Review: Murder at Haven's Rock

Murder at Haven's Rock by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OK, so when is the next book being published? I want it NOW!!!!LOL!

Well, this book is certainly going on my 'comfort read' shelf. I loved it. It was so well written that I totally bought into the red herring and missed the actual murderer.

Many people from Rockton will be in this next series, and there will be new residents; of course, some may not be permanent, and there are some new ones that may be more permanent.

The town sounds very interesting. However, I have a feeling that a lot of kinks are going to need to be worked out.

We also end the book with a bit of a cliff-hanger-not truly one, but one that will leave you wanting to read the next book.

*ARC supplied by the publisher Publisher: ‎Minotaur Books for sale on (February 21, 2023), the author, and NetGalley.

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New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s Rockton Novels had one of the most unique towns in crime fiction. Murder at Haven's Rock is a spinoff, a fresh start... with a few new dangers that threaten everything before it even begins.

Haven’s Rock, Yukon. Population: 0

Deep in the Yukon wilderness, a town is being built. A place for people to disappear, a fresh start from a life on the run. Haven’s Rock isn’t the first town of this kind, something detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, know first-hand. They met in the original town of Rockton. But greed and deception led the couple to financing a new refuge for those in need. This time around, they get to decide which applicants are approved for residency.

There’s only one rule in Haven’s Rock: stay out of the forest. When two of the town's construction crew members break it and go missing, Casey and Eric are called in ahead of schedule to track them down. When a body is discovered, well-hidden with evidence of foul play, Casey and Eric must find out what happened to the dead woman, and locate those still missing. The longer Casey and Eric don’t know what happened, the more danger everyone is in.

Review: The Whittiers

The Whittiers by Danielle Steel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Happy Publication Day!

I don't know what to say about this book except that it made me feel good and that all is NOT wrong with the world. It's not accurate to real life, but it is great escapism.

Yes, in some ways, this book was written as sort of a fairytale. To the best of my knowledge, real people don't all act this way; of course, if you were to inherit a 100 million-dollar house and the financial means to back it up, had five siblings that are always there for you. The worst you ever had to put upon with was a brother who is Autistic/on the spectrum, a young sister (21 years old) who is living her life to the fullest and becomes pregnant out of wedlock and had to go through a divorce from a bitch of a wife I might have had more empathy for these characters.

However, as I already said, this WAS great escapism/ It also was a sweet book and a quick read.

*ARC supplied by the publisher Delacorte Press - Penguin Random House, the author, and NetGalley.

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In this heartwarming novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel, adult siblings find their way back home—and back to each other—after loss.

Preston and Constance Whittier have built a happy life together with a brood of six children raised in a beautiful historic Manhattan mansion. Now, with a nearly empty nest, it’s easier than ever for the Whittiers to maintain their tradition of a solo romantic “wintermoon” ski trip.

But with this year’s trip comes tragedy. Suddenly, their adult children find themselves reuniting in the family home without their parents for the first time ever. The oldest, Lyle, is reaching a breaking point in his marriage and must decide whether a divorce would be best for him and his two children. Gloria’s big job on Wall Street has kept her single at forty, and growing ever more cynical. The twins, Caroline and Charlie, moved out long ago to start a fashion business that may now be faltering. Benjie, with special needs, is hit hard by the loss of his parents and needs his siblings’ help. And Annabelle, the youngest, drops out of college and starts to spin out of control.

The eldest four are forced to put aside their personal issues and their grief to keep the family together and support each other and their two youngest siblings. Selling the house, along with all the memories that live in its walls, feels like yet another devastating loss. Could there be another way, as unconventional as it seems?

In The Whittiers, Danielle Steel delivers an inspiring story about the everlasting bonds of one unforgettable family.

Review: Be Your Everything

Be Your Everything by Catherine Bybee
My rating: is 3.5 of 5 stars

This was a charming sexy novel. However, I'm afraid that it just wasn't as good as the first book in this series [book:When It Falls Apart|59456986].  The plot line was on the unique side (not totally unique, but what book author can really say they have created something nobody else has!).

There is a near-rape scene, and that may be something that could turn you off. It doesn't happen until near the end, though. The sex is steamy.  The portrayal of a first-generation Italian family is pretty faithful but might be a little old-fashioned for some younger readers.

All in all, I would recommend this book to those who like romance, mistaken marriages, hot men, and Italians!

If you have Kindle Unlimited, this and the first book in this series are free to borrow and inexpensive to purchase.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Montlake, the author, and NetGalley.

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From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes a romance about childhood friends who marry in Vegas and embark on a wild ride to find their happily ever after.

With two protective older brothers and a traditional Catholic Italian mother, it’s surprising that Chloe D’Angelo can manage a date without someone in the family naysaying her romantic choice. And Dante Mancuso…oh, no. Her brother’s best friend is not a dating-app right swipe.

But when they are left unsupervised on a late night in Vegas, all of that changes. Add in a Vegas wedding chapel and a couple of “I dos” and Chloe wakes up with a ring on her finger and a hangover. Dating Dante was always a secret desire, but marriage? The rift that this news would cause in her family has the both of them keeping their nuptials to themselves as they scramble to undo their Vegas mistake.

Dante knew the rules: Chloe was off limits. Only he can’t stop once his mind starts to believe she might be his forever. Just as their attraction deepens, Chloe flees to Bali, desperate to clear her head.

All Dante has to do is keep her brothers from killing him and convince her that they are meant for each other. But first, Dante has to find her.

Review: The Queen: Her Life

3.5 stars The Queen: Her Life by Andrew Morton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I admit to being American, and that may be coloring my review a bit. (only because of what I was lacking in understanding the roles everyone played) I didn't know all that much about the Queen and looked forward to reading this book and getting to know her and her Queendom better. Perhaps if I had watched many of the film adaptions of her life, I would have liked and understood this book better.

 What I found was a mind-boggling amount of dry facts, people I had no clue as to who they were, and early on in the book-a Queen who put everything else but her family in the forefront. I suppose that is the life of a Monarch ( as well as a President). I was left thinking, what a cold woman. She seemed to care about her horses more than her family. Unlike many reviewers, I felt that the book's first and last third were more interesting as they put Queen Elizabeth in a warmer, more touchable light.

As a woman, I did not like Elizabeth all that much. But as a Monarch and a leader, I admired her greatly. To have accomplished so much starting as a very young woman, she was fantastic. As the years of her reign went by, she loosened up. This began with the death of her mother. 

As I said earlier, I didn't have the background to understand who was who and what was what. However, I believe that if you are enamored with learning about Great Britain and the Monarchy, this will be your cup of tea.

*ARC supplied by the publisher  Grand Central Publishing, the author, and NetGalley

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#1 New York Times bestselling biographer Andrew Morton provides the definitive, most comprehensive account of Queen Elizabeth II's legendary reign. 

Painfully shy, Elizabeth Windsor’s personality was well suited to her youthful ambition of living quietly in the country, raising a family, and caring for her dogs and horses. But when her uncle, King Edward VIII, abdicated, she became heir to the throne—embarking on a journey that would test her as a woman and queen.

Ascending to the throne at only 25, this self-effacing monarch navigated endless setbacks, family conflict, and occasional triumphs throughout her 70 years as the Queen of England. As her mettle was tested, she endeavored to keep the monarchy relevant culturally, socially, and politically, often in the face of resistance from inside the institution itself. And yet the greatest challenges she faced were often inside her own family, forever under intense scrutiny; from rumors about her husband’s infidelity, her sister’s marital breakdown, Princess Diana’s tragic death, to the recent departure of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Now in The Queen, renowned biographer Andrew Morton takes an in-depth look at Britain’s longest reigning monarch, exploring the influence Queen Elizabeth had on both Britain and the rest of the world for much of the last century. From leading a nation struggling to restore itself after the devastation of the second World War to navigating the divisive political landscape of the present day, Queen Elizabeth was a reluctant but resolute queen. This is the story of a woman of unflagging self-discipline who will long be remembered as mother and grandmother to Great Britain, and one of the greatest sovereigns of the modern era.

Review: The Serpent in Heaven

The Serpent in Heaven by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Holy Moley, this was a great book! I hadn't loved the series up until this book. Yes, this is a Young Adult book (more or less) all about Felicia, Lizbeth Rose's half-sister, who is now studying magic, among other things, at the Grigori Rasputin school. She is a relative of Rasputin and is a blood donor to the new Tsar.

She is finding her way, thinking she doesn't have much magic-but, SURPRISE! She has a very unique magic.

In this book, her estranged (and hated) Grandfather from her mother's side is trying to kidnap and maybe even kill her. Things heat up when she is kidnapped, and deaths happen.

There is a bit of romance and a great mystery, and I sure do hope there will be at least one more book about Felicia and her friends.


*ARC supplied by the publisher Saga Press, an imprint of Gallery Books and Simon & Schuster, Edelweiss, and the author Charlaine Harris author of The Sookie Stackhouse series, among other books and series.

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Book Summary: The Serpent in Heaven

(Gunnie Rose #4)

by Charlaine Harris (Goodreads Author)

 4.11  ·   Rating details ·  56 ratings  ·  25 reviews

#1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Charlaine Harris returns to her alternate history of the United States where magic is an acknowledged but despised power in this fourth installment of the Gunnie Rose series.

"Felicia, Lizbeth Rose’s half-sister and a student at the Grigori Rasputin school in San Diego—capital of the Holy Russian Empire—is caught between her own secrets and powerful family struggles. As a granddaughter of Rasputin, she provides an essential service to the hemophiliac Tsar Alexei, providing him the blood transfusions that keep him alive. Felicia is treated like a nonentity at the bedside of the tsar, and at the school she's seen as a charity case with no magical ability. But when Felicia is snatched outside the school, the facts of her heritage begin to surface. Felicia turns out to be far more than the Russian-Mexican Lizbeth rescued. As Felicia’s history unravels and her true abilities become known, she becomes under attack from all directions. Only her courage will keep her alive."

Review: Uncanny Times

Uncanny Times by Laura Anne Gilman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fascinating start to a new series. Set in 1913, during an era of some upheaval ( think suffragettes) we have a brother and sister team (Aaron and Rosemary Harker) who are what is called Huntsmen. They search for the "Uncanny," better known to us as werewolves, Fey, Vampires, Brownies, and other creatures that go bump in the night. This is, first and foremost, a mystery, and the who did it and why was a wonderful twist. Because this is the first book in this series, we do get a bit bogged down in minutia, but I can see that it is necessary to the story. A lot of things aren't explained, so I hope that they will be later on in this series. A lot of hinting about the couple's back story -just enough to make you want to read more about them. A satisfying read, and I look forward to reading the second book when it comes out. *ARC supplied by the publisher Gallery / Saga Press, the author, and ATTL/Edelweiss.

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Review: Livid

Livid by Patricia Cornwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! And again, I say WOW!

What an excellent installment on the 'relaunch' of the Kay Scarpetta books.

I haven't read any of the earlier Scarpetta novels in quite a while, but this book and the last one, Autopsy make coming back to this series worthwhile. I have even taken a couple of books from the library to get myself up to speed; there are characters I don't really remember, so I have a lot of refreshing to do.

This book starts out with a trial that Kay is an expert witness but is being treated like -well, I just don't know how to describe it, but it sure isn't with any respect! This trial has a lot to do with today's political climate in the USA.

Now add to this mess the murder of the judge's sister, add in a threat to the POTUS, another murder, and really strange clues to the murders. Ho boy, this was a fast-paced, twisty-turny read!

There was good character growth (just a little growth since the series has been around for years, so you expect the character's to have done their growing) -just enough to keep them fresh. An interesting new weapon, at least to me.

It is bloody and somewhat gory if you aren't a medical examiner!

I loved it and finished this book in one day!


*ARC supplied by the publisher Grand Central Publishing, the author, and NetGalley. 

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