Library Mini Reviews: We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter & Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop

 

We are All Guilty Here (North Falls #1) by Karin Slaughter

Publication Date: August 12th 2025 by Harper Audio

Pages: 439

Audio Book Length: 16hrs 33min

Narrator: Kathleen Early

Source: Purchased

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Karin Slaughter did it again! One of my favorites of 2025! I was completely riveted by the story and stayed up well into the night to finish!

I noticed something that made one twist not completely surprising, but I like it when an author writes in clues for the audience to notice so you sort of feel like you're solving the case with the detectives. Another twist I should've picked up on, but was totally surprised! I wonder how it'll factor in the coming books!

I've read reviews that this was a gritty read, which always makes me hesitate, so I wanted to point out that yes, the subject matter/crimes are disturbing, but none of the violence takes place on the page. It's referred to or after the fact. I hope that makes sense. If I would've known that I would've read this sooner.

I listened to the audio version narrated by Kathleen Early. Her performance was fantastic as usual! She also narrates KS's Will Trent series. A definite recommend!

5 Stars

Turns of Fate (Isle of Wyrd #1) by Anne Bishop

Publication Date: August 12th 2025 by Penguin Audio

Pages: 511

Audio Book Length: 17hrs 45min

Narrator: Jesse Vilinsky

Source: Library

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed Turns of Fate! Fans of Bishop’s The Others’ series will find it similar in tone with the Arcana (magical creatures) and humans co-existing but not always getting along ending with some severe consequences.

 

Beth Fahey, a police officer is assigned to the precinct closest to Destiny Park/Island and right away has an easier relationship with the Arcana. It doesn’t go well for humans causing trouble there.

 

The Arcana often help humans at risk from other humans, endearing me to them right away. You can’t help but cheer them on when the meet out justice to some of these awful people! There’s several POVs and story threads, each gripping and suspenseful at times as I worried for the character and the dangers they faced!

 

The story was over 500 pages (17 hrs 45 min audiobook length) but I breezed right through in two days, the story grabbed my attention, and I needed to know how it’d all turn out! I’m eager for the next installment!

 

I listened at 1.75x normal speed and enjoyed Jesse Vilinsky’s performance! She did well with the many characters, a range of ages and a few accents!

4.5 Stars

Review: The Friendship Pact by Jill Shalvis

The Friendship Pact (Sunrise Cove #2) by Jill Shalvis

Publication Date: June 14th 2022 by William Morrow

Pages: 384

Source: Publisher & Purchased Audiobook

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Tae was raised by her teenage mother and the two of them barely scraped by growing up. They’re so close in age they’re each other’s best friend and rely heavily on each other. A little too heavily, at first. Tae is finally getting some financial stability running her event planning business, and her biggest client’s partner, Riggs Copeland is a fling from high school, one she’s never forgotten.

Working together unearths buried feelings, instant sexual tension brewing between them. They had a playful relationship with Tae throwing barbs, and Riggs catching them flirtatiously. They want to keep things as friends only, thus their “friendship pact” but as this is a romance I knew their resolve wouldn’t last. They get along so well, which is how they ended up together in the past, so when Tae and Riggs face some tough choices and ghosts from the past they’re there for each other for support and a listening ear. Soon, the attraction simmering between them is too much to pass up! They’re passionate together, their romance full of chemistry even before they got physical, however they have to sort out what exactly this means for their future.

I was a little miffed at Tae’s mom, April, for her secrets and for meddling in Tae’s romantic life, but it did come from a place of love, so it was easy to forgive. Especially since April saw the error of her ways.

The secondary characters were quirky and fun, full of heart. I love how Jill Shalvis brought the beautiful mountain setting of Lake Tahoe to life, making me feel like I was visiting right along with the characters!

4 Stars

Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis returns to Sunrise Cove with a powerful, moving story about a young woman on a quest to find the truth about her father who learns the meaning of true love along the way.

Alone in the world, Tae Holmes and her mother April pretty much raised each other, but as Tae starts asking questions about the father she's never met, April, for the first time in her life, goes silent. To make matters worse, Tae is dangerously close to broke and just manages to avoid financial meltdown when she lands a shiny new contract with an adventure company for athletes with disabilities and wounded warriors.

Her first big fundraiser event falls flat, but what starts out as a terrible, horrible, no-good night turns into something else entirely when Tae finds herself face-to-face with Riggs Copeland. She hasn't seen the former Marine since their brief fling in high school, and while still intensely drawn to him, she likes her past burned and buried, thank you very much. Hence their friendship pact.

But when April oddly refuses to help Tae track down her father, it's Riggs who unexpectedly comes to her aid. On a hunt to unlock the past, the two of them find themselves on a wild ride and learn a shocking truth, while also reluctantly bonding in a way neither had seen coming. Now Tae must decide whether she's going to choose love ... or walk away from her own happiness.

Review: Autopsy by Patricia Cornwell

 

Autopsy (Well Met #25) by Patricia Cornwell

Publication Date: November 30th 2021 by William Morrow

Pages: 400

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Kay Scarpetta is back in Virginia as Chief Medica Examiner in her old stomping grounds and I like the return to her roots. However, she’s left with a mess of an office with much of the staff still loyal to the previous Chief, Elvin Reddy, a slimy ladder climber, from Kay’s past. The office secretary, Maggie, undermines Kay’s every move, and seems to be plotting against her at every turn. It doesn’t help that Kay re-opens a past case that was categorized as an accidental death when details point to it being connected with a new murder. Adding to an already busy caseload is an investigation into the deaths of two astronauts in an outer space lab. A lot going on here.

 It’s been years since I picked up a Kay Scarpetta novel, but the series was a favorite long before Goodreads, so I was excited to hear there’d be a new Scarpetta novel. I really enjoyed catching up with an old favorite character, seeing her happy with Benton and all the gang back together again. Didn’t know that Marino married Kay’s sister. Not sure if that happened in one of the books I missed, but I was a bit surprised. I foresee a bumpy road there. Lucy’s had some sad blows personally, but professionally she’s doing well. Covid is part of the story as well, not that it’s a central focus, just that the characters are dealing with the pandemic like we all are in real life.

Got to the end and I thought maybe the story would be continued in another book because so many things were still up in the air. The overall plot threads were wrapped up (mostly) in the epilogue and it felt abrupt. The solution came out of nowhere with no breadcrumbs or foundation, IMO, and I think that’s the part that was most disappointing. I didn’t feel part of the process. Up until then, Autopsy was a solid 4 stars for me. I did feel like it set up for future books and I’m looking forward to Kay bringing the Medical Examiner’s office back into shape, helping bring criminals to justice.

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

Scarpetta is back! In this twenty-fifth in the electrifying, landmark #1 bestselling thriller series chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta hunts an ingenious killer who has mastered cutting-edge science for the most nefarious ends.

Forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta has returned to Virginia as the chief medical examiner. Finding herself the new girl in town once again after being away for many years, she’s inherited an overbearing secretary and a legacy of neglect and possible corruption.

She and her husband Benton Wesley, now a forensic psychologist with the U.S. Secret Service, have relocated to Old Town Alexandria where she’s headquartered five miles from the Pentagon in a post-pandemic world that’s been torn by civil and political unrest. Just weeks on the job, she’s called to a scene by railroad tracks where a woman’s body has been shockingly displayed, her throat cut down to the spine, and as Scarpetta begins to follow the trail, it leads unnervingly close to her own historic neighborhood.

At the same time, a catastrophe occurs in a top secret private laboratory in outer space, and at least two scientists aboard are found dead. Appointed to the highly classified Doomsday Commission that specializes in sensitive national security cases, Scarpetta is summoned to the White House Situation Room and tasked with finding out what happened. But even as she works the first crime scene in space remotely, an apparent serial killer strikes again. And this time, Scarpetta could be in greater danger than ever before.

In this latest novel in her groundbreaking Kay Scarpetta series, Patricia Cornwell captivates readers with the shocking twists, high-wire tension, and forensic detail that she is famous for, proving once again why she’s the world’s #1 bestselling crime writer. 

Review: After Sundown by Linda Howard & Linda Jones

After Sundown by Linda Howard & Linda Jones

Publication Date: March 31st 2020 by William Morrow

Pages: 384

Source: Publisher

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

Danger brings together two guarded hearts in a battle for survival in this irresistible story from New York Times bestselling authors Linda Howard and Linda Jones.

Sela Gordon, the shy owner of a Tennessee general store, finds safety in solitude. But if anyone can pierce her protective shell it’s the handsome, mysterious ex-military man living alone in the wilds of Cove Mountain. For two years, he’s kept his distance—until the day he appears to warn her that a catastrophic solar storm capable of taking down the power grid is coming. Now, Sela must find the courage to become the leader Wears Valley needs.

Bitter experience has taught Ben Jernigan it’s best to look out for number one. For two years the former soldier has lived in a self-imposed exile, using a top-notch security system to keep people away. But he had to let Sela know about the impending threat—and now the quiet and undeniably sexy woman is making it too easy for him to lower his guard.

As panic spreads, Sela and Ben discover that in the dark, cut off from the outside world, there’s no more playing it safe—in life or in love.

My Thoughts:

Sela starts off as a quiet sort of heroine, happy to go unnoticed, getting by running her convenience store/gas station with her aunt and niece pitching in.  However, every time Ben comes in the store she’s captivated, he’s so serious and focused, but she’s also just fine that he doesn’t seem to register her presence.  That is until the morning he comes in and tells her to prepare for a massive solar storm that’s about to hit the earth and knock out the world’s power grid.

This story is a little different than Linda Howard’s usual romantic suspense/thrillers. This time she partners up with Linda Jones to write an end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it story. I wouldn’t call this an apocalyptic story, because it’s not really an end of the world situation, but a huge change in the convenient, buy anything at will, life that we’ve all lived… Well, until recently.  Some readers, in view of the situation that we’re in, have had an aversion to end-of-the-world stories, and some have been attracted to them. I’ve fallen into the latter category, although I’m not a fan of really gritty stories.

I thought After Sundown struck an excellent balance of urgency, keeping me on edge without scaring me into a panic. Of course, there are bad apples here, like in any community, and the threat they posed made my heart race, but Sela was no pushover, and she did end up having Ben at her back. Mostly, the story was about their small-town banding together as a community, working together to survive.  I find the prepper lifestyle fascinating, even before our world had sort of gone to hell, so I enjoyed seeing what everyone had to do to get by, living in a world without a working power grid. I wish I had a place like Ben’s right about now!

Even though it took a while for the romance to get into gear, Ben and Sela’s relationship was at the heart of this story, and my favorite part! Having a military background, Ben was naturally a protective and take-charge kind of guy, but he recognized that Sela was a strong, resourceful woman, he didn’t just barge in and take over.

After Sundown mixed a bit of reality, romance, and thrills that hooked me in and held my attention enough to finish the story in one day! Not an easy feat right now!

 4 Suns

Cover Reveal: Make It Count by Megan Erickson

Make It Count is Megan Erickson's debut novel and it sounds super cute so I'm thrilled to be part of the cover reveal!  We have an excerpt as well so scroll down to check it out!

Make It Count by Megan Erickson

Publication Date: June 3rd 2014 by William Morrow Impulse

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the book:

Kat Caruso wishes her brain had a return policy, or at least a complaint hot-line. The defective organ is constantly distracted, terrible at statistics, and absolutely flooded with inappropriate thoughts about her boyfriend’s gorgeous best friend, Alec…who just so happens to be her brand new math tutor. Who knew nerd was so hot?

Kat usually goes through tutors like she does boyfriends—both always seem to bail when they realize how hopeless she is. It’s safer for her heart to keep everyone at arm’s reach. But Alec is always stepping just a little too close.

Alec Stone should not be fantasizing about Kat. She’s adorable, unbelievably witty, and completely off limits. He’d never stab his best friend in the back…

But when secrets are revealed, the lines of loyalty are blurred. To make it count, Alec must learn messy human emotions can’t be solved like a trigonometry function. And Kat has to trust Alec may be the first guy to want her for who she is, and not in spite of it.

Excerpt:

Kat gathered her books and stuffed them into her plaid Burberry messenger bag, then headed toward the front doors, smoothie from the library snack shop in hand. Head bent, fiddling with the clasp of her bag, she stumbled into a wall of human on the pavement outside.

“Oh, I’m sorry—” Her voice dropped out when she realized the solid flesh belonged to Alec, Max’s best friend.

She’d only met him once or twice before he’d moved in with Max this semester and every time, he cocked his eyebrow with a half frown like he knew something she didn’t. Which he actually did, since he had brainy superpowers. Smarter than a speeding Einstein. Able to leap over C-minus students like her in a single bound.

She didn’t trust people that smart. And she didn’t trust a guy who didn’t ogle her ass or leer at her boobs like every other member of the straight male species on the planet.

Right now, that raised-eyebrow frown pinned her where she stood. His pale green eyes behind thick black frames roamed over her shoulder to the library and then back to her. With his pin-stripe button-down, dark jeans with Converse shoes and hair styled in a short, messy pompadour, he looked like a nerdy Elvis.

His frown morphed into a smile when he spotted the smoothie in her hand, and she definitely didn’t notice his full lips. “You know, you don’t have to venture into the forbidden zone just to get a smoothie.”

Oooh. The jerk. She glanced around surreptitiously, then leaned in and spoke in a low voice. “Just play it cool. Don’t let it slip someone like me snuck in the library.” She gripped his forearm and whispered. “Password today is rosebud.”

His face blanked and he looked at her like he’d never seen her before. Kat debated whether or not that was an improvement over his other look.

But then those intelligent eyes narrowed and a smirk curled his lips. “I know. We nerds get an e-mail every morning.”

See? He always needed the last word. She propped a hand on her hip and leaned in. “Well, sounds like you have a mole. Might want to look into that.”

He opened his mouth but she cut him off. “Just looking out for you guys. Anyway, see ya around!”

Before he could shoot back a snarky comeback, Kat skirted around him and bounded down the stairs. She chalked that up as Kat 1, Alec 0. 

About the author: 
MEGAN ERICKSON grew up in a family that averages 5’3” on a good day and started writing to create characters who could reach the top kitchen shelf.

She’s got a couple of tattoos, has a thing for gladiators and has been called a crazy cat lady. After working as a journalist for years, she decided she liked creating her own endings better and switched back to fiction.

She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids and two cats. And no, she still can’t reach the stupid top shelf.

Connect with Megan Erickson:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Avon Romance | Goodreads