Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley This is one of the most gorgeous books about grief and young love I’ve read. Actually, it’s one of the most gorgeous books I’ve read, full stop. Following the drowning death of her brother, Rachel returns to the city where she grew up and to her one-time friend and crush, Henry. Rachel hasn’t been back in three years and before she left, she wrote Henry a love letter — he didn’t respond. Now the two are working together at his family’s struggling bookstore. The novel is unsurprisingly the recipi...

The last thing she said to me was why? Why have our swords always been locked in battle, why have we always been fighting? I said we had locked shields not swords. Patsy talking about her mother, Absolutely Fabulous (TV show)   I’ve often thought that a relationship between a mother and daughter can be a little more complex than the relationship between a mother and son. One of the common taunts (depending on your perspective) to daughters is that eventually all daughters become their mothers. That can often be a frightening thought for ...

A couple times a year I get sidetracked. (My husband would say I do it more often than that, but I don’t remember asking for his input.) My reading, and writing, veer off-course to see what’s beyond the cozy forest as I explore what lies deep within the darkness—to the place where laughter and silliness don’t exist, but exceptional writing and storytelling still grasp hold and don’t let go. We all have a go-to genre, one that speaks to us the way no other does, yet just as in life, going outside the boundaries of our chosen lane allow...

He looked huge. He looked like a monster. He looked like hers. ENSNARED BY THE ALIEN MEDIC by Nessa Claugh   I have been a paranormal romance fan for years. I always trace back my affection for paranormal romances to when I read the first vampire romance by Christine Feehan when it first came out. Over the years I have read books with assorted supernatural heroes like vampires, werewolves, psychics, and others. That’s different from the kind of hero I’m writing about here. Those heroes were ones who either could change shape from human...

As the world endures once again the recurrent tragedy of war, this month’s stories remind us of those exceptional individuals who still manage to display courage and compassion despite cruelty, horror, destruction and loss.   We begin with one of the most unusual of these women – Mila Pavlichenko, heroine of Kate Quinn’s THE DIAMOND EYE, which is based on a true story.  Quiet Kiev history student Mila is completely absorbed by her library job and caring for her young son when Hitler’s invasion of Russia upends her world.  Cal...

CHAPTER EIGHT   Sam   She takes him to In-N-Out, the two of them sitting outside on rubber-coated benches in the yellow light of the neon sign. The waffle weave digs into his ass. It’s a warm night, the smell of car exhaust and fryer oil hanging densely in the air. “Can I ask you something?” Fiona says, dragging a fry through a puddle of secret sauce. She ordered without looking at the menu, coming back to the table with a cardboard box full of cheeseburgers and fries; she also paid, which he appreciates, though he doesn’t say that ou...

Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. I love almost every aspect of it, but I particularly love planning out the itinerary so that I can make the most of my time and see all sorts of new sights and places. Traveling in person has resumed for many folks, but most of my travel right now is through books. Rather than a typical travel schedule, I thought it would be fun to plan an out of this world spring break adventure to explore some of the various paranormal and fantasy worlds authors have created for us. So, without further ado, let’...

Anne Rice forever changed my reading world over 30 years ago. Prior to reading INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE, I had only read my mom’s collection of romance/gothic novels and horror authors such as Stephen King and Dean Koontz. Anne Rice opened my eyes to a world in which vampires were far more than the creepy nightmarish blood suckers (and definitely more sensual) than the ones I’d previously encountered in one of my favorite horror novels of all time, Stephen King’s SALEM’S LOT. From there, I devoured everything Anne Rice wrote (other than...

From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley comes an all new thrilling romantic suspense guaranteed to have pulses rise, and readers begging for more. Renowned author Delphine Larue needs a haven. A crazed fan has gone over the deep end, and she’s not safe. Her security team has suggested a house by a lake. Secluded. Private. Far away. In a beautiful area of the Northwest close to the sleepy town of Misted Pines. It’s perfect. So perfect, Delphine has just moved in, and she’s thinking she’ll stay there forever. Until she sees ...

Reid felt his phone buzz and expected to see his brother’s name flash across the screen. But he was pleasantly surprised when it was an unknown number, suggesting they meet up in a few days at the Rookery in the Loop so they could start scouting locations. This is Cassie, by the way. Reid felt himself smile, which he tried to tamp down into a smirk, but he knew he was grinning at his phone like some kind of giddy loser. Reid: Does this mean you’re going to do the campaign? Cassie: I suppose you’ll get to see me in caution tape lingerie af...