authentic reviews and insightful interviews for inquisitive readers
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Her Cold Heart by Pamela Fagan Hutchins is a tense atmospheric read where snow appears everywhere. The plot opens with Delaney and Leo on the ski slopes. As they are about to get on the ski lift a shot rings out and a young woman is shot and killed. Delaney and Leo know they must pursue whatever leads there are and jump on snowmobiles, hoping to catch the shooter. After they find out that …
Title: The King’s Ransom Author: Janet Evanovich Series: Recovery Agent/Gabriela Rose #2 Much thanks to Janet Evanovich, Atria Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Ironically, I’m surprised it’s only been four years since Gabriela’s first book came out—it feels like longer. I don’t know what happened behind the scenes, but man; it changed release date several times, co-authors came and went. But here it finally is! And it’s okay. Released at …
Title: The Lost Author: Sarah Beth Durst Series: not anymore PSA: If you’re furious about the ending and came looking for answers, check the copyright of the copy you just read. If it says 2014 and only 2014, find a copy of the updated 2025 version, stat! Read the last two or three chapters, then come back if you need to. 😉 —————– Initial Post: Wow. I haven’t felt fucked up by a book like this in a while. I …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper A Hidden Hope by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a fantastic read blending romance, hope, faith, intriguing medical facts, and doctors/nurses learning their craft under the supervision of a very wise doctor. Readers can revisit characters from the previous book and get to know some interesting new ones. The plot has Ruth “Dok” Stoltzfus deciding to lessen her medical workload by taking into the practice two newly minted medical residents, Wren Baker and Charlie King, …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Veteran’s Day is a holiday to honor US veterans and victims of all wars. Janice Lynn who writes a fiction series about veterans who feel broken emotionally and physically. In the Janice Lynn series Wrapped Up in Christmas, there are five books: Wrapped Up in Christmas, Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy, Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope, Wrapped Up in Christmas Love, and Wrapped Up in Christmas Faith. Each book highlights a different veteran who …
A roundup of several smaller reviews I wrote in Fall 2025. Beware of spoilers! Title: Dead Wrong Author: Kate Allenton Series: Cree Blue Psychic Eye Mystery #1 Not great. Very simplistic and superficial storytelling. Too short to include much detail or character development. The MC, Cree*, is more foolishly headstrong than spunky, and waaayyy overpowered: clairvoyant, psychometric, knows when people are lying, and she can see and communicate with ghosts? She must also be rich, because she’s entirely unbothered by the …
Title: Mixing Magics Author: Clare Edge Series: Accidental Demons #2 Much thanks to Clare Edge, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I was greatly disappointed by book 2. It felt like a hot mess of a first draft. It also felt like the author had no idea what to do with any of her own lore. Book 1 was fantastic, and the two things it did extra well …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Julia Kelly’s new series introduces a new heroine, Evelyne Redfern. She is intelligent, logical, and resilient with a love of reading detective stories. Readers are plunged into WWII where Evelyne ends up as a spy. These novels have secrets and friendships. A Traitor in Whitehall introduces Evelyne by going into her backstory. She was known as the Parisian Orphan after her mother died, and her father was in name only. Now many years later, …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Puppy Love & Snowflake Kisses by Jennifer Faye has Belle Sinclair recently adopting a stray puppy. It was love at first snuggle. He is the best Christmas present ever. And yet her holiday happiness goes sideways when she hears a siren and spots flashing lights in her rearview mirror. It seems Sheriff Parker Bishop always seems to be there when she commits traffic violations. But after Belle’s puppy goes missing, she calls the Sheriff …
Title: 7 Figure Fiction: How to Use Universal Fantasy to Sell Your Books to Anyone Author: T. Taylor Series: Universal Fantasy #1 First, I blinked the sales-pitch dazzle out of my eyes. Second, I sneered at and moved past the fact that this entire book is a humble brag. Third, I processed. And processed. And processed. And finally made sense of this mess of a book. Universal Fantasy is real. Taylor just does the worst job of explaining what it …