The Blogger Recognition Award

The Rules

  1. Thank the blogger/s who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
  2. Write a post to show your award.
  3. Give a brief story of how your blog started.
  4. Give two pieces of advice to new bloggers.
  5. Select up to 10 to 15 other bloggers you want to give this award to.
  6. Comment (or pingback) on each blog and let them know you have nominated them and provide the link to the post you created.

Thank you so much to Emer at A Little Haze Book Blog for nominating for this blogger award. She has been such an awesome support of my blog and I appreciate it so much. Check out her awesome blog and give her a follow, she has fun book tags and fabulous book reviews!

How Past Midnight came to be:

Honestly? I wanted to read arcs on NetGalley because money is tight when you have two kids! 🤣 When I was single with no kids, I bought books without a care. Having kids…well, my kids can’t eat books, right?

I found out about NetGalley and I wanted in! I used to blog, years ago…even got paid writing wedding planning articles for blogs so I thought I’ve done this before…mind you I’ve been out of it a few years though. I’ve been a lover of books since I was eleven…I’ve been reading for thirty years so I would consider myself experienced. Then one day in March 2019 I said I’m going to do it. And here I am. I called it Past Midnight because I start reading as I put my daughter to bed at night and when a book is good I read “past midnight”. 🤷🏻‍♀️ It’s been so much fun, I love having access to arcs, I’m back at buying books too because I have a bigger space to house them. I’ve made such awesome friends in the blog world and on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter. It’s been more than I could have imagined and I love it. 😍

Two Pieces of Advice to New Bloggers:

I think the obvious and best advice would be to be YOURSELF on your blog. Because seriously…that’s the best advice to give! But here are two more pieces of advice that helped me build this blog:

#1 – A thing that helped me a lot with posting everyday even if I didn’t have a book to review is doing book tags, blogger awards (if you are nominated), and weekly memes that bloggers host. There is so much out there! I have two young children that want my attention constantly, even if one is in school, the other is still home with me and we run errands and do activities some days so at times I have no time to read or even post. So PRE-SCHEDULE some book tag posts, or weekly memes for your blog. Currently some weekly prompts/memes I’ve tried are:

All of these are fun, easy and adds some different content to your blog other than book reviews. Especially when you don’t have a book review lined up – these have been a lifesaver for me!

#2 – I’m never satisfied with the way my blog looks, I’m always changing something after a few months. But I found an easy way to add some graphics and that’s by using Canva. It’s how I make blog banners or just add some simple graphics to my page and it’s free! I’m all about free. I paid for one graphic I think and it was only $1. So it doesn’t break the bank at all.

And that’s that! As always you are not obligated to do this post, only if you want to 😘 – here is who I’m nominating:

TheGeekishBrunette

Prose & Pancakes

Storme Reads

Somewhere Lost In Books

Sometimes Leelyn Reads

Biblio Jojo

Yna the Mood Reader

Kitty Maries Reading Corner

abellafairytale

Jessica E. Larsen

{BLOG TOUR} | His to Defend by. Rhenna Morgan

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: His to Defend (NOLA Knights, #1)

Author: Rhenna Morgan

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publisher: Carina Press

Categories: Contemporary Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

His world. His rules. Her love.

Though his methods may be rough, when it comes to protecting what’s his, Russian vor Sergei Petrovyh’s heart is always in the right place. That’s never been more true than when the gorgeous Evette Labadie asks him for a job. He knows enough to keep his hands off someone as beloved by the locals as Evie, but there’s something about her that calls to him—no matter how badly he burns to make her his.

Don’t think Evie hasn’t noticed the powerful Russian mafia boss who makes her favorite diner a regular stop. How can she not? He’s as hot as his reputation is dangerous. But everyone in her struggling New Orleans neighborhood knows he’s the man to turn to. And right now she needs money to get her son out of trouble.

Her other needs—needs she knows damn well Sergei can more than satisfy—will have to wait.

Evie soon finds herself playing Cinderella to a man who, despite what people believe, is definitely more prince than villain. She can’t help falling deeper in love with each passing day. But when a turf war between Sergei and a rival brings violence to her doorstep, Evie must come to grips with loving a man who will do anything to defend her…or walk away from her best chance at a happily-ever-after of her very own.

Thank you to Carina Press and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read an eARC of this book.

Russian mob? A damsel in distress? New Orleans? This story is a contemporary adult fiction with a Cinderella vibe but much much MUCH more scintillating than the original story.

Evette Labadie is a sweet single mother with some challenges securing a job. She needs one right away to get funds to send her son to a private school. Sergei Petrovyh has a reputation in New Orleans as a mob boss kind of figure, with lots of connections. To hear Sergei say it, it’s a lifestyle, it’s bratva or a brotherhood. He has power, connections, money and will do whatever is necessary to protect his own and he has an eye on Evette. Evette asks Sergei to help her, and he does…and then some!

While the story is somewhat predictable: powerful man rescues woman in need, I don’t think it takes away from the story at all. It’s one of those stories that’s addicting if mobster romance is your thing. Their relationship does happen really quick with not a lot of resistance on her part. Evette does have some spunk in her, but deep down she is a sweetheart and gives in to her attraction to Sergei. As for Sergei…he is 🔥🔥🔥 in the bedroom and so soft and protective towards Evette outside of it. I mean, he does get his way at times because he is a powerful, alpha kind of man. But I like how he’s cautious and easy with her son Emerson as well.

Outside of their love story is a situation close to Evette that threatens Sergei and Evette’s lives. But hey…Sergei’s a powerful man. He takes care of it. 👀🕶

Overall this is an enjoyable, hot read, with sweetness, a little danger, lots of sexy moments, and a happily ever after!

Purchase your copy at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1335534377

About the Author:

A native Oklahoman, Rhenna Morgan is a certified romance junkie. Whether it’s
contemporary, paranormal, or fantasy you’re after, Rhenna’s stories pack romantic escape
full of new, exciting worlds, and strong, intuitive men who fight to keep the women they
want. For advance release news and exclusive content, sign up for her newsletter at
http://RhennaMorgan.com. You’ll also find all of her social links there, along with her
smoking hot inspiration boards.

http://rhennamorgan.com/
https://www.facebook.com/RhennaMorgan
https://twitter.com/RhennaMorgan
https://www.instagram.com/rhennamorgan/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8596977.Rhenna_Morgan

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His to Defend – Blog Tour Schedule

October 14th

Reads & Reels (Spotlight) http://readsandreels.com

Reviews and Promos by Nyx (Spotlight) https://nyxblogs.wordpress.com/

Vivianna MacKade (Guest Post?) https://viviana-mackade.blog/

Didi Oviatt (Review) https://didioviatt.wordpress.com

Romance Book Binge (Review) https://romancebookbinge.com/

October 15th

I’m All About Books (Spotlight) https://imallaboutbooks.com/

Sophril Reads (Spotlight) http://sophrilreads.wordpress.com

October 16th

The Magic of Wor(l)ds (Spotlight) http://themagicofworlds.wordpress.com

Cup of Books (Review) https://cupofbooksblog.wordpress.com/

Jane Hunt Writer (Review) https://www.jolliffe01.com/blog

October 17th

Dash Fan Book Reviews (Review) https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/

The Bookish Mrs. Harding (Review) http://thebookishmrsharding.home.blog

October 18th

Misty’s Book Space (Review) http://mistysbookspace.wordpress.com

The Cozy Pages (Review) http://thecozypages.wordpress.com/

…..

October 21st

B is for Book Review (Spotlight) https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

I Love Books and Stuff (Spotlight) https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com

Literary Dust (Review) https://literarydust.wordpress.com/

The Faerie Review (Review) http://www.thefaeriereview.com

October 22nd

Nesie’s Place (Spotlight) https://nesiesplace.wordpress.com

Tranquil Dreams (Spotlight) https://klling.wordpress.com/

Inked and Blonde (Review) https://inkedandblonde.blogspot.com/

October 23rd

Wrong Side of Forty (Review) https://wrongsideoffortyuk.wordpress.com/

Tsarina Press (Review) https://www.tsarinapress.com

October 24th

Past Midnight (Review) http://pastmidnight.home.blog

October 25th

Jessica Belmont (Review) https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/

Book Dragon Girl (Review) https://bookdragongirl.com

Crossroads Reviews (Spotlight) http://www.crossroadreviews.com 

WWW Wednesday | 10/23/19

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam over on Taking on a World of Words.

The idea is pretty simple, every week you dedicate a post to the three W’s:

What are you currently reading?

What have you just finished reading?

What are you going to read next?

What are you currently reading?

I am 60% done with this and hopefully will finish soon. I am approved to read the sequel on NetGalley so I definitely needed to bump this TBR up my list. It’s intriguing and definitely not what I was expecting but I think in a good way so far.

What have you finished reading?

This releases in January 2020 so my review will post nearer to the publication date. But I was surprised by this book – I enjoyed it! Here is the book blurb:

Veronica sees ghosts. More specifically, her mother’s ghost. The afterimages of blinding migraines caused by the brain tumor that keeps her on the fringes and consumes her whole life haunt her, even as she wonders if it’s something more…

Golden boy Sawyer is handsome and popular, a state champion swimmer, but his adrenaline addiction draws him to Veronica.

A girl with nothing to live for and a boy with everything to lose–can they conquer their demons together?

What are you going to read next?

Another NetGalley arc that I’m going to finish up next so I can take it off my list. And it sounds perfect as a October read, though it’s official release date is in December. Here’s the book blurb:

We stand in a tight cluster, high above the lake. One-by-one, we made our way up the narrow trail from the edge of campus. Now, we wait shoulder to shoulder behind the police tape. Nineteen summer students.
 
All but one.

When Nora gets accepted into her dream summer program at the prestigious Winthrop Academy, she jumps at the chance to put her coding skills to use. But then a fellow student goes missing—and the tech trail for the crime leads back to Nora. With no one else to trust, Nora must race to uncover the truth and clear her name…or she might be the next to disappear.

Thanks for reading! What are you reading right now? Leave me a comment below. 😘

Top Ten Tuesday | 10/22/19

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Please check out her website for more TTT topics!

This week’s topic is:

Books I’d Give Different Titles To

Wow, this is a hard one! So I’m going to give 5 titles and I don’t even know if I can suggest a new title, I’m not that creative haha.

This is an eARC I just read on NetGalley and I really enjoyed the story, review will come in January 2020 but I don’t think the title gives a hint at the story at all! Maybe should be called the Ghosts Between Us?…😅

I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I enjoyed this book but I can never remember the full title of this book! I’ll be like A Curse So Dark and…? 🧐 And I have no good explanation for me blanking out on it all the time – maybe it’s too long? HAHA…don’t mind me. And I have no suggestion, it’s a lovely title, I just can’t remember it offhand.

This title is totally fine, but I just wanted to say there are SO MANY books lately with “stars” in the title. That sometimes it all blends together.

There wasn’t much gaming in this book or getting the girl 🤷🏻‍♀️ – there was a storm and being stuck in a mall. The main character was a gamer but this title was so misleading. I wanted a gamer love story and I did not get that. It should’ve been called Surviving the Storm or something like that haha.

This one is on my TBR but why does that title sound so strange? 🤔 I’ve said it aloud a few times and nope, it doesn’t sound right. HAHA, but am I intrigued by the cover? Very much so!

This topic was hard so that’s what I got for today so five is what I got!

Goodreads Monday } 10/21/19

I love seeing these Goodreads Monday post from my blogger friends so I’m going to try it out and maybe it will actually help me remember what is on my TBR list on Goodreads. 😅 This is a weekly meme that was started by Lauren’s Page Turners so check out her blog for more bookish content!

All you have to do is choose a title on your Goodreads Want To Read category and say why you want to read it.

Here is my choice for today:

Book Blurb:

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Why Do I Want To Read This?

How have I not read this yet? It’s been on my TBR forever and I see that it was published in 2011. I remember it being published and I think it was the same time as Divergent and maybe I just overlooked this one?

  • I see that Rebel, by Marie Lu came out and I definitely have to read Legend before that right?
  • A lot of people love it and it makes me want to see why.
  • I read Marie Lu’s Warcross series and enjoyed it so I definitely want to read more of her work.
  • I’ve been reading so much fantasy that maybe it’s time to swing back to Dystopian haha. It’s like how vampires seem to be coming back again.

Have you read this book? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think about this book! 😘

Book Review | Patron Saints of Nothing

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Patron Saints of Nothing

Author: Randy Ribay

Format: Hardcover (won from Bookishfirst)

Pages: 323

Categories: Mystery, Own Voices, Philippines, Politics, Family, Young Adult, Grief, Identity

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from Bookishfirst in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

A powerful coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin’s murder.

Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte’s war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story.

Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth — and the part he played in it.

As gripping as it is lyrical, Patron Saints of Nothing is a page-turning portrayal of the struggle to reconcile faith, family, and immigrant identity. 

Thank you to Kokila and BookishFirst for giving me a chance to win a copy of this book.

Patron Saints of Nothing made me mad, laugh and cry. This story took me on an emotional rollercoaster and one I wasn’t expecting. I heard amazing reviews of this book, but I didn’t think I needed tissues!

Jay is a teenage Filipino-American boy, his dad is Filipino, mom is caucasian and though Jay was born in the Philippines he has lived in Michigan since he was very little. He receives news that his cousin Jun in the Philippines is dead and no one in the family wants to talk about it. Jun had a past and the rumor is he was a drug addict. With President Duterte in power in the Philippines drug users and drug pushers are fair game on the streets. Police are allowed to kill them, no arrest or trial needed. Jay feels like he needs to find out the truth about Jun, but as he searches for clues, Jay realizes he has a lot to learn about the Motherland, his family, Jun and himself.

“Truth is a hungry thing.”

Patron Saints of Nothing by. Randy Ribay
  • It’s a Filipino story – but not everyone’s filipino story, but for me, it was close enough. As the author says, “Truth is a hungry thing“, and as I kept reading this story my hunger for Filipino history increased along with Jay’s. Jay is half filipino, half white (like my own children) and though his experience was clearly different from mine a lot of the book was still nostalgic to me and recognizable in my own life story.
  • The emotions this book invoked in me were strong and so unexpected. The characters in this book, like Jay’s dad, his uncles and grandparents – I recognize them. They are in my family. The hard uncle, the cousins, the gay aunts and the family dynamics. I get it and it just brought the tears, especially when Jay tries to find his voice to stand up to his uncle, or when they finally celebrate Jun’s life, the grief just made me lose it in the end.
  • There are so many issues brought up in this book: the drug war in the Philippines started by President Duterte, the outside perspective coming from Jay the American, the family drama, the guilt, the differences of the USA and Philippines, the HISTORY of the Philippines, finding ones identity when they aren’t raised in the Philippines, dealing with truth that hurts, family dynamics between Jay and his “american” family vs his filipino family, and Jun’s pursuit to do the right things-to be a good person. This book brought it all and questions many things.
  • This story is unapologetic and powerful in a quiet way. This book spoke to me on all kinds of levels. My kids need to read this book someday, I want my husband to read it, I already have a friend lined up to read it now that I’m done.
  • The setting of the Philippines is spot on and I swear I could smell the Philippine air as I read this. I’ve only been there officially three times, but technically only remember 2 visits because I was a baby the first time. “It was a day of soil, sunlight, and smoke.” That’s the first line of the book and right away I had a visual of a morning in the Ilocos Norte country side, the sun rising above the greenery and smoke in my nostrils. My soul said YESSSSSS, when I read that first line.
  • I loved Jun’s letters. It gave us insight into his home life and how he felt deeply about the issues in his country. You could tell he was a sensitive soul with an insensitive father who didn’t understand him. But that whole “parents not understanding their child” thing resonated with me too. I understood Jay’s lack of relationship with his father (totally get this) and I understood Jun’s desire to run away from his overbearing/judmental/controlling father (totally get this too 😒).
  • The budding romance in the story probably wasn’t needed but it’s not an untrue experience. And it was pretty innocent – they held hands.
  • Trigger Warning: animal dies. Or should I say killed? But even just saying that…it’s not just a killing. It’s more than that – it’s one paragraph of the book but again it packed a punch because it is reminiscent of my childhood where I watched my grandma kill a chicken for dinner. The goat, yes…I’ve heard many goats die in my childhood. And yes we have grocery stores in Hawaii, but my grandma was as Filipino old school as they come. You couldn’t take the farm life out of her! But the description of the kill comes in a letter from Jun who says now what used to not bother him, bothers him…and it sets off another dispute between him and his father.

I wish I had this book when I was a teenager. It makes my heart happy that there will be a book that my kids, who are half Filipino, will be able to identify with when they are old enough to read this. I know there will be even more for them to read because the diversity of stories coming out in the young adult genre world is amazing and I absolutely applaud that.

Patron Saints of Nothing gutted me and ignited me. I cannot stop thinking about it. It’s made me hungrier for truth. It’s made me grateful that I asked my grandparents about their past before they died, I wish I asked more. I told my son yesterday to ask his grandparents QUESTIONS about their life in the Philippines. Ask them about their childhood, ask them what they did for fun, ask because it is important to know. I’ll eventually bring my own kids there and they can have their own experiences.

This is a book about family, grief, history, the drug war in the Philippines and finding one’s identity. But also, it is MORE. It’s a story about my people and I’m very proud to know this book is out there in the world.

“I expected the truth to illuminate, to resurrect. Not to ruin.”

Patron Saints of Nothing by. Randy Ribay

Top 5 Saturday: Creepy Books

Happy Saturday everyone!

I wanted to try a new weekly prompt for my blog and I’ve seen this one from a few blogger friends so let’s give it a try!

This prompt is hosted byMandy at Devouring Books so check out her blog for bookish content. 😊

Rules!

  • Share your top 5 books of the current topic– these can be books that you want to read, have read and loved, have read and hated, you can do it any way you want.
  • Tag the original post (This one!)
  • Tag 5 people

This is a big trigger book because of the cutting but this story creeped me out. 😖 It’s a murder mystery in a small town with a reporter who has messed up memories about the town, her family is something else 😳 – and the murderer pulls teeth. AHHH! I just can’t. Lol…creepy.

Edgar Allan Poe re-imagined. A few of the stories in this anthology creeped me out so good! I mean being buried alive is creepy. 😧

This book was something! I reviewed it as an arc but I can still remember how on edge I was reading this book. Sending girls out to an encampment to get their “wildness” out before getting married…and the girls turn on each other and there are poachers on the outskirts waiting…yeah, I don’t think I’ll ever forget this book. HAHA.

I haven’t read this yet but it’s on my shelf. The cover alone looks creepy. My son picked it out for me when we were shopping at Target. He said the trees branches looked cool. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I read this a long time ago in high school, so late 90’s? It’s a collection of novellas and the one story that creeped me out was the one called The Langoliers. There are people on a plane, a few wake up and the rest stay sleeping. I don’t remember much of what happens but just the whole idea of waking up on a plane with everyone asleep including the pilot and couldn’t wake up was creepy to me. There is a lot of Stephen King book that scared me as a teenager

And that’s what I got! Have you read any of these? Leave me a comment below!

Book Review | Rules We’re Meant To Break

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Rules We’re Meant to Break

Author: Natalie Williamson

Format: Hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 293

Categories: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Family

Rule #1: Don’t get attached.

Amber lives by strict rules to survive her mother’s love life: Always keep your eyes on the horizon and never get close to anyone connected to Mom’s boyfriends.

But after they move in with Kevin, the latest of her mom’s “soul mates,” the rules become increasingly difficult to follow. Kevin’s daughter, Cammie, keeps acting like Amber’s friend, even though she’s definitely not. And Jordan—star basketball player, hottest boy in school, and Cammie’s best friend—keeps showing up at the most inconvenient moments.

Amber has reasons for every one of her rules, and following them is the only way to protect her heart when her mom inevitably moves on. But as she spends more time with Kevin, his daughter, and especially Jordan, she starts to wonder if the rules might be worth breaking this time.

My daughter saw this book at the library and chose it for me because it had a pink heart on the cover. I indulged her and borrowed it, yes she’s only 2 1/2 years old…haha, how could I say no? And yes her favorite color is PINK. 💞 I figured I needed a YA contemporary book since I’ve been reading a LOT of dark fantasy books lately. But I do love this cover.

Rules We’re Meant to Break has a slow and sweet romance but the romance is not the only focus of the story. Amber and her mother’s relationship is the main problem in this book, and because of it Amber created a set of rules to protect herself against her mom’s poor dating habits. But now it may be time to break those rules.

  • This is a quick and light contemporary novel. Though it dealt with some relationship problems with Amber and her mom, it never got heavy on the topics. Which was perfect for what I needed right now.
  • Amber’s dog Buffy is adorable and I like how Amber wants to study Behavioral science when she goes to college.
  • The romance was slow and super sweet which was cute. Amber and Jordan’s relationship grew steadily and in the end they get a happily ever after.
  • I liked seeing Amber and Cammie (her mom’s boyfriend’s daughter) relationship grow from awkwardness to friends. I’m glad Amber started to let people in even if she was afraid of getting hurt.
  • I wished Amber talked to her mom about how she felt about all the dating and bringing men into Amber’s life. I get her mom’s life is her own, but Amber was affected too and that sucked. The only time they mentioned anything of it was when her mom found the “rules” accidentally.
  • The characters in this book were kind of bland.
  • And the rules…I mean I get why Amber wrote them, to cope with all the changes she had to deal with each time her mom changed boyfriends but I didn’t even remember any of the rules except the not being nice to mom’s boyfriend rule. Because she was pretty distant with Kevin, rightfully so, but he was trying his best without knowing about Amber’s feelings.

This was a very quick read and for the most part I liked it. The story gave some insight on how a teen would feel with a parent who is dating or how blended families work, awkwardly at times. There was just enough drama that was pretty much resolved with just a little communication between everyone and the romance was super cute. Overall it’s a pretty good debut novel.

ARC Review | The Widow of Pale Harbor

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Widow of Pale Harbor

Author: Hester Fox

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Categories: Murder Mystery, Historical Fiction, Adult, Gothic, Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

A town gripped by fear. A woman accused of witchcraft. Who can save Pale Harbor from itself?

Maine, 1846. Gabriel Stone is desperate to escape the ghosts that haunt him in Massachusetts after his wife’s death, so he moves to Maine, taking a position as a minister in the remote village of Pale Harbor.

But not all is as it seems in the sleepy town. Strange, unsettling things have been happening, and the townspeople claim that only one person can be responsible: Sophronia Carver, a reclusive widow who lives with a spinster maid in the eerie Castle Carver. Sophronia must be a witch, and she almost certainly killed her husband.

As the incidents escalate, one thing becomes clear: they are the work of a twisted person inspired by the wildly popular stories of Mr. Edgar Allan Poe. And Gabriel must find answers, or Pale Harbor will suffer a fate worthy of Poe’s darkest tales. 

Thank you to Graydon House and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this eARC.

I just got approved to read this book though it’s been out for a month now. This is a wonderful autumn read because it has a gothic vibe to it. Mrs. Sophronia Carver is a widow and lives in a house called Castle Carver. Everyone in Pale Harbor thinks she killed her husband so she never leaves her house. Then Gabriel Stone comes to town as the new minister but he’s as mysterious as they come. There are strange things happening in Pale Harbor and Gabriel and Mrs. Carver need to find out who is behind them before people get hurt.

  • The gothic atmosphere in this story is fantastic. It definitely gave me a spooky vibe with Castle Carver up on a hill, and Sophronia, the widow who barely leaves her house. Pale Harbor is the perfect place for things to go bump in the night.
  • The murder mystery kept me guessing and I LOVE all the references to Edgar Allan Poe because I love Poe! The twist in the end wan’t something I expected so it definitely kept me on my toes.
  • I did enjoy the romance building between Gabriel Stone and Sophronia Carver because it made her come out of her shell. Before Gabriel appears, Sophronia is shown as a very fearful person. No one in town really knew her except for the people that worked for her, which was very few. Gabriel made her feel brave.
  • Helen, Sophronia’s housekeeper is more than what she seems and she came off suspicious from the start! Her relationship with Sophronia was a bit much, to the point of obsession, you can see why she was my #1 suspect!
  • I wish we got to learn a more about Gabriel Stone – why am I still suspicious of him? LOL I think I wanted him to have a shadier past than he did. 😂 This book made me second guess everyone! 👀🤔

This is definitely a perfect Fall release and October mood read! It has Edgar Allah Poe references (which I adore), a mysterious widow and a minister, nefarious deeds, a little witchcraft and a lot of suspects. If you are into a gothic romantic murder mystery, this will hit the spot.

First Lines Friday | 10/18/19

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

  • Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
  • Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
  • Finally… reveal the book!

We are nearing Halloween! And the stores already have Christmas decorations up. 😅

Let’s get to the lines:

“Something. Way out in the white-dark. Between the trees, moving where the thickets swarm.”

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This cover is so good! So I finally saw this at my library and I’ve been wanting to read it since it released but I think it’s the perfect fall read since it’s supposed to be creepy. Have you read it?