Book Review with Featured Author: Secrets Mothers Keep by Anya Mora

Secrets Mothers Keep by Anya Mora

 

Publisher & Release: Independently published, May 6, 2021

Genre: Psychological Mystery

Length: 330 Pages

Rating: 5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

On Friday night in the clay fields of Bethel Creek, seventeen-year-old Daniel Reyes is found brutally attacked and left for dead. 
On Saturday morning, Cora Maxwell finds her teenage son’s clothes covered in blood.

A small town torn apart by a horrific hate crime. 

An investigative reporter hell bent on finding the truth. 

A mother’s worst nightmare.
What really happened to the Reyes boy?

In the heart-stopping and timely suspense novel, Secrets Mothers Keep, widow and mother Cora Maxwell faces the hardest decision of her life.
In a world where there are few second chances, do you grant one to your child?
And if so… what is the cost?


 

Buy Link:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Secrets-Mothers-Keep-domestic-heartbreaking-ebook/dp/B091JGXZBS

FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57625016-secrets-mothers-keep

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/secrets-mothers-keep-a-domestic-suspense-with-a-heartbreaking-twist-by-anya-mora

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the author and Net-Galley for the complimentary Electronic copy of Secrets Mothers Keep by Anya Mora. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this intriguing novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own and nothing has influenced my rating.

 

Secrets Mothers Keep is a well written novel with several moments that had my heart racing as I grabbed my Kindle tight waiting to read what would happen next. The pacing kept me enthralled from the first page to the last. 

 

Cora Mitchell is the main character and the single mother of a teen aged boy she realizes is keeping secrets. Her son seemed to accept his father’s death without any lingering effects, but when a boy in their community is found near death, she finds reasons to question her previous assumptions.

 

The mystery is well developed and kept me involved as the story unfolded. It had me asking a great many questions over who could be behind the attack on Daniel. The young man is a LGBTQ activist, so the community sees this heinous attack as a hate crime. 

 

As more is revealed, it became clear Ezra must be involved in some way. While I believe a parent needs to respect their children’s need for privacy, when faced with something that could endanger one’s child, sometimes a parent must snoop. In Ezra’s case, I believe Cora had justification. 

 

What she soon discovers, her son has been on the dark web and learns he is missing his church community. Since her husband’s death, Cora stopped attending services and is questioning why God allowed her husband to fall to his death.

 

This novel deals with immense grief and destruction of Cora’s belief system. It also addresses broken friendships. I found the complexity of Cora’s mind fascinating, so that too kept me reading, and I found this a difficult book to put down!

 

If you enjoy novels that with more substance and one with complex characters, then you will enjoy Secrets Mothers Keep as much as I did. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Moya, but it will not be the last. Happy reading!

 

 

Author Bio:

 

Anya Mora lives in the PNW with her family. Her novels, while leaning toward the dark, ultimately reflect light, courage, and her innate belief that love rewards the brave.

 

Social Media:

Website: https://anyamora.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anya.mora.author/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anya_mora_/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/search?authors=Anya+Mora&search=Anya+Mora

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19855074.Anya_Mora

 

Book Review with Featured Author: The Turncoat's Widow by Mally Becker

The Turncoat’s Widow by Mally Becker

Publisher & Release: Level Best Books, February 16, 2021

Setting:  American Revolutionary War, New Jersey

Genre: Historical Fiction

Length: 355 Pages

Rating: 4.25 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Recently widowed, Rebecca Parcell is too busy struggling to maintain her farm in Morristown to give a fig who wins the War for Independence. But rumors are spreading in the winter of 1780 that she’s a Loyalist sympathizer who betrayed her husband to the British—quite a tidy way to end her disastrous marriage, the village gossips whisper.

Everyone knows that her husband was a Patriot, a hero who died aboard a British prison ship moored in New York Harbor. But “everyone” is wrong. Parcell was a British spy, and General Washington—who spent that winter in Morristown—can prove it. He swears he’ll safeguard Becca’s farm if she unravels her husband’s secrets. With a mob ready to exile her or worse, it’s an offer she can’t refuse.

Escaped British prisoner of war Daniel Alloway was the last person to see Becca’s husband alive, and Washington throws this unlikely couple together on an espionage mission to British-occupied New York City. Moving from glittering balls to an underworld of brothels and prisons, Becca and Daniel uncover a plot that threatens the new country’s future. But will they move quickly enough to warn General Washington? And can Becca, who’s lost almost everyone she loves, fight her growing attraction to Daniel, a man who always moves on?

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Turncoats-Widow-Revolutionary-War-Mystery-ebook/dp/B08QV7SLKH

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-turncoats-widow-mally-becker/1138723946

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-turncoat-s-widow

Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-turncoats-widow/id1551507925?mt=11&id=1551507925&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56616848-the-turncoat-s-widow

BookBub: Coming Soon

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the electronic copy of The Turncoat’s Widow by Mally Becker. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and nothing has influenced them.

 

The Turncoat’s Widow is a well-written novel with plenty of suspense, intriguing characters and an enthralling plot. The pacing is a bit slow in the first part of this tale, but it picks up dramatically around the halfway mark. From that point on, I couldn’t read fast enough.

 

Rebecca Parcell is the heroine, and I enjoyed her character a great deal. She’s fearless and determined to save her farm and protect her mother-in-law. Her bravery as the story progresses is amazing. The care and concern she shows toward Augusta is touching and helped me become fully vested in her character. Although her struggles are daunting, she never gives up, even when she faces being branded as a traitor.

 

Daniel Alloway is the hero, and he grew on me as the story moves forward. I could feel his fear when he’s presented with the task George Washington and Alexander Hamilton persuade him to undertake. The last thing he wants is to end up on the British prison ship, the Jersey again. His nightmares he experiences concerning his escape are chilling and vivid. There’s a good amount of descriptive writing in this book of those scenes that had me grabbing onto my seat!

 

I loved the spine-chilling espionage in this tale, as Rebecca and Daniel run from the villains of this story. I also enjoyed the historical aspect of the novel. I love novels set during our country’s fight for independence, and Ms. Becker’s research comes through. I can just imagine the excitement she must have experienced when the premise for this book came to her while volunteering at the Morristown Historical Park.

 

If you enjoy historical fiction with nail-biting suspense, incredible characters and a fantastic mystery to solve, then you will love The Turncoat’s Widow as much as I did. I was amazed when I learned this is Ms. Becker’s debut novel. This book is well worth the time it took to read. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Mally Becker thought she'd be clearing trails when she volunteered at the Morristown National Historical Park in New Jersey but found herself, instead, sifting through one of the Park's collections of old documents. That's where she found an indictment for the Revolutionary War-era crime of traveling to New York City "without permission or passport." That curious crime became the spark for her historical mystery, The Turncoat's Widow. Mally worked as an attorney for more than 20 years and, later, as an advocate for foster children. She and her husband raised their son in New Jersey, where they still live.

 

Social Media:

Website: https://www.mallybecker.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mally.baumelbecker

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallybeckerwrites/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21067583.Mally_Becker

 

Audio Book Review with Featured Author: The Survivors by Jane Harper narrated by Stephen Shanahan

The Survivors by Jane Harper 

Narrated by Stephen Shanahan

 

 

 

Publisher & Release: McMillan Audio, February 2, 2021

Setting:  Present Day, Evelyn Bay, Tasmania

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Length:  11 hours 57 minutes

Rating: 2.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Coming home dredges up deeply buried secrets in The Survivors, a thrilling mystery by New York Times best-selling author Jane Harper.

Kieran Elliott's life changed forever on the day a reckless mistake led to devastating consequences. 

The guilt that still haunts him resurfaces during a visit with his young family to the small coastal community he once called home. 

Kieran's parents are struggling in a town where fortunes are forged by the sea. Between them all is his absent brother, Finn. 

When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away....

 

Buy Links:

 

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Survivors-Novel-Jane-Harper-ebook/dp/B087ZY8NXX

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Survivors-Audiobook/1250790883

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-survivors-jane-harper/1136963067

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-survivors-43

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jane_Harper_The_Survivors?id=8hDhDwAAQBAJ

 

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53406465-the-survivors

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-survivors-by-jane-harper-2020-05-04

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary audio copy of The Survivors by Jane Harper. I voluntarily agreed to listen and review this recording prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and no one has influenced them.

 

The Survivors is a mystery thriller set in a small coastal town where everyone knows everything. The novel goes from the present to twelve years in the past which made it difficult at times to follow along. The pacing is excruciatingly slow, and I considered not finishing it on more than one occasion, but I refused to give up.

 

Kieran Elliott is the main character. He and his girlfriend have come back to Evelyn Bay to help his parents move since his father has dementia. This brings on lots of painful memories for him, and there are hard feelings toward him by some of the townspeople who blame him for the deaths of two of their own.

 

Stephen Shanahan is the narrator, and while he has a smooth tone, the pitch is very deep, making it difficult to understand him. I normally listen at 1.5 to 2 speed, and I had to slow it down a lot. He did give the various characters a different tone, so it was easy to know who was talking.

 

Ultimately, I struggled with the story and couldn’t become vested in any of the characters, and although I enjoyed the ending for the most part, it ended quite abruptly. The mystery is intriguing, but it wasn’t strong enough to keep me engaged, but I am in the minority. Many other readers loved The Survivors. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

 

Jane Harper's debut novel The Dry is an atmospheric thriller set in regional Australia.
The novel won the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript in 2015 and rights have since been sold in more than 20 territories.
The Dry was a No.1 bestseller in Australia and has been optioned for a film by Reese Witherspoon and Bruna Papandrea's production company, Pacific Standard.
Jane worked as a print journalist for 13 years both in Australia and the UK and lives in Melbourne with her family.

 

Social Media:

Website: https://janeharper.com.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janeharperauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/janeharperautho

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janeharperauthor/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jane-harper

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/556546.Jane_Harper

Book Review with featured author: Up the Creek by Alissa Grosso

Up the Creek by Alissa Grosso

 

 

Publisher & Release: Glitter Pigeon Press, January 12, 2021

Time and setting:  Present, Culver Creek

Genre: Contemporary Mystery Thriller

Length: 310 Pages

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

An unsolved murder. Disturbing dreams. A missing child.

Caitlin Walker hasn't had a dream in nine years. Nightmares torture her son Adam and awaken in Caitlin buried memories and a dark secret. Her husband Lance has a secret of his own, one that his son's nightmares threaten to reveal.

In Culver Creek newly hired detective Sage Dorian works to unravel the small town's notorious cold case, the grisly murder of a young girl.

How are Caitlin and Lance connected to the horrific crime? And how far will they go to make sure their secrets stay hidden? Find out in this riveting thriller.

 

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Up-Creek-Culver-Book-ebook

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/up-the-creek-alissa-c-grosso

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/up-the-creek-4

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Alissa_C_Grosso_Up_the_Creek?id=2Bf-DwAAQBAJ

 

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55889212-up-the-creek

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/up-the-creek-culver-creek-book-1-by-alissa-grosso

 

Vikki’s Musings

 

Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of Up the Creek by Alissa Grosso. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this book prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and no one has influenced them.

 

Up the Creek is an exciting mystery with complex characters and a gripping plot. The pacing pulled me in from the first page and kept me enthralled until the last. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and trying to discover how it was all connected.

 

Caitlin Walker is the main character in this book, and she is married to Lance. She was plagued by horrific nightmares as a child, and when in college, found a way to silence them. Now her young son is having similar gruesome nightmares. I enjoyed her character a lot and loved her determination to protect her young son. 

 

Lance has several unexplained idiosyncrasies, such as insisting they keep the bedroom locked while they sleep. He never has explained why he needs this to Caitlin. He makes light of their son’s nightmares, but he is actually deeply concerned and takes Adam to a woman who is supposed to be able to end his nightmares. His secrets are eating him alive, but fear keeps him silent. I felt so sorry for his troubled soul as the story plays out and shed a few tears for him, especially at the end.

 

This is a true thriller that kept me reading as fast as possible, so I could find out how or if they could overcome their issues. This book is far from the light-hearted books I normally read, and I loved it. 

 

If you enjoy thrillers with complex relationships, and a plot that pulls you into the story, then you will love Up the Creek as much as I did. Upon finishing the novel I rated it with 4 Gold Crowns, but as I wrote this review, I decided to give it 4.5 Gold Crowns instead and will round it up to Five stars on the sites where I place my review. Happy reading!

 

Author Bio:

Alissa Grosso is an author of adult mystery thrillers and YA novels who lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. 

When she’s not busy writing she can be found hanging out with her boyfriend Ron or creating some cute and quirky digital art.

 

Social Media:

Website: https://alissagrosso.com/index.php/about/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alissagrossoauthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alissagrosso

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/alissagrosso/_created/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alissa-grosso-5785e6d1-3e16-42f1-b954-b3b631e041bb

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3351600.Alissa_Grosso

 

Book Review with featured author: Fated Always by Becky Flade

Fated Always by Becky Flade

Publisher & Release: Tirgearr Publishing, August 12, 2020

Time and setting: Present Day, Trapper’s Cove

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 211 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Flame

Rating: 5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Friendship. Secrets. Murder.

When her best friend, Sawyer Gavin, roars into town on his motorcycle, Tala Gael thinks life couldn’t get any better. What she couldn’t have anticipated was his appearance heralding a time of change in her quiet, comfortable existence.

With her life turned upside down, Tala resists Sawyer’s advances, clinging to the familiar. Tragedy changes her mind, but as she takes the leap of faith into Sawyer’s arms, they find themselves suspects in a murder investigation. And Tala learns she’s not the only person in Trappers’ Cove keeping an impossible secret.

Jealousy is when you worry someone will take what you have; envy is coveting what someone else has; and both can lead to murder.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Fated-Always-4-Becky-Flade-ebook/dp/B08CMNRKLF

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fated-always-becky-flade

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/fated-always

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/fated-always/id1522714448

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1031829

Add to Goodreads & BookBub:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54449954-fated-always

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/fated-always-the-fated-series-4-by-becky-flade

Vikki’s Musings

Thanks go to the publisher and author for the complimentary copy of Fated Always for the purpose of reading and reviewing prior to publication. My opinions are my own, and no one has influenced them.

Fated Always is a novel with plenty of action and suspense. The pacing pulled me in from the start and kept my in its thrall until the last page. The writing flows smoothly with the just the right amount of description.

Tala Gael’s character is a loner due to the secrets she keeps and her career choice as a researcher of wildlife. Tala is satisfied with her life and her current boyfriend, but when her childhood friend roars into town on his motorcycle, all that changes. Her confusion when she realizes there’s a strong attraction between them helped me to become vested in her character.

Sawyer Gavin has returned to take over the veterinarian practice in town. He and Tala were best friends as children, but now he wants more than friendship. I enjoyed his determination to pursue the attraction between them.

The romance takes a while to develop because of the man in Tala’s life, but when she discovers he’s nothing like the man she believed him to be, things heat up quickly. The passion between the couple is combustible, and I enjoyed the love scenes.

The suspense is ever building and kept me reading as fast as possible. The scene when her boyfriend turns ugly when she attempts to break it off with him, is exciting and graphic, turning this into a bit of a thriller. The climax was well above my expectations, making this book a fantastic read.

If you enjoy romantic suspense with a great second chance romance, and with engaging characters, then you will love Fated Always as much as I did. This is book 4 in Ms. Flade’s Fated series, but reads well as a stand-alone novel. Happy reading!

Excerpt:

“Do you feel that?” he asked. 

“Of course I do, Sawyer. It’s pressing into my hip.” 

He laughed, he blushed, and Tala tried with all her being not to be seduced.  

“Not that. Well, not just that.” He tucked his finger under her chin and raised her face until their mouths aligned. 

Tala held her breath. Did he mean to kiss her? Why aren’t I backing away?

“Can’t you feel how right this is? I can feel you in every bit of me, Tee. It’s an awareness that is always with me, like the sensation of being watched but better. It’s the knowledge that we belong together. That we fit. Be honest—don’t you feel it too?” 

She twisted away, but he held on. He keeps pushing me. 

“What if I said I did? Then what? When it falls apart, we’ve lost more than a lover. We’ve each lost our best friend.” She touched his cheek. “I couldn’t live with that. You’re too important. Let it go.”

“Who says it’ll fall apart? Why would it? Who is your mom’s best friend? Your dad’s?” He did not wait for an answer. “Why can’t we have both too?”

She didn’t have an answer. She was too proud to admit she was too afraid to risk it. She closed her eyes against the weight of his stare and the truth reflected in it. She wouldn’t give him what he wanted. She loved him too much.

Author Bio:

When I was little I thought everyone had stories in their head. When I found out that wasn’t true and that only special people had stories to tell, I wanted to be one of the people who shared their stories with the world. Here I am, making my own dreams come true, one happily ever after at a time. 

I'd love to have you visit with me at any of my virtual homes or write to me directly at beckyfladeauthor@gmail.com  

Sign up for her quarterly newsletter & be entered for a chance to win a free book (one winner per month)!  http://eepurl.com/7WDZj

Social Media:

Website: http://beckyfladeauthor@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeckyFlade

Twitter: https://twitter.com/beckyflade

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckyflade/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/BeckyFlade/boards/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/becky-flade

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4826956.Becky_Flade

Book Review: The Intended Victim by Alexandra Ivy

The Intended Victim by Alexandra Ivy

Publisher & Release: Zebra Books, December 31, 2019

Time and setting:  Present Day, USA

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Length: 384 Pages

Rating: 5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

The body lying on a cold steel slab bears all the hallmarks of the Chicago Butcher. There’s a cruel slash across her throat, deep enough to sever the carotid artery, and a small crescent carved into her right breast. Her delicate features are painfully familiar to Ash Marcel, once a rising star in the Chicago PD. But though the victim resembles his former fiancée, Remi Walsh, he knows it’s not her.
 
BUT THIS TIME
Though Remi escaped a serial killer five years ago, her father died trying to save her. Grief and guilt caused her to pull away from the man she loved. Now Ash is back in her life, insisting that Remi is still in danger.

IT’S A DEAD END . . .
Someone is targeting women who look just like Remi. With or without a badge, Ash intends to unmask the Butcher. But the killer isn’t playing games any longer. He’s moving in, ready to finish what he started, and prove there’s nothing more terrifying than a killer’s obsession . . .

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Intended-Victim-Alexandra-Ivy-ebook/dp/B07Q7WLTW5

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-intended-victim-alexandra-ivy

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44773356-the-intended-victim

Vikki’s Musings

Thanks goes to the publisher, via Net-Galley, for the opportunity to read and review The Intended Victim prior to publication. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

The Intended Victim is a spin-chilling romantic suspense that had me biting my nails until the very end. The pacing is quick, and the action scenes are heart throbbing. The writing is crisp and perfect for this book. I love a “who done it” where I really have no clue who the villain is until they are revealed in the climatic ending. Wow, just wow!

Remi’s character has been running from the nightmare that occurred five years before. She has a job that fulfills her and has moved on at last. Then, her ex-fiancée returns turning her safe world upside down. Feelings and emotions run high and has her questioning the decisions she made after losing her father. I could sense her turmoil and experienced her fears when she learns the serial killer is back.

Ash Marcel is a great hero, one who rushes in to the safe the damsel in distress. He is determined to protect Remi from the Chicago Butcher, no matter what it takes, and if his love for her is reawakened, then so be it. I loved his willingness to dive in without any thought or concern for his emotional turmoil, upon seeing Remi again, causes him.

The romance between Remi and Ash is amazing. The chemistry between them is visceral and stirred me in ways I’ve not experienced in quite some time. Remi and Ash are perfect for each other.

If you enjoy romantic thrillers with “sit on the edge of your seat excitement,” then you will love The Intended Victim as much as I did. This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Ivy, but it will not be the last. Happy reading!

Author Bio:

Alexandra Ivy graduated from Truman University with a degree in theatre before deciding she preferred to bring her characters to life on paper rather than stage. She started her career writing traditional regencies before moving into the world of paranormal with her USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times bestselling series The Guardians of Eternity. Now she writes a wide variety of genres that include paranormal, erotica, and romantic suspense. 

Social Media:

Website: https://alexandraivy.com/meet/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandraivyfanpage

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AlexandraIvy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandra.ivy/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?rs=ac&len=2&q=alexandra%20ivy&eq=alexandra%20ivy&etslf=1942&term_meta[]=alexandra%7Cautocomplete%7C0&term_meta[]=ivy%7Cautocomplete%7C0