Category: New Release - 2 Girls & A Book

Review of Hauntings & Havoc by Stacey Rourke

10/25/2022

Haunted by the past, hungry for revenge,
Malaria Cain is slowly coming unhinged.
Luring her father out of hiding is her lone goal,
even if the cost is her eternal soul.
Yet darkness stirs at Crane’s Roost Inn,
causing Malaria’s sanity to grow quite thin.
A malevolent entity seeks to block her escape,
preventing her return home from taking shape.
Will her need for vengeance be her downfall?
Or will she break the Crane family curse once and for all?

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My Review

Revenge at its Finest

Hauntings & Havoc is a macabre revenge filled ending to Malaria Crane's story.

For me, this installment had Nightmare on Elm Street meets The Shinig vibes. Wait, hear me out. There is a scene where Malaria falls through the hotel and into the boiler room. The room is a steam filled nightmare as the boilers turn on and she is confronted by the Dark Lady. With the clicks of her nails, I waited with bated breath for Freddy to pop up and slide his knives down a metal railing. It could have been the Elm Street marathon I had before reading this book. And hello, haunted hotel where the guests never leave. Be still my goulish heart!

Malaria Crane is a total bad a$$ and witnessing her unleash on her father was poetic justice. Bravo Rourkes!

New Release ~ Obligation by Lexi Lawton

3/29/2022

She's obligated to him -- she's obsessed with another.
When Carissa Jordan met Danny Greene during her freshman year of college, she thought she’d found “the one.” But after suffering a shared loss, their relationship takes a nosedive. Angry and grief-ridden, Danny finds comfort in other women while becoming emotionally abusive toward Carissa. Riddled with guilt for what happened, Carissa feels obligated to Danny—after all, if she’d been more careful, she never would’ve lost their baby.

As their relationship continues to deteriorate, Carissa buries herself in college classes and pledging a sorority, where she meets the sexy and charming Bradley Moore. He’s everything Carissa didn’t know she deserved—and Bradley has his sights set on winning Carissa’s heart. But will her misplaced obligation to Danny prevent her from giving in to her intense feelings for Bradley?
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Lexi Lawton

Born and raised in Central New York, Lexi Lawton is an only child who found companionship in books. When she was old enough to put pen to paper, she began writing her own stories of love, suspense, and heartbreak. The Collins Brothers Series is her first publication—but it won’t be her last! She also writes young adult novels under the pen name Kara Leigh Miller.

Today, Lexi lives in Michigan with her husband, a herd of kids, and what could probably be considered a zoo of dogs, cats, and fish.

Author Social Media Links:
Newsletter: https://gmail.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=8d80b8a3272c24d8c7ca1e37e&id=ea2f87099c

Website: www.lexilawtonauthor.weebly.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LexiLawtonAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14041049.Lexi_Lawton

AllAuthor: https://allauthor.com/author/lexilawton/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lexi-lawton

New Release - A Familiar Magic by E.M. Rinaldi

3/29/2022

Kaya Thornton killed her best friend. On the run since the tender age of thirteen, she left the safety of her Community’s magicked walls and tried to disappear in the human world. Four years later, she’s found and dragged back kicking and screaming by Auden, her best friend’s older brother.

The second Prince of the Wardwell line is antagonistic and unforgiving, but surprisingly gentle as he forces her home to face the judgement of his father and the Council. She expected hatred and bitter punishment, not private training with a hot and cold Prince and…demonology courses?

Things are not as she left them. Her people are dying and the demon numbers are only growing. Once Witches and their Familiars are wiped out, who will stand between the Demon King and his bottomless appetite? Kaya has no intention of waiting to find out. And this time, she isn’t running.

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Review

Another 5 Star read and brilliant start to a new series from E.M. Rinaldi! I love the characters and the unique story. I've never read a book that featured a witch's familiar as both a shifter and human.

The MC Kaya is strong, beautiful, and a powerful familiar. Her attraction to Prince Auden is palpable. I thoroughly enjoyed their steamy scenes. But Kaya is much more than just a love interest. Her troubled past and broken soul make her a relatable character. Her strength is amazing.

I'm excited for this new series and to see where Rinaldi let's these characters take her Another 5 Star read and brilliant start to a new series from E.M. Rinaldi! I love the characters and the unique story. I've never read a book that featured a witch's familiar as both a shifter and human.

The MC Kaya is strong, beautiful, and a powerful familiar. Her attraction to Prince Auden is palpable. I thoroughly enjoyed their steamy scenes. But Kaya is much more than just a love interest. Her troubled past and broken soul make her a relatable character. Her strength is amazing.

I'm excited for this new series and to see where Rinaldi let's these characters take her

New Release ~ Take Her Down by Lauren Emily Whalen

3/15/2022

In this queer YA retelling of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, stakes at Augustus Magnet School are cutthroat, scheming is creative, and loyalty is ever-changing.
Overnight, Bronwyn St. James goes from junior class queen to daughter of an imprisoned felon, and she lands in the care of her aunt and younger cousin Cass, a competitive cheerleader who Bronwyn barely knows. Life gets worse when her ex-best friend, the always-cool Jude Cuthbert, ostracizes Bronwyn from the queer social elite for dating a boy, Porter Kendrick.

Bronwyn and Jude are both running for student body president, and that means war. But after Bronwyn, Porter, and Cass share a video of Jude in a compromising position, Jude suddenly goes missing. No one has seen her for weeks and it might be all Bronwyn’s fault. Will Jude ever be found? Or will Bronwyn finally have to reckon with what she’s won—and what she’s lost?

Buy links:
https://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/books/take-her-down-by-lauren-emily-whalen-3819- (digital),
https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781636790893 (paperback)

Meet Lauren Emily Whalen

Lauren Emily Whalen is a freelance writer, amateur aerialist and professional performer. She’s the author of four books for young adults: Take Her Down and Two Winters with Bold Strokes Books, as well as the nonfiction book Dealing With Drama and her debut novel, Satellite. Lauren’s short stories for teens and adults have been published in BUST Magazine as well as in three anthologies, including the holiday ghost collection Link by Link. She lives in Chicago with her cat, Rosaline, and an apartment full of books. Say hello at laurenemilywrites.com.

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Taylor's Outrageous Vow by Sara Jo Cluff

2/14/2022

If you are looking for a hilarious, fun, witty, rom-com; then look no further!

Taylor's outrageous Vow
by Sara Jo Cluff
Genre: YA ROM COM
Publisher: Monster Ivy Publishing

Seventeen-year-old Taylor Thomas wants revenge.

When her boyfriend dumps her right after a magical prom, she enrolls her best friends, Daphne and Veronica, to create a Vow of Vengeance, a list of pranks to make her douchey ex, Zander, suffer.

Nothing will distract her from messing with Zander. Not having all six of her brothers and their families come to visit. Not an over-the-top family vacation. And definitely not her brother's super hot college roommate who is staying with them. Even if he is the most gorgeous guy she’s ever seen.

As Taylor checks off the items in her outrageous vow, the pranks become way more disastrous than she ever planned, putting her friends and family at risk.

Taylor needs to get her anger in check, along with her feelings for an older guy, before she blows her chance at true love.

For fans of Clique Bait and I Believe in a Thing Called Love comes this hilarious romantic comedy

Review

If you are looking for a hilarious, fun, witty, rom-com; then look no further! Taylor's Outrageous Vow is the smashing follow up to Sara Jo Cluff's Daphne's Questionable Bet.

Xander has rudely dumped Taylor and she wants nothing more than to make him pay. Of course, her besties come to her rescue. Let the hijinks begin! Seriously, these girls give me #friendshipgoals. This book is laugh out load funny while dealing with real topics like family, love, second chances, body image, and more. Cluff takes these real world topics and makes her point through comedy but still gets the point across.

And we have to discuss the hotness that is Huntley! The cougar in this reader is coming out. Rarr! He's just so perfect. #bookboyfriend

~ Lynn
5 Stars

Meet Sara Jo Cluff

Sara Jo Cluff is a YA contemporary author. She grew up in Yorba Linda, California, but now resides in snowy Utah with her husband. She is an avid reader, jigsaw puzzle enthusiast, Netflix addict, and a member of the #PepperPack. Her writing is basically fueled by Dr Pepper.

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Cursed by Karina Espinosa

10/8/2021

Title: Cursed (Joey Santana Book 1)
Author: Karina Espinosa
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Cover Designer: Orina Kafe
Publication Date: Oct. 8^th, 2021
Hosted by: Lady Amberâ€™s PR

Blurb:
The headlines read: Human Bitten by Werewolf.

Story of my life.

The names Joey Santana and my twenty-fifth birthday didnâ€™t necessarily go as planned. In a world where supernaturals and humans live together, I was attacked and saved by none other than the Alpha of the Los Angeles Pack. But with survival came a price. And I wasnâ€™t sure if I was ready to pay it.

Fast forward and Iâ€™m waking up the next morning in some strangerâ€™s house with a half-naked man coming out of a bathroom. Awkward. And it so happens to be the Alphaâ€™s son, Reed Stone. Right off the bat, he knows Iâ€™m trouble with a capital T since there havenâ€™t been any humans turned into supes since supernaturals were outed five years ago. But if he thinks Iâ€™m going to sit back and take whatever heâ€™s got coming, heâ€™s painfully mistaken. I might have been human, but I now have canines, and I bite.

Weâ€™re forced to work together to wade through the supernatural politics and threats that await me. Our personalities clash in a battle of wills for dominance as the two of us grow closer together to solve the biggest mystery of allâ€”why the hell would my father want to kill me?

GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY!

Karina Espinosa is the Urban Fantasy Author of the Mackenzie Grey novels and The Last Valkyrie series. An avid reader throughout her life, the world of Urban Fantasy easily became an obsession that turned into a passion for writing strong leading characters with authentic story arcs. When she isn't writing badass heroines, you can find this self-proclaimed nomad in her South Florida home binge watching the latest series on Netflix or traveling far and wide for the latest inspiration for her books. Follow her on social media!

Author Links:

Web | Amazon | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Reader Group | Instagram | Bookbub

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That Pale Host by L.G. McCary

10/5/2021

That Pale Host
by L.G. McCary
Published by Monster Ivy Publishing
Release Date October 5, 2021
Genre Psychological Thriller

"One need not be a chamber to be haunted..."

Charlotte brings her baby girl home from the hospital to the usual sleep deprivation and worries of a new mom, but something else has changed. Nightmares and moving shadows fill her with dread, and something or someone seems to be watching her.

As her daughter grows, so does Charlotte's fear. Whoever is watching has a message and will do anything to make her understand.

Even tear her family, her faith, and her self apart.

Review

This was one of the hardest reviews I have had to write. I devoured That Pale Host in a day. When I closed the book I was left feeling gobsmacked. I went into this story expecting a ghost story but what I discovered was a haunting tale of depression, abuse, sacrifice, and love. The raw emotions invoked by McCary were tangible. The fear, palpable.

The story was a slow build but I couldn't put the book down once I started. Even though I am not a mother, the MC, Charolotte, resonated with me.

McCary addressed several taboo issues in the Christian world as well. She showed us that evil can lurk in even the most sacred places and within ourselves.

It's hard to review That Pale Host without including spoilers. But trust me, it's well worth the read.

4Stars
Lynn

Meet the Author

L.G. McCary is an old school Whovian (Fourth Doctor is her Doctor) and a lifelong Trekkie. She has a bachelors in psychology which means she knows enough to mess with readers’ heads but not enough to diagnose their problems. She is the wife of an Army chaplain and the homeschooling mom of four rambunctious kids.

She writes supernatural and science fiction with intense emotional cores, complex characters, and plots that twist your brain in knots. Her Christian faith fuels every creative work, whether it’s a short story about sentient snowmen or a novella about a purveyor of potions disturbing the peaceful town of Pucklechurch.

Her first novel, That Pale Host, won third place in the speculative category at the 2018 Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Foundation Awards.

Her short story, “Rendering,” was selected for the Rebirth anthology from Havok Publishing and is available on Amazon! Find L.G. on her website www.lgmccary.com.

Ravens in the Rain by Christie Santos & Jeff Santos

9/22/2021

Check out this romantic thriller from husband and wife duo, Jeff & Christie Santos!

Title: Ravens in the Rain
Authors: Christie Santos & Jeff Santo
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense,
Hardboiled Love Story
Psychological Thriller
Release Date: September 22nd, 2021

Ravens In The Rain is an unconventional noir between a woman with a past and a man with no future where love is no fairy tale. Carney and Pru, down on luck and down on love, meet over a game of chance, and the mystery of the other’s intentions, compounded by their overwhelming attraction toward each other, compels them into a game of cat and mouse. They ante up and play this game of love or survival that has you wondering who’s the villain and who’s the hero and how it will all play out. When murder is brought to their doorstep the game gets serious.

A psychological tale between a poet and a filmmaker that has even the cat wondering if it's really the mouse, what is real, and who is telling the truth. Is love on the table? Or is it life?

Married over 10-years, Christie & Jeff Santo, lucky in love, never would’ve met if Christie didn’t miss her airplane. Luckier still, when a motorcycle accident almost took their lives, it became the driving force toward their writing career together.

Coming from the independent film industry, Jeff has over 25-years of filmmaking experience, directing and writing, with memberships in both the WGA and DGA. And Christie has years of experience in editing, producing, acting, and writing. Christie has her Bachelor of Arts degree in creative writing from California State University Long Beach and has freelanced as a ghostwriter for novels.

Jeff and Christie are owners of www.SantoFilms.com. They live in Burbank, California with their two Boston Terrier dogs.

Follow: Instagram: @christiesanto @jeffsanto10
& Facebook C-Goodreads J-Goodreads Twitter BookBub

Perfect Secret by Molly McLain

9/9/2021

New Release ~ Another One Bites The Dust by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

7/6/2021

Being a witch can be complicated.
We have powers, but with limitations.
In a perfect witchy world, that works like a charm.
But the witchy world isn’t perfect.

Witches don’t always follow the rules, and when they don’t, bad things happen. Like Cassandra Bloom’s death, for starters.

Holiday Hills residents, magical and humans, were afraid of Cassandra. She was the bad witch in every fairytale, the one with the ugly wart and long, stringy gray hair. But she didn’t just look scary. She was scary.

Sure, everyone in town might feel secretly relieved Cassandra’s no longer with us, but they’re missing the bigger picture.

Cassandra didn’t die of old age. She was murdered.

And now I’ve got to figure out the why, how, and who before the killer strikes again. Until I do, no one in Holiday Hills is safe.

Catch up on the series...