The Phantom Paragrapher

Review: Crimson River - Book #5 The Edens Series - Devney Perry - June 2023 I had been looking forward to this one possibly the most since Indigo Ridge as I knew it had more of a romantic suspense feel to it. Crimson River is Lyla Eden's story and it starts innocently with Eloise begging her to take a day of self-care, for Lyla this means grabbing her hiking gear and following her favorite trail. However, this will be one hiking trip she will never forget as it almost ends in death for her. While Lyla is hiking, she stumbles upon a man hunting and he spots her and freaks, instead of running he starts to strangle her and then stops before she dies.  It turns out that the mystery man has a name - Cormac Gallagher and he is someone who has been on the run for the past four years as his wife and two of his children were found murdered - the oldest child- a body was never found. Enter Vance Sutter - he is a cop from the same town Cormac lives and has been tracking him down and following

Review: Thieves Gambit - Book #1 - Kayvion Lewis - September 2023 As this weekend was the long weekend celebrating Matariki - the Maori New Year and also the first day for me to help out with the special election booth at the library, I figured it was going to be quiet and it was with only a couple of inquiries. This made it the perfect reading time as well, so I didn't sit there twiddling my thumbs. I took along with me Thieves Gambit, which was one I had received from HarperCollins NZ and it was so good. I have always enjoyed heist and spy novels and Thieves Gambit by Kayvion Lewis was another one added to my list of enjoyable reads. I now can't wait for Book #2 Heist Royale. Thieves Gambit first introduces us to the mother/daughter team of The Quests who are one of North America's best thieving families.  Ross though wants a normal life, so she starts planning but instead of a clean break on their last job, her mum gets kidnapped. The kidnappers want one billion dollars

Review: Holmes, Margaret and Poe - Book #1 - James Patterson and Brian Sitts - January 2024 I had been looking forward to this one, but a little nervous at the same time as I have found recently that the co-written books haven't been great and I couldn't get into them as I had most of the earlier titles and series. This one though was fabulous and amazing and I loved it all as every character even the side ones of Violet and Grey were likable and enjoyable. The book starts with three PIs Brendan Holmes, Auguste Poe, and Margaret Maple joining forces in New York as Private Investigators. The thing too is just like their namesakes, they are the best at what they do and despite getting into mischievous trouble, they always solve the crimes that they are hired for. Everything about this series was great from the flawed characters as each of our PIs has a vice, to the way they solved the crimes like a giant jigsaw puzzle, to the variety of crimes in this book from modern kidnappings

Review: Jasper Vale - Book #4 The Edens Series - Devney Perry - January 2023 Lately, I have been reading my way through Devney Perry's family saga series The Edens, this is another family that I just love and would love to be a part of. One of my favorite themes that I love reading about is family saga stories which span over a good number of books. Normally these series have some big families which is great as that means more books. After finishing Jennifer Hanks's DiMarco family books, I was looking to find another great family, and The Edens are just that. Book #4 Jasper Vale was given to me as a bookstagram gift and is the story of Jasper Vale - Foster Madden's trainer and best friend ( Foster married Talia Eden) and Eloise Eden - manager of The Eloise Hotel. The book starts with a fun trip to Vegas as Foster is having a fight there and Talia doesn't want to watch alone, so she invites her two sisters Lyla and Eloise.  While in Vegas, Lyla heads back to the hotel to

  Can distance and trust keep you and those you love safe in the world when the one you can’t resist is the danger? Dive into this suspenseful mafia romance, and discover what happens when you thought you were safe in the world only to come face to face with someone from your past. LUCKY STRIKE by Rochelle Allison is an emotional rollercoaster of romance, swoon, suspense, and passion that will keep you frantically flipping pages. Blurb Lucky I left her once to keep her safe from my world, but now I need someone I can trust to watch my son. Running with this syndicate, I've learned to keep my emotions in check. Compartmentalized. But when Bria walks back into my life, everything comes flooding back—every memory, every kiss. Having her so close to the dangers of my reality is selfish, but my kid comes first. Keeping my distance is critical. It’s also impossible . Bria I never expected to come face to face with Lucky again. Not like this. But he's a single dad now, offering m

Review: I Love Romcoms and I am a Feminist - Corrina Antrobus and Illustrated by Vulga Drawings - August 2024 If you love romantic comedies and identify as a feminist, "I Love Romcoms and I Am a Feminist: A Manifesto in 100 Romcoms" by Corrina Antrobus, with illustrations by Vulga Drawings, is the perfect book for you. Historically, romantic comedies have often been criticized for their lack of feminist themes, but Antrobus sets out to change that perception. As a huge fan of the genre myself, titles like "10 Things I Hate About You," "Head Over Heels," and "She's All That" are my go-tos, so I was thrilled to discover a book that aligns my love for romcoms with my feminist values. This book serves as a fearlessly feminist guide to romantic comedies through the ages, revealing the hidden feminist messages in your favorite movies. It's a refreshing reminder that you can indeed love romcoms and be a feminist! Corrina Antrobus, a film journal

Review: Artificial Intelligence for Babies - Baby University Series - Chris Ferrie - July 2024 If you're looking for an educational yet fun way to introduce your little one to the fascinating world of artificial intelligence, "Artificial Intelligence for Babies" by Chris Ferrie is the perfect choice. As part of the bestselling Baby University series, this board book is designed for babies and toddlers aged 0-6 years, offering an engaging way to kickstart a child's journey into the realms of science and technology. Chris Ferrie, the #1 science author for kids, has crafted yet another brilliant addition to his series with "Artificial Intelligence for Babies." Fans of his previous works, such as "Pythagorean Theorem for Babies," "Organic Chemistry for Babies," and "8 Little Planets," will find this book equally delightful. Ferrie’s expertise in breaking down complex scientific concepts into bite-sized, understandable pieces shines

  Review: The Problem with Players - Book #2 Problems Series - Brittainy C. Cherry - May 2024 I have been looking forward to reading this book and just needed to be in the right mood to give it a go as after having surgery, my reading took a bit of a hit but slowly I am getting back to it- not as fast as I want too, though but I am getting there. I have been a fan of Brittainy's books ever since over 10 years ago I started with her The Elements Series. In this one, we meet Avery Kingsley, who is one of those women who is plagued with OSS aka Older Sibling Syndrome. She is also quite cold and a bit of a frustrating female character in my mind, she is the type that won't let anyone in. It's almost like she thinks she doesn't deserve to be loved or if she shows emotion then she will be viewed as weak and spineless. I guess it's true for her professional life as a high school sports coach but in personal - not quite.  In the beginning, we see Avery is engaged and ready