A True Cowboy Christmas by Caitin Crews

First of all, I'd like to say this photo of this man does not even resemble to Gray in the novel! Just sayin'!

Moving on..The beginning starts with Gray and his brothers burying their deceased abusive father on their Colorado property. Gary is one of those hardcore cowboys\ranchers type. Gary wonders about his life and how to save the land when he happens to glance up and sees his neighbor standing in his doorway and an idea forms.

Abby has been in love with Gary since forever. She's a hard worker and knows her mind.  She believes she's not beautiful thanks to her unattached mother who loved to berate her.  Abby and her grandmother happen to be Gary's neighbors for many years.

Both of them had a rough upbringing thanks to their dysfuntional family members.

Abby gets the shock of her life when Gary shows up at her house out of the blue moon, proposing her.  That had to be the longest proposal ever!  That conversation had me cracking up so hard.  After a lot of questioning and debates, they agree to go on their first date before they get married.  This would be the start of their journey of a very short date into their marriage along with Gary's teen daughter from former marriage, two brothers, and Abby's no nonsense grandmother. Gary was very set against Christmas until he learns the true meaning of Christmas.

It was an interesting love story. The author truly captured what a true cowboy\rancher is normally like.  I wouldn't mind knowing what happens to Gary's brothers and the outcome of the land in Colorful Colorado.

I'd give this book a 3 3\4 stars.

I received this ARC from St. Martin's Paperbacks through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.  Thank you!

She Lies in Wait by By Gytha Lodge

This is the debut of DCI Jonas Sheena series. 

The story opens up with a father and son stumbling across the scattered bones near a campsite during their camping trip.

A detective is called onto this case which was discovered to be a cold case of a missing 14-year-old girl who vanished in 1983. After the confirmation of the DNA, the fact is reopened.

The novel alternates between 1983 and the present in each chapter.  Over 30 years ago is when a group of friends gets together for fun at the campsite.  The 14-year-old girl, Aurora Jackson is the youngest of the group. She happened to tag along with her older sister, Topaz who is jealous of and resents her.  The present consists of a group of friends who have stayed close together for more than 30 years according to one of the detectives who had gone to school them and remembered of the story of missing Aurora and the DCIs interviewing everyone and the alibi trying to break open the case.

This is the trial of real friendships, perspectives, drugs, drinking, loyalty, friendships, betrayal, and who's the actual killer.

It is a somber and haunting thriller novel of a murdered intelligent 14-year-old girl who had a full life ahead of her whose life cut too soon.
It was exciting, but it's something I won't remember easily in the future.  The only thing that annoys me is how DCI Sheena acts like a teenager when her ex harrases her over the phone and actually verbally and emotionally abuses her via texts too.  The way this supposedly intelligent, quick-witted and hard working detective is portrayed as a weak woman like that. I'm having a hard time with that.

Three stars overall.

I received this ARC through Random House Publishing Group through Net Galley for my honest and unbiased review. Thank you.

Blood is Blood by Will Thomas

As the British would say, a bloody good classic detective novel!  If I heard one of them saying that, I'd agree.

It all started with an assistant who despises Mondays. Things always go wrong on that particular day of the week for him. Sure enough, he's stressing about his upcoming wedding, his office gets bombed, causing his employer to be seriously injured. While Llewelyn tries to clean up and assess the damages, his employer's long lost American brother shows up unexpectedly causing them to have a scrappiness which, in my opinion, is hilarious between a British and an American.  So far, not the greatest Monday for Llewelyn along the week following that day as he tries to come up with possible suspects who would want to harm Barker, his boss.

There have been twists and turns, and surprises which kept me on my toes.  The Scotland Yard area and London along with the buildings were pretty descriptive where I was easily lost in that era.  There is a bit of Sherlock theme going on but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  

"Nobody sells snake oil like a snake."

"Could you translate that from American to English?"

"A paragon of citizenship"

"YOU do talk posh, Mr. Llewelyn." He said.

Those are just couple of many banters between Llewelyn and the American that had me cracking up as a case gets solved.

So, the question of this story is, Will this assistant be able to solve this brutal crime just in time before his wedding on his own, while his employer is laid up in the hospital recuperating?  There were so many elements thrown his way including a shocking incident which may call off his wedding for good.

Just wanted to say the title was just perfect for this novel.

I was very delighted to be kept on my toes while reading this novel.  Extremely entertaining. Imagine my delight when I found out there are other Barker and Llewelyn novels!  I intend to read those and I hope the upcoming novels of those two beloved detectives in the future.

I received this interesting ARC from St. Martin's Press through Net Galley.  Thank you!

The Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden

YES! I got my early Christmas gift this year. Almost a week ago, this book was up for request.  I got excited because this book has been a long awaited novel since I read The Girl in the Tower in December 2017.  5 days later, I came home from work to an email telling me the publisher has approved my request.  You betcha that I was just like that 8 year old girl who just opened the best present on a Christmas morning!  Made myself a cup of salted caramel hot chocolate, put on my PJs, turned off my phone, climbed into my wonderful bed with my dog Ewok, and my cat, Luna, and started reading.

Wow! What an amazing breathtaking finale! I needed a day to stop reeling from all the aftermath of this beautiful folklore before I could write this review.  Sadly, I needed to step out of the book affter saying goodbye to my favorite characters.

Like the synopsis stated, stunning conclusion.  It did not lie!  It was gut wrenching, anger, sorrow, relief, freezing cold, tired, self discovery, betrayal, love(not the sappy kind, mind you!) evilness, blood and gore, goodness, neutral, new and old friends, family, leap of faith, religion, and cult.  They all wrap into this fairytale, folklore, myths, and history.

Katherine Arden has done it again.  She did not fail with this third book in this Winternight Trilogy. In fact, it just may be the best book of the 3 books in this trilogy! Ms. Arden has improved with her story telling gift.  She is extremely talented with words and lyrics.  While I'm inside the story, I can almost hear her telling the Russian Folklore in the background. 

The story picks up immdiately at the ending of the novel, The Girl in the Tower.  I was able to remember the characters from both of the books.  This story was packed with mythical creatures, evil priest, mob, magic, evil, good, grief, madness, action, battle.  The heroine was growing into her own powers and discovering her self while discovering her love for the "winter king".  She really became one bad assed chick. The romance was hardly there but the love grew mostly out of admiration and respect which grew stronger.  She learns more of her magical ancestry and her self worth despite of the powers she has.  Bear, the evil twin brother of Winter King(many names for winter king) comes back and she has to use her wits, powers, and forgiveness against him.  Ironcally, they ended up working together on the same team with her brother, brother in law and other prince in the battle. 

I had to admire Vasya so much because her background was so deeply rooted to gods, and old beliefs to the point where she had to question herself with her beliefs and the religion her brother, Sasha believes in.  She basically questioned everything. By opening her eyes and  beliefs, she became a bridge between the old world and the new world. 

There's so much in this story.  Ms. Arden wrapped all of the pieces together as should be in this conclusion.  There were new understanding, new bonds, consequences and  etc.  This is a wonderful, magical world of winter with midnights, mythical creatures, spells, and fairytale weaved with myths and history.   

I was very spelled bound with all of the trilogy and Katherine Arden did not disappoint me one bit at all. It was so well worth the wait.  When the hardcover comes out, I will most definately purchase it to add it to my other two books, The Bear and the Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower. This trilogy will be among my favorite series of all time.

I received this beautiful magical ARC from Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine Del Ray through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased and honest review. Thank you so much!

The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

While browsing my favorite bookstore, I noticed this book just came out in December and of course, I just had to have it after reading The Bear and The Nightingale, first in this series!  I devoured it in one day.  As I recalled, it was snowing that day and I was enjoying my salted caramel hot chocolate. Here is the review I posted the next day on Goodreads in December 2017.

The moment I read the first paragraph, I fell deeper and deeper into the story, and not wanting to climb back out as the story ended.  I WANT MORE!!

The author has done it again.  She sure knows how to trap the readers in her books.  I know for a fact I’m addicted to her story!!  

As most 2nd book or sequels have bored or failed to impress me much, this did not.  I appreciated the fact that the author did not drag me down with with any extra information from the first book.  However, there were hints here and there to remind me what had happened in the first book.  She also managed to add in the fairy tales, myths, and mythical creatures flawlessly.  I love how the Russian folklore  came rushing back to forcing me to remember how I had loved reading them as a child.  

For you readers out there, you must read The Bear and The Nightingale first before reading this.  Sure you could read The Girl in The Tower first.  But you won’t appreciate the in-depth of the beautifully written story without The Bear and The Nightingale as much.   I just cannot wait for her next book to come out.

Also, I cannot wait to see what books she has in store for us.  She’s a wonderfully gifted story teller for all ages and genres.

Did I say how much I love the book?  I absolutely frikking LOVE the book!!  There, I said it!

The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden

I purchased this book after seeing this gorgeous illustrated cover and reading fascinating synopsis two years ago.  There was no turning back once I got past the first couple of pages. I fell in love. I knew this book shall have a spot on my bookcase.  Here is my review I posted on Goodreads back in 2017.

Magical! Magical!! I just wanted to get lost in it so deeply that I couldn't spring back out from the pages!! As I type this, I'm sighing and reeling from the story even when I finished it back in March 2017. I can still remember the story and the characters!! I cannot wait for the next book to come out. This book is definitely a keeper! I believe it just may one of the best Russian fairy tale ever!

The Truth Waits by Susanna Beard

I would like to start off by saying this isn't a psychlogical thriller. This is an international crime thriller.  I have to warn you there is international sex/human trafficking involved.

The book starts off with this protagonist who found herself stranded in Lithuania due to the ashes coming from the eruption of a volcano.  The planes were grounded for days. She takes a walk along the beach only to find a dead 16 year girl washed ashore.  After giving statements to the police, she meets a man younger than her while waiting to fly back to England.

She finally flies back to her home in England only to find that girl in constantly on her mind.  She slowly develops a relationship with a journalist she's met back in Lithuania.  During the course of their relationship with him, he doesn't want her to get involved with the investigation of the dead teen once she found out sex/human trafficking may be involved. Her co worker, friends, and family don't want her involved.  As the story moves on, it turns out that she and the journalist both have dark secrets of their own. The heroine spirals deep into depression along with panic attacks.  However, she doesn't give up. The conclusion was good.

It is mostly suspense/mystery, crime, relationships, corruptions, power, guilt, tragedies and trafficking.

The book may be dark but it is interesting even though it started out slow.

I'm going to give it a 3 3/4 stars.

I received this ARC from Legend Press through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased and honest review. Thank you.