State of the Stack #105 (Feb. 28, 2021)

This is my monthly post which details progress made on review books. I want to thank the authors and publishers who have contributed their books. 

Read This Month 

1. Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay (Feb. 23)
2. Heartbreak Bay by Rachel Caine (March 2)
3. The Windsor Knot by SJ Bennett (March 3)
4. The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst (March 6)
5. Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg (March 9)

Read Previously But Posted This Month 

1. Hide in Place by Emilya Naymark (Feb. 2)
2. The Iron Raven by Julie Kagawa (Feb. 3)
3. Rafael by Laurell K. Hamilton (Feb. 4)
4. A Lady's Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett (Feb. 6)
5. The Russian Cage by Charlaine Harris (Feb. 16)
6. Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh (Feb. 17)
7. Dragonfly Girl by Marti Leimbach (Feb. 18)
8. An Unexpected Peril by Deanna Raybourn (Feb. 25)

New This Month 

1. Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley (March 16)
2. A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan (May 11)
3. Cajun Kiss of Death by Ellen Byron (August 10)
4. Thief of Souls by Brian Klingborg (May 4)
5. Legacy by Nora Roberts (May 25)

All TBR Review Books

March

• Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley (March 16)
• The Lost Village by Camilla Sten (March 23)

April

• The Murder Game by Carrie Doyle (April 6)
• Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price (April 6)
• Animal Instinct by David Rosenfelt (April 6)

• Phantoms & Felonies by Lucy Ness (April 6)
• A Wicked Conceit by Anna Lee Huber (April 6)
• The Sign of Death by Callie Hutton (April 13)

• The Unkindness of Ravens by M. E. Hilliard (April 13)
• All That Fall by Kris Calvin (April 13)

May

• The Lady Has a Past by Amanda Quick (May 4)
• Thief of Souls by Brian Klingborg (May 4)

• The Last Scoop by R. G. Belsky (May 5)
• City of Dark Corners by Jon Talton (May 11)
• A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan (May 11)

• Undercover Wolf by Paige Tyler (May 25)
• Legacy by Nora Roberts (May 25)

June

• Death in Daylesford by Kerry Greenwood (June 1)
• Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert (June 8)

• A Dark and Secret Place by Jen Williams (June 8)
• The Art of Betrayal by Connie Berry (June 8)
• Bones of Hilo by Eric Redman (June 8)

• Ruby Red Herring by Tracy Gardner (June 8)
• The Keepers by Jeffrey B. Burton (June 29)

July

• Back from the Brink by Emery Hayes (July 13)
• Silence in the Library by Katharine Schellman (July 13)

August

• Bad Scene by Max Tomlinson (August 3)
• Cajun Kiss of Death by Ellen Byron (August 10)

Book Review: Blood Ties by Kay Hooper

Blood Ties
Author: Kay Hooper
Series: A Bishop/SCU Novel Book 12
Publication: Bantam (January 22, 2010)

Description: New York Times bestselling author Kay Hooper takes us to the outer reaches of fear in Blood Ties, as the Special Crimes Unit is targeted by a monster intent on destroying both Noah Bishop and his people.

A series of grisly murders has left a trail of blood across three states, bringing the Special Crimes Unit to a small Tennessee town. There, two more brutal killings lure Noah Bishop and the SCU into what may be the ultimate trap, and lead Special Agent Hollis Templeton into a dangerous attraction—and a serial murder investigation that turns very, very personal. In her time with the SCU, Hollis has shown an uncanny ability to survive even the deadliest attacks. But what she can’t know is that this killer intends to destroy the team from within. As the body count climbs, and Bishop and his agents race to uncover the true identity of their enemy, not even their special senses can warn them just how bloody, and how terrifyingly close, the truth will be.

My Thoughts: This is the 12th book in the Bishop/SCU series and drops the reader right in the middle of the action. SCU Agents Miranda Bishop, Quentin Hayes, Hollis Templeton, Diana Brisco and Reese DeMarco are called in when a tortured body is discovered on a running trail. They were already in the area looking at some other victims of a serial killer.

While investigating they discover still another body. This one is a young woman who was tortured and then hidden quite a ways off the trail. While investigating this second body, a sniper takes aim at them and barely misses Hollis. 

More of the SCU and other FBI officers are called in along with local sheriff departments and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the bodies keep piling up. The torturer and the sniper both kill again and again. The SCU team begins to feel that they were lured to this location but they aren't sure why. They know that SCU has a powerful and secret enemy who is finally uncovered in this episode.

What is most intriguing to me in this story is that all of the members of SCU have various psychic abilities and that some of their psychic abilities are growing and changing because of events in a previous book in this long-running series. In fact, the villains in this series are also disciples of a villain dealt with in an earlier book. 

This story also has some romance but that certainly isn't the focus of the book. Hollis is developing a relationship with Reese and Quentin and Diana are taking their romance to a new level. The focus seems to be on uncovering this hidden enemy and learning more about their own psychic powers.

I enjoyed this story which had been sitting on my TBR mountain for more than ten years. I know that I read some of the other books in this series before 2008 but certainly didn't remember any details about them. Yet I didn't feel lost or confused while reading this book. I was swept into the action and intrigued by the various psychic powers and relationships among the characters. 

Favorite Quote:

Diana interrupted the speculation to say wryly, "Guys? Sniper? Possible bomb? I mean, I know I'm new at this sort of thing, but doesn't a bad guy in the flesh take precedence over a helpful spirit? If we're speculating?"

I bought this one April, 16, 2010. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Blood Ties by Kay Hooper

 Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

Case Edgerton ran along the narrow trail, aware of his burning legs but concentrating on his breathing. The last mile was always the hardest, especially on his weekly trail run, Easier to just zone out and run when he was on the track or in his neighborhood park; this kind of running, with its uneven terrain and various hazards, required real concentration.

Friday 56:

Maybe it was the case itself, twisted and depressing as serial-murder investigations tend to be. With little evidence and few leads, she had the hollow feeling they were pretty much chasing their own tails, waiting for a break in the case that might never happen, while viciously murdered and tortured victims were being cast aside like garbage and contemptuously left for them to find.

This week I'm spotlighting Blood Ties by Kay Hooper which has been on my TBR mountain since April 16, 2010. This is the twelfth book in a series but I'm pretty sure that each one is independent enough that I don't have to have read them all in order. I'll see.

Here is the description from Amazon:

New York Times bestselling author Kay Hooper takes us to the outer reaches of fear in Blood Ties, as the Special Crimes Unit is targeted by a monster intent on destroying both Noah Bishop and his people.

A series of grisly murders has left a trail of blood across three states, bringing the Special Crimes Unit to a small Tennessee town. There, two more brutal killings lure Noah Bishop and the SCU into what may be the ultimate trap, and lead Special Agent Hollis Templeton into a dangerous attraction—and a serial murder investigation that turns very, very personal. In her time with the SCU, Hollis has shown an uncanny ability to survive even the deadliest attacks. But what she can’t know is that this killer intends to destroy the team from within. As the body count climbs, and Bishop and his agents race to uncover the true identity of their enemy, not even their special senses can warn them just how bloody, and how terrifyingly close, the truth will be.

ARC Review: An Unexpected Peril by Deanna Raybourn

An Unexpected Peril

Author: Deanna Raybourn
Series: Veronica Speedwell (Book 6)
Publication: Berkley (March 2, 2021)

Description: A princess is missing and a peace treaty is on the verge of collapse in this new Veronica Speedwell adventure from the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

January 1889. As the newest member of the Curiosity Club--an elite society of brilliant, intrepid women--Veronica Speedwell is excited to put her many skills to good use. As she assembles a memorial exhibition for pioneering mountain climber Alice Baker-Greene, Veronica discovers evidence that the recent death was not a tragic climbing accident but murder. Veronica and her natural historian beau, Stoker, tell the patron of the exhibit, Princess Gisela of Alpenwald, of their findings. With Europe on the verge of war, Gisela's chancellor, Count von Rechstein, does not want to make waves--and before Veronica and Stoker can figure out their next move, the princess disappears.

Having noted Veronica's resemblance to the princess, von Rechstein begs her to pose as Gisela for the sake of the peace treaty that brought the princess to England. Veronica reluctantly agrees to the scheme. She and Stoker must work together to keep the treaty intact while navigating unwelcome advances, assassination attempts, and Veronica's own family--the royalty who has never claimed her.

My Thoughts: This sixth Veronica Speedwell adventure has Veronica and Stoker settled in London and working on their relationship. This isn't an unmixed blessing for Veronica since she greatly misses the adventures she had while traveling around the world hunting for butterflies. She and Stoker have different relationship goals too. Veronica is absolutely opposed to marrying Stoker which makes sense when considering her need for freedom and the restrictive rules for married women.

Veronica and Stoker are working on an exhibition at Veronica's Curiosity Club which commemorates the life and legacy of Alpinist Alice Baker-Greene who lost her life in a climb in the tiny principality of Alpenwald. While setting up the exhibit, they discover clues that might lead to the conclusion the Baker-Greene's death was not a tragic accident but was actually murder. Well, Veronica jumps to that conclusion with Stoker being more reluctant. 

Veronica begins her investigation but she is being thwarted by the Alpenwald government which doesn't want the bad publicity for their country and who are trying to secretly sign a treaty that will help them survive the political ambitions of Kaiser Wilhelm. Things get even more complicated when the ruling princess goes missing during her visit to London. Luckily, Veronica and the princess bear a strong resemblance to each other which isn't too surprising since they had a common ancestor from the British Royal Family. 

As Veronica impersonates the missing princess, she has ample opportunity for she and Stoker to look into the possibility the Baker-Greene was murdered. Of course, there are also ample opportunities for those who don't want the mystery solved to try to to discourage them with things like poisoned chocolates and bombs. 

I enjoyed this historical mystery and really like Veronica's viewpoint. I like the way the romance is progressing with Stoker. I liked seeing other characters from earlier books in the series like J. J. Butterworth and pastry chef Julien d'Orlande. The delicacies he presented to the princess made my mouth water. 

Fans of historical mysteries and fans of Veronica Speedwell with be eager to follow all the twists and turns as she unravels all the clues and solves the case. 

Favorite Quote:

"You are not among the good that has happened to me. You are the best of all that I have known. You are what I searched for when I left that house and wandered this earth, boy and man. You are part of myself I never thought to find because I did not even dare to dream you existed. You are all that I want and more than I deserve, and I will go to my grave thanking a god in whom I do not believe for bringing me to you."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. You can buy your copy here.

Book and Audio Review: Lies by Kylie Scott

Lies
Author: Kylie Scott
Narrator: Andi Arndt
Publication: Kylie Scott (July 21, 2019)
Length: 242 p.; 6 hours and 22 minutes

Description: Betty Dawsey knows that breaking things off with Thom Lange is for the best. He’s nice, but boring, and their relationship has lost its spark. But steady and predictable Thom, suddenly doesn’t seem so steady and predictable when their condo explodes and she’s kidnapped by a couple of crazies claiming that Thom isn’t who he says he is.

Thom is having a hellish week. Not only is he hunting a double agent, but his fiancé dumped him, and thanks to his undercover life, she’s been kidnapped.

Turns out Thom is Operative Thom and he’s got more than a few secrets to share with Betty if he’s going to keep her alive. With both their lives on the line, their lackluster connection is suddenly replaced by an intense one. But in his line of work, feelings aren’t wanted or desired. Because feelings can be a lethal distraction.

My Thoughts: Betty Dawsey is moving out of the condo she shared with Thom because she doesn't feel their relationship is working. He doesn't prioritize time with her and he's sort of boring. but then the condo explodes, she's kidnapped and her picture of Thom changes drastically.

Thom has been living a double life. He's an operative for a secret organization when he isn't acting as Betty's mild-mannered fiancé. But rescuing her from her kidnappers forces him to let Betty into his secret life. This really isn't a good time. Someone is hunting and killing the operatives in his organization and it looks like there is a traitor in their ranks.

Betty and Thom go on the run both to keep Betty safe and for Thom to find the traitors. Along the way, Betty gets a good look at the real Thom and discovers that he is not at all boring. In fact, she falls in love with him -- after she gets over the fact that he's been lying to her for the whole of their relationship.

The story had a nice helping or romance and was rather spicy. The suspense part of the story was also fast-paced and exciting. The narrator did a good job with the voices and the pacing of the story.

Favorite Quote:

"Good job--you just mildly inconvenienced the enemy. Try again and actually hit him this time."

"You're not being very supportive."

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay

Every Last Fear
Author: Alex Finlay
Publication: Minotaur Books; 1st edition (March 2, 2021)

Description: In one of the year’s most anticipated debut psychological thrillers, a family made infamous by a true crime documentary is found dead, leaving their surviving son to uncover the truth about their final days.

“They found the bodies on a Tuesday.” So begins this twisty and breathtaking novel that traces the fate of the Pine family, a thriller that will both leave you on the edge of your seat and move you to tears.

After a late night of partying, NYU student Matt Pine returns to his dorm room to devastating news: nearly his entire family―his mom, his dad, his little brother and sister―have been found dead from an apparent gas leak while vacationing in Mexico. The local police claim it was an accident, but the FBI and State Department seem far less certain―and they won’t tell Matt why.

The tragedy makes headlines everywhere because this isn’t the first time the Pine family has been thrust into the media spotlight. Matt’s older brother, Danny―currently serving a life sentence for the murder of his teenage girlfriend Charlotte―was the subject of a viral true crime documentary suggesting that Danny was wrongfully convicted. Though the country has rallied behind Danny, Matt holds a secret about his brother that he’s never told anyone: the night Charlotte was killed Matt saw something that makes him believe his brother is guilty of the crime.

When Matt returns to his small hometown to bury his parents and siblings, he’s faced with a hostile community that was villainized by the documentary, a frenzied media, and memories he’d hoped to leave behind forever. Now, as the deaths in Mexico appear increasingly suspicious and connected to Danny’s case, Matt must unearth the truth behind the crime that sent his brother to prison―putting his own life in peril―and forcing him to confront his every last fear.

Told through multiple points-of-view and alternating between past and present, Alex Finlay's Every Last Fear is not only a page-turning thriller, it’s also a poignant story about a family managing heartbreak and tragedy, and living through a fame they never wanted.

My Thoughts: This massively engaging thriller tells the story of a family torn apart when their teenage son is accused of murdering his girlfriend, railroaded into a false confession, and imprisoned for life. 

The story begins with death when the bodies of Evan Pine, his wife Liv, his teenage daughter Maggie, and six-year-old son Tommy are found in a rental house in Tulum, Mexico. Special Agent Sarah Keller is tasked with notifying Matt Pine who is a senior at NYC studying filmmaking that his whole family - excepting his imprisoned brother Danny - is dead. 

Matt had been estranged from his father for some months because he couldn't deal with his father's obsession with trying to follow every clue and tap every source to prove that Danny wasn't the murderer. Danny's case had become Evan's preoccupation to the point that he had even lost his job.

Sarah Keller gets involved because her specialty is financial crimes and Evan was recently fired from a firm that is suspected of having ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. Sarah wanted to interview him about her case. 

The story is also told in flashbacks from multiple points of view. While Matt and Sarah's sections are told in the present, we also see Evan, Liv, and Maggie's points of view in the time leading up to their deaths. Also interspersed through the story are excerpts from the documentary that publicized Danny's case and, while it brought attention and offers of help for Danny, it made it impossible for the family to continue living in their Nebraska small town because of harassment from other locals. 

The tension builds and builds as the clues to what really happened the night Danny was supposed to 

have murdered his girlfriend Charlotte and what someone will do to cover up the crime are gradually revealed to the reader. 

I loved getting to know the characters and learning all the backstory. I couldn't put the book down.

Favorite Quote:

You have two choices when you're confronted with your every last fear.

Give up or fight like hell.

And I'm going to fight until my last breath for Danny, for Liv, for Matt, for Maggie, for Tommy–for Charlotte–to uncover the truth.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Feb. 22, 2021)

 It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup.

Other Than Reading... 

This was a fun week of rereading and listening to some of a favorite author's backlist since it was too cold to go out and do anything. I decided I wanted to continue the futuristic romance series I began last week. So I added a bunch of them to my Audible library. Then I found out about a Valentine's Day special at Audible and got quite a few audiobooks for $5 each. In some cases, I already had the Kindle. In a few, I will just have the audiobook. I have lots of listening ahead of me even though I've already consumed six of my new titles.

I had my annual mammogram this week and am good now for another year. I also had a Covid-19 test in preparation for this coming week's colonoscopy. I chose the saliva test since I wasn't eager to have a swab stuck up my nose! I hope I find out the results before I get too deep into the colonoscopy prep since I don't want to have to reschedule and go through all the prep again. 

Since I was out and about, I got my first haircut since Feb. 22, 2020. It's nice to have less hair to get in my way. I went to a new hairdresser and let her choose what she thought would work for my fine hair. I think I'll go back to Great Clips when I need it cut again since I can go there three times for the same cost as one visit to the new hairdresser. 

I also have my annual wellness visit with my Primary Care doctor this week and have to chauffeur my brother to a follow-up eye doctor's appointment. Luckily, our cold snap is over and temperatures are more normal for this time of the year. I will be eager for the week to be over though since I'm not a big fan of all this hustle and bustle.

Read Last Week

If you can't wait until the review shows up on my blog, reviews are posted to LibraryThing and Goodreads as soon as I write them (usually right after I finish reading a book.)

• Obsidian Prey by Jayne Castle (Kindle and audiobook) - This is another in the author's series of futuristic romantic suspense with lots of paranormal powers and dust bunnies. I reviewed it on Goodreads and LibraryThing since this is a reread for me.
• Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz (Kindle and audiobook) - This is contemporary romantic suspense with paranormal powers and the first in the Burning Lamp trilogy. I reviewed it on Goodreads and LibraryThing since this is a reread for me.

• Burning Lamp by Amanda Quick (Kindle and audiobook) - This is the second in the Burning Lamp trilogy. I reviewed it on Goodreads and LibraryThing since this is a reread for me. 
• Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle (Kindle and audiobook) - This is the third in the Burning Lamp trilogy. I reviewed it on Goodreads and LibraryThing since this is a reread for me.
• Canyons of Night by Jayne Castle (Kindle and Audiobook) - This is another in the author's series of futuristic romantic suspense with lots of paranormal powers and dust bunnies. I reviewed it on Goodreads and LibraryThing since this is a reread for me.

• The Lost Night by Jayne Castle (Kindle and Audiobook) - This is the first in the author's Rainshadow trilogy. It is futuristic romantic suspense with paranormal talents. It was a fun story. I read it years ago and won't be reviewing it except on LibraryThing and Goodreads.
• Deception Cove by Jayne Castle (Kindle and Audiobook) - This is the second in the Rainshadow trilogy. Like the first, I reviewed it on LibraryThing and Goodreads but not on this blog. 

Currently

• The Hot Zone by Jayne Ann Krentz (Kindle and Audiobook)
• The Bone Maker by Sarah Beth Durst (review; March 9)

Next Week

• Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg (review; March 9)
• Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley (review; March 16)
• Deal with the Devil by Kit Rocha (Kindle)

• The Lost Village by Camilla Sten (review; March 23)
• Minimum Wage Magic by Rachel Aaron (audiobook)
• The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix (Kindle)

Reviews Posted

• Run, Hide, Fight Back by April Henry (Audiobook)
• Dragonfly Girl by Marti Leimbach (review)

• The Russian Cage by Charlaine Harris (review)
• Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh (review)

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Review:

• Thief of Souls by Brian Klingborg (May 4)

Bought:

• The Body from the Past by Judi Lynn (Kindle and Audiobook)
• A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green (Kindle)
• The Target by Catherine Coulter (Kindle and Audiobook)

• The Hot Zone by Jayne Castle (Kindle and Audiobook)
• Siren's Call by Jayne Castle (Audiobook)

• Amaryllis by Jayne Castle (Kindle and Audiobook) - I have a paperback on my Keeper's Shelf.
• Zinnia by Jayne Castle (Kindle and Audiobook) - I have a paperback on my Keeper's Shelf.
• Orchid by Jayne Castle (Kindle and Audiobook) - I have a paperback on my Keeper's Shelf.

• Trust Me by Jayne Ann Krentz (Kindle and Audiobook) - I already have the Kindle. This will be a reread.
• Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz (Audiobook) - I already have the Kindle.
• The Obsession by Nora Roberts (Audiobook) - I already have the Kindle. This will be a reread.

• Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (Audiobook) - I already have the Kindle.
• The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean (Audiobook)

Bought and Already Read:

• Fired Up by Jayne Ann Krentz (Kindle and Audiobook)
• Burning Lamp by Amanda Quick (Kindle and Audiobook)
• Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle (Kindle and Audiobook)

• Canyon of Night by Jayne Castle (Kindle and audiobook)
• The Lost Night by Jayne Castle (Kindle and Audiobook)
• Deception Cove by Jayne Castle (Kindle and Audiobook)

What was your week like?

Book and Audio Review: Run, Hide, Fight Back by April Henry

Run, Hide, Fight Back
Author: April Henry
Narrator: Amy McFadden
Publication: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (August 27, 2019)
Length: 248 p.; 5 hours and 15 minutes

Description: Six teens must band together to survive after a shooting breaks out in this high-stakes thriller by New York Times-bestselling author April Henry.

When a deadly shooting breaks out in a Portland shopping mall, a diverse group of teens ends up trapped behind a store’s security shutter. To her own surprise, seventeen-year-old Miranda finds the others looking to her as their leader. But she’s hiding a big secret—and she’s not the only one. The group has only three choices: Run, hide, or fight back. The wrong decision will have fatal consequences.

In her masterful style, April Henry crafts an unrelenting thriller with empowering teen heroes. For fans of the breakout YA mysteries This Is Where It Ends and One of Us Is Lying.

My Thoughts: Six random teens are caught near the Fairgate Mall's Food Court when the shooting starts. They need to work together when domestic terrorists begin killing people. 

Miranda Nash was in the Mall shoplifting to support her Oxy habit. Javier Ramirez was working cleaning the tables. He's an undocumented alien. Amina Abdi was working at Culpepper's. She's Muslim, American by birth, and wears a hijab. Grace Busby is there with her mother who is among the first to be shot. Grace and her mother were fleeing to Mexico for medical treatment for Grace's lymphoma. Parker Gray was there hanging out on a day off school and loosely supervising his 7-year-old sister. Cole Bond is also there and keeps thinking that the whole thing is a like a video game that couldn't be real. 

While Miranda, Grace, Javier, and Cole take shelter in the storage room of Culpepper's, Parker is too busy looking for his little sister Moxie and is rounded up by the terrorists. 

Interspersed with accounts from the teens are 911 calls and other information about what is happening outside the Mall including a truck hijacking of a truck carrying gold and silver on its way to jewelers. 

The story was very intense. The narrator did a great job keeping the tension high as the kids need to decide if they will run, hide, or fight back. I liked that we got to know the characters and get some idea of their motives and states of mind as they dealt with this terrible occurrence. 

I did a combination read/listen with this one. I listened to the first two-thirds of the story and then switched to reading so that I could find out what happened more quickly. 

Favorite Quote:

"I'm just thinking about you. What if things go wrong? What if we never get out of here?" He reaches down and takes her hand. "You've been fighting so hard to live. You don't want to throw that away."

She shakes her head. "You, of all people, should know there are no guarantees. And if we don't fight back, then who will?"

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Run, Hide, Fight Back by April Henry

 Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

When the shooting begins, among the dozens of people near Fairgate Mall's food court are six teenagers: Miranda Nash, Cole Bond, Javier Ramirez, Parker Gray, Amina Abdi, and Grace Busby.

The only thing they have in common is that they all want to live. But not all of them will survive.

Friday 56: 

Miranda helps him lift his feet onto the chair. All the moving around has loosened the makeshift bandage. "I'm going to tighten this," she says, taking the ends of the sleeves.

This week I am spotlighting Run, Hide, Fight Back by April Henry which was a recent Kindle Daily Deal. Here is the description from Amazon:

Six teens must band together to survive after a shooting breaks out in this high-stakes thriller by New York Times-bestselling author April Henry.

When a deadly shooting breaks out in a Portland shopping mall, a diverse group of teens ends up trapped behind a store’s security shutter. To her own surprise, seventeen-year-old Miranda finds the others looking to her as their leader. But she’s hiding a big secret—and she’s not the only one. The group has only three choices: Run, hide, or fight back. The wrong decision will have fatal consequences.

In her masterful style, April Henry crafts an unrelenting thriller with empowering teen heroes. For fans of the breakout YA mysteries This Is Where It Ends and One of Us Is Lying.

ARC Review: Dragonfly Girl by Marti Leimbach

Dragonfly Girl
Author: Marti Leimbach
Publication: Katherine Tegen Books (February 23, 2021)

Description: In this spellbinding thriller and YA debut from bestselling author Marti Leimbach, Kira Adams has discovered a cure for death—and it may just cost her life.

Things aren’t going well for Kira. At home, she cares for her mother and fends off debt collectors. At school, she’s awkward and shy. Plus, she may flunk out if she doesn’t stop obsessing about science, her passion and the one thing she’s good at . . . very good at.

When she wins a prestigious science contest she draws the attention of the celebrated professor Dr. Gregory Munn (as well as his handsome assistant), leading to a part-time job in a top-secret laboratory. 

The job is mostly cleaning floors and equipment, but one night, while running her own experiment, she revives a lab rat that has died in her care. 

One minute it is dead, the next it is not.

Suddenly she’s the remarkable wunderkind, the girl who can bring back the dead. Everything is going her way. But it turns out that science can be a dangerous business, and Kira is swept up into a world of international rivalry with dark forces that threaten her life. 

My Thoughts: Kira Adams is a High School Junior and a scientific genius. She is also the main caretaker for her mother who has cancer. They are deeply in debt to the local loan shark. But Kira has taken to entering scientific contests which offer cash prizes to supplement the family income. 

Things change a lot when she wins a very prestigious contest which requires her to travel from her home in California to Stockholm, Sweden, to pick up her prize. The only problem is that she has entered the contest fraudulently. One of the requirements is that she bas a Ph.D. that she earned no more than a year earlier. She didn't lie; she left the line indicating when and where she got her Ph.D. blank. But another of the award winners is suspicious and really causes her trouble. 

However, she has done her own research and has written a brilliant paper which draws the attention of Dr. Gregory Munn who runs a prestigious lab in Oakland which is near her home. He offers her a job working in his lab. Unfortunately, her supervisor is the same jerk who caused her problems in Stockholm and who seems determined to teach her nothing and force her to quit. Luckily, she does make friends with some of the other scientists and she also finds a home that fits her much better than trying to fit in at her High School.

When she discovers a procedure that brings a rat back to life, she quickly learns that science can be a cutthroat sort of game. Everyone wants her discovery. She's kidnapped along with her nemesis Will and taken to Russia where she is forced to share her procedure and pressured to join a rich man's stable of young scientific geniuses. Until she manages to escape...

This was an exciting thriller. filled with all kinds of action and lots of tension. I really liked Kira in all her brilliance and social awkwardness. The story had a nice group of supporting characters including her best-and-only friend Lauren and the many young scientists at Dr. Munn's lab. 

Favorite Quote:

"Why is everything you own black?"

"Because they haven't come up with a darker color?"

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. You can buy your copy here.