Category: TCK Publishing

Conviction by Michael Cordell

~ Jolie ~ Leave a comment

Publisher: TCK Publishing

Date of publication: November 14th, 2022

Genre: Mystery, Suspense

Series: Thane Banning

Contempt—Book 1

Conviction—Book 2

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | IndieBound

Goodreads Synopsis:

THE LONG-AWAITED SEQUEL TO THE AMAZON BESTSELLER, CONTEMPT

He orchestrated a murder. Now he must defend the man charged with the crime.

Thane Banning is ready for a fresh start. He survived 5 years in Forsman Prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and now he’s started a law firm to defend the innocent. But the past won’t stay buried for long.

Kilo Miller, a violent felon who tried to kill Thane in prison, is charged with Joseph Crowell’s murder, and Thane agrees to take the case. Thane knows for certain that Kilo didn’t kill Crowell—because Thane knows who did. It’s a secret he must protect in order to keep his family safe, but LAPD’s top detective is getting closer to the truth.

When strong evidence surfaces implicating Kilo in the murder, Thane discovers that conspiracy runs deep in L.A.’s court system. But proving Kilo’s innocence could reveal Thane’s own dark history and send him back to death row.

With help from his colleagues Gideon and Kristen, Thane must uncover who is framing Kilo and targeting his associates before he loses the case—and even his freedom. His conviction to represent the innocent forces him to face the ultimate test:

Is he willing to let an innocent man go to prison to avoid his own life sentence?

First Line:

When the shiv plunged into his side, Thane didn’t even realize he’d been stabbed.

Conviction by Michael Cordell

When I read the blurb for Conviction, I was intrigued. While I read many books (and stress a lot), I rarely read legal thrillers. So, I accepted the invitation, and I am glad I did. This book is an important book to read.

Conviction is the second book in the Thane Banning series. Unlike most other books in other series, readers can read this one as a standalone. The author briefly explained what happened in book one and brought up other characters/events. But the book primarily focused the what Thane, Kristin, and Gideon were doing for their current clients.

The plot of Conviction was intriguing. Thane Banning is a lawyer who had spent five years on death row, convicted of a murder he didn’t do. After being released, he started a law firm to defend people falsely accused of crimes. Almost simultaneously, two cases come across his desk. One case involves Gideon’s nephew. Arrested after delivering a package to a house for a friend, Gus is held in prison. But a dirty cop threatens to send him to jail for a long time if he doesn’t tell him what he wants to hear. The other case involves the inmate who tried to kill Thane. He had been arrested for the murder of Thane’s mentor. Thane knows that he is innocent. Why? Because Thane knows who killed his mentor. As the lawyers work with their clients, they realize that the corruption of the police and DA’s office runs much deeper than they initially thought. Can they prove the innocence of their clients? Or will their clients go to jail on false charges?

Conviction takes place entirely in Los Angeles. The author didn’t bring Hollywood or the actors up. Instead, he focused on the everyday people that live there-the good, the bad, and the morally gray people. I enjoyed it.

The author amazingly wrote the main characters in Conviction. There was depth to them that I wasn’t expecting. And the secondary characters added an extra oomph to the storyline.

  • Thane: I enjoyed his character. He was as morally gray as a character could get. He understood what it was like inside prison. He also emphasized with the family members whose loved ones were falsely accused. I also liked his investigation style. It was a little unorthodox but never crossed the line where the evidence would be inadmissible in court.
  • Gideon: I enjoyed his scenes. I don’t know why he was in prison or how he got out (it was probably explained in book 1), but I do know, from what I read, that it was justified. Gideon had no issue using his size to intimidate people into giving him information (thinking of his nephew’s friends).
  • Kristin: I wouldn’t say I liked her character as much as the other two. She was almost too abrasive in some scenes and weak in others. She did hit her stride, though, during Kilo’s trial. Her takedown of that detective was muah (chef’s kiss).
  • Gus: I was enraged for him. He was done dirty by his friends (mostly Jamie but also Andre, to an extent). I couldn’t believe what I was reading when he was arrested and held in jail. He wasn’t even allowed a phone call, which ticked me off. And then to listen to the detective say what he did. My blood boiled. I know this is a reality of POC daily, and it sickens me.
  • Kilo: OK, so when Kilo was introduced, and Thane agreed to take his case, I had the same reaction as everyone else in the office. Why? But only some things are what it seems with Kilo, and I was surprised at what was revealed., and I was surprised at what was revealed. I loved how dedicated his wife was to him. I was rooting for him to be found not guilty.

The secondary characters, as I mentioned, were just as well-written as the main ones. I did have my favorites. I loved the saucy (and snarky) Letitia. She had me nodding my head during her scenes. So much of what she said is true. Cricket was my other favorite. She was a ten-year-old hacker Thane was representing for free and was terrific. She stole the scenes every time she appeared. I loved that she was repentant for what she did and told Thane that she would keep doing it. I hope she is made more of a main character in upcoming books.

Conviction fits very well into the thriller genre. I was kept on edge the entire time and didn’t know what would happen from one chapter to the next. That is the way someone should write a legal thriller. There was a point where I thought Kilo wouldn’t get off. I couldn’t put the book down because I wanted to know what would happen.

The author amazingly wrote the main storyline. It was a twisty, turny storyline that (along with the thriller angle) kept me glued to the book. I had doubts that Thane could keep himself from being implicated in his mentor’s death, and the author did nothing to dissuade me from thinking about that.

The secondary storylines were just as good as the main one. They added additional information and background on several secondary characters and the main ones.

The end of Conviction was a nail-biter. As stated above, I worried for Kilo and Gus. But, after a major twist (I saw it coming and relished it), the author had an ending that I enjoyed and loved. I cannot wait to read book three when it comes out.

Three things I like about Conviction:

  • The characters (primary and secondary). They were believable and well-fleshed out.
  • The social justice issues that the author addressed.
  • The storylines. They were all well-written.

Three things I disliked about Conviction:

  • Detective Malone. He was as slimy as they come, and I hope he gets what is coming.
  • Stick (Andre’s brother). He was an evil man, and I hope he gets what is coming.
  • The ex-DA. He kept showing up on Thane’s runs. It gave me stalky vibes.

I would recommend Conviction to anyone over 21. There is moderate violence, language, and sexual situations. There is also a scene where Kristin is physically assaulted in her apartment.

Doctor Glass by Louise Worthington

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Publisher: TCK Publishing

Date of publication: April 11th, 2022

Genre: Psychological Suspense, Thriller

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

Goodreads Synopsis:

THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW.

Psychotherapist Emma-Jane Glass has prioritized work over leisure for far too long. She does whatever it takes to help her clients, and it’s bordering on professional obsession. When she publishes a controversial article about unstable mothers murdering their children, an anonymous letter arrives on her doorstep:

I will expose you.
Then, I will mutilate you…
Wait for me.

After she is abducted into the night, Doctor Glass finds herself at the mercy of a dangerous sociopath. But being a relentless doctor of the mind, she feels an urge to help her fragile captor, even if it might shatter her sanity-and her life. It becomes a game of survival, and only one mind can win.

For fans of deeply layered thrillers by Ruth Ware, Tana French, and Alex Michaelides comes the newest voice in psychological fiction.

CONTENT GUIDANCE: This novel explores aspects of psychology and mental health and contains depictions of self-harm, alcohol abuse, eating disorders, and suicide. Please read with care.

First Line:

Under the canopy of a sycamore tree, the world is a kinder place.

doctor glass by louise worthington

When I received the invite to review Doctor Glass, I was immediately intrigued by the synopsis. I am a massive fan of psychological thrillers and read any/all of that genre that I can get my hands on. So, I knew that I had to read this book between the synopsis and my love of psychological thrillers.

Doctor Glass had an engaging storyline. Emma-Jane Glass is a psychologist who had published a paper that made her very unpopular with her colleagues and clients. Doctor Glass starts receiving death threats, and very shortly after, she is kidnapped by the author of the notes. Being held captive, Doctor Glass uses her training to try and understand her captor. But that is dangerous, as Doctor Glass forms an attachment to her captor. Will she escape her captor? Will she become damaged?

I do want to warn everyone about trigger warnings. The author does mention it in the blurb so I will repeat that here along with a couple of my own. Her’s are self-harm, alcohol abuse, eating disorders, and suicide. I want to add maternal filicide and emotional abuse to the mix also. If any of these triggers you, I suggest you not read this book.

As I mentioned in the first paragraph, I am a massive fan of psychological thrillers. I love the rush that I get from reading them. I expected that from Doctor Glass, but I didn’t get it. Instead, I got more insight into grief, mental illness, and Stockholm Syndrome.

I did have a hard time following some of the secondary storylines in Doctor Glass. The couple had kinky sexual fetishes (fat fetish and smothering), the woman whose daughter died of an asthma attack, Lucy’s forays into dating, Kat’s disturbing obsession with Drew, and AJ’s relationship with Heather and Drew. They meandered around the main storyline, and honestly, only Lucy (to an extent), Kat, and AJ’s storylines added anything to the main storyline. The other two seemed like fillers to me and took away from what was happening.

Drew horrified and saddened me. I was horrified at how his actions contributed to what happened with his wife and son. I couldn’t even begin to fathom his guilt along with his grief. Emma-Jane’s paper did send him over the edge. When they were at the farmhouse, his scenes with Emma-Jane were some of the saddest that I have read. I did feel that Emma-Jane did get through to him by the end of her kidnapping, but we’ll never know.

I didn’t know how to feel about Emma-Jane. I did want to like her, and I was definitely in her court when she was kidnapped. But she came across as bland and sometimes unlikable. I also wish that the author had given more of Emma-Jane’s backstory. That way, I could have understood her a little better.

The secondary characters (as with the storylines) didn’t do anything for me. The only one that I was genuinely interested in was Kat. I was interested in her because of what came up halfway through the book. The others added nothing to the book.

The thriller angle was a little meh to me until Emma-Jane got kidnapped. At that point, it did pick up some steam but died once Lucy rescued her. I wish that the author had kept it up for a bit longer.

I mentioned above that the book gave me insight into mental illness, grief, and Stockholm Syndrome. I did enjoy those parts of the book because that is when it came alive for me. I felt that the author very well wrote the mental illness angle of the book and the grief angle almost took my breath away. I shed tears along with that character.

There was a twist in the plot that I didn’t see coming. That twist also tied together Emma-Jane and Drew’s plotline together. I will say that Kat is an evil person, and I hope she gets what she deserves!!!

The end of Doctor Glass was more introspective than anything. I’m not going to get into it, but it was almost soothing to see how Emma-Jane dealt with everything.

I would recommend Doctor Glass to anyone over 21. There is language, moderate violence, and moderate sexual scenes.

The Devil’s Whispers by Lucas Hault

~ Jolie ~ 2 Comments

Publisher: TCK Publishing

Date of publication: February 20th 2022

Genre: Horror

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a silent, sleepy castle, evil has awakened…

Famed British lawyer Gerard Woodward is summoned to an ancient Welsh castle to assist a dying lord in his final affairs. But as his host slips closer to death, Gerard begins to feel less like a guest and more like a prisoner. When he finds himself locked inside his room, he realizes he must escape.

After finding his way out of his room, Gerard begins to wonder if he was safer locked inside. The labyrinthine halls echo secrets. A terrible wail and the rattling of chains sets his nerves on end. Something sinister is happening within the walls of Mathers Castle, and when he descends into the dungeons, he discovers a horrible secret…

In nearby London, children vanish into the night, animals are horribly mutilated, and a savage creature stalks the shadows. When Gerard’s wife, Raelyn, becomes the creature’s next target, his need to escape reaches a fever pitch. He must get out alive so he can dispel the evil that threatens to destroy his beloved Raelyn… and the rest of us.

Fans of epistolary Gothic horror classics like Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Picture of Dorian Gray will devour The Devil’s Whispers.

First Line:

To His Eminence the Archbishop of Canterbury, I lie here on my deathbed with a terrible secret, one that hangs heavily upon my heart and belongs locked away in the archives of the Vatican.

the devil’s whispers by lucas hault

It has been a while since I have read a horror book. While I like the horror genre, I tend to avoid them because I mainly read at night. But, when the author emailed me and asked me to review The Devil’s Whispers, I accepted. I had decided that when I read the book, I would read it during the day. And I kept to that, believe it or not. While I am glad that I read The Devil’s Whispers, I was “meh” on the storyline and how the author presented the book.

The Devil’s Whispers had a slow-paced storyline that stayed pretty steady throughout the book. There was some lag in the middle of the book (during Jayda’s entries), and the book never recovered from that.

The Devil’s Whispers is not a traditionally written book. While it does have a plotline with the main characters, it is instead told through journal entries. I enjoy reading books written this way, and I feel that it is a different way to present a story. But, when there were more than two journal entries, I started getting confused and a little bored. I would have been thrilled with just reading the book through Gerard and Raelyn’s POV (with maybe Jayda’s popping in to clarify some scenes).

The Devil’s Whispers is a rewrite of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I have read many books that attempt to rewrite or write their take on that story. This book is no exception, except the vampires are different. They can give birth, but their babies need to be raised by humans to survive. They can shapeshift into various animals. They can go outside in the sunlight and survive in the water. I found it fascinating that while these vampires could travel, they could only do it within a certain radius of their vases (where they lived). And to kill them, you needed to break the vase.

I do want to touch upon trigger warnings. I usually do not include these in my reviews, but I feel that I need to make an exception in this case. This book is very violent, very bloody. There is gore (oh so much), animal abuse, excessive violence, and child death. I like to think that I have a high tolerance for things like that, but there were scenes where I had to put the book down because it was just too much.

I liked Raelyn, but I felt she didn’t match when the book was written. Her thoughts and actions were more of a modern-day woman than a woman of that era. Not to say I didn’t like her (I did), but it didn’t jive with me and made it hard for me to connect with her. I will say that she was very driven to find Gerard and help Noah, but she was also blind to what was happening around her.

I liked Gerard too. He was the real MVP of the book. He had escaped the vampires once, and he was willing to do whatever it took to beat them. He also loved Raelyn and was ready to do whatever it took to free her from the vampires. I loved those later chapters (that last battle was a doozy) because they breathed life into the book.

The end of The Devil’s Whispers was a little anti-climatic. I did like that everything was resolved. But, I wondered about something mentioned at the very end and if the threat was over.

I would recommend The Devil’s Whispers to anyone over 21. There is extreme violence, language, and sexual situations.

Our Trespasses: A Paranormal Thriller by Michael Cordell

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Book Cover

Publisher: TCK Publishing

Date of publication: October 15th, 2021

Genre: Paranormal, Thriller

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N

Goodreads Synopsis:

Deliver us from evil…

Drowning in a meaningless existence flipping burger, Matthew Davis suddenly collapses from a powerful psychic connection he shares with his twin brother, Jake. The pain is violent and immediate, and Matt knows exactly what it means… hundreds of miles away, Jake has been viciously killed. But instead of severing their connection, the murder intensifies it and Matt begins to suffer the agony of Jake’s afterlife.

Hell-bent on solving Jake’s murder in order to break the connection, Matt travels to his troubled hometown of Hatchett, Nebraska, where an old lover and savage new enemies expose the festering wounds that Jake left behind.

Matt tries atoning for Jake’s sins, but when a demon infests the connection between the two brothers, Matt must find a way to sever their bond before his world, and ours, become engulfed in the flames of hell.

Fans of Stephen King’s The Outsider, Stephen Graham Jones’ The Only Good Indians, and William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist will find this new paranormal thriller impossible to put down.

First Line

Ruth stood at her ironing board, working her way through a pile of clothes in the bottomless laundry basket at her feet, mindlessly sweeping the iron back and forth across a blue denim work shirt, breaking her rythmn only to fire shots of steam at particularly stubborn wrinkles.

our trespasses: a paranormal thriller by michael cordell

When I read the blurb for Our Trespasses, I knew that I wanted no needed to read this book. Being in a read/blogging slump, I wanted a book that could pull me out of it. I couldn’t put it down!!!

Our Trespasses was that book.

Our Trespasses is the story of Matthew. Matthew had left his small town in Nebraska for college in New York City. In the ten years since he left, Matthew is barely surviving and working dead-end jobs. He doesn’t visit and barely talks to his mother and brother, Jake, with whom he shares a psychic link. One night, Matthew’s psychic connection with his brother flares up, and he knows without a doubt that Jake is dead. Going back home, Matthew realizes two things. Jake was not the person he knew ten years ago and their psychic bond is as strong as it was when Jake was alive. Matthew realizes that he needs to beg forgiveness from everyone that Jake hurt, but that is easier said than done. He also needs to solve Jake’s murder. Because, before his death, Jake had made some powerful enemies, and they will do anything to keep Matthew from finding out the truth.

Our Trespasses did start on the slow side, but I didn’t mind it. The author chose to lay the groundwork for the entire book in those chapters. Once the author took care of that, then the book took off. The chapters flew by, and I couldn’t put it down.

I wasn’t sure how to feel about Matthew when the book started. He was living a blah life and seemed so depressed. He didn’t have any strong emotions when Jake died, which struck me as weird as the time (explained further in the book). But once he went home to Nebraska, Matthew came into his own. He was willing to do whatever it took to find Jake’s murderer and right the wrongs that Jake did. He wanted to make things right with his mother and Casey (the girl he left behind). By the end of the book, he ended up being one of my favorite characters.

The paranormal angle of the book was very well written, and I liked that the author took the twin bond and stepped it up a notch. What I enjoyed about that angle is that the author eased into it. First, it was the psychic twin bond, and then it ramped up from there. The scenes toward the end of the book (with the sheriff, Bone, Matthew, and Casey) were some of the creepiest that I have ever read. I still get chills thinking about it.

I liked that the author didn’t make excuses for Jake. He wasn’t a good man, and he did some pretty horrible things when he was alive. I wouldn’t say I liked that Jake’s descent into the criminal lifestyle was blamed on Matthew’s leaving. I got so angry when Ruth said that (of course, it was before I figured out what was going on). Jake was a big boy and made his choices.

There were several memorable characters in Our Trespasses. Andrew, the Catholic priest, stood out the most to me. Mainly because of what he confessed to Matthew after the funeral. I sat there and thought to myself, “WTF,” and then laughed about it. Talking about living the dream…lol.

There are a couple of twists in the plot. One I saw coming from the scene when Matthew met those two people. I had alarm bells going off in my head, which in turn ended up being true. The other twist did take me by surprise. I didn’t see it coming (but I should have, looking back on it).

The end of Our Trespasses was a bit of a surprise (see above), but I enjoyed it. The author was able to wrap all the plotlines up in a way that satisfied me.

Bella Cove: A Second Chance Romance by Rochelle Katzman

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Bella Cove: A Second Chance Romance

4 Stars

Publisher: TCK Publishing

Date of publication: April 24th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Bella Cove: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

She Gets a Second Chance at Love, But Her Family’s Secrets Could Ruin Everything 
Kayla Conway is devastated when she is forced to leave her life and her fiancé behind in California to take care of her family. She must return to her hometown of Bella Cove, a small, charming town on Long Island to visit her grandma on her deathbed. Just before her grandmother dies, Kayla promises that she will help put the pieces of her family’s life back together. 

But when she makes that promise, she has no idea of the lies, deceit, and betrayal she will have to deal with. The grief from grandma’s death brings out the worst in her family. 

Two years later, her family is stronger, but Kayla’s passion for life seems to have died the day grandma left. 

When her ex-fiancé, Gabe Wademan, walks back into her life—not as her partner, but as her new landlord and neighbor—Kayla feels more alive than she has in months. 

But getting back together with Kayla is the last thing Gabe wants—he never forgave her for leaving him so suddenly. He demands explanations for her behavior two years earlier, but Kayla refuses to reveal her family’s deepest, darkest secrets. 

So instead, she makes it her mission to show Gabe she’s the same woman he fell in love with back at school—just a little older and a lot less naïve. And if he gives their relationship a second chance, she promises she’ll never leave him again. 

But when Gabe gets close to her family, Kayla is terrified that he will discover their secrets. How could he ever trust her again if he found out? 

He’s only been back in her life a few weeks, but Kayla doesn’t think her heart could handle losing him a second time. Especially since this time, it would be forever.

My review:

I had mentioned in another review how much I love second chance romances. It wasn’t any difference with Bella Cove. I loved reading about Kayla and Gabe rediscovering their love. After reading (and reviewing) a few books that were intense. So reading this romance was the thing I (and my brain) needed.

I liked Kayla. Her passion for anything that she did in life was a breath of fresh air. When the book starts, she had taken over a toy store. She threw herself into it so it could continue making a profit. What I liked is that behind that happy façade was a woman who was the backbone of her family. A woman who had to be tough. A woman who suffered immense heartbreak and loss. She had been tried by fire and came out this amazing person. But she was also tired of it all. She wanted her own life without the responsibilities of being the “family matron.” My heart broke for her because she couldn’t tell her family to start solving their own problems. She felt that she would let her Nana down.

I didn’t like certain members of Kayla’s family. Her mother, her brother, her SIL, and her father. For various reasons, they all earned my dislike. From the drama queen of a mother to the father who had no backbone, I felt bad for Kayla.

I wasn’t sure what to make of Gabe at first. All Kayla’s flashbacks of him made him out to be kind of a control freak. Also, the way he treated her when she told him that she was ready to come back was awful. She was going through a lot and he added to it. He also ran hot and cold with her, which confused me as much as it confused her. But, towards the middle of the book, I could see he was coming around. By the end of the book, I liked him. He was everything that he wasn’t when they broke up. I felt that he was worthy of Kayla.

The chemistry between Gabe and Kayla was intense. From the minute they first saw each other, after two years, you could see the sparks. The more interactions they had, the more the heat there was. I was surprised that they didn’t have sex sooner in the book.

The sex scenes were deliciously hot. I swear my Kindle fogged up from the heat that they generated. Kayla was also a bit of a horn dog later in the book. She had a liking for outdoor/public sex. I mean, they got it on behind boards at the house Gabe was building, which was right next to her parents. They also had sex in the front seat of Gabe’s truck.

The end of the book was everything a romance novel should be. Certain things should have come sooner, in my opinion. I loved the epilogue!!! Total happy ending there. I am hoping that there is a book 2. Kayla’s sisters and her unmarried brother need some action.

What I liked about Bella Cove:

A) Complex and well-written characters

B) Interesting storyline

C) Great world building

What I disliked about Bella Cove:

A) Certain members of Kayla’s family.

B) Gabe at the beginning of the book

C) Too much responsibility put on Kayla

I would give Bella Cove an Adult rating. There is language. There are explicit sexual situations. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

There are no trigger warnings with Bella Cove.

I would recommend Bella Cove to family and friends. This is a book that I could see myself rereading.

I would like to thank Rochelle Katzman for allowing me to read and review Bella Cove.

All opinions stated in this review of Bella Cove are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Catching a Witch by Heidi Eljarbo

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Catching a Witch: A Novel of Loyalty, Deception, and Superstition

4 Stars

Publisher: TCK Publishing

Date of publication: August 1st, 2017

Genre: Paranormal, Historical Fiction

Number of pages: 284

POV: 3rd person

Where you can find Catching a Witch: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

What Would You Do to Save Your Best Friend from Burning? 
The year 1660 is when it all changed… 

That’s when a witch-hunter comes to Clara Dahl’s seaside village in Norway. She’s horrified to discover how fast her neighbors and friends are to turn against each other. She soon realizes her sleepy, little, picturesque corner of the world has been invaded by evil—and it has nothing to do with witchcraft. 

As neighbor turns against neighbor, Clara finds herself drawn into the fray, forced to do what she can to protect her friends and loved ones. An educated and upstanding minister’s daughter, Clara speaks out against the witch-hunter’s unjust treatment of those accused of witchcraft. She sees how he plays the villagers, using their superstitions and religious beliefs to make good people accept horrible things. 

When Clara’s best friend Bess is accused of being a witch, Clara must make an incredible sacrifice to save not only her friend but the entire town… before it’s too late. 

About the Book

In 1660, women had no voting rights, couldn’t own property, and were treated as second-class citizens. If that weren’t bad enough, many innocent women—especially poor women—were tried and executed for witchcraft. The people responsible for their deaths were often their own friends, family members, and neighbors. 

Catching a Witch is a story about a young woman who’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people she cares about most in this world. 

You’ll love this book if you enjoy… 

Historical dramas 
Witches and witch hunting 
Historical thrillers 
The history of religion and superstitions 
A story with a strong female protagonist fighting for what’s right 
Readers of similar books such as Year of Wonder by Geraldine Brooks, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe, The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent, and The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare will love Catching a Witch. 

Scroll up and click “buy now” to help Clara save her village from evil.

Trigger Warning: abuse of women, some graphic death scenes

Continue reading “Catching a Witch by Heidi Eljarbo” →

Resurrection: A Historical Adventure Novel (Legend: Book 3) by Kylie Stewart

~ Jolie ~ 2 Comments

Resurrection: A Historical Adventure Romance Novel (Legend Book 3)

Title: Legend

Author: Kylie Stewart

Publisher: TCK Publishing

Date of publication: September 10th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 202

POV: Alternating 1st person

Series: Legend

Set in Stone – Book 1 (review here)

The Duke’s Curse – Book 2 (review here)

Resurrection – Book 3

Where you can find Resurrection: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

“A matter of chance…” 
Avalon’s soul is whole once again, but the curse still remains. He must learn to control newfound powers in order to protect Alexandria from Mordred. But how can he protect her from a man set on destroying him completely? 

“A matter of choice …” 

Alexandria York has to make a choice—to forgive Avalon’s lies or walk away. Their bond not only flows through blood but now runs soul deep. The choice to stay with the man she loves could cost them both dearly. 

The Legend Series 

Avalon and Alexandria vow to stand together to face Mordred. When news of Lancer’s corruption reaches Caliburn Estate, they have to move swiftly to protect Alexandria before it’s too late. 

The Knights of the Round Table begin to assemble as they prepare for war. They soon discover the war isn’t just coming for them, but the entire world. 

The story of King Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table takes a modern turn, filled with adventure, love, and betrayal.

Trigger Warning: None

Continue reading “Resurrection: A Historical Adventure Novel (Legend: Book 3) by Kylie Stewart” →

Risking Her Heart: A Contemporary Romance by Rochelle Katzman

~ Jolie ~ 1 Comment

Risking Her Heart: A Contemporary Romance Novel

Title: Risking Her Heart

Author: Rochelle Katzman

Publisher: TCK Publishing

Date of publication: May 12th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 266

POV: 3rd person

Where you can buy Risking Her Heart: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Billionaire playboy.

He’s ruthless in business and in bed.

He’ll sleep with you, rip your heart out, and never commit.

He’ll charm you, seduce you, and set your world on fire.

He’ll make you feel as if you’re his woman then claim you’re only friends.

Friends, as in call once in a while. Not friends with the potential of more.

Drake doesn’t do more.

He’s the exact type of man Livvie needs to stay away from, especially with her destructive pattern of dating narcissistic men who refuse to be monogamous.

Until fate forces them to meet.

Livvie wins a one-week stay at Morganthal Winery, owned by Drake Morganthal. She doubts she’ll see him. And even if she does, there’s no way he’ll give a random raffle winner the time of day.

But she’s wrong.

From the moment they lock eyes, their chemistry is so intense, Drake has to have her. He makes his motives very clear.

Between his delicious wines and his gorgeous body, which she craves like a drug, Livvie has to decide if she’ll spend the week in his vineyard and his bed, or if she’s strong enough to turn away a man as addictive as Drake Morganthal.

Trigger Warning: 

Continue reading “Risking Her Heart: A Contemporary Romance by Rochelle Katzman” →

Billionaire for New Year’s: A Steamy Erotic Romance by Em Brown

~ Jolie ~ 1 Comment

Billionaire for New Year's: A Steamy Billionaire Erotic Romance Novel

Title: Billionaire for New Year’s

Author: Em Brown

Publisher: TCK Publishing

Date of publication: April 5th, 2017

Genre: Romance, Erotica

Number of pages: 303

POV: 3rd person

Series: A Billionaire Erotic Romance Novel

Billionaire for Christmas – Book 1 (review here)

Billionaire for New Years –  Book 2

Where you can find Billionaire for New Year’s: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Two billionaires, a wedding, and plenty of heat to ring in the new year… 
Billionaire hotel mogul Rance Durand thought he had successfully seduced Audrey Jones into his life for good, but Audrey’s convinced their different backgrounds won’t mesh. Will they go their separate ways, or can he find a way to seduce her all over again? 

Smokin’ hot Charlene Jenkins is Audrey’s best friend, and she’ll do just about anything to see her friend happy—even if it means accepting a bargain with billionaire playboy Blaine Edwards, Rance’s friend, and colleague. 

Blaine wants Charlene to get Audrey to the New Year’s Eve of Erotica party, where Rance has a surprise in store for Audrey, but he may want something else just as bad: Charlene’s submission…in his bed.

Trigger Warning: None

Continue reading “Billionaire for New Year’s: A Steamy Erotic Romance by Em Brown” →

Billionaire for Christmas by Em Brown

~ Jolie ~ 2 Comments

Billionaire for Christmas: An Erotic Billionaire Romance

Title: Billionaire for Christmas

Author: Em Brown

Publisher: TCK Publishing

Date of publication: February 6th, 2017

Genre: Interracial Romance, Erotica, Romance

Number of pages: 167

POV: 3rd person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads): 

Who knew a male escort could be so much fun?
Audrey Jones can’t believe her best friend gave her a gift card to a male escort service for Christmas. A successful finance executive, Audrey doesn’t feel like there’s anything missing in her life. But when she finds herself alone for the holidays, she decides to take a chance and embark on a personal journey that is both unexpected and highly erotic.

For billionaire Rance Durand, women have always come easily into his life, so why can’t he seem to get the time of day with the woman whose apartment unit is right next to his? When he overhears her calling the escort service, Rance decides to take their place, but he only has three days to seduce her.

More About the Book

In this contemporary erotic romance, billionaire bachelor Rance Durand, owner of a luxury boutique hotel, decides to impersonate a gigolo to seduce his workaholic neighbor. But what he thought would be a good joke turned into something he never expected.

When Audrey Jones, who hasn’t had the best luck with romance, decides to have a weekend of sex with a stranger, she gets the erotic experience of her life.

Neither expects to fall in love, but when Audrey is presented with a promotion that will take her across the country, both of them have a big decision to make.

This erotic billionaire romance book contains frequent and explicit sex scenes.

My review:

I used to have a ban on reviewing erotica. The reason: I was embarrassed about advertising that I read these books. Then one day, I had an epiphany. Why be embarrassed about reviewing books that have all sorts of sex in them? So I dropped my restrictions on no erotica and I am happy I did.

Billionaire for Christmas takes place over Christmas in San Francisco, which instantly I liked. San Fransisco is a city that I have always wanted to visit and seeing it featured in a book was awesome. Audrey and Rance did visit a few well-known areas (read the book to find out)!!

I really liked Audrey and how relatable she was. She was packing extra weight, she didn’t hold to her New Years Eve resolutions, she was very picky about men and she was a very hard worker. She also had a crazy bestie who gave her a gift card to an escort service. Which made me laugh out loud when I read that and made me wonder….if there even such thing as gift cards to an escort service. There probably is, now that I think about it….lol. I actually couldn’t believe that she called. But hey, she wanted to go out with a bang for her last couple of nights in San Fransisco. She asked for Denzel but instead got Colin (which made me laugh my butt off).

Rance was so hot but I wasn’t a fan of his deception at first. I mean, he lived next door to Audrey. How hard would it have been for him to actually just go, knock on her door and talk to her? But no, he had to pretend to be from the escort service. I was almost waiting for him to say her real name, not the fake one that she gave when they were having sex or out on dates. I did like that he was made to be a decent person too. He was the best man at his friend’s wedding, he had family that he talked to all the time in France (and yes, I read the book with him having a very slight French accent) and he was a great friend.

The sex scenes, they are written in great detail, were hot. Burning off the page hot. Like, fan myself because I was getting flushed hot. They had anal sex, vaginal sex, public sex (the one against the window….oh lordy) and unprotected oral sex (her going down on him). They couldn’t get enough of each other.

The ending, which was a HEA, had me going for a minute because I thought that it wasn’t going to be one. So I was very surprised when it ended up the way it did.

How many stars will I give Billionaire for Christmas: 4

Why: Besides the obvious hot sex, I thought that the backstory was fantastic. This is definitely a book that you should read at home, though. The sex scenes and there are plenty of them, are pretty descriptive.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes but with a warning about the ultra hot and very descriptive sex scenes.

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

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