Review: On The Road To Villisca: The Hunt For The Midwest Axemen

On The Road To Villisca: The Hunt For The Midwest Axemen by Hank Brewster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I heard of the Villisca murders a few years ago and they stayed with me. I just couldn't get the facts of this case from puzzling my mind. Eight people, 6 children, murdered in their beds with only one showing signs of being woken up. This despite being in a shared room or even the same bed. How does that happen? As far as I have been able to tell, no sign of a drug being administered to prevent them waking. No struggle. No running away. No screams. It is a scary puzzle that gets scarier when you realize there were several murders that happened the same way around the same time. My heart cries for justice for these victims.
What I liked about this book was the use of the newspaper articles to tell the story. It was fascinating to read them. Newspapers told so much more back then. The coverage of the trial was amazing.
I know the author was trying to present things as they happened and in keeping with the language/spelling of the time. With so many newspaper articles and so many different cases, I think he did a good job. I learned things I didn't know. If he omitted or changed things, he stated it. I didn't agree with everything he did, but I understand his reasoning.
I don't think this is the best book out there regarding these murders but it is a book worth reading if you are interested in them. The author gives his opinion on who he believes did it. That does come out strongly towards the end. I'm not saying he is right or wrong about it; just letting you know his opinion is there.
I know the house in Villisca can be visited. It would have been interesting to know if he went there. To restore the home accurately and be able to provide tours, the current owners must have researched greatly. Perhaps, being from Villisca, they have something more to contribute. It would have been interesting to know if the author contacted them.
Would I recommend this book? Yes.


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Review: Intercepted by Love: Part 2

Intercepted by Love: Part 2 by Rachelle Ayala
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Holey smokes! It's hot inside the book! Before I get started, though, let me say this is the second book in the series. You definitely need to read these in order. The first book ended on a cliffhanger as does this one. Normally I dislike cliffhangers but all the books are out in this series. Since I don't have to wait for a new book to come out I am fine with the cliffhanger.

I don't want to go into what the cliffhangers are in either book. My opinion on them though is they are some doozies! They definitely left me wanting to get on with the story. Andie and Cade are back with their dogs, Gollie and Red. We find out more about Roxanne and there is a new character introduced. I am enjoying getting to know Andie and Cade. They seem like a good couple but each has issues that need to be worked on. Huge issues. Will their searing hot passion be able to surmount those issues?

This series is considered spicy romance and is intended for mature audiences. It is definitely not for everyone. Those who object to explicit language and/or sex without marriage would enjoy a different book.

Chris Abell is back as the narrator. I enjoy his performance and am happy that he is continuing his role. Having the same narrator will be a bonus when I go back and listen to the series in its entirety.

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Review: Wooed by You

Wooed by You by Sophia Knightly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this romance by Sophia Knightly. I read it over the busy weekend before the Fourth of July. I found myself eagerly returning to it each time I had to put it down. I liked the setup for the story. I did keep waiting for something awful to happen but was okay with it not. I did not much care for Isabel. I was a single mom so I definitely understood her need to protect Suzie. I just thought she came off as more the fearful women pretending to be strong for attention type. I really don't care for those dramatic type women, in books and real life. I hated her inconsistency and her lack of respect toward Linc. There was a pivotal scene and it infuriated me the total disregard she had for him. I don't want to go into it as it may spoil the book for you. I did like the rest of the characters though. I wish that the author had given an update on Isabel's mother in the epilogue. She was in much of the book and then just disappeared in the epilogue. I love the Cuban references, especially learning about noche buena. That was awesome though it did make me decidedly hungry.
This is a spicy romance so there is sexual activity. The book is easy to read and I imagine a number of you just flying through the pages.

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Review: Deliver Us from Evil

Deliver Us from Evil by Deborah Hunter-Marsh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a difficult subject! Sexual abuse, whether adult or child, is horrifying and has so many lasting effects. It also triggers so many reactions in people. No one wants to believe this happens, especially to society's vulnerable populations, (children, elderly, mentally challenged, etc). Sadly, it does happen. It also happens, though I believe not as often, that some professional people, (whether or not it is intentional), can and do manipulate memories. It is up to the reader to decide which this book is.

I believe her, but that is my opinion. Her story is a sad, often angry, tale. It is backed up by three other victims. I know some may ask why only two of the children? And use that as reasoning for denying it may have happened the way the author remembers. Child abuse, in all its forms, doesn't happen equally in every family. Sometimes only one child is the actual victim, (though all either witness it, or are aware of it, which I consider abuse), sometimes it is some or all. There is no concrete path of abuse. It depends on the trigger of the perpetrator. She did undergo extensive therapy with a couple of therapist. I'm not always convinced by therapist though. Some, in their need to be helpful, or their need to find a problem, can influence the patient. My own experience with life tells me that where money is involved, there is potential for abuse. We all can probably recall a doctor, (any sort), or two who have a God complex. This can also influence memories and diagnosis. So when I read books like this one, I try to read between the lines as much as possible. I am a firm believer in there being three sides to every story. Her side, his side and, pulling from both sides, the true story somewhere down the middle. The author did include copies of letters and did include responses as she recalled them. This gave us a small look from the other side.

The author does include a number of books she read that helped in her recovery work. these include workbooks. I haven't looked into all of them but I do have plans to check them out. I think we all can be kinder, gentler and more forgiving to ourselves. Self improvement is something that anyone can do. Some of the recall scenes in the book are somewhat detailed though not completely graphic. People who have gone through sexual abuse might want to prepare for those scenes.

I appreciate that the author includes a glossary for words that are familiar to LDS followers but may not be known to non Mormons. I also appreciate that she does not bash the church. Abuse can be found in all religions. So can good things. The Church of LDS has many good programs, especially ones aimed at families. Like all religions, though, it's leaders and teachers are human and humans are flawed. The potential for abuse to happen is in all of them. I think the author did a good job with attaching the abuse to the people and not the entire church.




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Review: Intercepted by Love: Part 1

Intercepted by Love: Part 1 by Rachelle Ayala
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wowza! Grab a cold drink and turn on a fan. Rachelle Ayala is bringing the heat!

When Cade's career turns Super Bowl disastrous, he hides out in a college town with his dog, Red. Use to having anonymous sex with many women, he isn't certain about relationships. Andie is the librarian, devoted to her parents and her dog, Gollie. She gets her romance from hot dreams of King David. Would a bad boys searing touch be able to compete with fantasies of a bad boy King? When their dogs meet and mate, Cade and Andie are tossed into each other's paths. Will they be able to move forward from their pasts to be mated, too? Only the dogs know.

This is a story that will bring tears to your eyes, giggles to your mouth and heat to other parts. Football Widows, cuddle up near your honey and those amazing snacks on a chilly, fall football afternoon . Forget the blanket. You won't need it. Warning: If you are listening to the audio version, it is sure to grab your honey's attention. Headphones may be necessary.

I was entertained by Chris Abell's performance. He contributed a lot to the fun of this audiobook with his voice. I really enjoyed the variety in pitch as well as his interpretation of character voices. I loved his enthusiasm.

This story contains sexual references and is intended for a mature audience.
It is a part of a series that does need to be read in order. This book ends with a major cliffhanger.

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Review: Hex on the Beach

Hex on the Beach by Gina LaManna
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hex on the Beach was my Facebook book club selection for June. It was my first time reading author Gina LaManna.

This was an absolutely entertaining book to read! When things take a dive for Lily, a couple of unknown eccentric aunts come to the rescue. They take Lily off to a hidden magical island, but is it a magical paradise or will it be the end of Lily? With island residents like the mysterious, handsome Ranger X, cousins as entertaining as their mothers, a cantankerous mixology teacher and a kooky grandmother Lily has a lot of support. Support she will need after the murder of first customer and jealous contenders for her job making island life difficult.

The characters in this book are awesome! The plot was enchanting. I laughed out loud. I worriedly bit my nails. I couldn't put the book down until I finished it. I can't wait to read more from this series. This book gets a definite recommendation!

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Review: Deadman's Tome: Monsters Exist

Deadman's Tome: Monsters Exist by Deadman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love books of this type. So often I find authors whose work I want to investigate further. This book was no exception. The only author I whose work I had read previously was Theresa Bruan.

I was thrilled with the stories I found in Monsters Exist. There is a good mix of stories in this book. We start with rats which nearly killed me. I have been disturbed by rats ever since I watched the movies Willard and Ben. Anyone remember those movies? My skin was crawling and i knew not even a nightlight was going to keep the fear away. The stories go on to include various thriller chillers. You are certain to find at least one story to keep you checking the floor under the bed before you get out of it. I usually pick a story or two that I found to be particularly frightening. With this book, I am truly unable to do this. I look back on them, decide on one only to remember the goosebumps another gave me and I change my mind. i enjoyed every story I read. I recommend this book to horror and campfire story fans.

Thank you to BookTasters for bringing this book to my attention. The editor provided an ecopy for review purposes. The final copy may be slightly different. All opinions are honest ones.


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