Tag: #standalone

ARC Feature Post and Book Review: Mind Games by Nora Roberts

Book Description

As they do each June, the Foxes have driven the winding roads of Appalachia to drop off their children for a two-week stay at their grandmother’s. Here, twelve-year-old Thea can run free and breathe in the smells of pine and fresh bread and Grammie’s handmade candles. But as her parents head back to suburban Virginia, they have no idea they’re about to cross paths with a ticking time bomb.

Back in Kentucky, Thea and her grandmother Lucy both awaken from the same nightmare. And though the two have never discussed the special kind of sight they share, they know as soon as their tearful eyes meet that something terrible has happened.

The kids will be staying with Grammie now in Redbud Hollow, and thanks to Thea’s vision, their parents’ killer will spend his life in supermax. Over time, Thea will make friends, build a career, find love. But that ability to see into minds and souls still lurks within her, and though Grammie calls it a gift, it feels more like a curse—because the inmate who shattered her childhood has the same ability. Thea can hear his twisted thoughts and witness his evil acts from miles away. He knows it, and hungers for vengeance. A long, silent battle will be waged between them—and eventually bring them face to face, and head to head…

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195791352-mind-games?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=E3m2MFm1v6&rank=2

Expected Publication: May 24, 2024

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

MIND GAMES by Nora Roberts is an amazingly rich and layered multi-genre story. It follows the young protagonist, Thea Fox, between the ages of twelve to twenty-seven from a traumatic family event to her ultimate battle and HEA. This book is a mix of family drama, romance, romantic suspense, murder mystery, generational paranormal psychic abilities all rolled together into an engaging story set in a small town in the Kentucky Appalachian Mountains.

School is out in Virginia and twelve-year-old Thea and ten-year-old Rem are on their way to spend two weeks with their Grandma Lucy in the Kentucky foothills. They always look forward to helping with the animals and gardens, helping with their grandma’s home-based company, and running free in the mountains. But this year, something terrible happened to their parents and they will be staying with their grandma in Redbud Hollow.

Thea has the gift of sight that has passed down through generations of women in her family and she is able to use it to help police capture her parent’s killer. But the killer has the same gift, and he uses it to stay tied to Thea. A mental battle wages between them over the next fifteen years until they are face to face and Thea is ready for a final game.

If you loved the sweeping story in Identity, you will love this story just as much. The parents’ murder is heartbreaking, but the family love between Lucy, Thea, and Rem warms and heals the break, at least partially. Then you get to read how Thea strengthens not only physically, but mentally and learns to deal with her gift as well as how to handle the intrusions and attacks from the killer. I fell in love with all the well-developed characters in this story, especially the son of Thea’s love interest. I loved the ending, not only because it ends on a HEA, but because of Thea’s solution and use of her gift to obtain it even if it could end her own.

I highly recommend this new multi-genre story from the author that never disappoints!

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About the Author

Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 — The Becoming — the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

Social Media Links

Website: https://noraroberts.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noraroberts

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nora-roberts

Book Tour/Feature Post and Book Review: Umbrate by A.D. Jones

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for UMBRATE by A.D. Jones on this Black Phoenix Book Tour.

Below you will find a book description, my book review, an about the author section, and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

Welcome to Dalton
Home to Humans, Dwarves, Elves and the shadowy Umbral Populace.

Detective Vanic Bradley works hard to keep the peace, coming down hard on the criminal underbelly of the city.

After putting his life on the line multiple times in recent weeks, all he wanted was a day off work to spend time with his son, and re-evaluate his place in the world – but forces beyond his control have other ideas.

For reasons unknown, he will find himself in a race against time as two hundred innocent citizens become collateral damage in a murderous plot centered around him.

Umbrate is the debut Urban Fantasy crime thriller by A.D Jones, that will offer up his take on a fantasy setting that should be welcomed by many readers, regardless of their genre tastes.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199395214-umbrate?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=RYgA5KMF4E&rank=1

Universal link for the book on Amazon

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My Book Review

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

UMBRATE by A.D. Jones is an engaging debut urban fantasy crime thriller that introduces us to a new world that is like ours but besides humans is also inhabited by dwarves, elves and a dark and shadowy species known as the Umbral. This is also a fast-paced crime thriller. While this novel is a short standalone, it could easily lead to a series.

Umbral can only come out in the night or in protected environments that will not let the sun touch them and even as the government has tried to assimilate them, there has always been a deep prejudice towards them. Detective Vanic Bradley works the dangerous night shift and does not like Umbral. After being wounded on the job, Vanic just wants a day off to enjoy with his young son. They end up at the mall and are suddenly trapped inside with a killer who is willing to turn everyone else into collateral damage to get to Vanic.

I really enjoyed this story and was easily pulled into this new urban fantasy world. The crime thriller plot is what you would find in many thrillers, but this story has distinct races from fantasy stories as well as the new Umbral race. Vanic is well developed for this shorter novel. He is divorced, but on good terms with his ex, a loving father, has a current love interest and is a rising star in law enforcement ranks, but he does have a prejudice against Umbral which goes all the way back to his youth. There is plenty of action, especially once everyone is enclosed in the mall, and this is when all the major secondary characters become known and help in the fight.

This is a fast read with an interesting new world, gripping thriller action and by a debut author. I am looking forward to seeing what will come next from this author.

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About the Author

A.D Jones lives in the North of England; where he spends his time favoring books over people and can be found writing or devouring said books to review online. He loves Coca-Cola, Twin Peaks, all things horror, and cult movies. He dislikes the movie ‘The Karate Kid’ with a passion that burns brighter than the sun.

His debut novel – Umbrate was released in October 2023 to positive feedback and his next book: Sacrificial Waters is scheduled for release sometime in 2024.

He also has multiple short stories in print through publishing houses such as Dark Village Publications and January Ember Press.

You can find him on Instagram – the_evergrowing_library

ARC Feature Post and Book Review: The Last Twelve Miles by Erika Robuck

Book Description

Two real, brilliant women on two sides of the law, in a daring game of cat and mouse…

1926, Washington, D. C.

In the Prohibition Rum Wars, the Coast Guard is losing. Eleven million gallons of illegal liquor a year have created a booming smuggling economy, with criminals wreaking havoc on American cities, and everyday citizens thumbing their noses at Uncle Sam. But the Coast Guard has a new, secret weapon—one of the husband-and-wife pair who invented cryptanalysis and trained Great War soldiers—to crack smuggler codes, intercept traffic, and destroy the trade, one skiff at a time. That secret weapon is a 5’2″ mastermind in heels, who also happens to be a wife and mother: Mrs. Elizebeth Smith Friedman.

Bahamas

When Marie Waite—wife of a rumrunner and mother of two little ones—notices discrepancies in cargo, she insists on accompanying her husband, Charlie, on a run from their home in Miami to Nassau. There, not only does Marie witness her husband’s shortcomings, but she becomes enthralled by Cleo Lythgoe, “The Bahama Queen,” who announces her retirement while regaling the thugs at the bar with tales of murder and mayhem on the high seas. In spite of Cleo’s warnings about a “new man in the government” who seems to know where they are before they get there, Marie knows an opportunity when she sees it, and she wants the crown for herself so badly she can taste it.

So begins Marie’s plan to rise as rumrunner royalty long enough to get her family in the black. What she didn’t count on was that the more sophisticated her operation grows, the more she comes on the radar of the feds, nabbing criminals by the daily dozen. Once Marie knows who she’s up against, she’s more determined than ever to triumph.

On the other side of the law, Elizebeth is the only codebreaker battling scores of smugglers. From solving thousands of intercepted codes and ciphers, to riding along on Coast Guard patrols, to national travel, to testifying in court rooms—all while managing her household—the strain begins to wear on her. Once the work becomes personal, and she discovers Marie as a premier adversary, Elizebeth’s desire to catch the woman becomes almost obsessive.

From the glamorous world of D. C. Intelligence to the sultry shores of the Straits of Florida, The Last Twelve Miles—a tale of ambition and envy—is based on the true story of two women masterminds trying to outwit each other in a dangerous and fascinating game of high stakes.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/197036048-the-last-twelve-miles?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=4O3AytmCTF&rank=1

Expected Publication: June 4, 2024

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE LAST TWELVE MILES by Erika Robuck is a thrilling historical fiction story of two women, each brilliant, going head-to-head on opposite sides of the law during the Prohibition Era southern rum wars. While I have read about Elizebeth Friedman and her contributions to cryptanalysis, Spanish Marie was new to me, and this author brought both women to vivid life for me as I was reading.

 Mrs. Elizebeth Smith Friedman and her husband invented cryptanalysis during WWI. Elizebeth has gone on to work for the Coast Guard during Prohibition to crack smugglers’ codes so the Coast Guard can intercept smugglers and destroy their illegal alcohol. Her primary focus is on the Cuban, Bahamian, and Florida routes. She is the Coast Guards secret weapon to capturing many law breakers.

Marie Waite is the wife of a rum runner and when she learns the queen of the runners is retiring, she seizes the opportunity and becomes Spanish Marie. She takes advantage of every new technology to evade capture and continue her rise to the top of her chosen illegal trade.

Spanish Marie becomes Elizebeth’s obsession in a cat and mouse game.

I loved this story so much! Ms. Robuck brings both women to life on the page, even though the author acknowledges that information on Spanish Marie is more lore than fact. This is a historical fiction book that grabbed me from page one, and I was unable to put the book down. Elizebeth has a full life outside of the home with her cryptanalysis and must learn how to balance her work and home life as a wife and mother, which is an unusual position to be in during the 1920’s. Marie begins life poor and makes terrible choices in men, but it leads to her ambition and endless need for wealth. Elizebeth and Marie are fully developed characters that you can empathize with in different ways, and it makes their protagonist/antagonist battles even more fascinating.

I highly recommend this amazing historical fiction!

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About the Author

Erika Robuck is the national bestselling author of historical fiction including SISTERS OF NIGHT AND FOG, THE INVISIBLE WOMAN, and HEMINGWAY’S GIRL, and sports parent satire #HOCKEYSTRONG. Her articles have appeared in Writer Unboxed, Crime Reads, and Writer’s Digest, and she contributed an essay to Writer’s Digest’s AUTHOR IN PROGRESS. 

A boating enthusiast, amateur historian, and former teacher, Erika was recently named Annapolis’ Author of the Year, and she resides there with her husband and three sons.

Social Media Links

Website: http://www.erikarobuck.com/index.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErikaRobuck

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erobuckauthor/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erika-robuck

Feature Post and Mini Book Review: A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America and the Woman Who Stopped Them by Timothy Egan

Book Description

The Roaring Twenties–the Jazz Age–has been characterized as a time of Gatsby frivolity. But it was also the height of the uniquely American hate group, the Ku Klux Klan. Their domain was not the old Confederacy, but the Heartland and the West. They hated Blacks, Jews, Catholics and immigrants in equal measure, and took radical steps to keep these people from the American promise. And the man who set in motion their takeover of great swaths of America was a charismatic charlatan named D.C. Stephenson.

Stephenson was a magnetic presence whose life story changed with every telling. Within two years of his arrival in Indiana, he’d become the Grand Dragon of the state and the architect of the strategy that brought the group out of the shadows – their message endorsed from the pulpits of local churches, spread at family picnics and town celebrations. Judges, prosecutors, ministers, governors and senators across the country all proudly proclaimed their membership. But at the peak of his influence, it was a seemingly powerless woman – Madge Oberholtzer – who would reveal his secret cruelties, and whose deathbed testimony finally brought the Klan to their knees.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61423989-a-fever-in-the-heartland?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=bPVA4CB3WV&rank=1

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My Mini Book Review

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

A FEVER IN THE HEARTLAND: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot to Take Over America and the Woman Who Stopped Them by Timothy Egan is a nonfiction book that is part true crime, part historical reference, and all-around terrifying tale of hate, fear, greed, and megalomania. This book is set primarily in Indiana in the 1920’s but hate and fear of the other was an infection throughout the Midwestern states. If you think the Klan was only a Southern phenomenon, think again.

D.C. Stephenson rose in four short years to become the Grand Dragon of the KKK in Indiana in a very short time in the 1920’s. With his charisma and slick tongue, he had a stranglehold on every aspect of politics, law enforcement, and business. His order of the Klan in Indiana at one time had a larger membership than many southern states. This included a women’s auxiliary and even a Ku Klux Kiddies branch. But like in most moral tales and warnings, absolute power corrupts absolutely. The law catches up with Stephenson eventually and he is held responsible for the death of Madge Oberholtzer, who he kidnapped, raped, and mutilated and her death becomes the turning point of the KKK fever in Indiana.

This book is difficult to read in its unrelenting reporting of the true horror and crimes committed by the KKK in the Midwest in the 1920’s. This book lays bare racial, religious and immigrant hatred and segregation, educational restrictions and book banning, and a group of people led by fear of the other and hate to follow a charismatic cult leader. This book shines a light on the terrifying parallels with current events.

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About the Author

TIMOTHY EGAN is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and the author of ten books, including the forthcoming, A FEVER IN THE HEARTLAND, which will be released on April 4. His book on the Dust Bowl, THE WORST HARD TIME, won a National Book Award for nonfiction. His book on photographer Edward Curtis, SHORT NIGHTS OF THE SHADOW CATCHER, was awarded the Carnegie Medal for nonfiction. He’s also written several New York Times’ bestsellers, including THE IMMORTAL IRISHMAN and THE BIG BURN. He’s a third-generation Westerner.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.timothyeganbooks.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nytegan

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-fever-in-the-heartland-by-timothy-egan

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=a+fever+in+the+heartland&ref=nb_sb_noss

Feature Post and Book Review: A Tangled Web by Leslie Rule

Book Description

In the tradition of her acclaimed mother, Ann Rule, author of The Stranger Beside Me, bestselling author Leslie Rule exposes the trail of a sadistic sociopath, identity thief, and killer . . .
 
It was a bleak November in 2012 when Cari Farver, thirty-seven, vanished from Omaha, Nebraska. Texts sent indicated that the hardworking mother had quit her job, abandoned her son, and cut ties with everyone. Cari’s boyfriend, Dave Kroupa, accepted the breakup at face value. Her mother, Nancy Raney, however, had doubts. “I need to hear your voice,” Nancy begged. When the texter refused to speak, Nancy reported Cari missing.  
 
While no one saw or spoke to Cari, more than 12,000 sinister emails and texts were sent in her name over the next years. Police believed Dave and his girlfriend, Shanna “Liz” Golyar, when they reported that the missing woman was cyberstalking them. The tormentor was eerily aware of Dave’s every move, knew when Liz visited and threatened the couple. It never occurred to Dave that Cari was a victim—that the real stalker had killed before, and was planning to kill again.
 
Leslie Rule tracks the heart-pounding path to long-awaited justice—from a twisted past to the deadly deception and the high-tech forensics that condemned the killer to prison.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45554640-a-tangled-web?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=9St0CrdWbg&rank=1

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

A TANGLED WEB by Leslie Rule is an engrossing true crime account of a cyberstalking sadistic killer’s manipulations carried out over years that destroyed multiple lives and escaped justice until law enforcement used high-tech computer forensics to catch them. While I watched this story on a TV crime show and learned the facts from that, Ms. Rule’s book is a detailed hypnotic account of the facts of the killer’s past, their reign of terror, and the investigation that finally entangled them in forensic facts that sent them to prison.

Dave Kroupa has split from the mother of his two young children. He loves his children, but he refuses any permanent relationship which leads to the split and his dabbling into online dating. He meets Liz, who is also a single parent who claims to want no permanent relationship. It works well for a while, but soon Liz is demanding a commitment Dave is unwilling to give. The back-and-forth drama lasts for months until Dave meets Cari and the two hit it off immediately. Dave begins to spend all his time with Cari until she leaves an out of the blue message that she is leaving town.

Cari is leaving terrible messages not only for Dave and Liz, but also her mother and son who have begun searching for her. Cari is blamed for not only horribly vicious emails and texts, but also arson and violence. Many victims are terrorized for years until web savvy detectives begin to unravel the web of lies.

I really loved this book and the author’s inclusion of the killer’s entire life history, not just the recent murder and cybercrimes. This is a study of a true sociopath and the destruction they can cause in so many lives. It took years for law enforcement to believe Cari was even a missing person and then they took the word of all involved in the case that she was the person responsible for the terrorism. It is truly terrifying what a sociopath can do with an internet connection. The surprise twists and turns this case took over the years make it the perfect case to keep the reader engaged. It showcases the potential dangers of online personal information and communications in today’s online world.

I highly recommend this true crime story and I hope that Ms. Rule is as prolific as her mother was in this genre.

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About the Author

Leslie Rule’s true crime debut, A Tangled Web, covers a frightening Omaha love triangle murder. “I chose this case because I want to warn readers that the female sadistic sociopath may be the most dangerous killer of all.” A veteran author for over three decades, Rule’s other works include two suspense novels and five nonfiction books on the paranormal, including Coast to Coast Ghosts—True Stories of Hauntings Across America. Rule was only seventeen when she started attending murder trials with her mother, author Ann Rule. “It was my job to shoot the killers—not with a gun, but with my camera,” says Leslie. Many of her courtroom photographs have appeared in her mother’s books. In addition to her bestselling books, Leslie has published dozens of articles in national magazines, including First for Women, Woman’s World and Reader’s Digest.

Social Media Links

Website: https://authorleslierule.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leslie.rule.9

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LeslieRules

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/leslie-rule

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Blaque Pearle by Tarris Marie

Book Description

Tarris Marie’s debut novel intertwines crime, romance, and the ‘90s era. A refreshing new voice for urban romance lovers and women’s crime thriller connoisseurs.

Before her Hollywood dreams were shattered, Pearle Monalise Brown was the tenacious aspiring actress from Compton’s unforgiving, scarred streets. Never broken, Pearle switches gears to a fallback plan—resorting to her beauty and acting skills to swindle money and expensive jewels. When she’s hired by the Colombian cartel to steal a priceless Basquiat from the debonair kingpin and art collector, Blaque, her talents might not be enough to keep her from falling into a trap she never saw coming. 
 
Blaque is sagacious and handsome—not to mention the legacy of two powerful organized crime families: the Laurent’s—known dons hailing from Kingston, Jamaica, and the Savage’s—a sophisticated syndicate with criminal enterprises across the U.S. As Blaque and Pearle become passionately entangled, Pearle falls prey to a darker underworld. Time is ticking. Lives are at stake. Will these love outlaws be able to outsmart their enemies, or will they wage an all-out war, leaving the bodies to fall wherever they may?

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Elise’s Thoughts

Blaque Pearle by Tarris Marie intertwines crime, romance, and the ‘90s era. Much like her characters, the author also took a powerful journey, having to overcome Stargardt Disease, a genetic condition that caused her legal blindness and cost her a corporate job.

The plot has deeply flawed but relatable characters who risk everything for love and family.  The main female lead, Pearle Brown was an aspiring actress that got caught up in her brother’s scheme.  She decides to use her beauty and acting skills to swindle money and expensive jewels from unsuspecting people. When she and her brother are hired to steal a priceless Basquiat from the debonair kingpin and art collector, Blaque, her talents might not be enough to keep her from falling into a trap she never saw coming, falling in love with him. Although he is from two powerful crime families he also falls in love with Pearle and will do anything to keep her safe.  Together they use their skills to battle their enemies and help those in need.

The book has vivid descriptions, captivating characters, and a complex storyline. It is not only riveting but informative as well.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Why become a writer?

Tarris Marie: I decided to write after I lost my central vision.  I had come from the corporate world and after losing some of my vision I became depressed and was on a downward spiral. When I was on the floor, I heard a voice telling me to get up.  I asked God what to do and heard, write a book. This was in 2020 when I decided to write a series, a total of four novels.

EC:  Do you want to talk about your disease?

TM:  Stargardt Disease is a hereditary disease of the retina, affecting the central sight.  It is a juvenile form of Macular Degeneration. For me, I got it my late thirties.  Now I am legally blind.  It does not affect my peripheral vision, but I could not see anything I directly look at. My support system is my husband, children, family, friends, and the best doctors. I use technology to help me become independent.

EC:  Is the story related to your life?

TM:  I wrote about the decade in which I grew up. I was trying to find myself, so I went back in time. This book is the first book to come out, taking place in the 1990s.  I grew up in an urban environment in Gary Indiana, America’s murder capitol.  I grew up in a loving home.  I lived the 1990s culture, the hip-hop music, and the hairstyles. I met a lot of people, learned a lot, and grew a lot.

EC:  Why did you make your hero and heroine “bad guys?”

TM:  They start off as “bad.”  But there was redemption, and the characters were relatable considering the decisions made was to survive. I was also able to relate to these characters because I do know what it feels like to be in a place where you must do what is necessary to survive.

EC:  Why not end the story with Part I?

TM:  Part I was more about the drug aspect, while Part II concentrated on human trafficking. In the late 1990s it used the Internet, a lot of traps for young girls. 

EC:  How would you describe Pearle?

TM:  Low-key, greedy, quiet, protective, and loyal. I named her Pearle, symbolic because it has a lot of layers.  Like the gemstone, the character has a hard exterior, but has layers.

EC: How would you describe Blaque?

TM:  Gentle but could be rough and powerful.  A listener, honest, funny, open-minded, adventurous, mysterious, and serious. I named him Blaque to represent the black male that I knew. He loved the women in his life and respected them. The color black is mysterious and sexy. Putting his name along with Pearle, the gemstone Black Pearl is unique, created in a different type of oyster. It represents healing of broken hearts. Like me, I needed to heal because I was broken. I hope to take any reader on that journey as well.

EC: Next book?

TM:  The title is Empress Creed, out in February 2024.  It is a prequel with a hindsight into the family. It takes place in the 1930s in the Midwest and shows how the crime family got started.

THANK YOU!!

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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.