Monthly Archives: June 2023

True Crime

#TrueCrime #Audio – For Laci: A Mother’s Story of Love, Loss, and Justice by Sharon Rocha

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For Laci: A Mother's Story of Love, Loss, and Justice by [Sharon Rocha]

Laci Rocha Peterson, 8 months pregnant, was last seen by her sister, Amy, in the late afternoon of December 23, 2002. She spoke to her mother, Sharon Rocha, at 8:30 p.m. that night. This would be the last time anyone from her immediate family ever spoke to her.

A search began which lasted an agonizing four months. Sadly, Laci Peterson and her son Conner were found dead on the shores of San Francisco Bay on April 18, 2003.

Her husband, Scott, was eventually arrested and charged with the murder of Laci and Connor. After a sensational, media-saturated trial, Peterson was found guilty of capital murder and was sentenced to death on March 16, 2005.

This book deals with the story in three separate sections: first, Sharon describes the ordinary, loving life her daughter led, including fond memories of her childhood and adolescence. Second, it covers her marriage, disappearance, the community’s moving search for her, and her and Connor’s eventual recovery from San Francisco Bay. Third, it tells the story of the trial in detail not before revealed. Sharon will also talk about victim’s rights, a subject on which she now campaigns regularly.

From the Hardcover edition.

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Angie

I purchased this audio book.

I am a true crime junkie. I have podcasts going all the time.  There are those cases that just stick with you and this was true of Laci’s story.  I mean how do you murder your child and wife??  I just can’t imagine.  Like Sharon says “Divorce is always an option.”

When a friend told me she was listening to the audio of the book Laci’s mom wrote on her side of the story.  I was sold.  I mean I remember thinking back then “how can they believe he didn’t do it” initially.  The book starts with Sharon’s remembering fun stories to let us know about Laci. She was fun. She was silly.  She was just that person you are drawn to for their positive disposition.  There were SEVERAL times I got choked up when listening to this story….several.

I could feel her sorrow, her anger, and her just stunned silence at Scott and his family.  I mean they are a piece of work!!!  But most of all I felt like I got to know Laci. I got to be a part of her “Circle of Love” during this story.

It was very well written to tell us how she felt about Laci but it also gave us details about the trial we didnt know.

Mother of Laci Peterson.  She retells her story of the life and murder of her daughter from her perspective.

Audio Book, Zombie

#reread #audio #zombie – Skin, Flesh book 2 by Kylie Scott

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Skin

Six months since the zombie plague struck, former librarian Roslyn Stewart has been holed up in a school with eight other survivors. But now the shelves in the school canteen are bare. The stranger at the gate has supplies that will ensure the group’s ongoing survival but at a cost. He wants a woman.

Nick is a man with a plan. He’ll treat Roslyn like a Queen, devoting the rest of his life to protecting and providing for her. In exchange, of course, for sexual favors. It’s the deal of the century given the state of the world. But Roslyn doesn’t see it that way. The first chance she gets she attacks the ex-army man and attempts to escape, forcing Nick to contain her. And so begins his awkward courtship of the woman, with her chained to the bed for security reasons.

Chained like a dog and forced to spend her every waking moment with a creep, albeit a good-looking one, Ros is determined to escape. When circumstances force them to band together against a common enemy their very survival depends on their ability to learn to trust each other. An uneasy partnership develops, but can a relationship with such a difficult beginning ever have a future?

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Angie

I received this book ARC from the author for a truthful review of the book.

OK sooooooo I love Kylie and her novels. I mean Zombies running around trying to eat you and people are falling in love…..perfection!!! Her books are a total episode of The Walking Dead but well…. really naughty!! 🙂 For those of you that don’t know, Kylie soooo graciously let us raffle off her first book Flesh when our blog first opened in October. So she has been with us since the very beginning and watched us grow. We LOVE you for helping us as much as we have helped you!!! MUAH!!!

Ok so this novel….Oh brother Nick…..well IF you read Flesh (If not ya better cuz its a hawt M/F/M story plus scary zombies are everywhere.) you will remember Nick was cast out of the safe community because they deemed him untrustworthy. So he has been alone, hopeless and basically spying on the pockets of people he has found. WELLLLL he sees Ros and BOOM goes the fly of his pants…..Yup thinking with the lower extremities…..SOOOO our hero decides to BUY her from her “friends”…sigh….really Nick? I mean Flowers and a can of Spam since they are starving might have been a better approach but……Well their “relationship” isn’t so happy. WHAT you are shocked? I mean being chained to the bed with a gag ball doesn’t help you form trust you say?? Well needless to say a bond does form along with some very hot sparks. Holy hell their first “joining” shall I say…what girl wouldn’t want it THAT way *gulps ice cold water* cuz I sure wouldn’t complain. Well Ros freaks and escapes because well…she is a typical hot mess of a women. Confused over why in the heck she did that with a man who BOUGHT her and held her as a hostage. (SMH! Dude he is hot and who wouldn’t have given in at some point?? Must be the dang Stockholm Syndrome she was talking about.) Anywho, when Ros realizes she wants to be with Nick all hell breaks out. She gets chased by a herd of zombies and our hero is there in a flash but their little safe haven is now gone. So out on the run they go into the world to try and find someplace to survive.

Well at this point in the novel is when all shit really starts to happen. Nick and Ros run into some Super Big Douche Bags and things happen……Then they run to the safe community Blackstone where If you remember Nick is kinda hated. So when they find out that Ros was “purchased” he wasn’t very well received AGAIN!! The last pat of the book was action packed no doubt. There was a point when I was reading I yelled “NOOOOO” and was soooo saddened. ….haha you sooo now I am gonna leave you hanging right??!!! Anyway, I loved seeing Allie, Finn and Dan from Book 1. They are working well together and help Nick and Ros. I am excited for where book 3 will go and I have zero clue who the hero will be. I THINK I have a clue about the female but EH who knows!!! All I can say is that this book is amazing and maybe even better then the 1st if possible!!!

Kylie is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today best-selling, Audie Award winning Romance author.

Part of a Series, Standalone, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR #AttendingAuthor #Novella #PartofaSeries My Kinda Wedding (Summer Sisters 7) by Lacey Black

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You are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of Meghan Summer to Nicholas Adams, D.D.S., at four o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the sixth of May, at the beachside home of Alison Jane and Sawyer Randall. Reception to follow.

The Summer family comes together once more as the final sister prepares to tie the knot. Take a journey with each couple, from the rehearsal to the reception, and the wedding in between. And don’t forget about the grandparents! You never know what they’ll have up their sleeves…

Goodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41946366-my-kinda-wedding

Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HG1HRCD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i21

Review by Twinsie Dee

I bought this book and this my honest opinion

Oh wow this is probably my favorite book from this series. Get a glance at each of the sisters and their loved ones point of view as they get ready to have the finally sister walk down the aisle to her future husband. Plus a lot of dirty thoughts the girls dad takes all of the grandkids home with him and his girlfriend for the evening giving all the parents a much needed night off. Plus grandma Emma drops a huge ball.

Avid reader, writer, mother, and wife! I love to read contemporary romance. Add in a little “spice” or hot guys in uniform pants, and I’m a happy woman. There’s just something about diving into a book and engrossing in the magic of your hero and heroine getting their happily ever after.

2nd Chance, Audio Book

#WOTR23 #Reread #Audio #2ndChance – Triple B Bakery, Hearts of Braden book 1 by Michel Prince

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Triple B Baking Co. (Hearts of Braden #1)

Three years ago a heart broken Merryn Sota got in a SUV and drove away from California. Call it fate or serendipity, but when the vehicle broke down outside of Braden, Iowa she fell in love with the calm and community. Using her skill as a baker she opened up Braden Buttery Bites Bakery which the town lovingly renamed the Triple B. Every confection she makes heals her wounded heart a little bit.

Ever since the tragedy, the only way Austin Larsen can cope with life is to have it completely regimented. The Triple B brought schedule to his life. Something to focus on day by day.

When a snowstorm hits the small town Austin’s schedule is disrupted and old wounds are reopened. Only the hospitality of the Triple B, along with Merryn, can right his world. However, as Merryn and Austin grow closer, their pasts resurface and threaten to destroy their happiness forever.

Goodreads

Amazon

I purchased this book.

I grabbed this book when I saw the first two books are by authors who will be at a book event I am going to be attending.  When I read the description of it, I was loving the whole 2nd chance story because she doesn’t love a 2nd chance to redeem themselves or two find love.  Any who…..

I loved Merryn from JUMP!!  She was sassy but kind.  She was all about helping the small town while also staying a bit mum about her past due to the gossip and all that small town jazz.  She was just relatable.  She always wondered about the shy and kind man who entered her shop every single day at 11:00 for one of her egg salad sandwiches.  He smelled of “Iowa Money”…read and you will understand…but always treated him with compassion and kindness even when her staff found him to be a bit old and creepy.

Austin has always had a bit of a crush on Merryn but given his job and what the town gossiped about him, he figured he would never have a chance.  The fact he lives on a farm with multiple roommates who gossip more then the ladies in town doesn’t seem like a mature adult.

When Austin comes to Merryn’s aid, they notice the spark and start the flirt.  Flirting starts to become a conversation and we soon see the couple starting to form “more”.    The scene about their first time….Legit stitches.  STITCHES!!!!  But I love love love the banter between these two adults.  They both have been through hell and are not being anyone but themselves.

Of course, life happens and we start to see outer forces coming into play.  The couple begin to miscommunicate but still trust the other but also wonder IF they would be better off without????

I gotta stay I loved this story and would love to read more especially about Hank or Darryl because they were hilarious!!!

Michel Prince is an author who graduated with a bachelor degree in History and Political Science. Michel writes young adult and adult paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance.

With characters yelling “It’s my turn damn it!!!” She tries to explain to them that alas, she can only type a hundred and twenty words a minute and they will have wait their turn. She knows eventually they find their way out of her head and to her fingertips and she looks forward to sharing them with you.

When Michel can suppress the voices in her head she can be found at a scouting event or cheering for her son in a variety of sports. She would like to thank her family for always being in her corner and especially her husband for supporting her every dream and never letting her give up.

Michel is a member of RWA Pro and Midwest Fiction Writers. In 2013 she was awarded Elite Status with Rebel Ink Press. She lives in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, and cat.