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Nightcrawler (Trackers #1)
8.0
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Book
I’ve always been a sucker for a guy with muscles and a handsome face. If that makes me sound...
Contemporary MM Mystery Suspense Series
Debbiereadsbook (1788 KP) rated Make Them Cry (Pretty Deadly Things #2) in Books
Dec 9, 2025
really enjoying these books!
Independent reviewer for BookSirens, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Pretty Deadly Things series, but it's not necessary to read Make Them Bleed, book 1, first. Recommended by me, but not necessary.
River works with Gage, but he gets under her skin, not in a good way. When the online harassment gets personal and much closer to her than before, she turns to the dark web for help. Enter Mask, who promises he can make them cry. But who is he really, and just who can River trust, when people are dying?
I am really REALLY enjoying these books, this author in general!
One point I will make: there is a lot, and I mean A LOT of technical stuff in this one. There is a little directory at the beginning, but I will be honest and kinda glazed over those bits. Far too complicated computer lingo for me to follow but I really don't think I missed anything by not fully understanding.
I liked that it took a bit of time for River to figure out it was Gage behind the mask. I liked that it took time for them to get together, hence the slow burn tag.
It took time for the person behind it all to be revealed, and I did like that I did not see that coming. I thought there might be *some* redemption for a certain character, but she made her bed, now needs to deal with the fall out.
I liked that the scene is set for book 3. Comments made here lay out who is next, so I can't wait to read that!
Loved catching up with Juno and Arrow, and the guys at Maddox Security along with the BRAVO team.
This author is fast becoming a firm favourite. Not easy reads, sometimes the subject matter is difficult, but they easy TO read, you know? I know what I mean :-)
4 very good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in the Pretty Deadly Things series, but it's not necessary to read Make Them Bleed, book 1, first. Recommended by me, but not necessary.
River works with Gage, but he gets under her skin, not in a good way. When the online harassment gets personal and much closer to her than before, she turns to the dark web for help. Enter Mask, who promises he can make them cry. But who is he really, and just who can River trust, when people are dying?
I am really REALLY enjoying these books, this author in general!
One point I will make: there is a lot, and I mean A LOT of technical stuff in this one. There is a little directory at the beginning, but I will be honest and kinda glazed over those bits. Far too complicated computer lingo for me to follow but I really don't think I missed anything by not fully understanding.
I liked that it took a bit of time for River to figure out it was Gage behind the mask. I liked that it took time for them to get together, hence the slow burn tag.
It took time for the person behind it all to be revealed, and I did like that I did not see that coming. I thought there might be *some* redemption for a certain character, but she made her bed, now needs to deal with the fall out.
I liked that the scene is set for book 3. Comments made here lay out who is next, so I can't wait to read that!
Loved catching up with Juno and Arrow, and the guys at Maddox Security along with the BRAVO team.
This author is fast becoming a firm favourite. Not easy reads, sometimes the subject matter is difficult, but they easy TO read, you know? I know what I mean :-)
4 very good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Whispers in the Snow (Heartwarming Christmas)
Book
Of course, a young woman in Norway during the late nineteenth century can be a successful amateur...
Historical Romance Mystery Novella
Debbiereadsbook (1788 KP) rated Still Waters, Deep (Between Hill and Sea) in Books
Apr 18, 2026
love the descriptive passages!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is the first in a new series by Ms Sheppard, and it reads a little bit different to her other books.
Seren is an archivist, and Talise a hydrologist. Catrin wrote about the water of Llyn Du, over 100 years ago, before she disappeared and now all three ladies are entwined by a red thread of fate.
It took time for the threads to weave, and as such, I didn't know where it was all going for a long time. It meant I had to slow down my reading, and concentrate really hard, which in turn meant it took me longer to read. Not a bad thing, just needs a comment, cos Book Feelings are important!
I enjoyed that Seren and Talise have a voice, and Eifion doesn't. I think if he had, the water might have muddled a bit(see what I did there?) between Catrin and Talise, around the lake and what was happening to Talise and what had happened to Catrin.
It's full of Ms Sheppard's signature Welsh myths and legends. There is a bit at the end that talks about Llyn Du and the red thread of fate. I didn't read it. but some might fine it helpful.
It's also full of descriptive passages that you can actually feel. You can feel how the lake reacts to Talise. You can feel how heavy the bell is, how Talise can feel it in her bones. You can feel how Seren reacts to the red thread, so far away from the lake. I love these passages, the way Ms Sheppard writes them. They come across so beautifully, so emotionally, so real.
There is no violence, and no smex. And I loved that there isn't!
Like I said, first in a new series, all connected by that red thread of fate, Welsh myths and nothing more. I look forward to reading what comes next!
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is the first in a new series by Ms Sheppard, and it reads a little bit different to her other books.
Seren is an archivist, and Talise a hydrologist. Catrin wrote about the water of Llyn Du, over 100 years ago, before she disappeared and now all three ladies are entwined by a red thread of fate.
It took time for the threads to weave, and as such, I didn't know where it was all going for a long time. It meant I had to slow down my reading, and concentrate really hard, which in turn meant it took me longer to read. Not a bad thing, just needs a comment, cos Book Feelings are important!
I enjoyed that Seren and Talise have a voice, and Eifion doesn't. I think if he had, the water might have muddled a bit(see what I did there?) between Catrin and Talise, around the lake and what was happening to Talise and what had happened to Catrin.
It's full of Ms Sheppard's signature Welsh myths and legends. There is a bit at the end that talks about Llyn Du and the red thread of fate. I didn't read it. but some might fine it helpful.
It's also full of descriptive passages that you can actually feel. You can feel how the lake reacts to Talise. You can feel how heavy the bell is, how Talise can feel it in her bones. You can feel how Seren reacts to the red thread, so far away from the lake. I love these passages, the way Ms Sheppard writes them. They come across so beautifully, so emotionally, so real.
There is no violence, and no smex. And I loved that there isn't!
Like I said, first in a new series, all connected by that red thread of fate, Welsh myths and nothing more. I look forward to reading what comes next!
4 very VERY good stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Debbiereadsbook (1788 KP) rated Rescued by the Rakish Lord in Books
May 6, 2026
thoroughly enjoyable read
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Selina comes face to face with a devil in a suit, and she wants to know more. Society says she should have married by now, but leaving her beloved father isn't an option. But Deveril keeps popping up and she keeps hearing all about his sordid history. Can't they just be friends?
Ok, here's the thing! I knew, *KNEW* this was a Mills and Boon book going in, so I knew it was going to be clean and I still jumped in. I fully expected to not like it very much but actually, it really was just the book I needed at this point in the queue!
I loved that Selina knew she wasn't supposed to be out alone, but at 25, she was nearly classed as a spinster. Meeting Deveril was a breath of much needed fresh air, but she was scared, and rightly so since Deveril has a reputation as a ladies man, a love them and leave them type, but he does tend to stick to the young widows. Both Selina and Deveril were flaunting the rules of the time and I liked how they managed to circumnavigate them.
The suitor who manages to get them stranded needed a serious wake up call, even now, you don't do that! But I loved that Deveril had an option for Selina to keep her reputation intact.
She confuses him, she really does and no one has touched his heart the way Selina does, since his fiance died weeks before their wedding, years ago.
So, yes, it's clean, with some mild peril for Selina. It's not dark, or deadly. Nor steamy or smexy. There is no modern swearing. Full of all the rules of the time, though and I absolutely needed it at this point.
So, 4 thoroughly enjoyable, but not quite my usual reads, stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Selina comes face to face with a devil in a suit, and she wants to know more. Society says she should have married by now, but leaving her beloved father isn't an option. But Deveril keeps popping up and she keeps hearing all about his sordid history. Can't they just be friends?
Ok, here's the thing! I knew, *KNEW* this was a Mills and Boon book going in, so I knew it was going to be clean and I still jumped in. I fully expected to not like it very much but actually, it really was just the book I needed at this point in the queue!
I loved that Selina knew she wasn't supposed to be out alone, but at 25, she was nearly classed as a spinster. Meeting Deveril was a breath of much needed fresh air, but she was scared, and rightly so since Deveril has a reputation as a ladies man, a love them and leave them type, but he does tend to stick to the young widows. Both Selina and Deveril were flaunting the rules of the time and I liked how they managed to circumnavigate them.
The suitor who manages to get them stranded needed a serious wake up call, even now, you don't do that! But I loved that Deveril had an option for Selina to keep her reputation intact.
She confuses him, she really does and no one has touched his heart the way Selina does, since his fiance died weeks before their wedding, years ago.
So, yes, it's clean, with some mild peril for Selina. It's not dark, or deadly. Nor steamy or smexy. There is no modern swearing. Full of all the rules of the time, though and I absolutely needed it at this point.
So, 4 thoroughly enjoyable, but not quite my usual reads, stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2613 KP) rated It All Began with a Scream in Books
Nov 11, 2021 (Updated Nov 11, 2021)
Uneven History of the Scream Franchise
This book covers the history and production of all four movies released to date in the franchise. With new interviews and research into previously released articles, Padraic dives into what went into the creation of each movie in the franchise. He starts with the origins behind Kevin Williamson writing the first script and covers casting, production, releases, and everything in between for all of the films.
Despite my normal cozy mystery reads, I am obsessed with the Scream franchise, so as soon as I learned about this book, I knew I had to get it. I appreciated the interviews and research that went into this book. There were fewer bits of trivia I didn’t know about the original movie, but the sections on Screams 3 and 4 made me understand some of my issues with those films better. I did feel that the writing lacked a bit of passion that kept me out, and many of the quotes could have been cleaned up for clarity to make the reading better. I would have really appreciated it if the author had included a person’s full name and their position in the crew more than the first time he mentioned them. There are a handful of typos throughout the book, and that wouldn’t bother me, except that each time my alma mater was mentioned by name, it was listed as Santa Rosa high school instead of Santa Rosa High School. Yes, it’s silly, but it bugged me. I also take exception to the producer interviewed about that controversy saying not getting to film at the school was censorship. While there is much to be said on the subject (and both sides behaved poorly during the controversy), it was never censorship. Overall, the writing issues keep me from giving the book a full recommendation, but I am glad I read it.
Despite my normal cozy mystery reads, I am obsessed with the Scream franchise, so as soon as I learned about this book, I knew I had to get it. I appreciated the interviews and research that went into this book. There were fewer bits of trivia I didn’t know about the original movie, but the sections on Screams 3 and 4 made me understand some of my issues with those films better. I did feel that the writing lacked a bit of passion that kept me out, and many of the quotes could have been cleaned up for clarity to make the reading better. I would have really appreciated it if the author had included a person’s full name and their position in the crew more than the first time he mentioned them. There are a handful of typos throughout the book, and that wouldn’t bother me, except that each time my alma mater was mentioned by name, it was listed as Santa Rosa high school instead of Santa Rosa High School. Yes, it’s silly, but it bugged me. I also take exception to the producer interviewed about that controversy saying not getting to film at the school was censorship. While there is much to be said on the subject (and both sides behaved poorly during the controversy), it was never censorship. Overall, the writing issues keep me from giving the book a full recommendation, but I am glad I read it.
Debbiereadsbook (1788 KP) rated Twilight's Touch (Prairie Smoke Ranch #2) in Books
Feb 24, 2022
Only Perry speaks and I wanted Will!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the Prairie Smoke Ranch series. I have not read book 1, Dawn's Desire. I didn't feel like I was missing anything, but for the discovery of the bones! I want to go back and read it, though. I'm intrigued, but it's not a necessity to have read, I don't think.
Perry works at Prairie Smoke Ranch, mostly with the horses who don't trust people. He reads to them. Ancient Greek history of all things. I loved this, even if I had no clue who he was reading about!
Will and Perry have a bit of a moment, a while back and its been playing on his mind but Perry, the wonderful human that he is, doesn;t want anyone to know. It could harm his mum and his grandfather and Perry won't do that.
Somewhere along the way, Will gets so far into Perry mind, he crosses into his heart and it really was delightful watching these two dance in the rain!
I loved that Will, bad boy that he is, doesn't want to corrupt Perry, he wants Perry to see it's ok to let go, to be yourself, to TRULY be you.
Or at least that is what I think he wants to do. Because Will doesn't get a say and thats the only reason I can't stretch to the full 5 stars. Perry speaks, and only Perry. And I really wanted Will. Especially after I found they had that moment before. When they were dancing in the rain, and really wanted to hear from Will when Perry finally, FINALLY lets him in.
All in all, a beautifully written book, a wonderful tale, and I want to go back and forward with this series!
4 wonderful stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is book 2 in the Prairie Smoke Ranch series. I have not read book 1, Dawn's Desire. I didn't feel like I was missing anything, but for the discovery of the bones! I want to go back and read it, though. I'm intrigued, but it's not a necessity to have read, I don't think.
Perry works at Prairie Smoke Ranch, mostly with the horses who don't trust people. He reads to them. Ancient Greek history of all things. I loved this, even if I had no clue who he was reading about!
Will and Perry have a bit of a moment, a while back and its been playing on his mind but Perry, the wonderful human that he is, doesn;t want anyone to know. It could harm his mum and his grandfather and Perry won't do that.
Somewhere along the way, Will gets so far into Perry mind, he crosses into his heart and it really was delightful watching these two dance in the rain!
I loved that Will, bad boy that he is, doesn't want to corrupt Perry, he wants Perry to see it's ok to let go, to be yourself, to TRULY be you.
Or at least that is what I think he wants to do. Because Will doesn't get a say and thats the only reason I can't stretch to the full 5 stars. Perry speaks, and only Perry. And I really wanted Will. Especially after I found they had that moment before. When they were dancing in the rain, and really wanted to hear from Will when Perry finally, FINALLY lets him in.
All in all, a beautifully written book, a wonderful tale, and I want to go back and forward with this series!
4 wonderful stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated What Fresh Hell in Books
Apr 8, 2022
I had seen both reviews were people loved this book and others found it pretty annoying and far too girly, so wasn’t sure what I would think but kept an open mind. It ended up being such an easy read, and one that I didn’t want to put down (and tried to power through after a long day at work but ultimately had to give in to sleep!).
I found the little wedding notes inserted in between some of the chapters both quirky and funny, and it took a few of them for me to realise the food was exactly the same at all of the weddings. I also liked how her gifts got less and less extravagant the further through the book we got (the coins in the carrier bag being my favourite).
It’s very relevant, and I think most women will know what it’s like to feel pressured into going to every hen do (even if there are multiple for the same person) and every wedding that you are invited to, because you don’t want to upset anyone and hope that they will do the same for you when it’s your turn. And this book deals with that feeling while also making it clear that it’s ok to say no (most people aren’t invited to as many as Lilah is in one year though!).
I loved the email exchanges about the hen do, as we all know nobody reads the emails properly and someone will always ask a question that has already been answered! I had to really laugh at the parents phone calls to Lilah, and some of the insults they used really did entertain me.
It was predictable what was going to happen in some ways, but I think that’s what made it such an easy, enjoyable read for me. It was one that didn’t need much concentration for me to follow (unlike my previous few books) and it still had a good storyline.
I will definitely be looking at more of Lucy Vine’s books in the future!
I found the little wedding notes inserted in between some of the chapters both quirky and funny, and it took a few of them for me to realise the food was exactly the same at all of the weddings. I also liked how her gifts got less and less extravagant the further through the book we got (the coins in the carrier bag being my favourite).
It’s very relevant, and I think most women will know what it’s like to feel pressured into going to every hen do (even if there are multiple for the same person) and every wedding that you are invited to, because you don’t want to upset anyone and hope that they will do the same for you when it’s your turn. And this book deals with that feeling while also making it clear that it’s ok to say no (most people aren’t invited to as many as Lilah is in one year though!).
I loved the email exchanges about the hen do, as we all know nobody reads the emails properly and someone will always ask a question that has already been answered! I had to really laugh at the parents phone calls to Lilah, and some of the insults they used really did entertain me.
It was predictable what was going to happen in some ways, but I think that’s what made it such an easy, enjoyable read for me. It was one that didn’t need much concentration for me to follow (unlike my previous few books) and it still had a good storyline.
I will definitely be looking at more of Lucy Vine’s books in the future!
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Secrets of the Tides in Books
May 18, 2022
87 of 230
Book
Secrets of the Tides
By Hannah Richell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Every family has a secret: a dramatic family saga with a dark thread of suspense lurking at its heart.
The Tides are a family with dark secrets. Haunted by the events of one tragic day ten years ago, they are each, in their own way, struggling to move forwards with their lives.
Dora, the youngest daughter, lives in a ramshackle East End warehouse with her artist boyfriend Dan. Dora is doing a good job of skating across the surface of her life - but when she discovers she is pregnant the news leaves her shaken and staring back at the darkness of a long-held guilt.
Returning to Clifftops, the rambling family house perched high on the Dorset coastline, Dora must confront her past. Clifftops hasn't changed in years and moving through its rooms and gardens, Dora can still feel the echo of that terrible summer's day when life changed forever for the Tides.
As Dora begins her search for clues surrounding the events of that fateful day, she comes to realise that the path to redemption may rest with her troubled sister, Cassie. If Dora can unlock the secrets Cassie swore she would take to her grave, just maybe she will have a shot at salvation.
But can long-held secrets ever really be forgiven? And even if you do manage to forgive and forget, how do you ever allow yourself to truly love again?
This was one of those reads when you never know what to expect. It starts of with a young lady trying to take her life then as we read on we discover a family full of tragedy and secrets. It’s very well written and deals with some very sensitive and heartbreaking subjects. We see a family torn apart and the only hope is a new baby to hopefully bring them together finally. I really enjoyed this and once I settled in to the book I couldn’t put it down.
Book
Secrets of the Tides
By Hannah Richell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Every family has a secret: a dramatic family saga with a dark thread of suspense lurking at its heart.
The Tides are a family with dark secrets. Haunted by the events of one tragic day ten years ago, they are each, in their own way, struggling to move forwards with their lives.
Dora, the youngest daughter, lives in a ramshackle East End warehouse with her artist boyfriend Dan. Dora is doing a good job of skating across the surface of her life - but when she discovers she is pregnant the news leaves her shaken and staring back at the darkness of a long-held guilt.
Returning to Clifftops, the rambling family house perched high on the Dorset coastline, Dora must confront her past. Clifftops hasn't changed in years and moving through its rooms and gardens, Dora can still feel the echo of that terrible summer's day when life changed forever for the Tides.
As Dora begins her search for clues surrounding the events of that fateful day, she comes to realise that the path to redemption may rest with her troubled sister, Cassie. If Dora can unlock the secrets Cassie swore she would take to her grave, just maybe she will have a shot at salvation.
But can long-held secrets ever really be forgiven? And even if you do manage to forgive and forget, how do you ever allow yourself to truly love again?
This was one of those reads when you never know what to expect. It starts of with a young lady trying to take her life then as we read on we discover a family full of tragedy and secrets. It’s very well written and deals with some very sensitive and heartbreaking subjects. We see a family torn apart and the only hope is a new baby to hopefully bring them together finally. I really enjoyed this and once I settled in to the book I couldn’t put it down.
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated Cold Hearted in Books
Jan 15, 2022
This book takes us on the journey of Lady Tremaine and her daughters - the stepmother and stepsisters of Cinderella. We spend the majority of the book getting to know Lady Tremaine before she met Cinderella’s father, and I actually quite liked her character. She lost her husband six years before the start of this book and has ended up spoiling her daughters in their shared grief, trying to make up for them only having one parent. She does decide that she’s spoiled them too much and she needs to be discipline them more and so as a punishment ends up going to a friend’s house in the country without them. There she meets the man of her dreams, Sir Richard.
This book doesn’t go the way that the Cinderella story does, where we think that Cinderella was the only person that was horribly mistreated. We see the reasoning for why Lady Tremaine in the future orders Cinderella to clean the house from top to bottom and adding in ridiculous requests at the same time. Once you have read the story, it’s completely understandable. Although, I will admit that at some stages you know that she has pushed the boundaries too far.
I was also quite glad at the reappearance of the Odd Sisters, although the time line is hazy but I would guess that it was before the events of The Odd Sisters book. I would also like to learn more about the stories that the Book of Fairytales has in, this may possibly be the stories that Serena Valentino is writing and all of these books will create her own Book of Fairytales? Only time will tell. I am hoping that Serena Valentino is in the process of writing more of these books, because I think the series is extremely clever and I do enjoy the fact that they are quick reads that are very interesting.
This book doesn’t go the way that the Cinderella story does, where we think that Cinderella was the only person that was horribly mistreated. We see the reasoning for why Lady Tremaine in the future orders Cinderella to clean the house from top to bottom and adding in ridiculous requests at the same time. Once you have read the story, it’s completely understandable. Although, I will admit that at some stages you know that she has pushed the boundaries too far.
I was also quite glad at the reappearance of the Odd Sisters, although the time line is hazy but I would guess that it was before the events of The Odd Sisters book. I would also like to learn more about the stories that the Book of Fairytales has in, this may possibly be the stories that Serena Valentino is writing and all of these books will create her own Book of Fairytales? Only time will tell. I am hoping that Serena Valentino is in the process of writing more of these books, because I think the series is extremely clever and I do enjoy the fact that they are quick reads that are very interesting.