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Harper Unhinged by Jo Cassidy

4/6/2021

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I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this series. I didn't think it would be my cup of tea. I could not have been more wrong! ~ Lynn
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Seventeen-year-old Harper Chandler thought she'd seen the last of terrorist Wyatt Mitchell after he'd been locked up for his long list of crimes, including the murder of her nettlesome and completely clueless neighbor.

Boy, was she wrong.

When a suspicious man shows up at her mother's funeral, Harper takes matters into her own hands to find out what he wants, leading her to prison where she meets face-to-face with her number one enemy, Wyatt. Though Wyatt can't be trusted, when he claims knowledge of an upcoming terrorist attack bigger than Harper can ever imagine, she and her colleagues at Dogwood Protection Services (DPS) can't turn a blind eye.

Their mission takes DPS to the new capital of the U.S., Las Vegas. As Harper tries to uncover the terrorist plot, she must battle the uncharted territory of grief, along with her wavering feelings for her boyfriend and a nagging sensation that they're missing a big piece of the puzzle.

If Harper can't get her emotions in check and learn to trust her instincts, thousands of lives will be lost, along with her relationships with everyone she holds dear.
 ​

BUY HERE

Review

Harper is a teenage Le Femme Nikita and James Bond all rolled into one! The book is a non-stop action thriller that left me so hyped up that I had to force myself to put down the book and sleep. I can't wait to read more in this series!

New to the series?

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​After the war of 2098, the United States is a chaotic mess. Terrorism abounds, and the government isn’t doing a very good job of keeping the people safe.

Dogwood Protection Services, DPS, takes matters into their own hands. Using the best technology and agents, they track down and stop terrorists before they can do their damage.

Sixteen-year-old Harper Chandler is one of DPS’s biggest assets. She’s small, nimble, cunning, and willing to break a few laws to stop an attack. Like breaking into a classmate’s house where he catches her, almost blowing the vigilante operation wide open.

In order to keep things under wraps, Harper is forced to get close to Akiro—who just so happens to be extremely hot and very into Harper. As she and Akiro grow closer, Harper must continue to spy on his father to figure out why he keeps showing up in the DPS database, all while working a stalker case for the most powerful woman in San Diego.

As she draws nearer to answers, Harper realizes the stalker will stop at nothing to keep her from uncovering the catastrophic truth.

If Harper can’t piece everything together in time, lives—and her relationship with Akiro—will be lost.

For fans of Batman and Marie Lu.

BUY HERE

Meet The Author

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Jo Cassidy is a YA thriller author who loves all things creepy. Bates Motel and Criminal Minds are two of her favorite shows. Her thrillers consist of paranormal, psychological, and contemporary. She can’t wait to get her books into the world! She hopes her characters creep you out … in a good way.
Cassidy's alter (real?) ego is Sara Jo Cluff. That side of her writes bingeable contemporary.
She grew up in Yorba Linda, California, near the Happiest Place on Earth, but now lives in Utah with her husband and crazy cats. They’ll see where life takes them next!

FB: ​https://www.facebook.com/jo.cassidy.370

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I Will Bury You by Brandy Nacole

4/1/2021

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​Initial reaction to finishing I WILL BURY YOU by Brandy Nacole:
Holy crap! O M G that ending... Mic Drop! It's early but this might be my favorite book of 2021.

Author Brandy Nacole has outdone herself and set the bar pretty high for anything else she writes in the future. This story is a twisted psychological thriller that just kept getting more complex with each chapter. You are going to want to read it multiple times to try and pick it all apart.
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​My mind is not my own.

I look in the mirror, and don’t recognize the girl staring back with cruel eyes and a malicious grin.

She’s after me.
I know it.

Even with my grip on sanity slipping, I’m determined to stay awake and prove her existence. But the darkness is closing in.

Long shadows stretch across the ground.

With the body count rising around me, I’m left with only one choice. Who I once was no longer matters. Survival depends on embracing this nightmarish new existence and fighting my way to the dawn.

From International Bestselling Author, Brandy Nacole, comes a chilling Young Adult thriller sure to leave readers gasping!
Buy Here


​Meet the Author 

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​Brandy Nacole is a writer of paranormal suspense and mystery. She's penned the bestselling novel DEEP IN THE HOLLOW, THE SHADOW WORLD TRILOGY and MURDER IS A DEBATE.

She loves keeping readers on the edge of their seats as that's where she likes to stay. Her favorite pastimes are reading, writing, exploring the world, and spending as much time with her husband, kids, and fur babies as possible. If Brandy can’t be found, it’s okay, she’s not lost. She’s frolicking in the woods somewhere and will return for tacos eventually.


You can find Brandy Nacole on:
Her website: www.brandynacole.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/brandy_nacole_
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorbrandynacole

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Fake Nora by Kelly Martin

3/2/2021

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Happy release day, Kelly Martin! 
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Fake Nora by Kelly Martin 
Published by Monster Ivy,
March 2, 2021
Buy Here
Fake Nora
by Kelly Martin
The sign over the covered antique mirror said DO NOT TOUCH. Twelve-year-old Nora wished she had listened.
 
Mirrors reflect what is in front of them, but what happens behind the glass-to the reflections themselves? Nora finds out when her own reflection, aka Fake Nora, changes places with her one night. Nora is shoved in a place that looks exactly like her house with no echoes, dull lights, and muted sounds. It isn't her home at all, simply a shell of a place she loves.
 
Fake Nora is living her best life in Nora's house, feeding on the fear of her little brother while no one else at the house knows anything is wrong.
 
Inside "reflectionland," Nora meets thirteen-year-old Jesse, who has been stuck in his mirror since the forties, and he warns her that they aren't alone in the house. There are others sneaking around, known as the bad ones-spirits of people who gave up after vanishing in the mirror.
 
Refusing to stay a reflection forever, Nora conjures a plan to escape, but Fake Nora isn't about to give up her life in Nora's home. And Jesse? He could become a bad one forever.

Lynn's Review 

​As if urban legends haven't given us enough reasons to be terrified of mirrors, Martin's FAKE NORA is sure to leave us clamoring to cover them all.

If Stephen King wrote MG horror, I imagine it would go something like this.

Martin has wowed fans for years with her spooky, creeptastic chills for adults, and now she is ensnaring the preteens too

Fangirl Thursday& Giveaway

Join me and Kelly on March 4th at 7:30PM EST for a LIVE Q&A. I will be giving away a paperback of Fake Nora to a lucky participant. 
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#FangirlThursday ~ Daphne's Questionable Bet by Sara Jo Cluff

2/4/2021

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Join me tonight at 7:30PM EST to chat with author Sara Jo Cluff. We will be LIVE on 2 Girls & A Book. ~ Lynn 
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Daphne's Questionable Bet
By Sara Jo Cluff
Published by: Monster Ivy
Released: Feb. 2/2021
Genre: YA romance
Some rivalries never die.
​​When sixteen-year-old Daphne Richards moves from Utah back to California, she's excited by the prospect of being reunited with her childhood best friend. But her excitement quickly dies when she learns her mom's high school rival lives next door—with a daughter the same age as Daphne.

​Sierra Winters is a chip off the old block. Eager to redeem her mother’s name, Sierra offers Daphne a simple challenge: Who can get the gorgeous and charming Bentley Anderson to ask her to prom?

​Confident in her ability, and unable to turn down a challenge, Daphne takes the bet. Both girls quickly go to work, doing everything in their powers to woo Bentley—while sabotaging the other. Only, another guy at school quickly catches Daphne’s eye, and her ever-building anxiety mounts when a picture involving Care Bear underwear risks getting out.

​If Daphne can't sift through her emotions and figure out how to handle the bet, she'll not only risk social suicide … but the chance at true love.

​For fans of Kasie West and Jenny Han, DAPHNE’S QUESTIONABLE BET is a YA Romantic Comedy full of cringe-worthy moments and heart-stopping romance.
​

Lynn's Review

​"A questionable bet, a scandalous photo, a stalker, and a lion fountain" pretty much sums up the fantastic story of Daphne's Questionable Bet by Sara Jo Cluff. This YA rom-com had me laughing and crying. Daphne is such a relatable character no matter your age. As a woman of 35 years and holding (haha) Daphne brought back memories from my school years. No matter the decade, bullies seem to evolve, like that weed I can't seem to fully get rid of in the yard. Daphne truly handles herself with grace and dignity. I would not have (and did not in real life) managed to reign my wrath nearly as long as she did. But this isn't just a story about bullying. Oh, no. It's about friendships, finding love, and always being true to yourself. I laughed so much reading this book. Daphne dances to the beat of her own drum and we could all learn a little something from her.

Sara Jo Cluff

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​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.

Stalk Sara

FACEBOOK/TWITTER/INSTAGRAM/WEBSITE
NEWSLETTER/AMAZON

Other works...

I read Filler Friend in December and loved it! You can find a complete list of Sara's books on Amazon.
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​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.

Sara writes middle-grade books too!
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​Why be a superhero when you could be the trusty sidekick?

If Peter Pan had a brother who couldn’t fly, was a little less arrogant, and was stuck in the U.S. instead of Neverland, it would be Cotton Wyley, the boy stuck at age ten.

Over the years, Cotton has come to realize his personality and tiny body make him a better sidekick than super hero, and he’s totally okay with it. In fact, he rocks it. So when trouble comes his way, he’s ready to save the day. Aside from rescuing students in peril, Cotton has two huge problems. First, his sixth-great nephew, whom he now calls Father, is a confirmed bachelor and refuses to have kids, so Cotton needs to find a future guardian to help keep his immortality a secret. Second, his best friend, the big, strong hero, is avoiding his foster home. He won’t talk to Cotton about his situation, so Cotton uses his not-so-subtle snooping abilities to try to figure out what’s going on.

Cotton must don his side-kick cape to rescue his friend and find a new guardian, or else his friend may come away with more than bruises and Cotton’s secret immortal life will be exposed, taking the control of his life out of his hands.

A fun superhero and sidekick story for all ages, filled with humor, action, adventure, and the true meaning of family.

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#FangirlThursday ~ January Wrap Up

1/28/2021

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Deep Within by Heather Mullins

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​Angelo Baldoni is no stranger to violence. As a Veteran Homicide Detective for Detroit he has seen his fair share of crime. After coming to terms with the loss of his fiancé, he has a new look on life and a new relationship blossoming.

When bodies start popping up all over Detroit, Angelo and Bobby are sent to solve a new string of murders. But things are not always what they seem, and Angelo is put into a position that forces him to step out of the box. Trying to save his best friend’s career and life he does the only thing he can think of to get to the bottom of the grave.

Having to go deep undercover to catch a killer tests everything Angelo has ever believed in. Will he be able to keep his identity hidden and his sanity intact or will he end up sleeping with the fishes?

Review - 4 stars

​I have been devouring crime thrillers this month. Deep Within is written in the vein of Lyndee Walker, Carolyn Ridder Aspenson, and James Patterson just to name a few. I love the knowledge and depth Mullins poured into this book. Filled with twists, I was guessing right of till the end. And that ending! Thankfully the next book is available.
BUY HERE

Damaging Secrets by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

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​Damaging Secrets, the first book of her newest crime thriller series, is an engaging story of corruption and cover-up that you won’t soon forget.

New to town and a little rough around the edges, Detective Rachel Ryder finds herself on the receiving end of a suspicious person’s call in Hamby, Georgia. When the call turns out to be a dead body, the medical examiner is quick to rule the death a suicide. But was it something more sinister?

Everyone in the small department believes the case is closed—except for Rachel. The sudden passing of a local politician during the mayor’s run for Congress strikes her as a little too coincidental, and Rachel is eager to follow her instincts. Her partner, Rob, a 30-year veteran, isn’t the type to disobey his boss or ruffle any feathers, but he can’t convince strong-willed Rachel to let it go.

Obsessed with finding out the truth, Rachel begins to examine the evidence and drags her reluctant partner along for the ride. But the clues are confusing. Nothing is adding up.

Puzzled and running out of time, Rachel and Rob rush to work every angle and bring the elusive killer to justice before someone else ends up dead.

Review _ 5 stars

​I am a huge fan of Carolyn Ridder Aspenson's work and I'm loving this darker, grittier side! Back in the day, I devoured the Alex Cross series from James Patterson and I am happy to report that I have found a similar character to stalk in Rachel Ryder.
Available in Kindle Unlimited 
BUY HERE

Fake Nora by Kelly Martin 

Releases March 2nd  Preorder Now
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​The sign over the covered antique mirror said DO NOT TOUCH. Twelve-year-old Nora wished she had listened.

Mirrors reflect what is in front of them, but what happens behind the glass-to the reflections themselves? Nora finds out when her own reflection, aka Fake Nora, changes places with her one night. Nora is shoved in a place that looks exactly like her house with no echoes, dull lights, and muted sounds. It isn’t her home at all, simply a shell of a place she loves.

Fake Nora is living her best life in Nora’s house, feeding on the fear of her little brother while no one else at the house knows anything is wrong.

Inside “reflectionland,” Nora meets thirteen-year-old Jesse, who has been stuck in his mirror since the forties, and he warns her that they aren’t alone in the house. There are others sneaking around, known as the bad ones-spirits of people who gave up after vanishing in the mirror.

Refusing to stay a reflection forever, Nora conjures a plan to escape, but Fake Nora isn’t about to give up her life in Nora’s home. And Jesse? He could become a bad one forever.

Review- 5 stars

​As if urban legends haven't given us enough reasons to be terrified of mirrors, Martin's FAKE NORA is sure to leave us clamoring to cover them all.

If Stephen King wrote MG horror, I imagine it would go something like this.

Martin has wowed fans for years with her spooky, creeptastic chills for adults, and now she is ensnaring the preteens too
BUY HERE

The Sidekick Chronicles - Sixx & The Beginning by Becca Vincenza

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My plan was simple—blend into the background, blissfully unnoticed, until graduation. Wallflower life suited me just fine... until Anastasia came to town.

The guys fawn over her.

The girls hate her.

Me?
I’m just trying to get through the day.

That last part proves to be a challenge when I have a run-in with an enormous wolf. I would have been a goner, had Anastasia not swooped in to save my life with her superhuman abilities. In true bumbling dork fashion, I returned the kindness by ruining hers.

Strap in, and hold on tight, for the epic tale of how I became Sixx Reynolds - begrudging sidekick.

Review - 5 stars

​I flew through this action-packed thrill ride opening to Becca Vincenza's new series. I can't wait to read the next installment.

This new series has all my favorite things - fae, werewolves, hot guys, kick-butt hero - and that is just the prequel!

Sixx is amazing as Ana's sidekick. Seriously, most of us could totally be Sixx in this situation. Love her!
Available in Kindle Unlimited 
BUY HERE

Harper by Jo Cassidy

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After the war of 2098, the United States is a chaotic mess. Terrorism abounds, and the government isn’t doing a very good job of keeping the people safe.Dogwood Protection Services, DPS, takes matters into their own hands. Using the best technology and agents, they track down and stop terrorists before they can do their damage.
Sixteen-year-old Harper Chandler is one of DPS’s biggest assets. She’s small, nimble, cunning, and willing to break a few laws to stop an attack. Like breaking into a classmate’s house where he catches her, almost blowing the vigilante operation wide open.
In order to keep things under wraps, Harper is forced to get close to Akiro—who just so happens to be extremely hot and very into Harper. As she and Akiro grow closer, Harper must continue to spy on his father to figure out why he keeps showing up in the DPS database, all while working a stalker case for the most powerful woman in San Diego.
As she draws nearer to answers, Harper realizes the stalker will stop at nothing to keep her from uncovering the catastrophic truth.
​If Harper can’t piece everything together in time, lives—and her relationship with Akiro—will be lost.

For fans of Batman and Marie Lu.


Review - 5 stars

​A smart, fast paced, action packed, YA thriller, Jo Cassidy's HARPER is Le Femme Nikita for teens! I can't wait for the next installment.
BUY HERE

Daphne's Questionable Bet by Sara Jo Cluff

Releases February 2nd.   Preorder Now 
Sara will be my guest on #FangirlThursday, February 4th at 7:30 PM EST.
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Some rivalries never die.

When sixteen-year-old Daphne Richards moves from Utah back to California, she's excited by the prospect of being reunited with her childhood best friend. But her excitement quickly dies when she learns her mom's high school rival lives next door-with a daughter the same age as Daphne.

Sierra Winters is a chip off the old block. Eager to redeem her mother's name, Sierra offers Daphne a simple challenge: Who can get the gorgeous and charming Bentley Anderson to ask her to prom?

Confident in her ability, and unable to turn down a challenge, Daphne takes the bet. Both girls quickly go to work, doing everything in their powers to woo Bentley-while sabotaging the other. Only, another guy at school quickly catches Daphne's eye, and her ever-building anxiety mounts when a picture involving Care Bear underwear risks getting out.

If Daphne can't sift through her emotions and figure out how to handle the bet, she'll not only risk social suicide ... but the chance at true love.
 ​

Review - 5 stars

​"A questionable bet, a scandalous photo, a stalker, and a lion fountain" pretty much sums up the fantastic story of Daphne's Questionable Bet by Sara Jo Cluff. This YA rom-com had me laughing and crying. Daphne is such a relatable character no matter your age. As a woman of 35 years and holding (haha) Daphne brought back memories from my school years. No matter the decade, bullies seem to evolve, like that weed I can't seem to fully get rid of in the yard. Daphne truly handles herself with grace and dignity. I would not have (and did not in real life) managed to reign my wrath nearly as long as she did. But this isn't just a story about bullying. Oh, no. It's about friendships, finding love, and always being true to yourself. I laughed so much reading this book. Daphne dances to the beat of her own drum and we could all learn a little something from her.
BUY HERE
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Lynn's Review ~ Damaging Secrets by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

1/21/2021

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​I am a huge fan of Carolyn Ridder Aspenson's work and I'm loving this darker, grittier side! Back in the day, I devoured the Alex Cross series from James Patterson and I am happy to report that I have found a similar character to stalk in Rachel Ryder. ~ Lynn 
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Free in KU 
BUY HERE
Damaging Secrets
(Rachel Ryder Bk 1)

​by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
Published by Severn River Publishing, January 12, 2021

​New to town and a little rough around the edges, Detective Rachel Ryder finds herself on the receiving end of a suspicious person’s call in Hamby, Georgia. When the call turns out to be a dead body, the medical examiner is quick to rule the death a suicide. But was it something more sinister?

Everyone in the small department believes the case is closed—except for Rachel. The sudden passing of a local politician during the mayor’s run for Congress strikes her as a little too coincidental, and Rachel is eager to follow her instincts. Her partner, Rob, a 30-year veteran, isn’t the type to disobey his boss or ruffle any feathers, but he can’t convince strong-willed Rachel to let it go.

Obsessed with finding out the truth, Rachel begins to examine the evidence and drags her reluctant partner along for the ride. But the clues are confusing. Nothing is adding up.

Puzzled and running out of time, Rachel and Rob rush to work every angle and bring the elusive killer to justice before someone else ends up dead.
​

Other reviews...

"Detective Rachel Ryder is smart, tough, and fearless-readers will gladly follow her through every twist of Aspenson's knockout first installment in this riveting new series." -LynDee Walker, Amazon Charts bestselling author of Fear No Truth
"Damaging Secrets is a fast-paced police procedural with a killer ending. Tight writing, unexpected twists, and the tough but vulnerable lead Detective Rachel Ryder will leave you eager to read the next book in this new series by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson." -Susan Hunter, author of Dangerous Habits
"This book is not only an awesome mystery, but moreover a story about new beginnings and battling the odds. Rachel Ryder is a new heroine on the suspense scene that you'll want to engage with again and again." -Kimberly Charleston, Books Uplift

Meet the Author

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​USA Today Bestselling author Carolyn Ridder Aspenson writes cozy mysteries and thrillers featuring strong female leads. Her stories shine through her dialogue, which readers have praised for being realistic and compelling. Her first novel, Unfinished Business, An Angela Panther Mystery was a Reader's Favorite finalist and reached the top 100 Kindle books sold on Amazon.

Prior to writing fiction, Carolyn was a freelance journalist covering local and national affairs in the metro Atlanta area.

Now an empty-nester, Carolyn lives in the Atlanta suburbs with her husband, two Pit Bull-Boxer mix dogs and two cantankerous cats, but you'll often find her at a local coffee shop people watching and listening, plotting her next novel.

Watch for Carolyn's upcoming crime thriller series releasing in winter, 2021.

Find Carolyn on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/carolynridderaspensonauthor
Find Carolyn on BookBub at Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
Visit Carolyn's website and sign up for her newsletter at carolynridderaspenson.com

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Lynn's Top Reads of 2020

1/3/2021

0 Comments

 
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.
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Favorite Series from a New to Me Author

First Blood Trilogy by Heather Karn 
Free in KU 
AMAZON
Devoured First Blood by Heather Karn in one night! The suspense rocketed me through the story and that shocker of an ending was more than I bargained for. Thank goodness the trilogy is complete and I can satiate my hunger!
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From Book 1:
​Like most other college students in the United States, Koda Niklane’s dream is to join the government’s most advanced military unit: the Elite. Since the President’s great reveal of supernaturals living amongst humans, every college student is required to Interview for the Elite. Being human and unable to fight are setbacks for Koda, but she soon learns she isn’t quite as human as she’d thought, or rather, she’s not human at all.


When a purple-eyed blood drinker named Raven Cartana, a Captain in the Elite, announces publicly that she’s one of his kind, Koda refuses to believe him. As her new Elite trainer, Raven’s job is to keep Koda alive and teach her the ropes. Teaching is the easy part as Raven, Koda, and their team work to keep the streets safe from Threats. It soon becomes apparent that keeping Koda alive will be much harder than Raven had anticipated as the attacks on her become more personal.

As Koda works with Raven and the Elite, she can’t help but wonder how much of herself will remain once her maturity has finished. Will she still be Koda, or will she be something different? And is that why someone has their sights set on her?

First Blood is a YA/NA crossover due to character age. There is no swearing or sexual content. Mild violence.

Recommended reading order for series:
First Blood
Second Lineage
Zero Tolerance
Third House

Favorite Serial 

Clearview Academy by Amy Richie 
​Free in KU 
AMAZON
I still need to read Book 7 - Death of a Vessel, but y'all this series had me hooked from book 1!  I literally hounded the author for each book to come out quicker. 
From Book 1:

​Avery Lewis is dead.


Avery is destined to be the queen of senior year at Clearview Academy... at least, until she's murdered over the summer.
When she wakes up behind a dumpster in an alley, she knows something is wrong. Things go from really bad to worse for Avery after she's visited by a Reaper and realizes that she's dead. Now she needs to find her vessel – a boy who shares her birthday, a boy she wouldn't be caught dead with.
Clark Daniels.
With Clark being the only one who can see her, Avery is quickly finding out that her picture perfect prom queen life might be as fake as the blonde in her hair. Whether it's being dead that's messing with her mind or it's from spending so much time with him – Avery is actually starting to like Clark. As if things weren't bad enough.
But there's no time for that; not with a Reaper breathing down her ghostly neck. She has to find her killer, and fast. Her time is running out.

Favorite Middle Grade

What Rachel Did by Kelly Martin 
​Wide Release 
BUY HERE
What Rachel Did is Amityville horror for 12-year-olds! This tween thriller left this adult reader feeling haunted and slack-jawed. A gruesome ghost story that is sure to become a horror classic.
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Ava Kirkland knows three things for certain: One, Bradley will always be her BFF. Two, science is the best subject ever. Three, ghosts don't exist. Two out of three ain't bad.

Twenty years ago, Mosley Manor was left abandoned. The haunted house of White's Chapel, Tennessee, has become the local dare—the place kids sneak to see if they are brave enough to go inside. Ava isn't scared of Mosley Manor in the slightest. She believes in facts.

According to her, anyone who is scared of Mosley Manor should be ashamed. Unless that person is her best friend, Bradley. He gets a free pass because he's, well, he's been terrified of the house as long as Ava has known him. In fact, he was originally the person who told her about the house and all the ghosts inside.

Unfortunately for Ava, her parents decide to buy their first house (YAY!), and it ends up being Mosley Manor (no...). Ava isn't afraid of the place, just not happy about leaving her old rental house next to her BFF. It's also not wonderful that it's the only thing anyone at school wants to talk about.

Ava's brother starts acting even weirder than normal, Mama and Daddy never used to fight like this, and by golly, those upstairs doors have minds of their own.

Ava may not believe in ghosts, but they certainly believe in her.

For fans of The Graveyard Book and Coraline by Neil Gaiman and The Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine.

Favorite YA 

Filler Friend by Sara Jo Cluff
​Free in KU 
AMAZON
​This is the first book I have read by Sara Jo Cluff, but it certainly won't be the last. Filler Friend is a witty, heartwarming story about family, friends, and self discovery. Elinora is such a relatable character. At the turn of the first page I found myself back in high school feeling as awkward as ever. I loved seeing her grow as a person and in her relationships with her peers. I can't wait to check out more books from Sara!
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​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.

Favorite Audiobook

Of The Blood (Heir of Blood & Fire Bk1) by Cameo Ranae 
Produced by The Audio Flow  Narrated by Natalie Naudus 
Wide Release 
AMAZON
Holy smokes!!!! Cameo Renae has done it yet again! Her new series, Heir of Blood & Fire, is simply amazing. Leave it to Renae to take the vampire trope into a whole new world. I am in love with the characters. Calla is absolutely brilliant. She handles all the challenges (and there are a lot) with dignity and strength. Trystan is perfectly swoon worthy as her vampire prince.

The narrator slays this story. I found myself completely immersed as I devoured her every word. Cameo Renae has created a beautiful world I can't wait to escape to again.
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One malicious prince. Two rival kingdoms. And an innocent girl caught in the crossfire.

Raised in a war-ravaged continent, temptation comes to Calla Caldwell in the form of a charming and mysterious stranger. Giving in to his intimate seduction, her world is forever changed by a single bite.

Calla quickly learns the handsome stranger is vampire prince, Trystan Vladu. His bite was an attempt to claim and save her from a plot of vengeance generations in the making. However, the claws of that ancient vendetta are scraping ever closer.
Thrust into a new nightmare by the Prince of the corrupt kingdom of Morbeth, Calla is captured, tortured, and starved in the dank confines of his dungeon. While in captivity, she takes part in a séance with a witch of light where she contacts a departed relative—a Princess of Incendia—who bequeaths a gift to Calla that will tip the scales of good and evil . . . if she can learn to harness it.

With a dark tapestry of secrets, lies, and murder unraveling around her, Calla must learn to embrace the power roiling through her veins, or be snuffed out by the strangling fist of a malevolent darkness.

Favorite Book of 2020

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

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Magic Sacrificed, Rise of the Arcanist Book 6, by Elizabeth Kirke

11/17/2020

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A sacrifice must be made...

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.

Desperate to save those she holds dear, Jen joins a coven of blood witches to infiltrate the castle where her friends are being held. Yet the farther she ventures into her façade, the more she risks losing herself to its alluring darkness. With the arcanist growing stronger by the day, the only spell that can stop the oncoming wave of blood and war comes at a price. With love on the line, and fear in her heart, can Jen battle back the evil ravenous to consume her?

Magic Sacrificed is the sixth and final book in the Urban Fantasy series, Rise of the Arcanist, featuring dark witches, vampires, elementals, 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 thriller and characters you'll fall in love with, you'll want to grab the edge-of-your-seat conclusion today!

Rise of the Arcanist is a complete six-book serial. You do *not have to read the original More than Magic trilogy to enjoy it.*
Preorder Now (drops 11/20/20)
or Read for FREE in KU 
AMAZON

Lynn's Review

Quick rehash for anyone not familiar with the series – It takes place 5 years after the More Than Magic Trilogy but you do not have to read those to start this 6 book series. I recommend it for context and because it’s a great series too.

In Rise of the Arcanist, non-magics and witches are going missing. The non-magics are never heard from again while the witches are disappearing for 6 months at a time. There is no evidence of where they go or how they survive because there’s no activity on their bank accounts and MES files. After stumbling onto this pattern, Jen, Thomas, Mariana, Ember, Char, Danio, and TS are tasked with investigating the disappearances.

Book 1 – lays the groundwork
Book 2 – 3 words: A FREAKING LABYRINTH!
Book 3 – Kirke tries to kill the entire cast!
Book 4 – Arena Fights! I now have more grey hairs. Thanks, Kirke.
Book  5 – This installment was so heavy. All the feels. I AM NOT OKAY!

And now we have made it to the final installment. I feel like I should have won a prize for making this far. Elizabeth Kirke is killing me and not so softly.

“Help us, Jennifer. You’re our only hope.” (Like what I did there?)

OH. MY. GAWD. Tums is acceptable as a reading snack, right? It is up to Jen to destroy the Arcanist. Jen who hasn’t been a witch that long. Young, inexperienced, and working alone. Elizabeth Kirke is killing me! My anxiety was through the roof.

Stomach ache - check
Chest tightness  - check
Sweating - check
Eating Tums like candy - check
 
In true Kirke form, Elizabeth delivers the reader an intense, kindle gripping chapter from one of the guys' POV, and then in the next chapter she goes to Jen. You see what is going on from her POV which is sometimes from the sidelines. Insightful? Yes. But absolute agony! No doubt Kirke sat back with an evil grin plastered on her face sipping coffee and enjoyed every excruciating moment!
 
The epic battle lasted for chapters. Chapters people! This is why I need Tums. I had a death grip on my kindle for 4 long hours. I couldn’t put it down. I had to know how it would all end and who would be left standing. In the end, I was not disappointed. Mentally exhausted, overwhelmed, and still chewing Tums, but I survived.
 

Meet the Author

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​In spite of having neither magic nor a clone, Elizabeth manages to write, format books, and dabble in design, all while wrangling two young sons, a dog, and a husband. She's the author of the award-winning, urban fantasy More than Magic series, the award-winning and USA Today Best-Selling, paranormal romance Curse Collectors series, and usually has a few more projects up her sleeves. When she isn't writing or designing, Elizabeth can be found knitting, gardening, baking, or looking for lost sippy cups.

A few highlights from her bucket list include visiting Wales, Easter Island, and Japan; learning a second language; and coming across a total stranger reading one of her books.

Join the exclusive Elizabeth Kirke Patreon community and get behind the scenes info, see new covers and extras first, read brand new stories, get swag, and more! http://www.patreon.com/elizabethkirke

Connect with Elizabeth on:
Website: elizabethkirkebooks.com
Facebook: facebook.com/morethanmagic
Twitter: @more_than_magic
Instagram: ElizabethKirkeAuthor

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The Vampire Hunter's Daughter Boxset Sale with Jennifer Malone Wright

11/10/2020

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Chloe Kallistrate is a Vampire Hunter.

Born from the blood of angels and gods, she finds that being a Hunter isn't something you learn, it is something you are ... whether you like it or not.

After losing her mother one horrible night, she is thrust into a world of vampires and those that hunt them, a world where she isn't sure she belongs. Tragedy forced this life on her, but the answers she seeks about her mother lie in the grandfather she's never met before.

The trouble is, what she discovers could mean that she has to kill the very thing that created her.

The Vampire Hunter's Daughter is a novella series with six parts. The Arcadia Falls Chronicles (Currently ten books) is the continuation of The Vampire Hunter's Daughter story and contains the same characters, as well as following the same story line.
​Boxset 99¢ or FREE with KU
AMAZON

Lynn's Review

5 STARS
​
OMG! This is by far one of the best series I have read. The writing and the story were gripping with action and suspense. At times I found myself holding my breath, gripping the kindle as I read quickly read the pages.

The main character, Chloe, losses her mother, gains a grandfather, and finds out she is a vampire hunter all in the first few scenes. Talk about intense! She doesn't even have enough time to process it all before she is being whipped into shape and trained to kill. (Now you see why I was gripping kindle and holding my breath.) The cherry on top is that her father is one bad vampire hell bent on taking her for his own devious plans.
​
Full of twists and mouth gaping open moments, Jennifer Malone Wright's The Vampire Hunter's Daughter, has made me a huge fan of this series, as well as the Arcadia Falls series. I cannot wait to see what other kick ass moves Chloe has.

Meet Jennifer Malone Wright

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Jennifer Malone Wright is best known for her novella series, The Vampire Hunter's Daughter. Other works include the follow up to The Vampire Hunter's Daughter series called The Arcadia Falls Chronicles, The Graveyard Guardians series, and her vampire novel called Savior.

She resides in the beautiful mountains of northern Idaho with her husband and five children where she practices preparing for the zombie apocalypse. Just kidding!

But seriously, between the craziness of taking care of her children, Jennifer has little time left for herself. The time she does have left, usually leading far into the night, is spent working on her beloved fiction or chatting with her equally crazy friends.

Stalk Jenn...

Contact: jennichad217@gmail.com
Website: www.jennifermalonewright.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jennifer-Malone-Wright/e/B00508KU4I
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4824985.Jennifer_Malone_Wright
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjennifermalonewright/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jennichad217
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifermalonewright/
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Spooktacular Reads Wrap Up

11/4/2020

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I'm sad to see October leave. I already miss all the scary movies and haunting books.  Until next year, here's a recap of my Spooktacular Reads.
You can't talk about Spooktacular Reads without having Kelly Martin at the top of your list. Whether you open the door to What Rachel Did or stroll through Trinity Row you are sure to have a frightful good time. 
AMAZON
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Midnight Tide Publishing released an anthology of spooky goodness filled with short stories to soothe your inner beast. Melanie Gilbert gives us a  different take on the Headless Horseman in her  tale. Elle Beaumont's story will leave you wondering how you missed all the signs. Trust me. You will read her story twice.
WEBSITE
Want something spooky that won't give you nightmares? Brandy Nacole's Deep In The Hollow is based on an urban legend in Arkansas. Beware of the lights!
AMAZON
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Lost Souls from Daniele Lanzarotta is a collection of intertwining short stories revolving around a Murder House. If you are in to audiobooks this is a great one to snag.
AUDIBLE
AUDIBLE
Also available in audio, The House by Jo Michaels. I am currently finishing up this one. It is a collection of short stories revolving around a house and its tenants. It is told from the POV of the house. It is seriously twisted and not for the faint of heart. 
I hope you find a few spooky reads to soothe your inner beast. Until next year my ghouls and goblins keep stalking! ~ Lynn
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