Penhale Wood by Julia Thomas

If it's the last thing she ever does, Iris will find Sophie's killer and make her pay.

On a cold December night in Cornwall, nanny Karen Peterson disappeared with three-year-old Sophie Flynn. The next day, the child's body was found on a riverbank in Penhale Wood.

A year later, Sophie's mother, Iris Flynn, appears on the doorstep of investigating officer Rob McIntyre, determined to make him reopen her daughter's case. McIntyre has his own personal demons, but Iris hijacks his life in order to find the woman she thinks is responsible for Sophie's death. Following the slimmest of leads, they are soon confronting ghosts from the past and a chameleon-like killer who will do anything to stay hidden.

Publisher: Audible | Narrator: Ana Clements | Length: 8 Hours, 17 Minutes  | Genre: Contemporary Thriller/Mystery | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4 Cups

Challenges Read For:  - 2019 Try Something New: New-to-me Author

 

I wasn’t sure what to expect with one as I had hadn’t heard about the book or the author. I took a chance and found this one to be a gripping mystery.

 

Here’s what’s going on. A year after her daughter’s murder, Iris Flynn is back in the U.K. and determined to find her child’s killer. Unrelenting in her pursuit, she’ll do everything in her power to force Rob McIntyre to reopen the case. Rob has his own problems; a relationship that crumbled, a life nowhere near what he imagined, and a case he hasn’t been able to solve. He knows he doesn’t need Iris in his life but when they stumble upon a new lead, there’s no way he can let Iris down or let Sophie’s killer go free.

 

This one was a bit different from the normal mysteries that I’ve been reading. Yes, it was mystery, a solid one at that, but there was a different layer to this one. It was also about the characters discovering who they were and what they wanted.

 

My heart hurt for Iris. She’s lost a child, she has a husband who never really cared about anything but himself, she’s estranged from her mother and siblings, and she’s been living a Gypsy life for so many years she not sure what it’s like to establish roots. She had to leave her two remaining children behind in Australia to return to the U.K. in order to press the police into reopening her daughter’s case. She failed Sophie before and she’s determined not to fail her again.

 

Rob, while he has his work life under control, his personal life is in a bit of a tailspin. He’s attempting to get over his breakup but there’s a part of him that’s holding on to his ex, and that was a bit trying at times given his ex could care less. He’s also seeing the life his brother has and wanting that sense of family. While he’s reluctant to let Iris in, there’s something about her that makes him want to protect her. He’s also ready to tear everything apart in order to find her daughter’s killer.

 

While I liked both Rob and Iris, they both had their flaws. I couldn’t understand why Iris was so willing to stay with a worthless husband or why she made her kids live a vagabond life. Rob was an arse at the start. He was constantly going on about the woman who left him and how inconvenienced he was at having to tote Iris around. Thankfully, his character did a 180 and I ended up liking him. They both needed each other to heal and to become whole. While there was no cheating, there was definitely a bond that was formed between them and it changed both of their lives for the better.

 

The mystery in this one isn’t going to be for everybody. It was a heavier mystery yet not gruesome. There were things that I questioned such as why a mother would agree to bring a woman into their home that she didn’t know and why would she let her young children go with this woman. I also questioned some of the policing in this one. Like why wasn’t CCTV consulted as soon as the nanny vanished? Why did it take a year for visas to be checked out?

 

Even though the murderer was known from the start of the book, this was one twisty mystery. There were a few things that I had figured out early on yet some of the others caught me off guard. There were also a few questions I had that were either partially answered or unanswered.

 

This was my first time listening to Ana Clements and I found her to be enjoyable. She was brilliant with the narrations and bringing the characters to life. While I did enjoy her narration, I think this one should have had a male narrator as well. I think I’ve just grown accustomed to dual narration and miss it when it’s not there.

 

Overall, I do wish that some of the aspects would have been expanded on a bit and the ending could have been little lengthier but it was still a brilliant mystery. If you’re a fan of British crime dramas/mysteries you’ll want to pick this one up.

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths

Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school English teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she teaches a course on it every year. But when one of Clare’s colleagues and closest friends is found dead, with a line from R. M. Holland’s most famous story, “The Stranger,” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with the storylines of her favourite literature.

 

To make matters worse, the police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her closest confidant, her diary, the only outlet she has for her darkest suspicions and fears about the case. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary: "Hallo, Clare. You don’t know me."

 

Clare becomes more certain than ever: “The Stranger” has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?

 

Publisher: HMH | Genre: Gothic Mystery/Thriller | Source: Publisher | Rating: 3 Cups

How could I resist a gothic novel where the character’s favorite horror story is played out right in front of her?

 

Since her divorce, Clare Cassidy has focused her attention on two things: her daughter and the life and work of Gothic writer R.M. Holland. When her best friend, and fellow teacher, is murdered and a quote from Holland’s horror story, The Stranger is found next to her body, Clare becomes a person of interest. Although things take an alarming turn when Clare discovers someone, possibly the killer, has been writing in her journal. As events play out, Clare starts to realize that her favorite horror story is coming to life.

 

This one arrived, unexpectedly, a few months ago and I immediately added it to my FraterFeastRAT pile. I picked this one up the second day of the readathon and, I have to say, I was a bit surprised at how hard I struggled to get into the book. I was a good 30-40 pages in before this one caught my interest, which I found a bit odd because Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway mysteries hook me from the start.

 

The book is told from three different POVs. We have Clare, the teacher, who is sorting out her life after her divorce. She’s thrown a good amount of her time researching the life of R.M. Holland almost to the point she’s obsessed with this man. Clare’s not unlikable but I found her a bit hard to warm up to and I think that’s because there’s two parts to her: the reserved one she shows the world and the, I think, real part of herself, which she shares only with her diary.

 

Then there’s Georgia, Clare’s fifteen-year-old daughter, who is dating an older guy. She’s dabbling in a few secretive things that her mother doesn’t know about and trying to figure out her own path. I found Georgia to be a bit odd. She would say or do something then follow it with an internal thought, “that’s how a normal teenager would act” or “that’s what a normal teenager would do”. It was almost as if she was playing the part of a teenager rather than being one.

 

Finally, we round out the book with DS Harbinder Kaur, the lead investigator. She’s very judgmental towards Clare from the start due to Clare’s ‘upper crust’ style of clothing and the way she presents herself. I wasn’t sure I was going to like Harbinder, but as the book progressed, she became my favorite. It almost seemed that her story was a bit more layered than Clare’s and Georgia’s.

 

There’s a few mysteries going on. The first is the brutal murder of Ella, Clare’s best friend and fellow teacher, which happens to follow the murder in the (fictional) story The Stranger, wrote by the (fictional) gothic author R.M. Holland. Because Clare has studied Holland and The Stranger so closely, she immediately becomes suspect number one. Then we have the ‘Holland’ mysteries. There’s the mysterious death of his wife—did she trip or was she murdered? There’s also the mystery of whether or not Holland had a daughter. If he did have a daughter, what happened to her?

 

All of those threads are strung throughout the book; sadly, not all are handled with the same care. It irritated me because the author spent so much time crafting this fictional horror story and life of the author just to have it fall by the wayside because the ending and the reasoning came out of left field. I needed more from the ending or rather the reasoning.

 

While this has gothic elements, it almost seems like it’s a modern police procedural masquerading as a gothic novel, which is often the case of modern gothic mysteries. Having read the Ruth Galloway mysteries, which I feel is heavy on the modern gothic vibe; I was a little letdown by this one.

 

Overall, when I finally got into the book I like the story but the ending ruined the book for me. It left me disappointed as it felt like the author was running out of steam and just picked a random reason.

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses Hallmark Movie and Mini Book Review

Hello Lovelies,

I hope you’re all doing well! If, like me, you missed the original airing of Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses on Hallmark (sadly, my DVR failed to record it) I wanted to let you know that Hallmark is re-airing the show on October 31^st at 8 PM Eastern. If you’re unable to catch it then, here’s the complete listing of showtimes (please note, the times are Eastern)

If you’d like to purchase the DVD, it’s a Wal-Mart exclusive, at the moment it’s currently sold out but you can sign up for in stock alerts HERE.

 

Here’s more about the show:

Weeks before Christmas, Abbey is hired to decorate the estate of businessman Nick. She must break down the wall between her and Nick, all while keeping the holiday spirit alive. Starring Jill Wagner, Matthew Davis, and Donna Mills.

 You can preview Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses HERE

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses by Jenny Hale

Publisher: Forever | Rating: 4 Cups

 

Christmas magic happens when a family focused single mom meets a work-driven man determined not to let love in.

 

When single mom Abbey gets her chance to fulfill her dream of becoming an interior decorator, she jumps at the chance. The only hitch in her plan is that she’s falling for Nick, the handsome, broody, and somewhat reclusive millionaire. While Nick’s always been work-driven, he finds himself falling for Abbey and her son as they decorate his home. Will Nick allow himself to fall for Abbey or will the next work deal be too tempting to refuse.

 

While this one had a few flaws, it’s still one of my favorite Christmas romances. Abbey and Nick were two very different characters, which made this book so much more interesting.

 

If you like sweet heroines and gruff, broody heroes, this book’s for you.

#FraterfestRAT Book Bingo Challenge

Hello Lovelies,  

I’m so excited to be a challenge host for this year’s Frater Fest Readathon. If you don’t know what Frater Fest is let me introduce you to this thrilling readathon hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer.  

Frater Fest runs from October 10^th until 11:59 pm October 15^th (your time zone). The goal is to read or listen to as many Thrillers, Urban, Paranormal, Cozy, Suspense, Zombies, Horror, Dystopian, Ghosts, Serial Killers, Supernatural, novels, novellas, and/or graphic novels as you can during the challenge. All formats count and the fear level is up to you.  

When sharing your progress on Twitter or Instagram, don’t forget to use the #FraterfestRAT hashtag.

 

Now…on to #FraterfestRAT Book Bingo Challenge

 

It’s time to scour your shelves, e-readers, and audiobook collections for titles that coordinate with the bingo prompts.   Any type of bingo counts: horizontal, diagonal, vertical, or postage stamp. Or go wild and fill the entire card! The choice is yours.

 

To enter, you must be signed up for the Frater Fest Readathon. Please leave your answers in either the comment section below or post a link to your own post in the comment section below. 

Season of the Witch: Witch/Wizard/Warlock

Superstition: Black Cat

Thriller: Zombie or Ghost

Werewolves of London: Werewolves or Shifters

Free Space: Your Choice

Spooky: Paranormal Romance

Somebody’s Watching Me: Thriller, Suspense, or Mystery

Sympathy for the Devil: Dark Themed or Horror

Moonlight: Vampires

I thought that I’d spice this challenge up a bit more and make each prompt a song title! Below you will find YouTube links to each song!

 

Season of the Witch (Donovan)

Superstition (Stevie Wonder)

Thriller (Michael Jackson)

Werewolves of London (Warren Zevon)

Spooky (Dusty Springfield)

Somebody’s Watching Me (Rockwell)

Sympathy for the Devil (Rolling Stones) Moonlight (Stevie Nicks)

You can also find my #FraterFestRAT Book Bingo Playlist on YouTube Here

Terms and conditions: One lucky winner will be selected at random by Rafflecopter to win a $10 Amazon gift card. The giveaway is open international and runs from October 10, 2019 to October 16, 2019. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected. Must be 13 or older to enter or have your parents/guardians permission. More information can be found in my Terms and Conditions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

W.o.W: My One and Only Cowboy by A.J. Pine

Title: My One and Only Cowboy

Author: A.J. Pine

Publisher: Forever

Release Date:

Series:  Meadow Valley  #1

 

Delaney Harper thought she'd seen the last of Meadow Valley two years ago after she divorced her lying, cheating, gambler of a husband who left her broken-hearted and, well, just flat broke. But news that her ex sold their property---without legally removing her from the deed---means heading back to claim her share of the land---and possibly her dream.

 

Sam Callahan, co-owner of the Meadow Valley guest ranch, is barely keeping his head above water. He bought the land for a steal, but keeping a new business afloat is another story. When a gorgeous blonde barges onto his property on a quiet Friday afternoon insisting he bought the place in a fraudulent sale---and that she's there to prove she still owns half the land---Sam realizes he's got much more to worry about. He could lose everything---including his heart.

 

Why this is my WoW: I’ve devoured just about every book that A.J. Pine has released so I’m eager to see what transpires between Delaney and Sam!

Selkies Are a Girl's Best Friend by Molly Harper

Sonja Fong isn’t afraid of a little chaos. As director of the League’s research center in Mystic Bayou, a tiny town in Louisiana that’s home to supernatural creatures and humans alike, she’s responsible for making sure things run smoothly. It’s not an easy task when her daily memos include lines like “new equipment is needed because the old equipment was destroyed by a temper tantrum involving dragonfire.”

Her job puts her in the path of Dr. Will Carmody, a mysterious shifter who’s returned to Mystic Bayou after a long absence only to find that he’s now considered an outsider. To make matters worse, the rift - a tear in the fabric of the universe that is leaking supernatural energy into the bayou - is unraveling at an alarming rate. Now Sonja and Will must team up to fix the rift and save Mystic Bayou from certain disaster, all while their own romance is heating up. Can they have a future together while the whole world is falling apart?

 Series: Mystic Bayou #3 | Publisher: Audible  | Narrators: Amanda Ronconi, Jonathan Davis | Length: 6 hours 33 mins | Genre: Paranormal Romance | Source: Purchased  | Rating: 4.5 Cups

Challenges Read For:  -  Literary Pickers : Lock Picks

 

Molly Harper is one of my go-to feel good authors. No matter the genre—or the format—I know I will finish the book with a smile on my face.

 

Here’s what’s going on in her latest Mystic Bayou series. Sonja Fong has always been efficient about getting results, which is one of the reasons she’s the director of the League’s research center. She’s always been super focused on the job at hand until she’s tasked with aiding the town’s new doctor, Will Carmody. There’s just something about Will that’s drawing her to him.

 

Returning to his hometown, Will wasn’t expecting to be treated as an outsider but he’s been assured that Sonja will aid him as he sets up the town’s new clinic. Although he wasn’t counting on the indescribable attraction he feels towards Sonja. Even more surprising, it seems she shares these feelings. Yet Will’s seen what happens to his kind once someone is attracted to them so he’s struggling to trust that Sonja’s attraction is real. With the rift threating the town’s residents, can Will figure out how to trust Sonja before it’s too late?

 

After just finishing the short story Even Tree Nymphs Gets the Blues (book 2.5), I was needing a bigger dose of Mystic Bayou and that is exactly what I got with this book.

 

Sonja’s always been a favorite secondary character, so I’m glad she finally got her own book. She’s just the type of person that you’d want as a friend. She’s resourceful and loyal plus her parents are spies, so that’s always interesting.

 

Will was just as lovable as the pervious heroes in the series were. He’s been away from his hometown for a while, so he’s readjusting to the town and the town’s is readjusting to him.  There’s a bit for him to figure out both personally and professionally.

 

There was a bit of a clash between Will and Sonja at the start so that made their relationship an interesting one. They had few things to work out. Due to his selkie nature, Will’s a bit guarded so that fact that Sonja’s inquisitive about everything had him a bit suspicious. And, of course, there was a bit of a blowup but, given Will’s past, it made sense he would feel a certain way.

 

As with the previous books in the series, they’re still dealing with the rift and it’s amped up a bit. Will and Sonja find themselves in the middle of the danger that’s threatening to spill out into the town. There’s some interesting things that was learned in this one.

 

One of my favorite things about Molly Harper’s books is the sense of community. While this book was focused on Sonja and Will it also told what was going on in the lives of the characters from the previous books and I enjoy that.

 

Once again, Amanda Ronconi and Jonathan Davis did a stellar job narrating the book and injecting the proper amount of snark into the characters.

 

Overall, another great addition to this amazing series and I’m hoping we see more of Will’s brother in the books to come.

Mystic Bayou Series

#1 How to Date Your Dragon

#2 Love and Other Wild Things

#2.5 Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues 

#3 Selkies are a Girl’s Best Friend

The Rancher’s Proposal by Paula Altenburg

She said she’d never rely on a man again…

Never say never. When meek and mild Posey Davies calls it quits on her toxic marriage, she grabs her two-year-old daughter and runs. Her flight lands her in Grand, Montana, a community happy to take her in and even happier to nose about in her life and her unfortunate past.

The cowboy next door, Zack McGregor, has “good time,” written all over him. He’s only home for a year to help out his older brother, who’s guardian of their sister’s children. Zack is kind, funny and oh-so-easy on the eyes. He’d be perfect, but the practical Posey predicts Zac will disappear as soon as winter sets in.

Zack’s not as laid back and fun loving as he seems. He’s all about family and doing what’s right. When Posey’s deadbeat ex-husband begins making demands, Zack insists on playing protector.

Posey’s never had anyone stand up for her before and soon realizes that perhaps relying on this man and trusting in love is well worth the risk.

 

Series: The Montana McGregor Brothers Series #3 | Publisher: Tule | Release Date: September 12, 2019 | Genre: Contemporary Romance  | Source: Publisher  | Rating:

Challenges Read For:  - Literary Pickers  - Coffee Table   - 2019 Try Something New: New-to-me Author

 

This was a quick, heartfelt read.

 

Posey Davies is determined to give her and her two-year-old daughter a new start far away from her abusive ex-husband. She’s been content to stay to herself until the handsome cowboy next door comes around. Zack’s back home helping care for his recently orphaned niece and nephews. When his new neighbor and her adorable young daughter catch his eye, he’s determined to bring a bit of sunshine back into their lives. At first, Posey’s resistant—determined to not let another man in—although with her ex-husband threatening her, Zack’s determined not to let another person her loves get hurt. Will Zack be able to win her trust and her heart?

 

Posey’s been through a lot; not only with her abusive ex-husband but with the loss of her mother at a young age, being ignored by father, and the slights her uncle has thrown at her. She’s a bit defeated but she’s not going to give up. While I felt for Posey, I spent much of the book not liking her. She’s too stuck in her own head so whenever Zach did something kind for her or told her he was falling for her, she would come up with these excuses of why he couldn’t like her for her.

 

I really liked Zack. He was just one of those all-around good guys who is willing to give up everything to put family first. He’s suffering the loss of his parents, sister, and brother-in-law and figuring out how to help raise his orphaned niece and nephews but instead of wallowing in his grief, he’s determined to ensure the kids are raised without a black cloud hanging above them. And when he sees that Posey’s hiding and withdrawing, he does everything in his power to make sure she and her daughter are safe and happy.

 

The romance was a little one-sided at times. There’s no doubt that Zack’s all in; he’s head over heels, but Posey’s stuck in the past—and in her head—so she needs some time to figure it out. For me, Posey’s reluctance was starting to get a little old. I mean, I understood where she was coming from, but she could have gave Zack a break sooner.

 

For the most part, I enjoyed the book. It had its heavy moments but it had its fun and charming moments as well giving it a nice balance. The only thing that seemed a bit off was Posey’s actions after the confrontation between Zack and her ex-husband. She was the one who called Zach when her ex said he was coming over then she acted all odd.

 

So, this one is the third book in the series, but it reads brilliantly on its own.

 

Overall, I enjoyed this one. It was a quick read and I look forward to reading the previous books in the series.

The Montana McGregor Brothers Series

1-The Rancher Takes a Family

2-The Rancher’s Secret Love

3-The Rancher’s Proposal

Hard Wood by Lauren Blakely

Women often say a good man is hard to find. And a hard man is even better.

That's why I'm quite a catch—good, hard, loaded, and wait for it... I'm ready to settle down too. But the woman I want to pitch my tent with lives clear across the country. Neither of us wants to get lost in those woods. All I have to do is resist her for the week she's in town.

I try. I swear I try. But yeah, that doesn't work out. 

And after one fantastic night with my good friend Mia, I'm ready to give her years of nights under the stars. What's a few thousand miles when love's involved? But there's a hitch in my plans—she just hired my adventure tour company. If there's one thing I'm committed to, it's running a squeaky clean business. Number one on my list of iron-clad rules?

Don't screw your customers.

But what's a guy to do when she's so hard to resist? How hard can it be to keep our hands off each other for a quick group tour down the hills and over the trails? I'm about to find out, and I have a feeling I'm going to need a new badge of honor because things are about to get very hard in the woods.

Series: Big Rock #6 | Publisher: Lauren Blakely Books  | Narrator: Sebastian York  | Length: 5 hrs and 16 mins |  Genre: Contemporary Romance  | Source: Publisher | Rating: 3.5 Cups

Challenges Read For:  -  Blogger Shame -  Literary Pickers  - Picnic Food

 

I’m slowly cleaning up my blogger shame list and this one was up next. I’d met Patrick and Mia in Joy Ride and knew their story would be a fun one and, I wasn’t wrong.

 

Here’s what’s going on: Mia and Patrick have been dancing around each other for a bit before finally taking the plunge at her brother’s wedding. Things are starting to fall into place for them until Mia hires Patrick’s adventure company to host her company’s group retreat and Patrick’s their guide. He has one rule: don’t sleep with clients—not only could things get messy, they could get dangerous too. Now Patrick must figure out how to keep Mia at a distance without harming their new relationship.

 

This was a cute little falling for your best friend’s sister who is off limits romance. I was expecting this one to be a little on the steamy side, but it turned out to be rather light.

 

Patrick and Mia made a cute couple. They’re both successful business owners ready to settle down. It was refreshing to see adults actually acting like adults for once. They also have a nice, playful banter between them.

 

As with most of Blakely’s books, there’s no major obstacles the characters have to get through to be together. It was rather light and fun from start to finish.

 

There are adorable sections in the book from Zeus, the cat’s, POV and it just gave the book that extra charm and entertainment.

 

I really enjoyed Sebastian York’s narration; he even brought the cat to life. I also like how this one started off with nature sounds in the background.

 

Overall, this was the book I needed at the time. It was light and adorable but having just listening to a string of thrillers, this book just what I needed. If you’re looking for a quick Summer listen, pick this one up.

Big Rock Series

.5 A Little Big Rock

1. Big Rock

2. Mister O

3. Well Hung

4. Full Package

5. Joy Ride

6. Hard Wood