In July 1897 Mikhail Tolstoy, the tenth child of Lev Tolstoy, wanted to have a little chat with his mother. The subject: his “sexual urges,” which had grown increasingly “painful.” Her teenaged son feared, she recounted in her diary, that he might succumb to them. In a relatable pivot, Sophia decided this was all her […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2022/11/22/the-agony-of-sophia-tolstoy/
Honor ‘N’ Duty by Tee O’Fallon is the sixth novel in the Federal K-9 series. Narrated by Vanessa Daniels, this standalone romantic suspense shares the story of Department of Homeland Security K-9 Officer Kade Sampson and Laia Velez, a widowed mother of a five-year-old who loves pineapple pizza. Swoons, suspense and more await you….
Honor ‘N’ Duty
by Tee O’Fallon
Series: Federal K-9 #6
Narrator: Vanessa Daniels
Length: 10 hours and 24 minutes
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Rating: 
Heat Level: 
Narration: 4.5 cups Speed: 1.35x
Two years after his brother’s murder in jail, Department of Homeland Security K-9 Officer Kade Sampson is still haunted by guilt. No man should ever have to arrest his own brother, even if he is laundering money for a drug cartel.
Fortunately, Laia Velez—his brother’s gorgeous widow—never learned the truth about Kade’s involvement. But when she asks him for help, he knows that trouble with the cartel is far from over … .
Kade is the last person Laia wants to call. But between her house being thoroughly trashed and the uneasy sense that she and her young daughter are being watched, Laia isn’t taking any chances. The cartel wants something from her. And Kade and his K-9 partner, Smoke, are her only chance to survive whatever fresh hell is coming their way . . .
Now Laia and Kade are trying to stay one step ahead in a game that’s growing more deadly by the minute. But what the cartel wants, the cartel gets. And Kade is running out of time to save the woman he loves from the same fate that killed his brother . .
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The overall series arc shares cases and the romance of friends who are in the K-9 officers’ unit of various branches in the US. Each can easily be read/listened to as a standalone, but they’re so good, you’ll want to read them all.
Laia and Kade meet on the day his brother announced Laia is his fiancee’. Despite a sizzling attraction, Kade wishes them well and stays away. He befriends their daughter at his parents’ house. Fast forward, and Laia is a widow living alone with her daughter when someone breaks into their home. She reaches out to Kade. The story that unfolds has suspense, plenty of swoons and a slow burning romance as they stumble with miscommunication, duty and her deceased husband.
Rosa (Laia’s daughter) and Smoke (Kade’ K-9) stole the show a few times, and I adored it. The story, while suspenseful, had some fun moments.
The romantic premise deals with love at first sight and duty. As we get to know more about Laia’s marriage and the events that led up to her becoming a widow and Kade’s role in that were well done. The suspense centers on the cartel and something they believe Laia has.
A solid romance with plenty of build up, character growth and tender moments. I laughed, held my breath, and swooned.
Vanessa Daniels did a wonderful job of providing both characters’ point of view and capturing the tone of the tale. Her pacing and delivery enhanced the story and made listening a pleasure.
Amazon | Audible
Honor 'N' Duty by Tee O'Fallon , narrated by Vanessa Daniels delivered swoons, suspense and a touch of humor #FerderalK9 #RomanticSuspense #audiobookreview
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Tee O’Fallon has been a federal agent for twenty-three years, giving her hands-on experience in the field of law enforcement that she combines with her love of romantic suspense. Tee’s job affords her the unique opportunity to work with the heroic and sexy men in law enforcement on a daily basis. For Tee, research is the easy part! Besides writing, she loves cooking, gardening, chocolate, lychee martinis, and all things canine. Tee is the author of the NYPD Blue & Gold Series: Burnout, Blood Money, and Disavowed. Visit www.teeofallon.com to sign up for newsletters and keep tabs on Tee’s latest releases, including her next novel, Lock ’N’ Load, the first of her brand-new Federal K-9 romantic suspense series.
Vanessa Daniels has worked as a professional actress in theater, film, TV, commercials, and voice-over for almost two decades. She holds a BFA in drama from New York University and is a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/11/honor-n-duty-by-tee-ofallon.html
War never changes, only the reasons we fight them. Reasons like love, honor, and vengeance. But what do you do when an old enemy, long thought dead, returns? What do you do when nobody comes to your aid and helps you in the fight? What do you do when all bonds of loyalty are broken, and you are left on the brink of collapse? In the far reaches of space, across the gulf of time, this is the position the Castus family finds themselves in. To have any chance of defeating their enemy, they must stand together or die alone.
At the Threshold of the Universe is the final book in the Song of Kamaria trilogy by T. A. Bruno. Set in the far future, it follows the Castus family and their struggle for survival against a formidable enemy. I thoroughly enjoyed this engaging story. Although I must admit, I was not aware it was part of a trilogy until I got about 50 pages in. However, those introductory pages were so good that they prompted me to go and read the first two novels. They were excellent. And this third one is equally as good, if not better.
As a huge sci-fi fan, I could gush all day about world-building, character development, and plot development in this story, but I’ll keep it short. Simply, it was magnificent. This story had all of the above and delivered it absolutely mesmerizingly. I felt part of the story from the beginning; I hurt and laughed as much as the characters. In this new age of sci-fi epics, this trilogy will surely be remembered as one of the greater ones. An excellent novel by a fantastic writer.
At the Threshold of the Universe is the exhilarating conclusion to this riveting saga. This science fiction space adventure will have readers on edge as they wait to find out if humanity will survive the war or if this is the ultimate end of everything they have known.
Pages: 526 | ASIN : B09TTRX349
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/11/22/at-the-threshold-of-the-universe/
This bluntly honest memoir is both funny in its wit and terrifying in its candor. Annette demonstrates that while horrible things can happen to wonderful people, they don’t have to define us. You don’t have to have gone through things as Annette did to be able to identify with the themes of tenacity, fortitude, and moving forward in life, even when things don’t go exactly as you had intended.
It’s a tale of tragedy, happiness, heartbreak, lessons about life, love, relationships, and some things that will make you shake your head. This will be a trip down memory lane for some of us while a history lesson on what life was like at its darkest moments for others. Because of Annette’s skill with language, it was like she was narrating the scenes personally to me. I felt as though I had been miraculously transported to be present for each and every scene as I read about Annette’s life. This book could provide a way out of the dark for anyone who has ever had to encounter the misfortune to eat a shit sandwich.
This book was a page-turner that I couldn’t put down. You will be able to relate to sections of Annette’s book as you read it, and it will bring you back to a time in your life when you felt like an outsider or that you were being bullied, exploited, insulted, or neglected in any way. Her work contains some upsetting tragic events, but she still manages to mask the agony with humor.
I couldn’t put this fantastic book down. I had to keep reading to see what else Annette had to say. I heartily endorse this it. I believe that we can work together to bring about the necessary reforms if more of these tales are told. We can make a difference by speaking out about issues like these.
How To Eat A Shit Sandwich: and Keep Smiling is a passionately told true story. Annette Densham’s memoir will leave readers with much to think about and better understand the importance of getting on with life despite bad things happening. Simply said, this book is a fantastic read! There will unavoidably be tears as well as loud laughter, shock, feelings of rage, and frustration.
Pages: 426 | ASIN : B09K3FCFS4
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/11/22/how-to-eat-a-shit-sandwich-and-keep-smiling/
Marissa Ellwyn has spent the better part of the last two years wondering where her father might be. His secretive lifestyle and cryptic postcards have shaped her into the woman she is today–one incredibly determined woman. When she plans a secretive getaway of her own with her sights set on finally discovering her father’s whereabouts, she can’t possibly imagine what awaits her. Will she find her father in paradise? Or will he continue to outwit everyone, including his own daughter? Marissa’s journey to discover his truths is really just beginning.
Salt Island, the second book in the E&A Investigations Series by Lisa Towles, follows private detective Marissa Ellwyn as she sets out to find her missing father. For two years, she has received periodic postcards from him, and enough is enough–she has to know the wheres, whys, and hows of his disappearance. Towles does a phenomenal job of setting up Marissa’s adventure and integrating elements and characters from Book 1. Readers will quickly feel caught up and while this is a second installment, it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. The introduction of an additional storyline centered around her detective business gives this incredible novel an added layer of mystery and suspense.
Towles’s books are consistently thrilling. It is difficult to find well-written mysteries or thrillers that combine an engaging storyline with excellent character development, but Towles manages to do just that in one neat package. The rapport shown between Marissa and her partner Derek is unmatched. I love reading their interactions and watching them try to outthink one another. It’s a relatable match and one that is both fitting for the plot and believable as a pairing.
Towles is a master when it comes to parallel storylines. Following two simultaneously evolving storylines can be tricky and, if they are not well-thought-out and well-written, readers can quickly lose interest and trust in the author’s ability to pull it all together. I have to say, I was curious from the beginning and truly wondered how Towles would follow the targeting of Jack Darcy and his company while at the same time keeping readers engaged in the plot point focused on her missing father. She does it, however, and does it with ease.
The E&A Investigations Series by Lisa Towles, are always winning choices when it comes to selecting mysteries. Readers will find the quick pace and snappy dialogue in Salt Island refreshing. Above all else, Marissa Ellwyn is a character who jumps off the pages and into readers’ hearts. Her earnest search for truth will grab readers and make them instant fans of Towles’s work.
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/11/22/salt-island/
Contrarian is the action-packed second novel in the “Lars the Hitman” series by Lucas Sterling. Lars Christopherson is a former Department of Homeland Security agent turned high-priced assassin. He uses his specific set of skills to take out undesirables like drug dealers and corrupt law enforcement officers while also donating large sums of money to an animal shelter.
The main focus of Contrarian is Lars’ dealings with Srepska, an eastern European terrorist organization plotting a massive eco-terrorism attack on the US. There’s lots of spying and subterfuge as Lars joins German agent Frederic Ulrich in unwinding a nefarious plot designed to destabilize the American economy.
Contrarian is an overly macho, entertaining tale. It is reminiscent of the action movies and spy thrillers of the 80s and 90s. The physical descriptions of most of the main characters read like stat lines for action heroes: 6’4″, athletic, and packed with deadly fighting skills! The characters’ internal monologues are aptly ridiculous as they think to themselves, “These guys are no match for my judo.” It’s filled with cliches and tropes of the genre, which is not necessarily a bad thing. More so, they make the tale comfortably familiar in a nostalgic sort of way.
Lucas Sterling does an excellent job of weaving the story together, but at times I feel like Sterling’s prose is a little overwritten, being a bit too descriptive of details and actions that could be left in the reader’s mind. As a result, the novel starts a little slow, but the pacing takes off once the players are appropriately introduced and in place.
Contrarian is a swift and enjoyable conspiracy thriller that I feel anyone who likes action novels would enjoy. Readers of crime thrillers and suspense will find this book does not let you down when looking for that nostalgic feeling of undercover detectives.
Pages: 372 | ASIN : B0BHPXH3FD
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/11/22/contrarian/
Zaven, written by Jed Cullen, starts us off with Tyler and his friends heading to their first day of school. The day starts relatively typical, but Jake, one of Tyler’s friends, is picked on by a new kid. Their friend, Eli, saves Jake from the massive new student. The day continues as usual, but Tyler gets into trouble and is told to go to detention that afternoon. Tyler skips detention to hang out with his friend at their treehouse. While they are there, an announcement is broadcasted over their radio, informing everyone that there is an outbreak of the virus that originated in Russia. This leads Tyler and his friends to fend for themselves and stick together as much as possible. Life with zombies has its challenges.
The plot is magnificent and leads to a spectacular ending. The plot twist really shocked me, and I loved it! Not what I expected at all. The characters were exceptionally well thought out as well. I could feel the emotions of the characters as they felt them. Tyler’s character surprised me a bit when he made a snap decision, but I think it fits his personality perfectly. Rufus was probably the most shocking character to read about out of all of them. You will need to read this book to see why I say that!
There were only a few things I didn’t like. First, I feel like they should have met more survivors. The action was a little slow to come by, but it was great once it happened. I also noticed a few British terminologies used in the book. That is ok, but I think if it is supposed to take place in the USA, it should contain US terminology.
Zaven is an exciting zombie thriller that will give readers an unexpected plotline. Keeping some traditional elements of zombie novels and adding new twists, Jed Cullen has created memorable characters that readers will want to root for and be anxious to see how the story ends. I would recommend it to a friend that loves books with zombies!
Pages: 302 | ASIN : B0BG7R944H
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/11/22/zaven/
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