VBT# The Snake Handler's Wife - Book #6 A Vega and Middleton Novel - Sue Hinkin - October 2025 When Books Forward sent me The Snake Handler's Wife by Sue Hinkin, I went in completely blind and honestly, that's exactly how this book wants you. The opening scene had me convinced I was diving into a classic affair thriller: someone's planting venomous snakes in the stables, clearly gunning for the lady of the house. My brain immediately jumped to "If I can't have her, no one can" territory. Spoiler alert: I was delightfully wrong. The story quickly pivots to Lucy and her son Henry, who've just been abandoned (again) by Michael, Lucy's perpetually absent partner who's buggered off to the Middle East for yet another news assignment. Just when Lucy's adjusting to single life, Michael's daughter Jane rocks up unannounced. At first, she seems like she might be extending an olive branch, but nope—Jane's husband is the titular Snake Handler,...

Review: The Secret Song of Shelby Rey - Rayne Lacko - June 2025 There's something utterly captivating about a protagonist who can literally hear the music in people's souls, and Rayne Lacko delivers this concept with breathtaking emotional depth in The Secret Song of Shelby Rey. From the moment I cracked open this ARC (thanks, Books Forward!), I was completely transported into Shelby's world of supernatural empathy and musical revelation. Set against the glittering yet gritty backdrop of 2008 Los Angeles, this novel follows eighteen-year-old Shelby Rey, whose extraordinary ability to hear people's deepest truths through song feels more like a burden than a gift. After losing her father and being abandoned by her drug-addicted mother, Shelby's life takes an unexpected turn when she encounters chart-topping rock star Zac Wyatt. What unfolds is a mesmerizing tale of fame, addiction, and the dangerous allure of living someone else's truth. If you loved Zoey's ...

Book Spotlight : Forget The Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness - Deb Miller - July 2025 Sometimes the most powerful stories are the ones that shatter our preconceived notions about how life "should" unfold. Deb Miller's debut memoir, Forget the Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness , does exactly that—and it's absolutely magnificent. From the moment I saw that enchanting cover with its whimsical butterfly and magical sparkle trail, I knew this wasn't going to be your typical self-help memoir. Miller has crafted something truly special here: part personal growth guide, part motivational memoir, and—as she puts it—all heart. What struck me most was Deb Miller's brilliant use of Disney princesses as metaphors for her own journey. As someone who grew up believing in the Prince Charming narrative (didn't we all?), I found myself nodding along as she traced the evolution from passive Snow White to independent Moana. It's a framework that's both accessible...