The Phantom Paragrapher

Review: One of Those Faces - Elle Grawl - December 2022 Have you ever finished a book and sat there thinking "What on earth did I just read?" That's exactly how I felt after turning the final page of Elle Grawl's psychological thriller "One of Those Faces." This novel had all the ingredients for a gripping, edge-of-your-seat read - a traumatic childhood, a twin's death, mistaken identities, and a string of murders. Yet somehow, these elements never quite come together in a satisfying way. The story follows Harper Mallen, a children's book illustrator living in Chicago who's haunted by her past. When Harper was ten, her twin sister Issie died, and her father forced her to assume Issie's identity - a psychological trauma that sent her running from home. Now, Harper exists in a perpetual state of sleep deprivation, plagued by nightmares of her sister. The plot thickens when women start turning up dead across Chicago - women who all bear an unc...

Review: Two Wingmen and a Baby - Book #3 Wingmen Short Story - Daisy Prescott - October 2016 Listen up, fellow bookworms! When my alarm went off this morning, I found myself in that dreaded reading slump where nothing on my TBR pile was calling my name. You know those days—when you desperately need a literary fix but nothing seems quite right? That's when I reached for Daisy Prescott's delightful short story "Two Wingmen and a Baby," and let me tell you, it was exactly the reading prescription I needed! Hold onto your ovaries, because this story features the irresistible Tom Cat Donnely and his wingman John Day looking after sweet Baby Day. The premise is simple but oh-so-entertaining: two alpha males convinced they can handle babysitting without breaking a sweat.  What these men lack in baby-wrangling skills, they make up for in heart. The story playfully explores that age-old question—can two grown men survive an afternoon with an infant without anything going si...

Review: Blown - Nolon King - May 2022 As a devoted thriller fan always hunting for that next adrenaline fix, I stumbled upon "Blown" while doing my usual late-night Kindle scroll. The cover practically screamed "edge factor," and honestly, I'm a sucker for a great cover . Little did I know I was about to embark on a white-knuckle journey that would keep me up as I read the ebook in one sitting! Nolon King introduces us to Alison, a character whose moral compass doesn't just point north—it's practically welded there. This is a woman who side-eyes people taking Panadol for a headache, so when she's summoned to her daughter's school over a weed incident, her world begins to fracture. But that's just the appetizer to her catastrophe banquet. Returning home to find her husband Tom murdered? That's the main course of chaos that Nolon King serves up with brutal efficiency. What follows is a masterclass in "how quickly can a normal life ...

Review: Yours Truly - Book #2 Part of Your World Series - Abby Jimenez - April 2023 OMG you guys!!! I have FINALLY found a book that broke my reading slump! If you've been following my reviews lately, you know I've been struggling to find a romance that actually makes me FEEL something. After trudging through what felt like a desert of mediocre reads, "Yours Truly" by Abby Jimenez arrived like an oasis of everything I needed! Let me just say, this book HIT DIFFERENT. Like seriously, I was not prepared for how much it would wreck me in the best possible way. The minute I met Jacob, I literally saw myself in him. That awkward feeling when you're in a crowded room? CHECK. The way he sneaks off to eat by himself in quiet corners because social situations are exhausting? LITERALLY ME. As someone who constantly feels like I'm saying the wrong thing in social settings, watching Jacob navigate these same challenges while still being completely lovable was honestly s...

Review: Blood In The Water - Silver Donald Cameron - May 2021 In "Blood in the Water," Silver Donald Cameron masterfully chronicles a shocking murder that rocked the small Cape Breton community of Petit de Grat in June 2013. The book delves into the circumstances that led three respected fishermen—Craig and James Landry and their skipper Dwayne Samson—to commit the cold-blooded killing of Phillip Boudreau, a notorious local troublemaker whose body was never recovered after they shot at him and deliberately rammed his boat. Silver Donald Cameron's investigative prowess shines as he untangles the complex web of community dynamics that culminated in this tragic event. The author presents Phillip Boudreau as someone who was simultaneously feared and oddly appreciated, a man who "would steal the beads off Christ's moccasins ,then give the booty away to someone in need." For two decades, Phillip Boudreau had been a disruptive force, repeatedly vandalizing fishin...

Review: Heart of the Sun - A Love Story - Mia Sheridan - May 2025 I went into Heart of the Sun blindly, expecting an edgy, angst-filled new adult romance. Instead, what I got was a gripping dystopian love story reminiscent of Zombieland or The Walking Dead—but without the zombies. Mia Sheridan’s masterful storytelling delivers a heart-wrenching yet hopeful tale about love, survival, and second chances when the world as we know it is thrust into chaos. The story takes us to the sun-drenched orange groves of California, where childhood best friends Emily Swanson and Tuck Mattice shared an unshakable bond—until life tore them apart. Fast forward thirteen years, and Emily, now a famous pop sensation, is in need of security. Enter Tuck, an ex-con trying to rebuild his life. As Emily hires Tuck as her bodyguard, their personalities create tension that’s laced with nostalgia and undeniable chemistry. What starts as a slow burn quickly ignites, reminding both characters and readers of their ...

    Synopsis: Just Another Meet Cute - Jenn P. Nguyen - May 2025 Boy saves girl stuck on a disastrous hike. What could go wrong? So. Much. Just Another Meet Cute is the joyful and funny story about what happens when you realize you're dating the wrong twin.  When seventeen-year old Nina Riley gets saved by a super cute Knight-in-Faded-Khakis just as she lands in an embarrassingly 'ahem' sticky situation during the most disastrous hike known to man, she wasn't exactly looking for that meet cute. She really just needed some peace and quiet from her complicated family. Unfortunately, he disappears before she can properly thank him or get his number. All she has is his name (Ian Nguyen) and a navy jacket with a dog keychain, a gym card, and laundromat receipt. But a meet cute is a meet cute. And armed with years of watching Veronica Mars and a techy cousin, it should be simple enough for Nina to find the boy of her dreams, right? But when she finally tracks him...

Review: I Know You Saw Her - Ann Girdharry - May 2025 ⭐ ARC provided by Zooloos Book Tours ⭐ Ann Girdharry delivers a compelling and atmospheric psychological thriller in I Know You Saw Her , a novel brimming with secrets, twisted relationships, and a haunting past that refuses to stay buried. Five years ago, Fiona's older sister Amy disappeared without a trace, shattering her world. In the years that followed, Fiona not only lost her sister but her parents as well, leaving her completely alone. With the fifth anniversary of Amy’s disappearance approaching, Fiona is determined to uncover the truth. Under a false name, she rents a room in the very house Amy was staying in before she vanished — and that’s where things start to unravel. The house’s owner, a grieving woman who lost her daughter at a young age, is immediately a suspect— especially since Amy bore a striking resemblance to her late child. Add to the mix Harry, the owner's nephew, whose father also disappeared on t...