Blurb

Werewolf meets human. Werewolf snubs human. Werewolf loves human?

Julien Doran arrived in sleepy Maudit Falls, North Carolina, with a heart full of hurt and a head full of questions. The key to his brother’s mysterious last days might be found in this tiny town, and now Julien’s amateur investigation is starting to unearth things the locals would rather keep buried.

Perhaps most especially the strange, magnetic manager of a deserted retreat that’s nearly as odd as its staff.

Eli Smith is a lot of things: thief, werewolf, glamour-puss, liar. And now the manager of a haven for rebel pack runaways. He’s spent years cultivating a persona to disguise his origins, but for the first time ever he’s been entrusted with a real responsibility—and he plans to take that seriously.

Even if the handsome tourist who claims to be in town for some R & R is clearly on a hunt for all things paranormal. And hasn’t taken his brooding gaze off Eli since he’s arrived.

When an old skeleton and a fresh corpse turn a grief errand into a murder investigation, the unlikely Eli is the only person Julien can turn to. Trust is hard to come by in a town known for its monsters, but so is time…

Review

Pack of Lies is the first book in a spinoff of the Big Bad Wolf series, which I have not read, so this world was entirely new for me, and this novel can stand on its own.

This is the story of Eli, a snarky werewolf who manages a mountain resort in Maudit Falls, which serves as a safe house for rebel werewolves. Eli is a bit unusual in that he possesses secret shifting abilities that he must keep secret even from his own kind. He encounters Julian, a grieving tourist who is staying at another local resort. We learn that Julian is searching for answers about his brother Rocky’s untimely death and was led to the area by a cryptic message about monsters that Julian found in his brother’s room. Both Eli and Julian are suffering from past trauma and trust issues, making them especially leery of getting too close to the other. Eli fears that Julian would reject him if he learned that Eli was a shifter. And Julian…well, he has his own secrets.

The title in this novel is perfect as there certainly is a plethora of lying going on, so much so that you’re not sure who to believe. I enjoyed how the author slowly revealed each of the character’s pasts, and in so doing, we learn their motivations, their secrets, and what drives them. Both of the characters are mysterious, highly complex, and multi-layered, and I loved how the layers are exposed to the reader a little at a time. I also enjoyed the dual POVs, allowing us to experience the story from each of their perspectives.

The author does an excellent job both with character development and world-building, leading to a compelling and atmospheric story. Additionally, the novel serves up an addicting plot along with a tantalizing mystery to solve. I love the combination of a murder mystery and the paranormal elements of the narrative and enjoyed how Eli and Julian joined forces to do some “sleuthing,” all the while trying to keep their secrets from the other. I enjoyed seeing the evolution of their relationship as the story progressed.

All in all, Pack of Lies is an enthralling read about secrets and murder that pulled me in immediately. It features plenty of snark and humor, twists galore, nail-biting suspense, monster hunting, danger, and sizzling chemistry between our two main characters. I loved the sexual tension and the romantic dynamics between Eli and Julian.

Though this is the first book in the series, the author nicely wrapped up the ending with no cliffhangers while setting up the story for future books. I can’t wait to continue on with the series and see what the author will do with this compelling world. Recommended!

A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book.

This title will be released on August 30, 2022 but you can preorder it HERE.

Blurb

Charley Dalton died a homeless man. He’s not about to be a homeless ghost.

When Charley’s haunted house passes into the hands of psychic house flipper, Austin Sparks, Charley promises himself and the ghosts he lives with that he’ll haunt overtime to get rid of the threat. Once people start pulling up carpets and tearing down walls, a haunted house is doomed.

Charley devises a plan to scare Austin off for good. But Austin Sparks doesn’t scare easily. Worse, he’s sexy as hell, and soon Charley has a bigger problem than failed plans. He’s got the hots for the enemy.

But forbidden romance isn’t part of a ghost’s happily-ever-afterlife.

Review

I’m a sucker for a queer ghost romance, so I was excited when this one came to my attention. It ended up being much more than I thought it would.

It follows Charley, who died of food poisoning and now lives a peaceful life with his ghost family — peaceful, that is until his house passes into the hands of house flipper Austin Sparks. Once Austin begins renovations, the ghosts decide that something has to be done to stop them; otherwise, their futures will be doomed. Charley takes the initiative and promises the others that he will rid the house of the intruders. But, of course, things don’t quite go according to plan, especially once Charley begins to fall for Austin.

I adored the characterization in this story. Both Charlie and Austin were relatable, complex, and well drawn-out, and I soon found myself rooting for both of them. The slow-burn romance was well done and believable, and I found the relationship between Charlie and Austin to be exceptionally moving.

Additionally, the world-building was phenomenal, and the novel gave the reader a vivid sense of place, making me feel as though I were in the house right along with the characters. It was ripping with atmosphere, which immediately drew me in. The author also gives us several riveting secondary characters, a couple of which played an integral part in the storyline, especially once an entirely new and surprising storyline develops. As the story went, I put together a couple of pieces, but I didn’t pick up on the huge curveball towards the end.

I also enjoyed how the house itself took care of the ghosts, which proved to be quite a unique take on the classic haunted house ghost story. All in all, I loved everything about this story: the setting, characters, the wry humor, the tender romantic relationship, the relationships between the ghosts, and the plot line. It had me smiling one moment and tearing up the next. What I especially enjoyed was how lighthearted, and funny this book was, even when it was deeply touching.

A huge thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy of this book.

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Blurb

An intimate and light-hearted memoir by viral sensation and three-time Emmy-nominated musical comedian Randy Rainbow that takes readers through his life—the highs, the lows, the lipstick, the pink glasses, and the show tunes.

Randy Rainbow, the man who conquered the Internet with a stylish pair of pink glasses, an inexhaustible knowledge of Broadway musicals, and the most gimlet-eyed view of American politics this side of Mark Twain finally tells all in Playing with Myself, a memoir sure to cause more than a few readers to begin singing one of his greatest hits like “A Spoonful of Clorox” or “Cover Your Freakin’ Face.”

As Randy has said, “There’s so much fake news out there about me. I can’t wait to set the record straight and finally give people a peek behind the green screen.” And set the record straight he does. Playing with Myself is a first-hand account of the journey that led Randy Rainbow from his childhood as the over-imaginative, often misunderstood little boy who carried a purse in the second grade to his first job on Broadway as the host at Hooters and on to the creation of his trademark comedy character. In chapters titled “Pajama Bottoms” (a look back at the days when he wore pajama bottoms on his head to pretend he was Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz), “Yes, It’s My Real Name, Shut Up!” (no explanation necessary…) and “Pink Glasses” (a rose-colored homage to his favorite accessory), Playing with Myself is a memoir that answers the question “Can an introverted musical theatre nerd with a MacBook and a dream save the world, one show tune at a time?”

Review

Memoirs are not my preferred genre, but when I heard that Randy Rainbow was releasing a no-holds-barred story of his life, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it, given that I’ve been a fan of his musical political parodies from the beginning.

Like the man himself, this book was so much fun! I enjoyed learning about his childhood, his family, his struggles with depression, his inspiration, his missteps, and his eventual rise to stardom. I was also surprised to learn that Randy Rainbow is his real name – who could have guessed?

I swear Randy Rainbow is the only person who can make the story of one’s childhood enjoyable and enthralling. And if you’re a fan of celebrities, Randy does plenty of name-dropping throughout the pages, and I enjoyed learning about his relationships with various actors, actresses, and musicians.

I loved getting a behind-the-scenes look at his process — how he comes up with ideas for and makes his videos. It also becomes clear that his rise to fame was the result of a lifetime of hard work and preparation. Though there is a serious aspect to the book, especially regarding self-image issues and bullying, overall, it’s humorous, light-hearted, and fun, peppered with witty asides, enjoyable banter, and jokes. I caught myself laughing out loud so many times as I read about his compelling life.

Frequently, I find memoirs to drag in places where I need to slog through them painfully. Not this one. Playing with myself was a hoot from beginning to end! All in all, I found this book utterly delightful, and it gave me a new appreciation for Randy Rainbow. It was a blast getting to know the man behind the pink glasses. If you enjoy his creative video spoofs, you should enjoy this funny yet heartfelt book. It’s a refreshing and entertaining read about one of my favorite people.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a review copy of this book.

This title will be released on April 19th but is available for preorder now.

Purchase Playing with Myself from Amazon

I’m a massive fan of Bill Konigsberg, so I was very excited to learn he was coming out with a new book. This was certainly an intense and quite a raw read.

It follows two teens, Aaron and Tillie, two strangers but who end up on the George Washington Bridge at the same time with the intention of jumping. Aaron is gay and suffering from depression, and Tillie has just been ghosted by her boyfriend and has been publicly humiliated in an online bullying event. So there are four scenarios that could play out:

1. Tillie jumps, but Aaron doesn’t.
2. Aaron jumps, but Tillie doesn’t.
3. They both jump.
4. Neither of them jumps.

What’s interesting about this story is that it explores all four outcomes in a diverging storyline format, which I typically enjoy. That is to say, the story plays out all four scenarios allowing us to see the fallout and repercussions of each decision on everyone in their lives. It’s funny. I went into this without knowing anything about it (Bill is an auto-buy author for me).

But when we moved onto the second scenario, I thought, “Wait, What??? Isn’t Tillie dead??” It’s at this point I read the blurb and had that: “Aha!” moment.

So….to say this novel is powerful is an understatement.

As you can imagine, any novel with the theme of suicide at its core is no doubt raw and heart-breaking, and this novel is no exception. Though a bit tough to read in places and definitely an emotional roller-coaster, it was also compelling as each section laid out the various possibilities of events following each scenario.

In the story, he delves into themes of mental health, bullying, shame, body shaming, body image, parental neglect, family, loneliness, and of course, death by suicide. But I felt that at no point does the author romanticize suicide but instead shows the brutal results of such an act and how it can affect so many others.

Now given that this is an exploration of these four different scenarios, there’s really not any closure to the story as all of the stories end in an open kind of way. It’s up to us to decide the outcome of each story. I’m glad the author saved the scenario in which neither teen jumps for the last, which ends the novel in a hopeful and optimistic manner.

The message at the core of these four stories is kind of a wake-up call — maybe even a personal message to anyone who has or has ever had suicidal thoughts. There’s no ideation here, but instead, the author attempts to show us that things will, indeed, get better, as well as illustrating how devastating the death of a loved one by suicide can be for family and friends.

I also think these four stories create an often much-needed conversation around the topic of depression and mental illness in general. In the case of one of the characters, it’s discussed how exhausting it is to keep a smiling face when the darkness inside threatens to overwhelm you and pull you down.

The events that kicked off each scenario were not only fascinating but also eye-opening, and I felt that the author did an excellent job of bringing these events to life for the reader.

And even though we get the same story after the events of the George Washington Bridge, the book is not at all repetitive because every decision the teens make sets off a chain of entirely different events. The ripples and repercussions of each person’s decision in the story made for fascinating reading.

I felt the story in which they both jumped was especially powerful, and the author took it to the next level by showing the hole that they left not only now but in the future. Here, the author shows us how far into the future, the ripples of their decision can reach. For instance, the book introduced the people they were supposed to fall in love with, people who now felt like something is missing from their life, but they can’t put their finger on what.

So here, we see the effects not just on the people they knew but also on the people they should have known. Ah… I’m tearing up just thinking about it.

So again, the book is not an easy read by any stretch of the imagination. It’s dark, heavy, sad, and gut-wrenching. The grief in this story jumps off the page. But it’s also hopeful, in that there’s always another option, and in this book, we explore those options.

Purchase The Bridge on Amazon