It Began With A Lie-Secrets of Redemption Book 1

I have read several books by this author and have had this on my TBR for a while. I decided to read it during a lull in the advanced reader copies I have to review. I could not put this down. The buildup is intense, heart thumping and I could not wait to see how the story was going to end. 

Rebecca and her husband Stefan, along with is 16-year-old daughter, decided to move from New York to Redemption, Wisconsin to have a fresh start. The law firm he works for is having problems and their marriage is on life support. Rebeccas aunt, Charlie Kingsley, left her a house that they can move into, sell and hopefully get back to their life in New York, a little better off than before.

The house has a violent past and the locals believe it to be haunted. Rebecca is thrust back into a house, where 15 years before, she nearly died and lost her memory. Stefan is working in New York while she remains to get the house ready to sell and strange things start happening. She keeps misplacing things, (or is she?), losing pockets of time and her stepdaughter starts sleepwalking and acting really strange. Rebecca is having nightmares and horrible headaches and believes she is seeing ghosts. Everything comes to a head one night when her stepdaughter is found sleepwalking yet again, but this time Stefan is there, and he accuses Rebecca of trying to attack them both and has her committed. Can Rebecca find out the truth about what's really going on before it's too late?

Throughout the story I really disliked Stefan even before we find out who is really is at the end. Hes controlling, condescending and abusive. This book has it all. Its part paranormal, part horror, part ghost story and part psychological thriller. This could be read as a standalone, but it is part of a series with the next book discussing what happened during the time when Rebecca was 16 and lost her memory after a party one night with her friends. I highly recommend this story and really anything by this author. I have not read anything by her that I have not liked.

The Curse of the Blue Figurine-Johnny Dixon Book 1

This book was recommended by my husband. When he was growing up, he read a lot of books by John Bellairs and really enjoyed them. I read The House with the Clock in its Walls and really liked it, so I was looking forward to reading this one. 

The story centers around a boy named Johnny Dixon. His mother has recently passed away and his father is off to war again, so Johnny is living with his grandparents. Across the street from his grandparents is the eccentric Professor Childermass. The professor has been telling Johnny about a local legend, the ghost of a priest, Father Baart. Johnny is a smart, quiet kid who is often bullied by a boy in school named Eddie. One day while hiding from Eddie, he ducks into the church near the school and decided to wander into the basement. While down there he stumbles upon a hollowed-out book that has a scroll and a blue Egyptian looking figurine and it appears to have belonged to Father Baart. The scroll says not to remove the items from the church, but Johnny gets spooked and runs home, book in hand. The next time Johnny goes to the church he meets a man named Robert Beard. He seems odd and gives Johnny a strange ring. After that encounter, supernatural and strange things start happening and Johnny turns to Professor Childermass to help him out, fearing his grandparents won't believe him. As the days go by, Johnny is becoming more secretive and seems to be ill. Things take a turn for the worse. Can the professor help Johnny escape the curse of the blue figurine?

This is the first of the Johnny Dixon books. It is spooky, supernatural and just a really fun read. I love the character of Professor Childermass and his relationship with Johnny. Even though the book is technically for kids, it's not written in a kiddie way and there were a few times the author used words I had to look up. The author definitely doesn't water it down for kids. Adults will definitely enjoy these stories. I highly recommend any book by John Bellairs.

Grave Lies-Mercury Mediums Mystery Book 1

WOW!! What a page turner! I could not put this down and ended up reading in one day. This book is sort of a spin off from the Penny Wright series, also by this author. Penny Wright is a medium who reluctantly accepts that she is one and is always willing to help those in need. She has recently joined The Mercury Group. The Mercury Group is made up of other para-sensitives like her who use their skills to help spirits move on. Penny is partnered with Zandra, who can sort of read people's minds.

This is the first book in the Mercury Mediums series if this book is any indication, then subsequent books should be just as fantastic as this one. 

Heather Davenport was 8 when she first saw ghosts. Her dog was scratching at the door of a long-dilapidated house on her grandmother's property, when she stumbles upon the skeletal remains of a couple buried in a shallow grave. Forty years later, she is an FBI agent and is determined to solve this case before she runs out of time. After feeling like she's run out of traditional means of solving the case, she turns to the Mercury group and Penny and Zandra arrive to help her. Can Penny and Zandra help Heather find the identities of the dead couple and maybe even find the killer?

I really loved this book! The setting, the characters, the story, there wasn't one thing about this story that I didn't like. The chapters are short, and the story is very well written. I am very excited to see more from Penny and Zandra. Hopefully they'll stay together as partners but either way, this was a fantastic book! I received this book free from NetGalley for an honest review.

The Martins

The Martins, translated from French to English, is a fantastically interesting, intriguing and fun book. I wasn't sure exactly what I was getting into with this one, but I found that I actually really enjoyed it. 

The narrator who normally writes fiction has decided to branch out and write a book on the first person he encounters on the street. He often sees a young woman standing outside near his apartment, smoking and initially this is the person he had in mind when he made the decision to write a book like this. However, the young woman is not there on the day he's out walking. Instead, he sees an 80ish year old woman walking with her grocery trolley and he catches up with her and introduces himself, adding that he'd like to write a book about her. Madeline is surprised at this idea and say she needs to put her groceries away, so he follows her up to her apartment. They end up having a lovely discussion. Madeline's daughter, Valerie arrives and is not happy with his intrusion and accuses him wanting to take advantage, as her mother has early Alzheimer's. He assures her that is not the case, and she agrees to allowing him to continue-if he also writes about her and her family. Suddenly the narrator is thrust into the lives of the Martins. Valerie, her husband Patrick and their two kids, Jeremie and Lola. Hes drawn into their domestic squabbles and in the end he the catalyst for changing their lives dramatically. 

I really liked this story. I love the idea that a writer might walk up to a stranger and ask to write about them and in the end, end up changing their lives, for the better. The chapters are short, and I love the little footnotes, like memos for himself. There were antidotes about Karl Lagerfeld, whom Madeline had worked for and that was interesting too. All in all, is a clever and charming book. 

Fragrant Violation-Book 5 in the Doused to Death series

This is book 5 in the Doused to Death Cozy Mystery Series. Nati Butler is a perfumer who runs a shop called Natis Nose where she creates all kinds of different scents. She also moonlights as an amateur detective. With her boyfriend Owen and her trusty dog, Sal, she will take on yet another case in their small town of Roslyn.

Nati, Owen and Sal are once again caught up in a murder mystery. Owen has taken her to a local rodeo, and he is so excited to be getting a backstage tour where they get to meet the riders and the bulls. They meet one rider, Cooper Murphy, a rising star who ends up being partner with the most dangerous bull, Krakatoa. Unfortunately, there is a tragic accident and Cooper ends up dying. Was it just an accident or was there foul play involved? 

As with the other book in this series, I really enjoyed this story. I love the characters and I found myself tearing during one part involving Owen and Nati. The stories are clever and well written. The chapters are short, and they are all very easy reads. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.

Left Without Answers

Cori Nevruz has done it again! I first heard of her last year when I discovered a book she wrote called Dirty Laundry. I was instantly hooked and was thrilled when I was chosen to read her next book Making A Killing early. Both books are fantastic (you should go read them now!) and this book is no exception. 

Alice and Mark black are reeling after the discovery of the son, Hank, in his room dead, from an apparent suicide. There were no warning signs that he might be suicidal and he left no note. Alice is desperate to find out why he took his life and she believes that his best friend Arnold may hold the key. Soon she starts to find little blue sticky notes, a favorite of Hanks, all over the place with notes she believes he is writing her from the grave. Arnold finally writes her a letter explaining that he's been grieving and that Hank was being bullied by a new kid at school. Finally, Alice has the name of the person she believes took her son from her. Can she put his death to rest before she has a complete breakdown?

This book was fantastic. I literally felt the pain from this mother oozing off the pages. As a mother myself, and someone who was bullied mainly on the school bus, this is something I have often thought of. I am very blessed to be able to homeschool my kids so they don't have much experience with bullying, but I would hope that if they were in school that I would be able to recognize signs of depression and unhappiness. I also do not allow my children to have social media, a place I believe to be toxic to burgeoning minds. Thank you, Cori, for writing such a sad and yet wonderful story. I look forward to more from you. 

My Husbands Secrets

Is the man you married everything he seems to be or are dark secrets lurking in the background? That is the question throughout this story. I think we'd all like to think we know our significant others inside and out, but can we ever truly know someone as deeply as we'd like?

After the death of her first husband, Rory, Ali is left alone with her daughter, Emma and the business they created together. After a few years her friends, Liz and Dane introduce her to Matthew, and they fall in love quickly. Fast forward a few years and they are just finishing celebrating their third wedding anniversary at a party with friends. In the parking lot, they get into an argument and as they're driving home, Matthew is speeding and he loses control of the car, plunging them in to the river below. Ali is able to escape with the help of her friends, but the car and Matthew are swept away. Matthews body is never recovered, and Ali is left a widow for a second time. What happens in the months after their terrible accident, is a complicated web of lies, deceit and betrayal. Is Matthew still alive and if he is, just what has he been hiding all these years? 

This is the first book I have read by this author. The story kept me on the edge of my seat and is a definite page turner. I found myself yelling at her for not doing things like changing her locks or getting a security system in her home. My heart would be thumping as I was quickly turning the page to see what she was about to uncover and I for one, never saw the twists coming. I really enjoyed this story and will be looking for more from this author, I received this book for free from NetGalley for an honest review.

The Taking- The Riverview Mysteries 3

I received notification through my email that Michele PW had a new book on Booksirens and I didn't even hesitate to request it. I was not disappointed; this was a fantastic read!

The town of Riverview seems to have a problem. Two women, some twenty years apart, claim fairies took the babies and left behind dead ones instead. Tori and Missy. Tori, walked into her brother's bedroom just as a black figure turned to her and said "ssshhhh", then took him away. In the crib, a baby that the coroner said, died of SIDS. Missy had her baby and her midwife whisked him away telling her he died, this time the baby died of drug overdose. But both women are reluctant to believe that the babies taken are actually dead. Tori's mother was bi-polar as is Missy, so it's just written off as two crazy women telling tales. But what if something darker and more twisted is actually happening in Riverview? And even worse, could these two events be connected?

I was able to read this is a few hours. As usual, with all the books I've read by this author, I was not able to put it down. The characters were believable, and the descriptions of these women's stories were really creepy. I love how she was able to weave the fairy story in with the actual truth that comes out once they start investigating. The twist ending is definitely not one that I saw coming. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.

Harley James and The Peril of the Pirates Curse-Book 2

Sometimes you just want a quick read that is clever and fun at the same time. This series is obviously geared towards kids; however, I thoroughly enjoy them. Well written, fun, and still a good mystery, this is a series I will continue to read.

Harley James is the daughter of famed archaeologist, Russell James and he is off on another adventure, this time to Port Royal, Jamaica. Harley and her trusted dog Daisy are along for the ride too and you just never know what they're going to get into.

Port Royal is home to a famed sunken pirate city. Back in 1692, there was a massive earthquake and part of the city sunk into the ocean, intact. The youngest pirate on record, Johnny King was there, and he wrote down the events in his diary that now resides in the local museum. The locals have a legend about a blue pearl they all fear. Legend has it that if the pearl is allowed on land terrible things will happen. Harley is part of a society called S.M.A.L.L. or the Society of Mysterious Artifacts. Legends and Lore. They have sent her information on this legend and Harley must use her codebreaking expertise to uncover the truth about the pearl and stop the rest of the city from being destroyed.

This is a fantastic series for kids and adults alike. The characters are fun, smart and believable. The chapters are short yet entertaining and I definitely found myself quickly turning the pages to see if Harley could break the code in time. I look forward to the next book. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.

My Little Brother

I love a good thriller and this story held my attention from the very beginning. I found myself not wanting to put the book down, desperate to find out what happened to the little brother.

Dr. Caryn Peeke has not been to her childhood home in almost 20 years. When she was 10 her little brother, Lloyd, the 6, disappeared from the playground at their school where she was supposed to be watching him, He just vanished and shortly after she was sent away to her paternal grandmother's home, never to hear from her parents again. With the 20th anniversary of her brother's disappearance looming, she suddenly receives two notes from someone in the village she is from, Moryd-oer. Both notes written her native, although forgotten, Welsh. After some struggling, she was able to decipher them. They read: Come home. Its time you learned the truth; and I know where your brother is. Caryn believes the notes may be from her parents. Little does she know the horror she about to discover as she returns to the now foreign home, she once lived in. 

The book is told in a third person perspective with flashback scenes written in as Caryn starts to unlock long forgotten and tucked away memories. We also get a perspective from someone named "the watcher" and I guarantee you'll never see coming who it is. I really enjoyed the Welsh writing thrown in. I have a long-time love of that part of the world. I felt the characters were believable and had great backgrounds. This story will definitely have you on the edge of your seat. If you love a good mystery thriller you will not want to miss out on this one! I received this book free from NetGalley for an honest review. 

Old Country

When I received this book in the mail and read the synopsis I was definitely intrigued. I have to say that I was not disappointed. This story is scary, thrilling and will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book.

Harry and Sasha are a married couple in their thirties. Harry is a veteran a who met his wife in college, and they have now decided to take the plunge and go live out their dream of living in the mountains. The find the perfect place, a small ranch in the Teton Valley in Idaho. It's a remote, 55 acre spread with just two neighbors and a national forest nearby. The perfect, secluded place they've always been dreaming of. 

They load up and take their dog Dash off to their new adventure arriving in early spring. Not long after arriving their neighbors, the Dan and Lucy, introduce themselves and start to fill them in on the "rules for surviving living in the valley".  Harry does not take kindly to them spinning what he believes to be crazy tales of a vengeful spirit that haunts the valley and how to perform seasonal rituals in order to survive. Things between Harry, Sasha and Dan and Lucy are rocky at first but soon they begin to believe the older couple about the spirit. 

Once they start to experience the spirit and the manifestations, they fall into a nice routine of living on the ranch and all that comes with that. However, Harry starts taunting the spirit and what happens next is nothing short of shocking, scary and sad. The spirit manifestations change with the seasons and with winter approaching, Harry is warned that it will be the worst one to get through and it'll be a fight for survival to say the least. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the basis of the story-an ancient spirit is haunting the valley and you must adhere to certain rules in order to live there. However, there were a few issues I had with the story. First, Harry is an ex-marine. I felt the authors went on and on about how awful the military is and how it's a construct that is unnecessary. As the daughter of a veteran, this hit hard and it was at times hard to read through. At times war is unnecessary, unless drafted, the military career is a choice and one that a person should thoroughly investigate before joining. But I digress. Second, there was another issue I had with a part of the storyline with Sasha that I felt was a bit preachy but Ill not give spoilers. The end of the story definitely had me wanting more and I really would have liked more information on a few loose ends. However, overall this a great book and you will not want to put it down.