The Priest Review

Series:  Original Series #9
Publisher:  8th Circle Press
Release Date:  April 20, 2020
Updated Release Date: Mar. 19, 2020
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  5 Tortured Hearts


*Many thanks to the publisher for an arc of this book.


Synopsis:
New Orleans, four months after the events of THE QUEEN...

Søren has been suspended from the Jesuits for a minimum of one year after confessing to fathering a child. To say he's struggling with his newfound freedom is an understatement.

Kingsley is about to be a father again and is convinced something very bad is about to happen. Nerves? Or is he right that the time has come for the Sinners to pay for their sins?

And if things couldn't get worse, a handsome private detective shows up and tells Mistress Nora that a priest has just committed suicide, and she was the last person he tried to call. He would like to know why...

She doesn't know, but Nora and her new detective friend will turn over the city to find out, meeting liars, vampires, and witches along the way. When she finds what she's looking for, she may wish she'd never stepped foot in New Orleans.

Review:

It's never safe to assume anything when reading a Tiffany Reisz book.  Don't assume you know where the twisted story will lead.  Don't assume your favorite characters will survive unscathed.  Don't assume the story will leave your heart and soul intact - it won't.  What you can assume (in fact you can take it to the bank) is that once you open the cover and step inside a Reisz book, you'll lose all sense of time and obligation until you read the final page.  This author's uncanny ability to take readers and characters on a twisted, tortuous, emotional journey is truly amazing.  With the flip of her wrist, Reisz casts a magical spell over everyone.  

As The Priest begins, an investigation is opening into the death of a priest . . . one who tried to call Mistress Nora minutes before committing the ultimate sin.  She hasn't a clue who he is so why did he reach out to her before killing himself?  Intrigued and more than a little spooked, Nora is determined to solve the mystery in spite of the attention and risks it brings to everything and everyone she loves.  Including Soren.  To say this book touched and shook me to the core is an  understatement.  There's a lot I'd like to talk about, but I won't reveal spoilers. If you're a fan of the Original Sinners, you'll understand when you read The Priest.  If you haven't read the series, all I can say is begin with book one and prepare to have your mind blown.  Although the author does an excellent job of including background info, it'll be your loss if you skip reading previous books.  

As always, Reisz delves deep into the main characters psyche and is comfortable stretching boundaries, going places others would never dare.  Her writing is mesmerizing - it lures you in, holding you in a trance-like state until you lose yourself in the story with these characters.  Keeping a watchful eye out as they attempt to justify and balance their desires and needs against the consequences.  I felt Nora's pain as the horrific truth of this case hit a little too close to home, forcing her to take a hard look at her life and think about what and who brought her to this place at this time.  Did she choose her path or was it chosen for her?  Was it her destiny or fate?  Soren isn't the only one with a hard decision to make.  Nora's decision has the power to unravel and destroy the lives of  those she loves most.

The Priest is another brilliantly rendered saga in the Original Sinners world.  Reisz has delivered a tale of love, passion, truth, heartache, and forgiveness as the day of reckoning is nigh for some of our favorite characters.  I love that the characters and story have opened a new chapter by moving to New Orleans.  The author captures the spooky, illusive, other-worldly atmosphere of the city and people, expertly weaving it into the plot line, adding depth to this mysterious suspense story while driving it forward at a fast pace. Reisz introduces some new players in The Priest that I would love to see more of including Cyrus, Nora's new friend and fellow sleuth.  And as always, I loved every painful moment with my favorite characters from previous books.  Some serious revelations unfold in this one, especially between Soren and Nora.  I don't mind admitting I held my breath through the last third or so of the book, offering up a prayer or two to please make things work out as I wanted.  I won't reveal if my prayers were answered or not, but will just say my heart is still beating a little too fast, my soul is a bit bruised, and I still have chill bumps on my arms even though I finished this one last night.  As always, Tiffany Reisz entertained me while torturing and manipulating my heart.  The Priest is intimate, erotic, sometimes humorous, always emotional - with a shot of deceit and honesty all rolled into one fantastic addition to the OS series.  Remember - don't assume anything . . . just hold on to the remote possibility you'll survive this journey heart intact.  As for my recovery, the jury's still out.  Highly Recommended!

My Rating:  5 Tortured Hearts

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥

She doesn't know, but Nora and her new detective friend will turn over the city to find out, meeting liars, vampires, and witches along the way. When she finds what she's looking for, she may wish she'd never stepped foot in New Orleans.

Little Secrets Review

Genre:  Suspense Thriller
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Release Date:  April 21, 2020
Purchase Link: Amazon

My Rating:  5 Frantic Hearts

A special thank you to Minotaur Books for a paperback arc of this book. #MinotaurInfluencers

From the author of Jar of Hearts, a mother driven to the edge by the disappearance of her son . . .  Four hundred and eighty seconds. That’s how long it took for someone to steal Marin Machado's four-year-old son.

Note:  The full synopsis is posted below, following my review.  In my opinion, the reading experience is greatly enhanced by going into this story with as little info as possible as I did.  It's one hell of a ride!  

Review:

Little Secrets opens with Marin and her little boy Sebastian holding hands while shopping in a crowded Marketplace.  Marin promises Sebastian a giant lollipop if he's good while she shops for one last Christmas present.  She's momentarily distracted by a phone text, and in the time it takes her to realize her son is no longer holding her hand, Sebastian is gone.  Sixteen months later, he's still missing with no viable leads, and Marin's life is a living hell as she's unable to come to terms with her loss.  After the FBI search goes cold, Marin hires a private investigator (a little secret) without telling anyone.  She's convinced Sebastian was taken by someone he knew - he wouldn't go with a complete stranger.  The PI begins an intensive investigation into all of Marin and her husband's acquaintances, and what she finally uncovers will shred Marin's world into tiny pieces all over again.  How much pain can one woman possibly endure without falling over the edge?  You're about to find out.

Do yourself a favor and allow yourself a chance to read this book without knowing any details.  I consider myself lucky to have skipped all reviews as well as the synopsis/blurb before reading it.  As a result, I opened the book a complete innocent and was lured inside just as surely as Sebastian was lured away with a lollipop.  Hillier excels at rendering dark, twisted tales that keep you up at night, reeling from the unexpected revelations time and again.  A shadowy, menacing tone drives this story at a frantic pace through unexpected twists and turns.  The story unfolds through two characters points of view - one is Marin, and I won't say who the other is because its unexpected and part of the journey, the story.  The characters are not all likeable, but I think that's where the author's brilliance shines brightest.  She writes deeply flawed characters in a manner that makes them real . . . makes them human even though they may do terrible things.  They're not necessarily forgivable, but I like that Hillier cracks them open like a nutshell allowing readers to then pick at the heart of them - get to the bottom of what life experiences made them what they are.  Likewise, Hillier's ability to weave multiple plot lines with perfection is truly amazing.  Never think you know where a story will go in the end in a Hillier book because you'll most likely be wrong.

Little Secrets is a dark, raw, edgy, highly compulsive story of secrets, lies, betrayals, loss, guilt, revenge, and yes, even love.  It's about starting over at ground zero when you've lost everything.  It's about fighting for your beliefs and to keep what's yours.  It's about never, ever giving up.  It's about surviving.  I started and finished it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down without knowing everything.  Like I said, it's a highly compulsive read!  The intensity is insane, the pace frantic, and the story heartbreaking.  A enthralling thriller that I highly recommend!

My Rating:  5 Frantic Hearts

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥

Synopsis:

Marin had the perfect life. Married to her college sweetheart, she owns a chain of upscale hair salons, and Derek runs his own company. They're admired in their community and are a loving family. Up until the day Sebastian is taken.

A year later, Marin is a shadow of herself. The FBI search has gone cold. The publicity has faded. She and her husband rarely speak. The only thing keeping her going is the unlikely chance that one day Sebastian reappears. She hires a P.I. to pick up where the police left off, but instead of finding him, she discovers that Derek is having an affair with a younger woman.

Kenzie Li is an artist and grad student—Instagram famous—and up to her eyeballs in debt. She knows Derek is married. She also knows he's rich, and dating him comes with perks: help with bills, trips away, expensive gifts. He isn't her first rich boyfriend, but she finds herself hoping he'll be the last. She's falling for him—and that was never part of the plan.

Discovery of the affair sparks Marin back to life. She's lost her son; she's not about to lose her husband, too. Kenzie is an enemy with a face, which means this is a problem Marin can fix. But as she sets a plan in motion, another revelation surfaces. Derek's lover might know what happened to their son. And so might Derek.

The New Husband Review

Genre: Mystery Suspense
Publisher:  St. Martin's Press
Release Date:  April 14, 2020
Purchase Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4 Suspicious Hearts

Many thanks to the publisher for an arc of this book via Netgalley.

Synopsis:
Just because you love someone doesn't mean you know them.

Nina Garrity learned that the hard way after discovering that her missing husband, Glen, had been leading a double life with another woman. But Glen's gone--presumably drowned while fishing on his boat--so she can't confront him about the affair or any of his other misdeeds. A year and a half after the accident, Nina considers herself a widow, even though the police never found a body. Following a chance encounter with Simon Fitch, a teacher from her daughter Maggie's middle school, Nina finds love again and has hopes of putting her shattered life back together.

Simon, a widower still grieving the suicide of his first wife, has found his dream girl in Nina. His charm and affections help break through to a heart hardened by betrayal. Nina's teenage son, Connor, embraces Simon as the father he wishes his dad could have been, but Maggie sees a far darker side to this new man in their lives. Even Nina's good friends wonder if Simon is supremely devoted-or dangerously possessive.

But Nina is committed, not only to her soon-to-be new husband but also to resuming her former career as a social worker. Before she can move forward, however, Nina must first clear her conscience that she's not making another terrible choice in a man. In doing so, she will uncover the shocking truth: the greatest danger to her, and her children, are the lies people tell themselves.

Review:
An early morning fisherman discovers an abandoned boat adrift with only a barking dog onboard and blood all over the deck.  What happened to the missing owner?  Hours later, police knock on Nina Garrity's door to return her dog and inform her that her husband Glen is missing. An intense search is conducted, but a body is never found.  Glen Garrity disappeared without a trace. Two years later, Nina has moved on with Simon, presuming her husband is dead or more likely - given the shocking revelations she uncovered after he went missing - he's living a secret life.  Nina's confidence is badly shaken after uncovering her husband's lies and indiscretions, but the new man in her life, home, and bed constantly reassures her that she's almost perfect.  Nina's children, Connor and Maggie, have different opinions of their soon-to-be stepfather with Connor embracing him while Maggie suspects him of being a monster in disguise.  She is convinced her dad is alive and will return to their family so she seizes every opportunity to antagonize and investigate Simon producing a never-ending explosive atmosphere in their home.  Simon is pressing Nina to set a wedding date, but before she fully commits to him she needs to be sure he's what he appears to be . . . the perfect man.  She can't afford to let a man make a fool of her again.

The New Husband is a menacing, atmospheric psychological thriller that radiates creepy vibes.  The story is told through Nina and Maggie's point of view for the most part until later when another point of view is revealed.  This is an extremely hard story to talk about without divulging spoilers which would be a shame as the plot depends heavily on readers experiencing this story as it unfolds.  The author sets a sinister tone in the first few pages  - a sense of impending doom that multiplies as suspicions and doubts ferment.  It's left up to the reader to work through the manipulation and deceit to figure out who's telling the truth and who's lying.  After the lightening intro to the story, the pace slows down a bit only to increase again in the second half as the story takes an unexpected turn, and readers discover a big, missing piece of the mystery.  One might expect having this information would lessen the intensity of the rest of the story, but instead it escalates everything as the stakes are raised and the sense of urgency and imminent danger become frantic.   

The New Husband is a story of obsession, deceit, suspicion and lies.  It's a story of recognition, acceptance and acknowledgement that the lies we tell ourselves - the ones we choose to believe - are the biggest threat to us and our loved ones.  While the story stretches the boundaries of believability a time or two, I think fans of mystery, suspense, and psychological thrillers will love this book!  Highly recommended!

My Rating:  4 Suspicious Hearts

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥

IWSG: Family Traditions Anyone?

A database resource site and support group for writers and authors. Featuring weekly guests and tips, a monthly blogfest gathering, a Facebook group, a book club, and thousands of links – all to benefit writers! #IWSG

Website / Facebook Group / Twitter / Book Club

Make sure to stop by to visit each of February's co-hosts as well as all of our other awesome members!  A big thank you to:  

Jacqui Murray, Lisa Buie-Collard, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence!

IWSG Question: Other than the obvious holiday traditions, have you ever included any personal or family traditions/customs in your stories? 

Not specifically, no.  Does thinking about it count? lol  Actually, I've planned on weaving one or two old family traditions into stories before, but for one reason or the other it's never worked out.  A matter of bad timing or wrong story or whatever.  Having said that, I think everyone's writing is influenced by personal experiences one way or the other, and I'm no different.  I've written a past experience into a story before - changing it to fit the character and scene.  I've also incorporated holiday traditions in a story, but those are excluded in this IWSG question.

Honoring family traditions and/or customs was a big part of my life growing up in an old-fashioned Southern family.  And I've carried many of those traditions over into my life today along with making new ones with my family.  I think traditions can be the glue that holds families together in today's madhouse world - giving children roots and a sense of belonging that is often missing in their young lives.  And just like that, an idea about how to use one of our family traditions in a scene just popped into my head . . . maybe the "glue" I've been searching for in this story.  Huh.  Weird how permitting my thoughts to flow without thinking about it - letting my fingers race across the keys, converting thoughts to words on the screen - opens the floodgates allowing ideas to slip through without censorship.  It's an eyeopener when that happens.  One of those Ah Ha lightbulb moments.  Has that ever happened to you?

What family traditions/customs have you used in your writing?

A Bad Day For Sunshine Review

Series: Sunshine Vicram #1
Genre: Romance Suspense
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Release Date:  April 7, 2020
Purchasing Link:  Amazon

My Rating:  4 Witty Hearts

*A special thank you to the publisher for an arc of this book via Netgalley.

New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones is back with the brand-new snarky, sassy, wickedly fun Sunshine Vicram series!

Synopsis:

Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o’ joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose.

Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, its strong cups of coffee—and a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff—an election her adorably meddlesome parents entered her in—and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of it's reminding Sunny why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that trouble at her daughter’s new school and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and Sunshine has her hands full.

Enter sexy almost-old-flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky US Marshall, both elevens on a scale of one to blazing inferno, and the normally savvy sheriff is quickly in over her head. Now it’s up to Sunshine to juggle a few good hunky men, a not-so-nice kidnapping miscreant, and Doug the ever-pesky flasher. And they said coming home would be drama-free.

Review:
Newly elected Sheriff Sunshine Vicram rolls back into Del Sol, New Mexico with her fourteen year old daughter Auri and a suitcase full of bad memories and karma.  She'd left this whimsical little town in her rearview at age seventeen - running from a traumatic, life-altering experience and a broken heart with no intention of ever returning to the scene of the crime.  And yet, here she is having won an election she didn't enter.  Is that even legal?  One's thing for sure, the most action this place ever sees is from resident flasher Doug, an escape artist rooster called Puff Daddy, or a group of eccentric old ladies called The Book Babes.  Piece of cake, right? lol  Think again.  On Sunshine's first day on the job, all hell breaks loose when a girl is reported missing and an escaped convict is spotted around the outskirts of town.  Sunshine and Deputy Quincy Cooper, a childhood friend, begin their investigation and, of course, one of the first people they need to interview is Sunshine's ole flame Levi Ravinder . . . one of THE Ravinders.  And no surprise that nothing's changed between them as sparks, flames, and ugly, hurtful words fly.  What is his problem?!  Buckle up y'all - you're in for one hell of a ride!

A Bad Day For Sunshine is told through two points of view - that of Sunshine and her daughter Auri.  The results are alternating chapters and intertwining dual plotlines that will keep readers on their toes.  Auri is faced with her own drama from being bullied at school plus she's a wanna-be sleuth with a tendency to jump in the deep in without a backup plan.  Strangely enough, it's often Levi that rides in on a white horse to rescue her.  Yes, there's a story there too.

Multiple plot lines and muti-dimensional characters help set a fast pace in A Bad Day For Sunshine.  It's an entertaining read with lots of witty banter, quirky characters, and one-liners.  I will say that all the snark had me concerned early on as it was spread a bit thick.  I found myself searching for the plot line and thinking is this all there is?  No need for concern as the story soon settles in, and I quickly became immersed in hunting for clues to the kidnapper's identity and a link I felt I was missing.  Character-driven stories such as this one with a star support cast generating a great deal of suspense are among my favorites.  Jones trademark wit is evident throughout creating laugh out loud scenes even in the midst of a kidnapping investigation.  I did feel at times as though the urgency of the case was sacrificed to the humor as main characters meandered off course frequently, but in her usual magical manner this author makes it work.  There's an overall story arc that obviously continues into the next book, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it leads these characters and readers.` All in all, A Bad Day For Sunshine is a great start to a fascinating new series by the beloved Darynda Jones.  Highly Recommended!

My Rating:  4 Witty Hearts

Cross My Heart . . . xxx

♥Sandra♥