Rook Dagger spent the first 15 years of her life safely tucked away in a beautiful cottage on the lake, enjoying home-cooked meals and homeschooling far away from the rest of the world. But her power couldn't be hidden forever. The time has come for her to be enrolled in Hemlock Academy, a centuries-old institution designed to cultivate and create the greatest necromancers in the world. 
The children who attend will one day be placed among the seven kingdoms of magic, serving kings and country for as long as they're needed. To harness the power surging through her veins, Rook will need guidance in the art of giving of life - and taking it away. This power makes her unique. Dangerous. Different. Her abilities could make her an unstoppable force of nature if she wasn't hung up on a boy: G Gianni - a beautiful distraction with pouty lips, pale skin, and a sharp tongue. His attention consumes her. His scent entices her. His words infuriate her. She loves to hate him. He hates to love her. And together? Well, together, they could destroy the world.

First Impressions: 
Rook Dagger is the sexiest, coolest name ever! She sounds like she should be a PI instead of a student.

Want to make a fictional character even hotter? Give him a one letter name!
G oozes sex appeal.

I want to visit the town of Hawthorn! A town full of various paranormal and fantasy creatures, oh yeah, I'm there!

*****************************************************************************************
The characters in Hemlock are fun, sassy, and sexy. My only complaint is that I found them eerily similar to the cast of 13 Ways to Midnight (also by this author). The story definitely has undertones of 13WYTM and Twilight. Now that's not a thing. I LOVE 13WTM. #TeamAsher all the way. But it would have been nice to not feel like I was with the same characters in a different setting. Will that stop me from continuing the series when the next book releases? Absolutely not. I'm invested and I enjoy this trope.

Moving on to the narration. I have never experienced an audiobook with such a diverse ensemble. I loved the unique quality each person lent to bringing the story to life. All the different accents were great too. However, in terms of production, it seemed obvious some of the male narration was added in. It didn't flow seamlessly. I only noticed it a few times. 

Overall, I enjoyed the story and the narration. I look forward to hearing this cast do the next book.

If you are looking for an edge of your seat psychological thriller, look no further than Mary Gray's The Girl At The Hanging Tree. ~ Lynn 

Gemma Louise Coldiron has two personalities. One is herself - easygoing, curious, and travel-hungry. The other is a dictatorial other half named Tansy, who only lets Gemma come out of their Victorian mansion to do the shopping every two weeks.

Gemma also has amnesia, and Tansy’s too busy painting macabre art to be forthcoming about their past. The town speaks to Gemma about a “Mr. Hardin”, and it doesn’t take her long to learn she was married to the oil tycoon before he mysteriously went missing.

While Gemma begs Tansy to tell her more about their life with the handsome stranger, Gemma soon learns that the town harbors a secret society. And Mr. Hardin? He was the leader.
​
If Gemma can’t figure out what happened while maintaining her volatile relationship with Tansy, the town will assume Gemma killed Mr. Hardin - and even more alters will take root in Gemma’s already crowded mind.
An acutely observed modern-day psychological thriller that plunges into the daunting abyss of mental illness, community indoctrination, and cult group-mind.

I love reliving books I previously read with audiobooks. Sometimes I get a better understanding of the story and a new found appreciation when I hear it. That was definitely the case with What Lurks Below. ~ Lynn

At Colony, no one knows where the children came from. No one talks about how they were babies when they were ripped from their parents to be raised in the Tin Can.
No one knows, that is, except Amelia. At 13, Amelia remembers a mother who loved her. She remembers fresh peaches and ice cream - not the calorically rationed food that tastes like stagnant swamp water and chemicals.
Desperate to hold on to her memories, Amelia shares her past with her younger brother, Alex. She teaches him about the reality of The Garden and its power to provide safety and love. 
Soon, Alex learns that life at Colony is more dangerous than he thought. He spies an enormous, black...something...lurking in the water, while no one seems to notice it at all.
Fear of the creature has Alex thrashing his sheets in bed. His marks drop, and Council insists on Amelia telling them what is wrong. Amelia tries to keep up appearances, but Council refuses to believe her and locks her up.
If Amelia isn't willing to forgo the love she felt and the life she had back then, Council will throw her in the water to meet whatever it is that lurks below the Tin Can.
For fans of The Giver, this dystopian-charged fantasy will show listeners the valiance of holding on to one's beliefs and the value of true sibling love.

​One of the best audiobooks I have listened too.
5 STARS
​
I previously read What Lurks Below by Jordan Thompson but it was a whole new experience hearing it narrated by Delaney Hagy. With her articulate and haunting prose, Hagy brought this story to life. I was lost in Thompson's story all over again.

The shadows and the Bewilder in the forest were beautifully written and one of my favorite parts of the story. I loved Amelia's rebellious nature. She was a hauntingly broken character with a fierce loyalty to Alex.

Well written, deeply developed characters brought this middle grade dystopian leaping out from its pages (and speakers).

​

• By: Eric R. Asher
• Narrated by: Joel L Froomkin
• Length: 2 hrs and 47 mins
• Unabridged Audiobook
• Release date: 04-02-21
• Language: English
• Publisher: Eric R. Asher

A sanctuary under attack. An enemy closing in. Mason Dixon is all that stands between the cryptids and extinction.
The Orchard has been a safe haven for cryptids...until now. The organization known as DEMON is on a mission to round up every last creature for terrible experiments. As the cameras roll, Mason and his team must turn to one of their most dangerous rivals - Momo, the Missouri Monster - in a last-ditch attempt at a rescue.
Little do they know something far more dangerous awaits at the refuge. An ancient creature lurks in the shadows, waiting to unleash a power greater than anything Mason’s crew has seen.
If they aren’t careful, the cryptids they fought to protect might not be the only ones facing extinction.

​I love Joel Froomkin as Mason Dixon! Joel brings the story crashing through my speakers to deliver a phenomenal experience.

The New Templars series from Eric Asher is fun and lively. I adore the quick witted characters and wild creatures in each installment. Th Gowrow's Last Stand has been by far the most action packed thrill ride - and that is saying something. 

2020 was hands down the craziest year ever but quarantine life gave me the opportunity to explore new things.  Turns out I'm crafty. I posted several DIY projects on my author page - Lynn Shaw Author. Oh, and I wrote a book with Melanie Gilbert! We hope to have it published in 2021. I read 97 books in 2020 - that's 15 more than 2019.  Apparently quarantine life agrees with me. So without further ado let's check out my Favorite Reads of 2020.
​

First Blood Trilogy by Heather Karn 
Free in KU 

Clearview Academy by Amy Richie 
​Free in KU 

What Rachel Did by Kelly Martin 
​Wide Release 

Filler Friend by Sara Jo Cluff
​Free in KU 

​Friendships aren't worth the drama.

After a catastrophic friendship, Elinora decides that having any relationship isn’t worth the heartbreak. Her parents still want her to socialize, so she starts her Filler Friend operation, unbeknownst to them. She’ll fill-in as a friend for anyone at school, whether it’s getting a gamer out of the house or being a plus one at their parent’s boring work party.

When a client becomes a regular, the lines of fiction and reality begin to blur, making Elinora unsure of what she really wants. Adding to the confusion, she’s slowly falling for the cute guy she met at the library. Before the operation blows up in her face, Elinora will have to decide if friendship and love are worth the risk, or if she’s better off shutting out the world forever.

A coming of age story about finding friendship, learning to love, and figuring what kind of person you want to be. Filled with humor, heartache, acceptance, and family values.

Of The Blood (Heir of Blood & Fire Bk1) by Cameo Ranae 
Produced by The Audio Flow  Narrated by Natalie Naudus 
Wide Release 

The Girl at the Hanging Tree by Mary Gray
​Wide Release 

I have been gushing about this book for 6 months. I read an ARC in August and was absolutely blown away. Gray takes on several hot button topics including mental illness and racism but handles them all in a dignified manor. This story is thought provoking. It left me in the throws of a serious book hangover. I love it so much I own 2 copies - paperback and hardcover! I am also gifting one papberback copy to a lucky fan on my YouTube Channel.  Watch my video for more info.  (YouTube Link - https://youtu.be/7zg2MssBOZ8) Winner to be announced 1/15/21 on FB and YouTube.

Gemma Louise Coldiron has two personalities. One is herself—easygoing, curious, and travel-hungry. The other is a dictatorial other half named Tansy, who only lets Gemma come out of their Victorian mansion to do the shopping every two weeks.Gemma also has amnesia, and Tansy’s too busy painting macabre art to be forthcoming about their past. The town speaks to Gemma about a “Mr. Hardin,” and it doesn’t take her long to learn she was married to the oil tycoon before he mysteriously went missing.

While Gemma begs Tansy to tell her more about their life with the handsome stranger, Gemma soon learns that the town harbors a secret society. And Mr. Hardin? He was the leader.

If Gemma can’t figure out what happened while maintaining her volatile relationship with Tansy, the town will assume Gemma killed Mr. Hardin—and even more alters will take root in Gemma’s already crowded mind.
​
​An acutely observed modern-day psychological thriller that plunges into the daunting abyss of mental illness, community indoctrination, and cult group-mind.

LustThe Sinners Series Book 2
by Daniele Lanzanrotta
Narrated by Jason Clark, Cindy Kay, Tim Paige
Length 4 hrs 19 min
Published by The Audio Flow
Released 8/24/20

After suffering a few life-altering losses, Caden Remington didn’t want to go through that pain ever again.  
Once he joined "them", his wish was granted - he would feel nothing but lust. From that moment, he buried his past and didn’t look back. It wasn’t until after he met Rebecca and began to have unexplainable feelings for her that he started to regret his choice. 
They may be falling for one another, but in a world where dark magic prevails, and wishes can be turned into nightmares, will their feelings be enough or will their choices continue to haunt them?

​Audiobook Review
Story   5 Stars
Performance  5 Stars
Overall  5 Stars

As I sit down to type this review I filled with a wide range of emotions - hurt, love, anger; just to name a few. Rebecca and Caden's love story is fraught with obstacles and pain.  Their story took me on a roller coaster of emotions. Lust has twist I never saw coming! And that ending!

The narrators, Jason Clarke, Cindy Kay, and Tim Paige, do a superb job bringing the story and emotions to life. 

​~ Lynn

Book 1...
Liam and his childhood best friend Rebecca were raised in a small town. Now living in the city, as roommates, they encounter more challenges than the average college student.

When faced with the reality of having to quit school and move back home, Liam and Rebecca get an odd invitation to move into a mansion with a group of extremely wealthy guys from the college. Liam knows it’s all too good to be true, but he gives into Rebecca’s pleas to take the offer until they get back on their feet.

Weeks turn into months, and as Liam discovers the truth of what happens within those walls and Rebecca finds herself in the middle of a dangerous game between lust and envy, their lives quickly spiral out of control.

​The Sinners was an interesting look at a secret society of dark magic. I found the premise to the story intriguing. And that shocking ending left me dying for more! Narrators Cindy Kay and Jason Clarke were excellent at bringing the story to life. The author Daniele Lanzarotta created a diverse and complicated cast of players. I have a love/hate relationship with them all. I didn't know what to expect going into the story but Lanzarotta definitely snagged herself a new fan!

​Author: Mckayla Eaton
Narrator: Becci Martin
Length: 6 hours 17 minutes
Series: The Demon Summoner Trilogy, Book 1
Publisher: Mckayla Eaton
Released: Jun. 18, 2020
Genre: YA Fantasy

​On an empty baseball diamond in a quiet Toronto suburb, a demon has been summoned.

Seventeen-year-old Alton is miles away, just wishing he had a tutor he didn’t outsmart or outmatch. His prayers are answered when Professor Victor Orvius makes an unexpected visit, offering to teach Alton magic without the restrictions. The only condition is that he follow Orvius’ rules and not ask too many questions.
Alton soon discovers he’s not Orvius’ only student. Reagan is a competitive young witch with a bad attitude and talent for sarcasm. Their personalities clash, causing trouble for both on more than one occasion, until they realize a greater threat than being one-upped.

The demon threatens not only their chances at passing their magic finals—it threatens their lives. If Alton and Reagan can’t learn to get along, they could be facing their deaths…or an eternity together, trapped in another realm.

​Audiobook Review 
Overall 4
Story  4
Performance 5

Let me begin by saying that I enjoyed this story. The only thing that bugged me is that the author makes it a point to tell the reader this is not a Harry Potter type magic stories and goes on to point out the differences. Did the story strike a HP cord with me? Yes, but only slightly. There are major differences. Was it necessary for the author to blatantly point out the differences? No, and yet she did. Moving on.

Summoned is a fast-paced YA book about teenage witches and warlocks who are tutored in groups of two in the craft. Reagan and Alton are brought together to be trained by Victor Orvius. But Orvius has some strange teaching methods and is harboring a dark secret as to why he brought Reagan and Alton together. But Reagan is perhaps concealing the biggest secret of all. 

Summoned has a unique story arc. The characters are well defined and intense. One of my favorite parts of the story is the goats on the roof. I will be checking out the next book in this series.

The narrator Becci Martin did a great job bringing this story to life. I especially enjoyed her portrayal of Reagen. 

​Mckayla Eaton is an author and book-lover living and writing in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She writes fantasy and science fiction and aims to build worlds that push the imagination of readers. She was raised on Indiana Jones and Fairy Tales and strongly believes every story ought to be an adventure story. She likes tragedies and happily-ever-afters and refuses to believe the two are mutually exclusive.

​Becci Martin has been voice acting professionally since the early twenty-teens, but she's been entertaining smaller audiences of family and friends with her spirited storytelling since she was a little kid.  Between projects you can find her traveling with her husband and adventure-loving dogs, boldly puzzling newspaper crosswords in pen, or playing bartender for establishment patrons and houseguests alike.  She currently calls Kansas City home.

Audiobook Review 
Overall 4
Story  4
Performance 5

Let me begin by saying that I enjoyed this story. The only thing that bugged me is that the author makes it a point to tell the reader this is not a Harry Potter type magic stories and goes on to point out the differences. Did the story strike a HP cord with me? Yes, but only slightly. There are major differences. Was it necessary for the author to blatantly point out the differences? No, and yet she did. Moving on.

Summoned is a fast-paced YA book about teenage witches and warlocks who are tutored in groups of two in the craft. Reagan and Alton are brought together to be trained by Victor Orvius. But Orvius has some strange teaching methods and is harboring a dark secret as to why he brought Reagan and Alton together. But Reagan is perhaps concealing the biggest secret of all. 

Summoned has a unique story arc. The characters are well defined and intense. One of my favorite parts of the story is the goats on the roof. I will be checking out the next book in this series.

The narrator Becci Martin did a great job bringing this story to life. I especially enjoyed her portrayal of Reagen. ​

About the Narrator: Becci Martin
Becci Martin has been voice acting professionally since the early twenty-teens, but she's been entertaining smaller audiences of family and friends with her spirited storytelling since she was a little kid.  Between projects you can find her traveling with her husband and adventure-loving dogs, boldly puzzling newspaper crosswords in pen, or playing bartender for establishment patrons and houseguests alike.  She currently calls Kansas City home.
Website⎮Instagram
​

​Knock…Knock…
When Emma finds a dead body on her porch with her name written on the dead man's hand she uncovers a sinister clue to the mystery that has haunted her since childhood.

FBI agent Emma Griffin is sent undercover to the small sleepy town of Feathered Nest to uncover the truth behind the strings of disappearances that has left the town terrified.
To Emma there is nothing that can lay buried forever. Even though her own childhood has been plagued by deaths and disappearances.
Her mother’s death, her father’s disappearance, and her boyfriend’s disappearance. The only cases that she hasn’t solved.
Her obsession with finding out the truth behind her past was what led her to join the FBI.

Now, she must face what may be her biggest case. In Cabin 13 there lies an uneasy feeling. The feeling of her movements being watched.
When a knock on her door revealed a body on her porch and her name written on a piece of paper in the dead man’s hand. Suddenly her worlds collide.
With the past still haunting her, Emma must fight past her own demons to stop the body count from rising.
The woods have secrets. And this idyllic town has dark and murderous ones.
Either she reveals them or risk them claiming her too.

In Feathered Nest, nothing is what it seems.
The Girl in Cabin 13 is about to find out that the dead may have secrets of their own.

​On an empty baseball diamond in a quiet Toronto suburb, a demon has been summoned.

Seventeen-year-old Alton is miles away, just wishing he had a tutor he didn’t outsmart or outmatch. His prayers are answered when Professor Victor Orvius makes an unexpected visit, offering to teach Alton magic without the restrictions. The only condition is that he follow Orvius’ rules and not ask too many questions.
Alton soon discovers he’s not Orvius’ only student. Reagan is a competitive young witch with a bad attitude and talent for sarcasm. Their personalities clash, causing trouble for both on more than one occasion, until they realize a greater threat than being one-upped.

The demon threatens not only their chances at passing their magic finals—it threatens their lives. If Alton and Reagan can’t learn to get along, they could be facing their deaths…or an eternity together, trapped in another realm.

​Audiobook Review 
Overall 4
Story  4
Performance 5

Let me begin by saying that I enjoyed this story. The only thing that bugged me is that the author makes it a point to tell the reader this is not a Harry Potter type magic stories and goes on to point out the differences. Did the story strike a HP cord with me? Yes, but only slightly. There are major differences. Was it necessary for the author to blatantly point out the differences? No, and yet she did. Moving on.

Summoned is a fast-paced YA book about teenage witches and warlocks who are tutored in groups of two in the craft. Reagan and Alton are brought together to be trained by Victor Orvius. But Orvius has some strange teaching methods and is harboring a dark secret as to why he brought Reagan and Alton together. But Reagan is perhaps concealing the biggest secret of all. 

Summoned has a unique story arc. The characters are well defined and intense. One of my favorite parts of the story is the goats on the roof. I will be checking out the next book in this series.

The narrator Becci Martin did a great job bringing this story to life. I especially enjoyed her portrayal of Reagen. 

​A monstrous fate will turn a girl into a legend.

On an island in Lake Obersee, where The Sisters of St. Gertrude abide, a destitute Moor named Durra arrives. Sold for taxes, she and her two companions tend to the nuns and their collection of cats. At night, she combs the library for details on the order, the remote island, and the beasts howling outside her window.

But when a prank reveals the sisters’ gruesome secret, Durra is forced to accept a new fate. Bestowed an unearthly power, she must choose between life as a nun or living among the monsters beyond the convent walls.

Her path is about to change the tide in the ultimate war. The war between good and evil

​Alexandrea Weis weaves religion and myth into a brand new werewolf legend in Sisters of the Moon. From its mysterious dark and foreboding island, to a convent full of beautiful young nuns and clowder of cats roaming the halls, this story had me hooked from page one. SOTM is sure to become a horror classic.

​Once they have you, you don’t come back…

They say it took one hundred magical beings to defeat the first Arcanist. Great care was taken to ensure the secret to his malevolent power died with him. Now the brutal reign of the Arcanist has become little more than a scary bedtime story. And yet, the descendants of his loyal followers are sworn to find a way to bestow his dark magic upon another. If they succeed, they’ll unleash a new terror upon an unsuspecting world.

Every six months a seemingly random group of magical beings go missing from the same location and are never seen again. If an investigation doesn’t begin now, it could be another six months before there is another chance. Consumed by the hunt for a cult of dark witches and their impossibly powerful leader, Jen and her friends are hesitant to take on yet another mystery, but if they don’t, who will?

Magic Conquered is Book Four in the Urban Fantasy series, Rise of the Arcanist, featuring vampires, elementals, witches, and more. It is a New Adult spin-off of USA Today Bestselling author Elizabeth Kirke’s award-winning More than Magic series. If you like your paranormal with a dash of mystery and suspense, make Magic Conquered yours today!

Rise of the Arcanist is a six-book serial, with each installment releasing a month apart. You do *not have to read the original More than Magic trilogy to enjoy it.*

​Gemma Louise Coldiron has two personalities. One is herself—easygoing, curious, and travel-hungry. The other is a dictatorial other half named Tansy, who only lets Gemma come out of their Victorian mansion to do the shopping every two weeks.

Gemma also has amnesia, and Tansy’s too busy painting macabre art to be forthcoming about their past. The town speaks to Gemma about a “Mr. Hardin,” and it doesn’t take her long to learn she was married to the oil tycoon before he mysteriously went missing.

While Gemma begs Tansy to tell her more about their life with the handsome stranger, Gemma soon learns that the town harbors a secret society. And Mr. Hardin? He was the leader.

If Gemma can’t figure out what happened while maintaining her volatile relationship with Tansy, the town will assume Gemma killed Mr. Hardin—and even more alters will take root in Gemma’s already crowded mind.

An acutely observed modern-day psychological thriller that plunges into the daunting abyss of mental illness, community indoctrination, and cult group-mind.

​Elizabeth Kirke hasn't officially revealed the cover or blurb for the next Rise of the Arcanist book but if you hope over to Amazon you can preorder it.

Be on the look out next week for info from Stacey Rourke about Book 3 in her Fear The Reaper series.

Where will you be when all hail breaks loose?

When a mysterious new player wields a deadly storm to force the men in black into lockdown, teens Eric and Bridget are suddenly separated. With Bridget on the inside and Eric on the outside, the two race to beat the clock and open the doors before the suits make the ultimate sacrifice to prevent the base from falling into the wrong hands. 
​
Get ready for a quirky thrill ride full of spunky book blogger rants, sneaky twists, liberally-used nicknames, smoldering smirks from Mothman, and even a hippy vampire. Hold on kiddos, it's Mothman verses the Weather Machine! 

I enjoyed this installment in the Mothman Mysteries a lot better than book 1. Why? Two words - nonstop action! This one was a nail biter.

Michael Nola was great as the narrator. The urgency of the story really came across in his narration.