#recommendedreading – Page 10 – Rosepoint Publishing

Rosepoint Reviews – May Recap – June? Wait, I’m not ready!

Rosepoint Reviews - May Recap

If I thought I could clean up both the house and the yard in two weeks, I was sadly mistaken. Granted, I took on a lot more yard projects than I’d originally intended. (I’m one of those who’d rather work outside than in.) Clean a house, it just needs it again the next day or two. Fix up a veggie, flower bed, or fairy garden and it’s something you can enjoy for…maybe the whole summer?

I got my veggie garden all set, hopefully protected from bunnies, possums, and deer. Right now it’s looking a little rough with bird netting and chicken wire around everything, but give it a month. I’ve been cleaning up and doing some redesign in the fairy garden. Really wanted a little all-weather bench down there, but haven’t seen anything affordable so I decided to “make” a bench from the downed trees.

Trying to install a water barrel for the veggie bed, but can’t find proper fittings. The projects I bestowed on the CE are languishing in their original shipping boxes. Had hoped to have at least the kitchen ceiling fan light up in time for the escalating temps set to hit us next week. So, yes, will need more time, hopefully, to get to the house and those clean-up projects.

Flower bed

And it doesn’t help that we are trying to do the Y three times a week. The classes are only 45 minutes but with travel and then lunch and clean up, it ends up a good portion of the day, not to say that the classes don’t wear us out. Now they’ve added a summer challenge which we are going to try—adding one more class–yoga.

Yeah, I know—gluttons for punishment, huh?!

We did manage eight reviews along with a couple topical posts in May, and I’m mildly surprised it was that many with everything going on. The CE provided two and I managed four audiobooks (one for my new book club at the Y). I enjoyed two new authors and will be looking for more from both Alex Kava and Archer Sullivan. With those names, what are the odds they are women authors? (Apparently pretty good as both are.)

I source our books through the library, NetGalley, and author and publisher requests. As always, the links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase information.

Rosepoint Reviews - May Recap

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay (CE review)
Sincerely, Grace by Jean Grainger
Silent Creed and Reckless Creed by Alex Kava (audiobooks)
Once Upon a River by Bonnie Jo Campbell (bookclubs) (audiobook)
Nightshade by Michael Connelly (CE review)
The Witch’s Orchard by Archer Sullivan
One False Move by Alex Kava (audiobook)

Favorite Book of the Month

The five-star review in May goes to Michael Connelly for Nightshade, reviewed by the CE. Hard to beat Connelly and I thoroughly enjoyed the latest in the Knocknashee series by Jean Grainger for her atmospheric and gripping Irish tales.

Favorite for May – Nightshade by Michael Connelly

My Reading Challenges page…having caught up through April, now one month behind.

The Goodreads landing page may be correct at 77 of a goal of 150 or 51%, but the book count widget is still off at 62—worse than before. Right now, I’m too busy and tired to work on that too. Maybe later.

Love my new subscribers! I hope you found a book or two that appealed to you and I always appreciate your comments! Have a warm, but wonderful June!

A little light summer reading.

Graphic courtesy Freepik

One False Move by Alex Kava #AudiobookReview #ThrowbackThursday

Book Blurb:

Internationally best-selling author Alex Kava delivers a searing thriller of one woman’s encounter with her past which could jeopardize her future

Melanie Starks has never lived life by the rules. She and her 17-year-old son, Charlie, have been running one con job or another for as long as she can remember, justifying the petty crimes as the necessary survival moves of a single mother. But Melanie is ready to give it up. Then Jared Barnett reappears in her life.

Fresh out of prison after serving five years of a life sentence for murder, Jared is released on a technicality that by no means proves his innocence. And he’s feeling more invincible than ever. He has the perfect plan for a big score and he needs Melanie’s help. But everything goes terribly wrong. Only one thing is clear: A line has been crossed. Suddenly there’s no turning back, and there is nothing left to lose.

My Review:

In my haste to grab another Creed series book, this one came up as “next” and I downloaded without realizing it was a standalone and not even part of her original Maggie O’Dell series, which I was also going to check out. Well, rats! But I went ahead and listened to the audiobook anyway and discovered it quite a bit different from the writing style and prose of the Creed books.

In this short novel, the antagonist is released from prison on a technicality after serving only five years of a life prison sentence for murder. Unfortunately, he engages his sister Melanie Startks and her teenage son, Charlie, in his hair-brained scheme to rob a Nebraska bank, whereupon Jared loses control of the situation and multiple people are killed forcing them all to flee…with a hostage.

There are multiple POVs, getting inside the head of the despicable Jared for one. The narrative is short and action packed, building suspense, tension from the beginning. These are not particularly characters in which you’ll engage, but they are well developed and ooze malevolence.

There is a good mystery here and the book proves fun and entertaining, apparently modeling after a real experience. The ending provides such a jaw-dropping knee-jerk twist that you don’t see coming, you are left with unanswered questions. Interesting.

Okay, so fans of fast-paced mysteries, tension-filled crime chronologies, and desperate characters may well enjoy this one. I did despite triggers of language and sex. But I’ll look for a Maggie O’Dell book next.

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Suspense, Suspense Thrillers, Romance
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
ASIN: B0002SQSII
Listening Length: 5 hrs 5 mins
Narrator: Maggi-Meg Reed
Publication Date: July 28, 2004
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: One False Move (Amazon)

The Author: ALEX KAVA is a New York Times, USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of twenty novels including the award-winning FBI Profiler Maggie O’Dell series and the critically acclaimed and now award-winning Ryder Creed K-9 Mystery series. Recently LOST CREED won the 2019 Nebraska Book Award. Her novel Stranded was awarded both a Florida Book Award and the Nebraska Book Award. One False Move was chosen for the 2006 One Book One Nebraska and her political thriller, Whitewash, was one of January Magazine’s best thrillers of the year. Published in over thirty-four countries, Kava’s novels have made the bestseller lists in the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Poland.

#ThrowbackThursday

Nightshade by Michael Connelly #BookReview #crimethrillers

in Crime Thrillers

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

Book Blurb:

Introducing Detective Stilwell: a cop relentlessly following his mission in the seemingly idyllic setting of Catalina Island.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Detective Stilwell has been “exiled” to a low-key post policing rustic Catalina Island, after department politics drove him off a homicide desk on the mainland. But while following up the usual drunk-and-disorderlies and petty thefts that come with his new territory, Detective Stilwell gets a report of a body found weighed down at the bottom of the harbor—a Jane Doe identifiable at first only by a streak of purple dye in her hair. At the same time, a report of poaching on a protected reserve turns into a case fraught with violence and danger as Stilwell digs into the shady past of an island bigwig.

Crossing all lines of protocol and jurisdiction, Stilwell doggedly works both cases. Though hampered by an old beef with an ex-colleague determined to thwart him at every turn, he is convinced he is the only one who can bring justice to the woman known as “Nightshade.” Soon, his investigation uncovers closely guarded secrets and a dark heart to the serene island that was meant to be his escape from the evils of the big city.

His Review:

Nightshade by Michael Connelly — Nightshade cover – US

Santa Catalina is a world unto itself. “Twenty-six miles across the sea…” the island was a retreat for the Wrigley family and their casino. The casino was intended to be a retreat for the wealthy from southern California but a town was built and the island populated by the wealthy and their poorer caregivers.

Automobiles are not allowed on the island. Transportation is by foot or electric golf carts. This eliminates the gas and diesel fuel smoke so plentiful on the mainland. The rich can come and disappear on the island to many campgrounds and hiding spots.

Nightshade by Michael Connelly - UK cover — Nightshade cover – UK

The idyllic beauty and the island tranquility become background when a body is found bound in chains and weighted down in the bay. The body is distinctive by the purple streak in her hair. No way to deny foul play as she has obviously been killed and dumped at sea.

A sub-plot is introduced involving one of the island’s long residents. Protagonist Detective Stilwell has his hands full with both cases. He proves to be a determined and dogged investigator and will stop at nothing until he uncovers the secrets of both.

The story has many twists and turns as everyone seems innocent but someone must have tried to destroy evidence.

C E Williams This author shares many interesting detective techniques and methods for solving the killing. The machinations of the suspects and their attempts at providing alibi are intriguing and entertaining. Enjoy! 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Book Details:

Genre: Crime Thrillers, Literary Fiction, Police Procedurals
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
ISBN-13: 978-0316588492
ASIN: B0DNDZWQ9R
Print Length: 347 pages
Publication Date: May 20, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Michael Connelly is the bestselling author of more than forty novels and one work of nonfiction. With over eighty-nine million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into forty-five foreign languages, he is one of the most successful writers working today. A former newspaper reporter who worked the crime beat at the Los Angeles Times and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Connelly has won numerous awards for his journalism and his fiction. His very first novel, The Black Echo, won the prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly’s 1998 novel, Blood Work. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of his #1 bestselling novel, The Lincoln Lawyer, hit theaters worldwide starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. His most recent New York Times bestsellers include The Waiting (2024), Resurrection Walk (2023), Desert Star (2022), The Dark Hours (2021), The Law Of Innocence (2020), Fair Warning (2020), and The Night Fire (2019). Michael is the executive producer of Bosch and Bosch: Legacy, Amazon Studios original drama series based on his bestselling character Harry Bosch, starring Titus Welliver and streaming on Amazon Prime/Amazon Freevee. He is the executive producer of The Lincoln Lawyer, streaming on Netflix, starring Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. He is also the executive producer of the documentary films, “Sound Of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story’ and ‘Tales Of the American.’ He spends his time in California and Florida.

Have a Great Sunday

Silent Creed and Reckless Creed by Alex Kava #AudiobookReviews #ActionThriller #TBT

Books 2 and 3 Ryder Creed

Audiobook Reviews - Ryder Creed Books 2 and 3

Remember back in April when I posted a review for Breaking Creed, Book 1 of the Ryder Creed series? Yes, I got hooked and vowed to listen to all eight in the series. Unfortunately, my library had only these three in audiobook format. I’d read the others if I weren’t quite so stacked up on ebooks in the TBR just waiting for attention. Needless to say, I greatly enjoyed Ryder Creed and the saga of his dog rescue, the great support characters, and the stories incorporating rescues turned service animals. Hey—it could happen and I imagined it so through these entertaining books.

I snapped up Books 2 and 3 and hardly turned off the earbuds except to charge them.

Ryder Creed – An ex-military Afghanistan veteran. He has teamed with Hannah. They rescue and train dogs from their compound in Florida. All breeds, all sizes, different jobs. A few dogs, for instance, Grace, a little Jack Russell Terrier, are multi-service and their expertise is in increasing demand.

Maggie O’Dell, a character from which this series is apparently a spin-off, is a FBI profiler. She’s smart, experienced, and wields her authority with impunity.

Silent Creed Book 2

This time Creed and his dog Bolo have been called to North Carolina to the scene of a horrific mudslide that took out a covert lab and personnel.

Maggie O’Dell continues to play a part. I appreciate that we don’t have an underlying romance thing going on here, although it’s lightly suggested (maybe it was in Book 1), that they might have a brief history. (Now they have a good reciprocal working relationship.)

This novel introduces a new veteran, Jason Seaver, dealing heavily with PTSD as well as a missing arm who settles into the rescue compound ably handled by Hannah, also an appealing and engaging character.

There is intrigue, twists, and a fast pace to the book. The conclusion ends rather abruptly—was that a cliff-hanger? Or no…not sure. 4 stars

Reckless Creed Book 3

Things turn slightly more complex when there are multiple, seemingly unrelated events that culminate in the death, explanatory or not, of several individuals. Each have their own POV ramping up engagement, emotions, and connection and then gradually—with each other.

The plot, though the book was published in 2016, is certainly topical and garners attention immediately. The suspense is palpable, the fear real. The storyline builds tension throughout. Is it terrorism?

There is always some explanation into a dog’s psyche. In this installment, info of disease transmittable from animal to human, some woven in so you don’t realize the information being digested.

Once again, the storyline culminates rather quickly, although this episode does knit in a few loose threads from Book 2, while leaving a couple new threads to chew on for Book 4. 5 stars

I do greatly enjoy the series but perhaps it is not one that you might want to jump into the middle rather than at the beginning with Book 1. I love the obvious affection that Ryder has for his dogs, each handled with respect for their individual abilities. The dogs are well developed and lovable characters. I’d prefer continuing with audiobooks, but it appears my library only has a few more of the series but in digital format.

This series began in 2014 and ended in 2023 with Ryder Creed #8. I’ll be looking for more. Each of the audiobooks was about 7+ hours published by Recorded Books and was narrated by Graham Winton who did a credible job.

If you like suspenseful doggy stories and action thrillers, you may very well appreciate these fun and entertaining books. I downloaded a copy of these audiobooks from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

The Author: ALEX KAVA is a New York Times, USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of twenty novels including the award-winning FBI Profiler Maggie O’Dell series and the critically acclaimed and now award-winning Ryder Creed K-9 Mystery series. Recently LOST CREED won the 2019 Nebraska Book Award. Her novel Stranded was awarded both a Florida Book Award and the Nebraska Book Award. One False Move was chosen for the 2006 One Book One Nebraska and her political thriller, Whitewash, was one of January Magazine’s best thrillers of the year. Published in over thirty-four countries, Kava’s novels have made the bestseller lists in the UK, Australia, Germany, Japan, Italy, and Poland.

“A TRAILBLAZER IN THE K-9 FICTION GENRE, Kava creates a “dynamic between Ryder and his canines that reveals a world rarely shared in fiction and perhaps nowhere presented more effectively than in this series.” —Phil Jason, Florida Weekly

“It’s impossible not to care about and root for the human and canine heroes in Kava’s series.” —Tracie Holtcher, The Radio Pet Lady Network ™

She is a member of the Nebraska Writers Guild and is a founding member of International Thriller Writers. Kava divides her time between Omaha, Nebraska and Pensacola, Florida with her pack of of westies.

Happy Listening!

Sincerely, Grace: The Knocknashee Series-Book 4 by Jean Grainger #BookReview #HistoricalIrishFiction

Book 4 of The Knocknashee Story

#1 Best Seller in Historical Irish Fiction

Book Blurb:

Knocknashee, County Kerry, Ireland

1941

For twenty-one-year-old Grace Fitzgerald, life is finally looking bright. Orphaned as a child and later struck down by polio, she then endured years of cold indifference at the hands of her sister Agnes. Now, with Agnes finally gone, Grace has found love with her handsome young husband and peace surrounded by friends in her home village of Knocknashee and in her ongoing friendship with the American journalist Richard Lewis.

But just as Grace begins to enjoy her hard-won freedom, a dark shadow falls, and most devastating of all, her dearest friend Tilly may be entangled in the sinister events unfolding around her.

Sincerely Grace is the fourth book in the Knocknashee Series.

My Review:

That masterful Irish storyteller is at it again with Book 4 of the Knocknashee Story now in November 1941.

Grace’s tenure as headmistress of the Knocknashee School is on very rocky grounds when Canon Rafferty is set to return.

While WWII continues to keep Richard and Jacob on this side of the pond, it also means he is sent into the fray to write stories and Jacob to take pictures. It keeps him closer to Grace when the chips are down with the Canon but also puts him and Jacob in harm’s way. Their escape and eventual return to London give both men a closer regard for Sarah and Pippa.

In the meantime, Declan, Grace’s groom has been killed in the search for men hit by a U-boat bomb. Grace becomes a widower about the time Richard (who is still unaware that Grace never got his letter of declaration) is becoming closer to Pippa.

There is conspiracy, possible espionage, and stories of the struggles of Ireland during “the Emergency” as well as interesting tidbits about the war you may not have been aware of previously. The intrigue ramps up and the tension tightens as forces still appear to be working against Richard and Grace ever becoming aware of the other’s feelings. It plays heavily on the reader’s heart since we are now fully engaged in Pippa’s character, a lovely, selfless your lady who appears to have given her heart to Richard.

Life is never dull in the village and the series continues to weave a narrative that builds connection and love to the characters.

Many thanks to the author for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Irish Fiction, Historical British & Irish Literature, Women’s Friendship Fiction
ISBN: 1917732031
ASIN: B0DT68LN2L
Print Length: 292 pages
Publication Date: April 28, 2025
Source: Author

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

The Author: Jean Grainger is a USA Today bestselling author with over 100,000 5* reviews of historical and contemporary Irish fiction. She is acclaimed for her authentic portrayal of Irish life and history. Born in Cork, she draws from her experience as a history lecturer, teacher, and tour guide to craft characters that feel like friends, and sometimes foes. Grainger’s works span multiple series and standalone novels, covering significant periods in recent Irish history, but told from the perspective of families, the humans behind the headlines. Her stories often intertwine historical events with personal journeys, exploring themes of family, friendship, and human resilience. Grainger’s writing style, characterized by its warmth and authenticity, has earned her comparisons to renowned Irish authors like Maeve Binchy. Her dedication to research and character development has resulted in a loyal readership who feel deeply connected to her stories and characters.

#TuesdayBookBlog

Parents Weekend: A Novel by Alex Finlay #BookReview #psychologicalthriller

Book Blurb:

From the bestselling author of If Something Happens to Me, comes one of the year’s most anticipated thrillers.

In the glow of their children’s exciting first year of college at a small private school in Northern California, five families gather over dinner and cocktails for the opening festivities of Parents Weekend. As the parents stay out way past their bedtimes, their kids—five residents of Campisi Hall—never show up to dinner.

At first, everyone thinks they’re just being college students, irresponsibly forgetting about the gathering or skipping out to go to a party. But as the hours tick by and another night falls with not so much as a text from the students, panic ensues. Soon the campus police call in reinforcements. Search parties are formed. Reporters swarm the small enclave. Rumors swirl and questions arise.

Libby, Blane, Mark, Felix, and Stella—The Five, as the podcasters, bloggers, and TikTok sleuths soon call them—come from very different families. What drew them out on that fateful night? Could it be the sins of their mothers and fathers come to cause them peril—or a threat to the friend group from within?

Told from each family’s point of view—and marking the return of FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller from Every Last Fear and The Night Shift—Parents Weekend explores the weight of expectation, family dysfunction, and those exhilarating first days in the dorms when friends become family.

His Review:

Parents are going to be spending a weekend with their students at Santa Clara University. There are five families with varying levels of enthusiasm waiting to join their offspring. The festivities begin but there is a problem, where are the students?

The book examines each of the families and their inter-reactions and expectations.

The event falls apart because none of the students show up at the event. At first, it is considered a college prank but then one of the students’ bodies is found drowned in a cave near the ocean. All the adults become frantic. Are the students OK?

The book is very well written but the format of the story left me flummoxed. The author presented each of the different families’ perspective and point of view. I found myself torn wanting a more consistent dialogue regarding each of the families. I was left wanting answers before a second set of family attitudes were presented.

Because there are five families with ten adults each having their own issues, I could not maintain a logical thread in my reading. Therefore, for me, the story fell through the cracks in the narrative. 4 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Psychological Thrillers, Suspense Thrillers
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ISBN: 1250360722
ASIN: B0DBVV6PMG
Print Length: 308 pages
Publication Date: May 6, 2025
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Alex Finlay is the bestselling author of several acclaimed novels, including the 2021 breakout EVERY LAST FEAR, the 2022 GoodReads Choice nominee for Best Mystery & Thriller, THE NIGHT SHIFT, the 2023 LibraryReads Hall of Fame recipient, WHAT HAVE WE DONE, and his latest 2024 release, USA TODAY bestseller, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME. His novels regularly appear on best-of-the-year lists and have been translated into twenty-four languages and are sold around the world. Alex’s books are optioned for film and television, and EVERY LAST FEAR is in development for a major series. Alex lives in Washington, DC and Virginia, where he is at work on his next novel.

Have a Great Sunday

Book graphic banner by Canva.com AI

Rosepoint Reviews – April Recap – May Day? Already?

Rosepoint Reviews - April Recap

You’ve all heard it…”the best laid plans”…blah, blah, blah

Sorta of what happened with my April which blew by me with our new, not necessarily improved, weekly schedule. Perhaps I can lay it at the feet of the “Y” schedule we’ve adopted. I mentioned last month joining the recreational facility and discovering all kinds of exercise (and social) opportunities, many for us seniors.

Suffice to say, we’ve settled into a “senior (exercise) circuit” (Tuesday), machine circuit and indoor cycling (for me), rowing (for the CE) on Wednesday, and Tai Chi on Thursday. (There are also yoga classes, but in studying the benefits of both, decided that the former was the better choice for our age and goals (balance, whole body). With traveling there and back and incurring ravenous appetites, the remaining available time on those days is limited.

Needless to say, no spring cleaning started, no veggie or flower starts.

Okay, new spring plans: I’ve decided to take a blogging sabbatical. I’ve talked about decreasing the number of posts, either it hasn’t happened or didn’t make a significant difference to my schedule. Blogging does appear to be a full-time job—and I’ve retired twice already. So…

Beginning May 11, I’ll be concentrating on home projects, including said spring cleaning and gardens until May 22. May 14 will mark my first attendance to the “Y” Book Club. National Rescue Dog Day occurs on May 20^th and I hope to acknowledge Punkin that day. May 8^th marks nineteen months with us.

Guess I pretty much stuck to status quo as we read and reviewed twelve books in April.

Of the twelve, six were audiobooks. I got into gothic horror and magical paranormal in April, sampled new authors (to me) as well as favorites and discovered two new K-9 series, both of which I enjoyed, one I’ll continue.

I source many titles through my library, a few in NetGalley, as well as author and publisher requests. As always, the links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase information.

Rosepoint Reviews - April Recap

Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman (audiobook)
Murder in Galway by Carlene O’Connor (CE review-#begorrathon25)
Watchers by Dean Koontz (5*)
The Neon Rain by James Lee Burke (audiobook)
The Cartagena Cartel by T C Roberts (CE review)
A Lesson in Dying by Ann Cleeves
Accidental Magic by Iris Beaglehole (audiobook)
The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths (audiobook)
Chasing Justice by Kathleen Donnelly
The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue (audiobook)
Breaking Creed by Alex Kava (audiobook)
Hunting the Truth by Kathleen Donnelly

Favorite Book of the Month

One five-star review for April? Hard to believe, especially since the CE read and reviewed two. Still, even with just a few little credibility problems, I have to name Watchers as my favorite for the month. Hey, it’s a story about a dog. Not just any dog. This is a special—very, very special, lab dog. Could mean Labrador, but in this case (remember who is the author), the dog named Einstein is a laboratory dog. Okay, I’m easily entertained, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great characters, both human and canine. Fast-paced, hard to put down. It’s an old one but a good one.

Favorite for April – Watchers by Dean Koontz

My Reading Challenges page…Okay, don’t faint. I’ve caught up the Reading Challenges page. Dang, I’m proud of myself! And I really hope you’ll check it out if for no other reason than to note my latest counts.

But here’s a conundrum: My Goodreads landing page shows the 2025 Reading Challenge at 63 books completed of the goal of 150 (changed up from 125). But when I go to copy the latest widget HTML to update my blog, it notes a count of 53. Ten difference? How did that happen?

Welcome to my new subscribers! I hope you found a book or two that appealed to you and I always appreciate suggestions! Have a beautiful May!

Have a good week!

Hunting the Truth by Kathleen Donnelly #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

National Forest K-9 Book #2

Book Blurb:

“Hide, Maya. Don’t let the bad people find you.”

Those are the last words Forest Service law enforcement officer and K-9 handler Maya Thompson ever heard her mother say.

Returning to the Colorado mountains, ex-soldier Maya is no longer a scared little girl. She’s here to investigate her mother’s cold case, but fear creeps in when it comes to her personal life—things are getting serious with sheriff deputy Josh Colten.

After new DNA evidence surfaces, both her beloved grandfather and Josh warn her away from the case, suspecting that she could be the next victim. But Maya doesn’t listen.

Instead, Maya and her K-9 partner, Juniper, track a suspect deep into the forest and directly into grave danger…

My Review:

I read and reviewed Chasing Justice recently and greatly enjoyed Book 1 of the series which introduced the Malinois Justice and main character Maya with the projected romance character Josh.

Maya is ex-military and has issues connected with her service. Josh has his own issues given his previous involvement in the Chicago Police Department. He’s the new deputy in town and quickly caught the eye of everyone including Maya, who tries hard not to act on the tension between them.

Maya is a US Forest Service Law Enforcement officer for the Pino Grande National Forest in Colorado. Maya begins to dig deep into the deaths of her mother and grandmother, their cases never solved. As Maya digs deeper into those cases, however, secrets begin to surface that scar.

Pops, her grandfather is prominently featured as well as Juniper, and the atmospheric description of the forested areas of Colorado is a beautiful character as well, lending mystery to searches.

I enjoy the explanation of training techniques, the special qualities attributed to the breed, and the strong bond that is developed between the two. Fortunately, the storyline weaves canine details and twists into the plot and the pacing is fairly even.

The romance angle between the two, Maya and Josh, tends to overshadow the main thrust of the narrative which is brought up short by the intrusion of Juniper. Finally, it just gets a bit heavy on the romance for me. While I’d intended to read the series, I’m now backing off that plan.

Still, for most that enjoy romance in their books, and specifically in this one, police romance, then this novel coupled with an amazing dog should add even more spice to pique your interest.

Many thanks to my favorite fully stocked library that provided the ebook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars 4 stars

Book Details:

Genre: Police Romance eBooks, Animal Fiction
Publisher: Carina Press
ASIN: B0B72FJLHJ
Print Length: 324 pages
Publication Date: September 26, 2023
Source: Local Library

Title Links:

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Award-winning author, Kathleen Donnelly is a handler for a private narcotics K-9 detection company. She enjoys using her experience to craft realism into her fictional stories. Kathleen loves the beauty of the mountains, which inspired her choice of setting for her series. She lives near the Colorado foothills with her husband and her four-legged co-workers. Visit Kathleen on her website at http://www.kathleendonnelly.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/AuthorKathleenDonnelly/, follow her on Twitter @KatK9writer or find her on Instagram @authorkathleendonnelly.