Category: Red Adept Publishing

Last Place Seen by Alessandra Harris

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Red Adept Publishing6 Comments

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Date of publication: September 6th, 2022

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | AbeBooks | Alibris | Powells | IndieBound | Indigo | BetterWorldBooks

Goodreads Synopsis:

In the aftermath of her husband’s life-altering mistake, Tiana Williams grapples with lingering resentment while working full-time and raising their toddler. But when Jay becomes a person of interest in the kidnapping of ten-year-old Zoe Miller, Tiana is torn between trusting her husband and believing the growing pile of evidence. After she gets dragged further into the mystery and discovers her connection to the missing girl, the shaky ground beneath her crumbles.

With the odds stacked against him, Jay does everything in his power to prove his innocence. Racing against the clock, he must uncover the truth about Zoe’s kidnapping before he loses everything he loves—including his freedom.

During a sweltering heat wave and a raging California wildfire, Tiana and Jay will stop at nothing to find Zoe, even if it means tearing apart their marriage and risking their own lives in the process.

First Line:

A familiar ache gripped Tiana’s chest.

Last Place Seen by Alessandra Harris

When I read Last Place Seen’s blurb, I knew I needed to read it. A mystery/thriller/suspense set in California during a heat wave and with a wildfire going on? Sign me up to read it. I am glad I did because I couldn’t put this book down.

The Last Place Seen had a fascinating plotline. It starts with a 10-year-old girl getting kidnapped at a local Walmart. The missing child investigation focuses on Jay, who happened to be there at the same time the girl went missing. Jay, desperate to prove his innocence, scrambles to find evidence to show he didn’t kidnap her. The book then zooms in on the life of Tiana and Jay, a married couple going through hard times.

On the other hand, Tiana has her world blown when long-held secrets are exposed, and her marriage to Jay crumbles. Will the girl be found? Will Jay be able to hold onto his family and his freedom? And will Tiana make the right choice?

The Last Place Seen had a fast plotline that alternated between Jay and Tiana. The author didn’t slow down for a second during the book. I loved it!!

There were several twists in the plotline that I did see coming. It didn’t take away from my enjoyment of reading or lessen any anxiety I felt while reading.

I liked Jay a lot. He was a convicted felon struggling to find work, which made him feel awful. He did help out around the house and watched Marcus (Tiana and his son) while Tiana worked. He had his issues (some major ones that were detailed in the book). I got mad on his behalf quite often while reading. The author touched a nerve with me when Jay was taken in for questioning. I got angry and then felt sadness because you know that this same scenario plays out in police departments around the United States. I was rooting for Jay the entire book, and I felt he got his comeuppance at the end.

I liked Tiana, but she annoyed me. I get that she was still low-key upset with Jay over his incarceration. But I wouldn’t say I liked seeing her being petty about it. Also, I wouldn’t say I liked that she immediately ran to Devon once things started to blow up (Jay being brought in for questioning, the two huge bombshells dropped on her). Also, I didn’t particularly appreciate that she didn’t believe Jay when he said he was innocent. All because of what Devon was saying (which, by the way, I saw right through). There were other instances where she annoyed me too. Like at the rally, when she saw her father and was loud about what she found out (not the time or the place). But, towards the end, I felt she got served a piece of humble pie. She got to feel what Jay went through when he was arrested, and she was forced to interact with her dad/her dad’s mistress.

The suspense angle of Last Place Seen kept me reading. I was wondering when everything would come together. I also wondered if/when Zoe (the missing girl) would be found. The author did a fantastic job with that.

As I mentioned above, I did figure out most of the mystery angles reasonably early in the book. A couple of them were just good guesses on my end, and I was surprised when I was right. Still, figuring them out early didn’t take away from my enjoyment of reading the book.

The thriller angle of the book was great. Like the suspense angle, it kept me glued to the book.

The end of Last Place Seen was one of the best I have ever read. Not only did the author keep me guessing if Jay would ever find the evidence to exonerate himself, but I wondered if Tiana would figure out what was going on. She eventually did but not before being served a piece of humble pie (as I stated above). The last chapter was very bittersweet but showed Tiana’s growth as a character.

I would recommend Last Place Seen to anyone over 21. There is violence and language but no sexual situations.

Hidden Fury (Annie Fitch Mysteries: Book 2) by Marie Flanigan

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Red Adept Publishing4 Comments
Hidden Fury (Annie Fitch Mysteries Book 2)
Hidden Fury by Marie Flanigan

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

March 2nd, 2021

Genre: Romance, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Series: Annie Fitch Mysteries

Exposed Fury—Book 1 (Review Here)

Hidden Fury—Book 2

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Format Read: unedited ARC

Received: from Author for honest review

Trigger Warnings: Mild violence, talk of past child abuse, speculation of incest/rape

Amazon Synopsis:

As a former cop turned private investigator, Annie Fitch hopes to never be in the line of fire again, so she’s expanded her business to include installing security systems. She’s thrilled to be hired by Preston Farr, a farmer with a vandalism problem on his family’s historic apple orchard and farm.

Preston’s roots in the community run deep. His family has held the same property in Leesburg, Virginia, since the 1700s. The two get to know each other over the course of the job. When Preston asks her out after the work is done, she accepts. After all, Annie’s on-again, off-again love affair with her childhood best friend, Ford, is currently off. Why should she mope until he decides it’s on again?

What she intended to be a fun, casual romp with Preston turns serious quickly when Annie’s newly installed security cameras record startling footage. Family secrets begin to unravel, echoing over two hundred years of heartache and violence.

First Line:

They say when you’re dying, you see a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel, but when I was dying, I didn’t see that.

Hidden Fury by Marie Flanigan

My Review:

I like a good mystery. I like it when the mystery I am reading sucks me in and keeps me on edge for the entire book. I also like it when the characters are relatable. Sometimes, when I read a mystery, the characters are a little over the top. While in some cases, it is what the book needs, in other cases, it is a distraction. Fortunately, for Hidden Fury, I was kept on edge, and the characters were relatable.

Hidden Fury is the 2nd book in the Annie Fitch Mystery series. It takes place several months after the events of Exposed Fury. Annie, a PI, has expanded her business to include installing security systems. One of her first customers is Preston Farr, the owner of a historic orchard. His business is being vandalized, and he wants to find out who it is. Annie and Preston have an immediate connection and start a romantic relationship shortly after the system is installed. But, there is more going on at Preston’s orchard than just vandalism. After a skeleton is found in an abandoned, historic church on Preston’s property, Annie is compelled to solve the mystery of who it was. Will she solve the mystery? Will her relationship with Preston survive the truth?

The plotline for Hidden Fury was medium-paced which was fine with me. I like medium-paced plotlines with mysteries. It gives the plotline time to evolve (and in this case, it did) and for me to become engrossed in the book.

There is one main storyline with several secondary storylines in Hidden Fury. The primary and secondary storylines were well written. What I enjoyed is when the main storyline ended (when Annie caught who was vandalizing Preston’s farm and why), the author then had the storyline for the church become the main storyline. I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed how the author did it!!

There were a couple of twists in the plotlines. One was revealed in the middle of the book. I can safely say with that twist; I saw it coming. The other twist I saw coming but was stilled surprised (and saddened) when it was revealed.

The characters in Hidden Fury were well written and had a depth to them. Annie, by far, was my favorite. I was a little disappointed that her brother and Ford weren’t featured in this book.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Preston. He came across as a very indecisive man. I also wouldn’t have doubted the story that my great-uncle was telling. But, I can understand why he acted the way he acted. He was a decent person outside of the drama. I hope that Annie and his relationship are still ongoing in book 3 (if there is one).

As I mentioned above, I thought the mystery was well written. The author did throw some red herrings out to try, and they did distract me, but in the end, I figured out both. I still enjoyed the lead-up to both reveals.

The end of Hidden Fury was terrific. The author wrapped up the storyline and plotline. She also left some wiggle room for a book 3.

Hidden Fury is a well-written mystery. Even though I was able to figure out both mysteries, I enjoyed the lead-up to the reveals. It had an excellent medium-paced storyline.

I would recommend Hidden Fury to anyone over the age of 21. There are flashbacks to how Annie got her brain injury. There is also a mention of child abuse, insect, rape resulting in pregnancy, murder, racism, and a church’s desecration. There are sex scenes but nothing explicit.

Glory Bishop by Deborah L. King

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Red Adept Publishing5 Comments
Glory Bishop by [King, Deborah L.]

5 Stars

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Date of publication: June 4th, 2019

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Where you can find Glory Bishop: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Glory Bishop lives her life in pieces. At work and with her friends, she reads novels, speaks her mind, and enjoys slow dances and stolen kisses with her boyfriend, JT. But at home, Glory follows strict rules and second-guesses every step. Though she dreams of going to college and living like a normal teenage girl, her abusive mother has other ideas.

When JT leaves to join the navy, Glory is left alone and heartsick. The preacher’s son, Malcolm Porter, begins to shower her with lavish gifts, and her mother pushes Glory to accept his advances. Glory is torn between waiting for true love with JT or giving in to the overzealous Malcolm.

When a stranger attacks Glory on the street, Malcolm steps in to rescue her, and her interest in him deepens. But the closer she gets to him, the more controlling he becomes. Glory must eventually decide whether to rely on others or to be her own savior.

My Review:

I was surprised at Glory Bishop. I went into the book, thinking that it was going to be a heavy drama full of violence. Instead, what I read blew me away.

Glory Bishop does start slowly. While I was aggravated by it at first, I came to appreciate it. The author uses those slow first chapters to build up the main characters and the world they resided. That world and character building continued throughout the book. By the end, each of the main characters were multi-layered characters.

I liked that the author showed how easy it was for someone to get into an abusive relationship. I liked that the author also showed the many facets of abuse. She explained how the abuser could integrate themselves with family and friends. I felt bad for Glory. I was mentally shouting at her, “Listen to Herschel, stay away from him!!” But, once she got the bracelets, I knew that she was done for. It would be impossible for her to get away.

I loved Glory’s character. Seeing what she overcame brought me to tears at points in the book. I wished that she could act like the 17-year-old she was. Instead, she had to act in different ways for different people. It got exhausting after a while.

I was “eh” with Malcolm during the book. I couldn’t understand why a grown man wanted a 17-year-old girl. Then it came to me. He wanted someone he could control.

I loved Herschel. He tried to help Glory as much as he could. He gave her the unconditional love that her mother couldn’t or wouldn’t. His last talk with her sent shivers up my spine. Talk about foreshadowing!!

Religion was an integral part of Glory Bishop. It wasn’t shoved down my throat. Instead, it was interwoven with the plotline, and I loved it!!

I liked how Glory Bishop ended, but at the same time, I was a little disappointed. I will always associate the words “I’ll give you back to God” with this book. Chilling. I was disappointed because I think I know what Glory was going to do at the end of the book. I wish there were some sort of epilogue that either proved me wrong or validated me. But then again, I understood why the author ended the book the way she did.

I would give Glory Bishop an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Glory Bishop I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Touch of Smoke by Karissa Laurel

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, NetGalley, Red Adept Publishing2 Comments
Touch of Smoke by [Laurel, Karissa]

5 Stars

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Date of publication: February 8th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, New Adult

Where you can find Touch of Smoke: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

Three years ago, Rikki Albemarle watched her best friend die at the hands of a supernatural evil. Certain she was slated to be the next victim, Rikki fled her small Smoky Mountain hometown, vowing to never come back. Plagued by nightmares and knowing she’s the only one who believes Mina’s death was no accident, Rikki returns with hopes of finding answers and holding the killer accountable.

Rikki is convinced the key to unlocking the secret of Mina’s death lies with Owen Amir, the alluring young army vet who once claimed her heart. But the deeper Rikki digs into Owen’s past, the more she’s torn between the urgings of her heart and her memories of him on the night Mina died.

After falling further into the rabbit hole, Rikki lands at the feet of an ancient and powerful evil determined to finish what it started years before. To survive, she’ll have to make a decision: believe Owen is the monster she always feared he might be or trust him enough to stay and fight for a second chance at love.

My Review:

Touch of Smoke was a fantastic read. I don’t give 5-star reviews easily. A book has to capture my attention and keep it. I have to form a connection with both the male and female lead. Touch of Smoke hit all those and then some.

Touch of Smoke has a dual plotline. One takes place in the past and the other in the present. Usually, I don’t like that type of plotlines. In my experience, this type of plotlines generally gets me confused. Which in turns makes me lose interest in the book. In this case, though, the author was obvious when she was switching from the past to the present/the present to the past. She also did not give away what happened in the past. There were hints, but nothing prepared me for what happened. She also did a fantastic job of merging the two storylines mid-book. It was flawless.

The main plotline of Touch of Smoke centers around Erika (or Rikki), Owen and what happened that night her best friend, Mina, was killed. Rikki came back to town to face her demons, which meant that she had to face Owen and his role in what happened that night. When an ancient evil arrives in Evansville, Rikki needs to make a choice. Will she trust Owen and help him? Or will Rikki stand aside and let that evil destroy him? If she does help him, what will be the price that she pays?

I loved Rikki. She was a tough cookie. She was also the hardest working character that I have come across in a while. This woman worked two jobs while going to a community college. She was an EMT, and she worked in stable, cleaning stalls. I did think she was silly for pushing Owen away. I wanted to reach through the book and shake her. Her actions at the end of the book were amazing. And selfless.

I fell in love with Owen every time he showed up in the book. Who wouldn’t? He was an Army veteran who fell head over heels with Rikki. I loved that he didn’t push her into doing anything that she didn’t want to do. He let her set the bar for their relationship. He did have his secrets, though. I liked how the author revealed them.

The romance angle of Touch of Smoke was terrific. I loved seeing Owen and Rikki’s relationship evolve. It wasn’t Instalove (far from it). The author chose to have Owen and Rikki date and go from there. The scene where Rikki decides to throw caution to the wind was poignant. Mainly because of what happened a few days (at least I think it was a few days) later.

The fantasy angle of Touch of Smoke was terrific also. I liked how the author took the jinn myth and made it her own. I had no issue believing that jinns weren’t like Genie from Aladdin. Instead, they were out for themselves. The story that Owen tells about the boy, the ring and the jinn explains everything.

The end of Touch of Smoke broke my freaking hearts into little bits. Like I mentioned above, what Rikki did was selfless. I was ugly crying in the chapter after that. Of course, I liked how the author had Owen explain everything to Rikki in a story, including what he did after. But still. Ugly Crying. In the middle of the day. Enough said!!

I would give Touch of Smoke an Older Teen rating. There is sex (nothing graphic). There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread Touch of Smoke. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Love-Lines by Sheri Langer

On By JolieIn ARC, book review, Red Adept Publishing1 Comment
Love-Lines by [Langer, Sheri]

4 Stars

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing, LLC

Date of publication: February 26th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Love-Lines (will contain affiliate links): Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Synopsis:

What if you could find the love of your life just by reading between the lines? 

Single mom Fordham Price is juggling her job at a small publisher, her precocious ten-year-old daughter, and her feisty mother. She wants to find time for men, but after a series of dating disasters, her relationship status is still stuck at single. 

As if her macchiato lite wasn’t already overflowing, a co-worker gets pregnant, and Fordham is expected to step in and deliver the company’s latest reality read from the Flowers from the Heart series. She must now supplement her own romantic misadventures with tales of cynical cat-ladies, identical-twin husbands, spunky monks, and countless other web-crawlers. 

As she wades through the submissions, she finds one from a widower whose story gives her tingles in all the places she forgot existed. His words draw her in until she finds herself daydreaming about him more than she’d care to admit. 

Could she have a love like that, or will her romantic fate be forever bound to her philandering ex-husband?

My review:

I will admit, when I read the blurb for Love-Lines, I wasn’t that impressed with it. I thought that this book was going to be one of those silly rom-com type of romances. I thought that I was going to read a book that had little substance. Don’t get me wrong, I like those types of books. But I also like books with a little more meat. So, I was surprised when I started reading Love-Lines and it wasn’t all fluff. There was meat to it!!

I wasn’t expecting to connect with Fordham the way I did. I didn’t know what I was expecting with Fordham’s character. Having her as a frazzled working mother who’s experiences in dating was normal made me love her. She was realistic. She was snarky. I loved her!!

While Fordham was great, it was the secondary characters that made this book sing. Whitty, her 10-year-old, was the epitome of every 10-year old that I have met. Her mother was sweet and sassy. Plus she was supportive of Fordham. I will admit that I didn’t like Aaron. I loved David. There were so many other gems in this book, it was hard to keep track of them.

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I liked the main storylines of Love-Lines. The author did a fantastic job of keeping them separate until the middle of the book. Then she was able to merge them. I loved it. I do wish that I got more insight into what an editor does. I got a good feel for it here but I do wish a little more depth was given. I also felt that the way Fordham got the job was not that great.

What I enjoyed the most about this book was that it made me laugh. I had several laugh out loud moments while reading. Mainly centered around Fordham’s dating life. Her date with the much younger man cracked me up. As did her observances afterward.

I liked the romances that Fordham found herself in. I will admit, I didn’t like Aaron. He came across as too smarmy. Plus, the way he treated Whitty wasn’t right. David was perfect. Of course, there were some misconceptions that lasted until the end of the book. Even then, he was awesome about clearing them up!!

Speaking about the end of the book, I loved it!! I had a huge grin after reading it. Let’s say that things ended perfectly for Fordham!!

I would give Love-Lines an Adult rating. There are mild sex scenes (like so mild I didn’t know that they were having sex). There is no violence. There is mild language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Love-Lines. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author and the publisher for allowing me to read and review Love-Lines.

All opinions stated in this review of Love Lines are mine

Have you read Love-Lines?

Do you like it when a book surprises you?

Let me know!!

Exposed Fury by Marie Flanigan

On By JolieIn book review, Non ARC, Red Adept Publishing4 Comments

Exposed Fury

4 Stars

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing

Date of publication: August 7th, 2018

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Where you can find Exposed Fury: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Annie Fitch, a former police detective, struggles to make ends meet as a private investigator in the sleepy town of Leesburg, Virginia. On partial disability because of gunshot injuries, she’s relegated to doing surveillance gigs and background checks. But things are looking up, since her on-again, off-again relationship is back on and might stay that way.

When Annie is hired by Laura Carlton to follow her husband to get evidence of cheating, Annie is certain the case won’t take long. Nick Carlton grew up with money and privilege and has a sex addiction dating back to his high school days. But things go sideways when Annie finds her target dead in an alley just a few blocks from her own home.

Working with her former partner, Gunnar Jansson, Annie digs deeper into Carlton’s background, slowly excavating his past to reveal the multiple suspects and motives. The list includes his many lunch-hour-tryst partners, a local shop owner, and his business partner, among others. Layer by layer, Annie uncovers a truth that runs deeper than anyone expected.

My review:

Annie is a detective turned PI. Forced off the squad due to a brain injury that occurred when she was shot on the job, Annie is struggling to make ends meet. She is also struggling with not having the physical or mental abilities that she had before she was shot. So when Laura contacts her to follow her husband and get evidence of cheating, Annie agrees. What Annie was not expecting was to find Nick’s body during her walk with her dog. She also doesn’t expect to get drawn back into the investigation when Laura hires her to find out who killed Nick. Working with her former partner, Gunnar, Annie digs through the tangled mess that was Nick Carlton’s life. But she is in for a surprise when she figures out who killed Nick and why. Who killed Nick? What was his/her motivation? Can Annie come through this investigation unscathed?

I have come to appreciate a good mystery. A good mystery needs to draw you in and keep you engaged in the story. Which is tricky because the author has to keep the clues to the mystery a secret but at the same time give out hints about what is going on. It’s a balancing act and sometimes, the author slips. There have been books where I have figured out what was going on or who did it by the middle of the book. But with Exposed Fury, that wasn’t the case. Marie Flanigan did a fantastic job of keeping who killed Nick and why under wraps until the end of the book. I will get more into that when I discuss the ending.

I loved Annie. The author did a fantastic job of creating a character that I could relate to. Annie didn’t let her disabilities get in the way of trying to get back on her feet. While she wanted to be back on the force, she understood that it wasn’t going to be. So she decided to become a PI. Her strength came off the pages. I also liked how she knew that she needed help with things and wasn’t afraid to ask. She also had a strong sense of family. While her father drove her nuts, she understood that he was afraid and that was coming from love. Her devotion to her brother was sweet.

The mystery angle of the book was amazing. The author did a fantastic job at keeping who killed Nick a secret until the end of the book. I was in shock over who it was. I had another person pegged for it. So when the plotline did a sudden turn and pointed in another direction, I was shocked. I was also shocked at why that person did it. Another shock.

The author also did a great job at portraying Annie’s continuing recovery from her brain injury. She made a point to let us readers know that Annie was not the same person she was before the brain injury. Annie was a, for lack of a better word, gentler, more emotional person. She empathized with people easier. From what I gleaned from the plot, Annie was more uptight and not as emotional before the injury.

The main plotline, the investigation of Nick’s murder, was interesting and wonderfully written. The author took me on a rollercoaster journey. She fingered so many people who I had a list of suspects to pick from. Red herrings were thrown out left and right. Normally, I would get irritated when that happens. But in this case, it was great and worked with the plotline.

The plotline with Annie’s on again, off again boyfriend was kind of “meh” with me. Not that I didn’t like Ford, I did, but I didn’t like that he was leaving Annie all the time. Like Annie, I would have been upset over his constant coming and going. Plus, he never mentioned what he did for work. Just that it was for the government and he was sent into high-risk areas (like Afghanistan). I wish that there could have been more stability with him. I would have loved more clarity with what he did.

The plotline with Annie’s father drove me nuts. I completely understood where he was coming from. His kid almost died and suffered a brain injury. But he didn’t support her career choice. He kept harping on it. Every single scene he was in, he kept mentioning how she should go back to college, get another job. Annie did brush him off, for the most part, but I got sick of it. I wanted to jump in the book and say “Leave her be!! Support her, darn it.”

Like I mentioned above, I loved the end of the book. The author did a fantastic job at wrapping up Nick’s murder plotline, as well as a couple of the secondary ones. She did leave the one with Annie’s father and Ford open. Like I mentioned above, I was surprised at who did it and the motive behind it. Talk about a plot twist. I did not see it coming at all. And I loved it!! I am hoping that the author will write another book with Annie in it!!

I gave Exposed Fury a 4-star rating. This book was one of the best mystery books I have read to date. The author did a great job at keeping me engaged with the story. There were no dropped or forgotten storylines. I was surprised at the ending. I did not care for Ford or Annie’s father’s attitude.

I would give Exposed Fury an Adult rating. There is sex but it is not graphic (mentioned but no detail). There is language. There is violence. There are trigger warnings. They would be brain injuries, cheating on a partner, the death of a sibling. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Exposed Fury. I would also recommend this book with family and friends. I would mention the triggers.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Exposed Fury.

All opinion stated in this review of Exposed Fury are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Have you read Exposed Fury?

Love it? 

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Everything She Lost by Alessandra Harris

On By JolieIn book review, Non ARC, Red Adept PublishingLeave a comment

Everything She Lost

4 Stars

Publisher: Red Adept Publishing LLC

Date of publication: January 2nd, 2018

Genre: Suspense, Women’s Fiction, Psychological Thriller

Where you can find Everything She Lost: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

After suffering a mental breakdown that nearly destroyed her marriage, Nina Taylor works hard to maintain her tenuous hold on sanity and be a good mother to her two young daughters. Despite her best efforts, she questions the possibility of a full recovery. 

Single mom Deja Johnson struggles to overcome her troubled past and raise her young son. But her friendship with Nina brings more complications. What Deja is hiding could not only destroy relationships but endanger lives. 

One traumatic night threatens to shatter Nina’s mind. With Deja’s help, she strives to maintain her mental balance. But as events spiral out of control, the women must find out if Nina is losing her sanity or if someone is plotting against her. 

My review:

When I was approached by Alessandra Harris to review Everything She Lost, my interest was caught. I enjoy reading psychological thrillers. I like being put on edge about events that happen in the book. I like having my theories about what is happening to the main character being proven wrong. Everything She Lost had and I enjoyed it.

Everything She Lost’s main plotline was centered around Nina’s mental illness and her recovery. I have read other books where the main character has a mental illness but it has been glossed over. Or it was miraculously cured. Or forgotten about. Nina’s recovery was written about realistically. She was taking baby steps. For most of the book, it was one step forward, two steps back. Just like in real life and I loved it. It made the book feel more realistic to me. I did feel bad for her during that struggle. The only one that supported her was her father. Her husband was a jerk and her BFF was even a bigger jerk.

I thought Nina’s backstory was heartbreaking. I do wish that her brother’s illness had been addressed up front. That would have helped me with understanding what Nina was going through. Her devastation when he died led to her making some rash decisions. One which included her marriage to Rodney.

Speaking of Rodney, I couldn’t stand him. He was such an opportunist and a pig. He was going to divorce Nina when her breakdown occurred. Then he kicked her out of her house until the money ran out. They got back together but he treated her like a flipping child. To be having an affair with Deja was the final straw for me. I wanted to kick him where the sun doesn’t shine. He was a great father but that was the only thing I liked about him. So yeah, I didn’t like him.

My feelings for Deja were complex. She was a strong woman who had overcome some pretty awful things in her life to get to where she was now. She wasn’t afraid to use her body or her sexuality to get what she wanted or what her boss wanted. I liked her for that. But I didn’t like that she was being blackmailed by her ex to do something that she didn’t want to do. She also didn’t want to have a relationship with Rodney after getting to know Nina better. Even with everything that happened later in the book, she felt awful for doing it.

I loved the storyline about who was stalking Nina. I thought the author did a great job at keeping who it was and why they were doing it under wraps. I did figure out part of it about halfway through the book. But the other half of it, I was surprised by.

I wish that Damien had been introduced earlier on in the book. I also wish that he factored more at the end of the book. But, I got what I wanted in the epilogue…haha.

The end of the book was one that kept me on my toes. Everything was revealed and what happened after the revelations shocked me. I loved the epilogue. Talk about a perfect ending to the book!!

What I liked about Everything She Lost:

A) Strong female characters

B) Great plotlines

C) The correct usage of Nina’s mental illness

What I disliked about Everything She Lost:

A) Rodney. I couldn’t stand him

B) I wish her brother’s illness had been addressed earlier (why he committed suicide).

C) No Damien until almost the end of the book

I would give Everything She Lost an Adult rating. There is sex. Not graphic sex but it is vague enough to understand what is going on. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend this book to anyone over the age of 21.

There are trigger warnings for Everything She Lost. They would be Child sexual abuse, teenage prostitution, domestic violence, mental illness, suicide (talk of it nothing was described), bullying, and talk of alcoholism. If you are triggered by any of these, please do not read the book.

I would recommend Everything She Lost to family and friends. I would include a warning about the triggers and what they are. This is a book that I will reread.

I would like to thank Alessandra Harris and Red Adept Publishing for allowing me to read and review Everything She Lost.

All opinions stated in this review of Everything She Lost are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Do you like Psychological Thrillers? Why?

Do you feel that mental health in most books are swept under the rug?

Strong female characters that straddle the line between good and bad? What do you think about them?

Let me know!!