A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong

Kelley Armstrong is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.  I loved the Rockton series and was sad to see it end.  But while this fascinating new debut series is entirely different from her previous novels,  I'm hooked already!

Mallory is a homicide detective in Vancouver in 2019. While visiting her dying grandmother in Edinburgh, she hears the scream of a woman in distress down a dark alley. She sees a ghostly projection of a woman in Victorian clothing being strangled, and then she herself is being attacked. She wakes up two days later in a different body in another time.  Being strangled in the same alley exactly 150 years later opened a rip in time,  transporting Mallory into the body of Catriona, a housemaid in the home of undertaker Duncan Grey. As she adjusts to Victorian life,  she blames her odd speech and behavior on memory loss from the attack. Dr Grey also serves as unofficial medical examiner and has just taken on a fascinating new case...a strangulation very similar to her own.  She can't help but wonder if assisting in the case will help her find her way back home to her own time. 

I can't wait to read the next book in this exciting new series!

I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

The Witch's Tree by Elena Collins

In order to recover from heartbreak, painter Selena decided to retreat to Somerset in historical Sloe cottage. After several encounters with resident ghost, Grace, Selena is inspired to paint what she sees. She soon starts investigating the history of the cottage to find out why the ghost is so sad.

Grace Cotter and her father Will live in Slaugh cottage and work on the nearby Hilltop farm. Her grandmother Bett is also teaching her to midwife and heal the local townsfolk. She's dreaming of love and marriage, but after one night with the wrong man, she's left pregnant and alone. In her time period, it doesn't take much for suspicion to occur against anyone different, and soon the whispers of witchcraft start to fly. 

I really liked this author's writing style. I could sense the darkness and suspicion closing in on Grace long before the end with her detailed descriptions of the town and time period. Then I could almost see the scenery in Selena's paintings and feel the ghostly presence in the cottage. I look forward to reading more by this author. 

I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Falling by T.J. Newman

When terrorists kidnap an experienced pilot's family, he is forced to make an impossible choice-- crash the plane or watch his family die.

Written by an actual flight attendant, she does an excellent job describing a pilot's worst nightmare in this terrifying yet fascinating thriller.

I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily. 

The Lioness by Chris Bohjalian

Set in the old-Hollywood era of the 1960s, Katie Barstow is a celebrity movie star celebrating her honeymoon by taking her closest friends and family on Safari to Tanzania, Africa. Charlie Patton had once been one of the great white hunters,  but as the generations transitioned from wanting trophies to wanting pictures,  Charlie had to adapt from guiding hunters to escorting spoiled rich socialites on luxury tours. But when they're taken hostage by a rogue group of Russian soldiers,  it becomes a struggle for survival. If the soldiers don't kill them,  the Serengeti will!

Yet another fascinating,  pulse-pounding, thrilling read by this author.  I've loved every one of his books and I did a happy dance when I received an advance copy! I admit I was confused by so many characters in the beginning,  especially as the chapters alternate between characters and then between past and present within the chapter. But as more and more of them died off the story become easier to follow.  I was seriously starting to wonder if any of them would survive! I highly recommend this exciting adventure story!

I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Starry-Eyed Love by Helena Hunting

During a rare night out with her sisters, soon after London's latest breakup, a handsome charming man asks her out. Not in the mood to be hit on in a bar, London says she has a boyfriend. Three months later she's humiliated when, sitting in a meeting to lure a new client to her family's event hotel Spark house, that same man turns out to be Jackson Holt, the millionaire CEO. All of a sudden she's working to organize a charity event with him, going on day trips to estate sales, and being flown to New York to meet his influential friends and create more business opportunities. But where was the man who so charmingly asked her out? Now he's all business and the attraction now seems all on her side.
Jackson had never been turned down for a date before, but London didn't seem to know who he was. He hasn't been able to get her out of his mind since, so when he catches sight of her at his own company, he's not willing to let her go. But by agreeing to let her hotel host his event means that she's now a business partner and off limits for dating. Now she seems interested while he's fighting to keep things professional.
I liked the family closeness of the three sisters running Spark House and especially the bond between London and Harley. I never read the first book in the series, but I really hated Avery's attitude about the business and how she kept cluelessly dumping all the work on the other two and refusing to listen to their input on business decisions. The story was a bit slow in the beginning until after the event. But I loved how they were with each other even then as comfortable friends. Jackson seems so down-to-earth for a millionaire in his approach to their relationship. I've read and enjoyed other books by this author and this one was no exception. Sweet romance with a strong family vibe.
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

My Wife Is Missing by D.J. Palmer

During a family vacation to New York, Michael Hart's wife and two children disappear.  Frantic,  he contacts the police,  but when it appears that she left willingly,  he's determined to find her.  What made her run? Could she have discovered his darkest secret? 

The story alternates chapters between Michael,  Natalie in the past, and Natalie now on the run.  The story starts out fast paced and exciting,  but then dragged on the middle until the plot twists at the end.  And just when you think the story is winding down...bam! Another twist at the very end. It's hard to say more without spoilers,  so I'll just say overall it was an enjoyable read with an exciting end. 

I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Blame It On The Brontes by Annie Sereno

To save her job as an English professor, Athena must publish a book and she's on a tight deadline.  She takes a sabbatical to return to her hometown in search of the mysterious writer remaking the classics with risqué love scenes. These books have become bestsellers and by taking a waitressing job at the diner of a family friend,  she's hoping to catch enough gossip to figure out who the author is.  One big problem though... the diner has been sold to none other than her ex,  Thorne. She thought he was her romantic hero like in all the great classics,  but somehow it just didn't work out.  Now,  she's forced to be around him again while she works on her book and it becomes harder every day to pretend she doesn't care. 

I love books about books!  The fact that they were both English lit majors until Thorne was forced to change made them perfect together. I liked the whole small town vibe in the diner and Athena's neverending quest for answers sometimes had hilarious results that had me laughing out loud. Has anyone actually written anything like the Litwit series? They sound amazing lol! And now I'm in the mood to reread Wuthering Heights again...

I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.