GAME ON by Navessa Allen

Game On by Navessa Allen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Last week I read LIGHTS OUT and CAUGHT UP and loved them so much that I got stuck into the third installment as soon as I got it. 😊

Tyler is an egotistical douche who also happens to be a bookie with revenge on his mind, and anger issues. Stella is a tattoo artist with a troubled past and is part of a wealthy family. When her brother gets into trouble, Stella finds herself pretending to be Tyler's girlfriend to help him meet rich people...

Oh! Intriguing. Steamy. Infuriating. Sad.

Just like the previous two books, I was hooked as soon as I started. To be honest, I found that surprising because Tyler is such a frustrating asshole. Seriously, the man is OBNOXIOUS as fuck. I don't care how hot he's supposed to be, he sucks.

Okay, let's focus on Stella first because I really liked her. She's got an attitude, a traumatic past, and although her family is very wealthy, she's not a greedy snob. She actually wants to do good things for others, contributes to society, and no matter how long the hours are, she enjoys her job. So yeah, she's cool and I felt bad for her because she suffers every single day from a chronic condition.

Tyler, on the other hand, is a total dickhead. An insufferable snob for most of the book. I mean, I already knew he was from previous books, but he outshines himself in this one. His douchiness is off the charts, but being in his head kinda put things into perspective because the tool is so obsessed with making his father pay that he's in a constant frenzy to get blood. The anger and resentment shaped him into a bit of a monster.

Man, I thought Josh and Junior had Daddy issues, but Tyler outdoes both of them!

Told in the alternating POVs of Tyler (posing as Theo) and Stella, the narrative focuses on the uneasy situation between two people who can't stand each other. Yet can't deny their mutual attraction, which takes them to some raunchy and unexpected places. I have to admit that I didn't expect to find any of this story sad, but when everything came out, I actually did.

Also, for obvious reasons, I need to mention AJ. Yep.

Another thing that I love about this trilogy is all the adorable pets. We have two cats (Fred and Maud), a doggy (Walter), and in this one we have a hilarious parrot called Amos.

Loved this trilogy and the very interesting and colourful characters!


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VALENTINE'S SLAY by Navessa Allen

Valentine's Slay by Navessa Allen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tonight I felt like reading something but only had a few hours, so this turned out to be the perfect size.

Noah is a gravedigger and this Valentine’s night while working late in the cemetery, he hears someone screaming from inside a grave. Emma was recently buried but she's still alive...

Well, this is such a fun story! It's a cute second-chance romance. The setting is atmospheric, especially the scenes in the cemetery and Noah's lovely cabin. Noah is a very cool character, and I liked Emma too. Did I mention that it's super spicy? Yikes.

I had a blast reading this shortie.

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CAUGHT UP by Navessa Allen

Caught Up by Navessa Allen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading and enjoying the hell out of Lights Out, I had to read the next book. 😅

Junior is a serious man stuck in a family business he wants to escape, while still obsessing over his teenage crush. Lauren has a great life with her found family and a job she loves, as well as the club she frequents. When Junior decides to make a move on Lauren, their tumultuous past catches up with them and leads the couple into a whole lot of trouble...

Sexy. Inclusive. Interesting. Dark.

Like the first book, I was hooked from the very beginning. That's one hell of a scene to start with! Yikes.

By the way, I was a little worried about Junior being the main guy because he was quite the douche during Josh and Aly's story, but the more I read, the more I wanted to know about him. Adding Lauren to the mix was another reason why I enjoyed the latest installment so much.

Told in the alternating POVs of Junior and Lauren, the narrative focuses on his current obsession for her, and her past obsession for him. Delving into their separate lives helped understand what brings these two together even though the odds are stacked against them. Their connection is definitely spicy, and some of their raunchy locations are very, um... creative.

Ultimately, this is another great story that brings back some familiar faces but also introduces a whole new cast of intriguing and funny people. Did I mention that I laughed out loud several times? Well, I did. Love the dark humour in these books.

It was also great to catch up with Josh and Aly, and I especially enjoyed the engagement party.

In my review of the first book, I mentioned that animals make great stories even better because of the kitty, Fred. Well, in this one we have a doggy called Walter. Oh, and Fred makes several appearances with his new kitty sibling, Maud.

REALLY enjoying this trilogy!


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LIGHTS OUT by Navessa Allen

Lights Out by Navessa Allen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've had this book on my shelf for a while now, and finally got stuck into it last night.

Aly is a trauma nurse who works too hard, and wants to help people so much she often ignores her own health. She's also addicted to watching videos posted by a particular masked man. Josh works in cybersecurity, and is constantly trying to outrun his father's deadly legacy. He's also got a tendency to stalk people. When Aly and Josh meet, their shared search for darkness takes them to unexpected places...

Yikes. Wow. Intriguing. Raunchy. Dark.

I have to admit that I was hooked from the beginning and liked both characters instantly. I found their separate lives and pasts very interesting. The mutual attraction between these two sizzles off the page. But not just that, I actually enjoyed their interactions. The messages they send each other, as well as the flirtatious banter, surprisingly cracked me up several times.

The book is told in the alternating POVs of Aly and Josh. Apart or together, the narrative keeps the story moving at a fast pace. And OMFG, the raunchy scenes are: 🔥 !!

In spite of the creepy, and at many times, wrong aspects of this story, it's also very easy to root for these two characters.

Make sure you read the MANY trigger warnings at the beginning because this book is not fucking around. It's totally messed up in many ways, but it sure is entertaining and well written.

Oh, and before I forget, I have to mention the adorable kitty, Fred. He's so cute and I love that he has a place in the narrative. Also, the inclusion of animals make great stories even better.

I REALLY enjoyed the hell out of this!


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Getting Stuff Done

Hey! How are you today?

Well, we enjoyed an awesome two-week break but my husband went back to work on Monday. Cool thing was that he had an RDO on Wednesday and we went to the optometrist for our follow-up appointment that included getting the dreaded drops and photos of the back of our eyes. Great thing is that behind-the-scenes both of our eyes are healthy. But we both need glasses.

Yeah, a week before this appointment we had another one to get our eyes checked. Turns out we both need glasses for different conditions. My husband is long-sighted and my short-sightedness has come back.

In case you didn't know (because I'm not sure if I mentioned it before) I got LASIK surgery in my mid-twenties so I haven't worn glasses for decades. Unfortunately, getting older means that my eyes aren't what they used to be so I'm back to wearing glasses. Looking forward to picking them up.

Anyway, on Monday I got stuck into the final read-thru of the two short stories I wrote this month. I made all the changes, formatted The docs and the final word counts are: 🥩 4,621 and 🚉 2,960.

I'm very excited about getting these two stories done. Not only because that means that I've written and completed three shortish (so far) this year, but mostly because these two were previously stalled tales.

The other thing I did this week—asides from taking it easy on Wednesday while the effects of the drops wore off—was embark on the very infuriating task of turning a bunch of PDFs back into Word docs. Yeah, it was a slog that took several days because doing this threw out all the formatting, including italics, etc.

Not fun, but definitely had to be done so I have updated Word docs of these stories.

During the second week of our break we watched more movies: Your Monster (fantastic and sad feminine rage story with a nice dose of humour), and MEGAN 2.0 (fun and ridiculous cautionary tale about AI needing very tight regulation).

Well, that's about it. Looks like we're headed for another dark and dreary weather weekend around here. I'm getting tired of so many overcast days.

Have a great weekend!

March Break!

Hey! How's it going?

Well, March is here and in Australia that marks the beginning of autumn. I'm going to miss summer because it's my favourite season, but at least we have one more month of daylight savings left.

My husband has a few weeks off and we're having a great time together. So exciting!

Also, in the evenings, while taking it easy on the couch, I finished writing a new short story on my phone.

The strange thing about this particular story is that I started it last year, but stopped for two reasons: the tale stalled, plus the vampires were calling. LOL. Seriously, for me, 2025 was the year of the vampire and I put everything else aside. LOL. But I never forgot about this tale and the characters, and knew I'd go back one day. The problem was that I wasn't sure where to go next. THEN, after I finished a different story last week and sorted through my files, the character started whispering in my ear again.

So I took notes, researched a few things, went back to check what I wrote, and the words wouldn't stop coming. After three sessions, I reached the end of the first draft (4,499w). But it didn't end there because I revised the story (4,731w) and added the doc to my Paperwhite so that I can complete the final read-thru after our break.

And then, I did the same for a completely different first draft! This one was actually already written but it just didn't work. I seriously considered giving up on it, was ready to shelf it... but then inspiration struck, I cut the story in half, and pretty much rewrote it. I even completed several revision rounds! The story is now 2,718 words and ready for the final read-thru.

I'm REALLY excited about this burst of inspiration and hope it continues. 😊

Asides from staying up late, sleeping in, playing ACNH, going for walks when the weather allows, we've also been watching movies: Dust Bunny (whimsical and cozy monster tale), Bring Her Back (bleak and traumatic cautionary tale), Predator: Badlands (excellent found-family adventure), Weapons (creepy intriguing mystery), and Fantastic Four: First Steps (terrible pro-life propaganda).

We've got another week off. Yay.

Have an awesome week!

Mental Break February!

Hey! How are you today? Long time no blog, huh? 😅

After spending most of January working on a really extensive edit that almost broke my brain, I decided to take this month off.

So, what did I do? I spent most of my time reading. Yep. It's been a lot of fun choosing one book after another. No pattern, I just grabbed whatever book I felt like. I let the mood take me to my Paperwhite, Kobo or paperback. I ended up reading 13 books. Even though I didn't do it on purpose, every book I've read this year was written by a woman, and I enjoyed all of them.

If you want to find out what I read, all of my reviews are below. Or you can go to my 2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge page.

Although I didn't push myself to work on anything new, I did finish writing a story I started at the end of December. During the first draft, I initially thought it might end up being a novella. Then realised it would probably be a novelette. Ultimately, it ended up being a short story. LMAO.

I even revise it, and actually completed the final read-thru on Thursday night.

The first draft was over 7k words, but the more I revised, the more words I cut. So the final word count is: 6,170. It's also the first story I completed this year. Yay! 😁

Oh! Guess what? The other day I found out that my book FALLEN DESTINY has been nominated for a Small Spec Book Awards in the Fantasy category.

How exciting is that? My cozy urban fantasy novel didn't get too much attention when it was released in November, but I love Destiny's book. It's an occult detective tale. It's a friends to lovers horrormance. It's a road trip situation with two characters who don't get along. It's a found-family story. It's a book told in the POV of a displaced demon.

It's a lot of fun things and I'm very proud of it. It's fantastic that it's been nominated for an award.

Well, that's what I've been doing. A lot of reading, a bit of writing, a good dose of revision, and just enjoying the last dregs of summer. My husband actually has a two-week break, so I'm going to enjoy a bit of down time. We've got a few things to tick off our to-do list, but it's so cool to have a staycation.

Have an awesome weekend!!

EXIT STRATEGY by Martha Wells

Exit Strategy by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love the Murderbot Diaries and in this installment we meet up with some familiar faces.

Murderbot might not care about humans, but when it finds out that Dr. Mensah has been taken, it tracks her down before the GrayCris Corporation can hurt her...

I have to admit that I'm hooked on this series, but I'm also making sure that I take my time so that it doesn't become a blur.

So, I enjoyed the hell out of this novella. It was such a blast to catch up with Mensah, Pin-Lee, Ratthi and Gurathin. It's also really cool to see that although Murderbot is awkwardly uncomfortable around humans and wants to stay away from complicated emotions, the friends its made along the way won't give up on it.

I always enjoy scenes between Murderbot and Mensah. She's so gentle with him and at the same time, very honest. She's such a great character and it's lovely to see Murderbot go out of its way to help her when she's taken.

The action is top-notch and kept me on the edge of my seat. I honestly thought Murderbot was going to meet its ultimate end a few times. 😣

I love the ending and can't wait to see where the story leads...

-------------------------------------

Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I finished reading Exit Strategy last night and decided to get stuck into this shorty. It's in the POV of Dr. Mensah, so it's interesting to see Murderbot through the eyes of someone else. I always enjoy their interactions and love to see it settling in with this lovely group of friends.

Also, I love how the documentary idea is shaping up. Hope there's more of that in future installments.

I love this series.

 

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MIDNIGHT ROOMS by Donyae Coles

Midnight Rooms by Donyae Coles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Here's another book that I've had my eye on for a while and finally decided to get stuck into.

Orabella Mumthrope is an outsider. A young woman living with her aunt and uncle, who are desperate to get rid of her. When Elias Blakersby asks her to be his wife to settle some of her uncle's debts, she accepts. But from the moment she arrives at Korringhill Manor, she starts to feel strange and weird things start happening...

Haunting. Delirious. Confusing. Mysterious.

I REALLY enjoyed this book. Wow. The Crimson Peak, Mexican Gothic, and Beauty and the Beast vibes are strong with this one. Yet, it's also very unique.

Reading this engrossing gothic tale is like slipping from one fever dream into another, while only stopping by for a reality check every now and then. It's so trippy. The family is absolutely terrifying, the house is like a decaying labyrinth, and the mystery at the heart of everything is chillingly gross.

Orabella is such a great character. One who, even though she's suffered a life of being put in her place or barely being tolerated because she's biracial, she still has the strength to push the limits. She listens to her husband's orders, but then breaks them. It's also interesting that although she mistrusts Elias, she's very much in lust with him because he's nice looking and shows her his kindest side. Most of the time.

Yeah, this is an awesome and very dark gothic fairy tale. Loved it.


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THE ECHO WIFE by Sarah Gailey

The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the next book that caught my eye. It's actually one that I've been curious about for a while.

Evelyn Caldwell is an award-winning scientist in the field of cloning. So when she finds out her husband is having an affair with her clone, she's devastated. And when that clone reaches out to Evelyn after a violent encounter, everything changes...

Well, that turned out to be a very interesting tale that really digs deep and makes you think.

I love reading stories about robots and clones because they always skirt around the ethical debate of how humans can/should treat genetically enhanced or engineered life. I mean, if people use/abuse/disrespect fellow humans, how would our world take advantage of them?

Personally, I believe such creations could enhance our existence and would welcome them into our society. Unfortunately, the corporations who would delve into this type of science only wants to make slaves. Which ties into the story, because Evelyn's research centres around making dupes for politicians, etc. for nefarious reasons.

Anyway, back to Evelyn, who is sometimes a really hard character to relate to, but other times is quite sympathetic. She's very ambitious, which is fine, but she also refuses to apologise. Her personality seems to have been shaped by years of emotional abuse by her father, which is also done by her self-centred husband.

That facet of the story is quite sad, and explains a lot about her personality. The detachment she has towards others, and her disinterest in having children. It's just poetic that Evelyn spends countless hours inside a lab creating life from scratch. Love the contradiction in her ways.

Yeah, I really enjoyed following Evelyn as she deals with the end of her marriage, struggles with the reason, and then finds herself drawn back several times because of the unexpected turn of events.

One last thing, I think Martine is an amazing character.


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BLUE TICKET by Sophie Mackintosh

Blue Ticket by Sophie Mackintosh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While browsing through my Kindle books this one caught my eye and I decided to check it out.

In Calla's world, when girls start bleeding they have to pick a ticket. A white ticket leads to marriage and children, a blue ticket means a career and freedom. But years later, while Calla is living her life of 'freedom', she has a change of heart that changes everything...

Sad. Haunting. Devastating.

I have to admit that this book is very disturbing. I always find stories where women are stripped of their right to chose their own paths absolute nightmare fuel. And living during this shaky timeline makes it even worse. Still, I enjoyed Calla's tale because it's original and written in a very unique way.

The narrative is intimately hers. We get snippets of the conversations she has with the people that come and go from her life, but the narrative is in her POV and the story unfolds in a journal/diary style full of her observations and rampant thoughts. Her fears and desires, ramblings.

Sometimes it's hard to be in her head because she can be selfish and awful, not very nice. But other times she's vulnerable and lost, alone in her quest to choose the opposite of what she was assigned.

Either way, I really felt for Calla. Especially after the twist of betrayal is revealed. Her story is bleak and lonely, but what else can it be in a world where women are forced to accept their fate without personal input?

The subject matter is deep and personal to many of us. I liked the way a fictional story about a woman's search for her own choice reveals what happens when you try to control people.


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CACKLE by Rachel Harrison

Cackle by Rachel Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've had this book on my TBR pile for a while, so it was definitely time to check it out.

After Annie's longtime boyfriend breaks up with her, she leaves New York City and moves to a small town to teach in a nearby high school. Her apartment is lovely, the people are nice, and she even makes an interesting new friend...

Cozy. Witchy. Charming. Wonderful.

I really enjoyed this super fun book!

Annie is such a great character. A people pleaser at heart, someone who doesn't want to cause any friction, puts up with a lot from others, and struggles with the burden of a broken heart... which leads to many tears and yearning for someone who clearly doesn't deserve her attention.

Yeah, I disliked Sam quite a bit. He's one of those guys who wants the comfort of knowing his girlfriend is willing to go along with everything he wants, and then pulls the plug because he's bored. An insufferable little man.

Forget about him, let's get back to how awesome the story is. Sophie is another fantastic character because she's an independent, powerful woman trying to live her life, and some people just can't handle that. And what about Ralph? Absolutely adorable.

Also, I love how Annie evolved. Sometimes, the thing we need the most has always been there.


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HERE LIES A VENGEFUL BITCH by Codie Crowley

Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch by Codie Crowley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With such a great title, and a brilliant cover with a very cool stepback, I couldn't wait to get stuck into this book.

When Annie Lane wakes up submerged in the river, she's dead-set on figuring out how she got there and why. But ends up finding out a hell of a lot more than she expected...

I was hooked instantly! The more I read, the deeper I got into the narrative and couldn't wait to find out more.

Annie's story is dark and, unfortunately, too familiar: a teenage girl murdered and dumped in the water. But what I love the most about her tale is how the storyline barrels past every expectation and throws the reader into a revenge plot that also introduces some really cool spectral situations.

The mystery at the heart of everything is what happened to Annie. Who killed her? Why? And where is her best friend? A true-crime situation about the victim trying to solve her own murder. But it's also packed with a hell of a LOT more. I like the subtle nature of the worldbuilding because the details are explained in casual conversation, or when things happen. In some cases, the reader can easily figure things out. The character connections, friendships, and complications also provide a few twists and turns along the way.

But most of all, I think Annie is a great character. She's flawed, makes mistakes, doesn't care what people think, follows her own path. You know? All the things society doesn't want girls and women to pursue. Watching her story unfold is very entertaining, and tense.

Loved it.


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HEMLOCK ISLAND by Kelley Armstrong

Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kelley Armstrong writes great books, so I was excited about getting stuck into this one.

After her divorce, Laney Kilpatrick has to rent out the house on Hemlock Island because it's too expensive to run on her own. But when renters tell her about some strange tokens in their rooms and blood found inside the house, she decides to check it out with her niece. A quick trip turns into something a lot more serious when other people from her past arrive on the island...

I really enjoyed this!

At it's core, this is a horror story set on a private island. But it's also about the people who get stuck on the island.

Not only do they have to deal with the mystery of what's going on around them, but there's also the relationship problems between Laney and Kit. The friendship troubles between Laney and Jayla. The uncomfortable connection Laney barely has with Sadie. Laney trying to be a worthy guardian. And the secret they all share that threatens to destroy everything.

Yeah, there's a lot packed into this book and I enjoyed the way everything is revealed. The creepy vibes were great and kept me turning the page. Not to mention that Hemlock Island really leaps off the page as well.


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THE NOTHING MAN by Catherine Ryan Howard

The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While going through my Kindle books I stumbled on this one and decided to check it out. Except, I couldn't stop reading.

Eve Black was twelve when her family was killed by a serial attacker/killer named the Nothing Man. Now an adult, she publishes a book about her experience. Jim Doyle is a security guard who stumbles across Eve's true-crime memoir. The more he reads, the more Jim realises he has to find her. Before she finds him...

Great story, and I really like the format!

This is a book inside a book, told in two perspectives: Jim Doyle's POV, as an old man, reading the memoir from the survivor of one of his crimes, and Eve's actual memoir. It's like we're reading Eve's book along with the killer, while also getting insight into his miserable life.

I disliked Jim as soon as he hit the page. There's something really off-putting about him. He's a despicable piece of shit. His presence made my skin crawl, and when the story begins to unravel, I hated him even more. His obsession with the book is another thing that made me sick because he actually enjoys the trip down Memory Lane littered with his atrocious crimes.

This is a fictional true-crime story that's very well written. It's creepy and dread hangs over the narrative all the way through, during both perspectives. And there are a few killer twists.

It also reminds us that the victims are the ones we should remember, not the serial killers who are always useless, nothing men.


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WE LIVE HERE NOW by Sarah Pinborough

We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love reading Sarah Pinborough's books because she writes very addictive thriller/horror stories.

After a terrible accident and months in hospital, Emily arrives at her new house in the country with her husband, Freddie. Larkin Lodge is a lovely house in the middle of nowhere, but as soon as she gets there, Emily gets a bad feeling about the place...

O.M.F.G. Yikes! 😳

I was hooked from the beginning and got lost in the unstable lives of the married couple who move to the country after a tragic accident.

Although I was initially fascinated with the isolated house, it was the introduction of Emily and Freddie that totally grabbed me. Their marriage outwardly appears to be a happy one, and now that Emily is out of hospital, they can get back on track. But reading their individual inner thoughts reveals the complete opposite.

This couple has a lot of problems, resentments, and secrets. Not to mention how awful and selfish they are, or that so many of their decisions and actions are questionable. Honestly, it feels like they're constantly competing with each other. And lying.

Still, no matter how awful Emily and Freddie are to each other and everyone else, I really enjoyed figuring out the mystery as Emily investigates the history of Larkin Lodge.

The ending is perfect. For so many reasons.

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CLAIRE DEWITT AND THE CITY OF THE DEAD by Sara Gran

Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sara Gran is the author of Come Closer, a novella that I read years ago but still often think about because I loved it so much. I also really enjoyed The Book of the Most Precious Substance, so I decided to start reading her Claire DeWitt series.

Claire DeWitt is a PI. When she's hired by a man to find his missing uncle in New Orleans because of her reputation, she travels to the ravaged city to find out what happened...

Grim. Disturbing. Sad. Entertaining.

Claire DeWitt isn't your average private investigator. Her methods aren't conventional, and she uses the book, Détection by Jacques Silette, as her guide for conducting her business. She's been obsessed with it since her teens and it helps her through every case she tackles.

It's also a reminder of the mentor she lost. I enjoyed reading about her memories of Constance, and the two friends that put her on the investigation path during her teens.

Claire is snarky, pushy, odd, funny, and seems to possess an otherworldly connection during her investigations. It's how she's able to find clues that others miss. She also has plenty of secrets and vices. The use of dreams to work through the puzzles is another very cool addition to her technique.

The investigation she tackles during post-Katrina New Orleans begins as something simple, but when the devastating truth is revealed, it's all quite sad.

I think this is a great start to an intriguing series featuring an unlikable female character that I like quite a bit!


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THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've had my eye on this book for AGES! So, it's about time I got stuck into it.

Millie desperately needs a place to stay, as well as a job. So when she lands a housemaid position with the Winchesters, she can't believe her luck. It's a beautiful house, she doesn't mind the work, but Nina is a little erratic, and Andrew is too tempting. Then there's the attic room...

Wow. What a fantastic thriller! I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't stop reading. Was totally captivated all the way through and enjoyed the many twists and turns. Yikes.

Not only is this a great story that kept me reading because I got swept up in the sense of dread and suspicion, but the writing style is so smooth. Plus I loved the characters.

I really liked Millie, and was actually surprised when we got a glimpse of Nina's POV. The two POVs bring everything together, and reveal the bleak mystery at the core of the story.

I've heard the hype, and I have to totally agree. I loved everything about this book! It's just so addictive, and just a great story.

Now I need to get my hands on the next two...


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ROGUE PROTOCOL by Martha Wells

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's time to get back into reading, and I thought I'd start with the next Murderbot novella.

Our favourite Murderbot is back for another adventure, one that it hopes will answer some of the outstanding questions about what the GrayCris Corporation has been doing...

Another awesome addition to what's quickly becoming one of my favourite series!

Murderbot might not technically be a full-on SecUnit anymore, but continues to board ships in order to reach a precise destination. Sometimes it befriends the onboard AI system, other times it's all about sharing files, but Murderbot sure knows how to get around. And this time, it meets a friendly robot who happens to be loved/appreciated by its humans.

I really liked Miki! It was another cool character to add to the many Murderbot keeps crossing paths with. It's fascinating to meet the different types of robots that inhabit this world.

Also, the thing that cracks me up about Murderbot is how hard it tries to hide from people and surveillance cameras, but somehow always ends up getting caught up with a crew. And then ends up having to protect these humans. 😅

Everything seems to slow down in this one, until the fast-paced action swept me away. I had a blast with this one.


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Happy 1st Anniversary to Melancholy Delusions!

🎉 🥳 🎉

I can't believe that my debut short story collection was released a year ago.

I'm very proud of every single story included in this volume, and will always be grateful to Cemetery Gates Media for giving my collection a great home.

And for putting together a lovely book.

MELANCHOLY DELUSIONS is a dark gathering of 17 melancholy horror tales where mothers, lovers, friends and monsters intersect with disastrous and tragic consequences.

 The cover is stunning and was made by Luke Spooner/Carrion House.

Here's the TOC:

1. ALL MY PRETTIES

2. LOST IN TIME

3. GOLDSMITH’S ODDITY 

4. CLARA’S PHONE

5. SOMEWHERE TO BELONG

6. OTHER SIDE OF ME 

7. THE GIRLS DEVOURED BY THE WOODS 

8. SHORELINE

9. THE MAN IN THE RED SUIT 

10. OF YOU, THE END 

11. A PORTRAIT OF DEATH 

12. FADE INTO NIGHTMARE 

13. LADY OF THE HOUSE 

14. SLIPPING INTO 

15. ALLURE

16. STALKING THE SHADOWS 

17. FINDING SURVIVAL 

Paperback & Kindle versions are available right now! You can also pick up a copy from Bookshop.org or add it to Goodreads.

If you've read my collection, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you have a fave? 😊

Thanks for reading!

Busy January!

Hey, remember me? 😃

It's been a while since I posted because I've been caught in an endless loop of editing all month. And now, the first month of 2026 is almost over. Yikes.

So, how are ya? How are we all surviving during the weirdest timeline ever? It's too much, isn't it? That's why it's important to find your people, your happiness, and take care of yourself as much as you can.

As the title says: I've been super busy editing during January. Yep. I started the year with some pretty intense novel editing. During the first week, I read the manuscript from beginning to end and made all the appropriate edits/changes/additions. But when I was done, the story didn't feel finished.

So... I decided to do another round. I went back to the beginning and got stuck into it again. Except, this time I ended up re-writing and re-checking every chapter after I was done. It was a slow and time-consuming process that took two full weeks. 😳

Man, it was a lot of (very hard) work and the editing is the only thing I had time for. It consumed my brain. I kept thinking about it, took heaps of notes, wrote some additions from scratch, made changes every step of the way, and kept rechecking myself. It was TOTALLY exhausting, but I'm really happy with the results.

Everything I did for the story made it better, stronger, creepier, and a book I'm proud of. It's done and I even sent it back before the deadline. Yay. 🥳

I'll keep you posted on what comes next. But for now, after three weeks of working non-stop, I need a serious mental break. I mean, I haven't read anything in AGES. I haven't written anything new since last year. Haven't had the chance to dream about new story ideas. Nothing.

Well, not exactly nothing.

The ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS update landed mid-month and my husband and I have been having a BLAST!! Everything about this update has enhanced a game that we already adore. There are so many new tasks to complete, plenty of new items to purchase, things to make for Kapp'n, and the island now has tourists visiting daily. We love designing rooms in the hotel, and it's even encouraged us to start going to Paradise Island again! It's an amazing addition to ACNH and we're absolutely LOVING it.

And I haven't even entered Luna's Slumber Island yet, where you can design up to three new islands! Can't wait!!

The combination of ACNH and my husband's unbelievable support got me through the last few weeks. He even helped me sort through some story details, listened to my plans, and was just there when I needed him. He's the best! 😍

Another thing we did a few weeks ago is watch S1 & S2 of INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE and OMFG!! We absolutely LOVED IT!!! What an amazing adaptation of Anne Rice's first book in the Vampire Chronicles series. The way the show is loyal to the source material, while enhancing it, blew me away. Everything about the show is exquisite and I can't wait to watch THE VAMPIRE LESTAT because Sam Reid is a perfect Lestat.

Well, that's all for today. Just wanted to post an update because I've been MIA for a while.

Have a fantastic weekend!!

THE MAD HOUSE by Kelly O'Rourke

The Mad House by Kelly O'Rourke
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

After reading the ridiculous crap that was the first book in this pathetic excuse for a Halloween YA trilogy, I actually enjoyed the second one, so I started this year's reading with the third/last novel.

Okay, in this installment we meet Eddie, a wannabe director who 'hires' a team of teenagers to film a documentary (sounds legit) by spending a night in the abandoned Smith Grove Mental Hospital (great idea), which includes Christine, the girl he has a crush on (of course).

With such an amazing hook, what could go wrong? The answer: a LOT!

Wish I was talking about the Michael Myers teenage massacre, but I'm not. I'm referring to the shitfest that is a book full of one-dimensional characters you just don't care about. So when Michael starts to slaughter them, it's actually a relief. I mean, let's be honest, Maggie had to go. That silly bitch hated another girl just because she's pretty and the boy she likes is into the hot girl. Shocking that a teenage boy is into a pretty girl. But Maggie does some pretty douchy things to Christine. Sexist things she doesn't deserve.

Pick-me girls are the worst.

Anyway, I'm getting off topic.

There are some pretty cool ingredients—abandoned mental institution, ghost hunting, an unfamiliar version of Haddonfield—that should've made a delicious horror cocktail. Instead, we get a shit sandwich that totally sucked.

For me, this book was as bad as the first one. No, scrap that. This was fucking worse!

There's a lot WRONG with this story, but by far the worst thing about EVERY SINGLE BOOK IN THIS TRILOGY is Michael Myers. If I have to read that he wears a PLASTIC MASK that you can see his scarred face and patchy hair through one more freaking time, I'm going to SCREAM!

Luckily, the torture ends here. I am done. D-O-N-E. Thank fuck.

On a final note, for the love of the Halloween franchise and everything that is canon about Michael Myers, DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY ON THIS CRAP. Seriously, these books are sold for ludicrous amounts of money and I implore you to keep that cash in your bank account.

These books are NOT worth it.

I suffered so you don't have to.

Bye for now.


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Some Kind of Goals

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

☺️🎉

Let's hope that 2026 is the year the world gets back on track.

Fingers crossed. 

Personally, I don't make New Year resolutions, but I like adding a goals list to my blog every January because that's much easier to accomplish.

Here are my 2026 Goals:

• Continue to go for long daily walks

• Get into the habit of doing at least one/two weekly yoga workouts

• Continue to declutter

• Write between 100-200k words

• Read 52 books

• Write at least one novel

• Write at least one novella

• Write more short stories

• Continue posting on my blog (right here!)

• Keep playing Animal Crossing daily and enjoy the upcoming updates

• Play more of my cozy, cute, and horror Switch games 

Well, that's it. Are you making a list?