#BookReview: Salty, Bitter, Sweet by Mayra Cuevas

Synopsis: “Happiness, like love, arrives through the kitchen. At least that’s what my abuela Lala used to say. I may not know much about love, but I definitely got the kitchen part down.”

Seventeen-year-old aspiring chef Isabella Fields’ family life has fallen apart after the death of her Cuban abuela and the divorce of her parents. She moves in with her dad and his new wife in France, where Isabella feels like an outsider in her father’s new life, studiously avoiding the awkward, “Why did you cheat on Mom?” conversation.

The upside of Isabella’s world being turned upside down? Her father’s house is located only 30 minutes away from the restaurant of world-famous Chef Pascal Grattard, who runs a prestigious and competitive international kitchen apprenticeship. The prize job at Chef Grattard’s renowned restaurant also represents a transformative opportunity for Isabella, who is desperate to get her life back in order.

But how can Isabella expect to hold it together when she’s at the bottom of her class at the apprenticeship, her new stepmom is pregnant, she misses her abuela dearly, and a mysterious new guy and his albino dog fall into her life?

#BookReview: The Companion by Kim Taylor Blakemore

Synopsis: They say she’s a murderess. She claims she’s innocent. But Lucy has been known to tell lies…

1855, New Hampshire. Lucy Blunt is set to hang for a double murder. Murderess or victim? Only Lucy knows the truth.

In the shadow of the gallows, Lucy reflects on the events that led to her bitter downfall—from the moment she arrived at the rambling Burton mansion looking for work and a better life to the grisly murders themselves.

In a mysterious household of locked doors and forbidden affections, Lucy slips comfortably into the shadows, where she believes the indiscretions of her past will remain hidden. But when Lucy’s rising status becomes a threat to the mistress’s current companion, the delicate balance of power and loyalty begins to shift, setting into motion a brewing storm of betrayal, suspicion, and rage.

Now, with her execution looming closer, Lucy’s allies fight to have her sentence overturned as the tale she’s spinning nears its conclusion. But how much of her story can we trust? After all, Lucy’s been known to bend the truth…

#BookReview: Spirits of the Coast: Orcas in science, art and history by Martha Black

Synopsis: Spirits of the Coast brings together the work of marine biologists, Indigenous knowledge keepers, poets, artists, and storytellers, united by their enchantment with the orca. Long feared in settler cultures as "killer whales," and respected and honored by Indigenous cultures as friends, family, or benefactors, orcas are complex social beings with culture and language of their own. With contributors ranging from Briony Penn to David Suzuki, Gary Geddes and Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, this collection brings together diverse voices, young and old, to explore the magic, myths, and ecology of orcas. A literary and visual journey through past and possibility, Spirits of the Coast illustrates how these enigmatic animals have shaped us as much as our actions have impacted them, and provokes the reader to imagine the shape of our shared future.

#BookReview: Neon Nights: A Sequel by Katey Taylor

Synopsis: Liquor and lust and troubled boys who are hard to trust... 

After a harrowing summer riddled with tragedies, seventeen-year-old Cait is forced to deal with the aftermath of poor choices and failed relationships. 

Will Cait be able to continue her journey despite the heavy chains from her past, or will she be dragged down by the same mistakes? 

In the anticipated sequel to the heart-wrenching novel Inebriated, Neon Nights will keep you on the edge of your seat with another wild ride into Cait's life.

#BookBlitz: Seeking Glory by Patricia Hamilton Shook @RABTBookTours @Patrici25793963

Women's Fiction

Publisher: Outskirts Press

2019 CIPA EVVY AWARD - Merit Award Women's Fiction

Life is never static. Just when you think you finally have everything under control, that illusion is shattered…and the life you once knew has spun off in unimaginable directions. Seeking Glory is an eloquent novel that explores the complexities of family relationships. With themes of loss, recovery, estrangement, and reconciliation woven throughout, it tells the story of a woman who seeks to uncover the truth about her young granddaughter’s origins.

Kate takes custody of her young granddaughter Glory after the death of Ally, her long missing daughter but soon discovers that Glory is mute and seemingly traumatized. To help her, she must try to solve the mystery of her granddaughter's origins. As she struggles to deal with her own and Ally's past she finds she is not the only one seeking Glory.

#BlogTour: REBELLION by Siobhan Davis

"Siobhan! Goodness. What a thrill ride with Harlow and her boys! I'm in love with them all!"-- Ilsa Madden-Mills, Wall Street Journal bestselling author

Rebellion, the shocking second installment in the all-new dark, reverse harem series The Sainthood- Boys of Lowell High from USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis, is available now! 

Everything changed the night he betrayed me, and now, the game has entered a new level.

Galen did me a favor, reminding me the only person I can count on is myself, and I’m more determined than ever to avenge my father’s death and avoid the destiny Sinner has mapped out for me. 

 Saint is used to calling the shots, but there are new rules, my rules, and if he wants me in his life, and in his bed, he’ll toe the line. They all will, because I can’t pull this off alone, and they owe me. I’ll enjoy making Galen grovel, seducing Caz, frustrating Saint, and keeping Theo at arm’s length, because they deserve it for failing me.

Sinner thinks he’s in control, but forcing me into initiation plays right into my hands. War has come to Lowell as rival gangs battle The Sainthood for ultimate power, and I enjoy rebelling from the inside, placing more obstacles in Sinner’s path while I exact my revenge. 

But I’m not some innocent thirteen-year-old anymore—I have blood on my hands and lethal enemies on my tail. 

I’m playing a dangerous game, especially where my heart is concerned, but there’s no turning back. I haven’t come this far to walk away empty-handed, and the more secrets we uncover, the more we realize how far-reaching the betrayal and corruption extend, and there’s no choice anymore.

#BookReview: The Dark Corners of the Night (UNSUB #3) by @MegGardiner1

Synopsis: I am the legion of the night …

He appears in the darkness like a ghost, made of shadows and fear—the Midnight Man. He comes for the parents but leaves the children alive, tiny witnesses to unspeakable horror. The bedroom communities of Los Angeles are gripped with dread, and the attacks are escalating.

Still reeling from her best friend’s close call in a bombing six months ago, FBI behavioral analyst Caitlin Hendrix has come to Los Angeles to assist in the Midnight Man investigation and do what she does best—hunt a serial killer. Her work is what keeps her going, but something about this UNSUB—unknown subject—doesn’t sit right. She soon realizes that this case will test not only her skills but also her dedication, for within the heart of a killer lives a secret that mirrors Caitlin’s own past. Hesitancy is not an option, but will she be able to do what must be done if the time comes?