Title: The Hollow Places

Author: T. Kingfisher

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Content Rating: 18+

Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Fiction

Published: October 6, 2020 by Gallery/Saga Press

The Hollow Places should come with a warning, DO NOT read alone in the dark. Creepy, chilling, and darkly twisted do not even come close to describing this book. I often got goosebumps while reading this story, and I will never look at a willow tree in the same way. The many campy humorous exchanges between the two main characters woven throughout gave a sense of balance to this book.

“They Can Hear You Thinking”

This story starts with our main character, Kara, who finds herself with nowhere to live after her divorce from her whiny, annoying husband. As luck would have it, Kara’s Uncle Earl has offered her a place to live. Uncle Earl has set up a bedroom in the back of his unique museum, the Glory to God Museum of Natural Wonders, Curiosities, and Taxidermy, better known as the Wonder Museum. Imagine a museum filled with all kinds of oddities, including an overabundance of stuffed life-sized animals, and then multiply that by one thousand.   

As Kara settles into her new reality, she starts to catalog all the Wonder Museum contents. Next to the Wonder Museum is the Black Hen coffee shop, where a unique barista named Simon works. This camo wearing, fishnet stocking strutting man who can rock a top hat with a feather kept me smiling throughout this book. The story was good, but the characters were better. Kara finds a hole in the Wonder Museum wall, and she enlists Simon’s help in figuring what is going on behind the wall because something is not quite right. 

“In another, much larger sense my brain was screaming hysterically that there was a hole in the world.”

And that is when things get creepy in The Hollow Places. There are too many sinister and macabre things to list, but I will say that I no longer think that otters are cute, and I did have a couple of bad dreams about a certain boatman.

“the willows it’s the willows they hear you 

                             thinking they’re listening right now and rustling 

                                      their leaves and talking to each other”

The Hollow Places was a fun chilling read, and if you are a fan of horror with a touch of comedy, you will enjoy this book, I did. The Hollow Places was the first book by T. Kingfisher that I have read and will be looking to read more from the author with a most unusual pen name.

* Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. * 

** I kindly received this galley by NetGalley, T. Kingfisher, and Gallery/Saga Press. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **

Title: Not Myself Today

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟.5

Author: Muriel Ellis Pritchett

Content Rating: 16+

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Thriller

Published: September 24, 2020, by Black Rose Writing

One-minute high school senior Lindsey Anderson was running down the soccer field, scoring the winning goal and celebrating with her teammates, and then nothing.

“As my eyes slowly focused, I flinched at the sight of my trembling hand and gulped. This hand wasn’t mine.”

Not Myself Today is a young adult book with a paranormal twist, written by Muriel Ellis Pritchett. It is a fast-pasted book that grabbed me from the beginning, however, for me, the writing was a bit off, and the dialogue felt forced. The concept of body-swapping in this book is an intriguing one. Not Myself Today highlights the differences between advantaged and disadvantaged teens. However, the sobering subject of sex trafficking, for me, was an even more important message. 

Lindsey Anderson is leading the perfect life. She is a Senior Female Athlete of the Year and has a full-ride soccer scholarship to her dream college. After scoring the winning goal in the state soccer championship, she collapses and wakes up in the body of a 14-year-old sex-trafficking victim. 

Lindsey spends most of the book trying to convince her dad, her best friend Rachel, and Justin, a 15-year-old child genius who claims Lindsey is the love of his life, that she is not Annabeth Shepard, a 14-year-old prostitute.  She spends the other half running from her drug-dealing pimp, who is trying to kill her.

I thought the story was well developed, and the pacing was good.  When examining the parts of the book, there is a lot to like, and I felt that each element approached was well put, but when added together, sadly, the sum of the parts was lesser than their individual elements.  I was also confused by the need to put a romantic aspect into this book and felt it just didn’t fit. The ending fell a bit short for me; it ended a bit too cleanly but, at the same time, leaving an opening for a possible sequel.

The characters, for the most part, are well developed. Ms. Pritchett gives the reader small glimpses into Annabeth Shepard and her best friend Neeley’s dismal lives, but I would have liked to get to know them better. Now onto the character of Lindsey, who, through most of this book, I disliked. She was shallow, unempathetic, and very judgmental toward Annabeth and downright ugly toward Neeley. 

I did like the idea of this story, a young adult book interwoven with paranormal and thriller aspects. Be prepared to suspend belief, and you will enjoy Not Myself Today. I respected how the book talked candidly about sex trafficking and how important it is for our society to recognize this growing worldwide problem. I also must warn the reader that this book contains forced drug use, drug use, violence toward women, prostitution, and underage sex.

“Anyone who needs help or wants to report possible human trafficking can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-877-373-8888.”

* Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. * 

** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley, Black Rose Writing, and Muriel Ellis Pritchett.  I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Content Rating: 18+

Genre: Dark Romance

Published: September 15, 2020, by Charmaine Pauls 

Hold on, dark romance fans, Charmaine Pauls has done it again. Diamonds are Forever is the last book in the Diamonds are Forever Trilogy, and oh my, is it a superb ending to this outstanding trilogy. This third book takes off exactly where book two left off and is the conclusion to Maxime and Zoe’s story. 

Both Maxime and Zoe go through some very intense growth throughout this entire book. Their road is a bumpy one filled with a deep divide and handwringing and heartbreaking ups and downs, and it’s hard not to root for this couple, even with all of Maxime’s faults. And, throughout this entire series, I was rooting for this troubled, beautiful couple. 

At first, Maxime is up to his old games of manipulation, lies, and blackmail. However, it was glorious to watch him realize that none of his usual nonsense would work this time. And so, the groveling began- Maxime style groveling, and it was a beautiful thing to read. I was so proud of Zoe; she may have lost some of her innocence, but she never lost her soul. It was awe-inspiring to watch her turn into this beautiful, determined, strong woman.

Diamonds are Forever was definitely worth the wait. Pauls writes her characters raw and honestly, and even as Maxime and Zoe evolve throughout the three books, they stay true to who they are and what they believe in, even when it means giving up a bit of themselves. I really don’t know how Pauls’ does it, but she brings this couple to the brink of destruction and then gives us the perfect ending. One other thing, thank you, Charmain Pauls, for giving us a little extra in the bonus epilogue- it was perfect!

I highly recommend Diamonds are Forever trilogy: it’s one you will not want to miss! However, if you’re going to get the full experience, this series has to offer Beauty in the Broken (Diamond Magnate #1) is where it all begins. If you have already started the Diamonds are Forever trilogy, no worries, you can go back a little in time and read Beauty in the Broken.

* Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. * 

** I kindly received this novel from Charmain Pauls. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Content Rating: 18+

Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery

Published: August 4, 2020, by St. Martin’s Press

Megan Goldin has hit the mark again with her new book The Night Swim. After reading her previous book, The Escape Room, I knew I had to read her latest book. The Night Swim is a twisty suspenseful story spanning twenty-five years, with two dueling narrators. The first narrator is telling her sister’s compelling horrific story the other reporting on an equally sad story. Throw in some courtroom drama, a gripping podcast, and a few disturbing mysterious letters, and you have the makings of a book that will keep you glued to its pages. 

In The Night Swim, Goldin tackles an age-old issue that societies have been struggling to deal with, rape, and I commend Goldin for taking on this issue. I feel she does an excellent job of showing both sides in this book, without letting us forget how important it is to believe women without the victim-blaming and shaming that is sometimes associated with rape cases.

In The Night Swim, Goldin tackles an age-old issue that societies have been struggling to deal with, rape, and I commend Goldin for taking on this issue. I feel she does an excellent job of showing both sides in this book, without letting us forget how important it is to believe women without the victim-blaming and shaming that many times is associated with rape cases.

The story seems relatively straightforward. Rachel Krall’s very successful true-crime podcast, Guilty or Not Guilty, leads her to the small town of Neapolis in North Carolina, where for the first time, she is not covering a murder trial, but a rape trial. Even though Rachel Krall is a strong, intelligent woman with a tenacious sense of right and wrong, I liked how the author had her go through a trek of self-discovery of how difficult it is for women to speak up when they have been a victim of rape. Rachel is a newswoman who seeks the truth no matter who it may anger or where it leads her. 

“The prosecution needs to prove that the victim did not consent. That’s tough when it’s “his” word against “her” word.”

“The trauma of testifying is one of the main reasons why so many rape victims opt not to testify and why so many rapes are never prosecuted.”

The accused, the town’s golden boy, is on trial for allegedly raping the police chief’s granddaughter. There are lots and lots of secrets in this small town, and not all are what it seems. When Rachel starts receiving letters, in very unusual ways, that describe a murder that happened twenty-five years ago, things become even more complicated. Rachel soon begins to wonder if these two crimes are somehow related to one another. But that’s all I will say about that. 😉

The Night Swim is a fast-paced well-written book that kept me reading and kept me guessing to the very end. With her compelling writing style, Goldin makes this book relatable and thought-provoking. She addresses the subject of rape with care and sensitivity. The characters are complex, believable, and endearing, which enhances the story and makes it unputdownable. I highly recommend this book if you like memorable characters and a story that will keep you on your toes.

 * Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. * 

** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Megan Goldin. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Content Rating: 16+

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction

Published: July 28, 2020, by Simon Pulse

Today Tonight Tomorrow is the first book by Rachel Lynn Solomon that I have read, and her writing is different in a beautiful way. I can’t put my finger on precisely what it is about her writing style that I liked, other to say that it was fresh and honest. I went into this book, not knowing much about it other than it was a young adult book. If I am sincere in the beginning, I didn’t like this book.  However, very slowly, this book crept into my heart and made me smile.

Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been at odds with each other since the first day of high school. At the end of four years, they are still at odds with each other. They have fought tooth and nail for every academic accolade.  Now the ultimate prize, valedictorian, lies within both of their reaches. But yet again, Rowan is bested by “McNightmare” when he is awarded, valedictorian.

Rowan, however, is not a girl who is about to give up. There is one prize still to be won, Howl. Howl is the final senior challenge, a scavenger hunt of sorts with a twist that takes them all over the city of Seattle looking for clues while at the same time eliminate one another. During this game, Roth and McNair reluctantly team up, and that is when the fun begins.

What made this book enjoyable is the dynamics between Roth and McNair. We know from the beginning what will happen between these two, but that’s okay; it’s the journey these two experiences that make this book fun. They start off tossing barbs at each other, and then little by little; they start sharing secrets, hopes, and dreams. Over twenty-four hours, these two archenemies learn about themselves, but they learn about each other in a way they never thought possible.

Today Tonight Tomorrow is a sweet, funny coming of age book slash rom-com that takes these two characters from enemies to friends to lovers. This book did a fantastic job conveying all the crazy mixed-up feelings that teens now have to deal with in such an endearing way. Today Tonight Tomorrow is like a big hug that wraps around your heart and mind. I highly recommend you read this book; you will not be disappointed.

* Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. * 

** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley, publisher, and author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **

 

 

Dragging both hands over his head, he tilts his face to the ceiling and walks away from me. “Fuck.” He stays at the far end of the room for a moment before turning back to me. His hair is even wilder than before when he finally drops his arms to his sides. A war rages in his eyes. For a minute, he’s not my kidnapper, but the man who cares about me. He’s just a man making himself vulnerable by opening up and dropping his defenses. “I don’t want to scare you, Zoe. After your father—”
“Don’t.”
Sighing, he comes back and picks up the medicine box. “I’m going to tell you a story. A young man goes to a market and sees a beautiful woman admiring a precious object. He can see she wants it, but when she opens her purse, she doesn’t have enough money. This man, he was paid to abduct that woman. He has two choices. He can either grab her, tie her up, and drag her away, or he can go up to her and tell her how beautiful she is and buy her that precious object she wants so much. He can do that for her and be kind, inviting her to dinner. They can have a good time, have great sex. He can ask her to go away with him and knows she’ll say yes. Tell me, Zoe. Which man is kinder? Which man is the most selfless?”
“The honest one,” I whisper.
A shutter drops in front of his eyes. The man who was reaching out to me a second ago retracts back into his shell. I mourn the loss, the almost-intimacy, but I can’t lie to him. I can’t betray myself. I can’t strengthen his warped belief that lies can smooth over his crimes.
 

AUTHOR BIO

Charmaine Pauls was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. She obtained a degree in Communication at the University of Potchestroom, and followed a diverse career path in journalism, public relations, advertising, communications, photography, graphic design, and brand marketing. Her writing has always been an integral part of her professions. 

After relocating to Chile with her French husband, she fulfilled her passion to write creatively full-time. Charmaine has published over twenty novels since 2011, as well as several short stories and articles. Two of her shorts have been selected by the International Literary Society for an anthology from across the African continent.

When she is not writing, she likes to travel, read, and rescue cats. Charmaine currently lives in France with her husband and children. Their household is a linguistic mélange of Afrikaans, English, French and Spanish.

GIVEAWAY
 
There is a giveaway for a $50 Amazon gift card
 

Direct Link:
 
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba3ffd552679

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Content Rating: 18+

Genre: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense

Published: July 28, 2020, by St. Martin’s Press

The Wife Who Knew Too Much is a twisty, thriller by Michele Campbell that will grab you from the first page. This book is an easy, quick read, perfect for taking your mind off all the craziness this world has to offer. I will say that the writing and character development is adequate for the story. The storyline is good, but a bit predictable and unrealistic, so be prepared to suspend disbelief. So, if you are willing and able to do this, you will enjoy this book.

The book opens with Nina, who is very rich, telling us through her diary that her much younger husband, Conner Ford, is in love with someone else and is planning to kill her. When Nina’s death is ruled a suicide, Conner becomes a very wealthy man. However, not all is how it seems.

Tabitha Girard, a down on her luck thirty-year-old waitress, has been in love with Conner since he first saw him thirteen years ago. Conner is from an affluent family and Tabitha from a low-income family. They met at the country club where she works and where Conner’s family is a member. They have a brief but intense summer romance where they both profess their love, but Conner’s grandmother does not approve because of Tabitha’s social standing, and she quickly breaks up the affair. 

When Conner shows up thirteen years later professing his love, Tabitha realizes that she has never stopped loving him. This is when things get interesting, but I can’t say much more, no spoilers for my review.

The characters in The Wife Who Knew Too Much annoyed me throughout the whole book, and I found them shallow and self-centered. It seems that all Conner cares about is money and has based all his life decisions on getting and keeping money. He dumps Tabitha to keep his grandmother’s money. He marries Nina for her money. Now on to Tabitha, this woman could not make a sound decision throughout the entire book. If there were a spotlight on the right choice, she would pick the wrong choice hidden in the shadows. She made some laughable decisions and then was shocked when things turned out poorly. I am not sure if she was just naïve or just not very smart. 

The Wife Who Knew Too Much started promising, but for me fell a bit short. I think this could have been an excellent book, but unfortunately, it was indistinguishable from many books in the thriller genre. However, if you are looking for an easy to read book to sit by the pool with or take to the beach, this one may fit the bill.  This was the first book by Michele Campbell that I have read, and although this book was far from perfect, I would consider reading more of her books. 

* Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. * 

** I kindly received The Wife Who Knew Too Much by way of NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Michele Campbell. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Content Rating: 18+

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Adult

Published: Expected Publication, August 3, 2020, by Berkley

Under all the glittering lights of Hollywood lies a seedy side that society has ignored for a very long time.  The Comeback is Ella Berman’s debut novel, and it is a powerful, thought-provoking book that explores the sleazy side of Hollywood and the powerful men that control it. This book is… Raw. Gripping. Courageous. A realistic portrayal of what it looks and feels like to be manipulated and controlled by someone able to wield total power over someone else. And imagine the person being manipulated is a child. 

Able Yorke, an independent film guru, plucks Grace Hyde out of obscurity and transforms her into Grace Turner. Since the age of 14, when Abe discovered Grace, she was surrounded by people whose sole job was to make her look perfect and give her everything and anything she wanted. And for eight years, she was “perfect” until she wasn’t. 

“I thought it would be hard to disappear, but it turns out it’s the easiest thing in the world. Whoever you may have been, you’re forgotten as soon as you pass the San Fernando Valley.”

Eight years later, she is walking away from it all, stardom, her husband, and everything she has accomplished. This is where Grace’s story begins, she runs back to the family that all but abandons her, but it is the only place she feels somewhat safe. Grace tells us her story by giving us glimpses into her past. A story filled with psychological and sexual abuse, alcohol and drug misuse, a failed marriage, tense relationship with her family, zero self-esteem and self-worth and depression.  Eventually, her parents ask her to leave, and she heads back to Hollywood.

“Maybe my mom was right about me when she said I wasn’t happy, but what she doesn’t understand is that since the age of fifteen, I’ve never dared to want to be happy. I’m just trying to stay alive.”

Back in Hollywood, she tries to confront her demons and remake herself in that world. The tipping point in all of this is when Grace is asked to present Able with the lifetime achievement award.

What struck me the most and made me the saddest is that Grace’s most important relationship is not with her husband or family but with Abe. From day one, Able has manipulated, isolated, controlled, and inserted himself into every part of Grace’s life, until she has no life.  Throughout this book, Grace’s hopelessness is palpable. Grace seems to have everything, but at what cost? Imagine being surrounded by people who are paid to like you. Imagine being betrayed by the person who you depend on the most and who you idolize.

“…I was his muse and he was my Svengali. I was untouchable, unstoppable, hurtling down a path to immortality so rapidly, so immaculately, that not one person stopped to question how it all worked so well, a fortysomething man and a teenager being so inextricably linked.”

The Comeback was well written, and the characters well developed. I felt there were some slow spots, but overall the pacing was good. There are not many likable characters in this book, including Grace. Grace is full of flaws, and there were times that I wanted to give her a good shake, but at the same time, I felt pity for her, and even with all her faults, she was also relatable. I think it’s important to remember that she was a child thrown into an adult world when all this happen, and she never learned how to develop lasting relationships. The only character that I liked was Grace’s husband, Dylan. Dylan is a standup guy, and you can feel how much he loves Grace. However, everyone else in Grace’s life only cares about themselves and what they can get from Grace. 

The Comeback is not your feel-good summer read. It is a powerful book that addresses the abuse of power and manipulation by an authority figure to its most disgusting heights. However, it is essential to remember that this book is not all pain and suffering; it’s about a woman who is a survivor.  Overall, I enjoyed The Comeback, but I would have liked a more definite ending.

* Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. * 

** I kindly received an ARC of this book by way of Edelweiss/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **

My Rating:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Content Rating: 18+

Genre: Dark Romance

Published: July 14, 2020 by Charmain Pauls

How is it possible that Diamonds in the Rough (Diamonds are Forever Trilogy #2) is even better than the first book? More profound deception, more lies, bigger betrayals, and the relationship between Zoe and Maxime gets even more complicated. As usual, Pauls’ writing is superb; she pulls you into Zoe and Maxime’s world with her intensity and detail until this crazy world fades away. I never thought I would say this, but even though the book ends with a cliff hanger, it was pure perfection, and I don’t think that Ms. Pauls could have written it any better.

Over the next thirty months, Maxime continues to control and manipulate Zoe, and she remains his prisoner. But in this book, he doesn’t just manipulate her body, but somehow manages to manipulate and capture her heart. 

“The bitterness of being forever unloved and eternally lonely will chip away at my heart until nothing but hard, polished hate is left. I hate him as much as I love him, but I hate myself more for loving him.”

All Zoe has ever wanted is to be love. As you read this book, Zoe’s emotional pain is palpable. My heart and soul ached for her. Even though Zoe has accepted her fate, she is not weak. She is far from a vulnerable heroine; she loves with all her heart and is at times forgiving to a fault. 

However, don’t be fooled by Zoe. Never forget she is a survivor and she will surprise you! And she certainly surprises Maxime. Oh, did you want me to tell you how she surprises him? Sorry, that is not going to happen, no spoilers in my reviews.

“We’re diamonds in the rough, cutting our edges together. I no longer want to leave. I want to try, because maybe, just maybe, there are ways to survive Maxime, and maybe I don’t have to do it alone.”

Maxime is a dark, cunning manipulator with a massive helping of danger; he is pure mafia– hard and unyielding. But I was not able to hate him—quite the opposite. I was rooting for him and hoping that Zoe will help him be a better man, and in some little ways, Zoe has done that, but the darkness continues to call to him, and he fully embraces it. 

“She’s the light to my hell, the hope to my infernal darkness. Men like me are born dark. We inherit it from our fathers and pass it on to our sons. She’s the only brightness I’ll ever have in my life…”

Maxime has given her snippets of her desires, but that all comes with her unconditional surrender to him. The man has some serious control and trust issues.  All Zoe wants is for Maxime to love her, but he believes he is incapable of loving anyone. How wrong he is, he loves her; he doesn’t realize it yet, and neither does Zoe.  My feelings ranged from loving Maxime one page and then wanting to slap him on the next page. Maxime is truly a tortured soul.  

Diamonds in the Rough should come with a warning label: Danger, you are about to lose your mind in a world swirling in darkness, and the hottest most passionate romance– that you will not be able to put down. I devoured this book in one sitting, and it left me breathless and wanting more. Ms. Pauls’ writing has a way about it that puts you in the mind of her characters. You feel their love, their pain, their heartache, but also their hope.   

The Diamonds are Forever Trilogy is not to be missed. The first one, Diamonds in the Dust, can be read NOW. The second book, Diamonds in the Rough, will be available on July 14, 2020.  The third book, Diamonds are Forever, will be available September 15, 2020.  I highly recommend this series if you like a dark antihero and a beautiful, resilient heroine wrapped up in a stunning sexy package.  

* Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. * 

** I kindly received Diamonds in the Rough from Charmain Pauls. I was not, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **