"Sky Fire", by C.K. McAdam

A WW11 Novel

No Man’s Land Series, book 1

Wallhausen, Germany, 1942

This novel of love, war and enduring hope chronicles one young woman’s heart-wrenching tale of duty and resistance through her journey from innocence to determined courage till the war’s final moment and aftermath. It is also the story of Fahnrich family and all what they faced during these hard times.

My thoughts:

I had resistance accepting to review this book at first, having read so many WW11 stories set in the European theater in the past I thought “Sky on Fire” would rehash the same old thing. I was wrong, “Sky on Fire” may be set during the war and will evidently touch many sad events that occurred but the license liberty taken by the author brought a nice spin to this terrible time by plunging us deep into the hearts of a German family and telling us what it was like for the German population to be caught in the middle of a raging war and being scared to lose a loved ones even their own life.

It is a nice but sad story that mosey along at a steady pace and weave a wonderfully heartfelt story of love and lost. This is definitely a character driven story that will touch you to the core and will bring out mix feelings of sadness, anxiety and joy. I was pulled in from the start and stayed riveted till the last page.

This story is well said and well done.

I wish to thank the author and Netgalley for providing access to this wonderful book.

"As Good as Dead", by John W, Mefford

Alex & Ozzie, Dark Horizon #4

Mr. Mefford has given Ozzie his protagonist a totally different outlook and has turned him into someone haunted and barely holding his life together. Ozzie has become an addict to ketamine. I hate what the author did to him. I loved the way Ozzie was before but admit Mr. Mefford redeemed himself by giving us a very exciting book to pass time with.

The story begins as a simple search for a missing girl that quickly unravels into a brutal conspiracy. Ozzie is pull into a nightmare when two hired killers deliver a warning ….All the while Alex is digging into an AI startup deeply spooking someone and now they are out to get her. Are the two cases connected?

Up to us, the readers, to find out…enjoy.

This story never takes a breather Ozzie and Alex seemed to have opposite opinions and budding heads all the time, a deferent and interesting spin to their relationship. Along the way what is in store for us are surprises and captivating twists and turns and questionable situations. The plot in this latest is by far more active than the previous stories: more bruises and cuts and no easy feat to get out of trouble and to make sure Daphne, the missing girl, is found in one piece.

We also have the presence of recurring characters to light up the mystery.

“As Good as Dead” is a riveting, edge-of-your-seat story I couldn’t stop flipping the pages till the very end…I wanted badly to find out what would happen to Ozzie.

My final words: great job Mr. Mefford keep up the good work

"False Witness", by Phillip Margolin

I have a hard time resisting books by Phillip Margolin. I know if I want an exciting thriller that jump right in, not wasting time to get to into a web of danger and conspiracy Mr. Margolin is the author to do so.

In “False Witness” we are into a complex puzzle when Defense Attorney Karen Wyatt expose corruption in the police and the District Attorney’s office while representing a client in court. In doing so she put a target on her back. She definitely got herself in a pickle.

The author keeps the tension high as Karen goes about her business of practicing law. Going through her list of suspects working hard to find the mole in the DA’s office. The plot doesn’t take a breather; many twists and turns await moving the storyline briskly and along the way I couldn’t help but to flip pages at a rapid pace to see what Karen would face next.

A lot goes on: a congressman has been kidnapped by aliens (so he says), a man murdered, a stolen car leading to an arrest and it goes on and on. Of course, all the action leads to a well-written trial. It has kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I have to mention we have many characters to follow, it may be, a bit of a challenge.

This latest did not disappoint: well-said and well-done

My thank to St-Martin’s Press for this ARC which I received from Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it

"Revenge, Served Royal", by Celeste Connally

Lady Petra Inquires, #3

A cozy mystery

This is a sweet story that I had the chance to read I simply couldn’t resist it after reading the description. Although this is the 3rd in the series it reads well on its own.

Windsor Castle 1815, Lady Petra Forsyth and some illustrious people descend upon the Castle for a week of royal celebrations. The highlight is Queen Charlotte inaugural patisserie contest for the baker employed by England’s finest houses. Petra was to serve as one of the judges.

I enjoyed this book even if it creeps along at a very slow pace. A mystery without a death would be boring so yes there is one and our cook sleuth Lady Petra is determined to find out who it may be while keeping an eye on aunt Ophelia and on her love interest Duncan all this at the same time judging a baking contest to name the best baker in all England.

The sweets being baked was so tantalizing I wish I could have be there to sample what the contestants had presented….I almost could smell the baked goods, such vivid descriptions. Definitely one of the things I loved most about this book.

A lot goes on and we meet a lot of personages: royal chef Antonin Carême is one, Sir Rufus Pomeroy, Queen Charlotte, Prince Regent, Olive Beecham, Colonel Wolston and many others have pivotal roles that make this story interesting from the beginning. The plot takes many twists and turns. Of course, Lady Petra will ferret out the true culprit and along the way we have a few exciting fistfights and a dash of heart-fluttering romance…..awe…

Lovely story I enjoyed passing time with.

My thanks to St Matin’s Press and Netgalley for this ARC

"With Friends Like These", by Alissa Lee

Five Harvard alumnae have played a yearly tag and kill game with each other for 20 years that has kept them connected to each other and to the memory of a roommate who died playing the game.

At the 20th anniversary reunion Wesley tells her friends that the money they had chipped in decades earlier has grown nearly $1 million…..In their minds, each woman equates the prize with freedom and soon secrets begins to emerge…….

My thoughts:

This is a very tense read that brings out the dark side of people when money is concerned. How one can be haunted by the ghost of a roommate who died, seeing her in odd places, thinking can she somehow seek revenge? Their imagination goes wild……

My feelings reading this book was all over the place and I had a very hard time getting into this story. I tried to push through it but I finally had to skip passages to reach the end, I was wasting too much time reading something I didn’t care for and of course my mind was constantly someplace else…it was time to give up and move on.

Having said this, by all means “With Friends Like These” is not a bad book. It is simply not my cup of tea but it may be yours.

I received this ARC from Atria Books via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it.

"The Devil is in the Details", by Vicki Delany

Sherlock Holmes Bookstore Mystery #11

Short and sweet like the book:

I like reading Vicki Delany cozy mystery she always gives us a sweet touch and delight us with surprises and plenty of suspects.

Andy about to marry Jayne is throwing a birthday party for his beloved when during the evening Tina, old fling of his, and an uninvited guest plunges to her death in icy water. The big question: Was it accident, suicide, or murder?

Using her distinctive Holmesian methods Gemma goes into sleuthing mode and finds plenty of people who might have wanted the woman to drown. …..and the irresistible cozy chaos begins….

This story did not disappoint it is always a pleasure to revisit with Gemma Doyle and the gang. The main suspect being Andy, Gemma raced to prove his innocence. I like how she goes about eliminating or adding suspects to her list and prove she is right. And the plot thickens when a second body is found and more twists and turns are added to the equation making a cleverly twisty mystery, full of exes and mostly secrets to kept us guessing to the very end. It is not fast paced but keep a steady tempo all through.

Although this may be the 11th in the series, the story is fresh and the characters only change slightly. It is a fun and an interesting series easy to get into and one I look forward to rekindle with.

My thanks to the publisher Crooked Lane Books as well as Netgalley for this ARC.