Periphery by AA Dasilva

…After a young widow falls for a mysteriously familiar stranger, she’s targeted by an agency intent on exploiting the ability gained after an earlier near-death experience. When offered a chance to reconnect with her late husband, things get complicated…and dangerous…

About the Book:  Four years ago, Charlotte barely survived an accident that killed her husband. Resuscitated a savant, she has struggled to find meaning in her survival. After she meets Simon, a mysteriously familiar stranger, they are drawn to each other with an undeniable magnetism. But Simon is contracted to a black-ops agency.

With the agency on her heels, and Simon claiming her heart, Charlotte’s past and future collide when she’s offered a chance to reconnect with her late husband. As secrets are revealed, motives uncovered, and alliances are formed, Charlotte must choose…between the fate of the world and the fate of her heart.

Our Review: From page one of debut author AA Dasilva’s Periphery, the reader knows they are in for a treat—if treachery, danger and an undercurrent of evil is their choice in reading enjoyment. Well drawn, intriguing characters abound; a vague sense of ‘something is off’ keeps the pages turning in order to learn the source of Charlotte’s discomfort. This is an excellent example of clever plotting and in-depth experience with the dark side of man’s nature.

Based on a scale of 1-5, Periphery merits a 6.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

Raven Spirit by Pam Binder

 A high school junior is accused of murder. His alibi is a beautiful ghost—and a couple of birds.

 About The Book: In the sleepy town of Pinedale, NC, seventeen-year-old Nate Collier, a self-proclaimed rebel, is accused of hanging his best friend from the goal post. His alibi is Fiona, a ghost who haunts Pinedale High, and a couple ravens named Edgar and Allan who rescue him from an evil ghost. His explanations about ghosts and ravens go up in smoke against authorities who are convinced the killer is more of a flesh and blood variety.

          But nothing is as it seems. The ghost Nate considered a friend turns against him. At the same time, he recognizes his attraction toward someone he believed to be only a friend is more than that. Before he can tell RuthAnn how he feels, he must join forces with past school enemies to defeat the evil ghost before it takes possession of its next victim—who could be Nate himself.

 Our Review: It is always a joy to meet well-written characters, ones with a heart, a mind, and a spirit to match. And when a touch of snark flavors the picture—enough to bring a smile to our lips—all the better. Such is with the characters in this book. Ghost or ‘living’ they leap off the page and grab the heart. Pam Binder offers YA fans an excellent addition to what looks to be a fun series by a group of authors from the Wild Rose Press.

 On a scale of 1-5, Raven Spirit deserves a 7.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Ghost Therapy by Mark Rosendorf

 About The Book: Pinedale Central High School is rumored to be haunted. For fifteen-year-old Sam Anderson, his haunting comes from the bullying he suffers on a daily basis inside the school’s walls. Then Sam meets Jessica, a former Pinedale student who died over a century ago. She convinces Sam to stand up to his bully. Unfortunately, the confrontation ends in tragedy.

Now, Sam is one of the ghosts no one can see or hear—until he meets Mr. Copeland, former military operative and current guidance counselor at the school. The two form a bond created out of Mr. Copeland’s determination to help Same find his way to the afterlife. Their efforts have consequences—some good, others less so—and one which could put the lives of everyone in the school at risk.

 Our Review: Author Rosendorf puts his experience from working with challenged students to good use with this story of a disadvantaged, troubled young man with little to go on and nowhere to turn. Until he dies at the hands of a bully and eventually meets up with someone who has his number. And suddenly this young man sees the light—no pun intended. This is a story of hope and redemption, clarity and change.

On a scale of 1-5, Ghost Therapy merits a 5.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Thistle in the Mistletoe by Margaret Izard

 Forced into a marriage neither sought, they must find common ground—or die for the trying.

About The Book: Mary, only daughter of the laird of Comyn, is forced to wed the laird of the MacDougall clan, or her father and the new laird will die. Theirs has been a long-standing feud which the king seeks to stop by demanding a merger—as well as an infant within a year’s time.

Mary knows what it is to be unwanted, unloved and under-valued—mostly because of her gender—so living among the MacDougalls’ hatred and loathing is nothing new. Roderick MacDougall, however, has only known love and devotion from his immediate family and members of his extended clan. When Mary is threatened at every turn, to the point of near death, he must put aside what he thinks he knows and open his eyes to the truth.

These two stubborn people have much to learn how to forge a future under the most bitter of circumstances. Or heads will roll—literally.

Our Review: Author Izard, known for extensive research into her topic does not disappoint her legion of fans with this story. The characters are well developed, demonstrating multiple layers and individual traits. The history of customs, fashion, food abound and offer flavor to this beauty. Fans of historical romance, particularly set in medieval Scotland, will love this one.

On a scale of 1-5, Thistle in the Mistletoe deserves a 6.

Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews

 

 

 

 

Yule Tide by Brian Anderson

 Christmas can be magical. It can also be deadly.

 Yule Tide, a novel of Christmas

 About the Book: Years after the death of Kris Kringle—maybe an accident, or maybe not—a fallen angel turned private investigator attempts to wrest the operation of Christmas from the control of a shadowy organization that has taken over the whole holiday and twisted it to their own evil ends.

 Our Review: Devotees of Robert B. Parker’s Spenser PI and John R. Maxim’s Paul Bannerman will grab onto Brian Anderson’s Yule Tide and not let go. Something dark and uncomfortably evil has worked its way into all parts of the Yule season. Fallen angel turned flailing private investigator, Harold [as in Hark the Herald—get it?] seeks to return things to the way they once were. The way they should be. Loner Harold can’t do it alone so, employing a cast of unique and quirky two and four-legged characters, he thwarts the Organization at every turn. The dry humor and snappy dialogue—Anderson’s trademark—are always a treat. This one’s a beauty. Don’t miss it.

 Based on a scale of 1-5, Yule Tide merits an 8.

 Kat Henry Doran, Wild Women Reviews