Summary

Gwen Proctor had worked hard to rebuild her life after her husband shattered it with his secrets. But when Melvin Royal escapes from prison, he sets his sights on "Gina Royal" and their kids. Gwen is no stranger to being on the run. When Melvin partners with Absalom, it becomes impossible to outrun the past and the hunter becomes the prey.

When I heard that Rachel Caine was released a sequel to Stillhouse Lake, I couldn't wait to read it. Stillhouse Lake was a powerful thriller that gave me a "book-hangover" for days. Naturally, I had similar expectations with the second novel, Killman Creek.

One of the things I love the most about Rachel Caine, is her ability to really make you care about the characters. Gwen Proctor is one of the most well developed characters I have read in a long time. She is both fierce and fragile. She functions on instinct and self-training. I always thought that serial killers were dangerous, but Gwen Proctor, with nothing to lose, is a creature I would never want to meet in the dark

The relationships between characters is another great feature of this book. Not only the relationships between Gwen and her kids, but her partner (for lack of a better term) Sam. There is a whole dynamic between Sam and Gwen that defies logic and yet is so completely relatable that it nearly tears you in two.

I found that most of the book was written with a similar sense of realism. It was easy to picture the scenes as they played out. The gestures of the characters and actions seemed logical and natural. This allowed me to feel as if I was immersed in the story, following along easily with Gwen and the other characters.

The pace was excellent. It kept me ramped up with only slight reprieves that let me "catch my breath" between tense moments. I didn't find any editing stumbling blocks, making the read smooth and effortless.

I will admit, that I wish that there had been more interaction between Connor and his Dad. I felt as if much of what was implied was simply assumed, and although it worked, I think something more tangible would have been better. I liked the way Connor was torn between what his mother taught him and what his father was telling him, but I felt that there was too few scenes in which this came into play.

Killman Creek was an excellent read. I would have rated it a 4.7 or 4.8, but for the sake of this review, I am rounding it up and giving it a 5. This book must absolutely be read following the first in the series, Stillhouse Lake. I do not recommend it be read as a stand-alone novel.

Killman Creek was excellently written.The characters and imagery really draw you into the story. Gwen Proctor is a fierce warrior that you can not help but fall in love with. With Melvin Royal and her past looming over their heads, her relationship with Sam is both complicated and dangerous, making this one of my favorite reads so far this year.

Summary

This independently published Rom-Com by Teagan Hunter resides as #655 on Amazon's "New Adult and College Romance" list for Kindle.

Life changes when the unexpected happens. When a slight mix-up regarding a text message occurs, Zach and Delia set course on a path that will lead them on a collision course that will change everything.

Delia is an introverted college girl, recovering from what should have been a broken heart. Instead, she is texting a stranger. Zach is a nerd. He works in his basement and has a penchant for video games and Harry Potter. The real question is, can he live up to the fantasy she has created him to be, or will this charmer turn out to be a "Slytherin" snake?

I first discovered this book through Amazon Kindle's recommendations. After reading the story's overview and the author's biography, I was intrigued. Teagan Hunter is a budding new author and has self-published 10 books since 2015 with "Lets Get Textual" being her 6th book. It received 4.8 stars out of nearly 700 reviews on Amazon, so my expectations were a bit on the higher side.

Unfortunately, I felt that overall, my expectations fell a bit flat. One of the biggest downfalls of this book, is the lack of realism. The relationship between Delia and Caleb is so far from being life-like that I found it nearly impossible to believe. I almost believed that the two had fallen into the stage of their relationship where it is "easier to be together than not" until Hunter revealed they had only been together a mere 6 months. Had the two been together since high school, I may have bought into the concept a bit more. And the way they continued their friendship as if they were the best of friends that had not just split-up romantically...I could not get on board with that fantasy.

I also struggled a bit with the dialog, It felt unnatural and almost forced. Characters that were supposed to be best friends called each other by their complete names, rather than a more natural nickname. The dialog felt choppy and didn't flow conversationally either. This was rather disappointing because about 90% of the book was dialog. The book lacked essential descriptions of scenery, characters and even character actions. I didn't learn that Delia had long dark hair until I was about three-quarters of the way through the book.

On a positive note, I really enjoyed the overall concept of the story. It has a lot of potential. There were a few pleasant twists, like the adorable baby goat "Marshmallow" that kept the story light. I also found very few editing errors in regards to grammar and sentence structure, which was a pleasant surprise, as I found this to be a common weakness in many self-published novels.

Overall, I felt that the final product of this book was just a bit unfinished. The plot and characters were pretty well put together, but the lack of realism really hurt its credibility. My opinion, is that this work is more like a first or second draft. I has a lot of potential, but still needs a bit more polishing. 

Summary

When Peter’s past is revealed, the two ban together against the forces of Kristen Wood. But the battle against secrecy doesn’t end with the revelation of Kristen’s betrayal. Violet has a secret of her own and this one might be more than Peter is willing to forgive.