Lemon Drops and Love (Cocktail Series Book 1) by Angela Stevens

Reviewed from e-book

Fast moving story by Angela Stevens of how one person can control another, to put fear in that other person, to make them obedient, to force them to do their bidding at risk of being beaten physically and mentally. This is where it all begins. This is frighteningly easy to achieve.

Turn now to an attempt to rescue, but it soon turns to stalking, still putting the fear into the victim, and a struggle between two men, or one might say between good and evil. Time constraints of shortening the time between Maya's two competitors, her abusive partner Carl and her rescuer long-time friend Jude, gives a feeling of everything with Jude is moving too fast, that healing hasn't had a chance, but his character somehow carries it off. He is quite literally the only person available to help her. With Carl's continuous stalking, rage, and determination to get what is "his" back, it is easier to understand the need to erase the fear Maya holds as carefully and quickly as Jude can.

This book took me by surprise. I felt like under the circumstances of life with Carl the abusive control freak, there is too much emphasis on sex with Jude. My own opinion. The fact that Jude and Maya have been holding off on each other for years, each unaware of how the other feels, also having supportive friends, the counselors, and the police, this would no doubt have some effect on how quickly they would come together as a couple. Otherwise I thought the book was very good and I couldn't stop reading until the end of the epilogue, which I think demonstrates that the book definitely grabbed my attention.

Submerged by Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Published by Imajin Books
Review based on pre-release e-book 

You don't just read a Tardif book, you live it.

From Whale Song to Children of the Fog, Multi-talented Cheryl Kaye Tardif has consistently taken us on many exciting journeys. Different stories, but always with something new to learn, a fact I enjoy. Now suddenly we find ourselves immersed in her latest book "Submerged." Once again she allows us to get to know the new characters then plunges us into terror and keeps our hearts pounding. There are many heroes in this book, including a very convincing ghost, and hints of other paranormal activities.

Rebecca has no idea she has anything to fear. All she wants is some peace of mind, a couple of days of rest and solitude away from home as she waits for her husband to sign their divorce papers. A small hitch in her plans when her sister can not keep her children for the weekend means that she will have to take them with her.

"Submerged" dishes up a dash of reality, some pinches of the paranormal, a splash of romance and mixes it into a heart-wrenching terror-filled plot that will have you on the edge of your seat. Will the broken "superhero" Marcus arrive in time to save Rebecca and her children? Is it possible to find a new beginning after deep trauma and guilt? You don't read a Tardif book, you live it. With a deft hand she has us caring what happens to her characters. A taut suspenseful plot to rev up the adrenaline.

Cast On, Kill Off: A Knitting Mystery by Maggie Sefton

Published by Berkley Prime Crime
Review based on Advance Reading Copy
Excitement and chaos reigns among Kelly Flynn's familiar and friendly group in Fort Connor, Colorado. Their good friends Megan and Marty are getting married and Kelly is in the wedding party. Megan has everything under control down to the minute. The dresses are gorgeous and ready, designed and made by Zoe Yeager, a local seamstress, assisted by her sister Vera.

Zoe is friendly and creative, but she has a secret. Zoe suffers from spousal abuse, hiding her bruises and nightmarish life from the world. This all-too-familiar scenario is discovered by Kelly and her friends, who try to help her make the decision to finally leave Oscar, her husband, and go to a shelter. When she does call her friends and tell them she is ready to leave they make plans to get her out of the house quickly and secretively. With shelter volunteers keeping her away from her husband, her friends feel she should be safe from danger, but is she?

Though Zoe's problems put a damper on the friends' spirits, they pick up the threads of their plans. When Zoe is found dead of a single shot to the head in the church parking lot, everyone immediately turns their radar toward Oscar as the murderer. There seems to be no question about it, but questions have a way of turning up strange things. Kelly and her friend Burt get to sleuthing quickly when other suspects for the murder come under scrutiny.

Meanwhile, Megan, organized as always yet easily panicked in unforseen changes, has been feeling confident that all is in order for her wedding, when her sister announces she has become pregnant and needs her dress adjusted. Prior to starting her own business, Zoe had worked for Leann O'Hara, long-time local seamstress. Fortunately, Leann steps in to help with the adjustments, another problem solved ... or is it?

Maggie Sefton writes with the ability to bring her readers right into the lives of her main characters, and this book is no different. The warmth and camaraderie is engaging and shared. With a permanent cast of this size, I appreciate the Cast of Characters page in each book. Kelly's sleuthing methods are definitely a part of her personality and with the help of retired police detective Burt and his buddy on the force, everything comes to a satisfying conclusion. In this, the 10th book in the series the conclusion satisfies in more ways than one. Knitting pattern and recipes included.

Deadly Accusations - a Casey Holland Mystery by Debra Purdy Kong

Published by Touchwood

In this, the second of Casey Holland's escapades, she is once again hard at work on a dangerous assignment as a public transit security cop on Mainland Public Transport, trying to catch a vandal who hurls large rocks at the bus windows as it drives by. What she doesn't know is she will soon be a target for more than a rock. This book by Debra Purdy Kong delves into our misperceptions or preconceptions of others we meet or work with. Casey does not usually fit this mode of prejudging, but senses that for whatever reason, Jasmine simply does not like her and in fact is downright hostile. Worse yet, they have now been paired to work together on this case. When Jasmine is murdered, leaving behind a small son and a violent ex-husband, Casey discovers a Jasmine she never knew. What could have been the cause of such hostility?

The characters set up in the first of the series grow and mature in this second book...at least some do. Now that Casey is responsible for Summer, her ward, she is not too thrilled with being pushed into another investigation. But pushed she is, by another co-worker Marie, self-proclaimed friend of Jasmine who may or may not have an agenda of her own.

The more Casey learns about Jasmine, the more she needs to learn in order to solve this case, even after a terrible threat to Summer if she doesn't stop investigating. As usual, there are several possible suspects, but only two really fit into the realm of probability. Of course the police chief doesn't want her "assistance" in the investigation at all, and Casey in all honesty does try to extract herself but keeps being drawn back in by Marie, and finally by Jasmine's mother, who is convinced Casey can solve the crime. When some co-workers come under investigation, hostility reigns supreme. Who really committed the crime and why? Who has anything to gain? The book is consistent, the characters are realistic especially in their response to becoming targets or suspects. A well-crafted book with lots of teasers. A plus for me is that it takes place in my original hometown. An unusual company to anticipate crime within, or maybe it has nothing to do with the company. Regardless, it will keep you guessing, while Casey and Summer do their best to keep alive and unharmed. An interesting premise and a quick and enjoyable read.

Cheat the Hangman by Gloria Ferris

Published by Imajin Books

I completely immersed myself in this well-written book enjoying every minute. It was definitely deserving of being short-listed for the Crime Writers of Canada "Unhanged Arthur". Gloria Ferris' writing reminded me somewhat of one of my favourite authors, Donna Andrews, especially with the very large quirky extended family interaction and antics. She brings "skeletons in the closet" to a whole new level. Take a decades-old cold case of a missing child, a sudden unexpected inheritance of a huge fabulous and museum-like home to divorced grand-niece Lyris Pembroke, who must then quickly plan and host the annual Pembroke family reunion comprised of about 400 extended family members all too soon after moving into her new home. Throw in a good helping of the paranormal and hidden secrets, a headstone with no name, a fire, attacks on Lyris and you have a pretty good perception of what fun this book is going to be. Lyris definitely has her work cut out for her. Fortunately she has also inherited Conklin the butler, and is able to hire Caroline, an excellent cook and housekeeper. For the reunion, Lyris shows admirable organizational ability as she works her way through what must be done prior to the reunion.

Not all is fun and games, though. There are also some dangerous intruders lurking about, not all of them necessarily human. Or perhaps otherworldly would be a better way to put it. Toss in a small dog with sharp teeth, soon joined by an oversized black cat, and the house begins to fill with more rooms occupied than the residents realize. Spanning so many decades, it would be strange if there were not romances, both current and decades old. Reignited passions, and reawakened love and trust with those who have suffered at the hands of their exes in the past and discover there is still a chance for happiness, even if it comes almost too late. The book is loaded with many different types of chaos and stress and yet it doesn't confuse the reader, it is just all a part of the whole. I loved the balance of the book, I laughed at the shenanigans, shed a few tears as the cold case is dealt with, worried with our heroine, relived the past with the few remaining WWII veterans even enjoying the singing of Vera Lynn in my mind, went through terror, thrills and chills, and loved the ending. This book certainly ran through a gamut of emotions, old and new. I am really looking forward to the further adventures to come.

Lancelot's Lady by Cherish D'Angelo with Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Published by Imajin Books
Review based on e-book version

There are so many people in this world carrying far more baggage than their emotional stability can handle. This fragile yet entertaining story of two such strangers and their journey is a realization that there is life after the death of the soul.

We meet Rhianna, a palliative nurse, orphaned at birth and suffering a series of abuses at the hands of her foster family. She is beautiful, caring, has much love to give, yet burdened with her past. She has been hired to care for an elderly but rich patient with approximately six months to live. Their relationship grows much like that of father and daughter, and as a gift to Rhianna on her birthday, he sends her on a vacation near the Bahamas to Angelina's Island. A vacation that turns out to be more adventurous than relaxing.

Here we meet "Tyler", the reclusive owner of the island and so-called resort, also heavily burdened with secrets from the past, abandonment and betrayal. Their first meeting is definitely not pleasant. His only contact with the outside world is the arrival of his supplies by the captain of a solitary boat a few times a year, and that is how he wants it. Unfortunately, to make room for Rhianna on the supply boat, some boxes had to be left behind. One of these boxes contains the only method to contact anyone in case of emergency, parts to repair the all-important long-range radio telecommunicator, and the boat will not be returning for several weeks.

The story is anything but maudlin, though. It is exciting, fun, irresistible in its telling with both characters feisty and entertaining. The book is both heartwarming and electric. I absolutely loved this book! Cherish D'Angelo aka Cheryl Kaye Tarkif has a knack of inviting the reader into the lives she writes about with such depth, and the locations with such clarity. I am totally immersed in the story.

Jonathan Tyler's wife abandoned him and their very young daughter, Misty, as soon as she learned the child was deaf. Once Rhianna learns of this she offers to teach Misty ASL, which she had learned when tending to one of her patients of the past. Misty is the magnet who draws these two lost souls together as they share the bond of love for this young child. The housekeeper and her husband have already noticed the sexual tension between the two, but what our two main characters assume may be lust, the others see as love. The relationship requires trust, something neither feels confident within themselves to give.

Over their six weeks of isolation and no contact with the outside world many discoveries are made between the two, their perceptions subtly change, and Rhianna reaches a point where she no longer wishes to leave the island. At the same time, she still feels the need to return to her patient JT. Yet, new information comes to light about JT Lance, which threatens the whole relationship, also putting Rhianna in extreme danger. Will there ever be true happiness for either Rhianna or Jonathan? Can the past be mended? Whatever the outcome, the reader can be assured that the story will be captivating.

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker

Publisher:  Grand Central Publishing

This was a tremendous undertaking for a debut novel.  With a unique plot, a depth of perception, and strong characterizations, Tiffany Baker has done very well with it.  Some parts of the book seem to drag, but the 3rd part moves along quite quickly and with a surprising wrap-up.

When Truly Plaice's mother was pregnant, the town of Aberdeen joined together in betting how record-breakingly huge the baby boy would ultimately be. The girl who proved to be Truly paid the price of her enormity; her father blamed her for her mother's death in childbirth, and was totally ill equipped to raise either this giant child or her polar opposite sister Serena Jane, the epitome of feminine perfection. When he, too, relinquished his increasingly tenuous grip on life, Truly and Serena Jane are separated--Serena Jane to live a life of privilege as the future May Queen and Truly to live on the outskirts of town on the farm of the town sadsack, the subject of constant abuse and humiliation at the hands of her peers.

Serena Jane's beauty proves to be her greatest blessing and her biggest curse, for it makes her the obsession of classmate Bob Bob Morgan, the youngest in a line of Robert Morgans who have been doctors in Aberdeen for generations. Though they have long been the pillars of the community, the earliest Robert Morgan married the town witch, Tabitha Dyerson, and the location of her fabled shadow book--containing mysterious secrets for healing and darker powers--has been the subject of town gossip ever since. Bob Bob Morgan, one of Truly's biggest tormentors, does the unthinkable to claim the prize of Serena Jane, and changes the destiny of all Aberdeen from there on.

When Serena Jane flees town and a loveless marriage to Bob Bob, it is Truly who must become the woman of a house that she did not choose and mother to her eight-year-old nephew Bobbie. Truly's brother-in-law is relentless and brutal; he criticizes her physique and the limitations of her health as a result, and degrades her more than any one human could bear. It is only when Truly finds her calling--the ability to heal illness with herbs and naturopathic techniques--hidden within the folds of Robert Morgan's family quilt, that she begins to regain control over her life and herself. Unearthed family secrets, however, will lead to the kind of betrayal that eventually break the Morgan family apart forever, but Truly's reckoning with her own demons allows for both an uprooting of Aberdeen County's uncaring ignorance, and the possibility of love in unexpected places.

Conquer All Obstacles by Jo-Anne Vandermeulen

A complicated yet cohesive story that takes the reader through such obstacles as mental health, low self esteem, wrong priorities, abuse, and more. These do not overwhelm the reader by all applying to the same person, but the book most certainly shows us the law of six degrees of separation and how it does or can play out in our lives. The need to be in contact with ourselves and those closest to us is a strong theme.

Jo-Anne Vandermeulen has captured life trapped within the minds of mental health and how very hard it is to see the warning signs in many cases.  She has delved into the core of situations that can affect us adversely or bring such cases to light. Though a novel, it is so close to truth that it could easily be a collection of biographies. The book  is centered around the separate yet somehow closely woven lives of 12 individuals, some with obstacles and some on the outskirts affected by those obstacles of others.

The book is very interesting and suspenseful, and representative of many lost souls who are unable to recognize their own needs. It covers a time period of just 7 months, jam-packed with action and reaction.  This book is not necessarily morose, it does have its lighter, happier moments. It shows how there can be weakness in the strong and strength in the weak.  Powerful and passionate, I think this is a wonderfully written book, it gripped me right away and kept me reading into the night. I am so glad I had an opportunity to read it, and highly recommend it.  A must-read.   5 stars

Yakuza Moon: Memoirs of a Gangster's Daughter by Shoko Tendo

Reviewed for Front Street Reviews

I read this book in one go; considering I have never done that before, it says a lot for the intensity and breathtaking reality of the memoir. Though relatively short, it packs a powerful punch, an amazing debut. I was drawn into her story until I felt I was a part of it. The essence of a good writer is to be able to make that connection between reader and character, and Shoko Tendo has certainly done that. Way out of my usual genres, I was completely absorbed in her heart-wrenching memoir, an emotional rollercoaster told in a straight-forward, no-holds-barred manner. In the version I read, photos and a foreword have been added to the original publication. These contributed to the personality of Shoko.

Unfamiliar as I am with yakuza society (somewhat like a Japanese mafia), this book brought me into lifestyles I knew nothing about; I also learned to see a tattoo as a complete work of art, which in Japan it truly is. These tattoos are full-body canvases, extremely detailed and historical art. Shoko was the middle child in a family of three girls and a boy, her father a yakuza, in a life of plenty. Fearful of her father's rages, bullied at school, discriminated against and insecure, Shoko's lifestyle had already begun to change at the tender age of twelve when her older sister took her to a club and passed her off as 18. The next several years of her life are spent in drugged out sex, used and abused. When all goes wrong at home, her father resigns as a yakuza and is pursued by yakuza loan sharks. Shoko falls into the trap of one man, a former friend of her father. His false promises to help her father with his financial problems and his Jeckyl and Hyde personality drags her deep into his net. Misguided in what is expected of her, she sinks deeper and deeper.

Shoko does not try to lecture in her book, but is faithful to her memories. She does not dwell on her situation but writes with an honesty and thoroughness that through her worst times I could feel the disassociation she finally reaches. Intense, poignant, numbed and broken, she lays it all on the line. Her emergence from this darkness is wonderful to read and shows the strength of her true character. This memoir is a real eye-opener of horrendous abuse and the intimidation that denies escape. Exceptionally well-written for a debut. I highly recommend this book.