Lovely Bad Things by Trisha Wolfe

He's the devil. And she's his wicked game.

Halen:

They say eyes are the windows to the soul—but when he looks at me through hues of slate-green and flaring blue embers, I’m terrified of what’s watching me from behind his clashing gaze, something primal and feverish that threatens to melt me like fire in ice.

I fear falling into Kallum Locke’s pitch-black soul.

But after I’m called to a crime scene to investigate the most gruesome act of violence to descend on the legendary town of Hollow’s Row, I have no choice but to turn to Kallum, to the man I had locked away in an asylum for the criminally insane.

He’s the leading expert on all things Nietzsche and occult. And now, to get answers, I’m forced to make a deal with the devil himself.

Kallum:

Really, eyes are the windows to the soul? Then I wonder what little Halen St. James thinks of all the cryptic eyes watching her in the killing fields… I wonder if the hairs on her delicate nape lifted away if a thrilling shiver raced over her soft skin. She’s desperate for the answer, and she’ll do anything to uncover it—even make a deal with me, dangling freedom like bait on a hook.

But she’s far more tempting to sink my teeth into than any lure.

And the pain will taste twice as sweet. 

Title: Lovely Bad Things 

Author:  Trisha Wolfe

Pub. Date: May 31st, 2022 

Publisher:  Lock Key Press

Formats:  Ebook and Audio

Review

I loved the Silence of the Lamb meets criminal minds vibe I was getting from this book. I was sucked in from page one and I couldn't put it down, but I did need to sleep.  It had me guessing and I really didn't see any of the twists coming. And man that ending had me wanting the next book ASAP, it ended on a cliffhanger-ish so be warned. I would definitely check CW/TW, to name a few graphic murder, animal death, Miscarriage, and nonconsent consent. Now I am off to wait for the next book to come out.

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Amber Torch by D. Burgard

 

Why are people in Josephine’s town dying? Jo doesn’t know, but she’s worried she’s next. Especially with the strange things happening within her, keeping her up at night…changing her.

Jo feels out of control, but when death hits close to home, she finds herself being comforted by Mark, the last person she’d expect to be there for her and the only person she’s ever wanted.

As they search for answers, Sandy, a new student at her high school, and his sister Gio thrust themselves into her life. Left scrambling to cope with the growing darkness within her she soon learns the impossible truth. She’s somehow connected to the murders, to a secret organization gunning for her, and to something lying deep within a cave in the surrounding mountains.

While fighting unexpected feelings for Sandy and before anyone else gets hurt, it’s up to Jo to uncover the answers and the source of a transformation that is making her powerful, strong, and dangerous.

Growing up Daphne Burgard was a big reader who loved real characters with complex issues. Drawn to dark, edgy authors, Daphne consumed sci-fi and fantasy books at a furious pace for years before deciding to write The Amber Torch.

The most gratifying part of writing for Daphne is the continual sense of surprise she feels in the process of creating her characters.

The best of piece of writing advice she ever received was not to wimp out—if a line or passage makes you feel uncomfortable, you’ve probably gotten it right.

Review

I want to thank Emstar tours and D. Burgard for letting me read and review this.

The only reason why this only got four stars is that really couldn't stand the main character. I do that I think am I a little too old for the demographic for the book. Jo had too much of the 'I'm not like other girls' trope. Other than that I really did like the story and the plot kept me waiting to keep going. I will probably keep going with the series.

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Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux

 

Leon

I earned my reputation among magicians for a reason: one wrong move and you're dead. Killer, they called me, and killing is what I'm best at.

Except her.

The one I was supposed to take, the one I should have killed - I didn't.

The cult that once controlled me wants her, and I'm not about to lose my new toy to them.

Rae

I've always believed in the supernatural. Hunting for ghosts is my passion, but summoning a demon was never part of the plan. Monsters are roaming the woods, and something ancient - something evil - is waking up and calling my name.

I don't know who I can trust, or how deep this darkness goes.

All I know is my one shot at survival is the demon stalking me, and he doesn't just want my body - he wants my soul.

Her Soul to Take is book 1 in the Souls Trilogy. Although all the books are interconnected, they are stand-alone and can be read in any order.

Content Warning

This book contains graphic sexual scenes, violence, kink/fetish content, horror elements, and depictions of hard kink/edgeplay. This book is strictly fictional and is not meant to represent realistic expectations of BDSM or kink.

Kinks/Fetishes Within: consensual non-consent (CNC), breathe play/choking, bloodplay, spit, needle play (body modification fetish), pain play, fear play, public play, bondage, restraint, spanking/impact play.

Title: Her Soul To Take 

Author: Harley Laroux

Pub. Date: April 10th 2021

Publisher:  Independently Published

Formats:  Ebook

Review

What can I say this book was sexy but it also had a plot. It was a great enemy to lovers and they didn't fall in love immediately. I have to say Leon and Rae's banter was the best and they didn't lose it once they got together. That is something I wish more enemy-to-lovers books did. It had me really wanting more and I really can't wait to get back into this world with the next story. 

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A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts by Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes

 I want to start off by thanking Netgalley and Kensington Books for letting me give my honest review for both the book and the audiobook. 

Title: A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts

Author: Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes 

Pub. Date: September 27th 2022 

Publisher: Citadel Press

Formats:  Physical and Audio

About the book 

From the notorious Lizzie Borden to the innumerable, haunted rooms of Sarah Winchester's mysterious mansion this offbeat, insightful, first-ever book of its kind explores the history behind America's female ghosts, the stereotypes, myths, and paranormal tales that swirl around them, what their stories reveal about us--and why they haunt us...

Sorrowful widows, vengeful jezebels, innocent maidens, wronged lovers, former slaves, even the occasional axe-murderess--America's female ghosts differ widely in background, class, and circumstance. Yet one thing unites them: their ability to instill fascination and fear, long after their deaths. Here are the full stories behind some of the best-known among them, as well as the lesser-known--though no less powerful.

Tales whispered in darkness often divulge more about the teller than the subject. America's most famous female ghosts, like New Orleans voodoo priestess Marie Laveau, and Bridget Bishop, the first person executed during the Salem witchcraft trials, mirror each era's fears and prejudices. Yet through urban legends and campfire stories, even ghosts like the nameless hard-working women lost in the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire --achieve a measure of power and agency in death, in ways unavailable to them as living women.

Riveting for skeptics and believers alike, with humor, curiosity, and expertise, A Haunted History of Invisible Women offers a unique lens on the significant role these ghostly legends play both within the spook-seeking corners of our minds and in the consciousness of a nation.

Review

If you are looking for a ghost story book then this isn’t for you, it tells more about the women surrounding the stories. That is what I really loved about the book and how they really brought the women back to life. There are some places in the book that people might take a different way, which is understandable. They could have worded it differently, I think it would have made a difference. You have to remember that most of the stories about the ghost take place before modern times, the women acted and were taught very differently than we are now. Now I am really excited to do my own research on the stories and women mentioned in this book. 

For the audiobook, I really did like the narrator. She didn’t make it sound like she was reading a textbook. That did make my enjoyment of the book, so much better. 

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Ghostbcloud by Michael Mann

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the GHOSTCLOUD by Michael Mann Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway! 

 

About The Book:

About The Book:

Title: GHOSTCLOUD

Author: Michael Mann

Pub. Date: September 27, 2022

Publisher: Peachtree

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook

Pages: 320

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org

A riveting, magical escapade about finding friendship and the courage to set yourself free against all odds.

Kidnapped and forced to shovel coal underground, in a half-bombed power station, 12-year-old Luke Smith-Sharma keeps his head down and hopes he can earn his freedom from the evil Tabitha Margate. Then one day he discovers he can see things that others can’t. Ghostly things. A ghostly girl named Alma, who can bend the shape of clouds to her will and rides them through the night sky. With Alma’s help, Luke discovers his own innate powers and uncovers the terrible truth of why Tabatha is kidnapping children and forcing them to shovel coal. Desperate to escape, Luke teams up with Alma, his best friend Ravi, and new girl Jess. Can Luke and his friends get away before they each become victims to a cruel and sinister scheme?
 
Debut author Michael Mann delivers a wildly imaginative middle grade fantasy set in a smoke-stained world that’s sure to entertain readers who are eager for an adventure with paranormal superpowers.

About Michael Mann:

Michael’s first writing success was for a poem about potatoes - in a competition run by a Yorkshire school catering company. As a ‘reward’, he had to shake hands with a giant potato mascot in front of his entire school. It would be many years before he dared write again. These days, Michael is a teacher by day, dad by night, and mostly writes when he should be sleeping. He owes the idea for his middle grade novel, Ghostcloud, to his coal-mining grandad and a lifelong love of cloudspotting. He’s half-Indian and passionate about diversity in children’s literature, and loves books that keeps kids turning the page. He has a first-class degree in anthropology, lives in East London with his (very patient) partner and their (less patient) toddler, and can be found playing board games when he’s not busy losing his wallet. Michael was an Undiscovered Voices 2020 finalist, and his debut middle grade novel Ghostcloud will publish with Hachette in October 2021. Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazonpublish with Hachette in October 2021.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of GHOSTCLOUD, US Only.

Ends October 4th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/19/2022	Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog	Review/IG Post
9/19/2022	laura's bookish corner	Review/IG Post
9/20/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
9/20/2022	Beers Books Boos	Review/IG Post
9/21/2022	More Books Please blog	Review/IG Post
9/21/2022	@jael_and_jenessa_reads	Review/IG Post
9/22/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
9/22/2022	Lisa-Queen of Random	Excerpt/IG Post
9/23/2022	@ablueboxfullofbooks	IG Review
9/23/2022	onemused	IG Spotlight

Week Two:

9/26/2022	Eli to the nth	Review/IG Post
9/26/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review
9/27/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
9/27/2022	Ya Books Central	Excerpt
9/28/2022	PopTheButterfly Reads	Review/IG Post
9/28/2022	@jacleomik33	IG Review
9/29/2022	The Bookwyrm's Den	Review
9/29/2022	Laurenreads._	IG Review
9/30/2022	Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	Review/IG Post
9/30/2022	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post

Cavalier: The Story of an Unsolved Murder in a Small Town by Connie L. Nelson

 The last time I saw my friend Jack we were in the hospital lobby. He was wearing faded green scrubs and a lab jacket. He went through the door to the second floor. I never saw him again. My friend was murdered in his home later that night. My life changed in so many ways on that cold day in February 1986. This book explores my recollections, experiences, and memories while trying to make sense of this unsolved crime.

 I've conducted research based on three primary source materials: 

(1) interpersonal communications; 

(2) the investigation notes provided by the current sheriff and his deputy; and 

(3) newspaper reports from 1986.

 I kept these documents in an eleven-by thirteen-inch box, approximately four inches deep, which resurfaced when I retired in 2018 and was packing to move to New Mexico. I knew immediately what the box contained, even though I hadn't looked through its contents for many years. When I did go through the artifacts, it brought back a confusing combination of feelings and memories and a deep sadness. So many things have changed in my life since 1986, with one constant: no one has been charged or convicted of my friend's murder. Whether you live in a large city or a small community like Cavalier, the people who are left behind want to know what happened. This book has been written for those of us who grapple with murder, victimization, loss, and the unanswered questions-the friends and family of a victim of a homicide who has given up hope of any resolution. I also write for two additional audiences: the fans of true-crime stories and the law enforcement officials open to suggestions about how to deal more effectively and respectfully with the victim's friends and families. Sadly, Jack's case is one of more than 250,000 unsolved homicide cases in the US today, so I am not alone. As time passes, the chances of finding the murderer are vastly reduced. But the idea that a case goes cold is hard to take when it's your friend or family member who's been murdered.

Title: Cavalier: The Story of an Unsolved Murder in a Small Town

Author: Connie L. Nelson 

Pub. Date:  July 9th, 2022

Review

As someone who loves true crime, I couldn't wait to pick this up. Then as I started to read it I started to think about the murder in my own family. We know who and we probably will never know why, so we do have some closure (even though I hate that word). I really felt the love from Connie as she wrote about her friend but also the pain from losing him. The frustration she must have felt from the law enforcement only focused on one theory because a few people said it so it must be true. I know it was the 80s but still, if I was a cop I would want anyone's help. The writing did drag in some places but it still had me hooked. My love goes to Connie and Jack's family. 

I want to thank Connie and Detour for letting me host a stop on the tour. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves true crime

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Believed by Michael James Emberger

 

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the BELIEVED by Michael James Emberger Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

 

About The Book:

Title: BELIEVED

Author: Michael James Emberger

Pub. Date: October 4, 2021

Publisher: Michael James Emberger

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook(FREE)

Pages: 429

Find it: Goodreads, books2read (find all FREE audiobook links here and other purchase links), Free eBook download here!  https://www.michaeljamesemberger.com/believed

Kelsea Jones is like a lot of girls at the University of Northern Minnesota. She has a boyfriend, she works at a coffee shop, and she’s on the swim team. But she’s not a girl. She’s a mermaid.

Trouble brews when star hockey player Chad Andersen takes an interest in her. She tries to avoid him, but he won’t leave her alone. A son of wealth and privilege, he takes what he wants, and he gets away with it. He wants Kelsea, she says no, and so he rapes her. Kelsea stands on a tail and two fins to fight the most painful trial of her life. Despite her trauma and a crisis of faith, she speaks the truth of what Chad did, but will she be believed?

A note from the author:
1 out of 4 college girls experiences rape or sexual assault. That breaks my heart. It’s a crime that has affected people I love, and it has to stop. This novel is my way of raising awareness and showing survivors that someone hears them.

Believed is a product of my friendship with a survivor who is an author and advocate. She opened my eyes to a world of trauma and PTSD that had been largely invisible to me before I met her, and it was life-changing. I needed to share that with others. The burden on my heart was too great to not say something, and fiction is the method I know best to convey the thoughts, truths, pains, and struggles that I see.

Sexual assault is not my story. I haven’t experienced it, I don’t live with the resulting trauma, and I do not wish to profit from the pain of survivors. This is a book for them. It’s a book for those who love them. It’s a book to encourage readers to think and to empathize and to consider the realities of so many whose lives have been affected by this crime. If you purchase a copy here, know that the prices are the minimum allowed. I make no royalty on print copies. If you would like to read for free, you can download the book at my website: https://www.michaeljamesemberger.com/believed

If you find value in this work, please consider donating to an organization that fights against sexual violence or offers support to survivors. Tell your family and friends about the book. Review it online. Let the survivors in your life know that you care, that you believe them, and that you are there for them.

Review

At first, I couldn't really get into the story, I felt like I was missing stuff about the world. Then after a few chapters, I was hooked. I just wanted to tell Kelsea Jones that everything will be okay that there are people out there that believe her and that she isn't alone. I felt everything that she was going through, the pain and hurt. One of the biggest TW/CW is rape/sexual assault. I really want to think Michael James Emberger for letting me read and review this wonderful book. 

About Michael James Emberger:

Michael James Emberger is an author of thrillers and suspense residing in Wilton, NH. He enjoys weaving narratives of conspiracy and misguided intentions around divisive topics. Where there is debate, there is always room for a villain with goals far out of alignment from either side. Michael is a graduate of Messiah College, where he studied Engineering and met his wife racing solar cars cross-country. When he’s not working on home renovations or writing, he enjoys visiting the ocean and exploring the majesty of God’s creation on the summits of New Hampshire’s mountains.

Michael wrote Believed, a heartbreaking and inspirational tale of a Mermaid in college in Minnesota. It was the most difficult book he’s ever written, but also the most important. He’s made it available for free in audiobook and e-book formats, and he hopes it will encourage and inform.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

 

There isn’t a giveaway for this tour. Instead Michael is giving away the audiobook and ebook! You can download a FREE copy of the audiobook here! https://books2read.com/u/bzVLlD OR a FREE copy of the eBook HERE! https://www.michaeljamesemberger.com/believed and if you love the book please help spread the word with a review or share the links with your friends!

 

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/1/2022	Viviana MacKade	Excerpt 2
9/2/2022	BookHounds	Guest Post/IG Post
9/3/2022	A Dream Within A Dream	Guest Post/IG Post

Week Two:

9/4/2022	Jazzy Book Reviews	Excerpt 1/IG Post
9/5/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt 2
9/6/2022	Epic Book Society	Guest Post/IG Post
9/7/2022	pick a good book	Excerpt 1/IG Post
9/8/2022	@allyluvsbooksalatte	IG Spotlight
9/9/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
9/10/2022	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Spotlight

Week Three:

9/11/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt 1/IG Post
9/12/2022	Nerdophiles	Review/IG Post
9/13/2022	Lady Hawkeye	Excerpt 2/IG Post
9/14/2022	@jaimerockstarbooktours	IG Spotlight
9/15/2022	Beersbooksandboos	Review/IG Post
9/16/2022	Wanderingwitchreads	TikTok Review/IG Post
9/17/2022