Review of, Runaway (City Streets Trilogy Book One), by Susanne Perry

First and foremost, I’d like to wish a belated, “Happy Mother’s Day,” to my readers. We travelled the 401 to visit with our families and had a wonderful time with great weather.

Today I’m sharing a review of another fantastic read!

The Deets:

Runaway: a runaway is found dead in an alley. Who is she? Why is she living on the street? The answers lie deep within the community of street dwellers, often ignored or invisible. To find the young woman’s killer, Sergeant Liz Jordan and Officer Kyle Connors must earn the trust of people without permanent addresses, who do not trust the establishment. Delving deep into a world of uncertainty and danger, the investigation uncovers a web of deceit and exploitation that preys on the most vulnerable. Runaway is the first novel in the City Streets Trilogy.

My Thoughts:

Chock full of ample mountain road twisty turns to satisfy any avid mystery fan, Runaway, also makes a powerful statement about the gaping inequalities and cracks in our economic and social welfare system. It’s quite easy to imagine many of the scenarios playing out in communities across the world.

The main characters were three dimensional with idiosyncrasies, addictions, and flaws all well-packaged. As someone who’s spent years in law enforcement, Runaway, brought up a question that I’ve pondered for years. Is someone’s behavior and personality influenced to a greater extent by nature or nurture? I’ve never been able to figure that one out.

Regardless of your stance on this, I’d highly recommend this read for all the reasons mentioned above. I’m looking forward to diving into the rest of this series.

Five Stars!  

Please note that I do not post reviews of books that I deem to be less than four stars. Life’s too short, and if I don’t enjoy the read, I simply won’t finish it.

Meet Susanne:

Perry is the author of The City Streets Series–three mysteries set within the street community of the Pacific Northwest. An avid reader of mysteries, Perry chose to write in that genre, combining love of “who-dun-its” with experience working with people. Runaway, Veteran and Gutter Punk, the three titles in the series, include references to history, places, and culture specific to their Pacific Northwest settings. Perry is a native of Washington state and worked for a variety of non-profit programs serving children and families. Perry resides with her husband in Arizona.

Grab your copy:

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Review of, The Reckoning: A Time Travel Thriller(Book One of the Series), by D.M. Taylor

Well, it’s day three of quarantine and that nasty little COVID bug still has me holed up in our office/bedroom. But hey, it’s not all bad. This thing feels like a minor cold, and I’ve been able to get plenty of writing and reading done. Speaking of which, I’m pleased to share my latest read and it’s a good one!

The Details:

If Katniss Everdeen had a PhD in Quantum Physics she’d be a perfect fit in Dr. Taden Barrett’s world of time travel.
Can Taden’s technology save her country or will she make a choice that even time travel can’t undo?

My Thoughts:

I’m not a habitual reader of science fiction . . . but wow! This book was a literary riptide that didn’t release me until the final word. Of course, it didn’t hurt that I’ve been fascinated with time travel since I knew how to read a clock.

Aside from the thrilling and 3 g-force plot twists, I believe this story appeals to the sentimentalist in most of us. If it were possible, who among us wouldn’t entertain at least the thought of returning to our past and righting a wrong, or spending one last time with a deceased loved one?

True to most tales that deal with time travel, there are caveats about interfering with the past, though not so disastrous as the destruction of the universe.

Taylor has built well rounded, strong, intelligent, and resilient male and female characters that keep things moving at a fluid pace.

The only issue I found, and this is just my personal opinion of course, was the occasional use of parenthesis. Yes, I know it’s just me being picky, but I’m not a fan of them in books. I just want you to know that they are used sparingly and in no way interfered with my enjoyment of this book. I definitely have my eye on the next one in the series.

FIVE STARS!

Please note that I do not post reviews of books that I deem to be less than four stars. Life’s too short, and if I don’t enjoy the read, I simply won’t finish it.

Meet D.M. Taylor

D.M. Taylor is a full-time writer with a constant desire to be at the beach or as close to a combination of: water, sand, and sunshine as she can. You can tell by looking at all of the freckles she has collected as evidence.

If she’s not writing in her tiny cottage by the lake, then it’s not summer. The rest of the year, she’s writing on her couch under blankets near a giant bay window. On the less romantic days of writing, and let’s be real–most of them, her pages come together while waiting in a car for one of her kids–as part of her chauffeur gig.

Her gravitational pull to science fiction, developed throughout her teacher training; where she concentrated on science education. Graduating from Michigan Tech with an Applied Science Master’s Degree jumpstarted her geeky interests. An obsession of time travel pushed through her romantic notions of the world and the easy fear she holds of anything frightening. Together, these elements created a writer of: sci-fi thrillers who sprinkles in a bit of slow burn.

Accruing in her head is a checklist of places to travel, items to accomplish, and book ideas to write.

She regenerates from deep conversation, dancing, and laughter.

Connect with her and grab your copy:

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The latest review of, “Vanished.”

Happy Friday! Though the clouds have rolled in and threaten rain, nothing can dampen my spirits as I read the latest review of my novel. The fact that this was written by a very gifted author named, Yvette M Calleiro, makes this even sweeter!  

She’s authored some fantastic novels and I’ve included links to her sites at the end of this blog. Thanks, Yvette, you’ve made my day!

I would also like to mention that 50% of the proceeds from book sales are donated to organizations that help victims of human trafficking.

Here’s the details, if you’re unfamiliar with the story:

Tragedy… heartache… how much more can Tyler Montgomery and John Webster take? This missions trip, the “healing” one, has only added fresh layers of pain. Construction of an orphanage in Haiti’s northwest… yes. But a doomed rescue operation, human traffickers, human anomalies, extreme personal danger… risk of death? They hadn’t signed up for those. 

​Turning their backs on the crisis, however, is unthinkable, it’s just not who they are.

The Review:

What an AMAZING story! Not only does this book focus on the real and serious topic of child trafficking, but it also shows the human spirit, both the good and the evil. The author does a wonderful job creating unique characters who push the story along. The pace of the story is thrilling – every page takes you on a crazy roller coaster of a ride through heart-breaking dangers. And as much as I hated seeing certain characters die, I felt the author did right by the realities of these situations. 

There were a few typos that I’ve brought to the author’s attention, but it never took me out of enjoying the story. Normally, I would deduct one star for those, but this story was so engaging, so powerful, and so purposeful that I chose to keep it at five stars. I look forward to reading more from this author. 🙂

Grab your copy and read for a great cause:

Available in Kindle and paperback formats.

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Follow me on social media (don’t be shy, I don’t bite . . . much) 🙂

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Meet Yvette and purchase a book, or two, or more:

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Review of The Eve’s End, by Stephanie M. Matthews

Brrr! It’s a cold one up here, in the Canadian North! Speaking of which, I have the privilege of reviewing the work of fellow Canadian author, Stephanie M. Matthews. Before I begin, I suggest that you read the first book of this series, The Gift, in order to better comprehend this one. There will be more purchase links listed at the end of this article.

A quick intro:

An Amazon Bestseller, “The Eve’s End” is the stunning sequel to the breakout thriller, “The Gift.” Re-immerse yourself in the vivid writing style, provoking storytelling, and addictive suspense that made you love the first novel! It’s been twenty-eight years since Fae Peeters came to a little Belgian village for Christmas. Twenty-eight years since she received the Gift and came face-to-face with Nefas. Fate would ensure that twenty-eight years would not become twenty-nine.

My turn:

As with The Gift, this story is choc full of nuances, allegories, and explores the nature of free will. Indeed, how much of what the characters assume are their own choices are actually the work of a master puppeteer? How much of what appears to be the right choice, is pure poison?

There’s a divine incarnation of good versus evil via a number of the characters, and the humans are left to sort out who they’re going to follow. At times, even Fae Peeters is left questioning the reality and the soundness of her path. There’s plenty of action, but it’s those layers that piqued my interest.

I’d recommend The Gift and The Eve’s End for readers who enjoy supernatural thrillers, that fuel contemplation of the deeper meanings of life.

Five Stars for The Eve’s End!

Please note that I only post reviews on books I deem four or five stars. Life is short and if I don’t like a book, I simply won’t finish it.

Meet Stephanie:

Having been raised as an East Coast girl in Truro, Nova Scotia, Stephanie M. Matthews has spent time living in Newfoundland, Oklahoma, and Italy. She has currently settled in Ontario, Canada working for a non-profit organization and writing in her spare time.

Stephanie’s love of writing came at an early age, drafting her first “real story” in Grade 2. This love of writing has continued throughout her life, as a university professor once accused her of having made a history research paper too exciting. While this accusation inspired an opinionated debate between department professors- from which she gently excused herself, the moment solidified a decision to never take the excitement out of her writing- fiction or non.

From a young age, Stephanie was drawn to thriller stories, as they appealed to her adventurous side.

Still admitting to be too scared to read many supernatural thrillers herself, she knows exactly how to craft an exciting, thrilling supernatural story by drawing on everything that scares her!

When not writing or working, Stephanie enjoys fueling her passion for Ancient Rome and indulging her nerdiness in Middle-Earth. Stephanie also loves mountain biking and combatting her arch nemesis: her love of cookies. She can be found mourning the loss of the television show “Firefly”, pretending like she can play hockey, or planning her bucket list, for which she had to come to the harsh reality that time travel is not an option.

Connect and grab your copy:

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Review of The Ferryman and the Sea Witch, by D. Wallace Peach

The dawn of a new week, and with a hot cup of joe steaming beside me, I’m bringing you my thoughts on D. Wallace Peach’s, The Ferryman and the Sea Witch.

What Amazon says:

The merrow rule the sea. Slender creatures, fair of face, with silver scales and the graceful tails of angelfish. Caught in a Brid Clarion net, the daughter of the sea witch perishes in the sunlit air. Her fingers dangle above the swells.

The queen of the sea bares her sharp teeth and, in a fury of wind and waves, cleanses the brine of ships and men. But she spares a boy for his single act of kindness. Callum becomes the Ferryman, and until Brid Clarion pays its debt with royal blood, only his sails may cross the Deep.

Two warring nations, separated by the merrow’s trench, trade infant hostages in a commitment to peace. Now, the time has come for the heirs to return home. The Ferryman alone can undertake the exchange.

Yet, animosities are far from assuaged. While Brid Clarion’s islands bask in prosperity, Haf Killick, a floating city of derelict ships, rots and rusts and sinks into the reefs. Its ruler has other designs.

And the sea witch crafts dark bargains with all sides.

Callum is caught in the breach, with a long-held bargain of his own which, once discovered, will shatter this life.

My Turn:

There’s plenty of blade crossing, high seas drama, and juicy betrayal in this fantasy novel. I was quickly caught up in the ‘Gulf Stream’ plot, unsure of where I’d be deposited next.

What really sucked me into the maelstrom was Peach’s amazing world and word building. Her writing flows like a powerful river, deep, smooth, and uninterrupted. I felt the story! From the crushing depths of the Deep, where the merrow live, to the rusted hulks of the impoverished, Haf Killick, I left my couch without standing.

I found that none of the characters were entirely evil, nor good. They all had a personal story of trauma and some justification for their actions. I wouldn’t hesitate to read another work by this author. Well done!

FIVE STARS!  

Meet D. Wallace Peach and get your copy:

A long-time reader, best-selling author D. Wallace Peach started writing later in life after the kids were grown and a move left her with hours to fill. Years of working in business surrendered to a full-time indulgence in the imaginative world of books, and when she started writing, she was instantly hooked.

In addition to fantasy books, Peach’s publishing career includes participation in various anthologies featuring short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She’s an avid supporter of the arts in her local community, organizing and publishing annual anthologies of Oregon prose, poetry, and photography.

Peach lives in a log cabin amongst the tall evergreens and emerald moss of Oregon’s rainforest with her husband, two owls, a horde of bats, and the occasional family of coyotes.

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