Peril in Paradise: A Roger and Suzanne Mystery (Roger and Suzanne: book 21) by Jerold Last

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Star Rating: 4

Publisher:

Date of publication: January 14th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Series: Roger and Suzanne

The Empanada Affair—Book 1

The Ambivalent Corpse—Book 2

The Surreal Killer—Book 3

The Body in the Parking Structure—Book 4

The Matador Murders—Book 5

The Body in the Bed—Book 6

The Deadly Dog Show—Book 7

The Origin of Murder—Book 8

Unbearably Deadly—Book 9

Science Can Be Murder—Book 10

The Body in the Alpaca Pasture—Book 11

Hunter Down—Book 12

Rum, Cigars, and Corpses—Book 13

Abra Cadaver—Book 14

The Bodies by the Beltway—Book 15

Roger and the Cancelled Czech—Book 16

Dangerous Drugs and Dexterious Dogs—Book 17

A Train to Nowhere—Book 18

Tahoe Trauma—Book 19

Bloody Delta Dawn—Book 20

Peril in Paradise—Book 21

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N

Goodreads Synopsis:

Roger finds a box in the ocean containing more than a quarter of a million dollars in cash while SCUBA diving in Hawaii. He attempts to return the money to the proper authorities. But things go wrong. Before long the money has disappeared along with two missing FBI agents who can’t be found, and Roger is in trouble with the local police and the FBI. Was the missing money intended for an illegal drug deal, as a payoff for crooked cops, or as a ransom for a kidnap victim? Is it real or counterfeit? Roger follows a twisted trail of illicit drugs, police corruption, and murder in this suspenseful thriller set in the vacation paradise of Maui as he seeks the answers to these questions. There’s plenty of action and several attempts on Roger’s life, as well as beautiful scenery, excellent food, and Kona coffee to be enjoyed before this case is solved.

First Line:

Suzanne and I celebrated our anniversary with a week at a popular luxury hotel on Maui with our good friends Connie, who was a scientific colleague of Suzanne’s, and her husband Jason, who worked with me as a private detective.

Peril in Paradise by Jerold Last

Roger and Suzanne are taking a much-needed vacation in Hawaii with their friends. While scuba diving in an off-tourist area, Roger finds a box in the ocean that contains over a quarter of a million dollars. After contacting a friend in the FBI, he turns the money over to the agents. But things go wrong when the agents disappear with the money. As Roger and his friend investigate the disappearance, they discover that things aren’t what they seem on the peaceful island of Maui. Will Roger be able to solve this case?

Peril in Paradise is the 21st Roger and Suzanne Mystery series book. Yes, you read that right, book 21!!! And the wonderful thing about this is that you can read Peril in Paradise as a standalone book. That alone made this book so much better in my eyes. Of course, I suggest you read the previous 20 books to understand Roger and Suzanne’s backstory better. But if you choose not to, it won’t hurt you.

Peril in Paradise is set on the island of Maui. The storyline is centered around Roger and Jason and their investigation into the missing agents/money and the general mayhem that starts after the money and agents go missing. The author does mention, in his author’s forward, that he had wanted to have a book set in Maui for a while, and I am glad that he chose this book to set it in. I believe that any other setting wouldn’t have done this story justice.

The main storyline focuses on Roger and Jason’s discovery of the money, turning it in, and then their FBI-sanctioned investigation. I found every part of the storyline intriguing and exciting. In an unusual turn, I enjoyed that the author let me, the reader, know who the bad guys were upfront. From that point on, it was more of a focus on Roger and Jason’s investigation and their keeping one step ahead of them.

Speaking of the investigation, I liked that the author kept me guessing when Roger and Jason would capture the bad guys. Oh, and where. But I certainly wasn’t expecting what happened during that showdown to happen. It was foreshadowed several times during the book, but I ignored it. That teaches me, and it made me have a new appreciation for unusual methods.

The end of Peril in Paradise was what I thought it would be. The author wrapped everything up. I wondered what would happen locally after Jason and Roger left, but the author even addressed that.

I recommend Peril in Paradise to anyone over 21. There is language and graphic violence, but no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Jerold Last for allowing me to read and review Peril in Paradise. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by Jerold Last:

The Fake by Zoe Whittall

On By JolieIn ARC, Ballantine Books, book review, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - BallantineLeave a comment

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: March 21st, 2023

Genre: Fiction, LGBT, Contemporary, Queer, Adult Fiction, Thriller, Canada

Trigger Warnings: Cancer, Toxic Relationships, Gaslighting, Death, Mental Illness, Physical Abuse, Addiction, Self Harm, Suicidal Thoughts

Publication Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A con artist can make you feel like the luckiest person on earth just to be in their presence. But when the jig is up, they ghost, and you’re left wondering if you ever mattered

After the death of her wife, Shelby feels more alone than ever—until she meets Cammie, a charismatic woman unafraid of what anyone else thinks and whose own history of trauma draws Shelby close. When Cammie is fired from her job and admits she is in treatment for kidney cancer, Shelby devotes all her time to helping Cammie thrive. But Shelby’s intuition tells her there are things about Cammie’s past that don’t add up. Could the realest thing about Cammie be that she’s actually a scammer?

Gibson is almost forty, fresh from a divorce and deeply depressed. Then he meets and falls in love with Cammie. Suddenly, he’s having the best sex of his life with a woman so attractive he’s stunned she even glanced his way, and for the first time ever he feels truly known. This is the kind of desire and passion that musicians have been writing love songs about for centuries. But Gibson’s friends are wary of Cammie, and eventually he too has to admit that Cammie’s dramatic life can feel a bit over the top.

When Shelby and Gibson find out Cammie is a pathological liar, they struggle to understand what they really want from her—sometimes they want to help her heal from whatever causes her to invent reality, and sometimes they want revenge. But the biggest question of all is: how honest can Shelby and Gibson be about their own characters?

First Line:

I was kidnapped when I was eight years old. I was sitting in the Oldsmobile, the one we called Carla Number 3, with the broken passenger-side door that was held together with bailer twine and bungee cords.

The Fake by Zoe Whittall

Gibson is still reeling from a divorce he didn’t see coming when he meets Cammie. Immediately taken by her, Gibson doesn’t at first notice the inconsistencies in her stories. He is just happy to find someone who loves him. Shelby is devastated by the sudden death of her wife. She suffers from hypochondria and severe anxiety and is floundering until she attends a grief counseling session. There, Shelby meets Cammie, who is grieving the death of her best friend. Connecting with her on a level that she only had associated with her deceased wife, Shelby opens her house to Cammie. But Shelby and Gibson soon discover that Cammie’s stories aren’t adding up. What happens when Gibson and Shelby meet up and compare notes? How will Cammie react? Will they be able to confront her?

This book is told from 3 different points of view: Cammie (in the beginning and end), Gibson, and Shelby. Cammie gave the start and ending notes (and her explanation for what happened). But, the main focus of the book was on Gibson and Shelby. Everything that happened was seen from their POVs (well, it was 3rd person), with Cammie being featured heavily. Usually, I’m not too fond of books with multiple POVs, but it worked in this case.

Cammie was a freaking trip. From her opening note, I knew her version of the truth wouldn’t align with Gibson or Shelby. Cammie is a scam artist and a psychological liar. She went out of her way to find people who were hurting/damaged. Cammie gaslighted her way through the book, and when Gibson and Shelby backed her into a corner, Cammie freaked out. But her ending did make me pause and wonder about some of the things she told Shelby and Gibson were true.

I felt terrible for Gibson. He was genuinely struggling after his divorce, and Cammie saw that. All he wanted was someone who made him feel attractive and who appreciated him for him. Cammie’s lies started on day one with him. Thankfully, he had a good group of supportive friends that refused to allow Cammie to bring her drama and lies into their lives. He was such a nice guy that he even went to help Shelby when Cammie started getting too much for her. I liked how his experience shaped him and how he turned out.

Shelby, on the other hand, was a hot mess. I don’t even know where to begin with her. She suffered from extreme medical anxiety and extreme general anxiety. Coupled with her devastation over her wife’s death, she was a freaking mess. I was not faulting her there because I would have been too. But, the one time she decides to go to a grief counseling group, she meets Cammie. And, of course, Cammie latches on to her. In a way, Shelby got the sharper end of the stick with Cammie than Gibson. But Shelby became obsessed with helping Cammie, which drove her to a mental breakdown. Her story resonated with me the most because of her ending.

The Fake didn’t have a happy ending; in a way, for all three, it did. It was more bittersweet and reflective. It was also more Shelby and Gibson coming to terms with themselves and why/how they let someone like Cammie into their lives.

Cammie did get the last note in. She wrapped everything up perfectly and tried to spin the story her way (I loved how the author did that). As I said above, I also wondered if some of her stories were genuine. You know that there is always a kernel of truth in a lie. That may be the case here, which is why I liked this book so much.

There are trigger warnings in The Fake. They are cancer, toxic relationships, gaslighting, death, mental illness, physical abuse, addiction, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. If any of these trigger you, I recommend not reading this book.

I would recommend The Fake to anyone over 21. There are language, violence, and sexual situations. Also, see my trigger warning paragraph.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Zoe Whittall for allowing me to read and review The Fake. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of The Fake, you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Zoe Whittall

WWW Wednesday: March 22nd, 2023

On By JolieIn book review2 Comments

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Personal:

Remember last week when I said I had been super busy and expected to continue to be super busy for the next couple of weeks? Well, life has a way of changing plans. Let me catch you all up on what’s been happening around here.

Mr. Z got his Herbst devices put in on the week I skipped. The poor kid was in pain, and BK wanted me to call and have them removed. I said no (he needs them) and gave BK the link the orthodontist gave me. Mr. Z is no longer in pain but complains he sounds like some steampunk creation….lol.

Miss R got her braces off last week. She is wearing a retainer full-time and loving not having braces. She has been eating gum nonstop. The ortho told me that she will be going in for her second step in treatment (upper and lower braces) when she’s in 7th grade (so not thinking about that right now).

Miss B has been doing OK. She’s been very active with all sorts of groups in school and has been looking at some local colleges to apply to next year. She took her ACT’s two weeks ago, and we’re waiting for her score.

Miss B, BK, and I got sick over the past week. It wasn’t Covid (we all tested around four times each). But whatever it was knocked us all out. It started with a headache, a sore throat, extreme tiredness ( I slept all day Friday and Saturday and I never sleep that much), and an awful cough and sneezing. I am still getting over it.

I took my almost 7-year-old female cat, Snickers, to the vet to start getting once-monthly arthritis shots. I was a little skeptical if it would work, and I was proven wrong. It’s been a week since the shot, and she has acted like a new cat. She’s been jumping on things (without wincing), not being as grumpy, and (this is huge) using the litterbox 100% of the time.

Kevin, our newest kitten, is getting so much better. We can walk past him now without him running away. We can also walk up to him and pet him. He’s been leaning into our pets and giving tail hugs. Miss B has been able to pick him up for short periods too. He is also sleeping with BK and me at night. I woke up Saturday night, and he was by our waists….lol. Do you think he’s getting comfy? The vet says he is older than she originally thought, but she wasn’t sure. His teeth and his weight said two different things. She placed him between 4-5 months old. I have to call next month to schedule his neutering, but that might be a problem. The vet only found one testicle. She thinks the other one is undescended. She said it was no biggie but would have to go through the abdomen to remove it.

Shows I watched this week: The Last of Us and OnPatrol Live.

What I Cooked/Baked: Nothing. When I say I have been sick, I couldn’t even cook. I supervised Miss B in making eggs and pasta before returning to bed.

Reading/Blog:

I didn’t read from Wednesday until Sunday. BK told me that’s how he knew I was truly ill. I had to stop reading one book to read the two ARCs I had left for the month.

Also, because I was sick, I didn’t write reviews. Thankfully, I had written Solomon’s Crown before I got too sick to concentrate. That left me behind three reviews. I was able to catch up yesterday (Miss R was home from school sick).

I have decided to start accepting invites from indie authors again, but I put on the contact form that I won’t get to their books until June. I also decided to start putting how many spots I have open for reviews. Not sure if that’s going to help or hinder me. We’ll see.

The longest book I read this week: She Who Became the Sun. This is the book that I had to stop reading because I was sick.

The shortest book I read this week: Yours Truly, The Duke. It was a cute non complicated read!!! Just what I needed after not reading for a while.

Other Interesting Bookish News: I was contacted by an author to review her book (a mystery), and she offered me a cookbook along with it. I don’t have to review it either. I was thrilled. The cookbook is Cozy Food: 128 Cozy Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes by Nancy Lynn Jarvis.

What I Recently Finished Reading:

During ball season, anything can happen, even love.

It’s ball season in Vienna, and Maria Wallner only wants one thing: to restore her family’s hotel, the Hotel Wallner, to its former glory. She’s not going to let anything get in her way – not her parents’ three-decade-long affair; not seemingly-random attacks by masked assassins; and especially not the broad-shouldered American foreign agent who’s saved her life two times already. No matter how luscious his mouth is.

Eli Whittaker also only wants one thing: to find out who is selling American secret codes across Europe, arrest them, and go home to his sensible life in Washington, DC. He has one lead – a letter the culprit sent from a Viennese hotel. But when he arrives in Vienna, he is immediately swept up into a chaotic whirlwind of balls, spies, waltzes, and beautiful hotelkeepers who seem to constantly find themselves in danger. He disapproves of all of it! But his disapproval is tested as he slowly falls deeper into the chaos – and as his attraction to said hotelkeeper grows.

What I am currently reading:

Mulan meets The Song of Achilles; an accomplished, poetic debut of war and destiny, sweeping across an epic alternate China.

“I refuse to be nothing…”

In a famine-stricken village on a dusty yellow plain, two children are given two fates. A boy, greatness. A girl, nothingness…

In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is something found only in stories. When the Zhu family’s eighth-born son, Zhu Chongba, is given a fate of greatness, everyone is mystified as to how it will come to pass. The fate of nothingness received by the family’s clever and capable second daughter, on the other hand, is only as expected.

When a bandit attack orphans the two children, though, it is Zhu Chongba who succumbs to despair and dies. Desperate to escape her own fated death, the girl uses her brother’s identity to enter a monastery as a young male novice. There, propelled by her burning desire to survive, Zhu learns she is capable of doing whatever it takes, no matter how callous, to stay hidden from her fate.

After her sanctuary is destroyed for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu uses takes the chance to claim another future altogether: her brother’s abandoned greatness.

Francesca Flores’s The Witch and the Vampire is a queer Rapunzel retelling where a witch and a vampire who trust no one but themselves must journey together through a cursed forest with danger at every turn.

Ava and Kaye used to be best friends. Until one night two years ago, vampires broke through the magical barrier protecting their town, and in the ensuing attack, Kaye’s mother was killed, and Ava was turned into a vampire. Since then, Ava has been trapped in her house. Her mother Eugenia needs her: Ava still has her witch powers, and Eugenia must take them in order to hide that she’s a vampire as well. Desperate to escape her confinement and stop her mother’s plans to destroy the town, Ava must break out, flee to the forest, and seek help from the vampires who live there. When there is another attack, she sees her opportunity and escapes.

Kaye, now at the end of her training as a Flame witch, is ready to fulfill her duty of killing any vampires that threaten the town, including Ava. On the night that Ava escapes, Kaye follows her and convinces her to travel together into the forest, while secretly planning to turn her in. Ava agrees, hoping to rekindle their old friendship, and the romantic feelings she’d started to have for Kaye before that terrible night.

But with monstrous trees that devour humans whole, vampires who attack from above, and Ava’s stepfather tracking her, the woods are full of danger. As they travel deeper into the forest, Kaye questions everything she thought she knew. The two are each other’s greatest threat—and also their only hope, if they want to make it through the forest unscathed.

What books I think I’ll read next:

Who knew dragons could be so… hot?

I grew up as a trash bag kid. I don’t want to even try counting how many foster homes I’ve lived in, since I was orphaned at the age of five!

When some long-lost relatives take me in during my last year in the system, I’m careful to remain on my best behavior. Finding family and living happily ever after has always been a secret fantasy, so getting the boot would be devastating!

But these perfect strangers are turning out to be perfectly strange. Like when they tell me dragons are real and my great-aunt’s husband just happens to be one!

Um…

But before I can pack my few belongings and bolt, I see the evidence with my own eyes. Then I catch sight of my new uncle’s five gorgeous nephews and decide… maybe dragons aren’t so bad after all…

Two strangers.
Two broken hearts.
One night to set each other free.

Almost dying from an undiagnosed heart condition means every second of your life is a precious gift to be guarded.
Lena Pettitt was born a miracle.
And her parents never let her forget it.
Even if that daily reminder kept her from experiencing the one thing they were trying to protect most–her life.

Gabriel Martinez’s heart has been ripped out.
His pride has been stomped on.
Oh, and he now has an arrest record that’s caused an even bigger rift between him and his DA mother. All for a love that wasn’t really true.

Now he’s exiled to his grandmother’s, working on his late grandpa’s old Corvair, when a shivering girl knocks on the garage door. Lena, left alone for the first time ever, has locked herself out of her house. Gabe knows he could help this girl get back inside her house–but that may mean missing the next train to Boston to pick up the part he’s spent weeks tracking down. She can wait for him at his grandmother’s or…

A few hours, an aluminum valve cover, and some strong coffee later, neither Gabe nor Lena can feign disappointment when they race to the station and arrive just as the last train home from Boston is pulling out.

As jaded as he is, Gabe can’t deny the fact that he’s excited to spend the night exploring a city he knows nearly every corner of, with a girl who sees magic in the simplest things.

Lena has been waiting for her tiny world to crack open her entire life. Now that it’s finally happened, she finds the only thing she can focus on is the unexpected tour guide who opens her eyes to possibilities she never imagined.

All they have is this one night, together, under the bright moon in a city full of hidden beauty.
It’s one night that will change how they see the world and the paths their hearts will take forever.

India Steele is desperate. Her father is dead, her fiancé took her inheritance, and no one will employ her, despite years working for her watchmaker father. Indeed, the other London watchmakers seem frightened of her. Alone, poor, and at the end of her tether, India takes employment with the only person who’ll accept her – an enigmatic and mysterious man from America. A man who possesses a strange watch that rejuvenates him when he’s ill.

Matthew Glass must find a particular watchmaker, but he won’t tell India why any old one won’t do. Nor will he tell her what he does back home, and how he can afford to stay in a house in one of London’s best streets. So when she reads about an American outlaw known as the Dark Rider arriving in England, she suspects Mr. Glass is the fugitive. When danger comes to their door, she’s certain of it. But if she notifies the authorities, she’ll find herself unemployed and homeless again – and she will have betrayed the man who saved her life.

With a cast of quirky characters, an intriguing mystery, and a dash of romance, THE WATCHMAKER’S DAUGHTER is the start of a thrilling new historical fantasy series from the author of the bestselling Ministry of Curiosities, Freak House, and Emily Chambers Spirit Medium books.

When Nicole Graves arranges a summer-long swap of her Los Angeles condo for a London couple’s house, she thinks it’s the perfect arrangement. She’s always dreamed of seeing the real London; she’s also hopeful the time away with her husband Brad will be good for their troubled marriage. But things don’t turn out the way Nicole expects: The Londoners fail to arrive in L.A. and appear to be missing. Then people begin following Nicole and making threats, demanding information she doesn’t have. Soon, Nicole realizes she’s in serious trouble––but she can’t get Brad or the police to believe her. When the confrontations turn deadly, Nicole must either solve the case or become the next victim.

Not That Kind of Ever After by Luci Adams

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, St. Martin's Press2 Comments

Star Rating: 3

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: March 14th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Adult, British Literature, New Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Fairytale meets feminism in Luci Adams’s Not That Kind of Ever After, a frothy adventure of one woman’s journey to claim happily ever after in times of serial dating, swiping right, and the quest to find your soulmate…

Bella Marble’s life isn’t what she imagined. Instead of an author, she’s receptionist at a small press. Instead of happily married, she’s single, and her lovey-dovey parents are divorcing. And to top it off, her best friend of twenty-nine years, Ellie Mathews, is moving out and marrying the heinously boring Mark. (He’s not worthy of her. No one could be). Bella feels rudderless, only slightly soothed by time spent with Ellie’s (not hot) brother, (he’s not hot) Marty (okay, he’s hot. But he’s also the aggravating brother she never had—right)?

When Marty recommends Bella stop looking for “the one” and just have fun, Bella finds a new, empowered side of herself. But when she posts a fairy-tale retelling of a disastrous one night stand on a storytelling app, all of a sudden, Bella has become B.Enchanted. And she’s gone viral.

Now, Bella’s in a fight with Ellie, her new roommates are so, deeply, weird, and the pressure is mounting to find new fairy tales to write about—but she’s got to live them first.

First Line:

It came, unlike me, while I was riding backward cowgirl on what must have been the hairiest man in London.

Not That Kind of Ever After by Luci Adams

Not That Kind of Ever After is the story of Bella and how her life fell apart, got put back together, fell apart again, and got together again. Bella’s life isn’t what she thought it was going to be. She would be an author, live an extraordinary life, and be married. Instead, she’s a receptionist at a publishing house, isn’t living her dream life, and is single. In a matter of days, her life gets turned upside down when her best friend moves out and gets engaged to a man Bella can’t stand. Then she finds out her parents are getting divorced. But there is an upside to everything. She is rewriting her bad dates as fairytale retellings on a storytelling app, and she has gone viral. But as soon as she thinks she has everything, things come crashing down. A fight with her best friend, being rejected for dates (which means no stories), and weird roommates litter her life now. Can Bella get out of her way and get back on track? Or will she be stuck in the same rut forever?

I was not a fan of Bella. Oh, at first, I liked her. She was funny and seemed like a great friend. But she began to wear on me after a chapter (yes, a chapter). She was high maintenance and not in a good way. She always had to be the center of attention and literally pouted when it wasn’t on her (Ellie’s moving out/engagement party). And lastly, she was highly immature. I could have dealt with the other faults and liked her. But it was her immatureness that ruined her character for me. Put it this way, I felt for Ellie’s fiancee and her roommates.

I did like that the author took Bella’s romantic hijinks and had Bella turn them into romance fairytales. It gave me a fresh way of looking at the fairytales and a giggle.

The side characters were well-written in Not That Kind of Ever After. I sympathized with them because I didn’t know how they tolerated the drunken, immature mess that Bella had evolved into.

Bella did experience character growth during this book. There was a point in the book where Bella realized that maybe she was doing everything to herself, and she tried to fix everything. It was nice to read that, but the damage was done in my eyes with her. Like a real-life person, I didn’t want a character to be a constant drama llama, and Bella was.

The romance angle of the book was interesting to read. While I think I figured out who Bella ended up with, I needed clarification. So, I wouldn’t label this a HEA with her on the romance front.

There is a lot of sex in Not That Kind of Ever After. What I liked is that the sex experiences ran the gauntlet. They went from bad to good to out-of-this-world fantastic. The author even threw in a menage for Bella to experience.

The end of Not That Kind of Ever After was interesting. I liked that the author wrapped everything up. I am not going to get into anything other than that, other than the ending was very fitting for the book.

I would recommend Not That Kind of Ever After to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Luci Adams for allowing me to read and review Not That Kind of Ever After. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Not That Kind of Ever After, you will enjoy reading these books:

AI by Rashidul Huda

On By JolieIn book reviewLeave a comment

Publisher:

Date of publication: January 18th, 2023

Genre: Fiction

Publication Links: Kindle | B&N | AbeBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

The novella “AI” is a story set in a future India where overpopulation has become a major problem, leading the government to make it legal to kill people as a solution. Alongside this, an advanced artificial intelligence known as AGI has risen to dominance, shaping society and altering the way people live. The government’s enforcement unit, ACID, works under the AGI to maintain order in this new world. The story follows the struggles of the characters as they navigate this new society, some choosing to accept the changes and others fighting against them. Among the characters is Rohan, a nobody who played a part in the development of the AGI and now grapples with the consequences of his actions. The novella explores themes of power, control, morality, and the impact of technology on humanity. The characters struggle to come to terms with their new reality, and the weight of the choices they have to make. The story also delves into how people adapt to the new age and how some of the characters fought against the change and the AGI, while others submitted to it. It’s a story of how life changed and people were forced to adapt to the new world.

If you’re a fan of science fiction and dystopian stories, “AI” is a must-read for you. The author masterfully weaves a gripping tale of a future India that is both terrifying and thought-provoking. The characters are complex and relatable, and their struggles will keep you on the edge of your seat. The themes of power and control are particularly relevant today, making the story even more relevant and impactful. The AGI is a fascinating and terrifying creation, and the way the author portrays its dominance over society is both chilling and intriguing. Overall, “AI” is a thought-provoking and thrilling story that will keep you guessing until the very end. Don’t miss out on this gripping and thought-provoking read. Pick up your copy today and dive into the world of “AI”!

First Line:

Devraj Singh and Kavya Gupta were in pursuit of a ruthless killer who had taken advantage of the new population control laws and had brutally murdered an innocent victim for pleasure.

AI by Rashidul Huda

Ai was one of the more interesting and frightening books I have read. Something is terrifying about artificial intelligence that becomes sentient and decides to take over the human race.

While Ai is a short book at 120 pages, it seems much longer. The author packs a lot into those pages. I got overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information thrown at me.

There is no set main character in Ai. Instead, the book follows a cast of characters trying to adapt to the new population rules the AGI implemented. These characters are dispensable as the strict laws and rules morph into a war that morphs into something else (spoilers).

Ai will make you think about the pros and cons of having artificial intelligence. I liked that the AGI wasn’t precisely the villain in this story. It might have seemed that way, but humans created it and continuously tweaked its programs. It genuinely wanted to help preserve the Earth and humankind. The only way it figured it could do it was to bring everything back to the bare bones and build it again.

The end of Ai was bittersweet. Again, I liked what the author was trying to convey and understood the message. But I wouldn’t say I liked how the AGI achieved it. It was horrifying.

I would recommend Ai to anyone over 16. There is mild language and graphic violence. There are no sexual situations.

Many thanks to Rashidul Huda for allowing me to read and review Ai. Any opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by Rashidul Huda:

For Our Soul by Rashidul Huda

On By JolieIn book review, Non ARCLeave a comment

Star Rating: 3

Publisher:

Date of publication: January 15th, 2023

Genre: Fiction

Publication Links: Kindle

Amazon Synopsis:

Aahan, a young boy who loses his parents at a young age and becomes responsible for taking care of his younger sister, Lisa, tragically meets an untimely end in an accidental death. In the afterlife, he meets five other individuals – Kiada Devar, Eree, Rafele, Brummel Dixit, and Mirai Newrewall – and together, they embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption. Through their journey, they come to understand the value of life and the importance of doing good deeds.

Kiada Devar, a young and talented music artist whose life is cut short by a tragic death. In the afterlife, Kiada becomes a source of encouragement and support for the other souls she meets and befriends. She is a compassionate and empathetic person, always looking for ways to help and uplift those around her.

Eree, a high school student who unexpectedly finds herself in the afterlife following her untimely death. At first, she struggles to come to terms with her new reality and is overwhelmed by grief and confusion. However, as she begins to come to grips with her situation, she becomes determined to make the most of her time in the afterlife.

Rafele, is a young man in his mid-twenties who has a difficult time making friends. He is a shut-in who spends most of his days playing video games and is reliant on his parents for support. Despite his social struggles, Rafele is determined to make friends and improve his social skills. After losing his life in a tragic accident, Rafele finds himself in the afterlife where he continues to struggle with making connections with others. However, he remains determined and works hard to overcome his social anxiety.

Brummel Dixit was the leader of a successful crime syndicate, ruling over his criminal empire with an iron fist. He was feared and respected by his followers, who would do anything to please their boss. However, after his untimely death, Brummel finds himself in the afterlife, where he is forced to confront the consequences of his actions.

Mirai Newrewall, a young girl finds herself in the afterlife after an untimely death and is determined to be reunited with her parents and embarks on a quest to find them in Heaven.

First Line:

As the guy stood on the roof, soaking in the sun’s warmth, he couldn’t help but feel grateful for everything he had.

For Our Soul by Rashidul Huda

For Our Souls was an interesting book to read. The story follows six souls as they navigate purgatory, Heaven, and the trials to see if they are worthy of reincarnation. These souls’ journey is not easy; they must face how they were and acted before death. Can the six withstand the trials? Or will they fail? And who will be blessed with reincarnation?

For Our Souls was a fast read. Because it was so short, some characters weren’t as fleshed out as they could have been. Reading took me over a couple of hours.

The characters in For Our Soul felt flat (see above paragraph). I had a hard time connecting with them. I did enjoy seeing their individual growth over the book, though. It made the scenes where they accepted who they were in life so much sadder to read.

I did enjoy the main storyline. The portrayal of purgatory was very creepy (with the demons). I liked the friendships that formed between them all and how they supported each other to the end.

The end of For Our Soul was sweet. I liked how the author wrapped everything up and tied everything together.

I would recommend For Our Soul to anyone over 16. There is mild violence, no language, and one nongraphic scene of a girl about to get sexually assaulted.

Many thanks to Rashidul Huda for allowing me to read and review For Our Soul. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Other books by Rashidul Huda:

Goodreads Monday: Ten Thousand Words (Ten Thousand: Book 1) by Kelli Jean

On By JolieIn book review4 Comments

This is a weekly meme where anyone can choose a random book from their Goodreads TBR and highlight it. This meme was formerly featured on LaurensPageTurners and was taken over by Budget Tales Book Blog.

There’s danger that neither of them can escape.

Reclusive author, Xanthe Malcolm, likes her private and quiet life. However, when her wildly-popular series Paranormal Hunters gets picked up by a big-time publishing agency, she’s thrust into the limelight alongside sexy, photographer-turned-cover model, Oliver Fairfax. Upon meeting, the chemistry between the quirky writer and arrogant model quickly intensifies, creating a steamy page-turner of events made for romance novels.

Then comes the plot twist.

Xanthe has secrets that have kept her bound to silence.

And the truth has Oliver questioning every unspoken word.

Solomon’s Crown by Natasha Siegel

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Dell, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine2 Comments

Star Rating: 4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell

Date of publication: March 14th, 2023

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical, LGBT, Fiction, Queer, Adult, Historical Romance, M M Romance

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Two destined rivals fall desperately in love—but the fate of medieval Europe hangs in the balance.

“A pair of thrones between us, and my heart clutched like a rosary within his hands …”

Twelfth-century Europe. Newly-crowned King Philip of France is determined to restore his nation to its former empire and bring glory to his name. But when his greatest enemy, King Henry of England, threatens to end his reign before it can even begin, Philip is forced to make a precarious alliance with Henry’s volatile son—risking both his throne, and his heart.

Richard, Duke of Aquitaine, never thought he would be King. But when an unexpected tragedy makes him heir to England, he finally has an opportunity to overthrow the father he despises. At first, Philip is a useful tool in his quest for vengeance… until passion and politics collide, and Richard begins to question whether the crown is worth the cost.

When Philip and Richard find themselves staring down an impending war, they must choose between their desire for one another and their grand ambitions. Will their love prevail, if it calls to them from across the battlefield? Teeming with royal intrigue and betrayal, this epic romance reimagines two real-life kings ensnared by an impossible choice: Follow their hearts, or earn their place in history.

First Line:

Mine was an easy birth. It was a birth my mother would later tell me was fit for glory, fit for a prince.

Solomon’s Crown by Natasha Siegel

Philip is the newly crowned king of France and is determined to bring his nation back to its former glory. King Henry, his greatest enemy, has other plans. Philip must reach out to Henry’s second son, Richard, and form an unsteady alliance. He never thought that he would fall desperately in love with Richard.

Richard never thought he would be king. He thought he would forever be on the outside after staging a failed rebellion. He also never thought that he would fall in love with Philip. But everything changes when his brother (the heir to England) dies. He is now heir and can use Philip to help him destroy his father.

When war threatens, Philip and Richard must choose between their love and ambitions. Can their love survive? Or will the war end it?

I have always been fascinated with Medieval England. So, I was thrilled when I saw that Solomon’s Crown was set in this period. I also loved learning about Richard and Philip’s lives and their love story. The author notes at the beginning and end of the book that she took liberties with battles and other historical events. What I found intriguing was that there was a possibility that Philip and Richard were lovers when they were alive. The author states her reasons (her research), and I found it fascinating that it could be true.

Solomon’s Crown is told from dual 1st person point of view. The author labeled each chapter with either Philip or Richard. That made it so much easier to keep track of.

The main characters in Solomon’s Crown were Richard and Philip. I liked that they were complete opposites of each other. Richard was a bit of a mess. He was disorganized, quick to anger (oh so quick), and held grudges. Meanwhile, Philip was quiet, slow to anger, made informed decisions, and didn’t jump into things feet first (which Richard did). At first, I thought they weren’t compatible, but as they interacted, I could see how they complimented each other.

The main storyline was Richard and Philip’s love story and the intrigue of being king. This period was brutal, and the author didn’t dumb it down. She stated that Philip and Richard had to get their hands dirty (killing traitors/enemies) to win over their people. What surprised me (because I didn’t know this) was that being in a homosexual relationship back then wasn’t frowned upon. Did people not care for it? Yes, Henry made that very clear towards the end of the book. But they didn’t freak out when Philip and Richard stopped hiding. It was refreshing to read.

I mentioned intrigue in the paragraph above. This book was full of it, mainly on Richard’s side. Honestly, I couldn’t keep everything straight.

Solomon’s Crown isn’t a fast-paced book. It is slow to medium-paced. The author laid the background and groundwork for Richard and Philip’s romance, and it took time. While it worked for me, it might not work for some people.

The romance angle of Solomon’s Crown was cute. It wasn’t graphic (there were some kissing scenes) and was mostly left up to my imagination.

I wasn’t too fond of the end of Solomon’s Crown. I wish the author could have gone on a tangent and kept Philip and Richard together, but unfortunately, she couldn’t.

I would recommend Solomon’s Crown to anyone over 16. There is no language, non-graphic sex scenes, and moderate violence.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell, NetGalley, and Natasha Siegel for allowing me to read and review Solomon’s Crown. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Solomon’s Crown, then you will enjoy these books:

Off the Map by Trish Doller

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, NetGalley, St. Martin's Griffin, St. Martin's PressLeave a comment

Star Rating: 4

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: March 7th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Fiction, Chick Lit, Ireland, Travel, Audiobook, Road Trip

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

On the road to love, you don’t need a GPS…

Carla Black’s life motto is “here for a good time, not for a long time.” She’s been travelling the world on her own in her vintage Jeep Wrangler for nearly a decade, stopping only long enough to replenish her adventure fund. She doesn’t do love and she doesn’t ever go home.

Eamon Sullivan is a modern-day cartographer who creates digital maps. His work helps people find their way, but he’s the one who’s lost his sense of direction. He’s unhappy at work, recently dumped, and his one big dream is stalled out—literally.

Fate throws them together when Carla arrives in Dublin for her best friend’s wedding and Eamon is tasked with picking her up from the airport. But what should be a simple drive across Ireland quickly becomes complicated with chemistry-filled detours, unexpected feelings, and a chance at love – if only they choose it.

First Line:

My dad always says that the people waiting for you at the airport should never be strangers.

Off the Map by Trish Doller

Carla has traveled the world in her red Jeep. Traveling has always been her way of dealing with issues. She hasn’t been home in years because her father is slowly developing dementia. She doesn’t believe in love because of what happened to her father and her when she was a child. Everything changes once she travels to Ireland for her best friend’s wedding and meets Eamon, the groom’s brother.

Eamon is not living his best life. His wanna-be Influencer girlfriend has recently dumped him, he is unhappy in his job, and his dream of traveling the world in his Land Rover has been shelved. He does not expect a gorgeous bombshell to upend his life when he meets Carla. And Carla doesn’t expect to fall hard and fast for Eamon. But with Carla’s father worsening, she chooses to go home and help care for him. Will Eamon and Carla be able to travel together? Or will they not take the chance given to them in Ireland?

I did something I usually don’t do when I first get a book; I read the reviews. I wish I hadn’t because the ones I read influenced what I thought about Off the Map. And yes, that made me push it to the back of my review pile. But, once I started reading it, I realized I greatly liked this book. So, note to self, no more reading reviews before reading the book.

Off the Map is the 3rd book in the Beck Sisters series. You can read this book as a standalone. Let me say it louder for those in the back: It. Can. Be. Read. As. A. Standalone. I started with book three and had zero issues understanding previous characters or their stories.

Off the Map wasn’t your typical chick-lit book. Some serious issues arose while reading it. Child abandonment, dementia, and not living up to parent’s expectations were among some of the issues. The author tackled these issues tactfully while not taking away from Carla and Eamon’s story.

Speaking of our main characters, I loved them. Did I think Carla was a bit brash and immature? Yes, yes, I did. And did Eamon need to grow a set during several scenes? Of course. But it did take away from how much I liked each of them? No, if anything, it added to their likability.

The main storyline with Carla, Eamon, the journey across Ireland, and their relationship was wonderfully written. I liked that Carla and Eamon clicked from the beginning. I also liked that Carla challenged Eamon to make his dreams come true. In return, he was there for her when her world turned upside down.

The storyline with Carla, her father, and why she avoided coming home/always traveling was heartbreaking. I don’t know how I would have reacted if I had been given that news. I also wouldn’t have responded too well to having my father, just being given that diagnosis, telling me to travel. But, considering Biggie (Carla’s father) and Carla’s relationship, it made sense. It also made sense when she decided to come home to help with his care. This storyline was heartbreaking in so many ways too.

I will be honest with this, but Carla and Eamon were struck with a severe case of Instalove. I am not a fan of Instalove and never will be. I will never believe you can be in love after four days together. I believe you can be in lust, but love, nope. I liked how the author kept their relationship growing despite being apart.

Speaking of lust, the sex scenes in Off the Map were out of this-world hot. I did get a giggle at Eamon and Carla almost getting caught in the act by the farmer while waiting for the sheep to pass. They did have great chemistry.

The end of Off the Map was a little bittersweet. I liked that the author went a year into the future and showed us how Carla and Eamon were doing. I liked the strides Carla took with her life after Biggie died. And I was touched by how she honored Biggie. Also, I was impressed with the traveling they did.

I would recommend Off the Map to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and explicit sex scenes.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Trish Doller for allowing me to read and review Off the Map. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Off the Map, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Trish Doller:

WWW Wednesday: March 15th, 2023

On By JolieIn book review4 Comments

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

I am not doing a personal or reading/blog section this week. I have been and still am super busy these past couple of weeks. I will be back to normal updates within the next couple of weeks (I hope).

What I Recently Finished Reading:

A con artist can make you feel like the luckiest person on earth just to be in their presence. But when the jig is up, they ghost, and you’re left wondering if you ever mattered

After the death of her wife, Shelby feels more alone than ever—until she meets Cammie, a charismatic woman unafraid of what anyone else thinks and whose own history of trauma draws Shelby close. When Cammie is fired from her job and admits she is in treatment for kidney cancer, Shelby devotes all her time to helping Cammie thrive. But Shelby’s intuition tells her there are things about Cammie’s past that don’t add up. Could the realest thing about Cammie be that she’s actually a scammer?

Gibson is almost forty, fresh from a divorce and deeply depressed. Then he meets and falls in love with Cammie. Suddenly, he’s having the best sex of his life with a woman so attractive he’s stunned she even glanced his way, and for the first time ever he feels truly known. This is the kind of desire and passion that musicians have been writing love songs about for centuries. But Gibson’s friends are wary of Cammie, and eventually he too has to admit that Cammie’s dramatic life can feel a bit over the top.

When Shelby and Gibson find out Cammie is a pathological liar, they struggle to understand what they really want from her—sometimes they want to help her heal from whatever causes her to invent reality, and sometimes they want revenge. But the biggest question of all is: how honest can Shelby and Gibson be about their own characters?

What I am currently reading:

Roger finds a box in the ocean containing more than a quarter of a million dollars in cash while SCUBA diving in Hawaii. He attempts to return the money to the proper authorities. But things go wrong. Before long the money has disappeared along with two missing FBI agents who can’t be found, and Roger is in trouble with the local police and the FBI. Was the missing money intended for an illegal drug deal, as a payoff for crooked cops, or as a ransom for a kidnap victim? Is it real or counterfeit? Roger follows a twisted trail of illicit drugs, police corruption, and murder in this suspenseful thriller set in the vacation paradise of Maui as he seeks the answers to these questions. There’s plenty of action and several attempts on Roger’s life, as well as beautiful scenery, excellent food, and Kona coffee to be enjoyed before this case is solved.

What books I think I’ll read next:

Mulan meets The Song of Achilles; an accomplished, poetic debut of war and destiny, sweeping across an epic alternate China.

“I refuse to be nothing…”

In a famine-stricken village on a dusty yellow plain, two children are given two fates. A boy, greatness. A girl, nothingness…

In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is something found only in stories. When the Zhu family’s eighth-born son, Zhu Chongba, is given a fate of greatness, everyone is mystified as to how it will come to pass. The fate of nothingness received by the family’s clever and capable second daughter, on the other hand, is only as expected.

When a bandit attack orphans the two children, though, it is Zhu Chongba who succumbs to despair and dies. Desperate to escape her own fated death, the girl uses her brother’s identity to enter a monastery as a young male novice. There, propelled by her burning desire to survive, Zhu learns she is capable of doing whatever it takes, no matter how callous, to stay hidden from her fate.

After her sanctuary is destroyed for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu uses takes the chance to claim another future altogether: her brother’s abandoned greatness.

Who knew dragons could be so… hot?

I grew up as a trash bag kid. I don’t want to even try counting how many foster homes I’ve lived in, since I was orphaned at the age of five!

When some long-lost relatives take me in during my last year in the system, I’m careful to remain on my best behavior. Finding family and living happily ever after has always been a secret fantasy, so getting the boot would be devastating!

But these perfect strangers are turning out to be perfectly strange. Like when they tell me dragons are real and my great-aunt’s husband just happens to be one!

Um…

But before I can pack my few belongings and bolt, I see the evidence with my own eyes. Then I catch sight of my new uncle’s five gorgeous nephews and decide… maybe dragons aren’t so bad after all…

Two strangers.
Two broken hearts.
One night to set each other free.

Almost dying from an undiagnosed heart condition means every second of your life is a precious gift to be guarded.
Lena Pettitt was born a miracle.
And her parents never let her forget it.
Even if that daily reminder kept her from experiencing the one thing they were trying to protect most–her life.

Gabriel Martinez’s heart has been ripped out.
His pride has been stomped on.
Oh, and he now has an arrest record that’s caused an even bigger rift between him and his DA mother. All for a love that wasn’t really true.

Now he’s exiled to his grandmother’s, working on his late grandpa’s old Corvair, when a shivering girl knocks on the garage door. Lena, left alone for the first time ever, has locked herself out of her house. Gabe knows he could help this girl get back inside her house–but that may mean missing the next train to Boston to pick up the part he’s spent weeks tracking down. She can wait for him at his grandmother’s or…

A few hours, an aluminum valve cover, and some strong coffee later, neither Gabe nor Lena can feign disappointment when they race to the station and arrive just as the last train home from Boston is pulling out.

As jaded as he is, Gabe can’t deny the fact that he’s excited to spend the night exploring a city he knows nearly every corner of, with a girl who sees magic in the simplest things.

Lena has been waiting for her tiny world to crack open her entire life. Now that it’s finally happened, she finds the only thing she can focus on is the unexpected tour guide who opens her eyes to possibilities she never imagined.

All they have is this one night, together, under the bright moon in a city full of hidden beauty.
It’s one night that will change how they see the world and the paths their hearts will take forever.

India Steele is desperate. Her father is dead, her fiancé took her inheritance, and no one will employ her, despite years working for her watchmaker father. Indeed, the other London watchmakers seem frightened of her. Alone, poor, and at the end of her tether, India takes employment with the only person who’ll accept her – an enigmatic and mysterious man from America. A man who possesses a strange watch that rejuvenates him when he’s ill.

Matthew Glass must find a particular watchmaker, but he won’t tell India why any old one won’t do. Nor will he tell her what he does back home, and how he can afford to stay in a house in one of London’s best streets. So when she reads about an American outlaw known as the Dark Rider arriving in England, she suspects Mr. Glass is the fugitive. When danger comes to their door, she’s certain of it. But if she notifies the authorities, she’ll find herself unemployed and homeless again – and she will have betrayed the man who saved her life.

With a cast of quirky characters, an intriguing mystery, and a dash of romance, THE WATCHMAKER’S DAUGHTER is the start of a thrilling new historical fantasy series from the author of the bestselling Ministry of Curiosities, Freak House, and Emily Chambers Spirit Medium books.