Review: Interference & Insurgency by Michelle Diener

Title: Interference & Insurgency
Author: Michelle Diener
Series: Verdant String
Genre: Science Fiction
Publication: January 14th 2018 by Eclipse
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Rating: 4.5/5★

The Verdant String Series

The seven planets of the Verdant String, the green, fecund sources of life spanning five solar systems, comprise the Verdant String Coalition. This is the setting for a new science fiction romance series from award-winning science fiction romance novelist Michelle Diener. While the people of the Verdant String know they have a common ancestor, a group of explorers who colonised the planets at the same time a thousand or more years ago, the mysteries of who they were, and where they came from, persist.

Interference (A 25,000 word novella introducing the world of the Verdant String)

Interference can go either way . . .

The tiny moon of Cepi is on a countdown to destruction, and while Nyha Bartali has been persuaded to take her four wards for a final look at the archaeological wonder, now she's eager to leave. The only problem is, someone has other plans--plans to exploit Nyha and her girls' status as the betrayed orphans of the Verdant String in order to give them time to steal Cepi's secrets.

Nyha and her wards' value as survivors of the destruction of Halatia means it would be political suicide for any leader of the Verdant String to endanger them again--something the hostage-takers know very well. What the hostage-takers don't know is that Nyha and her girls have more help than they realize.

Mak Carep knows his team's presence on Cepi is the last flex of Arkhor's muscle before the moon is blown to bits. Arkhor has interfered on Cepi since it discovered the ruins four hundred years ago, but sometimes, interference can have unexpected consequences. When Nyha and her girls are taken hostage, Mak and the rest of his special forces team are the only ones who have any hope of rescuing them, and they're ready and willing to do what Arkhor does best . . . Interfere.

Interference was first published in the Orphans in the Black Anthology in July 2017.

Insurgency (Insurgency is a 45,000 word short novel set in the Verdant String series)

The Parnian city of Var is under siege. Buildings are being targeted by insurgents whose only aim seems to be destruction. Nick Bartega is part of the Protection Unit team investigating the explosions, but with no discernible pattern, and no one taking responsibility, he and his colleagues have hit a blank wall.

That is until his neighbor, Tila, is caught up in the first real mistake the insurgents have made. Cornered, forced to take Tila's whole office hostage, the insurgents are surrounded and out of options, until they use Tila as their shield.

Tila sees herself as Parnian first, Halatian second, but her dark blue hair, and the strong emotions her very existence provokes in others means the insurgents see her as the perfect hostage. No one on Par wants to give the order that might catch her in the crossfire. They'd rather let the insurgents get away.

But Nick, and his commander, Drake, see the first glimpse of a pattern in the insurgents behavior. Not that long ago, Halatians were used as hostages in another incident on the tiny moon of Cepi, and the parallels are hard to ignore. So is this attack on Var an isolated incident, or is there a bigger conspiracy at play?

Whatever the truth, Nick isn't prepared to leave Tila in the insurgents hands. And he's prepared to break any rule, and disregard any order to do it.

Interference: 4/5★
Insurgency: 4.5/5★

Interference:

Interference was a really great introduction to the world of the Verdant String. I'm always looking forward to Michelle Diener's next science fiction book because it always has a great cast of characters, especially her main characters. It obviously was no different with this novella. I adored Nyha and Mak and loved their chemistry together. I also have got to say that even though it was only a 25,000 word novella I still thought the story has really great world building. It was very well-written and also action packed, with a little bit of romance that definitely makes the reader want more. Nyha even ended up being one of my favorite characters that I've read about from this author. I just loved how although she knew Mak could help her in the bad situation she ended up in, she also was determined to save herself and the ones she loves. "He was a lifeline, the only one she had, but she needed to work on a way out of this without him, too. She couldn't depend on being saved."
It was just a really good story and a huge page-turner!


Insurgency:

Insurgency was in one word: unputdownable! I loved it even more than Interference and I already thought that story was really amazing. 

Insurgency features two new characters named Tila and her new neighbour Nick, whom she connects right away. Nick is part of the Protection Unit team investigating explosions that have been going around in the city of Var. Tila is a Halatian (I already knew a lot about the Halantians from Interference so I was really glad this book was also about one). Unfortunately being Halatian causes her to be abducted by insurgents. Of course Nick doesn't hesitate to go after her along with his commander Drake. 

Needless to say this story was pretty action-packed, which I loved. There was never ever a dull moment and I just kept wanting to read the next page and the next and the next until I had finished the book. I adored the two main characters. I loved the "tension" that surrounded them and their blossoming actraction towards on another. This book isn't heavy on the romance but I love the subtlety that the author created between these two. 


Overall, Interference as well as Insurgency were two really good stories and a fantastic introduction to the Verdant String series. The worldbuilding was really incredible so I can't wait to read more of this world and the people in it.  

Author bio:
Michelle Diener writes historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction. Having worked in publishing and IT, she’s now very happy crafting new worlds and interesting characters and wondering which part of the world she can travel to next.
Michelle was born in London, grew up in South Africa and currently lives in Australia with her husband and two children.

When she’s not writing, or driving her kids from activity to activity, you can find her blogging at Magical Musings, or online at Twitter, at Google+ and Facebook.

Check out my reviews of Michelle's other books:

{Science Fiction)

Sky Raiders (Sky Raiders #1) — 3/5★ 

Calling the Chance (Sky Raiders #2) — 4/5★ 

COMING SOON: Shadow Warrior (Sky Raiders #3) 

{Science Fiction}

Dark Horse (Class 5 #1) — 5/5★ 

Dark Deeds (Class 5 #2) — 5/5★ 

Dark Minds (Class 5 #3) — 4/5★ 

{Paranormal}

Breaking Out Part I (part of Entranced Halloween Box Set — 4/5★ 

Breaking Out Part II — 4/5★ 

{Fantasy}

The Golden Apple (The Dark Forest #1) — 4/5★ 

The Silver Pear (The Dark Forest #2) — 5/5★ 

{Fantasy}

Mistress of the Wind — 3/5★

{Historical Fiction}

The Emperor's Conspiracy (Regency London #1) —5/5★

Banquet of Lies (Regency London #2) —5/5★ 

A Dangerous Madness (Regency London #3) —5/5★ 

 {Historical Fiction}

Daughter of the Sky —5/5★

 {Historical Fiction}

In a Treacherous Court (Susanna Horenbout and John Parker #1) —5/5★

Dangerous Sanctuary (Susanna Horenbout and John Parker #1.5) —5/5★

Keeper of the King's Secrets (Susanna Horenbout and John Parker #2) —5/5★

In Defense of the Queen (Susanna Horenbout and John Parker) —5/5★

Review: A Sea of Sorrow: A Novel of Odysseus

Title: A Sea of Sorrow: A Novel of Odysseus
Authors: David Blixt, Amalia Carosella, Libbie Hawker, Scott Oden, Vicky Alvear Shecter, russel Whitfield and Gary Corby (introduction)
Publication: October 17th 2017
Genre: Historical Fiction
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 5/5★

Odysseus as You’ve Never Seen Him Before

Odysseus, infamous trickster of Troy, vaunted hero of the Greeks, left behind a wake of chaos and despair during his decade long journey home to Ithaca. Lovers and enemies, witches and monsters--no one who tangled with Odysseus emerged unscathed. Some prayed for his return, others, for his destruction. These are their stories…

A beleaguered queen’s gambit for maintaining power unravels as a son plots vengeance.
A tormented siren battles a goddess’s curse and the forces of nature to survive.
An exiled sorceress defies a lustful captain and his greedy crew.
A blinded shepherd swears revenge on the pirate-king who mutilated him.
A beautiful empress binds a shipwrecked sailor to servitude, only to wonder who is serving whom.
A young suitor dreams of love while a returned king conceives a savage retribution.

The Odyssey Through the Eyes of its Shattered Victims
Six authors bring to life the epic tale of The Odyssey via the monsters, witches, lovers, and warriors whose lives were upended by the antics of the “man of many faces.” You may never look upon this timeless epic—and its iconic ancient hero—in quite the same way again. In the tradition of Madeline Miller’s Song of Achilles, and with the spirit of Lindsey Davis’ The Third Nero, and Kate Quinn’s Mistress of Rome, A Sea of Sorrow transports you to the endlessly fascinating world of Homeric Greece.

First of all I want to say that I'm a huge fan of these books. A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii, A Year of Ravens: A Novel of Boudica's Rebellion and A Song of War: A Novel of Troy. They were all really great and I simply adore them! Second, I want to say that usually I review each story individually but I'm not doing that this time around. I'm doing things a little differently with A Sea of Sorrow, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I think.The primary reason for this is that I didn't actually slow down enough to sit down and write decent reviews for each and every story. But this shows how much I enjoyed reading the book—whenever I finished one story I couldn't wait to dive into the next one. I just couldn't help myself. I was hooked!

Half of the authors of the book were unfamiliar to me, which is another thing I love about these books. I always get to know new authors that I want to read more books from. In this case David Blixt, Amalia Carosella and Scott Oden were new to me. Libbie Hawker, Vicky Alvear Shecter and Russell Whitfield I was already familiar with. I always really enjoy their writing. I was probably more excited to read the stories of the unfamiliar authors because I didn't know what to expect from them but they certainly didn't disappoint me.

I enjoyed each and every story but of course I had some favorites that left me feeling very impressed. These favorites were Hekate's Daughter by Libbie Hawker, The Siren's Song by Amalia Carosella and Calypso's Vow by David Blixt. They were all pretty tragic but also beautiful in a way, I thought. Especially the story of Calypso was brilliant to me. I loved it so much. But to be clear, I enjoyed each and every story. Not one was disappointing but these particular three left an impression with me. 

Overall, A Sea of Sorrow: A Novel of Odysseus was one amazing read. Like the synopsis says, "six authors bring to life the epic tale of The Odyssey seen through the eyes of its shattered victims..." which I think is such a unique and clever concept. I also love how the stories and authors don't fully focus on the mythology and supernatural but give it a realistic twist that made the stories all the more stunning. 

Read my other reviews here:

A Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii
A Year of Ravens: A Novel of Boudica's Rebellion

A Song of War: A Novel of Troy

ARC Review: Open Wounds by Inver Iversen

Title: Open Wounds: Abel and Hope: Love Against the Odds
Author: Inger Iversen
Publication: June 28th 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Purchase: Amazon
Rating: 4.5/5

Open Wounds: Hope & Abel, a Love Against the Odds AWWM Novella

If you could see your life from inception to death, would you change things or would you let your death play out as fate intended?

Abel is in search of only two things: a stable job and a safe place to lay his head at night after a mistake that cost him eighteen months of his life. As if fate had plans made only for him, Abel is offered a complicated job, and a chance to redeem himself to his old boss.
And then he meets her …
And Abel adds another item to his list—Hope.

At twenty-six, Hope has only ever slept with one man, and at her boss’s unsolicited advice, Hope plans to forget the abuse and degradation she suffered at her ex’s hand by seducing and bedding the next man she meets. Unfortunately, after Hope finds a promise of death at her doorstep, her plans are derailed and her only chance at staying alive rests on the dedication of her new bodyguard and her own sheer will to live the life she deserves.

Everytime I finish a book by Inger Iversen I feel like I've read my news favorite book by her. It's the same with this new book by her. I pretty much loved it right from the start and I also think that Abel and Hope are my new favorite couple from her books (I probably say this every single time too but it's true.) 

This story is about Hope who's been running away from her abusive husband, Mark. Soon enough Mark finds out where she is and that's where Abel comes in as Hope's bodyguard and her only hope (no pun inteded) to keep her alive. The only things Hope and Abel hadn't counted on was to be fiercely attracted to one another.

Seriously, this book was such a great romance. It definitely ended up being my favorite one of the year so far in this genre. I loved both Hope as well as Abel (and not just because he can cook, although I felt slightly obsessed with the food he made for Hope.) The romance between them was sexy, steamy and just amazing!

The thing I probably loved the most was the change Hope made throughout the book once she met Abel. He helped her find the strength and confidence within that she needed to finally stand up to Mark in the end, which was really powerful.

Overall, Open Wounds was another hit for Inger Iversen. Not only was it a quick read, romantic and well written, there was also the element of suspense that made it even better. And I also feel like I should say how totally gorgeous the cover is. I can only say: go read it now!

This book is one you can read as a standalone but I'd recommend to read the books in order.

Incarcerated: Letters from Inmate 92510   -Katie & Logan {My Review} 
Inevitable: Love and War - 2/28/2015        -Teal & Trent 1 {My Review}
Indelible: Beneath His Ink - 12/12/2016    -Teal & Trent 2 {My Review}
Rogue in Love - 3/28/2017 *standalone*   -Thea & Lex {My Review}
Open Wounds - 6/28/2017 *standalone*     -Hope & Abel {This review}
Indebted: Til Death Do us Part 9/28/2017  -Teal & Trent 3
Weathered Souls 12/28/2017 *standalone* -Ivory & Eric

There is also a boxed set of Incarcerated, Inevitable and Indelible
Find it here.

About Inger
Inger Iversen is an American author residing in Virginia. She lives for bringing her fictional characters from darkness to light through self-discovery and passion. From her emotionally gripping, new adult Few Are Angels series that builds in intensity and intrigue to a finale you won’t see coming, to her international bestselling interracial romance dubbed “one of the most emotionally gripping” books of the summer, Inger breathes life into her fiction through her enthusiasm and devotion to writing. Her influences range from life experiences and daydreams, Inger spends her time in the writing cave and fantasizing of the day she can figure out how to Weird Science her characters to life.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

Review: Song of Princes by Janell Rhiannon

Title: Song of Princes
Author: Janell Rhiannon
Series: Homeric Chronicles #1
Publication: June 22nd 2016
Genre: Fantasy ~ Mythology
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Rating: 4/5

Sing Muse. Sing of the shining citadel of Troy rising from the hot sands of Asia. Sing of the Greek palaces ascending from their rocky hilltops. Sing of one woman’s dream heralding the madness of men and the murder of innocents. From bull dancing rings and wild meadows, the Forgotten Prince must choose between love and a golden crown. From seclusion and safety, the Golden Warrior must choose between his honor and his life. From behind the Great Wall, the Golden Prince must choose between his family and his city. And from a rugged realm on the far side of Greece, the Warrior King must choose between his son’s life and certain exile. Here shepherds and princes, warriors and kings, and seers and lovers seek to conquer their passions, outwit destiny or surrender to it.

PARIS, the FORGOTTEN PRINCE. Abandoned at birth and raised as a shepherd, Paris believes he is destined for a simple life. His heart belongs to the nymph, Oenone, until the beautiful Helen forces him to choose.

ACHILLES, the GOLDEN WARRIOR. Destined to live a short life, Achilles becomes the young lover of a princess who he abandons for the passions of war. He discovers that love is his only weakness.

HEKTOR, the GOLDEN PRINCE. As guardian of the citadel, Hektor must balance his heart’s desire between the beautiful Andromache and the people he’s sworn to protect.

ODYSSEUS, the WARRIOR KING. Forced into a war against his will, Odysseus leaves his young wife, Penelope, behind. Their love must stand the test of time and temptation.

The HOMERIC CHRONICLES tell the stories of Paris, Achilles, Hektor, and Odysseus in one chronological tale, beginning before the ILIAD and ending long after the ODYSSEY. Blending both history and myth, this series will satisfy your love of Greek mythology, while paying homage to the original storyteller, Homer.

HOMERIC CHRONICLES is an epic mythological trilogy about the Trojan War meant for grown-ups who like to mix a little warfare with their romance

It's been a few days since I finished reading Song of Princes and I still can't stop thinking about it. I've been a huge fan of (Greek) mythology since I was a kid so when I saw this book on sale I bought it right away. It sounded right up my alley and luckily for me I really enjoyed it.

I finished this book in only two days, which is something I can't seem to do anymore lately unless I'm really into the story and can't stop reading. I did exactly that with this book. 

The thing that struck me the most when I started reading the book was how amazing the writing was. It was written in such a beautifully detailed way that I couldn't help but love it. 

This book was the kind of read about mythology that I hadn't know I was waiting for. It featured well known characters like Paris, Helen, Hektor, Oddyses, Achilles but also less known ones as well. The story mostly led up to how the Trojan war started. I just loved it.

Overall, Song of Princes was such a good book. The writing, the characters, reading about some of my favorite mythologies combined with how the author doesn't shy away from the tough stuff is what made this a great read. 

Janell Rhiannon always had her nose in a book when growing up, reading by flashlight when it was "lights out" time. Her love of reading turned into a desire to tell stories. She now writes in all the spare moments she can squeeze out of a day. She adores historical fiction, historical romance, mythology and epic fantasy. Anything magical and mystical. And dragons. And gargoyles. She is an avid Game of Thrones fan. A complete geek about it, actually. Writing takes up a huge chunk of time, but she makes time for those important people in life. She texts a lot. Loves coffee. And still hangs out with her very first best girlfriend!
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

ARC Review: Beauty of the Beast by Rachel L. Demeter

Title: Beauty of the Beast
Author: Rachel L. Demeter
Series: Fairy Tale Retellings #1
Publication: March 15th 2017
Genre: Adult ~ Historical Romance
Purchase: Amazon | Kobo
Rating: 4/5

Experience the world’s most enchanting and timeless love story—retold with a dark and realistic twist.

A BEAST LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF HIS PAST

Reclusive and severely scarred Prince Adam Delacroix has remained hidden inside a secluded, decrepit castle ever since he witnessed his family’s brutal massacre. Cloaked in shadow, with only the lamentations of past ghosts for company, he has abandoned all hope, allowing the world to believe he died on that tragic eve twenty-five years ago.

A BEAUTY IN PURSUIT OF A BETTER FUTURE

Caught in a fierce snowstorm, beautiful and strong-willed Isabelle Rose seeks shelter at a castle—unaware that its beastly and disfigured master is much more than he appears to be. When he imprisons her gravely ill and blind father, she bravely offers herself in his place.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Stripped of his emotional defenses, Adam’s humanity reawakens as he encounters a kindred soul in Isabelle. Together they will wade through darkness and discover beauty and passion in the most unlikely of places. But when a monster from Isabelle’s former life threatens their new love, Demrov’s forgotten prince must emerge from his shadows and face the world once more…

Perfect for fans of Beauty and the Beast and The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty of the Beast brings a familiar and well-loved fairy tale to life with a rich setting in the kingdom of Demrov and a captivating, Gothic voice.

Disclaimer: This is an edgy retelling of the classic fairy tale. Due to strong sexual content, profanity, and dark subject matter, including an instance of sexual assault committed by the villain, Beauty of the Beast is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Right from the start I thought this was a great story. The first thing that I loved from it was the first main character we got introduced to, Isabelle. I just loved how kind and good she was and even so this didn't make her a total Mary Sue or anything because she also had a lot of fire in her, which I really like in the heroines I read about.

Adam got introduced a little later into the story and he also didn't dissapoint. Once we reached that part of the story it was very similar to Disney's Beauty and the Beast, only for adults. The story was very similar to the story we all know and love with some differences throughout. It was also slightly darker and there was a gothic feel to it, which is what I love most about it.

The vilain of the story, Raphael was absolutely vile. I hated him but in one way that was good because I love reading about bad guys that you can really hate, you know? But I also gotta say, there's a reason why he is the way he is. And I also feel like I should say I really wasn't a fan of Isabelle's stepsisters. They were pretty awful, just like stepsisters often are in fairy tales.

The romance between Isabelle and Adam was incredible. It was a slow burn and written perfectly the way it was. I fell a little in love with Adam myself. He really needed someone like Isabelle to pretty much make him alive again and rejoin the world. I have so much feels for them! And I also feel like I should say how much I enjoy reading about any of the male main characters this author writes. I just love them all!

Overall, Beauty of the Beast by Rachel L. Demeter was such a beautiful retelling. One of the best I've read so far. The writing was simply gorgeous and easily my favorite thing in the book. It wasn't quite 5 star worthy but I would still highly recommend it to fans of retellings, Beauty and the Beast, historical romance or just anyone who wants to read a great story.

       About the Author:

       Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Rachel L. Demeter lives in the beautiful hills of Anaheim, California with Teddy, her goofy lowland sheepdog, and her high school sweetheart of eleven years. She enjoys writing poignant romances that challenge the reader's emotions and explore the redeeming power of love.

{Blog Tour} Review: Nico by Sarah Castille + Giveaway (INT)

Title: Nico
Author: Sarah Castille
Series: Ruin & Revenge #1
Publication: December 6th 2016 by St. Martin's Press
Genre: Adult ~ Romance ~ Suspense
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Play | IndieBound | iBooks | Kobo
Rating: 5/5

A DANGEROUS PROPOSAL

Las Vegas Mafia boss, Nico Toscani, is used to getting what he wants, whether it is having the City of Sin under his rule or a beautiful woman in his bed. But when he meets his match in the gorgeous, headstrong Mia Cordano, the daughter of a rival crime lord, all bets are off. . .

Sexy computer hacker, Mia, struggles to break free of her ruthless father’s Mafia ties…but she can’t resist the powerful and seductive Nico, who will stop at nothing to possess her. With their families locked in a brutal war for control of the city, Mia and Nico enter into a forbidden game. Will they surrender to the passion that burns between them—and risk tearing apart their families? Or will Nico be forced to betray the only woman who sets his blood on fire?

Nico is the first book in a full-length, standalone series by New York Times bestselling author, Sarah Castille, set in Las Vegas and featuring deliciously sexy mafia bosses and the women who can’t help but love them.

I've been a really huge fan of Sarah Castille's Sinner's Tribe MC series so when I saw she was coming with a new book I obviously was really excited and didn't waste any time signing up for this blog tour. But a part of me was a little hesitant when I started reading Nico because although I do enjoy mafia romances I've never been into them as in biker romances. But damn, this book was good. It was more than good actually. I loved it!

I fell in love with the story (and Nico) pretty early on and it actually never disappointed me at one point or another. And it was oh so steamy! I can't remember when I last read a book that was this hot. The chemistry between the main characters was scorching hot. I had to mentally fan myself a lot.

As for the characters... I totally loved Mia. She must be one of the strongest and independed female main characters I have read about. She was different than how a mafia woman it supposed to be. She's a hacker and her style is punk. She has also stood up to her abusive father no matter how much he beat her. Like I said, strong. 

When Nico comes into her life she is determined to show him that women can be skilled at hacking and that she isn't some weak mafia woman even though they have this intense connection right of the bat. Meanwhile Nico is attracted to her because of the fact that she can handle her own against him.

There also was an additonal POV of Ben, an undercover cop. I really liked this extra narrative because it can give readers a break from Mia and Nico and their intensity (not that I really needed a break often). I cared for Ben right away because he was in a really bad position, being underover for so long and not being able to see or care for his six year-old daughter much who lived with his horrible ex and her new slimy boyfriend. I'm also shipping the hell out of Ben and Kat (Mia's little sister). I really hope they'll get their own book at one point.

As usual with a Sarah Castille book there was a lot of action and suspense, which I loved. The writing was also excellent like always. I basically have nothing negative to say. And I'm really looking forward to the next book, Luca.

About the Author:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Sarah Castille, writes contemporary erotic romance and romantic suspense featuring blazingly hot alpha males and the women who tame them. She is the author of the Redemption series, the Sinner’s Tribe MC series, and the Legal Heat series. A recovering lawyer and caffeine addict, she worked and travelled abroad before trading in her briefcase and stilettos for a handful of magic beans and a home on Vancouver Island.

Giveaway (INT)

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ARC Review: Beautiful Maids All in a Row by Jennifer Harlow

Title: Beautiful Maids All in a Row
Author: Jennifer Harlow
Series: Iris Ballard #1
Publication: October 11th 2016 by Alibi
Genre: Thriller
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Play | Kobo
Rating: 5/5

In this white-knuckle thriller for fans of Lisa Gardner and Karin Slaughter, a brilliant, troubled forensic psychologist finds herself matching wits with a frighteningly talented sociopath.

Dr. Iris Ballard’s glory days are behind her, so when Luke Hudson, her former FBI partner and onetime lover, asks for help constructing a psychological profile of an elusive serial killer who murders single mothers and dumps their bodies in the woods, Iris turns him away. She just wants to be left alone with her infomercials, her German Shepherd, and her vodka. That is, until she gets a peek at the case files.

The media has dubbed him “the Woodsman.” But after Iris learns the sickening details held back from the press, and as she sets foot onto the scene of his latest crime, she assembles a portrait of a more complicated, enigmatic, meticulous man. Control is his motivation. He thrives on it. Soon he even tries to manipulate the investigation by contacting Iris, hoping to rattle the woman he considers an intellectual equal.

The game is on. Iris thinks she has a read on her target, enough to push his buttons, to make him lose control. But when the Woodsman gains the upper hand, Iris faces the most painful reckoning of all—with her own violent past.

I've gotta say out of all the books Jennifer Harlow has written, this one is definitely one of her best (I feel like I say this about every new book she writes lol). She writes the best heroines. So it's no surprise that I absolutely loved Iris Ballard. She definitely was flawed and a total wreck when the book started, which made her more realistic to me, so I loved how once she got back to work with the FBI when Luke Hudson, her former partner asked her for help with the Woodsman killer case. Her inner thoughts and humor were actually right up my alley. She made me laugh a couple of times out loud with the things she was thinking about and said. And also, she doesn't take shit from anyone. Gotta love that!

The cat and mouse game between Iris and the killer was really suspenseful, even when she knew who he was. The way the author wrote this guy was raising the hair on my arms. I never knew what was going to happen from what moment to the other so the unexpectedness of it all made this story even better. 

I also really liked the relationship between Iris and Luke. They have quite a lot of history and chemistry between them, which made the dialogue between them always fierce. I'm definitely rooting for them. The ending was sort of abrubt and explosive so I can't wait for the next book in this series to find out where things are going next for Iris.

Overall, I don't read a lot of thrillers but when I do I like them to be just like Beautiful Maids All in a Row. It was well written with a protagonist who is sharp tongued but also flawed who went up against a arrogant yet intelligent sociopath where I wasn't sure what he wasn't going to do next. It was suspenseful right until the very end and I loved it all. I can't wait for the next book!

       About the Author:

       Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Jennifer Harlow spent her restless childhood fighting with her three brothers and scaring the heck out of herself with horror movies and books. She grew up to earn a degree at the University of Virginia which she put to use as a radio DJ, crisis hotline volunteer, bookseller, lab assistant, wedding coordinator, and government investigator. Currently she calls Atlanta home but that restless itch is ever present. In her free time she continues to scare the beejepers out of herself watching scary movies and opening her credit card bills.