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Kimberly reviews Lightning Game by Christine Feehan

TITLE: Lightning Game
SERIES #: GhostWalkers #17
CHARACTERS: Rubin & Jonquille
AUTHOR: Christine Feehan
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/02/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Uninhibited passion meets spine-chilling danger in this thrilling GhostWalker novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

Danger and passion fuse in this electrifying GhostWalker novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

GhostWalker Rubin Campo’s rough upbringing made him into the man he is today: strong, steadfast and wary of outsiders. When he and his brother return to their family’s homestead in the Appalachian Mountains, he can immediately sense that a stranger has taken up residence in their cabin—a woman who just happens to be a GhostWalker too.

Jonquille looks deceptively delicate but is clearly a fighter. She also doesn’t seem to care that Rubin could kill her where she stands. She sought him out, wanting to connect on their shared interest in electrical charges. As one of the first failed GhostWalker experiments, Jonquille can produce lightning with her body—but she can’t control it.

Their connection is magnetic, their abilities in sync. Rubin knows she’s his match, the answer to a lifetime of pain and intense loneliness. But Jonquille came to him with hidden intentions, ones that threaten to destroy their bond before it can truly begin.…

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Christine Feehan is one of my go-to’s because I know I will get a wonderful read and this books is exactly why I fell in love with her books.

This is finally Rubin’s story. Seems like we have waited forever for his story. Rubin is in team 4 of the Ghostwalkers. They are the best but they do have abilities the SEALS will never have. But while his whole team has some kind of power Rubin may be one of the rarest of all. He is a psychic doctor, of which there are only 2 in the world.

Jonquille is one of Whitney’s first orphan girls groups that he designed to be unique and she has her own powers. So when she and Rubin connect the power is unstoppable.

One of the best things about Feehan’s books is the connections everyone has. The connection between Rubin and Jonquille is intense but the connection Rubin has with his team is just as well.

I love Feehan’s books and while 17 books in the same series may seem like a lot each one is a story that should not be missed. Bring on 18!

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

4 Hearts

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Women In History Books: Storyteller by Dolly Parton

Say the name Dolly Parton and everyone knows who she is. You don’t have to be a fan of country music to know the name or her music. Older generations grew up listening to 9to5, Jolene and more. The younger generation may know her from movies and Whitney Houston’s version of “I will always love you”. But this woman is more than music. She is an enterprise unto herself.
She grew up poor, learned to play guitar, became a side gig to Porter Wagoner and then broke into movies. But Dolly Parton is generous and smart. There is no “dumb blonde” when it comes to Dolly.
Let’s start with Dollywood. Everyone know the theme park but what some do not know is she built the theme park in her hometown area to help the Tennessee people who were struggling to find work. If not for Dolly Pigeon Forge would not be a thriving vacation spot and the people of Eastern Tennessee wouldn’t have the opportunities that they do. And as a fan the park is one that should not be missed.
Dolly is generous and when the fires hit the Gatlinburg area a few years ago she donated generously to help but also asked her friends in the music industry to help out which they did.
She donated a million dollars to the Covid-19 vaccine company trying to help the country.
And let’s not forget the Imagination Library. This non-profit was started by Dolly to give books to kids from her hometown that couldn’t get to books but has grown to support the whole country. You can go to her website and if there is a distribution person in your area a child will get free books from birth to the age of 5 every month. And it is free.
Dolly Parton is one of richest women and yet probably one of the most down home southern ladies. My sister and I got to see her interview and do some singing and story telling a few years ago and it was incredible.
Dolly does it all and she does it with her blonde wig perfectly done and high heels ready to kick a little dust up. And this book tells you about her songs and what brought her to the words and the music that we all love. And she is certainly a woman who should be celebrated this Women’s History Month.

Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics is a landmark celebration of the remarkable life and career of a country music and pop culture legend.
As told by Dolly Parton in her own inimitable words, explore the songs that have defined her journey. Illustrated throughout with previously unpublished images from Dolly Parton’s personal and business archives.
Mining over 60 years of songwriting, Dolly Parton highlights 175 of her songs and brings readers behind the lyrics.
• Packed with never-before-seen photographs and classic memorabilia
• Explores personal stories, candid insights, and myriad memories behind the songs
Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics reveals the stories and memories that have made Dolly a beloved icon across generations, genders, and social and international boundaries.
Containing rare photos and memorabilia from Parton’s archives, this book is a show-stopping must-have for every Dolly Parton fan.
• Learn the history behind classic Parton songs like “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “I Will Always Love You,” and more.
• The perfect gift for Dolly Parton fans (everyone loves Dolly!) as well as lovers of music history and country

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Kimberly reviews Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay

TITLE: Every Last Fear
CHARACTERS: Matt Pine
AUTHOR: Alex Finlay
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/02/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In one of the year’s most anticipated debut psychological thrillers, a family made infamous by a true crime documentary is found dead, leaving their surviving son to uncover the truth about their final days.

“They found the bodies on a Tuesday.” So begins this twisty and breathtaking novel that traces the fate of the Pine family, a thriller that will both leave you on the edge of your seat and move you to tears.

After a late night of partying, NYU student Matt Pine returns to his dorm room to devastating news: nearly his entire family—his mom, his dad, his little brother and sister—have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem far less certain—and they won’t tell Matt why.

The tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn’t the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt’s older brother, Danny—currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte—was the subject of a viral true crime documentary suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied behind Danny, Matt holds a secret about his brother that he’s never told anyone: the night Charlotte was killed Matt saw something that makes him believe his brother is guilty of the crime.

When Matt returns to his small hometown to bury his parents and siblings, he’s faced with a hostile community that was villainized by the documentary, a frenzied media, and memories he’d hoped to leave behind forever. Now, as the deaths in Mexico appear increasingly suspicious and connected to Danny’s case, Matt must unearth the truth behind the crime that sent his brother to prison—putting his own life in peril—and forcing him to confront his every last fear.

Told through multiple points-of-view and alternating between past and present, Alex Finlay’s Every Last Fear is not only a page-turning thriller, it’s also a poignant story about a family managing heartbreak and tragedy, and living through a fame they never wanted.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Wow what a start to what I am sure will be an incredible writing career. If this isn’t made into a movie, at least a NetFlix original, I will be surprised.

Finlay really has a lot of twists and turns. I could tell you about what happens but the synopsis really does a good job of explaining what happens but what it does not do is tell you how great of a story Finlay wrote. This book has so much more than I expected. It had me not wanting to sleep so I could read more and dinners were late needing to read one more chapter.

This story has everything a fan of suspense could want. A great character, angst, surprises and so much more. If a reader is disappointed in this book I have no idea what more they could want.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews A Matter Of Life And Death by Philip Margolin

TITLE: A Matter Of Life And Death
SERIES #: Robin Lockwood #4
CHARACTERS: Robin Lockwood & Joe Lattimore
AUTHOR: Philip Margolin
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/09/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Joe Lattimore, homeless and trying desperately to provide for his young family, agrees to fight in a no-holds illegal bar bout, only to have his opponent die. Lattimore now finds himself at the mercy of the fight’s organizers who blackmail him into burglarizing a house. However, when he breaks in, he finds a murdered woman on the floor and the police have received an anonymous tip naming him for the crime.

Robin Lockwood, an increasingly prominent young attorney and former MMA fighter, agrees to take on his defense. But the case is seemingly airtight—the murdered woman’s husband, Judge Anthony Carasco, has an alibi and Lattimore’s fingerprints are discovered at the scene. But everything about the case is too easy, too pat, and Lockwood is convinced that her client has been framed. The only problem is that she has no way of proving it and since this is a death case, if she fails then another innocent will die.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This is the 4th in the series. I really enjoyed this read. The suspense was well written and kept me interested. This one had a bit more of a story than the last one.

I have been a fan of Margolin for a while and I think this might be one of his best in recent books.

I thought Robin was great at how she handled Joe’s case. I felt so bad for Joe. He is just a good guy trying to support his family who gets into trouble. Robin just wants to save an innocent man from the death penalty.

There are a lot of twists and suspense in this book and I recommend it to any fan of the genre.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews All Consuming by Jaci Burton

TITLE: All Consuming
SERIES #: Brotherhood By Fire #3
CHARACTERS: Kal & Hannah
AUTHOR: Jaci Burton
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/02/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A sizzling new romance about a firefighter who reunites with an old flame and tries to rekindle the passion they once felt.

When firefighter Kal Donovan transfers to the Tactical Rescue Team, he’s determined to succeed by giving work one hundred percent of his attention. This proves more difficult at his ten-year high school reunion when he runs into Hannah Clark, his first love. She’s still the smart, funny, beautiful girl he loved in high school, but everything has changed. She’s divorced, has a son, and has zero interest in exploring an old romance.

Hannah has moved back home after a disastrous end to a marriage that never should have been. Now her only focus is getting her hair salon up and running, and making sure her son is happy. She doesn’t have time for love–especially not with Kal. She intends to look forward, not backward, and Kal is most definitely part of her past.

However as Hannah and Kal start spending time together, Hannah realizes that what she’s feeling for him isn’t nostalgia, but red-hot attraction. Kal’s intent on showing her what it’s like to be cared for, romanced, and consumed with passion–and Hannah loves it. But she wonders if she has the courage to risk her heart again, even as Kal vows not to lose her a second time.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts Another great Jaci Burton book. This is the third in the series and while you do not need to read the other two books it does help to explain who Kal is.

Hannah and Kal have a past and this is their second chance at getting it right. This time Hannah has a son that is added to the mix. And, of course, the brotherhood is there to help Kal and Hannah come together as a family.

So I have liked Kal since the beginning. Kal just seems like a good all around guy. There are some characters that are written as the bad boy with a heart of gold. Not Kal. Kal is just an all around good guy who you want to be friends with because you know he will always be there for you.

Hannah is sweet and a good mom and daughter. I love the way that Kal was with Oliver.

Sweet read for any fan of the genre.

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

4 Hearts

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Women In History Books: Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly

I will be honest and say I saw the movie before reading the book and loved it. So when my family went to NASA in Florida and the book was for sale I grabbed it. And I can not begin to tell you how much more information and how much better the book was than the movie (isn’t that usually the case?).
I had not heard of the history of the these incredible women until one day on a tv show called “Timeless” (episode Space Race which aired Nov 28, 2016). I actually went and Googled it after the episode and I think maybe a lot of people did because only a short time later the movie Hidden Figures came out. I ran to the theater to see it and was not disappointed.
But back to the book. Not only are these women but they are African-American women who during the fight for equality proved any woman can be smarter than any man. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden are the women who got our astronauts into space and home at a time when they couldn’t even use the same bathroom as white women could.
This book is worth the read and the reader will not be disappointed that they incredible women made history and they are celebrated for it. ~ Kimberly

The #1 New York Times Bestseller. Set amid the civil rights movement, the never-before-told true story of NASA’s African-American female mathematicians who played a crucial role in America’s space program. Before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of professionals worked as ‘Human Computers’, calculating the flight paths that would enable these historic achievements. Among these were a coterie of bright, talented African-American women. Segregated from their white counterparts, these ‘coloured computers’ used pencil and paper to write the equations that would launch rockets and astronauts, into space. Moving from World War II through NASA’s golden age, touching on the civil rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War and the women’s rights movement, ‘Hidden Figures’ interweaves a rich history of mankind’s greatest adventure with the intimate stories of five courageous women whose work forever changed the world.

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Kimberly reviews Werewolves Of London by Angie Fox

TITLE: Werewolves Of London
SERIES #: The Monster MASH #3
CHARACTERS: Petra & Galen
AUTHOR: Angie Fox
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/23/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In The Heat Of Battle

The hard-won cease-fire between the battling immortals doesn’t last long. In the blink of an eye, human surgeon Dr. Petra Robichaud is back on the frontlines, and starring in yet another of the oracle’s prophesies. As the only healer who can talk to the dead, Petra doesn’t have much choice about her role—even when her breathtaking ex-lover shows up at exactly the wrong time…

Two Hearts Fight To Survive

Petra may have moved on when Commander Galen left her, but she never forgot him—and the passionate moments they shared. Seeing him again is a distraction she really doesn’t need with both armies honing new weapons, and wounded all over her M*A*S*H unit. But how can she resist him? It’s now or never for the demi-god Galen to become Petra’s mate…but with the fate of humanity at stake, will their desire be worth the cost?

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This is the last in the trilogy and I can’t believe how sad I am about that. But I am so glad I read them back to back. They are quick reads and so fun.

Petra is back at fulfilling her prophecies at the MASH unit and I am so glad that Galen in back. I mean Marc can’t hold a candle to Galen. But I understand her reluctance I mean after all the demi-god broke her heart once. Will he do it again? Every character in this story could be a story all on their own but together they shine.

And oh how I want to tell you about Medusa’s baby shower and the laughing I did but no one should have that joy taken away from them.

I wish there was more. Maybe one day Fox will bring us back and let us know how everyone is doing.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Transylvania Twist by Angie Fox

TITLE: The Transylvania Twist
SERIES #: The Monster MASH #2
CHARACTERS: Petra & Galen
AUTHOR: Angie Fox
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/26/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A shaky truce. A pregnant Medusa. And a dedicated doctor who keeps legends alive.

Even during a truce, I have my hands full as a MASH surgeon to an army of warring gods—especially when Medusa herself turns up pregnant. I frankly have no idea what to expect when a Gorgon’s expecting, but I have an even bigger problem when my presumed-dead former-fiancé sneaks into my tent with enough emotional baggage to fill a tank.

He’s been fighting for the other side, which technically makes him my enemy, and now he needs me and the power I’ve kept secret for so long: I can see the dead. It’s a blessing and a curse. Literally. Because the gods will smite me in a second if they suspect.

But the other side is developing a terrible new weapon, and the only person who can stop the carnage was just murdered in a covert lab behind enemy lines. So I have no choice but to pull on my combat boots and go AWOL with my ex and a moody berserker to confront a ghost with a terrible secret.

Too bad uncovering the truth could make me enemy #1…

Warning: This book contains a Star Wars-obsessed werewolf, an adorable hellhound, demigods in peril, action, romance, and friends who put each other first—in a MASH camp where everybody knows your business.

*The core of this book was originally called Immortally Embraced, published by St. Martin’s Press in 2013. The author has rewritten it into the way she always envisioned the story to be, which means it is now a romantic comedy instead of an angsty book. Oh, and there are a lot more pet swamp lizards, too.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This is the second in the series and while I guess it could be a stand alone I do not recommend it. We met Petra in the first in the series and also met Galen who becomes her love interest.

In this story Galen heads back to the front lines even though the war has called a truce and he breaks her heart before he leaves. To make matters worse Petra’s dead fiance comes to tell her she has a task to do. She has to get into the enemy camp and steal a super weapon… What?

Another great read from Fox. I am so glad I am reading these back to back. I feel it has added to the story that I didn’t have to wait for book 2 and now book 3 in the series.

Petra is a great character and I really enjoy the humor that Fox brings to Petra and the other characters. Now onto book 3……

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews The Monster MASH by Angie Fox

TITLE: The Monster MASH
SERIES #: The Monster MASH #1
CHARACTERS: Petra & Galen
AUTHOR: Angie Fox
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/29/2020
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Ancient gods. Modern war. And a star-crossed couple who could use some divine intervention.

The day I was drafted into the army of the gods, all I knew about being a MASH surgeon was what I’d learned from Hawkeye Pierce and Hot Lips Houlihan. Now here I am, Dr. Petra Robichaud, in the middle of an immortal war, assigned to a MASH camp with a nosy sphinx, a vegetarian werewolf, and an uptight vampire who really needs to get a life.

At least they’re all too busy with their own dramas to discover my secret: I can see the dead. It’s a forbidden gift, one that can get me killed, so I haven’t told a soul.

Until the arrestingly intense Galen arrives on my operating table, half-dead and totally to-die-for. When his spirit tries to slip out of his fatally wounded body, I impulsively slip it back in. Call it a rash resurrection. One I’ll live to regret.

Now Commander Galen of Delphi knows my secret, and he’s convinced I’m part of an ancient prophecy—one that can end the war for good. But taking a chance could cost me everything. And it would be easier to convince him to leave me alone, except now the prophecies are starting to come true…

Warning: This novel contains a hefty dose of danger, drama, practical jokes, pet swamp lizards, brooding demigods, adventure, romance, and heart—in a MASH camp where everybody knows your business.

*The core of this book was originally called Immortally Yours, published by St. Martin’s Press in 2012. The author has rewritten it into the way she always envisioned the story to be, which means it is now a romantic comedy instead of an angsty book. Oh, and there are a lot more pet swamp lizards, too.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts I can’t recall reading Angie Fox’s novel but I have a number of friends who do so when this series was available I thought this would give me a chance to get to know her as an author. And I really did like the way she writes. And the world she conjures up.

Petra works in a MASH unit but not like the tv show. This MASH takes care of monsters and gods in a never ending war. But Petra has a secret that gets out and chaos begins. Because Petra can see the dead!

What a fun book to read. I had no idea that Fox put so much humor into her stories. I chuckled a number of times and even laughed out loud a time or two (rare for me). I loved the relationships she has with Galen and Rodger, though very different, they mesh so well.

I really enjoyed this book and I am so glad I got the next two in the series so I could read them all back to back.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews Calder Brand by Janet Dailey

TITLE: Calder Brand
SERIES #: Calder Brand #1
CHARACTERS: Joe & Sarah
AUTHOR: Janet Dailey
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/23/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Romance, adventure, and the epic mystique of the Old West. Calder Brand is the first installment in a spin-off series beginning in the late 1800’s, as a cowboy named Joe Dollarhide joins the Calder brand on one of the first cattle drives from Texas to Montana…

Ambition drove Joe Dollarhide across the parched plains from Fort Sam Houston to Dodge City. He was determined to one day have a spread every bit as impressive as his employers’. But when a wild stampede separates him from the cattle drive, it’s not just survival that keeps him going. Joe has a burning need to settle the score with Benteen Calder, the cattle boss he used to worship. The man who’d left him for dead. Yet he’d soon have something greater than revenge to inspire him…

Sarah Foxworth is traveling toward her dream of becoming a doctor when she’s attacked by a violent gang. Luckily, Joe is the one to rescue her–and win her heart. Still, she presses on to the future awaiting her on the frontier. But her plans, and her reputation, are ruined when she gives birth to an illegitimate baby…

Years later, Sarah reappears in Joe’s world–with a son there’s no denying is his own. Now a prosperous rancher, Joe yearns to finally build a life with the woman he’s never forgotten. Only Joe’s own road to riches has been strewn with obstacles, some still standing in his way. But time has also shown him that nothing worth having comes easy. And that Sarah is a woman worth fighting for…

REVIEW:
This is the first in a new series by Janet Dailey. Janet Dailey has been around for what seems like forever and I have loved all her books. Her name isn’t as well known as others like Danielle Steel but Dailey ranks right up there with the greats.

In this story we meet Sarah and Joe who have a second chance at love. They met and were together years ago and now Sarah is back in Joe’s life and their son in tow.

I really love Dailey’s stories. She is a perfect read for fans of women’s lit that are an enjoyable read. Dailey brings romance, friendship, and angst to the real world feel of her stories.

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

4 Hearts