Tag: Fiction

Review: The Gift by Eva Barber

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

Emery travels through the dark dimension guided by dark shadows. She drops into a black hole and plummets into a desolate land that she believes is thousands of years in the past. She has to rely on her instincts to survive and her unwavering spirit to endure the harsh conditions.

A tribal chief’s daughter, Visla, finds her after she ingests poisonous berries and saves her life. Their friendship blossoms as they discover they share similar traits and both mourn the loss of their mothers.

Emery learns of the existence of the “bad people” whose description matches that of her mother. She sets out on a mission to find them. Visla leaves the tribe after learning her father held secrets from her. She joins Emery in her quest, which also becomes hers. But the “bad people” find them first, imprison Emery, and threaten to change Visla into a “superior” being against her will.

Emery escapes her prison using her powers and finds herself in a bizarre underground city with advanced technology outpacing the Stone Age. In her quest to find Visla, she befriends two beings whose humanity she questions. A brother and sister help her for reasons they do not fully understand. Emery’s presence cast doubts on their lives. They begin to suspect it is imposed on them by powerful “superior” beings. Looming over their quest to find Visla is the fear of change inflicted on those who rebel.

Captured again by the enigmatic “bad people”, Emery finds unexpected help from an unfathomable being whose identity further deepens the mystery surrounding her.

In the strange gray city, she stumbles on an artifact that shatters her understanding of the world around her and deepens the mystery further, implicating her mother in humanity’s most atrocious acts performed in the name of progress and survival. To find the answers, she forgoes the safety of the world on the surface and dives back into the underground, discovering more secrets and meeting the Masters—the superior beings with unmatched cruelty and depravity.

She barely escapes with her life, with even more questions, but with a budding understanding of what she has to do to get the answers and continue with her mission. If she’s going to save humanity, she’ll have to make choices that weigh losing what is most precious to her against the world’s survival.

Favorite Lines:

“To get all the way here through the dark world and the black hole only to die in the desert would be so pathetic and so wrong. Oh, just shut up and keep going. Stop being a baby. You haven’t even walked a whole day yet.“

“You are the embodiment of perfection. Not just your beauty. Your face, eyes, body, and hair couldn’t be more perfect. Everything about you is perfection, the embodiment of human beauty. But not in the sense our media portrays it. Your perfection and beauty stem from something deeper inside of you. It is timeless, primal, sexual, and intellectual. Your magnetism and strength have no limits, but encompass everything around you and make it shine with life. You embody life and love. You are my Aphrodite.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Gift is book 2 in Eva Barber’s Dark World series. You can find my review for book 1, Unborn, here.

The Gift is one of those novels that blurs the boundaries between genres — part science fiction, part spiritual odyssey, and part love story. It opens in the afterlife, in a space both beautiful and terrifying, where Emery is pulled through darkness, light, and time itself. What begins as a quest to find her mother quickly expands into something larger — a story about creation, destiny, and the cost of saving the world. Barber writes with a cinematic style, full of color and motion, yet always anchored in emotion. Every scene feels vivid and alive, from the vast black hole to the primitive landscapes Emery explores.

What struck me most was how personal this story feels, even when it’s operating on a cosmic scale. Emery isn’t a detached hero — she’s grieving, flawed, often angry, and full of questions. Her voice feels real. You can feel her exhaustion, her stubbornness, her wonder. The philosophical ideas about time, destiny, and rebirth work because they’re filtered through her very human fear and longing. The story moves like a dream, but it’s grounded by her voice and her will to survive.

Barber also has a gift for worldbuilding. The scenes through the black hole — the eerie blue lights, the strange worlds, the silvery beings — read like visual art. And when Emery finally lands in a prehistoric world and meets the gentle, curious Visla, the novel shifts tone completely. What was cosmic becomes intimate. Their friendship becomes the emotional center of the book, a bridge between two eras and two souls. Through Visla, the story breathes; it becomes about connection, compassion, and the timelessness of human love.

The Gift asks big questions: What would you sacrifice to save others? Can destiny and free will coexist? And what if the greatest power you carry is love itself? It’s a story that balances science and spirit, mythology and physics, light and shadow. It’s deeply imaginative but never loses its heart. I finished it feeling both small and infinite — which is exactly what a story about the universe should make you feel.

Summary:

Overall, The Gift  is a genre-bending blend of science fiction, fantasy, and metaphysical adventure, perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven journeys, time travel, and philosophical explorations of love, purpose, and destiny. Think The Time Traveler’s Wife meets Interstellar, with a touch of spiritual myth. It’s beautifully written and emotionally charged, ideal for fans of romantic sci-fi, cosmic or multiverse fiction, and stories where imagination meets heart. Happy reading!

Check out The Gift here!

 

Review: Blade Rider by Jaime A. Sevilla

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis: 

In a future where stars map the last frontier and infinite space paves the road to dreams, Raven stands at the precipice of her world. In a vibrant, multi-species society filled with possibilities, she yearns to fly amongst the stars as an Air Ranger, an elite group of space pilots that navigate the cosmos and safeguard the world.

There’s only one catch: females aren’t allowed.

As Raven gets closer to her aspirations and learns what it takes to join them, she discovers lasting friendships,  new challenges, and what it ultimately means to be a ranger.

Can Raven push beyond the boundaries of societal norms and break through the stratosphere of glass ceilings, or will her star-filled quest for acceptance remain out of reach? Join her on this high-stakes,  interstellar ride and experience her exciting journey as she blazes her own path amongst the stars.

Based on the musical by Jaime A. Sevilla, “Blade Rider” spins an electrifying and poignant tale of courage, determination, and the relentless pursuit of dreams.

Favorite Lines:

“If you’re watching this and wondering what happened or what went wrong, I guess you could say this is all kinda my fault.”

“Wrapped in the velvet blanket of night, the world was asleep, even the shadows in slumber.”

“I don’t even think that’s a fair number. And how many of those were assists? You ever hear of Magic Johnson?”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Blade Rider is equal parts sci-fi adventure and heart-driven coming-of-age story. It reads like a cinematic blend of Top Gun, Star Wars, and a Saturday-morning dream about flying. Sevilla clearly built this world first through music — you can feel the rhythm in the pacing — and the story keeps that pulse all the way through.

At its core, this isn’t just about high-speed flight; it’s about purpose. Raven Pierce is determined, stubborn, and constantly underestimated, but she carries the kind of optimism that sci-fi sometimes forgets to make room for. Her dream to become a Ranger isn’t just about glory — it’s about belonging, responsibility, and proving that belief and persistence matter more than permission.

The world of Blade Rider feels lived-in: diverse species, interplanetary alliances, and detailed flight tech that would make any space-opera fan grin. Yet what lingers is the emotion beneath it — the father-daughter moments, the camaraderie, the faith that one person can still make a difference. It’s big-hearted storytelling with old-school adventure energy.

Summary:

Blade Rider is perfect for readers who love hopeful science fiction, YA adventure, and music-infused storytelling. Think Ender’s Game if it had a soundtrack and a heroine who refuses to take no for an answer. Sevilla’s background as a composer gives the book a cinematic flow: every chapter feels scored.

For anyone who ever dreamed of flying — or just fighting for the chance to try — Blade Rider delivers that spark. Happy reading!

Check out Blade Rider here!

 

Review: Swallowing the Muskellunge by Lawrence P. O’Brien

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

Wild things run loose at the border. They know that the caravan is coming. Their reach is disturbingly effective, and they have a fierce appetite. The sentinels are patient and can be quite disarming.

From the outskirts of Boston, in 1800, London Oxford’s family climbed aboard a sleigh that was bound for the promised land. They, as part of the Wrights’ caravan, travelled north in the dead of winter. London joined four other young families. Nineteen children were twelve years or younger. Dozens of young, single men, armed with axes, followed on foot. London, who wasn’t always free, was risking everything for a chance at a better life.

Moving through the frigid cold and the blinding white made the adults tired and numb. They felt like they were already asleep. That might be why no-one noticed the drag marks in the snow, or why so few questioned the disappearances. The little ones were left to run recklessly and unfettered. London felt like that—until that something woke him up.

Favorite Lines:

“…in the end nature does not belong to us, we belong to it.”

“The blood-red eyes of the loon were captivated by shadowed wisps lit by the sunset’s tangerine glare.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Swallowing the Muskellunge is one of those books that sneaks up on you. It starts slow and earthy, and before you know it, you’re knee-deep in a story that feels both intimate and unsettling. Lawrence P. O’Brien mixes real history with small, quiet moments of fear, love, and survival.

The story centers on London Oxford and his family, a free Black family in Massachusetts in the late 1700s, trying to hold on to what little freedom and dignity they have while serving the Wrights — a white family planning to move north into what’s now Canada. It’s not a loud book. Instead, it builds through the weight of ordinary things — cooking, chores, travel, exhaustion — all the things that make up a hard life that still manages to have small joys in it.

What I liked most is how real it feels. The writing doesn’t rush. It gives you time to see the world as London sees it: every sound in the woods, every small act of cruelty, every moment of kindness. There’s a scene where he takes his young son, Abner, on a wagon trip that starts as a simple errand and turns into something terrifying. It’s written so quietly that when the danger comes, it feels almost too real.

The book doesn’t romanticize anything. It shows how freedom wasn’t clean or complete — how even “free” people still lived in the shadow of being owned, watched, or taken. But it also shows a family trying to love each other in the middle of that, and that’s what makes it stay with you.

This is a slower read, but it’s worth it. If you like stories that feel like they could’ve really happened — something between historical fiction and family saga — you’ll probably appreciate this one. 

Summary:

Overall, this book is about ordinary people trying to make choices that might finally give their children a better life. O’Brien writes with a calm, observant tone that makes even the hardest moments feel deeply human. It’s a good fit for readers who like historical fiction that feels honest, emotional, and quietly powerful — the kind of story that stays with you after the last page. Happy reading!

Check out Swallowing the Muskellunge here!

 

Review: The Amalfi Secret by Dean and Catherine Reineking

~ likelystory18 ~ 2 Comments

Synopsis:

When Gabe Roslo arrives in Amalfi, Italy, a long-awaited reunion with his grandparents takes a tragic turn. His beloved grandfather is dead—and a cryptic diary left behind is Gabe’s only clue to the mystery surrounding his sudden death. But what starts as a personal tragedy quickly spirals into a high-stakes international puzzle.

Teaming up with Anna, a resourceful Roman local, Gabe follows a trail of hidden truths that stretches from the stunning Amalfi coast to the corridors of global power. Secret codes, powerful enemies, and a legacy of deception pull them into a world where nothing is as it seems. With each twist, they are forced to question their allies and uncover dark secrets that could shift the global balance of power.

But as the walls close in, Gabe and Anna must risk everything to expose the truth before it’s buried forever. Will they decipher the mystery and reveal the sinister forces at play? Or will they become the next victims of The Amalfi Secret?
Perfect for fans of Dan Brown and Robert Ludlum, The Amalfi Secret is a pulse-pounding thriller that will keep you guessing until the final, breathtaking twist.

Favorite Lines:

“She was slight of stature and frail to look at, but he knew from experience that she had an inner strength that would get her through almost any trial.”

“The Italians sure have style. Only  here would someone wear black leather driving gloves.”

“We Italians are more concerned with beauty than perfection.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Amalfi Secret is the kind of thriller that sneaks up on you. It starts quietly, almost cinematically, and before you realize it, you’ve been swept into a world of prophecies, politics, and secrets buried deep in the marble corridors of history. The story moves between the present and the past with a rhythm that feels effortless, and even when the stakes climb, the authors manage to keep the human element right where it belongs—at the center. What surprised me most wasn’t the espionage or the religious intrigue, but the emotion underneath it all. It’s a story about love, legacy, and how far people will go to protect the truth.

There’s a gravity to the writing that reminds me of old-school political thrillers, but with more heart. Gabe Roslo is not your typical hero; he’s quietly capable, haunted, and deeply loyal. His grief feels genuine, and his need for answers pulls you along as much as the mystery itself. The story’s backdrop—the cliffs of Amalfi, the solemn air of Rome, the shadowed corners of the Vatican—adds an atmospheric beauty to the unfolding tension. You can almost smell the sea salt and espresso as danger closes in.

I also appreciated that the authors didn’t rush the reveal. They take their time, letting secrets drip out through journal entries, coded mirrors, and the wary exchanges between friends who might not be what they seem. Every conversation feels loaded, every clue slightly out of reach. The pacing builds slowly but deliberately. And just when you think you understand the scope of the story, it widens again—to global conspiracies, ancient orders, and moral choices that test faith and loyalty.

This isn’t just a novel about espionage or religion—it’s about the spaces between them. About belief turned dangerous, power wrapped in prophecy, and how history never stays buried for long. It’s a slow burn that rewards patience and curiosity, a blend of The Da Vinci Code’s intrigue with All the Light We Cannot See’s emotional depth. If you like stories that balance intellect with heart, this one lingers after you close the book.

Summary:

Overall, The Amalfi Secret is a richly layered political and historical thriller that blends mystery, faith, and love against a vivid European backdrop. It’s ideal for readers who enjoy intelligent thrillers, religious or historical mysteries, dual-timeline narratives, and character-driven suspense. Happy reading!

Check out The Amalfi Secret here!

 

Reviews: The Moaning Lisa by Rosemary and Larry Mild

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Synopsis:

If Paco and Molly LeSoto captivated you in Locks and Cream Cheese, Hot Grudge Sunday, and Boston Scream Pie, you’re sure to love The Moaning Lisa—their fourth murder mystery with a smidgen of humor.

Now in their eighties, Paco and Molly have moved into Gilded Gates, an assisted living community in Maryland. They expect their golden years to be blissful. They are dead wrong. Some residents are missing and no one knows what has happened to them.

One suspicious resident is a sleepwalker and claims to have heard mysterious moaning during his night walks, but for the life of him he can’t figure out where the anguished sounds are coming from.

“Inspector Paco” has retired as head of the Black Rain Corners police force. But many residents of Gilded Gates fear they might be next on the list of the missing. They beg Paco to investigate.

Naturally, Molly also pokes her keen nose and shrewd insights into the baffling disappearances.

Favorite Lines:

“Getting old is not for sissies”

“The movie’s nothing like the book.”

“Molly, sweetie, I’ve got four good reasons to love you. One, you’re the kindest, most considerate person I know. Tow, you’re clever and creative enough to help me with my detective work. Three, you’re the only one that knows how to put up with me. And four, there’s so much more of you to love.”

“You know, sweetie, we have something most marriages never achieve. We’re a team!”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the authors in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Moaning Lisa is filled with heart, humor, and the kind of small-town mystery that never needs to shout to hold your attention. Paco and Molly LeSoto’s adventures continue as they face both personal decline and a new mystery that brews inside an assisted living community. The story blends humor and heartache as the couple navigates health scares, reluctant moves, and the strange cast of residents and staff at Gilded Gates.

What makes this book shine isn’t the crime itself, but the humanity around it. The authors write aging not as tragedy but as transformation—stubborn, funny, and full of life. Molly’s dialogue is full of warmth and humor even in the book’s heaviest moments. Paco’s quiet steadiness softens the edges, grounding the story in love rather than cynicism.

There’s a sly intelligence in the way Rosemary and Larry Mild handle tone—balancing mystery with a real tenderness toward their characters. It’s the sort of mystery you don’t rush through; you linger for the small moments. Beneath the cozy veneer is a subtle sadness about time, loss, and how people try to hold on to purpose when life insists on taking things away.

If you like your mysteries with heart instead of hard edges, The Moaning Lisa is that kind of read—quietly moving, funny in its own offbeat way, and filled with two characters who feel lived-in, not written.

Summary:

Overall, The Moaning Lisa is a story about love late in life, about finding purpose even when the world starts shrinking. Recommended for readers who love gentle mysteries like The Thursday Murder Club —especially those who prefer character-driven storytelling, sharp humor, and a dash of melancholy beneath the charm. Happy reading!

Check out The Moaning Lisa here!

 

Review: Zero by Jason O’Leary

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Synopsis:

Smith Babbitt is in the prime of his life: he’s only 25 years into his 89-year lifespan.

He knows this because of Timmy®, the mysterious app that can tell you with infallible accuracy how old you will be when you die. Smith still has 64 years to go. But lately he’s been in a rut, and his long lifespan is starting to feel like a sentence.

Possible salvation arrives in the form of Mavis Pead, a co-worker at Smith’s demoralizing job. Smith is infatuated, despite the age difference: Mavis has just entered the last of her 43 years. She’s a “zero” – the most shunned demographic in society. When a careless act leads to their boss’s apparent death before his time, Smith and Mavis are thrown together in an intrigue that could call Timmy®’s infallibility into question. Mavis might not be so old after all – nor Smith so young.

A laugh-out-loud sendup of a technologically dependent culture, Zero is also a tender love story and a big-hearted reflection on the true meaning of age. A story that asks the question, What do we do with the time we’re given, whether we know how long we have…or we don’t?

Favorite Lines:

“I don’t want to waste my life, that’s all. And I wish I didn’t have to know how much of my life is still left for me to waste.”

“Here I am. My wholeness is not determined by the sum of my parts.”

“What a cruel fate to be human, to comprehend our mortality but have no idea what it means.”

“I still have a little time left.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Zero is one of those rare dystopian novels that feels both absurd and uncomfortably real. O’Leary builds a world where technology predicts your exact lifespan down to the year, where aging is a countdown, and where morality and bureaucracy mix in a gray, numbing fog.

The narrator, Smith, is painfully awkward, overthinking everything from his boss’s smile to the ethics of approving medication for his own father. He’s not a classic hero — just someone trying to survive inside a machine that’s both literal and societal. I found myself cringing for him, then rooting for him, then realizing he’s just one of millions quietly losing themselves in the monotony of data, rules, and meaningless metrics.

What really works here is O’Leary’s tone — dry, darkly funny, and relentlessly sharp. Every office scene feels familiar, even though it’s set in a future where people measure life in countdown clocks instead of birthdays. The satire hits close: the mandatory “handbook acknowledgments,” the boss who mistakes control for care, the idea that emotional exhaustion has become a corporate performance metric. It’s the kind of story that makes you laugh and then immediately feel slightly nauseated for doing so.

Summary:

Overall, if The Office and Black Mirror had a bleakly funny child, it might look like Zero. It’s part dystopian satire, part existential meltdown, and perfect for readers who love dark humor, speculative fiction, and character-driven narratives about bureaucracy, mortality, and meaning. 

This isn’t a novel about saving the world — it’s about trying not to disappear inside it. Happy reading!

Check out Zero here!

 

Monthly Features – October 2025

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Hummingbird Moonrise by Sherri L. Dodd

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: The past two years have taken their toll on Arista Kelly. Once an eternal optimist, now she has faced the darkness and must recalibrate what true happiness means for her. Meanwhile, Shane, her ex-boyfriend, is pulling all the right moves to help keep her sane from her heightening paranoia. But it doesn’t help that Iris, her Great Aunt Bethie’s friend, has disappeared.

Still, one additional trial remains. While searching for Iris, Bethie and Arista stumble upon a grand revelation in the eccentric woman’s home. With the discovery, they realize their run of chaos and loss of kin may have roots in a curse that dates back to the 1940s—the time when their family patriarch first built Arista’s cottage in the redwoods and crafted his insightful Ouija table.

This pursuit will not follow their accustomed recipe of adrenalized action, but the high stakes remain. Will the mysterious slow burn of unfolding events finally level Arista’s entire world or be fully extinguished, once and for all?

Summary: Overall, Hummingbird Moonrise is a paranormal mystery that works because it never loses its human touch. Yes, there are curses, possessions, and supernatural forces, but there’s also cinnamon bread, inside jokes, and the kind of family loyalty that keeps people moving forward even when the odds feel impossible. What I admired most is the way Dodd lets the suspense simmer without sacrificing warmth. The book left me both unsettled and comforted—a rare combination that lingers long after the last page

See the full review here: Hummingbird Moonrise
Purchase here

 

Unborn by Eva Barber

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: Olesya was not born like other people but was found in the Siberian Forest by a couple unable to have children. Plagued by mysterious visions and dreams, she struggles to fit into a society both as a socially inept but brilliant child and as she becomes part of a research team to discover the nature of dark matter. The findings of this discovery never make it to the scientific community as the project leader goes missing and the physics lab blows up, destroyed by a powerful foe with seemingly noble intentions.

Seattle detectives question Olesya in connection with the explosion and the disappearance of her boss. She becomes a person of interest until she herself goes missing. From her kidnappers, she learns that her parents, knowing she lacked a belly button, suspected she was created by the Russian government as part of a scientific experiment, and emigrated to the USA to hide and protect her. She also learns she possesses powers related to dark matter and of the existence of a brother held captive since his discovery by the Russian government. Even though she suspects her kidnappers’ interest in her and their motivations aren’t so noble, she joins them in rescuing her brother. Catastrophic world events following the successful rescue force her to continue working with her foes to save the world from destruction.

While working to save the world, Olesya experiences a moral dilemma and becomes someone she never thought she’d be—a mother. Olesya learns of mysterious chambers scattered around the world, and her visions return to haunt her, until she opens the chambers and learns their secrets, wishing she hadn’t. Now she faces the heart-wrenching realization that she must travel into a dark dimension to save the world from self-destruction. Worse yet, her daughter, Emery, is the key to humanity’s salvation and must follow her mother once she becomes an adult because she is the only being who can travel where no one else can to restore balance to the universe and return with an extraordinary gift for humanity. But powerful entities have reasons to keep the gift away from humanity and will do anything to stop her.

Summary: Overall, Unborn is a haunting, beautiful story about science, motherhood, and the unknowable threads that connect us. It’s the kind of book that lingers quietly after you’ve finished it — the kind that leaves you wondering whether what you just read was speculative fiction or something closer to a modern myth.

If you like stories that mix atmosphere and emotion — think The Time Traveler’s Wife, Never Let Me Go, or The Daughter of Doctor Moreau — you’ll find something to love here. It’s for readers who enjoy a story that makes you think and feel at the same time; readers who don’t mind when mystery lingers even after the answers come. 

See the full review here: Unborn
Purchase here

 

Smoke on the Wind by Syvila Weatherford

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Synopsis: “Smoke on the Wind” is a captivating tale that weaves the perils and dangers encountered on the Western frontier by Will Lawton, a young Black cowboy, after kidnapping then wedding his young Native American bride, Niabi. He plods a path packed with uncertainty that ultimately winds its way to an unthinkable opportunity – a race for free land.

Follow the characters of Smoke: the beautiful Louisa Ortega, who haunts the memory of the Chief’s son, Nashoba; Captain Horton, head of Fort Townsend, charged with keeping peace between settlers and tribes, and Dakota Sam, a rambunctious Civil War veteran attached to his military blues and backwoodsman ways.

This is the second book in an epic series, following the success of Weatherford’s first novel, “Blessings from the Four Winds.”

In this sequel, new characters are introduced: Liao Ming Chow, a Chinese immigrant, Sargent Thomas of the Buffalo Soldiers, and Mr. Todd Morgan the railroad tycoon. Niabi and Will raise two children and enjoy the protective company of their horses: Rodeo and FireTip. Their journey is marked by resilience, the spirit of community, and the ongoing struggle for safety and belonging.

Summary: Overall, Smoke on the Wind is a vivid continuation of America’s untold stories — where race, heritage, and faith collide. It’s tender and unflinching, full of voices that feel like they’ve been waiting a century to be heard. Weatherford writes history the way it deserves to be written: not as distant fact, but as living memory. For readers who are drawn to immersive, historical fiction.

See the full review here: Smoke on the Wind
Purchase here

 

Review: Pigeon-Blood Red by Ed Duncan

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

For underworld enforcer Richard “Rico” Sanders, it seemed like an ordinary job: retrieve his gangster boss’s stolen goods, and teach the person responsible a lesson.

But the chase quickly goes sideways and takes Rico from the mean streets of Chicago to sunny Honolulu. There, the hardened hit man finds himself in uncharted territory, when innocent bystanders are accidentally embroiled in a crime.

As Rico pursues his new targets, hunter and prey develop an unlikely respect for one another.

Soon, he is faced with a momentous decision: follow his orders to kill the very people who have won his admiration, or refuse and endanger the life of the woman he loves?

Favorite Lines:

“If you were in a fight for your life against hopeless odds and could pick just one person to help even them out, he would be your choice every time.”

“You remind me a little of myself before I smartened up.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Pigeon-Blood Red begins like a crime story you think you already know — a lost item, a hitman, a debt gone bad — but Ed Duncan turns it into something surprisingly human. Beneath the violence and deception runs a quiet thread of loyalty, fear, and the tiny sparks of conscience that survive even in people who’ve long given up pretending to be good.

The story follows Rico — a disciplined, unflinching enforcer whose calm masks something almost noble — and Robert McDuffie, a desperate gambler who makes one very bad choice: stealing a necklace worth far more than his life. It’s a story built on momentum — one thing going wrong after another, until everything comes crashing down.

What I liked most is how Duncan writes violence without glamorizing it. His sentences are clean and deliberate, as if his characters are trying to convince themselves that control is still possible. But there’s always something cracking beneath the surface — a conscience, a flicker of guilt, or maybe just exhaustion.

The pacing works—sharp dialogue, short scenes, no filler. You can tell Duncan knows this world, but he never overexplains it. I finished it in a single sitting and wanted to keep going, which is all you can really ask from a crime novel.

If you like your crime fiction with heart — not sentimental, but human — this one will surprise you. It’s about how easy it is to cross a line, and how hard it is to come back once you do.

Summary:

Overall, Pigeon-Blood Red is a fast-moving crime thriller that digs into the choices people make when survival is the only goal left. It’s not just about gangsters or stolen jewels — it’s about what happens when morality and necessity collide. It’s a story for readers who like their thrillers grounded in realism, where the danger feels as psychological as it does physical. Happy reading!

Check out Pigeon-Blood Red here!

 

Review: Wooden Dolls Game by Ivonne Hoyos

~ likelystory18 ~ Leave a comment

Synopsis:

In a game of life and dolls, Mary Jane Crowell struggles to find a peaceful life for everyone, free from chaos and drama. The Crowells raised her non-identical twins, Mary Jane and Antonia, in a fair way with no distinctions or preferences. Somehow, even when kids come from the same family they can grow with opposite personalities.

Moving to a new place means to make many decisions like the color of a room wall, a simple game of chance makes Mary Jane victorious for the pink room. This triggers a dark feeling in her sister, and she decides to give a touch of black in revenge. As teenegars they grow appart and are too different. Mary Jane is a good example at school, with good grades and the student who will give the graduation speech. On the contrary, Antonia doesn’t have a chance to graduate, consumes drugs and is an agressive girl.

An unusual set of wooden dolls comes to Mary Jane and she discovers the magic of dolls, and that by recreating the last episodes of her life she can rewind time and fix all problems triggered by her sister. A series of travels in time teaches her a final lesson that is not in her hands to change destiny and that clock hands don’t stop actions triggered by peoples’ intrinsic nature. They always detonate heaven itself or irrevocable chaos.

Favorite Lines:

“Time is an inexistent physical dimension; it is well used by ones and wasted by others. Nevertheless, time is not as dangerous as human nature. It is so powerful that even if time could be rewound, clock hands won’t stop actions triggered by peoples’ intrinsic nature. They always detonate either heaven itself or irrevocable chaos.”

“Somehow, it is being said that hard lessons are not always a way to strengthen character, but to trigger frustration.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

What begins as a tender domestic tale—a family moving into a new home, twin sisters finding their first sense of individuality—slowly evolves into something darker, stranger, and impossible to forget. Wooden Dolls Game is a haunting psychological thriller about childhood envy, love, identity, and the kind of family wounds that don’t fully heal, even when everyone pretends they have.

Hoyos captures the fragile tension between innocence and obsession through Mary Jane and Antonia Crowell, twin sisters whose bond fractures over something as simple—and as symbolic—as the color of a bedroom. The early chapters feel deceptively calm, filled with family rituals, cardboard boxes, and small joys, until the wooden dolls enter the story and turn playtime into prophecy.

This is a novel that thrives on atmosphere. There’s an eerie domestic stillness beneath every scene: a family dinner, a fairground, a painted wall. Hoyos writes with cinematic precision; you can feel the weight of the paintbrush in Antonia’s hand, the splinters of the wooden dolls, the tension building between sisters who love and resent each other in equal measure.

While the dialogue at times leans simple—true to its child narrators—the psychological undercurrent is chillingly mature. The novel’s real horror is not in the supernatural, but in how jealousy and love can coexist in the same heartbeat. The “game” isn’t just about dolls; it’s about control, inheritance, and the ways trauma rewinds time in our minds, forcing us to relive what we can’t forgive.

Readers who enjoyed Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn will find echoes here: the fragile domestic world turning on itself, sisterhood as both salvation and curse. This book lingers—not because of what it shows you, but because of what it makes you remember.

Summary:

Overall, at its heart, Wooden Dolls Game is about the things families try to hide — the arguments, the comparisons, the moments when love feels unfair. It’s a story for readers who like their fiction a little unsettling and deeply human.

Fans of psychological dramas, dark family fiction, and slow-burn suspense will connect most with this one. It’s not a horror story in the traditional sense, but it’s full of dread in the quiet, ordinary moments. Happy reading!

Check out Wooden Dolls Game here!

 

Review: Smoke on the Wind by Syvila Weatherford

~ likelystory18 ~ 1 Comment

Synopsis:

“Smoke on the Wind” is a captivating tale that weaves the perils and dangers encountered on the Western frontier by Will Lawton, a young Black cowboy, after kidnapping then wedding his young Native American bride, Niabi. He plods a path packed with uncertainty that ultimately winds its way to an unthinkable opportunity – a race for free land.

Follow the characters of Smoke: the beautiful Louisa Ortega, who haunts the memory of the Chief’s son, Nashoba; Captain Horton, head of Fort Townsend, charged with keeping peace between settlers and tribes, and Dakota Sam, a rambunctious Civil War veteran attached to his military blues and backwoodsman ways.

This is the second book in an epic series, following the success of Weatherford’s first novel, “Blessings from the Four Winds.”

In this sequel, new characters are introduced: Liao Ming Chow, a Chinese immigrant, Sargent Thomas of the Buffalo Soldiers, and Mr. Todd Morgan the railroad tycoon. Niabi and Will raise two children and enjoy the protective company of their horses: Rodeo and FireTip. Their journey is marked by resilience, the spirit of community, and the ongoing struggle for safety and belonging.

Favorite Lines:

“For these groups, opportunities do not arise so easily; they are as elusive as smoke on the wind.”

My Opinion:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

Set in the Reconstruction-era South, Weatherford’s novel continues the story begun in Blessings from the Four Winds, but stands firmly on its own as a sweeping, character-driven story about freedom, resilience, and love tested by circumstance.

From the very first pages, the tone is cinematic. You can almost smell the smoke rising from the black stovepipes and hear the soft clatter of boots across wooden floors. The novel shifts between places — from Tennessee ranches to the Indian Territory and the bustling streets of Little Rock — but it never loses its emotional touch. At its heart are Will Lawton, a young Black cowboy determined to carve out a life of his own, and Niabi, the Choctaw woman who becomes his wife. Around them swirl entire communities: families, servants, veterans, and ranchers all carrying their own dreams and burdens in a world still figuring out what freedom really means.

What’s remarkable about Weatherford’s writing is her ability to move between intimacy and scale. A single paragraph might linger on a woman’s quiet act of defiance, then widen out to capture the changing face of a country still reeling from war. Her writing feels deeply researched but never academic — she writes with the rhythm of someone who has listened carefully to how history actually sounded when it was spoken aloud.

There’s also an honesty to how she writes women. Characters like Louisa Ortega, bold and restless, and Harriet Lawton, dignified and determined, feel drawn from real memory. They live with both fear and agency. Weatherford doesn’t romanticize their hardship, but she refuses to flatten them into archetypes. There’s courage in the everyday details — the tightening of a corset, the passing of a letter, the act of speaking when silence would be safer.

The story moves slowly, deliberately, in the way that good historical fiction should. You’re not just reading what happens, you’re living in the space between the moments, feeling how time presses on each character differently. By the time the final chapters arrive, you realize the title isn’t just poetic; it’s prophetic. The past, like smoke, drifts and lingers. It never disappears — it reshapes itself on the wind.

Summary:

Overall, Smoke on the Wind is a vivid continuation of America’s untold stories — where race, heritage, and faith collide. It’s tender and unflinching, full of voices that feel like they’ve been waiting a century to be heard. Weatherford writes history the way it deserves to be written: not as distant fact, but as living memory. For readers who are drawn to immersive, historical fiction. Happy reading!

Check out Smoke on the Wind here!