So did you watch the game OR spend the time reading?
And if you were reading… what book?
BnK Wants To Know… Did You Watch The Game Or Read?
Kimberly reviews Darkness Falls by Margaret Murphy
TITLE: Darkness Falls
SERIES #: Clara Pascal #1
CHARACTERS: Main Characters
AUTHOR: Margaret Murphy
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/14/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
CLARA PASCAL HAS IT ALL
She’s beautiful, successful and devoted mother. People want to be her.
THEN IT’S SNATCHED AWAY
Now, robbed of everything that gives her life meaning, she lies chained to the stone wall of a dark cellar – without food, warmth, or sleep, without even the most basic communication.
HER ABDUCTOR WON’T EVEN TELL HER WHY HE’S TAKEN HER
As the police team frantically investigates, knocking on doors, following up wisps of leads, bullying, cajoling, begging witnesses for help, it seems that Clara Pascal has disappeared without trace.
Meanwhile, in her dark prison, Clara begins to suspect why her kidnapper has kept her alive. And the reason is terrifying.
REVIEW:
I hate it when a synopsis pulls me in and then I am disappointed because I know the book has so much potential. This is what happened in this story. It really has a lot of potential but there was so much extra wordage that I skipped a lot of pages and only read the dialogue which gave me all the information I needed.
To me there was just too much female bashing. I do not mean physically. Just that it seemed in the mind of these characters (and hopefully not the author) women are just useless. There were also a lot of police procedures. I mean we have all read or seen cop stories. We really do not need every detail. But that is what it felt like.
Just not an enjoyable read for me.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kimberly reviews Serpentine by Jonathan Kellerman
TITLE: Serpentine
SERIES #: Alex Delaware #36
CHARACTERS: Alex Delaware
AUTHOR: Jonathan Kellerman
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/04/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Psychologist Alex Delaware and detective Milo Sturgis search for answers to a brutal, decades-old crime in this electrifying psychological thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense.
LAPD homicide lieutenant Milo Sturgis is a master detective. He has a near-perfect solve rate and he’s written his own rule book. Some of those successes–the toughest ones–have involved his best friend, the brilliant psychologist Alex Delaware. But Milo doesn’t call Alex in unless cases are “different.”
This murder warrants an immediate call. Milo’s independence has been compromised as never before, as the department pressures him to cater to the demands of a mogul: a hard-to-fathom, megarich young woman who is obsessed with reopening the coldest of cases–the decades-old death of the mother she never knew.
The facts describe a likely loser: a mysterious woman found with a bullet in her head in a torched Cadillac that has overturned on infamously treacherous Mulholland Drive. No physical evidence, no witnesses, no apparent motive. And a slew of detectives have already worked the case and failed. But as Delaware and Sturgis begin digging, the mist begins to lift. Too many coincidences. Facts turn out to be anything but. And as they soon discover, very real threats lurking in the present.
This is Delaware/Sturgis at their best: traversing the beautiful but forbidding place known as Los Angeles and exhuming the past in order to bring a vicious killer to justice.
REVIEW:
This is the 36 in the series… Yes 36th!!! I have read a number of this series but not all of them. But the problem is if you read too many of them near to each other it is easy to figure out and that is what was happening here.
The story was a bit slow. And easy for me to figure out. The characters are abundant and while there are some twists and turns nothing that wasn’t expected.
While there are so many in this series each can be a stand alone.
I wish Kellerman would move beyond this series and try to lead us onto a different adventure. Kellerman writes well and can be very enjoyable but I believe this series has grown stale.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kimberly reviews Dying To Be Her by Gregg Olsen
TITLE: Dying To Be Her
SERIES #: Empty Coffin #2
CHARACTERS: Hayley & Taylor
AUTHOR: Gregg Olsen
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/02/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Just as the lightning bolt of memory passed, a pair of hands grabbed Olivia’s shoulders and shoved her body backwards against the wooden floor. I’m not going to die here, am I? she thought, though the answer seemed all too clear. Am I?
Port Gamble, Washington: When the body of English exchange student Olivia Grant is found at the palatial home of local schoolgirl, Brianna Connors, the town assumes that it’s a Halloween prank gone wrong. But when Brianna and her boyfriend Drew are spotted casually shopping the next day, people start to talk: how could they be so unaffected by Olivia’s death?
Twins Hayley and Taylor Ryan have received signs from beyond the grave for as long as they can remember. As the local police piece together the mystery, the girls begin to receive messages suggesting that something darker was at play that night. The killer had a target and they’re not done yet.
When the prime suspects disappear, the twins know that time is running out. But to get to the killer, they will first need to confront a close family member who harbors a long-held secret and has committed the ultimate act of betrayal.
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes an unputdownable thriller about two girls’ hunt to find a killer on the run, with a touch of supernatural help. Perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Robert Dugoni and James Patterson.
This book was originally published as BETRAYAL. This new edition has been re-edited since its publication in 2012.
REVIEW:
Ok so here it goes. I read the first in the series “Beneath Her Skin” and mostly did not enjoy it. But I had requested this book the same day from NetGalley so I decided to read it. And what I learned. Beneath Her Skin was originally released by the name Envy in 2015 and this book was originally named Betrayal released the same year. I have read a number of books by Olsen and maybe this feels so young (like a YA) because he was growing in his writing.
This book was better than the first but I really feel like it was written for a younger audience. One that does not have the mature pallet for true suspense or even paranormal. While the twins are adults they seem like older Nancy Drew characters (that should tell you how old I am).
I am not sure if there is more in the series but I will not be picking it up. This is not up to the par that I have read from other Olsen novels.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kimberly reviews Beneath Her Skin by Gregg Olsen
TITLE: Beneath Her Skin
SERIES #: Empty Coffin #1
CHARACTERS: Hayley & Taylor
AUTHOR: Gregg Olsen
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/02/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The girl was slumped over the edge of the old clawfoot tub, her eyes tiny shards of broken glass, her expression void of anything. Her long, wet hair dripped onto the floor. She was dead.
When the body of troubled teen Katelyn Berkley is found dead in her bathtub, the close-knit community of Port Gamble, Washington is shaken to its core. All signs point to a suicide but what makes her death even more tragic is that Katelyn survived a horrific bus crash ten years ago, which took the lives of several young girls and has scarred the town ever since.
Hayley and Taylor Ryan are identical twins who grew up with Katelyn and have spent the last 10 years getting over the crash. Ever since that fateful night the twins have shared a secret: they can hear the dead. And it soon becomes clear that Katelyn is communicating with them. Whilst the town believes it was a tragic accident, something much darker lies behind Katelyn’s death.
And all the time, someone is watching Port Gamble, someone who doesn’t want old secrets to surface…
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a compulsive thriller about two girls’ search to uncover the truth behind their friend’s death, with a touch of supernatural help. Perfect for fans of Melinda Leigh, Robert Dugoni and James Patterson.
REVIEW:
2.5 Hearts This is a new series by Gregg Olsen but I am so sad to say that I am not sure I will bother with the next one.
So the story is about twins who seem to have a psychic ability and they are investigating the death of an old friend. But there is just so much wrong with this book.
There is a bit of a paranormal feel with the “abilities” the twins have and honestly there doesn’t seem to be much in the suspense side of it either. And there is no horror. There are so many unanswered questions. I can think that some questions about the twins may be answered as the series goes on but there are still questions about the murder.
Just not what I hoped based on the cover and synopsis.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
BnK Wants To Know….
Kimberly reviews Driven by Rebecca Zanetti
TITLE: Driven
SERIES #: Deep Ops #4
CHARACTERS: Angus & Nari
AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/26/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Unswerving: Angus Force is determined to hunt down the serial killer he’d once shot dead–or so he thought. But an anonymous source reports that Lassiter is alive. Force hasn’t slept since, knowing it’s only a matter of time before “the Surgeon” strikes again. And soon, a body is found, bearing Lassiter’s same maniacal MO. It’s just the beginning of a murderous trail blazing through DC and Virginia, right to Force’s backyard…
Unstoppable: Nari Zhang is the shrink for the ragtag Deep Ops Unit, though she isn’t Force’s shrink–which is a very good thing. Because once they’re thrown together on the case, their attraction is explosive and irresistible. They’ll just have to fight that much harder to keep the heat between them from flaming out of control. But things are about to become far more challenging, and deadly, than they could have imagined…
Unhinged: Once the killer catches a glimpse of Nari, she becomes his new obsession. She is now the focus point–for both Force and Lassiter–in a dangerous dance for survival…
REVIEW
4.5 Hearts I have been a fan of Rebecca Zanetti for years now and I swear with each book she gets better and better.
We have been waiting for Nari and Angus’s story from book one. They are part of a team and there is something between Nari and Angus but neither wants to admit it. That is until Nari is the new obsession of the killer and Angus is not going to let anything happen to Nari if it kills him.
I love love love the way Rebecca Zanetti writes. There is something that draws you in from the first page of the story. And as a fan knowing we were finally getting the story we have been waiting for.
Zanetti writes so many genres and writes them all with perfection. This book is as good as her many others but I do suggest reading this whole series so you understand why Zanetti’s fans have been waiting for this book.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kimberly reviews Paradise Peak by Janet Dailey
TITLE: Paradise Peak
SERIES #: New Americana #5
CHARACTERS: Travis & Hannah
AUTHOR: Janet Dailey
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/26/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Join America’s First Lady of Romance, Janet Dailey, on a journey to the great state of Tennessee, as a community unites to save a small mountain town from a raging wildfire heading its way…
With a wildfire burning its way toward Paradise Peak, Tennessee, folks are drawing together to save the small mountain community. Times like these can make a hero out of a man–no matter what dark secrets he carries in his heart…
A desire for absolution brought ex-con Travis Alden to Paradise Peak. But when he finds honest work, along with a keen sense of belonging, he shelves his plan to unburden his guilty secret, instead working to rehabilitate a ranch–alongside the very people his transgressions hurt the most. With the chance to create a haven for wildfire refugees, Travis seizes the opportunity to do good, to earn the respect his new boss shows him. Only Travis doesn’t count on his feelings for his boss’ beautiful niece.
Hannah Newsome is a woman with a past as bleak as Travis’–the kind of woman he should protect, not pursue. But once the rugged loner sees her wariness turn to warmth, once he tastes the potent passion between them, all he can think about is having it all right here in Paradise Peak, with Hannah by his side…
REVIEW:
I have been a fan of Janet Dailey for as long as I can remember. I feel she is a kick back to the old romance novels. There is simple romance and difficult women’s lit in one story.
In this story we meet Travis who is coming back from prison and has some amends to make but there are also secrets he is still keeping.
I, yet again, loved the writing of Dailey. The characters are well formed and the setting is beautiful. The romance of Travis and Hannah is not easy but the writing as you turning the page to see what they must overcome next, knowing that together they will.
Any fan of women’s lit will love this story and is probably already a fan of Janet Dailey’s. And this book is while fans have stuck with Dailey for decades.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kimberly reviews Into The Woods by David Mark
TITLE: Into The Woods
CHARACTERS: Rowan Blake
AUTHOR: David Mark
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/21/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING RICHARD & JUDY PICK AND KINDLE CHART-TOPPING SENSATION.
Thirty years ago, three school-friends took a walk in the woods. Only two came back – their memories a jumble of hallucinations and twisted visions.
There is a chilling reason why nobody looked for the missing girl.
Now, disgraced investigator ROWAN BLAKE will discover that in the remote and desolate Wasdale Valley, nothing stays buried forever.
Murder and suspense are entwined with supernatural overtones and blistering social commentary in this fast-paced whodunit set in the rugged surroundings of England’s Lake District
This is the first instalment in a Lakeland trilogy by internationally bestselling crime writer DAVID MARK, whose “outstanding”, critically-acclaimed McAvoy series is being developed for TV.
REVIEW:
Boy, I just couldn’t get into this book. I had the worst time not finding every little mistake which had to have gone into the triple digits. It really took me out of the story which each obvious mistake. I hope this is corrected before the book is released.
Now, the story was way too out there (and I watched Supernatural!!!). The suspense was fine but the paranormal part of the story was just too phony.
I picked this up from NetGalley because the synopsis says that the author, David Mark, is having a series made for TV but I am glad it is not this series.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kimberly reviews There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done by Lynn S Zubernis
TITLE: There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done
CHARACTERS: Supernatural The CW Characters
AUTHOR: Lynn S Zubernis
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/05/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Fifteen years. Two brothers. Angels and demons. A story like no other. And one of the most passionate fan bases of all time.
That’s Supernatural.
There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done: Actors and Fans Celebrate the Legacy of Supernatural is an emotional look back at the beloved television show Supernatural as it wraps up its final season after fifteen unprecedented years on air.
With heartfelt chapters written by both the series’ actors and its fans—plus full-color photos and fan illustrations—There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done traces Supernatural’s evolution, the memorable characters created by its writers and brought to life by its talented actors, and the many ways in which the show has inspired and changed the lives of both its viewers and cast.
Both a celebration of Supernatural and a way of remembering what made it so special, this book is a permanent reminder of the legacy the show leaves behind and a reminder to the SPN Family to, like the series’ unofficial theme song says, “carry on.”
Including contributions from:
Jared Padalecki (“Sam Winchester”)
Jensen Ackles (“Dean Winchester”)
Richard Speight, Jr. (“Gabriel”)
Andrea Drepaul (“Melanie”)
Carrie Genzel (“Linda Bloome”/”Linda Berman”)
Julie McNiven (“Anna Milton”)
Tahmoh Penikett (“Gadreel”)
Shoshannah Stern (“Eileen Leahy”)
Brendan Taylor (“Doug Stover”)
Lauren Tom (“Linda Tran”)
And many more, including a special message from Mischa Collins (“Castiel”)
Edited by Lynn S. Zubernis, a clinical psychologist, professor, and passionate Supernatural fangirl, There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done is the ultimate send-off for this iconic show that has touched and changed the lives of so many fans across all walks of life.
REVIEW:
As a fan of Supernatural I really enjoyed this book which is coming out at a great time. The show was due to end last tv season but with the pandemic the show is being aired this fall…. Lucky fans!
This book is really a great read for any fan of the show. Of course, if you are not a fan this is not the book for you. But as a fan you will enjoy every word. The stories the author shared were emotional knowing these times were coming to an end. But as any fan laughing is part of the show and part of this book.
I loved the pictures and revisiting favorite characters.
Great for any fan!
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kimberly reviews Shadow Falls by Wendy Dranfield
TITLE: Shadow Falls
SERIES #: Detective Madison Harper #1
CHARACTERS: Madison Harper
AUTHOR: Wendy Dranfield
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/25/21
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
You thought your little girl was safe at summer camp. You were wrong.
She drags her eyes open, realizing she’s starting to fade. Did she imagine the voices, or were they real? She tries calling out—“Daddy?”—using all her remaining strength. But she’s too late and her little voice just isn’t loud enough…
When Detective Madison Harper arrives at a remote summer camp in Shadow Falls, northern California, her heart breaks for Jenny, the sweet little girl last seen splashing in the lake with her friends before she vanished. Peering into the silent cabins filled with rows of neatly made beds, Madison knows this idyllic place is hiding a terrible secret.
The girl’s parents are distraught, and the local police have no leads—they desperately need Madison’s help. She’ll do whatever it takes to crack this case, because it’s the only way back to the son she lost to the care system years ago when she was framed for a crime she didn’t commit.
But with the camp staff keeping tight-lipped and her new partner on the edge of a breakdown, Madison can’t find any truth to her instinct that there is more to Jenny’s perfect parents than meets the eye. Until she discovers a disturbing family portrait Jenny drew at the local library. Was this angelic girl more troubled than anybody knew? Was she in danger from those she trusted most?
One thing is certain, if Madison doesn’t find the answers soon, the lives of more innocent children will be at risk…
An absolutely unputdownable crime thriller that will keep you up all night! Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Melinda Leigh.
REVIEW:
What an interesting start to a new series. I do not believe I have read this author before but I really enjoyed the way she wrote.
In the first book we are introduced to Madison, once a police officer herself and who has spent the last few years in jail for a crime she did not commit. Now that she is out she wants to find out who framed her. She teams up with Nate, who spent almost 2 decades serving time in prison for a crime he did not commit. But something gets in their way as they go about the search for the person that set Madison up.
Jenny went missing and Madison and Nate Madison “knows” there is more to the story than Jenny’s parents are telling. And there is more to Jenny than everyone knows.
I found this really interesting. The backstory on Madison is well written and while it is not the main part of the story, which is about Jenny’s disappearance. I look forward to learning more about Madison and Nate and their next case.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kimberly reviews Asylum by Theresa Dale
TITLE: Asylum
CHARACTERS: Bailey O’Connor
AUTHOR: Theresa Dale
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/29/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From the creator of the Rose’s Ghost series comes another thrilling tale: Asylum proves to be a ghost story that stands on its own.
We follow Bailey O’Connor on an exciting urban exploration trip across the border to discover the secrets of a long-abandoned institution for mentally and physically handicapped children. But there’s more than just mystery darkening the crumbling buildings they discover, and Bailey finds herself lost within them with the help of those who linger.
The search for her is mounted during the day while her own search takes place in the dark. Are the rumors true? The whisperings of experiments performed on the innocent and vulnerable? What secrets lurk within the few impenetrable buildings on the site? Most importantly, can the truth be uncovered before the property is leveled and its secrets are buried forever?
Told in Dale’s unique voice, readers both familiar and new will appreciate an engaging cast of characters and a compelling story that is hard to put down.
REVIEW:
This book had so much potential to be a good scary ghost story but that is not what it ended up being. Some friends go into an asylum to check it out (like any normal person would) when Bailey is bombarded by ghosts who want her to get their stories out.
That should have been good and scary, right? Well some of the ghost stories are interesting but most I just didn’t care about. Nothing was scary. It wasn’t the “leave the light on while you read this” story, unfortunately.
I actually thought this was a first time author so I was willing to give it a bit of a slide since it was such a generic story, but I see this author has written other stories.
I think it still has a lot of potential but didn’t stand up to the potential it had.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.