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  • jhsiess

    Musician | Book Reviewer | Retired Attorney

    Absolutely thrilled with the way the Hickok Homest Absolutely thrilled with the way the Hickok Homestead renovation has turned out! Still waiting on blinds for the sliding glass door & shutters for the picture window in the living room. Getting everything tidied up (so much dust everywhere) & organized. I'm confident my parents would approve. My mother would love all the counter space in the kitchen!
    This is a sight no one has seen since 1982! The r This is a sight no one has seen since 1982!

The renovation of my beloved childhood home is underway! #1Son, Robert, is working hard, prepping for the contractor to work some magic. He's ripping out carpets, tack strips, & baseboards, and peeling off wallpaper. Not to mention cleaning out closets & cupboards. Lots of purging taking place.

Look at those gorgeous hardwood floors! But no, I'm not going to leave them exposed, in part because, as is visible in the last photo, they aren't in all of the rooms. My parents added about 675 square feet to the house 43 years ago. In the family room, you can see the outline of where my bedroom used to be before it was converted. 

It's going to be beautiful again when this project is complete. I think Kenny & Ethel, the parental unit, would be proud. I know they'd be tickled about Robert's involvement!

I still have to decide what colors to paint the exterior. 🀔 The dreadful beige & green have to go.

Now, if I could just get those pesky home flippers to stop calling, texting, emailing, & snailmailing me with ridiculous lowball offers to buy the house, I'd be a happy woman. 🀊‍♀ It's not for sale! Not now & not ever . . . at least as long as I'm sucking air into my lungs!

#HickokHomestead #Family #HomeRenovation #HomeImprovement
    I didn't intentionally abandon this account. 🀊‍♀ I didn't intentionally abandon this account. 🀊‍♀ But my energy is usually focused on @jhscolloquium, where I post about books & authors.

And life just happens . . .  sometimes lobbing totally unexpected plot developments at us. More about that to follow.

In the photo, I'm with some of my favorite people on the planet -- my boys & my grandnieces. Quinn is 10 & Raven will be 7 in September! They're headed to 5th & 1st grade this week.

Matthew is still an Accountant with the State of California, Department of Social Services, & Robert is assisting me with a total renovation of the Hickok Homestead on Crescent Avenue. More about that in subsequent posts, too.

📞: Nephew #1, Paul McKelvey 

#GrandauntieJanie #QuinnEileen #RavenMaxine #Family #FavoritePeople #MissingJudyMcKelvey #HickokHomestead
    🎄 Delta Drama Peeps Annual Christmas Party🎄 It wa 🎄 Delta Drama Peeps Annual Christmas Party🎄

It was epic, but we missed Michael Grenie so we had a video call with him! Hope to see him soon. ❀

#Friendship ##Priceless #Christmas2023 #DeltaDramaPeeps
    🎄Whine Club 🎁 Our monthly Whine Club with our ann 🎄Whine Club 🎁

Our monthly Whine Club with our annual gift exchange fell on my birthday this year!

📞: @jea955 & @linda.sunday.hansen

#WhineClub #Christmas2023 #Friendship #Priceless
    🎄Christmas 2023🎅 Some things old (my mother's ani 🎄Christmas 2023🎅

Some things old (my mother's animated carolers & her silly little elf atop her clock) & something new (my tree -- because I gave Matthew my tree for his new house). 
We got in the spirit right after Thanksgiving this year!

#Christmas2023 #Retired #TisTheSeason🎄
    Enjoyed a cozy evening with Matthew at Boo Manor w Enjoyed a cozy evening with Matthew at Boo Manor watching @breakingbad again. He has decorated for Christmas and it's very cozy & homey. He loves Christmas and is enjoying his first holiday season in his first home! 🎄🎁

#Christmas2023 #HappyHolidays #BooManor #Matthew #Family #Retired #RetirementDoesNotSuck #SavorTheMoments #Priceless #BreakingBad #BingeWatching
    Their new single has been released to raise funds Their new single has been released to raise funds to help the people of #LahainaTown. 

#MauiStrong #LahainaStrong #Maui #DoobieBrothers #MichaelMcDonald #MickFleetwood

https://youtu.be/PXdWmNjWFbg?si=0TuXgOwLNECRBsGU
    Relaxing afternoons & spectacular sunsets. 🌎🌺🌊😎 # Relaxing afternoons & spectacular sunsets. 🌎🌺🌊😎

#Vacation2023 #Maui #MauiStrong #LahainaStrong #Retirement #RetirementDoesNotSuck
    There's no place I'd rather be to cheer on our @49 There's no place I'd rather be to cheer on our @49ers!
💛❀🏈❀💛🏈💛❀🏈❀💛

Maui nō ka Ê»oi! 🌺🌎🌊

#Maui #Vacation2023 #LahainaStrong #MauiStrong #Retirement #RetirementDoesNotSuck
    Matthew and I had a great time when we stayed in M Matthew and I had a great time when we stayed in Makena last month. But I'm so happy to be back at my favorite spot again. I'm staying on the 12th floor, as I have numerous times, enjoying this panoramic view from the lanai. Yes, it is different now as those of us visiting are sharing space with a large number of employees & Lahaina residents for whom this resort is their home for the time being. And it was heartbreaking to drive through Lahaina Town for the first time since the fire, especially when I got to the area along the Bypass where almost 100 crosses stand, one for each victim. I just passed through, but this transformed Maui is the everyday reality for its people. I can't help contemplating why such a beautiful, spiritual place & its citizens have to endure such destruction & tragedy. Of  course, there are no answers. But aloha is more than a word; it is a belief & way of life. The word has been coopted commercially & socially, & gets thrown around casually, but it means presence (alo) & breath (ha). It is a profound concept when you ponder it. Aloha will carry Maui & its people through this time of grief, mourning, & manifesting a different future than was contemplated, just as everyone I have encountered has welcomed me with warmth & appreciation. In this ever-changing yet unchanging view from my lanai, I see & feel Maui's unbreakable spirit, & am grateful to be able to savor it & this indescribable beauty yet again. 

Maui nō ka Ê»oi! 🌺🌎🌊

#Maui #Vacation2023 #Kaanapali #LahainaStrong #MauiStrong
    It's a great time to visit Maui because local busi It's a great time to visit Maui because local businesses need tourism to survive! And every business owner & employee thanked us for proceeding with our trip & supporting their efforts to help not just themselves, but their ohana, many of whom are now residing with them & looking for jobs.

The aloha spirit at the Kula Lodge & Restaurant is amazing. They do not yet have clearance to use the water, but did that stop them from serving delicious food? Nope! The loco moco was outstanding, served in a paper bowl with plastic utensils and an ice cold bottle of water! They are bringing in barrels of fresh water to cook the items on a limited menu, & wash pots and pans. They even put big water bottles with pumps in the restrooms for guests to wash their hands & are offering stays in their quaint, charming lodge at steeply discounted rates for guests who don't mind a sponge bath! The staff are all upbeat, friendly, delighted to be working . . . and making it work.

Over at the Maui Tropical Plantation, the Mill House is now Cafe O'Lei. The Maui onion soup is delicious & the setting beautiful, although this photo of the hillside & fields shows the effect of the ongoing drought on Maui. My photos from previous visits feature a lush, green hillside & crops growing in the fields. But as Californians know, the rain returns -- eventually -- and the grass & vegetation turn green again.

I asked Matthew to snap a photo as I was driving of just one of the many fields around the Kahului airport where a total of approximately 10,000 rental cars are sitting idle that would normally be navigated all over the island by happy tourists. The cars have been sitting in what were once pineapple and sugar cane fields, but those industries are long gone. Now Maui relies on tourism & construction to keep its economy running. 

We stayed in south Maui & never ventured to the west side out of respect for Lahaina town & her people. 
 
Maui nō ka Ê»oi! 🌺🌎 I can't wait to get back to the island. My body lives in Lodi most of the time .. . . but my soul resides on Maui.

#Maui #MauiStrong #MauiTropicalPlantation #Vacation #Vacation2023 #I❀Hawaii #KulaLodgeAndRestaurant #Retirement #CafeOlei
    We usually get takeout from Miso Phat in Kahana, b We usually get takeout from Miso Phat in Kahana, but we're staying in Wailea this time & not venturing to the west side. There was no wait at the Kihei location, which we had never visited before!! The sushi was just as yummy!! And had a glass of Lodi wine -- Michael David -- with it. 🍇🍷🥢🐟🐠🐡🐙🊀

#Vacation #Vacation2023 #Maui #MauiStrong #I❀Hawaii #Retirement #RetirementDoesNotSuck #IDeserveIt #IEarnedIt #Sushi #MisoPhat #MisoPhatKihei #NoFilter
    The view from our table at Mama's Fish House. Spec The view from our table at Mama's Fish House. Spectacular! And Matthew enjoying it after the meal.

#Vacation #Vacation2023 #Maui #MauiStrong #I❀Hawaii #Retirement #RetirementDoesNotSuck #IDeserveIt #IEarnedIt #RetirementCelebration #PromotionCelebration #MamasFishHouse #NoFilter
    We finally celebrated my retirement, as well as Ma We finally celebrated my retirement, as well as Matthew's two promotions and purchase of his first home, at Mama's Fish House! We used the generous gift certificate presented to me at my retirement party on 10/29/21. Mahalo to my wonderful staff & colleagues! 🌎🌺🌊

#Maui #MauiStrong #Vacation #Vacation2023 #Retirement #RetirementDoesNotSuck #RetirementCelebration #I❀Hawaii #IDeserveIt #IEarnedIt #MamasFishHouse #PromotionCelebration #NoFilter
    Last night, we enjoyed a delicious, fun dinner at Last night, we enjoyed a delicious, fun dinner at Monkey Pod! 
The squash ravioli appetizer melted in my mouth.
Then I relaxed on the comfy lanai for another dazzling sunset.

#Maui #MauiStrong #Vacation #Vacation2023 #I❀Hawaii #Retirement #RetirementDoesNotSuck #IEarnedIt #IDeserveIt #NoFilter
    We had a lovely brunch at Nalu's where Poke served We had a lovely brunch at Nalu's where Poke served as our host! He is apparently 28 years old & quite a talker. It was not crowded at all, & the food was yummy!

#Maui #MauiStrong #Vacation2023 #Vacation #Retirement #RetirementDoesNotSuck #IDeserveIt #IEarnedIt #NoFilter
    Perfection. #Maui #MauiStrong #I❀Hawaii #Vacatio Perfection.

#Maui #MauiStrong #I❀Hawaii #Vacation2023 #Retirement #RetirementDoesNotSuck #IDeserveIt #IEarnedIt #NoFilter
    Aloha kakahiaka! @49ers football in paradise! #P Aloha kakahiaka!

@49ers football in paradise!

#Priceless!

#Maui #MauiStrong #Vacation #Vacation2023 #I❀Hawaii #Retirement #RetirementDoesNotSuck #IDeserveIt #IEarnedIt #NinerGang #Niners #49ers #49erfaithful #FTTB🏈 #NoFilter
    Sunset. #Maui #MauiStrong #I❀Hawaii #Vacation202 Sunset.

#Maui #MauiStrong
#I❀Hawaii #Vacation2023
#Retirement #RetirementDoesNotSuck #IDeserveIt #IEarnedIt #NoFilter
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  • jhscolloquium

    Book Reviews | Guest Authors

    📖 𝑚𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕 📖   𝗪𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏 📖 𝑚𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕 📖

 

𝗪𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟕𝐭𝐡
𝟐:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐊. 𝐄𝐃𝐓 | 𝟏𝟏:𝟎𝟎 𝐚.𝐊. 𝐏𝐃𝐓

𝐀 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐊𝐢𝐬𝐬  was not just one of my favorite books of 2025. It's one of my 𝘢𝘭𝘭-𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘊 favorite books. The moving story is one that stays with readers long after reading the last page.

So I thrilled that author 𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐀𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐫 will be chatting with me to talk his other books, as well, including 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 & 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐟 𝐌𝐞𝐧, & much more.

And he has generously offered to give 1⃣0⃣ -- yes, 1⃣0⃣ -- copies of 𝐀 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐊𝐢𝐬𝐬 to viewers of our discussion, whether you join us during the IGLive broadcast or watch the recording later! Details about how to enter will be revealed during the broadcast & posted immediately after. 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘭𝘶𝘀𝘬!

#Colloquium #BookReviewer #AuthorChat #NickolasButler #AFortyYearKiss #LittleFaith #ContemporaryFiction #ContemporaryRomance #MatureRomanticFiction
    📖 𝑚𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕 📖   𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟗𝐭𝐡 📖 𝑚𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕 📖

 

𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟗𝐭𝐡
𝟑:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐊. 𝐄𝐃𝐓 | 𝟏𝟐:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐊. 𝐏𝐃𝐓

I discovered author 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫's writing in 2011 when I read 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞, an enchanting and thought-provoking story about a woman who discovers her alternate life. The book challenges readers to aske themselves what their life would be like today if they had made different decisions and choices. What kind of relationships would you have? Would the composition of your family be different?

In her irreverent, yet poignant style, she probes the darkest corners of a suburban marriage in a relatable story about “a happily married woman who wants to kill her husband.” 𝐓𝐚𝐀𝐞 𝐌𝐲 𝐇𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝 was inspired during the COVID-19 lockdown when Ellen's husband interrupted her writing session to announce he’d heard a rumor that a local store had a supply of toilet paper and she realized the tale would resonate with anyone who had been trapped "in close quarters with a significant other.”

And her most recent book, 𝐉𝐚𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞, about an Uber drive who wants to be a life coach & her relationship with her problematic father, is a charmingly entertaining, riveting, & touching 𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘊 of witty dialogue & funny situations. 

I hope you'll join us during the IGLive broadcast or watch the recording later!

#Colloquium #BookReviewer #AuthorChat #EllenMeister #Joyride #TheOtherLife #TakeMyHusband #ContemporaryFiction #WomensFiction #RomanticFiction #MagicalRealism
    📬 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑎𝒂𝒊𝒍 📚 Thanks & appreciation go to the pub 📬 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑎𝒂𝒊𝒍 📚

Thanks & appreciation go to the publishers who sent me these wonderful books written by some of my favorite authors! 

📙 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 by 𝘎𝘳𝘊𝘚𝘚 𝘏𝘶𝘳𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘻 -- the new Orphan X Novella (Thomas & Mercer)

📕 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐚𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞 by 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘊𝘰𝘣𝘊𝘯 and 𝘙𝘊𝘊𝘎𝘊 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘊𝘳𝘎𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘯 (Grand Central Publishing)

📘 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥 by 𝘑𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘀𝘊 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘊𝘵𝘵 (Atria Books)

📗 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐚𝐧 by 𝘓𝘪𝘎𝘢 𝘚𝘊𝘊 (Scribner) -- my in-person book club will be reading & discussing this historical fiction in July

ʜᎀ᎘᎘ʏ ꜰʀɪᎅᎀʏ! ʜᎏᎡ ɪꜱ ʏᎏ᎜ʀ ʀᎇᎀᎅɪɎɢ ɢᎏɪɎɢ ꜱᎏ ꜰᎀʀ ɪɎ ᮊᮜɮᮇ? Ꭱʜᎀ᎛ ʙᎏᎏᎋ(ꜱ) Ꭱɪʟʟ ʏᎏ᎜ ʙᎇ ʀᎇᎀᎅɪɎɢ ᎛ʜɪꜱ ᎡᎇᎇᎋᎇɎᎅ?

#Colloquium #bookreviewer #Gift #BookMail
#BookMailIsTheBestMail #TheDelivery #OrphanX #GreggHurwitz #ThomasAndMercer  #GoneBeforeGoodbye #HarlanCoben #ReeseWitherspoon #GrandCentralPublishing #TheSilentAppeal #JaniceHallett #AtriaBooks #DaughtersOfTheSunAndMoon #LisaSee #Scribner
      In May, I wrapped up my 22nd consecut  

In May, I wrapped up my 22nd consecutive season performing with the Stockton Concert Band (rehearsals resume in August) with an excellent Cinco de Mayo-themed concert. 🕺💃

I enjoyed two weeks at my Happy Place -- Ka'anapali, Maui. During the first week, the trade winds were pretty strong & we had light nightly rain. There was a 6.0 earthquake -- the epicenter was on Hawaii, the Big Island -- but we felt it in our 8th floor condo! 😳 We're Californians & used to earthquakes, but that was the first one we experienced in Hawaii. And, of course, there were stunning rainbows & we watched two seals playing right in front of the unit. We see turtles all the time, but seeing seals in that location was a first! 🐢

We also visited all 3 Maui Friends of the Library used bookstores. The one in Puunene definitely has the most character & the largest selection of books! And like on all of Maui, lots of wild chickens roam the grounds. 🐓

I read 9⃣ excellent books! 

📖 𝐈𝐭 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 by 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘎𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘪
📖 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐚𝐫𝐊𝐚𝐧 by 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘎 𝘗𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘯𝘊
📖 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 by 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘊𝘳
📖 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐜𝐬 by 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘎𝘰𝘯 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘯 𝘚𝘀𝘰𝘵𝘀𝘩
📖 𝗪𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐍𝐚 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝗪𝐢𝐥𝐥 by 𝘈𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢 𝘚𝘬𝘊𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘊
📖 𝐀 𝐅𝐚𝐫-𝐅𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 by 𝘔.𝘓. 𝘚𝘵𝘊𝘥𝘮𝘢𝘯
📖 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 by 𝘑𝘪𝘮 𝘋𝘊 𝘓𝘢 𝘝𝘊𝘚𝘢
📖 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐀𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 by 𝘓𝘪𝘻 𝘓𝘢𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘎
📖 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 by 𝘚𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘩 𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘧𝘧

ᮀɮᮅ ʜᎇʀᎇ Ꭱᎇ ɢᎏ . . . 
ɪ᎛ Ꭱᎀꜱ 106 ᎅᎇɢʀᎇᎇꜱ ʜᎇʀᎇ ɪɎ ʟᎏᎅɪ ʏᎇꜱ᎛ᎇʀᎅᎀʏ!🔥🀊‍♀ ꜱ᎜ᎍᎍᎇʀ ɪꜱ ᎅᎇꜰɪɎɪ᎛ᎇʟʏ ʜᎇʀᎇ.🌞
Ꭱʜᎀ᎛ ɪꜱ ꜱ᎜ᎍᎍᎇʀ Ꭱᎇᎀ᎛ʜᎇʀ ʟɪᎋᎇ Ꭱʜᎇʀᎇ ʏᎏ᎜ ʟɪᎠᎇ? 
ᮅᮏ ʏᎏ᎜ ʜᎀᎠᎇ ᎀɎʏ ᎛ʀɪ᎘ꜱ ᎘ʟᎀɎɎᎇᎅ ᎛ʜɪꜱ ꜱ᎜ᎍᎍᎇʀ?

#MonthlyWrapUp #Colloquium #BookReviewer #ThrillerBookLovers #BookBrowse #NetGalley #BookMailIsTheBestMail #ItGirl #AllisonPataki #TheDoorman #ChrisPavone #BookSparks #Staged #CaitlinRother #TheInsomniacs #AllisonWinnScotch #WhenNoOneElseWill #AmandaSkenandore #AFarFlungLife #MLStedman #GoneInThreeSeconds #JimDeLaVega #DawnBeforeDarkness #LizLazarus #TheBurningSide #SarahDamoff
    📖 ░A░u░t░h░o░r░ ░C░h░a░t░ 📖     📖 ░A░u░t░h░o░r░ ░C░h░a░t░ 📖

   

Talking with 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐚𝐝, aka 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩, author of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐀, was just delightful! We covered lots of topics, including his journey to publication, writing style, inspiration for the book, & much more! 

Yes, we agree that The Rock, starring Sean Connery, Ed Harris, & Nicolas Cage (and the late, much-missed John Spencer -- how could I have forgotten he is one of the leads?) is a fabulous movie, as is the score by Hans Zimmer, Nick Glennie-Smith, and Harry Gregson-Williams! (But Stockton's own Chris Isaak wasn't in the film. I was mistaken. It was The Silence of the Lambs in which he played a SWAT commander.) 

What is the author reading? Robert recommends 𝐀 𝐕𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 by @jordan_harper_yo/, as well as 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐊𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐬 (also one of my favorite books), & 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 by @alexfinlay. He's also currently reading 𝐌𝐚𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥 by @sallyhepworth.

ɪ ʀᎇᎀʟʟʏ ᎇɎᎊᎏʏ ᎄʜᎀ᎛᎛ɪɎɢ Ꭱɪ᎛ʜ ᎀ᎜᎛ʜᎏʀꜱ! ᮅᮏ ʏᎏ᎜ ʜᎀᎠᎇ ᮀ ꜰᎀᎠᎏʀɪ᎛ᎇ ᎀ᎜᎛ʜᎏʀ ʏᎏ᎜ ᎛ʜɪɎᎋ ɪ ꜱʜᎏ᎜ʟᎅ ᎄʜᎀ᎛ Ꭱɪ᎛ʜ?

#Colloquium #BookReviewer #AuthorChat #Thriller #PsychologicalThriller #PsychologicalSuspense #AveryBishop #TheGirlsInTheDark #RobertSwartwood #Bookouture #GrandCentralPublishing #ThrillerBookLoversAThePulse
    📖 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕚 🚁 Imagine you wake up one morning, 📖 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕚 🚁

Imagine you wake up one morning, look at your wrist & discover a tattoo that you have no memory of acquiring. It consists of numbers arranged in a countdown formation, followed by one word: BOOM. Unbelievably, the numbers are 𝘀𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘚. They appear to be counting down. 𝘏𝘰𝘞 is that even 𝘱𝘰𝘎𝘎𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘊? Tattoos can't be 𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘊𝘥. 𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘊𝘺?

Would you think you were dreaming, hallucinating, or having a psychotic break? Or that a friend has pranked you in an elaborate fashion? Would you try to wash the tattoo off? (Note: It cannot be removed.)

Assuredly, you'd be frightened for several reasons, not that least being the fact that a tattoo was placed on your body without your knowledge or consent. And likely desperate to find out what will happen when the countdown clock reaches 0 because "BOOM" implies . . . 🪀

That's the terrifying premise of 𝐆𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, the first book in 𝐉𝐢𝐊 𝐃𝐞 𝐋𝐚 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐚's Mind Hunter Series. It's a unique, inventive, fast-paced story at the center of which is Cassidy Chord, a forensic psychologist working as a profiler with the FBI. The hunter for a terrorist is on & an FBI task force works relentlessly to find & stop the bomber before he/she claims more seemingly random, helpless victims. Cassidy is a former Blackhawk pilot who lost both the man she loved & one of her legs in the Middle East. She's suffering from PTSD & phantom limb pain, & receiving vanishing messages from the perpetrator. Can she and her fellow task force members find & stop the bomber? Don't start reading this one late in the evening . . . you won't sleep at all! 

𝘙𝘊𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘊 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘊𝘷𝘪𝘊𝘞 𝘶𝘎𝘪𝘯𝘚 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘪𝘰.👆⁣

᎛ᎇʟʟ ᎜ꜱ ᎀʙᎏ᎜᎛ ᎛ʜᎇ ʟᎀꜱ᎛ ʙᎏᎏᎋ ᎛ʜᎀ᎛ ᮋᮇᮘᮛ ʏᎏ᎜ ʀᎇᎀᎅɪɎɢ Ꭱᎇʟʟ ᎘ᎀꜱ᎛ ʏᎏ᎜ʀ Ɏᎏʀᎍᎀʟ ʙᎇᎅ᎛ɪᎍᎇ ʙᎇᎄᎀ᎜ꜱᎇ ʏᎏ᎜ ᎊ᎜ꜱ᎛ ᎄᎏ᎜ʟᎅɎ'ᮛ ᮘᮜᮛ ɪ᎛ ᎅᎏᎡɎ!

#Colloquium #BookReviewer #Thriller #ThrillerBookLoversThePulse #JimDeLaVega #GoneInThreeSeconds #MindHunterSeries #TulePublishing
    📬 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑎𝒂𝒊𝒍 📚 So many books arrived at my home wh 📬 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑎𝒂𝒊𝒍 📚

So many books arrived at my home while I was spending two glorious weeks on Maui! This is just a few of them . . . I'll share more soon.

I'm very grateful for every single book I receive! 

📙 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐀𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 by 𝘓𝘪𝘻 𝘓𝘢𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘎 (Mitchell Cove Publishing LLC)

📕 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐟 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 by 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘗𝘢𝘚𝘊 (Blackstone)

📘 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐮 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 by 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘀𝘊𝘢𝘶 𝘔𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘊𝘳, translated by 𝘏𝘰𝘞𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘎 (Blackstone)

📗 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐚𝐟 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 by 𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘙. 𝘚𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘵𝘰𝘯 (Blackstone)

📔 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐀'𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭 by 𝘚𝘢𝘮 𝘠𝘰 (Blackstone)

ʜᎀᎠᎇ ʏᎏ᎜ ʀᎇᎄᎇɪᎠᎇᎅ ᎀɎʏ ʙᎏᎏᎋᎍᎀɪʟ ᎛ʜᎀ᎛ ʏᎏ᎜'ʀᎇ ᮇxᎄɪ᎛ᎇᎅ ᎀʙᎏ᎜᎛ ʀᎇᎄᎇɎ᎛ʟʏ? ɪꜰ ꜱᎏ, Ꭱʜᎀ᎛ ʙᎏᎏᎋ(ꜱ) ᎀʀʀɪᎠᎇᎅ ᎛ʜᎀ᎛ ʏᎏ᎜'ʀᎇ ᮀɮxɪᎏ᎜ꜱ ᮛᮏ ʀᎇᎀᎅ?

#bookstagram #books #booklover #Colloquium #bookreviewer #Gift #BookMail #BookMailIsTheBestMail #DawnBeforeDarkenss #LizLazarus #MitchallCovePublishingLLC #TheSecretsOfFlowers #SallyPage #TheStoryOfMarceauMiller #MarceauMiller #HowardCurtis #TheSilentPathsOfNight #DavidRSlayton #TheMonksMindset #SamYo #BlackstonePublishing
    📖 ░A░u░t░h░o░r░ ░C░h░a░t░ 📖 & 𝔟𝕀𝕍𝔌𝔞𝕎𝔞𝕐   📖 ░A░u░t░h░o░r░ ░C░h░a░t░ 📖

& 𝔟𝕀𝕍𝔌𝔞𝕎𝔞𝕐

  

What a great discussion I had with author 𝐋𝐢𝐳 𝐋𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐬 about her background, motivations to become a novelist, & journey to publication. We discussed all 4 of her books -- 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞, and 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐟 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, as well as her latest, 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐀𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, which was inspired, in part, by personal experience.

𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐀𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 is a fast-paced, "relentless" thriller about a young woman fighting monumental battles. She is the story of a woman dealing with a frightening, ruthless stalker. The attorney she retains to protect her interests, as well as those of her vulnerable mother, fails her, as does the legal system. It's a contemporary, riveting, and fully plausible story.

What is the author reading? Liz recommends the audio version of It's Not Her by Mary Kubica.

Liz is graciously offering an audio version of one of her books to a lucky reader! 

How to Enter:

1. Watch the video of our discussion & decide which of Liz's four books -- 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐟 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 or 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐀𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 -- you'd like to read.

2. Post a comment stating the book you're choosing & 𝘞𝘩𝘺 that's the one you most want to read.

3. Follow @authorlizlazurus 𝘢𝘯𝘥 @jhscolloquium.

Extra Entries:

4. Tag friends! One extra extra for each friend you tag (one per comment).

5. Share this reel as a story (tag @authorlizlazarus & @jhscolloquium) for two extra entries.

𝘈 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘊𝘳 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘊 𝘎𝘊𝘭𝘊𝘀𝘵𝘊𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 & 𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘀𝘊𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘑𝘶𝘯𝘊 𝟷𝟹, 𝟞𝟶𝟞𝟌!

If not entering the giveaway: 

ʟɪᎢ ʟᎀᎢᎀʀ᎜ꜱ ɪꜱ ᮀ ɎᎇᎡ-ᮛᮏ-ᮍᮇ ᎀ᎜᎛ʜᎏʀ & ɪ'ᎍ ꜱᎏ ʜᎀ᎘᎘ʏ ᮛᮏ ʜᎀᎠᎇ ᎅɪꜱᎄᎏᎠᎇʀᎇᎅ ʜᎇʀ Ꭱʀɪ᎛ɪɎɢ. Ꭱʜᎀ᎛ ɎᎇᎡ-ᮛᮏ-ʏᎏ᎜ ᎀ᎜᎛ʜᎏʀ(ꜱ) ʜᎀᎠᎇ ʏᎏ᎜ ᮀᮅᮅᮇᮅ ᮛᮏ ʏᎏ᎜ʀ ᮀᮜᮛᮏ-ʀᎇᎀᎅ ʟɪꜱ᎛ ʀᎇᎄᎇɎ᎛ʟʏ?

#Colloquium #BookReviewer #AuthorChat #LizLazarus #DawnBeforeDarkness #MitchellCovePublishingLLC #Thriller #PsychologicalThriller #PsychologicalSuspense
    📖 𝑚𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕 📖   𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟖𝐭𝐡 📖 𝑚𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕 📖

 

𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟖𝐭𝐡
𝟏:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐊. 𝐄𝐃𝐓 | 1𝟎:𝟎𝟎 𝐚.𝐊. 𝐏𝐃𝐓

Author 𝐋𝐢𝐳 𝐋𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐬 pens psychological, legal thrillers dealing with contemporary issues. Her goal is to both educate and entertain. In 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞, and 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐟 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 she has addressed the criminal justice system, PTSD, responsible gun ownership, self-defense, and female empowerment.

Her latest novel, 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐀𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, is the story of a woman dealing with a frightening and ruthless stalker; the failures of counsel retained to protect her interests, as well as those of her vulnerable mother, not to mention the legal system itself; and the unimaginable struggles she faces as she seeks to care for and protect her mother. It is a decidedly timely and riveting thriller. 

I hope you will join us during the IGLive broadcast or watch the recording of our conversation!

#Colloquium #BookReviewer #AuthorChat #LizLazarus #DawnBeforeDarkness #MitchellCovePublishingLLC
    ░A░u░t░h░o░r░ ░C░h░a░t░ 📖    Au ░A░u░t░h░o░r░ ░C░h░a░t░ 📖

  

Author 𝐂𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 and I had an informative and candid conversation about the publishing industry, the state of journalism in the U.S. today, and, of course, her excellent books! 𝐍𝐚𝐀𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧, her first volume of crime fiction, is the prequel to her 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐚 & 𝐆𝐚𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. The first installment, 𝐇𝐚𝐚𝐀𝐞𝐝, is available now and 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 will be published on June 16, 2026. Once you start reading, you'll be 𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘊𝘥 on the complex, tightly constructed mysteries populated by fascinating, fully-formed characters. Ken Goode is a San Diego police detective who has achieved his career goal of being assigned to the homicide division under the supervision of the man he considers his brother. Katrina Chopin is new to San Diego, but not investigative journalism. She is determined to get the story, but committed to doing so within the bounds of journalistic integrity and ethical guidelines. She has a very personal connection to one case . . . and a strong mutual attraction to Goode. 

Caitlin is also the author of a dozen compelling true crime books and we talked about three of my favorites: 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐀𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐞, and 𝐁𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬.

Her journey from investigative reporter to true crime author to crime novelist is an amazing story in and of itself! Her perseverance and tenacity brought her dream to fruition. You can read her account at www.jhsiess.com.

What is the author reading? Caitlin recommends the 3rd book in @ericbeetner's Carter McCay trilogy.

Ꭱʜᎀ᎛ ʙᎏᎏᎋ(ꜱ) Ꭱɪʟʟ ʏᎏ᎜ ʙᎇ ʀᎇᎀᎅɪɎɢ ᎛ʜɪꜱ ᎡᎇᎇᎋᎇɎᎅ?

#Colloquium #BookReviewer #AuthorChat #CaitlinRother #NakedAddiction #Hooked #Staged #KatrinaAndGoodeSeries #DeadReckoning #DownToTheBone #BodyParts #ThomasAndMercer #TrueCrime #CrimeFiction #UpcomingRelease
    🔎 𝕌𝕡𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 ℝ𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕀𝕖 📣 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬 is a Canadian 🔎 𝕌𝕡𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 ℝ𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕀𝕖 📣

𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬 is a Canadian author whose debut psychological thriller, 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥, was recognized by the Crime Writers of Canada Excellence Awards, Canadian Book Club Awards, Pen Craft Awards, & National Indie Excellence Awards. Her second novel, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫, will be published 𝘚𝘊𝘱𝘵𝘊𝘮𝘣𝘊𝘳 𝟷𝟻, 𝟞𝟶𝟞𝟌, & it sounds like a tense, engrossing tale that will keep me reading well into the night! After reading the synopsis, I can't wait to see how the story unfolds.

𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘎𝘪𝘎:

Professor Karla Dobbs has everything: literary acclaim, a bestselling novel, & a film adaptation on the horizon. Until a former student accuses her of plagiarism.  

Natalie Silva claims that the novel in question is based on a real tragedy & insists that the film be stopped . . . or there will be consequences. Certain that she has done nothing wrong, Karla dismisses her. At first. 

But as the world slips into lockdown, the truth begins to unravel, & the people behind the real story emerge, demanding answers. Threats & public scrutiny follow. Then come the submissions.

Through a desperate attempt to stay afloat, her online mentorship program, Karla receives work from an anonymous writer known only as The Protegé. Each excerpt is disturbingly personal. Intimate & predictive, with chilling precision.

Someone is watching her.

Someone is writing her.

And as people around her begin to die, Karla realizes 𝘵𝘩𝘊 𝘮𝘰𝘎𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘚𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘎 𝘎𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘎𝘩𝘊’𝘎 𝘯𝘊𝘷𝘊𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 . . . 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘊 𝘩𝘊𝘳 𝘰𝘞𝘯.

𝘞𝘩𝘊𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘎𝘵𝘊𝘢𝘭 𝘎𝘰𝘮𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘊 𝘊𝘭𝘎𝘊’𝘎 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢, 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘊𝘀𝘰𝘮𝘊𝘎 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘎.

ɪ᎛'ꜱ ᎀʟᎏʜᎀ ꜰʀɪᎅᎀʏ! ᮀɮᮅ ᮀ ᎛ʜʀᎇᎇ-ᎅᎀʏ ᎡᎇᎇᎋᎇɎᎅ ɪɎ ᎛ʜᎇ ᮜ.ꜱ. Ꭱʜᎀ᎛ ᮅᮏ ʏᎏ᎜ ʜᎀᎠᎇ ᎘ʟᎀɎɎᎇᎅ?

𝑚𝒍𝒐𝒉𝒂! 𝑰'𝒎 𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒆𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒇𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒛𝒆𝒔, 𝒔𝒖𝒏, & 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒔 . . . 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒏𝒐 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒔𝒐𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓. 🌊🌎🌺😎

#UpcomingRelease #Colloquium #BookReviewer #ThrillerBookLoversThePulse #TheMentor #AngelaDouglas #PsychologicalThriller #UpcomingRelease #DreamscapeMedia
    🔎 𝕌𝕡𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 ℝ𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕀𝕖 📣 𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐞 has long been 🔎 𝕌𝕡𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕘 ℝ𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕀𝕖 📣

𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐞 has long been an auto-read author for me. Have you read her fabulous Everything Series -- 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝗪𝐞 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩, 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝗪𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝, & 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝗪𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞? If not, 𝘯𝘰𝘞 𝘪𝘎 𝘵𝘩𝘊 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘊 𝘵𝘰 𝘀𝘢𝘵𝘀𝘩 𝘶𝘱 because she has written the fourth & final book in the series, 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝗪𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐝. And it's a second chance story! I can't wait to read it because I 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘊𝘥 the first three books. Pre-order your copy now. It will be published on 𝘈𝘶𝘚𝘶𝘎𝘵 𝟹, 𝟞𝟶𝟞𝟌!

𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘎𝘪𝘎:

On the outside, Nadia Jacobs is a cool, confident architect at the top of her game. But for the past decade, she’s been quietly building walls to keep the people she loves most at arm’s length. All because of him.

Thomas Donato sacrificed everything when he forced Nadia to keep a dangerous secret from everyone they knew. He did it to protect his family. But it cost him the woman he’s secretly loved since they were kids.

Now he wants back into Nadia’s life. Nadia’s heart does a familiar skip-and-stumble when met with his hesitant smile, but she sees through his bravado. Thomas is achingly alone. And letting him in risks losing everyone & everything she holds dear.

When his past abruptly crashes into their present, they are both suddenly on the run. Not only are they forced to confront the price of a secret they’ve kept for a decade, but a truth even more treacherous: their feelings for each other.

With time running out & nowhere to hide, will their love heal what darkness broke in them all those years ago, or will it shatter them forever?

𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝗪𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐝 is a heart-pounding & suspenseful romance full of longing & a second chance at love against the odds.

ɪ'ᎍ ɮᮏᮛ ᮀ ʙɪɢ ʀᎏᎍᎀɎᎄᎇ ʀᎇᎀᎅᎇʀ, ʙ᎜᎛ ɪ ᮅᮏ ʟᎏᎠᎇ ꜱᎇᎄᎏɎᎅ ᎄʜᎀɎᎄᎇ ꜱ᎛ᎏʀɪᎇꜱ. ɪꜱ ᎛ʜᎇʀᎇ ᮀ ꜱᎇᎄᎏɎᎅ ᎄʜᎀɎᎄᎇ ꜱ᎛ᎏʀʏ ᎛ʜᎀ᎛ ʏᎏ᎜ ʜᎀᎠᎇ ʟᎏᎠᎇᎅ & ʀᎇᎄᎏᎍᎍᎇɎᎅ?

#UpcomingRelease #Colloquium #BookReviewer #KerryLonsdale #EverythingSeries #EverythingWeKeep #EverythingWeGive #EverythingWeLeftBehind #EverythingWeFound #UpcomingRelease #SecondChanceRomance #Bookouture
    📚 𝓑𝓞𝓞𝓎 𝓜𝓪𝓲𝓵 📬 I love to read big, messy, dramatic 📚 𝓑𝓞𝓞𝓎 𝓜𝓪𝓲𝓵 📬

I love to read big, messy, dramatic stories, as well as mysteries, thrillers, & lots of historical fiction. 

But sometimes I just want to curl up with a book that will remind of all the truly good people in the world & reassure me that things always ultimately work out. Thanks to @bibliolifestyle & @harperperennial for a copy of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝗪𝐢𝐬𝐡 by 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬, author of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐟 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐳 & 𝐂𝐢𝐥𝐀𝐚'𝐬 𝐉𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲, two works of historical fiction that I loved. 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘎𝘩𝘊𝘥 May 5, 2026, it is a decidedly contemporary story of courage, family, resilience, & hope, which is something I think we can all agree we need right now.

𝘚𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘎𝘪𝘎:

Jesse is 15 years old. She loves her friends, her little brother, & her parents, even when they’re arguing, which feels constant these days. Most of all, she loves playing video games. Even from her hospital bed.

Alex is 29. He doesn't love a lot of things & isn’t really sure he knows 𝘩𝘰𝘞 to. He's a virtual reality games designer with a desk that is completely empty  except for his computer . . . much like his life sometimes feels.

Jesse makes a wish. A simple one. She wants a video experience made of her life. Something tangible that will be there, just in case 𝘎𝘩𝘊 isn’t.

One loving teenager.

One lonely adult.

Which one will get the happy ending?
 
Ꭱʜᎀ᎛ ʙᎏᎏᎋ(ꜱ) ᮅᮏ ʏᎏ᎜ ʀᎇᎄᎏᎍᎍᎇɎᎅ ᎡʜᎇɎ ꜱᎏᎍᎇᎏɎᎇ ᎛ᎇʟʟꜱ ʏᎏ᎜ ᎛ʜᎇʏ ᎡᎀɎ᎛ ᮛᮏ ʀᎇᎀᎅ ᮀ ʙᎏᎏᎋ ᎛ʜᎀ᎛ Ꭱɪʟʟ ᎜᎘ʟɪꜰ᎛ ᎛ʜᎇᎍ & ᮍᮀᮋᮇ ᎛ʜᎇᎍ ʜᎏ᎘ᎇꜰ᎜ʟ ᎅᎇꜱ᎘ɪ᎛ᎇ ᎀʟʟ ᎛ʜᎇ ᎛᎜ʀᎍᎏɪʟ ɪɎ ᎛ʜᎇ Ꭱᎏʀʟᎅ ᮀɮᮅ/ᎏʀ ᎛ʜᎇɪʀ ᎘ᎇʀꜱᎏɎᎀʟ ʟɪꜰᎇ?

#BookMail #Bookstagram #Gift #bookreviewer #Colloquium #Bibliolifestyle #HarperPerennial #HeatherMorris #TheWish
    📚░A░p░r░i░l░ ░W░r░a░p░-░U░p░📚 April was a month o 📚░A░p░r░i░l░ ░W░r░a░p░-░U░p░📚

April was a month of extraordinarily good books! And I discovered new authors whose work I enjoyed & have added them to my exceedingly long & never completed list of auto-buy authors. 

I read 1⃣1⃣ books & 1⃣novella in April.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

📖 𝗪𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐔𝐩𝐚𝐧 𝐀 𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞 by 𝘑𝘊𝘯𝘯 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘊𝘳𝘎𝘣𝘺 (Writing as Eliza Gordon)
📖 𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐀𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 by 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘎𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘔𝘀𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘥
📖 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝗪𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐞 by 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘎𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘔𝘀𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘥
📖 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 by 𝘒𝘢𝘵𝘊 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘯
📖 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 by 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘊𝘳𝘺 𝘈𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘎
📖 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐊 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐞 by 𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘎
📖 𝗪𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐁𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐚𝐰 by 𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘣𝘊𝘵𝘩 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘚𝘊𝘳
📖 𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 by 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘰 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘊 𝘉𝘶𝘳𝘬𝘊	

⭐⭐⭐⭐

📖 𝗪𝐞 𝗪𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 by 𝘈𝘯𝘯𝘊-𝘚𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘊 
𝘑𝘰𝘶𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘊𝘢𝘶
📖 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐀 𝐋𝐚𝐀𝐞 by 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘎𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘔𝘀𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘥
📖 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐀 by 𝘈𝘷𝘊𝘳𝘺 𝘉𝘪𝘎𝘩𝘰𝘱
📖 𝐈𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 by 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘢 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘀𝘬𝘢

ᎀ᎘ʀɪʟ 30 ᎍᎀʀᎋᎇᎅ ᎛ʜᎇ ᮇɮᮅ ᎏꜰ ᎛ʜᎇ 1ꜱ᎛ 1/3 ᎏꜰ 2026. ʜᎏᎡ ɪꜱ ʏᎏ᎜ʀ ʀᎇᎀᎅɪɎɢ ɢᎏɪɎɢ ꜱᎏ ꜰᎀʀ ᎛ʜɪꜱ ʏᎇᎀʀ? ᎀʀᎇ ʏᎏ᎜ ᎏɎ ᎛ʀᎀᎄᎋ ᮛᮏ ᮍᮇᮇᮛ ᎀɎʏ ɢᎏᎀʟ(ꜱ) ʏᎏ᎜ ʜᎀᎠᎇ ꜱᎇ᎛ ꜰᎏʀ ʏᎏ᎜ʀꜱᎇʟꜰ?

#MonthlyWrapUp #Colloquium #BookReviewer #ThrillerBookLovers #BookBrowse #WishUponARosie #JennSommersby #WhatLiesInDarkness #ChristinaMcDonald #AllTheLiesWeSee #TheStrangerAtBlackLake #TheAstralLibrary #KateQuinn #InvasiveSpecies #EllerAdams #KeepThemClose #DavidEllis #WontBeLongNow #ElizabethHardinger #Yesterear #CaroClaireBurke #Putnam #WilliamMorrow #WeWouldNeverTell #PenguinRandomHouse  #AnneSophieJouhanneau #TheGirlsInTheDark #AverBishop #InHerDefense #PhilippaMalicka
    📖 𝑚𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕 📖   𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 5𝐭𝐡 📖 𝑚𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕 📖

 

𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 5𝐭𝐡
𝟑:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐊. 𝐄𝐃𝐓 | 𝟏𝟐:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐊. 𝐏𝐃𝐓

I discovered 𝐂𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫's true crime books many years ago via Pump Up Your Book, a virtual book tour group. That was well before Instagram, TikTok, etc. when my reviews were only published on my website. I was eager to read that first book because the story fascinated me, but it also had a slight connection to my career. I've read every successive book she has published since then.

So of course I was enthusiastic when I heard she was pivoting to crime 𝘧𝘪𝘀𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. Unsurprisingly, she is just as adept at creating engrossing, twisty novels as she is at relating the thoroughly researched details of actual crimes in her signature riveting style.

She introduced San Diego police detective Ken Goode in 𝐍𝐚𝐀𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧. (That was actually the first book she ever wrote.) His story continues in 𝐇𝐚𝐚𝐀𝐞𝐝, set a year later in 2015, and 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝, which will be released on June 16, 2026. In those installments, he is joined by reporter Katrina Goode as he struggles to solve baffling crimes . . . and maintain his professionalism when he is tempted to cross ethical boundaries.

Reading Caitlin's superbly-crafted novels, you would never suspect that her journey from being a true crime writer to fulfilling her dream of being a crime novelist was an onerous one spanning 17 years. 

We'll talk about how her determination & perseverance has paid off, challenges presented by a changing publishing industry, whether she'll write more true crime books, the additional novels in the series she has already completed, what she is writing now . . . and more! 

I hope you can join us during the IGLive broadcast. If you can't, but have questions you would like to ask Caitlin, submit them in a comment & watch the recording later to hear her responses. 

#Colloquium #AuthorChat #BookReviewer #TrueCrime #CrimeFiction #CaitlinRother #NakedAddiction #Hooked #Staged #ThomasAndMercer #PumpUpYourBook
    📖 𝑚𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕 📖   𝗪𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏 📖 𝑚𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕 📖

 

𝗪𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟎𝐭𝐡
𝟓:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐊. 𝐄𝐃𝐓 | 𝟐:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐊. 𝐏𝐃𝐓

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐀 is a fast-paced, gripping thriller about 15-year-old twins who are kidnapped near their home & held captive for 147 days. But the more interesting aspect of the story is what happens when only one of them escapes. Related through two narratives, Megan's first-person account of present-day events & her emotional struggles, alternating with a third-person account of the girls' captivity which advances incrementally from the day of the kidnapping up to the escape. The book kept me up way too late because I couldn't stop reading the engrossing & surprisingly thought-provoking mystery. 

It made me an 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩 fan & he has graciously agreed to chat with me about writing thrillers, publishing, "hint fiction" (his invention), & why Robert Swartwood, a bestselling & award-winning author, decided to start publishing books under a pseudonym! 

If you are able to join us during the IGLive broadcast, you can ask your burning questions. Or submit them in a comment & watch the recording later to hear his answers! 

#Colloquium #AuthorChat #BookReviewer #ThrillerBookLoversThePulse #TheGirlsInTheDark #AveryBishop #RobertSwarthood #Bookouture #Thriller #PsycholgicalThriller #Mystery
    📖 𝑚𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕 📖   𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟔𝐭𝐡 📖 𝑚𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒕 📖

 

𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐𝟔𝐭𝐡
𝟑:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐊. 𝐄𝐃𝐓 | 𝟏𝟐:𝟎𝟎 𝐩.𝐊. 𝐏𝐃𝐓

Even if you haven't read 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝗪𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧's novels yet, if you're a fan of TV dramas, including Homicide, Law & Order, House, JAG, Judging Amy, & Medium, you've seen his work.

His long love of psychological thrillers & a desire to write alone, rather than in a collaborative TV writers' room, inspired him to pen his first novel, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐜𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞, which he followed up with 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲.

Recently, 𝟓𝟏% was released & he is adapting it as a pilot for NBC. Set just 20 years in the future, the United States is 𝘀𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘊𝘵𝘊𝘭𝘺 privatized. The Big Six syndicates own schools, roads, police departments . . . even human beings. The murder of one of them sends an NYPD detective with an old-school sense of justice on a quest to find her killer, & a battle against the syndicates & the most ruthless, powerful AI in the world. 

I hope you will join us during the IGLive broadcast or watch the recording of what is sure to be a fascinating discussion! 

#Colloquium #BookReviewer #AuthorChat #MattWitten #TheNecklace #KillerStory #51PercentBook #OceanviewPublishing #LevelBestBooks #DystopianFiction #Thriller
    📖 𝓑𝓞𝓞𝓎 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 💻 𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 by 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐀𝐞 i 📖 𝓑𝓞𝓞𝓎 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 💻

𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 by 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐀𝐞 is not just a bestseller. It is the current "you have to read it" book because of readers' myriad reactions to the characters and story.

The main character, Natalie Heller Mills, is a social media influencer. She has developed a "lifestyle brand" centered around her role as a "trad wife." With her husband and children, she lives on a farm and every aspect of their life that she projects to the world is carefully curated to present an ideally stylized existence. She sells related merchandise, naturally, and has become extremely wealthy.

Behind the staged imagery, the family is far from perfect, of course.

𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 is fast-paced and engrossing. It is a completely unique and creative tale, unlike any I've ever read before. It is extremely well-written, with each character fully formed. 

I have convinced my in-person book club to read 𝐘𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 because I can't think of a book that is better suited to discussion of its multi-layered, nuanced themes. Burke has constructed a searingly astute and insightful story about life in the age of social media, with contemporary political and religious overtones. It is the most impressive debut novel I have read in some time & I can't wait to read more of her work.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ʜᎀᎠᎇ ʏᎏ᎜ ʀᎇᎀᎅ ʏᎇꜱ᎛ᎇʀʏᎇᎀʀ? ɪꜰ ꜱᎏ, ꜱʜᎀʀᎇ ʏᎏ᎜ʀ ɪᎍ᎘ʀᎇꜱꜱɪᎏɎꜱ ᮀɮᮅ ᎏ᎘ɪɎɪᎏɎ. ɪꜰ ɮᮏᮛ, ᮅᮏ ʏᎏ᎜ ᎘ʟᎀɎ ᮛᮏ?

#Colloquium #BookReview #Yesteryear #CaroClaireBurke #BookClubFiction #GMABookClub #KnopfPublishing #NetGalley
    ░A░u░t░h░o░r░ ░C░h░a░t░ 📖    I had ░A░u░t░h░o░r░ ░C░h░a░t░ 📖

  

I had a wonderful time chatting with award-winning author 𝐉𝐚𝐊𝐞𝐬 𝐋'𝐄𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞 about his background in law enforcement and unique childhood experiences; how, after retiring, he was inspired to become a novelist; his writing approach & style; busy role as a volunteer and mentor to up-and-coming authors; and, of course, his excellent books.

The Detective Nathan Parker series, set in Arizona, consists of four volumes so far: 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐩, 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝗪𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧, 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐝, and 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. This is a great time to start reading and get caught up on the series, because the fifth book, 𝗪𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐀𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬, will be released in August 2026. I can't wait to read it.

Set in Sacramento, there are three installments in the Detective Emily Hunter series: 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐟 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝, 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐞𝐬 (which was just nominated for an Anthony Award), and 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡. A fourth volume is in the works.

Every one of Jim's books is fast-paced, populated by fully developed and fascinating characters, and sprinkled with humor. Additionally, he confronts contemporary social issues from multiple vantage points. That makes the books excellent choices for book clubs because there are plenty of aspects to discuss and debate. 

ᎀʀᎇ ʏᎏ᎜ ᮀ ꜰᎀɎ ᎏꜰ ᎀɎʏ ʙᎏᎏᎋ ꜱᎇʀɪᎇꜱ? ɢɪᎠᎇ ᮍᮇ ʏᎏ᎜ʀ ʀᎇᎄᎏᎍᎍᎇɎᎅᎀ᎛ɪᎏɎꜱ!

#Colloquium #BookReviewer #AuthorChat #JamesLEtoile #DetectiveNathanParkerSeries #DetectiveEmilyHunterSeries #DeadDrop #DevilWithin #ServedCold #SinsOfTheFather #FaceOfGreed #RiverOfLies #IllusionOfTruth #Thriller #Mystery #PartnersInCrimeVirtualBookTours #LevelBestBooks #OceanviewPublishing
    ░A░u░t░h░o░r░ ░C░h░a░t░ 📖    B ░A░u░t░h░o░r░ ░C░h░a░t░ 📖

  

Bestselling, award-winning author 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐝 graciously joined me to talk about her background, writing style, and latest novel, 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐀𝐲 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ She is commemorating her 25 years as a published author -- the Rookie Club, Rookie Club, Dr. Schwartzman, and Badland Series, as well as four other standalone novels. 

𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐀𝐲 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫 is an excellent selection for books clubs. Danielle describes it as a literary thriller and, through her fascinating, fully developed characters, she explores multiple themes, including forgiveness, deciding whether or not to have children, fertility, and marital partners who disagree about the future they envision for themselves. At the heart of the story is a friendship developed in adolescence between Lexi, Mara, and Cate (Danielle says they really became sisters), a tragedy, and a reunion 16 years later.

When Mara disappears just days before the baby she has agreed to carry for Lexi is due, Lexi begins searching for her. Twists, turns, surprising revelations, and questions about how well the friends 𝘳𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 know each other figure into the fast-paced, action-packed, & clever mystery.

Ꭱʜᎀ᎛ ʙᎏᎏᎋ(ꜱ) ᎀʀᎇ ʏᎏ᎜ ᎄ᎜ʀʀᎇɎ᎛ʟʏ ʀᎇᎀᎅɪɎɢ ᮀɮᮅ/ᎏʀ ʟɪꜱ᎛ᎇɎɪɎɢ ᮛᮏ?

#Colloquium #BookReviewer #AuthorChat #DanielleGirard #PinkySwear #AtriaBooks #EmilyBestlerBooks #Thriller #Mystery #LiteraryThriller
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