Review: Unfollow Me

Unfollow Me by Charlotte Duckworth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book intrigued me with the title. Unfollow Me. I have an odd relationship with social media. Most of us probably do.
I love how you can stay in contact with family and friends who are far away. That’s what sucked me in. I had moved across the country, leaving behind everyone I knew and loved. It was lonely. Seeing everyone on social media made me feel closer to them. Like I hadn’t lost everything. I saw it as an amazing tool. Then games became big and I accepted friend request from people I didn’t know. From there, I found a book community. An introverts heaven! I still have a lot of those people on my social media. I can tell you quite a bit about them. I’m positive they can do the same. They became real friends, some very close.
A few years ago social media expanded. More options became available. I started playing on a game site, meeting people there. Writing a blog, I started reading blogs. Some were awesome. I was still innocent, though. Believing everything people said about their lives. It didn’t occur to me to lie or that others would. How can you have friendships if your lying? I did notice that some people started living glamorous lives. Some people changed. A number, the bloggers, worried about numbers of followers. Then my world was shaken. Someone I had met on the game site lied about who they were. Actually two people did and it resulted in the death of a young man. I played games with them. I didn’t question who they said they were. After that, I changed. I became more wary of the Internet. I knew people lied and it could go horribly wrong.
So when I saw this title on NetGalley, I was prepared for it to be a story about people who lie and it goes horribly wrong. I wasn’t prepared for all the twists and turns. I wasn’t prepared for how close to reality the writer was going to take us. I wasn’t exactly prepared for a thriller to give us a reality check message in the form of entertainment. Because it is a cautionary tale. We leave clues all over social media of who we are, where we live, what we have and what we want others to think we have. It is what Violet did. As an influencer, she opened the door. I’m not certain yet how I feel about her and Henry. I like Yvonne’s sense of humor. She has some of the best lines. There are also Simon, Lily and Luke. I’m not going into the story more than this. You know who the players are. You know someone lies and you know it goes wrong. There is so much, though, that you don’t know. Put this book on your TBR. It’s what you know combined with all the twisty turns that will have you turning pages.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for offering the book for review consideration. All thoughts on it are mine. I’m delighted I read this book. If I hadn’t been so busy analyzing the characters and the situations I would have probably finished it in one sitting. I’ll most likely read this again. Flawed characters and social media are a huge draw for me.



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Review: His Forever Valentine

His Forever Valentine by Kit Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoy mail order bride stories. Maybe because when I first learned of them I was fascinated with the concept of going to a new place and marrying someone you never met. I couldn’t decide if it was a grand adventure or the worst thing that could happen. I’ve been obsessed ever since. I enjoy the location of this one. I think it’s the farthest north and west I’ve read of them. I enjoy Kit Morgan’s sense of humor. The story has a love triangle going on. It presented a lot of opportunities to enjoy that sense of humor.
I wasn’t excited about the narration. He wasn’t bad. He just didn’t excite me. Over all it was a fun book for me.

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Review: Sparks and Landmarks

Sparks and Landmarks by Trixie Silvertale
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This series is such a surprise for me. When I read the first book, I wasn’t so sure about Mitzy. But every book has been solid! This book is no different, except to endear Mitzy to me even more!
Mitzy starts out a troubled girl, a bit rough around the edges. Foster care will do that to you. But now that she is settling in to her inheritance, has found her family and friends, she is overcoming her childhood. I love this series so much! Every book shows positive growth in Mitzy. Her love for her family reminds those of us who have been lucky, just how lucky we are. For those of us with family that left us yearning for love, well, she reminds us that family can be who you want it to be and it’s never too late to acquire one. Her romantic life seems to be getting a boost. Though that might get tricky as there may be two fellers in the running. I enjoy this storyline more than I should for a cozy mystery. The mystery. Ah, the mystery! Very well done. As with each of the books, the mystery is completed by the end of the book. I really found this mystery to be interesting. I like how it played out. I don’t want to say much about it so your enjoyment isn’t ruined. Though I do want to talk about it. Ah, the problem of a good book! Go. Read the book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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Review: Witches' Cat

Witches' Cat by Morgana Best
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoy Morgana Best books. They are entertaining. Witches’ Cat is part of a series. I don’t have any problem reading them out of order as everything does wrap up. However some things do flow better if you have read the prior books.
In Witches’ Cat we are back with Valkyrie, (yes I know..Pepper. I just love Valkyrie.), and her aunts. I adore her aunts! In this book an unpleasant relative has died, bringing her just as unpleasant daughter and granddaughter home. Thoughts of an inheritance will often do that. Everyone thinks it was just her time but the aunts come across some interesting information and become convinced it was murder. The dead person was not a liked person and more than one person had a reason to wish her dead. There were plenty of suspects. I loved that and the twists, turns and discoveries that had me constantly changing my mind about who did it. It was a highly entertaining book, balanced well with the mystery and a good dose of humor. I recommend reading this book, as well as, the series.

*I was given a digital copy for review consideration. I voluntarily reviewed and all opinions are my honest feelings after reading it.*

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Review: The Woman in the Car Trunk

The Woman in the Car Trunk by John Meany
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The book is about an ex husband seeking revenge on his ex wife for divorcing him. I am ambivalent about it. I went through a soon to be ex husband threatening me, and my children, with a loaded gun over the filing for divorce. It really does happen. The story, I felt, was possibly made with good intentions. As such, it brings to the table a scenario that happens too often. However, the raw emotion was missing. Trust me. The terror you feel is paralyzing. When you’re sitting in a chair with a six month old in your arms and a ten year old holding her three year old sister in hers, you are absolutely aware of everything you can’t do. You are absolutely aware the man in front of you, with the gun, has taken away any physical chance you may have had. You don’t argue. You lie. You lie worthy of an Oscar but you don’t pick a fight. You know with all your heart you pick a fight and those children are either going to die in front of you or they are going to watch you die. You don’t bring up things he did wrong. You don’t bring why you want the divorce. Their only chance is on you convincing him that the divorce is something you regret, (not a lie, as, in that moment, you are regretting with everything in you), you lying about getting back together, lying about how much he is wanted at home and how you just didn’t know how to stop it. You lie with your heart pounding so hard you are certain you will die, once the children are safe, from a heart attack. There was no raw fear. It was like it was just another argument. The only time I felt her fear was when she was in the trunk.
I don’t know the author’s experience with domestic violence. It didn’t feel to me as if he had any knowledge outside of bad movies. He made a big point of her nudity under her robe and her breast spilling out. I felt like that was there to titillate and it really bothered me. Domestic violence is a real problem. The victim may be female or male. They deserve to be treated with dignity. Most likely, in the abuse situation, they weren’t. I know I wasn’t. I can’t even begin to write out that horror. It stays with you. The memories can bring you down at any time. You can be fine and then a crying mess in a moment. I’m hoping the author wrote this to bring attention to the issue. If he did, even though it was poorly written, it earns the actual 2 1/2 stars, (I round up as I can’t actually give a 1/2). But I’m left feeling as if what I, and thousands of others, experienced was just for entertainment purposes. And that’s why I can’t give it more stars.

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Review: Girl Targeted

Girl Targeted by Val Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Girl Targeted is the author’s first book. I, of course, read the second first. I highly recommend you read this before you read Only Lies Remain. There are parts in Girl Targeted that are intense and it is heightened if you haven’t read Only Lies Remain. Though, really, I was barely breathing through one scene even with what I knew.
I like how this writer spins her stories. In this one I did use a book club book so I could make a tree to make it easier to keep track of who everyone was and how they connected. There is a lot happening that needs to be solved but those things keep me turning pages. I was up all night! I kept saying just let me see how this chapter ends; I think I got it just a few more pages; omg what! I can’t stop now; and finally, oh wow the end is here and I smell breakfast, (I can smell the coffee shop across the way). It was worth staying up and I can sleep for a bit this morning.
I like Aoife and her curiosity. I don’t like that she doesn’t always think of the danger. I have heard it said, what you don’t like in someone else may be because you don’t like it in you. I’ll leave that there. Haha. Jason had me furious. I’m not certain anyone will like him. Yet I married someone who acted like that. I really think most of us have met a Jason. After experiencing one, I hope you haven’t been up close and personal with one. If you have, I hope you made it out okay. I understand his reasonings but bad things happen to us all. It doesn’t give you the right to treat others badly. I’m torn on my feelings for Maura. Amy was once again the only character I was trusting...and she was only eight months old. Good job Ms. Collins.
I hope you didn’t think I was going to go into the plot. I’m too afraid I’ll give out spoilers. Go read the book. I hope you enjoy it!

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Review: Wings and Broken Things: Paranormal Cozy Mystery

Wings and Broken Things: Paranormal Cozy Mystery by Trixie Silvertale
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

This is the third book in the series. I have read it in the order written. I would encourage that because you will appreciate the growth of Mitzy, the main character. That growth is most noticeable in this book. I really loved how Mitzy is settling in with her “family,” which I believe is where her personal growth is coming from. By family, I am referring to more characters than her dad and ghostly Gram. Family is often people we choose. Mitzy is also becoming more comfortable with her gift and learning to use it. I have personally enjoyed the slow paced discovery and education of this part of the story. It allows me time to adjust along side of Mitzy.
There is a romance angle, of a sort. Mitzy has been smitten by a certain hot sheriff since she came to town. Aforementioned hot sheriff may, or may not, return the affection. Now, I don’t mind a background romance going on in my cozy mystery. Depending upon various factors, I don’t even mind when it goes from strike to home run in a few books. I can handle a triangle happening for a number of books that eventually goes one way or the other. (Please no stranger popping in after twenty books and that turns out to be the pick with marriage happening before the book ends. I mean we’ve gone twenty books with her debating which guy how does marry in one book someone we don’t know? But I digress. Sorry.) There is something to be said for an uncertain relationship. Mitzy and Erick have chemistry. They also don’t always see eye to eye. So will they or won’t they? I don’t know but I’m having a fun time with the dance. In this book, we have a possible new dance partner enter the scene. I’ll leave that there for you to discover how that goes. Along with a brand new mystery or two that need to be solved. I never give out anything on that. I’m too afraid to spoil your fun. Go enjoy the book!

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