Category: Kimberly’s Review

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Kimberly reviews Don’t Look Now by Mary Burton

TITLE: Don’t Look Now
CHARACTERS: Jordan & Carter
AUTHOR: Mary Burton
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/28/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A homicide detective in the dark. A serial killer on the loose. Both have their obsessions in a nerve-twisting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Mary Burton.

Austin homicide detective Jordan Poe is hunting a serial killer she fears is the same man who assaulted her sister, Avery, two years ago. The details line up: the victims are the same age, same type, dead by the same grim MO. Luckily Avery survived. But the terrible memories linger, making Jordan more determined than ever to stop this monster in his tracks.

Texas Ranger Carter Spencer isn’t one to poach on a detective’s territory. Yet no matter how resentful a capable lone wolf like Jordan is, when she is attacked at a third crime scene and suffers a trauma that leaves her with limited vision, it’s up to Carter to help Jordan navigate a world she no longer recognizes. He needs her instinct, her experience, and her fearless resolve to crack this case. A case that’s about to get even darker.

A stranger is watching. He’s closing in on his ultimate prey. And no one but the killer can see what’s coming.

REVIEW:
2.5 Hearts Who wrote this book? It could not have been Mary Burton. Usually Burton pulls me in from page 3 or so. But this book was just so hard to even want to finish. But I did, mainly, because I hoped somehow Burton would come back to her normal self. I was sorely disappointed.

So let me set a picture, Avery is assaulted, goes blind and somehow continues to be a detective. Ummm, what? Carter becomes her eyes and thinks nothing is odd about this… Again, what?

This book actually makes no sense, Avery is so cocky that she can do everything still that she is actually irritating. And Carter is just ridiculous. Thankfully, I have read a lot of books by Burton and know what an incredible writer she is so I will pick up every book that comes after this book but if someone picked this book up as a first time reader I can’t imagine they would give Burton a chance again….. So I say to all the new writers…. Try another book because Burton is worth it!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews The Orphan Witch by Paige Crutcher

TITLE: The Orphan Witch
CHARACTERS: Persephone May
AUTHOR: Paige Crutcher
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/28/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A deeper magic. A stronger curse. A family lost…and found.

Persephone May has been alone her entire life. Abandoned as an infant and dragged through the foster care system, she wants nothing more than to belong somewhere. To someone. However, Persephone is as strange as she is lonely. Unexplainable things happen when she’s around—changes in weather, inanimate objects taking flight—and those who seek to bring her into their family quickly cast her out. To cope, she never gets attached, never makes friends. And she certainly never dates. Working odd jobs and always keeping her suitcases half-packed, Persephone is used to moving around, leaving one town for another when curiosity over her eccentric behavior inevitably draws unwanted attention.

After an accidental and very public display of power, Persephone knows it’s time to move on once again. It’s lucky, then, when she receives an email from the one friend she’s managed to keep, inviting her to the elusive Wile Isle. The timing couldn’t be more perfect. However, upon arrival, Persephone quickly discovers that Wile is no ordinary island. In fact, it just might hold the very things she’s been searching for her entire life.

Answers. Family. Home.

And some things she did not want. Like 100-year-old curses and an even older family feud. With the clock running out, love might be the magic that saves them all.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts I really enjoyed this book. Persephone is so easy to like and care for. She has always been the odd ball out. Nothing seemed like where she should be. Foster homes and group homes seem like a stop over because soon she will need to leave once the weird stuff starts happening again. When Persephone moves to NC she learns much about herself and her history.

There is so much in this book. Curses, feuds, different dimensions, and the Library Of The Lost. Paige Crutcher did a great job with what I believe is her first novel. I enjoyed the background characters and Wile Isle. I imagine Persephone is the type of witch every little girl believes she is when she dresses up for Halloween and thinks “What if I were really a witch?”.

I really hope there is more to this novel and it becomes a series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Secret To The Grave by Steve Frech

TITLE: Secrets To The Grave
CHARACTERS: Meredith Somerset
AUTHOR: Steve Frech
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/22/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The woman recoiled as she rolled the body onto its back. Deep bruises encircled the neck, but the most unsettling feature was the eyes, which stared lifelessly upwards. That was the moment the woman began screaming.

When a teenage girl is found dead on a quiet suburban street, Detective Meredith Somerset is haunted by flashbacks to the day her little sister vanished—the day Meredith should have been watching her. But with a murder to solve, she doesn’t have time for painful memories to cloud her judgement.

The victim is shoeless, the only clue to her identity a small silver medallion hidden in her grass-stained sock. Did she run from her killer across the smooth lawns of Willow Lane? And if so, how did no one in the surrounding houses see or hear a thing?

Meredith needs answers, or she’ll never shake the image of her sister’s face begging her for help. But Willow Lane has more than one mystery behind its doors—and to find the killer, Meredith must venture into a community that’s determined to keep its secrets hidden at any cost…

REVIEW:
I thought this book was really well written. Meredith lost her sister when she was in charge of her so she has a soft spot for children and not only wants but needs to find the killer of the teenage girl from Willow Lane.

I found the suspense of the story intriguing. I wanted to keep reading it. I did figure portions out but not everything and I always enjoy that.

I think this could easily be made into a series and I am hoping that Frech continues with this duo and gives us a bit more on Tyler.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Spires by Kate Moretti

TITLE: The Spires
CHARACTERS: Penelope & Willa
AUTHOR: Kate Moretti
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/21/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A troubled woman becomes consumed by a past she’s desperate to forget in this unsettling psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Year.

Strung between two teenagers, an unemployed husband, and a tenuous career, Penelope Cox barely has her life together when the past comes knocking at her door. Willa Blaine, her old roommate, needs her help: refuge from an abusive husband. “Two weeks tops,” she says—but it’s not the imposition that bothers Penelope; it’s the memories Willa brings with her.

Twenty years earlier, Penelope, Willa, and three friends lived together in a converted church. Insular and closed off from the rest of the world, the five roommates formed their own dysfunctional family, celebrating the pinnacle of their lives; they called themselves “the Spires.” But nights of wild parties gave way to a darker undercurrent: jealousy, resentment, unrequited love, and obsession. Tensions boiled over during a night of debauchery that ended in a deadly fire, leaving the Spires scattered and forever changed.

Now Willa is the perfect houseguest: accommodating, helpful, bringing a newfound sense of excitement to the Cox household. Yet Penelope can’t help but feel the cracks in her life widen as she begins to question Willa’s motives. Everyone has secrets, it seems—and the fire may have brought down the Spires, but not everything burned was forgotten.

REVIEW:
It’s weird to say but I enjoyed this book even though I really did not enjoy Penelope who is the main character of this story.

This story is told with chapters set in past and present. I wasn’t all that interested in “The Spires” when the storyline was in the past. But I thought Willa was a really interesting character in the present. I never warmed up to Penelope and didn’t care about everything going on with her.

Books like this have been written many times over so we aren’t reading a book that is unique but the telling is interesting.

The ending surprised me a bit but mostly it seemed off from the rest of the book. Almost like the author had the ending set and tried (being the key word) to fit the rest of the book to it.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Santa’s Sweetheart by Janet Dailey

TITLE: Santa’s Sweetheart
SERIES: The Christmas Tree Ranch #4
CHARACTERS: Grace & Sam
AUTHOR: Janet Dailey
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/28/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The delightful and entertaining new holiday novel from the legendary author of dozens of treasured romances! This Christmas, visit the small town of Branding Iron, Texas, where it’s time for the Cowboy Christmas Ball and one irritable sheriff is about to get in the spirit of the season…and find love along the way.

Sheriff Sam Delaney is shouldering a lot as the lone lawman in the small Texas town of Branding Iron—and the widowed single father of six-year-old Maggie. Especially since Maggie’s determined that what her daddy needs this holiday season is a girlfriend. Suddenly Sam is hustled off to a meeting with Maggie’s schoolteacher—and surprised to discover the demure Grace Chapman is unexpectedly alluring. Then he’s roped into playing Santa at the annual Christmas ball, with the pretty Miss Grace by his side. It’s enough to make Sam even grumpier than usual—if not for the feelings sweet Grace stirs up inside . . .

Grace only wants to heal after her broken engagement. So why is she so charmed by the slow smile—and the surprising tenderness—of the town’s sheriff? Maybe because Grace is discovering that beneath Sam’s gruff exterior lies a heart as big as Texas, especially when it comes to the women in his life—like little Maggie. And now her… Which only has Grace hoping she’ll be Santa’s sweetheart for many seasons to come . . .

REVIEW:
Janet Dailey doesn’t write sappy, she writes emotional and that is what she did in this book as well. We meet Maggie who lost her mom and wants to be sure her daddy is happy for the holidays and she loves her new teacher so why shouldn’t six-year-old Maggie believe they would be perfect together?

Sam is the widower sheriff and Grace has recently had her engagement broken. Both aren’t thinking love is in their immediate future but with Maggie having her way these two are bound to become a family.

I really enjoyed all the characters. I thought Maggie was adorable, even though I think sometimes Dailey forgot she was only six. This story is a deep emotional read for the holidays and will make you fall in love all over again.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Burning by Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman

TITLE: The Burning
SERIES #: Clay Edison #4
CHARACTERS: Clay Edison
AUTHOR: Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/21/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon  | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Things get personal for Deputy Coroner Clay Edison when a murder hits close to home in this riveting, emotional thriller from the bestselling father-son team who write “brilliant, page-turning fiction” (Stephen King).

A raging wildfire. A massive blackout. A wealthy man shot to death in his palatial hilltop home.

For Clay Edison, it’s all in a day’s work. As a deputy coroner, caring for the dead, he speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves. He prides himself on an unflinching commitment to the truth. Even when it gets him into trouble.

Then, while working the murder scene, Clay is horrified to discover a link to his brother, Luke. Horrified. But not surprised. Luke is fresh out of prison and struggling to stay on the straight and narrow.

And now he’s gone AWOL.

The race is on for Clay to find him before anyone else can. Confronted with Luke’s legacy of violence, Clay is forced to reckon with his own suspicions, resentments, and loyalties. Is his brother a killer? Or could he be the victim in all of this, too?

This is Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman at their most affecting and page-turning–a harrowing collision of family, revenge, and murder.

REVIEW:
Having lived in California for a while I am fully aware of the burning that CA and the surrounding states can go through and having read the other three books from the father/son Kellerman team. So I was interested when this book was offered.

The problem is the story moves very slowly. Most certainly the slowest in the series so far. And some of the personalities from Clay didn’t mesh from the last three books.

While the book was slow, the writing was very palatable. You can practically feel the burning going on around Clay and his worry about his recently released from prison brother.

This was not my favorite in the series and I certainly do not think this can be a stand alone.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews The Bookbinder’s Daughter by Jessica Thorne

TITLE: The Bookbinder’s Daughter
CHARACTERS: Sophie & Will
AUTHOR: Jessica Thorne
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/20/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The song surrounded her now, the murmuring of the library insistent, and her foot took the first step on the winding stairs. She knew it wasn’t entirely a dream. It was the library calling her, its magic driving her.

When Sophie is offered a job at the Ayredale Library – the finest collection of rare books in the world, and the last place her bookbinder mother was seen when Sophie was just a teenager – she leaps at the chance. Will she finally discover what happened to the woman she’s always believed abandoned her?

Taking in the endless shelves of antique books, the soaring stained-glass windows, and the grand sweeping staircase, usually shy Sophie feels strangely at home, and is welcomed by her eccentric fellow binders. But why is the Keeper of the Library so reluctant to speak about Sophie’s mother? And why is Sophie the only person who can read the strange spells in the oldest books on display, written in a forgotten language nobody else understands?

The mysteries of the library only deepen when Sophie stumbles upon an elaborately carved door. The pattern exactly matches the pendant her mother left behind years ago, engraved with a delicate leaf. As the door swings open at her touch, Sophie gasps at the incredible sight: an enormous tree, impossibly growing higher than the library itself, its gently falling golden leaves somehow resembling the pages of a book. Amidst their rustling, Sophie hears a familiar whisper…

‘There you are, my Sophie. I knew you’d come back for me.’

An absolutely spellbinding read about long-hidden family secrets and the magic that lurks between the pages of every ancient book. Perfect for fans of The Ten Thousand Doors of January, The Night Circus and The Binding.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts I actually enjoyed most of this book. The idea was very fresh and interesting. Any bibliophile would love living in a library and this would be a great one to stay at.

About Sophie. I had a bit of a problem with her. At times she seems so independent and at other times a wet dish cloth. I can appreciate that she and Will were able to rekindle a first love so quickly but it seems odd that she was ever even in love with Victor. She was just a doormat to him.

I enjoyed the “suspense” part of the story. Trying to figure out why one day her mom was there and the next day not. Why can she read a magical spell book when no one else can.

I felt that the library was in and of itself a character. And I wish there had been more magic in the special area of the library.

I think this story had a lot of potential and lived up to some of it.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews My One Night by Carrie Ann Ryan

TITLE: My One Night
SERIES #: On My Own #1
CHARACTERS: Elisa & Dillon
AUTHOR: Carrie Ann Ryan
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/13/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A one-night stand is supposed to end once the sun rises. Only it doesn’t always work out that way in this opposites attract and tortured hero romance.

Elise Hoover never expected this. She didn’t want to go to another party, but when her friend pulls her in, she somehow finds herself hiding in a corner with…him.

Dillon Connolly.

The smirking, so-called good guy with the shadows in his eyes. A single glance, a sweet smile, and she lets herself have one night of giving in.

Only she has to promise herself not to fall in love. No matter the cost.

REVIEW:
I am thrilled to have a new series from Carrie Ann Ryan.

Elise and Dillon are perfect for each other. Yes, they only wanted a one night stand but come on when the chemistry is as strong as theirs is one night enough? Nope!

I really love the way Carrie Ann gave them such strong backgrounds and we learn they are not perfect. They have dealt with a lot and, honestly, still are. But maybe the other is just what they each need.

Another great story by Carrie Ann Ryan and a perfect start to a new series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz

TITLE: Orphan X
SERIES #: Orphan X #1
CHARACTERS: Evan Smoak
AUTHOR: Gregg Hurwitz
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/01/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The Nowhere Man is a legendary figure spoken about only in whispers. It’s said that when he’s reached by the truly desperate and deserving, the Nowhere Man can and will do anything to protect and save them.

But he’s no legend.

Evan Smoak is a man with skills, resources, and a personal mission to help those with nowhere else to turn. He’s also a man with a dangerous past. Chosen as a child, he was raised and trained as part of the off-the-books black box Orphan program, designed to create the perfect deniable intelligence assets—i.e. assassins. He was Orphan X. Evan broke with the program, using everything he learned to disappear.

Now, however, someone is on his tail. Someone with similar skills and training. Someone who knows Orphan X. Someone who is getting closer and closer. And will exploit Evan’s weakness—his work as The Nowhere Man—to find him and eliminate him. Grabbing the reader from the very first page, Orphan X is a masterful thriller, the first in Gregg Hurwitz’s electrifying new series featuring Evan Smoak.

REVIEW:
This is a re-release of the first in the series. I have read the second in the series and it was nice to understand a bit more of what book two was really about.

However, it did not change my mind on Evan. I really am not a fan of his. He is a bit of a jerk and the writing is a bit winded. I have read Hurwitz before but this series seems like he is using 3 words where one will work.

I am sure I will continue with the series but I hope he starts a new series soon.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Christmas Wishes At The Chocolate Shop by Jessica Redland

TITLE: Christmas Wishes At The Chocolate Shop
CHARACTERS: Charlee & Matt
AUTHOR: Jessica Redland
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/03/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sometimes you just need a little Christmas magic to make your wishes come true…

When master chocolatier, Charlee, takes the leap to move to the picturesque seaside town of Whitsborough Bay, she is determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and set up a chocolate shop.

Luckily, she finds the perfect location for Charlee’s Chocolates on beautiful Castle Street… Now she just has to refurbish it in time for Christmas!

With a useless boyfriend and countless DIY disasters, Charlee doesn’t know if she’ll make it in time. With no ‘traditional’ family to support her, she feels lost in her new surroundings and the secrets of the past are weighing her down.

But the warmth and festive spirit of the Whitsborough Bay community will surprise her, and when plumber, Matt, comes to the rescue, it might be that all of Charlee’s dreams could come true this Christmas, and she could learn what family really means…

REVIEW:
Hallmark or Lifetime: Are you listening? This is a great book to movie holiday romance. We meet Charlee after the biggest event of her life. Her grandmother who raised her has passed away and she is scattering her ashes with her grandfather. That alone is a perfect opening of a Christmas book/movie, right?

Well anyway. Charlee is dating Ricky but there is no real chemistry between these characters. However he convinces her to start her own chocolate shop, which is the only thing that really makes her happy. Then we meet Matt when Charlee needs help and, of course, Ricky is nowhere to be found.

There is so much going on with Charlee. Great friends, two men, the mom who abandoned her, the father she never knew and, of course, her chocolate shop.

This is a great book to start off your holiday season to get in the mood. But have some chocolate ready because you will want some with every chapter.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews What Hurts The Most by Willow Rose

TITLE: What Hurts The Most
SERIES #: Mary Mills Mystery #1
CHARACTERS: Mary Mills
AUTHOR: Willow Rose
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/20/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
You will never guess the ending!
Am I pretty?
Imagine being asked that question standing face to face with a killer. What would you answer?
While her life is going from bad to worse, journalist Mary Mills receives a phone call from her father telling her that her brother has been arrested for murder. Mary decides to go back to her hometown of Cocoa Beach, Florida, which she left twenty years back and has never visited since.
Working with her old friends from the 7th Street Crew, she tracks down the most disturbing and surprising killer this town has ever faced before a shocking conclusion turns everything upside down for them.
Determined to solve the murder and to have her brother acquitted, Mary is forced to face demons from her past she never thought she would have to again.

REVIEW:
This came back up on NetGalley and I thought it might be a good chance to be introduced to a new author but I am just not sure. The story was interesting but there were soooooo many inaccuracies that it drove me a bit crazy. The whole Army/Air Force thing was so inaccurate that I found myself getting mad at the author.

I also had a hard time with the description of the murders. There was so much gore that honestly was not necessary. I was pleasantly surprised that I was not sure of the ending which is why I gave it three stars.

I requested another couple of books from NetGalley by this author so I will give them a try but I am not thinking I found my next fav author.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Kimberly reviews Dirtiest Little Secret by Skye Jordan

TITLE: Dirtiest Little Secret
CHARACTERS: Ave & Isaac
AUTHOR: Skye Jordan
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/15/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
New York Times bestselling author Skye Jordan brings you a fiery new collection of romances designed for a quick, sexy, satisfying read: Quick and Dirty Collection.

All books in the Quick and Dirty collection are stand-alone romances and can be independently.

She’s his fantasy…

Ava Jennings has spent her life dedicated to her family’s steel business. So when she catches her fiancé engaging in extracurricular activities under his desk with a coworker, Ava fires him on the spot. With her self-esteem at an all-time low, Ava throws caution to the wind and heads to a well-known, wild biker bar. She’s determined to prove she’s capable of the spontaneous, wicked-hot sex her fiancé was searching for outside their relationship. And she finds all that and more in a rugged, edgy motorcycle mechanic, the one man in the bar who eclipses all the others.

He’s her dirtiest little secret…

Isaac Banks doesn’t talk to members of the Steel Warriors motorcycle club about his painful past. All they know is he’s the best bike mechanic in the state, which is exactly how he likes it. Ava doesn’t recognize him as the awkward kid who used to spend Sunday nights at her dinner table with their families, but she’s sure interested in the man she thinks he is now. She’s from the world he left behind, and he knows he should walk away—but it’s impossible to say no to the woman who starred in all his adolescent fantasies. All he wants is one night to get her out of his system. Because there was no way she could live up to his dreams.

But he’s wrong. One night will never be enough.

REVIEW:
How did I miss this book? I thought I had read all of Skye Jordan’s books but I guess not.

I really enjoyed this story. Isaac is everything a guy should be. Smart, handy, loving, an alpha with a heart of gold. And while he thinks the run in with Ava will just get the taste out of his mouth from his youth he is so wrong.

Ava is trying to prove who she is to everyone else but comes to realize the person she needs to prove herself to is herself. And Isaac is just the bad boy to do it. Even though she doesn’t remember him from so many years ago.

These two are made for each other. And I love that Isaac comes to terms with his history and changes his future to do what he wants and is comfortable with no matter that MIT had him going in one direction and his heart in another. And I love that Ava realizes that she can be herself and that is enough.

Jordan is one of my favorites and like I said I thought I had read them all but I am so happy to have received this chance to find again why I enjoy her books so much.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts