#Review – Puppet (The Dollhouse Book 2) by R.J. Powell

Miss Teacher hates children, but loves them all the same. Especially boys. Especially Charlie.
Until Puppet is ready to play.

***
Other works by the Author include Madness in Tandem, Thrice the Madness, Dollface, Puppet, Eight Cases of Jane, Vasectomy, and her newest palate cleanser, Feeler Deep.

These books are so much fun. They’re gross, nasty and absolutely vile and disgusting but dolls come to life and take out predators.

Miss Teacher is a pedophile and one kid, Charlie, has a doll that comes to life. They take out their revenge on Miss Teacher together in an absolutely gruesome way. The things they do had me wincing.

If you like quick reads that leaves nothing to the imagination, this may just be for you.

Can be read in KU – https://amzn.to/4nx4HPv

#WOTR26 #authorinterview – Vinni George

Vinni George

#WOTR26 Author Interviews

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Hi! I’m Vinni George! I have been a lover of romance novels (of all shapes, sizes, and colors) since the first time I got my hands on one of my grandmother’s Harlequins, and I’ve never looked back. I live in Ohio with my two favorite guys (my husband and son) and, hopefully—one day—a dog. When I’m not writing, I can be found working for my family’s business, which provides plenty of plot bunnies. In my spare time, I’m a soccer mom who dabbles in performance art, quilting, and various culinary pursuits, and I love traveling. My debut novel, Hold the Door, was a finalist and runner-up in Contemporary Gay Romance in the 2020-2021 Rainbow Awards.

 

How did you hear about this event?  How many years have you attended?

I heard about Writers on the River from a friend who attended. 2026 will be my fourth year attending!

 

What genres do you write?

I write MM romance in a bunch of subgenres including contemporary, shifter MPREG (omegaverse where male omegas can get pregnant and have babies), shifter romantic suspense, and (sea) monster romance.

 

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

Oh, that’s a tough question…I think it depends what a reader is int he mood for, but if I had to pick, I would say Black & White, book 1 in my ORCA shifter romantic suspense series.

 

What is one fun fact about you?  It can be anything like food allergy, fear of something, weird way you broke a bone…….

In a past creative life, I used to be a burlesque performer. Once, I was in a Star Wars parody burlesque show called The Empire Brings Sexy Back. The scene where Han gets frozen in carbonite was a musical number set to “Bohemian Rhapsody” done in the dark with only flashlights held by each performer. I played Darth Vader and had two flashlights because I also had to light the stormtrooper, which was a life-size cardboard cutout, so I had to learn two sets of light cues. Twelve years later and I still can’t listen to “Bohemian Rhapsody” without doing the light cues. If “Bohemian Rhapsody” is playing, no matter where, I will be turning on and off my imaginary flashlights. I also hold both burlesque and pin-up titles in perpetuity.

 

What are your social links?

All my socials can be found through my Linktree: https://linktr.ee/vinnigeorge

 

What are your buy links?

All my books can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/author/vinnigeorgewrites

 

 

#Review – Vicious Fae (Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac Book 3) by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

The King will fall.

While I continue my hunt for the Fae who killed my brother, I have to try to keep my heart away from the vicious boys who could be responsible for his death.

But as my investigation leads me down a dangerous road and answers seem closer than ever before, I’m whisked away to the elite school, Zodiac Academy, with the four Kings, and my heart becomes more vulnerable than ever.

There are so many secrets left to uncover, and I sense something terrible is about to come to light.

But I’m in so deep to this dangerous labyrinth, what if this road only ends in blood?

The series continues with Elise trying to find her brother’s killer. Lots of excitement, drama and tension between her and her guys.

BUT we finally get a scene between Ryder, Dante and Elise and holy crap on a cracker. It was what I had been waiting for. I loved every bit of it.

I am sad how the book ended and I hope things change. There’s still two more books, so who knows what’s going to happen. I can’t really say without giving some major spoilers but wow, what a ride.

Can be read in Kindle Unlimited – https://amzn.to/4lU3HVN

#WOTR26 #authorinterview – Sophie Stern/L.C. Mortimer

Sophie Stern/L.C. Mortimer

#WOTR26 Author Interviews

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Sophie Stern/L.C. Mortimer – I’m a paranormal romance author who also loves to read! I will read just about anything, including literary fiction, sci-fi, romantasy, PNR, and contemporary romance. I also love horror. When I’m not busy reading, I’m writing! I love to write every day. I love to write in the mornings, in the afternoons, in the evening. All the time!

 

How did you hear about this event?  How many years have you attended?

I’ve been attending for five years. I first heard about this event on Facebook.

 

What genres do you write?

I write paranormal, sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary, and pirate romance. Pirate romance is its own genre, right?

 

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

Megan Slays Vampires

 

What is one fun fact about you?  It can be anything like food allergy, fear of something, weird way you broke a bone…….

I love frogs!

 

What are your social links?

www.facebook.com/sexysophiestern
www.instagram.com/dontdatedemons
www.x.com/sexysophiestern
https://www.threads.com/@dontdatedemons/
https://bsky.app/profile/sophiestern.bsky.social

 

What are your buy links?

 

 

#Review – The 31st Trick-or-Treater by Ben Farthing

Thirty-one nights. Thirty-one chapters. One final nightmare.

Last Halloween, thirty trick-or-treaters vanished into the night.

This October, they’re coming back—one by one, each day of the month. But every child carries the same chilling warning: something is returning on the 31st.

Bob has never stopped searching for his daughter. Now, as the shadows of Halloween grow longer, he must face the darkness that stole her—before it takes everything again.

The 31st Trick-or-Treater is a Halloween advent novel: thirty-one nights, thirty-one chapters, and one final nightmare waiting on Halloween.

This book was a lot of fun! This is my second time reading an advent calendar type book and I really enjoy them. Sometimes we can only get a chapter read a day, so these books are perfect for that.

31 kids go missing last year and no one knows why or how.

Bob does his own investigations, especially since one of his daughters are one of the missing kids.

When the missing kids start returning thinking only a few hours passed and not a whole year, things start taking a turn for the worse.

With the help of Bob’s wife and their son, Sam, they figure out what happened and who took the kids. But they end up getting the wrong information, so before it’s too late, they have to make quick decisions.

But who knows if they can make these decisions before the 31st Trick-or-Treater makes an appearance.

Read in KU – https://amzn.to/3JBeh66

#WOTR26 #authorinterview – Rachelle Paige Campbell

Rachelle Paige Campbell

#WOTR26 Author Interviews

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Hi, I’m Rachelle Paige Campbell. I started reading romance novels in college; as a way to help speed up my reading to make it through Art History textbooks. After years in the professional world writing very dry grant proposals and auction descriptions, I started writing the contemporary romance stories I wanted to read. Setting my books in some of my favorite destinations was my inspired way to require plenty of research trips every year with my family.

 

How did you hear about this event?  How many years have you attended?

I’ve heard about Writers on the River from author friends that have been attending for years. I was thrilled to be a signing author in 2025 and am so excited to come back in 2026.

 

What genres do you write?

sweet contemporary romance and Christian contemporary romance

 

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

The Ghost of Loon Lake is my second chance romance plus a mystery with all the shenanigans I love. Estranged spouses. An inheritance. And maybe a ghost? This book is perfect for fans of Psych and Gilmore Girls.

 

What is one fun fact about you?  It can be anything like food allergy, fear of something, weird way you broke a bone…….

When I graduated college, I moved overseas for grad school and lived in a dormitory run by nuns. They were amazing. The kindest ladies. I still think about their delicious dinners.

 

What are your social links?

https://rachellepaigecampbell.com/

https://www.instagram.com/rachellepaigebooks/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rachelle-paige-campbell

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13453682.Rachelle_Paige_Campbell

 

What are your buy links?

https://www.amazon.com/Rachelle-Paige-Campbell/e/B00T0T533Q

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/author/rachelle-paige-campbell

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Rachelle%20Paige%20Campbell%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall

https://books.apple.com/us/author/rachelle-paige-campbell/id1439716125

 

#Review – Scary Stories You Can’t Un-Read by BJ Rawls

A bone-chilling collection of nightmarish tales that will haunt your dreams.

“Brutal, unforgiving, and masterfully crafted, these stories strip away all hope and leave only terror.” — Writing Axis

Enter the world of SCARY STORIES YOU CAN’T UN-READ, where salvation is a distant memory and every page delivers a fresh nightmare. From scientific horrors beyond comprehension to ancient terrors wearing familiar faces, this anthology plunges into humanity’s darkest fears with surgical precision and relentless brutality.

This collection features six unforgettable tales of terror, madness, and cosmic dread, including:

THE LABORATORY A medical assistant’s routine shift becomes a descent into biological hell when he witnesses something that should never have been born.

CATS The beloved pets humanity has cherished for millennia reveal their true nature in a global nightmare that redefines the meaning of predator and prey.

THE TOILET A simple plumbing problem unleashes something ancient and hungry from the depths beneath the city.

THE LAST TRANSMISSION Mars holds secrets that mankind was never meant to discover, and one survivor learns that some knowledge comes with a price too horrible to pay.

THE NECRONOMICON PROTOCOL An archaeological discovery triggers a chain of events that threatens not just humanity, but the very fabric of reality itself.

THE RIGHT MATE Loneliness drives a woman to try online dating, where she discovers that some matches are literally out of this world—and hungry for more than love.

Perfect for fans of Lovecraftian horror, body horror, alien terror, The Thing, Event Horizon, Dead Space, and Clive Barker, this book is a merciless exploration of humanity’s insignificance in a universe that doesn’t care if we survive. Each story is a masterclass in mounting dread, featuring detailed scientific horror, impossible creatures, and protagonists who discover too late that some doors should never be opened.

Warning: This collection contains graphic content, disturbing imagery, and themes that may not be suitable for all readers. Proceed with caution—these nightmares are designed to linger.

Read it if you dare. Sleep peacefully if you can.

I kept seeing this book on TikTok and I caved and finally read it. Man oh man am I glad I did. I stayed up way later than I intended and read this in one sitting. It was a lot of fun but I have to say, I am very glad my husband was home. Horror books just hit differently and this one left me feeling a little uneasy.

Each story in this book is very different than the one before it. There are a few short ones and a couple longer novella sized stories.

I have to say that the one about cats, is my favourite. It definitely made me look at my own cats and go “Don’t you even think about it.”

I looked to see if this author had more books but it doesn’t look like they have a lot published, so hopefully they get more out there because I would love to read more.

I enjoyed the writing and it pulled me into each story.

I definitely suggest reading this one if you like anything horror related!

Good luck sleeping.

One-Click – https://amzn.to/472ZE3f

#WOTR26 #authorinterview – Joel Shoemaker

Joel Shoemaker

#WOTR26 Author Interviews

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Joel Shoemaker has been a librarian for over a decade and a magician for more than three! He lives in central Illinois with his husband, frogs named Penn and Teller, a bearded dragon named Toothless, a colony of cherry shrimp, currently nameless, and his dog, Maximus. He consumes an inordinate amount of cheese.

 

How did you hear about this event?  How many years have you attended?

This will be my third year. I believe my dear friend and fellow attendee J. Lawson was the one that first told me about it.

 

What genres do you write?

My first book is LGBTQIA+ YA, my second and fourth books are adult short story anthologies and my third book is a picture book for the queer, affirming-faith community.

 

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

My newest book is a cocktail-themed flash fiction anthology. I wish more people read it and tried out the accompanying recipes. 🙂

 

What is one fun fact about you?  It can be anything like food allergy, fear of something, weird way you broke a bone…….

 

I have performed magic for Chuck Palahniuk’s Halloween Party in Portland, OR. Chuck Palahniuk is the author of Fight Club and it was a WILD honor to be invited to perform alongside the rest of the hired entertainment: a silent clown, a tarot card reader, and a floutist.

What are your social links?

https://www.facebook.com/shoemakermagicianauthor

https://www.instagram.com/magicianactor/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21950012.Joel_Shoemaker

https://itsjoelshoemaker.com

 

What are your buy links?

 

 

#review #audiobook #partofatrilogy Still Me (Me Before You 3) by Jojo Moyes narrated by Anna Acton

Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that she can embrace this new adventure and keep her relationship with Ambulance Sam alive across several thousand miles. She steps into the world of the superrich, working for Leonard Gopnik and his much younger second wife, Agnes. Lou is determined to get the most out of the experience and throws herself into her new job and New York life. As she begins to mix in New York high society, Lou meets Joshua Ryan, a man who brings with him a whisper of her past.

Before long, Lou finds herself torn between Fifth Avenue where she works and the treasure-filled vintage clothing store where she actually feels at home. And when matters come to a head, she has to ask herself: Who is Louisa Clark? And how do you find the courage to follow your heart – wherever that may lead? Funny, romantic, and poignant, Still Me follows Lou as she discovers who she is and who she was always meant to be – and learns to live boldly in her brave new world.

Goodread- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41839602-still-me

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/Still-Me-Novel-Before-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B073YTMMQS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0

i bought this audiobook and here is my honest review

finally, I was able to go back into the world with Louisa Clark. oh, how much I missed this world, so after Will’s passing, and her finding new love with Sam, she couldn’t be happier in her life even though she misses Will terribly. But now she has moved to New York City to take a job as an assistant. Louisa has to now live in the states in a huge city but she’s loving every moment of it. Long distance with friends, family and Sam are difficult but she is getting through it. making new friends and memories that will last forever is what she needs. this was a great wrap up to this trilogy, and the audiobook was hilarious to listen to.

Jojo Moyes is a novelist and journalist. Her books include the bestsellers Me Before You, After You and Still Me, The Girl You Left Behind, The One Plus One and her short story collection Paris for One and Other Stories. The Giver of Stars is her most recent bestseller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick. Her novels have been translated into forty-six languages, have hit the number one spot in twelve countries and have sold over thirty-eight million copies worldwide.

Me Before You has now sold over fourteen million copies worldwide and was adapted into a major film starring Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke. Jojo lives in Essex with her family.

#WOTR26 #authorinterview – Lacey Black

Lacey Black

#WOTR26 Author Interviews

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

I’m a full-time author of sexy contemporary romance. My first book released in August 2014, and I’ve had the pleasure of writing over 70 books in the last 11 years. I write small-town romance and weave in all my favorite sub-tropes, like single parents, surprise pregnancy, second chance, friends to lovers, workplace romance, and best friend’s sister/brother. I live in a small town in central Illinois with my husband, youngest daughter, grumpy cat, rambunctious puppy, and a chicken!

 

How did you hear about this event?  How many years have you attended?

I believe I saw the sign-up form on FB for the very first WOTR. I had only done 1 signing before that one, so I was incredibly nervous. Signings were still way out of my comfort zone, but I immediately felt at ease. WOTR quickly became my favorite signing, and I’ve been fortunate to attend all 11 events!

 

What genres do you write?

Contemporary romance

 

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

Grip. It was originally part of K. Bromberg’s Driven World, and I feel most people thought they had to read all of the World books, but that wasn’t the case. It’s a great second chance, surprise baby book with tons of feels!

 

What is one fun fact about you?  It can be anything like food allergy, fear of something, weird way you broke a bone…….

I love to buy plants and flowers, but have the brownest thumb alive. 🙁

 

What are your social links?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlaceyblack
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laceyblackwrites/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lacey-black
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthLaceyBlack
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@laceyblackauthor?lang=en
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8414783.Lacey_Black
Newsletter: http://www.laceyblackbooks.com/newsletter

 

What are your buy links?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lacey-Black/e/B00MW2UGZI