Audiobook Review: Shooting the Moon by Brenda Novak

 

Shooting the Moon by Brenda Novak

Publication Date: January 14th 2025 by Harlequin Audio

Pages: 304

Audio Length: 9hrs 36min

Narrator: Alana Marie Cheuvront

Source: Publisher 
Rating: ★★★★
Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Harley Nelson is back in Oregon to see his son Brandon after hearing about the death of his old flame, Audra, Brandon’s mother. Audra was a troubled soul, always getting into trouble, acting out to rile her strict father.  Harley left soon after Audra gave birth, being run off by her father and didn’t feel worthy to come back until he made something of himself.

 

Lauren, Audra’s younger sister, was the one who took care of Brandon for the most part. She was the studious, serious and responsible sister and it fell to her to take care of Brandon when Audra was off being wild.

 

Lauren has always loved Brandon like a son, and she believed the stories her father told of Harley and his history with Audra. Now that he’s back in town and wants a relationship with his son she’s on guard. She doesn’t want to risk Brandon’s stability or mental health. However, his behavior doesn’t match what she’s heard of him, prompting Lauren to delve deeper into the past and find out what actually happened. As she gets to know Harley, seeing the way he cares for Brandon, she can’t help but fall for him.

 

Lauren’s parents were out of the country for much of the story and I worried what was going to happen once they got back. I was happy with the way Lauren and Harley handled the situation.

 

I love how Brenda Novak somehow makes a messy situation that seems like it would be cringe-worthy (like falling for your dead sister’s beau) feel natural! The story hooked me right in! I enjoyed the romance and seeing Harley and Brandon so happy to finally find each other and bond!

 

I listened to the audio version and enjoyed Alana Marie Cheuvront’s pleasant and smooth voice!

4 Stars

Book Description:

He's a man from the past -- and a man with a past...

When Harley Nelson got on his motorcycle and drove out of Portland, Oregon, 10 years ago, he left behind a bad reputation -- and a baby. Audra Worthington was the reason for both. Well, the baby, anyway. The reputation he already had. It's why rich girl Audra fell for him in the first place.

Now Audra's dead. His son, Brandon, is being raised by her family -- good girl Lauren, the perfect daughter, and her uncompromising parents. But Harley's a self-made success down in California and he's ready to take responsibility for his son.

She's a woman who knows trouble when she sees it...

She's a woman who knows trouble when she sees it.... And Harley Nelson's trouble. He's shown up at her door, saying he wants to get to know his son -- 10 years too late, in Lauren's opinion. Too bad he didn't stick by her sister, Audra, when he got her pregnant. (At least, that's the story Lauren's always heard.) And too bad he still looks so good in that black leather jacket....

Review: The Lost House by Melissa Larsen

The Lost House by Melissa Larsen

Publication Date: January 14th 2025 by Minotaur Books & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 9hrs 59min

Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

Agnes has traveled from California to Iceland to meet with a true crime podcaster covering the unsolved murder of her grandmother and aunt, forty years earlier. Her stoic grandfather was convicted by public opinion, but he fled with Agnes’ father to the US before anything could come of it.

 

Agnes loved her grandfather, closer to him than her father, and is still grieving his loss. She can’t imagine he’d kill his wife and baby daughter, so she hopes to clear his name with the investigation. However, as the details of her grandfather and grandmother’s life emerge Agnes starts to realize how little she knew of them.

 

Then there’s a new case of a missing girl that is somehow tangled up in all of it.

 

Agnes was a complicated character dealing with issues besides the mystery of her grandmother’s murder.  Still healing from an accident she barely survived and reliant on painkillers. I felt that she took a lot of unnecessary risks trapsing about in the cold countryside when she still had so much trouble walking. Also, not letting anyone know where she was going half the time or having a properly working phone, but I guess that fit with where she was in her life mentally.

 

Iceland was described vividly, cold, stark and beautiful, almost a character on its own!

The Lost House was an atmospheric and compelling mystery. Engrossing but slow going at first. I feel like things didn’t really take off in pace until after the 50% mark.

 

I alternately read and listened to The Lost House narrated by the talented Saskia Maarleveld. I’ve enjoyed her performances immensely and she did a wonderful job with both male and female voices and giving a subtle Icelandic accent where appropriate. I recommend either version!

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

In Melissa Larsen's The Lost House comes the mesmerizing story of a young woman with a haunting past who returns to her ancestral home in Iceland to investigate a gruesome murder in her family.

Forty years ago, a young woman and her infant daughter were found buried in the cold Icelandic snow, lying together as peacefully as though sleeping. Except the mother’s throat had been slashed and the infant drowned. The case was never solved. There were no arrests, no conviction. Just a suspicion turned into a the husband did it. When he took his son and fled halfway across the world to California, it was proof enough of his guilt.

Now, nearly half a century later and a year after his death, his granddaughter, Agnes, is ready to clear her grandfather’s name once and for all. Still recovering from his death and a devastating injury, Agnes wants nothing more than an excuse to escape the shambles of her once-stable life—which is why she so readily accepts true crime expert Nora Carver’s invitation to be interviewed for her popular podcast. Agnes packs a bag and hops on a last-minute flight to the remote town of Bifröst, Iceland, where Nora is staying, where Agnes’s father grew up, and where, supposedly, her grandfather slaughtered his wife and infant daughter.

Is it merely coincidence that a local girl goes missing the very same weekend Agnes arrives? Suddenly, Agnes and Nora’s investigation is turned upside down, and everyone in the small Icelandic town is once again a suspect. Seeking to unearth old and new truths alike, Agnes finds herself drawn into a web of secrets that threaten the redemption she is hell-bent on delivering, and even her life—discovering how far a person will go to protect their family, their safety, and their secrets.

Set against an unforgiving Icelandic winter landscape, The Lost House is a chilling and razor-sharp thriller packed with jaw-dropping twists that will leave you breathless.

 

Sunday Post #279

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

My heart goes out to the Southern Californians affected by the fires! I can't believe the devastation I've been seeing! I've lived in California all my life and don't remember having these massive fires we now experience on a regular basis. Climate change has amplified environmental threats to unimaginable levels. Scary times!

My husband traveled down to Southern California (north of the fires) to help our son and DIL move. I sent my Popcorn Balls (similar to Rice Krispy treats but with M&Ms and popcorn) and Rice Krispy Treats. My son loves Popcorn Balls and so I make them for him most times we meet up even though I'm not crazy about making them.

Popcorn balls & the butter you have to coat your hands in so they don't stick!

The weather is still on the warm side with highs in the upper 50s, but it felt colder because of some wind.

Out and about in the neighborhood: pond with some geese.

I sat down today (Saturday) and figured out my garden seeds: vegetable and flower. Seeds to start indoors and outdoors and the dates to get them going. I have several zinnia varieties. They did so well last year, but I ordered a few more varieties Queeny Lemon Peach and Queeny Red Lime because they look so pretty! I also ordered Cosmos, Scabiosa and several varieties of Sunflowers. I'm going for a more varied cutting garden. 

Starla having a quick nap

Read:

(Click on cover for Goodreads link)

Shooting the Moon by Brenda Novak-4 Stars

Remember When (Ravenswood #4) by Mary Balogh-4.5 Stars

Shattering Dawn (The Lost Night Files #3) by Jayne Ann Krentz-4.5 Stars

Shooting the Moon was an older Brenda Novak romance that, as far as I can tell, they're re-releasing by audio. It was good, but I could tell it was written a few years back. Remember When was a wonderful mature romance, low on angst. Shattering Dawn is the last of The Lost Night Files and my favorite installment.

Received:

Thank you to Dreamscape Media!

I've been seeing All the Missing Pieces everywhere so I grabbed up the audio copy. Earl Crush has a lot of high ratings and is by a new-to-me author.

Instagram:

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Review: Shattering Dawn by Jayne Ann Krentz

 

Shattering Dawn (The Lost Night Files #3) by Jayne Ann Krentz

Publication Date: January 7th 2025 by Berkley

Pages: 336

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

The Lost Night Files series has been centered on three friends, Amelia, Talia and Pallas, trying to find out what happened seven months earlier when they went to Lucent Springs Hotel, thinking they were being interviewed for a job and ended up waking up the next day with no memory of what happened. Each had minor psychic talents that were enhanced and strengthened after that “lost” night. Since then, they’ve been searching for answers, starting a Podcast to shine light on the event and get answers.

 

The story opens with Amelia being stalked by someone unknown. With the danger they’ve each faced amplified by their public investigations into that “lost night” Amelia feels it wise to hire a detective/bodyguard to get to the bottom of it. On the surface Gideon Sweetwater sounds skeptical, but he’s got his own talents he’s not eager to share. Then Ameila and Gideon discover an unexpected connection that puts them both in danger.

 

Shattering Dawn was an action-packed, page-turning mystery! A blend of romantic suspense with paranormal elements and my favorite installment to date! I really enjoyed all the twists and turns and all the answers we got here, wrapping up into a satisfying conclusion of the series!

4.5 Stars

About the Book:

An unsettling investigation teaches two deeply suspicious people how to trust in the next thrilling novel of the Lost Night Files trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz.

Amelia Rivers, a member of the Lost Night Files podcast team, hires private investigator Gideon Sweetwater to catch the stalker who has been watching her. Amelia suspects the stalker may be connected to the shadowy organization responsible for the night that she and her two friends lost to amnesia—a night that upended their lives and left them with paranormal talents.

Gideon suspects that Amelia is either paranoid or an outright con artist, but he can’t resist the chemistry between them. He takes the case despite his skepticism. For her part, Amelia has second thoughts about the wisdom of employing the mysterious Mr. Sweetwater. She is wary of the powerful attraction between them, and deeply uneasy about the nightmarish paintings on the walls of his home. She senses they were inspired by his own dreamscapes.

Amelia knows she doesn’t have time to find another investigator, and Gideon is forced to reckon with the truth when he disrupts what was intended to be Amelia’s kidnapping. Now the pair is on the run, with no choice but to return to the haunting ruins of the old hotel where Amelia’s lost night occurred. They are desperate to stop a killer and the people who are conducting illegal experiments with a dangerous drug that is designed to enhance psychic abilities. If they are to survive, they will have to trust each other and the passion that bonds them.

Photo Credit: Marc von Borstel

About the Author
Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name and futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively. Learn more online at www.jayneannkrentz.com.
 

Review: Remember When by Mary Balogh

Remember When (Ravenswood #4) by Mary Balogh

Publication Date: January 7th 2025 by Berkley

Pages: 368

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

Clarissa, the Dowager Countess, is at a pivotal time in her life. Her children are grown and mostly settled, and her daughter-in-law has taken over the countess responsibilities.  After a season in London, Clarissa returns home to Ravenswood and looks forward to the quiet and tranquility of being alone to reflect who she is as a person and what she wants in this next chapter of her life. There’s another thing Clarissa plans to do: renew her childhood friendship with Matthew Taylor.

 

Matthew Taylor lives a contented life as the village’s carpenter even though he was raised as a gentleman. His younger years were filled with strife railing against strict parents that didn’t understand him. The only one who listened and gave him comfort was Clarissa. He was half in love with her by the time they were teenagers, but things didn’t work out and they married others. Matthew was widowed soon after. He spent many years coming to peace with his past and has led a quiet, contented life until Clarissa comes back to town.

 

Loved the way Matthew and Clarissa just picked up again after so many years. They just got each other so well. Of course, their friendship was noted right away and there was talk since their societal positions were so different, but I’m happy with how it was all handled. They both had wonderful family and friends to support them!

 

Remember When was low angst and heartwarming! The characters and the situations they faced felt real-to-life and relatable. Neither Clarissa nor Matthew led a problem-free life, but each were mature and okay on their own. Finding romance was an unexpected joy for them and their story filled my heart with happiness!  

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

Discover the beauty of second chances at love and life in this heartfelt new novel from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh.

The Dowager Countess of Stratton, Clarissa Ware, née Greenfield, has just presented her younger daughter to the ton, and the rest of her life belongs only to herself. She returns to Ravenswood, intending to spend the summer alone there. But the summer has other plans for her.

Born a gentleman, Matthew Taylor has chosen to spend his life as the village carpenter. Growing up, he and Clarissa were close—dangerously so, considering his family’s modest fortune. As a young man, he never would have been a suitable match for the daughter of the wealthy Greenfields. Clarissa married Caleb Ware, the Earl of Stratton, so Matthew married another, though he was widowed soon after.

Now everything is different—Clarissa has already lived the life expected of her by society. And Matthew is as attractive and intriguing as he was when they were young. As their summer friendship deepens into romance, they stand together on the precipice of change—essentially the same man and woman they remember being back then, but with renewed passion and the potential to take their lives in an entirely new direction.

About the Author

Mary Balogh grew up in Wales and now lives with her husband, Robert, in Saskatchewan, Canada. She has written more than one hundred historical novels and novellas, more than forty of which have been New York Times bestsellers. They include the Bedwyn saga, the Simply quartet, the Huxtable quintet, the seven-part Survivors’ Club series, and the Westcott series. 

Final Check-in 2024 Challenges & 2025 Sign-ups

I'm a little late posting my challenge check-ins and setting my new goals, but here they are. I made all of my goals. Here's my totals:

The challenge is hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer  again & That's What I'm Taking About. Thank you ladies!

I signed up for 125-150 I Can't Hear You (earbuds are always in) books and managed 149 books.  Here are a few of my standout listens:

(Click on cover for Goodreads link/title below for my review)

Pitch Dark (Mike Bowditch #15) by Paul Doiron narrated by Henry Leyva

You'll Never Find Me by Allision Brennan narrated by Hillary Huber

Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister narrated by Lesley Sharp

My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland narrated by Allison McLemore

Mind Games by Nora Roberts narrated by January LaVoy

Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson #14) by Patricia Briggs narrated by Lorelei King

I'm signing up for I Can't Hear You (earbuds are always in) 125-150 books again. Click HERE for details if you'd like to join in, too!

Library Love Challenge is hosted by Anne @Books of My Heart and Angel's Book Nook. Thank you ladies! 

You can sign up for the 2025 Challenge HERE.  

I signed up for Library Card on Fire 60+ books and made it with 71.

Here are some of my favorites:

Fated (Alex Verus #1) by Benedict Jacka

The Bitter Past (Porter Beck #1) by Bruce Borgos 

Death in Kew Gardens (A Below Stairs Mystery #3) by Jennifer Ashley

I sign up for the Goodreads Challenge every year. My goal was 175 books and I surpassed it with 191 books. I signed up for 175 again for 2025. 

I am signing up for Susan's Bookish Books Reading Challenge. Thank you Susan! (click HERE for info on the challenge) this year with:

Toe in the Door 1-10 Books

I need to make a list of books to read for this one. Any ideas?

Well, that's the end of my challenges. Are you participating in any challenges this year?

Review: Lies on the Serpent's Tongue by Kate Pearsall

 

Lies on the Serpent's Tongue (Bittersweet in the Hollow #2) by Kate Pearsall

Publication Date: January 7th 2025 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

Rowan James is fiercely protective of her family which is one of the reasons Hadrian Fitch, their family’s farm hand, rubbed her the wrong way. Rowan can detect lies, and knew Hadrian wasn’t being truthful. But it was more than Hadrian’s lies that got under Rowan’s skin. They had an ongoing back and forth (mostly thanks to Rowan) in the last book. I knew they were going to make a great couple!

 

The James women and residents of Cabal Hollow are still recovering after the shocking events of the summer. Also, Rowan is still bitter over the vandalism of their family’s diner that caused so much damage and almost put them out of business. The case is still unsolved, and Rowan is determined to find those responsible. However, Rowan’s grandmother has had enough of her attitude and decides to send her on a volunteer assignment for the Forestry Service where they need help repairing a lookout cabin. Rowan will have to stay there on and off to complete the work.

 

Rowan encounters danger on a few fronts. Ginseng poachers, with the payouts so high are willing to do just about anything to illegally harvest the roots and strange happenings with the Bone Tree. Then there’s the people intent on tracking and proving the existence of the Moth-Man and the Wampus Cat, one particularly annoying group there for a podcast.

 

It’s hard to write a review that does this story justice because the story is so unique and layered! Magical gifts, interesting characters, a gorgeously described setting, more than one mystery with a suspicious death (or two), and beautiful writing! So many things to recommend and I loved every page!

 

Lies on the Serpent’s Tongue is book two in the series, with a separate romance and mystery, but I highly recommend reading Bittersweet the Hollow first because the events in the last book factor in heavily into this one. Utterly loved both stories!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

In this haunting companion novel to Bittersweet in the Hollow, a girl who can smell the lies of others uncovers the incendiary mysteries of her small Appalachian town.

Everybody lies. And in knowing their lies, I become the keeper of their secrets.

As Caball Hollow slowly recovers from a tumultuous summer, the James family must also come to terms with their own newly revealed secrets.

18-year-old Rowan James has spent her whole life harboring unpleasant truths—that’s what happens when you can smell lies on the teller’s breath—and building walls around herself to block them out. Like her younger sister, Linden, who can taste the feelings of others, Rowan has long struggled with her gift, which has taught her that everyone distorts the truth, and no one is who they seem to be. So when her old rival Hadrian Fitch shows up on her front porch—bloodied and bruised and asking for the kind of help only she can provide—her first instinct is distrust.

Except Hadrian’s attack isn’t the only strange occurrence. Now small items are disappearing, but rather than report the losses the owners act as if their missing things never existed. Rumors of a new monster prowling the Hollow begin to swirl. But how can Rowan smoke out the culprit in a town full of secrets? And worse, how can Rowan trust beautiful, solemn Hadrian when every other word he speaks has the distinct burnt smell of a lie?

About the author:

Kate Pearsall is a creative thinker, an award-winning copywriter, and a storyteller. She has a degree in business and public relations and has written for magazines and newspapers. Bittersweet in the Hollow and Lies on the Serpent's Tongue were inspired in part by a childhood listening to her mom’s stories about growing up in the Appalachian Mountains and visiting family in West Virginia.

Connect with Kate Pearsall:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Review: See How They Hide by Allison Brennan

 

See How They Hide (Quinn & Costa #6) by Allison Brennan

Publication Date: January 7th 2025 by MIRA

Pages: 400

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

The sixth installment of the Quinn & Costa series was an intense one and fast paced! The story starts out with two murders on opposite sides of the country, committed in the same puzzling way, happening within hours of each other. Havenwood, a previously unknown community, cult-like in its setup, is at the heart of the investigation. Figuring out its past and location becomes key to stopping their murder spree. Calliope, the leader, was something else! I felt for her daughter, Riley, who becomes a crucial part of the team’s investigation.

 

I was happy at the personal progress made with Kara and Matt, with Kara finally opening up, which has been a long time coming. Catherine who’s been a thorn in Kara’s side from the beginning, and pretty much a witch, IMO, has finally acknowledged some important things! I haven’t been a fan of Catherine at all, so hopefully this progress will move her into the likeable category in the future.

 

Love this series, and really anything Allison Brennan writes! I recommend starting with book one.

5 Stars

Book Description:

No matter how far you run, some pasts never let you go…

Two people were murdered—at the exact same time, in the same gruesome manner, bodies covered in the same red poppies…but on opposite sides of the country.

With Detective Kara Quinn investigating in Oregon and Special Agent Matt Costa in Virginia, the Mobile Response Team digs deep to uncover more about each victim. What is the link between the two, and why were they targeted?

Yet their search unearths more questions than answers—until they meet Riley Pierce, the only person still alive who might be able to help them find the killers.

Soon, it becomes clear this case is nothing like they’ve seen before as their investigation leads them to the hallowed grounds of Havenwood—an eerily beautiful place rooted in a terrifying past.

As more bodies turn up, all tied to the same community, Kara and Matt are desperate to piece the puzzle together before Havenwood’s leader sacrifices everything to keep her secrets buried.

Photo Credit: Brittan Dodd

About the author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Allison Brennan believes life is too short to be bored, so she had five children and writes three books a year. Reviewers have called her “a master of suspense” and RT Book Reviews said her books are “mesmerizing” and “complex.” A native of northern California, she moved to Arizona with her family and pets in 2019 and now calls Phoenix home.

Allison has written 45 books and numerous short stories. She has no intention of stopping anytime soon! The fifth book in the Quinn & Costa FBI series, The Missing Witness, is currently available, and See How They Hide will be out in January of 2025. The first book of an all-new Phoenix set series about a family of private investigators, You’ll Never Find Me, is out now. 

Connection with Allison Brennan:

Website | Facebook | X | Instagram | Goodreads

Sunday Post #278-Late Edition

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Happy Sunday! We got in from Montana last night/morning at 2am, so I'm tired! It was a fun trip with ice skating, sledding, card games and fireworks. It was cold, but it didn't feel as cold as I thought it would. 

Montana at dusk

We sat by the outdoor fire despite the temps! 

The weather here at home is gorgeous with sun and highs in the upper 50s. I didn't get as much reading done, but that was expected.

Two weeks worth of reading:

(Click on cover for Goodreads link)

Schemes & Scandals (A Rip Through Time #3.5) by Kelley Armstrong-4 Stars

Lies on the Serpent's Tongue (Bittersweet in the Hollow #2) by Kate Pearsall-4.5 Stars

The Lost House by Melissa Larsen-3.5 Stars

Favours (Alex Verus #6.1) by Benedict Jacka-4 Stars

Veiled (Alex Verus #6) by Benedict Jacka-5 Stars

Cold Shadows (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #2) by J.L. Bryan-4 stars

See How They Hide (Quinn & Costa #6) by Allison Brennan-5 Stars

Received:

Thank you to Park Row, Berkley and Harlequin Audio!

Instagram:

My one and only Instagram post this week!

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