Wow, this series just keeps getting better & better!

Dead Souls deals with some heavy content - hate crimes. A very real topic for our world and definitely not an easy one to read about. Marsons didn't shy away from vile characters and disturbing behavior but of course with Kim Stone & her team on the case - we can read with the knowledge they will meet with justice bc Kim always catches her perp!

This case was masterfully woven as it opens with a current teenage suicide and leads to the discovery of bones from a decades old murder. How are they related? See if you can piece it all together!

This one is definitely worth your time. It's not an easy read - be prepared to go down an intense but gripping journey with Kim & her team. It is easily one of my favorites in the series because it was brilliantly written. Marsons tackled this subject matter deftly and really makes us think both about the plot and the subject matter itself. I honestly didn't piece it all together until I saw it unravel along with Kim.

As always with this series & Marsons we get wonderful character development (we learn more about Stacey in this one!), back stories and a truly well crafted whodunnit. Looking forward to the next book in the series. Keep up the great work Angela Marsons - this series & these characters are such a gem and never disappoint.

My rating = 4.5 stars rounded up

👏🏻 Another thrilling installment to Angela Marson's outstanding Kim Stone series 🙌🏼!

In this installment, a 👶🏻 baby is abandoned outside police headquarters and Stacey and Dawson are charged with finding its mother. Around the same time the mutilated body of a young prostitute is discovered with more to come. Kim and Bryant head the investigation and come face to face with the terrifying and heartbreaking world of modern slavery ⛓💔.

What I enjoy most about this series is how much we continue to see each of the characters grow with each new book. Delving into these books is like catching up with old friends who always have the most amazing stories to tell. It's always a tense, gripping and emotional ride and this book had all of that and more.

If your interest is piqued but you have yet to read any books within the series - fear not! They can all be read as stand-alones. Marsons is a talented writer and knows how to weave essential back story into each new book seamlessly so you never feel like you are missing a thing. Of course, once you read one - you'll want to read them all. My suggestion - go for it! You won't regret delving into this series. It is one of my absolute favorites and one I have zero reservations about recommending.

Take a trip back to the 80's & see if you can solve the mystery of the missing children in Big Woods.

It’s 1989 and ten year old Lucy disappears from small town Texas. The story is told in alternating POVs between Leah (big sister, age 14) and Sylvie a nurse who seems to know something about the missing children.

The book starts off BIG with Lucy’s disappearance and an eerie line about “who will save the children” . Her disappearance is tinged with talk of satanic rituals and other bodies recovered in Big Woods. The police have no clues and search of the woods only turns up Lucy’s coin purse. The book quickly turns into more of a slow burn read as the weeks tick by. It kept me turning the pages because I needed to know what happened to Lucy and how Sylvie was connected to it all.

One of the things I really enjoyed was the connection between the two sisters. It was obvious that they had a powerfully strong bond. Leah refused to give up on finding Lucy, even when the adults around her seem to accept that she was most likely dead and would never be found, including her parents. The sisters’ bond/connection was so strong that Leah was having visions/dreams that she felt certain were communications from Lucy trying to aid her in finding and saving her. The adults in her life worried about her visions but she carried on (getting into a few hair raising situations), filled with hope that she would uncover what happened to Lucy.

I connected with Leah the most. Her emotions, pain and struggle were well crafted. Sylvie was also a dynamic character. As her story unfolds and we see the twists & turns her life has taken her part in the story begins to make sense. I couldn’t help wanting to shout at someone to just listen to her!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t a big fan of how things simply tied up neatly at the end. There were so many different elements brought up in the book - satanic rituals & devil worshippers, black roses being delivered at the high school, the church communities in an uproar, psychics, corrupt law enforcement officials, etc and those things were simply swept to the wayside and never mentioned again. I enjoyed how Cobb tied in all these aspects which were relevant in the 80s but it felt unfinished to me.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed Big Woods and in some ways it was a great read. Yet, in others is was a bit lacking for me. This is May Cobb’s debut and as such I can see lots of potential but I also feel like she might have tried to do too much at once here so there were parts that were left undeveloped in my opinion. It was a good read, just not one that I think will remain vividly with me over time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Midnight Ink and May Cobb for my early copy. All opinions are my own.

5 Stars for The Trapped Girl the 4th installment of Robert Dugong's amazing Tracy Crosswhite series!

This is my favorite book of the series to date. The mystery was interesting: A young boy goes out to do some illegal crab fishing and snags a bit of a surprise - a body! From there the story takes on quite a few different twists & turns. Just when I thought I had it figured out - something else would happen! I was glued to the book and couldn't read fast enough. This was one of those books where life was "put on hold" because I had to read one more page.

What I enjoyed most about this installment in the series was the character development. The relationship between Tracy & Dan has grown so much since book #1 and it was wonderful to see the leaps they take together in this book. I also thoroughly enjoyed seeing the relationships between Tracy and her team - Kins, Del & Faz. They have essentially become family and it was a big, integral part of this book. I fell in love with them all that much more. Who would think a bunch of tough cops could be so heartwarming?! Dugoni has such an amazing cast of characters in this series!

I have grown to love this series & these characters. Dugoni does an amazing job of weaving an engaging roller coaster plot that keeps you guessing while also really building on the back story of his main characters. We become invested in them in all the right ways! I can't wait to see where the series continues to take us. I know I'll definitely be along for the ride, for the long haul.

"The scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls" - Edgar Allan Poe

3.5 Twisty, love is blind stars ⭐️ for The Perfect Liar

After being widowed in her 20s with a young son, Susannah meets Max at a work party. Max lies about who he is to gain access to the exclusive event. He is handsome, charismatic and knows how to read/work people. He instantly charms his way into Susannah's heart and they are married within six months of that fateful meeting.

Susannah and Max are in love and happy. Max's career has taken off and the family relocates to a small town in Vermont where he will be a visiting professor. Everything is going their way. All seems perfect - until the first note arrives.

"I KNOW WHO YOU ARE"

Anxiety runs rampant and we begin to see that all is not what it appears within this family. There are desperate actions taken to assure their security. Just when Max think he can relax, another note appears, shortly followed by a third. Who is responsible? What do they want?

We begin to see that there is much more than meets the eye with this family. Lies seem to come as easily as the intake of breath. So who exactly is The Perfect Liar? Is it Max - the man who will go to any lengths to get what he wants and keep it? Or is it Susannah - the seemingly dutiful wife with her own secrets and demons to hide?

The story had an addictive quality to it with its frantic pace and short chapters. The author is definitely imaginative - unfortunately you have to really suspend your belief to fall in line with some of the twists the plot takes. Some of it proved too much of a stretch for me. I enjoyed the book overall and I definitely liked the aspect of a wolf in sheep's clothing and not all being what is seems despite my inability to fall in line with some of the plot points.

Thank you to Thomas Christopher Greene, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this book.

Child abduction, brainwashing & psychological and emotional demons!

Elian Martinez is abducted on his way home from school and held captive for 3.5 years while being brainwashed. The excerpts surrounding his time in captivity were difficult and heartbreaking to read. His abductor spends years breaking him down and reprogramming him until the fateful day he leads him into a mall strapped with a bomb to his body. Elian, a.k.a Jacob, is meant to give his life to "The Purpose" but fate intercedes in the form of Maya.

Fast forward 10 months later and Elian and Maya's paths intersect once more, only this time in high school. Maya has always been anxious and has her own emotional demons plaguing her. Although she has been hailed a hero for helping thwart Elian's bombing attempt, Maya is unraveling and suffering from crippling PTSD.

This book deals with so many sensitive topics. It is definitely best suited for older audiences. There were certain graphic descriptions that more sensitive readers should be aware of. Emerson wasn't trying to be salacious in his writing. It definitely worked within the context of the story and makes readers aware of many issues that are prominent today including social anxiety, bullying, OCD, isolation and other mental issues.

Any Second is a deep book that explores the darker parts of life. It was heavy reading and often left me feeling uncomfortable but it was also quite riveting. I couldn't stop turning the pages. I was thoroughly invested in both Elian and Maya and enjoyed the journey the characters took throughout the book.

Thank you to Kevin Emerson, Random House CHildren's and NetGalley for an arc of the book. All opinions are 100% honest and my own thoughts on the book.

⭐️ 4 WOOT! I found a new series to LOVE stars! ❤️

Ellery Hathaway has a tendency to run head first into trouble. Once a victim of a sadistic serial killer who abducted her and held her hostage she is now a champion of victims. Only problem is she is currently on mandated leave from her job in law enforcement after shooting a murderer. Of course, that doesn't stop her from delving in to help those in need.

As part of her suspension Ellery must attend therapy sessions. As part of her therapy she attends group sessions where she meets victims of violent crimes. Of course, instead of delving deep and looking inward Ellery gets drawn into not 1 but 2 cases.

Wendy was brutally raped and her assailant never caught. She is unable to move on, living in constant fear that he will return for her. Can this sexual predator be caught before there are more victims?

Mayra is the lone survivor of a fire that destroyed her family's business, claimed the life of her young son and left her wheelchair bound and both physically and emotionally scarred. The man who was arrested for the fire is up for parole and his lawyer claims he was innocent. Is he? What really happened that fateful night and who was responsible?

Without her police resources at her disposal Ellery is limited in what she can do but there is no doubt that she has to help. What's a girl to do but call on her favorite FBI agent, Reed Markham for assistance.

I absolutely love the tangled relationship between these two. What are they? Friends? Hero and Victim/Survivor? Professional Acquaintances? Or is there more brimming beneath the sexually charged surface?

Both of the mysteries were compelling packed with tense moments for both Ellery and Reed. Ellery is a strong female lead (which I'm a HUGE fan of!) facing emotional demons from her tortured past. You can't help but root for her even when you want to shake her for being reckless! Reed is the calm to her storm. He just can't seem to stay away from this girl he once saved. The bond they share, the bubbling emotions simmering just beneath their interactions all add up to an amazing duo that I want to see lots more of - bring on Book 3!

Thank you to Joanna Schaffhausen, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this book to review.

3.5 thrilling stars for this puzzling mystery filled with highly detestable characters

It's the end of summer at Camp Waukeelo and eight year old Joey Proctor is still scared of the water and hasn't learned to swim. Swim instructor Alex Mason isn't about to let Joey detract from his promise that all campers would know how to swim by the end of camp. Alex believes in learning by doing so he pulls young Joey to the deep end of the lake, hauling him onto a raft and swimming away. Joey has two options - swim to shore or remain on the raft, alone.

After evening meals, Joey's presence is finally missed by his counselor, Steve who had been away for the afternoon. Alex slinks off to check the lake and finds the raft empty. Despite a police led search Joey is never seen again. As camp closes and the campers and staff go home, Alex carries the secret of Joey's last moments with him.

Twenty-one years later Alex is a successful business man with a wife and two daughters. Alex seems to have it all, until strange things begin to happen around him. Things that force him to recall that long forgotten summer when little Joey Proctor disappeared without a trace.

Could Joey be alive and out for vengeance? Does someone know Alex's secret and want him to pay?

One of the things that struck me most about this book is how many ruthless, unlikeable characters there are. There are so many underlying motives and cut throat dealings. I felt bad for Alex's wife and daughters. They were living with the ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing! As things escalate and come to a head Alex unravels. His fear, anxiety and sense of preservation catapult him into one disastrous decision after another. I honestly found my dislike for him growing with each turn of the page. Which I am positive was J.P Smith's goal.

This was definitely one of those books that will keep you turning the pages, while you shake your head. Don't expect everything to be tied up with a nice bow at the end. I actually found myself having to go back when I was done to re-read parts that stood out to me so I could connect a few dots to my satisfaction. Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I'm all for a book that makes me pay attention and does things a bit outside the box. Well done J.P Smith - I look forward to reading more from you!

4 Stars for Bad Mommy

Want a peek inside the mind of a psychopath or a sociopath? This is a book that does just that!

The book is told in 3 different (unreliable) POVs and I have to give Tarryn credit for truly making each POV/voice unique and giving us insight into each character while craftily adding pieces to the puzzle with each chapter that we didn't even realize were missing.

The twists & turns in this book are nothing short of a roller coaster ride. These characters are deeply flawed and when you think you have them figured out - think again because you don't! Beware - this book will pull you in & the characters won't let go. This was a fast, unputdownable ride on the crazy train & I loved every disturbing minute of it!

4 Stars for The Fifth Season

"This is the way the world ends.... for the last time"

I was immediately drawn into the mythology and Jemisin's writing. It took a few chapters to really get into the story but I think that had a bit to do with navigating through the vocabulary. Once I understood it enough not to be distracted by having to stop and think about what was what and who was who in relation to this "new to me" world, I couldn't put the book down.

As you continue to read, your initial patience pays off and things begin to make sense. The puzzle pieces easily shift into place and connections are made. Ultimately, you are rewarded for your initial confusion - for it seems it was all part of the author's unique storytelling.

The Fifth Season follows three women - Essun, Syenite and Damaya. The women are oregenes - humans with the ability to manipulate the earth. They each have an important story to tell for life has been hard in the Stillness and they have weathered many trials (violence, death, cruelty, racism & more).

The characters in this story, even the secondary ones, were engrossing and all add to the overall plot and pace of the story. The setting, the Stillness, is truly a fascinating world. In my mind it became almost like a character completely unto itself. It's such an unforgiving, harsh environment. Seismic activity is a constant threat to humankind and it truly brings meaning to the saying "survival of the fittest" with its end-of-the world effects.

Humankind survives these devastating "seasons" with the help of the oregenes like Essun, Syenite and Damaya, yet they are despised, feared and are actually slaves. This oppression is a big part of the story and was woven masterfully into the 3 stories. We begin to unknowingly, learn along with 1 of the characters and experience its wake in yet another.

Be forewarned: The story ends on a cliffhanger type revelation that leaves you maddeningly ready to jump into the next novel. This is a world I look forward to entering into again with Book 2.