SOULED OUT

SOULED OUT

ELL CYNE SERIES

 

BLANKLEY CHORPENNING

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

'Young Adult' novels interest me because they allow me to see what the new generation reads. Are vampires a thing? I guess so.

Ell is a reader of human souls for Vampires, which is the first step before the vamp sucks blood. Her capability is questioned, and the higher-ups want verification, starting with her relationship with her twin sister's soul.

The story offers a new twist in the genre and is well-crafted, featuring a Vampire protector for Ell. She is being pursued by nefarious elements who want her soul discredited.

The events leading to the gripping ending are unusual but somewhat tricky to follow. However, the readers' attention is kept glued to the page.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4katYh5

 

EVE'S WAR

EVE'S WAR

OPERATION ZIZAG

HANNAH HOWE

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

During WWII, Zigzag is a British double agent, and Eve is asked to leave her lavish lifestyle to help. She has the contacts to get the agent from France to Spain through the mountains.

Her task is difficult because of the weather, the people who interfere, the events, and the agent. Each twist and turn leaves the reader on the edge.

When the end comes, the reader will think, "What was that all about?" The goal is not reached in a thrilling, deadly ending.

EVE'S WAR is a quick novel that leaves the reader wanting more. There are twelve novels in The Heroines of SOE Series.

Have fun. Purchase: https://amzn.to/4m215Ws

Flair for Chardonnay

A FLAIR for CHARDONNAY

A Sadie Kramer Flair Mystery

DEBORAH GARNER

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Sadie is not the person one would think of as a sleuth. She is a flamboyant woman, a chocolate addict, and the owner of a dress shop.

Her shop, FLAIR, is next door to a chocolate boutique, whose owner is also part of a family winery. Sadie visits the winery for a weekend getaway when a murder occurs.

Sadie's relationship with the owner of the chocolate boutique gets her involved. After making several trips to the winery and meeting all the family members and police involved with the murder, she solves the case using logic that none of the people saw or investigated—an outsider is the criminal.

That outsider is in plain sight but not considered.

Easy reading to follow.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/44E6EE1

CHASING JUSTICE

CHASING JUSTICE

Piper Anderson Series Book One

DANIELLE STEWART

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

This novel is a suspenseful thriller with a background in multiple relationships. Piper sees a crime in progress, which causes her PTSD to move her into action against a criminal.

In her quest, she meets endearing people and a cop who falls in love with her. These people produce new emotions in Piper, which leads to the unraveling of a web of murder, pedophilia, and other crimes.

JUSTICE is entertaining, but the characters' backgrounds are too deep, and the ending leaves the reader hanging. The novel is too long for my taste.

Ms. Stewart leaves the reader with too many questions to contemplate at the dramatic conclusion. Therefore, she brings you into Book Two of the series.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4jiUTrc

Fish Out of Water

FISH OUT OF WATER

An Ozark Lake Mystery #1

MARC JEDEL

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Serendipity is a good word to use for this light mystery. Elizabeth returns to her birthplace with her husband Jonas, the fish out of water, in tow.

A man that Elizabeth fights with when returning to town is murdered. The newbie Sheriff arrests her for the crime.

She and Jonas go a-snooping. Jonas, who has never been in an Arkansas small town, goes about his business, and clues laughing fall on his plate.

This novel is not much of a mystery, but the off-the-wall characters and town community events contribute to a good read. You'll have to read book two to see who dies next.

 

Purchase: https://amzn.to/42rCtgP

A Very Terrible Text

A VERY TERRIBLE TEXT

ELANA JOHNSON

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Is texting now a part of contemporary romance comedy? Hillary and Liam text each other, Ms. Johnson's linchpin for romance.

Hillary sends the wrong text to him, and a romance begins. She lives in a Big House with four other women, and Liam is their hunky next-door neighbor.

Hillary is caught up in her career. After the text, she feels obligated to date Liam; from that moment on, love blooms—until Hillary's career takes off.

You'll have to read this well-written Hallmark Ish novel to see which wins: Hillary's career or her love of Liam. The reader will be surprised at the end of this cute novel.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3G5d4Sj

Subtle Art of Not Giving a FUCK

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

MARK MANSON

Review by Author Roy Murry

Does profanity provoke you? If it doesn't, Manson is a provocative writer. In SUBTLE, Manson gives the reader many definitions for using FUCK.

His verbosity may rattle the reader's cage. However, he provides a clear explanation of why one should or should not care based on psychology, which comes through loud and clear.

The reader may discover something about themselves that is negative.

Mr. Manson does not leave you hanging. He provides solutions using biological narratives to engage the reader in one way or another.

This is not a self-help book.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3XAsZy9

Expresso Shots & Murder Plots 1

Expresso Shots & Murder Plots

AUDREY ALDEN

Review by Author Roy Murry

As with most cozy mysteries, EXPRESSO is a main character-driven novel. Lila, a coffee shop and bookstore co-owner, is a journalist-type sleuth.

After a wealthy man gives a festival speech, he dies in the crowd. Only Lila believes that the event is murder.

Lila naively questions and upends her friends and the police chief to the point of getting herself arrested. In the end, Lila is correct, but she becomes a target.

Amy, Lila's friend and co-owner of the shop, and Lila's dog, Finn, are coconspirators in her shenanigans. From the ending events of this novel, Lila's friends will help her solve a crime in the next book of this series - they are all well-defined characters.

This cozy mystery is a quick read for the mystery buff.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/41ZsoHr

DON'T TRUST ME

DON'T TRUST ME

Hamlet Book One

JESSICA LYNCH

Review by Author Roy Murry

The theme of love and betrayal is at the heart of DON'T TRUST ME, a story that will leave you emotionally invested and questioning the lengths one would go for love.

Tessa Sullivan and her husband Jack's marriage is in turmoil, so they decide to go on a second honeymoon. They find themselves in the small town of Hamlet's Inn instead of their resort's destination.

After a heated argument, Tessa leaves the room for a drink, only to return the next morning to a shocking discovery- Jack is dead. She was in jail for DUI.

The story starts here when the sheriff gets involved. However, the crime a little woman like Tessa could not have committed sends the town of two hundred into a spin.

If not her, who killed Jack? The sheriff believes Tess did it. But how? The sheriff is talking with Tess and Maria about a renegade deputy who is in love with Tessa when a shot is fired. 

The twists and turns of this novel keep the reader engaged. When the end comes, one will be amazed.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3DEohZs

THINK AGAIN

THINK AGAIN:

The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know

ADAM GRANT

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

The author, Adam Grant, is a professor of Organizational Psychology at Wharton. I graduated from the JFK Psychological Warfare Center, Fort Bragg, NC 1968.

Now that you have our credentials, I understand why Mr. Grant has a bestseller here. Although his writing and discourse on the human psyche are understandable to someone like me, unschooled psychology readers may find this read boring.

However, if you are inquisitive, learning to manage people, or want to know what you don't, this book will point you in the right direction. Mr. Grant motivates the reader to excel in their endeavors.

'How do you know what you know?' is another question.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3QMeC5V

the good guy

THE GOOD GUY

DEAN KOONTZ

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Tim, the good guy, has chosen to save a life. Linda, the person he has decided to save, is in the crosshairs of the evil guy, a paid assassin.

Tim and the assassin play cat and mouse through various mishaps, trying to decide who controls Linda's fate. The reader knows who the evil one is, but Tim is just a mason, right?

NYT Best-Selling author Koontz writes excellently. He sets the stage for a thriller. However, this being my first read of his novels, I found it lacking something. Also, it had too many of the evil person's digressions.

Overall, this thriller has exciting moments that keep the reader involved, but the ending is not one of them.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3CZ57x7

Amish Herbal Secrets

AMISH HERBAL SECRETS

The Modern Heritage 2025 Edition

Miriam Yoder

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

I found this jewel of a book that was free on Kindle for a short period. You should buy the paperback so you can better mark the portions you need.

The Amish have a holistic way of living that will help the average American to live ten percent longer than the public. I am at their average life span of 75.

There are herbal teas for almost every illness or human deficiency. Some of their brews include green and ginseng teas for energy, detox teas, and peppermint tea for digestion.

This kind of book always recommends eating veggies, exercising, and living healthily. The Amish do it all from scratch: they grow their herbs and vegetables, prepare their brews, and store them for use later.

I highly recommend this book to young people (25 - 45). Go live a better life.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3Xhb5Am

IRISH BOOKSHOP MURDER

AN IRISH BOOKSHOP MURDER

LUCY CONNELLY

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Mercy and Lizzy inherit a house and a bookshop in Ireland from a grandfather they never met. After a welcome party for the two at the bookshop, a person from their cottage court dies in Mercy's arms, calling her a murderer.

From this first-day event, Mercy, a mystery writer, snoops into everyone in the cottage court's life. This small town's lone handsome detective keeps arresting Mercy for whatever reason with cause - she snoops in the wrong places.

Mercy and Lizzy's adventure ends with a surprising ending, clearing Mercy of wrongdoings. However, she did snoop illegally, and her M.O. will continue in the series.

Key elements of this series are sisterly love, diversity of characters, the start of a relationship, and close community involvement. IRISH BOOKSHOP meets all the requirements of an excellent series.

 

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3EWfG4l