranda once and for all.

In the beginning we meet Harry Booth who was only 9 years old when he became a thief. His mother had cancer and the bills were piling up, so the young boy saw it as his only option. I was amazed that a 9-year-old would even consider how to pay the bills... but, perhaps the situation "matured" him. As he aged he continued to break into houses...calling it his “nightwork". He is even proud to realize he actually has an unusual skill for it. He can pick any lock, slip into any house, and navigate the any security system. Needless to say, his "work" makes it nearly impossible for him to settle down. After his mother’s death, he begins to travel around the country, never staying in one place long enough to become suspicious. Then there's New Orleans. For the first time in his life, he makes a connection and finds a family-like bond with a fellow thief, Sebastien. He joins Sebastien on a job that involves a dangerous client, Carter LaPorte...and Harry’s life changes... forever. Harry tries to start a new more low-key life as a college student in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Things are moving along until he falls for a young writer... Miranda Emerson. To Harry's dismay he finds that his life in New Orleans is catching up with him... LaPorte isn’t ready to let him just walk away. He threatens Harry and two women that he cares for most... his aunt and Miranda. Harry protects the two women important to him in his life by abandoning them and spending years on the run. Then something happens that Harry thought never would... he finally gets a chance to take LaPorte down...and he has of all things...Miranda’s help. Nora Roberts took her time fleshing out Harry’s character and his motivations, making it easy for the reader to sympathize with Harry, the thief, who had a code of honor and a deep love for his family and Miranda. Since the first half of the book is mostly about Harry’s character, it causes the story to drag a little. Once Harry and Miranda’s story starts and when LaPorte reappears, the plot picks up considerably. The best parts of the story, however, is in following Harry when he's doing one of his remarkable break-ins and when he's displaying his "softer side" with his mother, his aunt, Sebastian and Miranda. Overall, the story is an in-depth exploration of a young boy and later Harry, the man's, motivations to take and continue this road in life and its resulting effects on him... laced with bit of romance and suspense.

A Flicker in the Dark - Stacy Willingham - (Louisianna)
Genera: Thriller/Mystery & Suspense
5★
When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and was put away for life, leaving Chloe and the rest of her family to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath. Now twenty years later, Chloe is a psychologist in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. While she finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness, she’s worked so hard to achieve, she sometimes feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. So, when a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, seeing parallels from her past that aren't actually there, or for the second time in her life, is Chloe about to unmask a killer?

This is a well written, on the edge of your seat, first book by this author. It's also a psychological thriller about Chloe, the daughter of a convicted serial killer. The story revolves around a new premise...AFTER the killer is caught. The main character, Chloe Davis, is a psychologist in a new town where she is trying to lead a normal life after her troubled past. When she was twelve, Chloe played a key role in getting her father convicted for the murder of six teenage girls, including her friend. Two decades later, the pattern of murders begins to repeat itself around her. Filled with anxiety, shame and paranoia, Chloe tries to investigate the murders on her own in order to put a stop to them. In the meantime, she attempts to figure out who could actually be killing the girls since it couldn't be her father...he's still behind bars. Be warned...this book is addicting. What really surprised me is how incredibly emotional this book was. A serial killers’ "blood lust" makes no sense in most cases, but it makes perfect sense in this story. The bittersweet finale is the preverbal icing on the cake, making the characters even more realistic.

This topic will go away on June 4th.