Tag: mountain

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#BookReview: The Miner’s Myth by Russell W. Johnson

Solid Conclusion With One Significant Flaw. As a conclusion of a trilogy, this story works *extremely* well. We get a contained story here that is on par with the other books, yet we also get closure for each of our main characters and answers about the overall mythos established in the earlier books as well. Yes, for fans of books having every possible plot thread tied into a nice little bow before “THE END”… this trilogy is “officially” for you.

Which means that by its very nature, this book was always going to be rather explosive, and it absolutely lives up to that. Johnson, a lawyer before becoming a published author, manages to bring us into a courtroom… well, like a seasoned lawyer should be able to. 😉 But seriously, he actually exposes what the process of a Grand Jury can be like, particularly through the viewpoint of someone testifying about charges the prosecutor is trying to level against the person testifying. This drives a significant part of the book, and is done quite well… mostly.

The significant flaw here is that interspersed with the Grand Jury testimony, we get flashbacks to the events at hand. Rather than staying in the courtroom, we flash back and see the events as they actually unfold. Which is awesome, to a degree – show me, don’t tell me, right? Yet even with my Autistic brain (some may argue *because of* my Autistic brain if they don’t notice this issue 😉 ), the actual manner in which we go between courtroom and flashback is a bit jarring and at times even fairly difficult to ascertain which timeline we’re currently in. Yes, there are a few clues, but with the way the testimony is written… at certain points it could truly feel like you’re in either one.

And yet the story overall really is richly layered, really on par with the movie version of For Love Of The Game, wherein there also we get a “real time” event and glimpses of what led to that moment as the moment plays out. (Except that doesn’t actually happen in the book form of that tale, btw. This is absolutely one case where the movie form of the tale is *so* much stronger.) Indeed, it is this rich layering that makes the Grand Jury scenes pop as much as they do, as well really begin to see how Mary Beth thinks in ways we didnt get even in the first couple of books here.

All of this noted… with this trilogy, each book really does build on the one before it, so go pick up Moonshine Messiah, book 1, first. Then work your way up through this book. If you like kick ass action and cops who aren’t afraid to at least test the boundaries… you’re going to love this entire series.

When you read it, make sure you leave a review wherever you see this one. It doesn’t have to be anywhere near as long as this one, it doesn’t even actually have to be as long as this sentence. But no matter how verbose or brief you may be and no matter your opinion of the book, it will help the book sell. Even if you absolutely *hate* the book and think Johnson is a complete idiot, some will agree with you… and some (to be clear, I’ll tell you right now I’ll be in this camp 😉 ) will think you’re the idiot and buy the book to spite your “negative” review. Thus, either way, reviews help sell books. So please, write one, no matter your thoughts on the book. If the trilogy sells well, maybe we’ll get another series from Johnson. Which would be awesome, based on how good a storyteller he proved to be in this trilogy.

Very much recommended.

This review of The Miner’s Myth by Russell W. Johnson was originally written on July 31, 2025.

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#BlogTour: Seven Year Itch by Amy Daws

For this blog tour, we’re looking at an *almost* erotica level romcom whose plot still manages to pack a punch. For this blog tour, we’re looking at Seven Year Itch by Amy Daws.

First, the review I posted to the book sites (BookBub.com / BookHype.com / Goodreads.com / PageBound.co / TheStoryGraph.com) and YouTube:

Sexual Exploration Romcom. The title of this review says it all. This is *easily* one of the actually closest to erotica romcoms I’ve ever encountered, with pretty well the entire plot focused around sexual exploration and a somewhat thin, yet still fun and compelling, plot wrapped around that to tie the sex scenes together.

I would say the comedic elements here are fewer and further between than they were in Nine Month Contract, but they’re still present – and the animals (primarily a cat in this tale, which first appeared in Nine Month Contract) don’t quite steal the scenes as much in this tale, despite being nearly equally present.

Instead, this book revolves more around healing from past traumas of both halves of our main couple, including one particular event seven years ago that may not have gone down exactly as each understood it to have.

And yes, lots and lots of ghost pepper level “spice”, though without some of the elements of Nine Month Contract that may have turned some off from that tale. And while this part of the tale may make some uncomfortable, it is actually handled quite well within the story being told.

Overall still a compelling romance with comedic moments, this one is likely less problematic for some than its predecessor, while still being nearly as problematic as its predecessor – or even more problematic – for others. Still, for what it actually is, it really is quite good and any issues are with the reader, not with Daws’ storytelling here.

Very much recommended.

After the jump, an excerpt from the book followed by the “publisher details” – book info, description, author bio, social links, and buy links.
Continue reading “#BlogTour: Seven Year Itch by Amy Daws”

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#BookReview: Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws

Apparently Controversial. Fucking Hilarious. Near-Perfect (If Unusual) Romcom. I picked up this book specifically because I agreed to work its sequel (Seven Year Itch) as a blog tour… before realizing that book was a sequel. When I found out, I knew I needed to read this book first.

Now, upfront, I’ve read a LOT of books over the years that some will find disgusting or *well* against their moral philosophies for various reasons and rated most all of them fairly highly – 4 or 5 stars in every case I’m thinking of at the moment. Those have ranged from a look at sexual ethics through the eyes of a hyper conservative American Evangelical Christian lens all the way to a MM romance series that openly involved (adult) baby/ diaper kink. I’m *also* a guy who was introduced to porn because his Pastor, who would later become a President of the Georgia Baptist Convention, once spoke against videoing not only a baby’s birth, “but also its conception”. As a young and sheltered teenage boy who was very scientifically curious… I had to find those videos. (Here’s a tip, Pastors: *Never do this in a mixed congregation.*)

Thus, coming into a book involving a degree of breeding kink was nothing particularly shocking for me. (If it is for you, you *really* don’t want to go into some of the Omegaverse type stuff. Seriously, just forget you ever even heard that word.) Yes, the entire setup is rather unusual – the book goes through great pains to explore that exact facet of the relationship, and indeed much of the drama in this romcom is specifically due to the unusual nature of how our male and female leads meet and begin to interact.

Instead, most everything I’ve seen anyone complaining about in previous reviews of this book are largely played either for comedy or for enhancing the tension and drama, and both sides of this romantic comedy work quite well in their separate lanes, and indeed come together to make one of the more stand-out and interesting romcoms I’ve read in quite some time. Again, it won’t be for everyone, for varying reasons. But for those that can allow your brains to accept this tale for just a few hours, you’re going to come away with one of the more memorable romance tales I’ve read in literally years. Here, I speak as a man who reads on average 200 books per year across nearly all (non swords and sorcery fantasy) genres.

Even the standard inclusion of who the next couple in the series will be is done well by including them when it makes sense in *this* story, but not having them dominate the screen in their scenes the way I’ve seen others do over the years.

Spice level wise… y’all, breeding kink is a major thing here. Thus, the spice level is pretty well ghost pepper/ damn near erotica level at times, but with the main focus of the book being on the actual story. But when it goes to sex scenes… not only does it not fade to black, it gets into a lot of stuff that will make a lot of people fairly squeamish, and not always in good ways. So yet again, be prepared for this, and if this isn’t really your thing… this book likely won’t be for you, and that is perfectly ok.

Truly an unconventional and thus memorable romcom, but again, it won’t be for everyone. *And that is perfectly ok.*

Very much recommended.

This review of Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws was originally written on June 20, 2025.

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#BookReview: As The Sun Rises by Kellie Coates Gilbert

Emotional And Visceral Series Conclusion. This is one of those books where you *feel* everything our main character feels. From the utter despair at the situation she finds herself in to the crash and crush of the white water rapids she thrusts herself into to try to escape the emotional turmoil… while telling herself that she’s just doing her job.

While this is *technically* a romance, the romance is absolutely more of a side story here to the family and friend relationships of our primary character – so those that want a more romance-centric tale may not like this one quite as much, but those who enjoy a solid women’s fiction with a touch of romance – still in the Hallmarkie type style, but with more focus on the friends than the boy, necessarily – you’re going to enjoy this book quite a bit.

I personally came into this book having not read any of the prior three… which is probably not the best for a series concluding book, but even there, it worked well with fully fleshed out characters and a story that was easy to follow even coming in so late. Still, I absolutely recommend starting with Book 1 for anyone not reading an Advance Review Copy, as I did.

Overall a solid and emotional tale that will pull your heartstrings and have your pulse pounding with adrenaline in alternating measures.

Very much recommended.

This review of As The Sun Rises by Kellie Coates Gilbert was originally written on December 12, 2024.

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#BookReview: Hello Little Girl by Kay Bratt

Orange Is The New Black Meets Deliverance. With this series in particular, Bratt has been making it a point of spinning a fictional world around all-too-real cases… and in this case, we get a version of the book form of Orange Is The New Black (ie, a far more serious take than the dark comedy that was the Netflix show) along with a harrowing tale of wilderness survival somewhat akin to Deliverance, but with Bratt’s own wilderness survival style she developed with Dancing With The Sun. Both parts of the tale are well done, though it does seem that perhaps the Orange Is The New Black part was perhaps a bit rushed in the ending, perhaps because of the zinger Bratt wanted to leave in the epilogue?

Yet again, another solid story in this world, and yet again another one that will leave the reader breathless for the next.

Very much recommended.

This review of Hello Little Girl by Kay Bratt was originally written on July 31, 2024.

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#BookReview: Follow Her Down by Victoria Helen Stone

Moving Thriller Set Against Family Trauma. There are times when you find a thriller tale that has genuine heart, when a book that is supposedly intended to make your heart beat faster also manages to make the room quite dusty at times. This is one of those tales.

There is quite a bit to unpack about this story, but to reveal the things that truly make it as powerful as it is could delve too far into spoiler territory. Suffice it to say that the setup itself is done well – we are many years after a massive trauma for a family and even their small community, and the trauma reverberates to this day in many different ways. Stone manages to craft a story that is pitch perfect thriller – more bodies are piling up *now*, and it seems they may be connected to the original trauma, at least if some people are to be believed. It is the way she goes about executing this story, exploring the various internal dynamics within our main character and the larger dynamics within her family and community, that give this book its heart and its soul.

Overall a strong tale, though perhaps not *so* atypical as to be heads and shoulders standing above others of its form and genre. Still, for those that enjoy this type of tale – or even those open to exploring if they like this type of tale – this is certainly a strong entry within the space, and a worthy read indeed.

Very much recommended.

This review of Follow Her Down by Victoria Helen Stone was originally written on June 5, 2024.

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#BookReview: And Then There Was You by Nancy Naigle

Slow Burn Hallmarkie Southern Romance. This is another of those books that almost seems destined for the small screen on the Hallmark Channel or one of its newer competitors. But here, the romance is *very* slow burn, taking nearly all of this books 350 or so pages to finally get the couple together – and even then, they barely kiss, much less anything else. So this is definetly more for the “sweet” and/ or “clean” crowd than the crowd that wants damn near erotica level sex in the first chapter. (You know what I mean, and you know who you are.) Cursing is next to non-existent here, and may even be completely non-existent – I certainly don’t remember any. Prayers, church attendance, mentions of God and Jesus… those are far more plentiful – and just as accurate to the Southern small mountain town setting as the broken families, abuse, and alcoholism that are also discussed, but which take place long before this book and are only discussed – not shown “on screen”.

Indeed, the bulk of the tale is a woman being conned… and then trying to re-establish her life after very nearly everything other than her breath is taken from her. Here, the book truly shines as the reader feels quite viscerally everything our lead is going through, as well as just how much the investigator assigned to her case wants to solve it for her. Naigle uses this structure to first get our lead to the point of being willing to move – and then to show the small town that will serve as the basis for the rest of this series (more on that momentarily) as an outsider would see it, for all its wonders and faults.

Really the only thing quite obviously missing here is an obvious second book, as this is listed as “number one” in a new series. As the series name is the same as the town name, clearly the town itself will be central to this series, and thus its establishment here is quite solid indeed. There’s just no real obvious “oh, this is who we’re tracking in the next book” set up. Or maybe I just missed it?

Overall a solid tale of its type, one that some will absolutely adore and others will find… the nearest window to throw it out of. Still, for what it is, truly a good tale, well told. Very much recommended.

This review of And Then There Was You by Nancy Naigle was originally written on June 8, 2023.

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#BookReview: Small Town Girl by Sarah Banks

Small Town Shenanigans. This is a great example of one of those small town tales where everyone has secrets, and, to quote Tony Stark in The Avengers: their “secrets have secrets”. So when a murder happens as our hero here is trying to rebuild her life and save her career… of *course* she has to investigate it herself. Because, you know, secrets. But along the way we really do see the inner workings of very small towns quite well, and Banks also manages to keep enough of the romance there to balance out just how dark and creepy this town can feel at times. A definite break from this author’s norm (she is working under a new pseudonym here), but a solid effort in this particular type of space and one that manages to up the creepy factor while adding in quite a bit of tension and apprehension not generally found in her other works. Very much recommended.

This review of Small Town Girl by Sarah Banks was originally written on January 4, 2023.

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#BookReview: The Patron by Tess Thompson

Beautifully Woven Complex Romance. This was the first time I’d actually read this author, despite being in similar orbits for a few years now – virtually since I first began this book blogging/ “review absolutely everything I read” adventure. But as I told her privately, when she puts a book directly in the very channel I make no secret of the fact that most of my current reading comes from (NetGalley, though technically this book was published *before* I got it)… it kinda sounds like a beacon “READ THIS BOOK, JEFF!”. 😀

And seriously, this was an absolutely beautifully woven tapestry that mixes in long family lore (with many references to her “Emerson Pass Historicals” ongoing series) along with not just one, but *three* second chance romances and a very developed town and surrounding characters. All of the characters feel fully “human” – there aint a single one of them that is wholly monstrous or wholly innocent, and that is a refreshing change of pace from so many books, even within the same genre, that have less complicated characters.

One note, just because I know it itself is a clarion call both directions for different people, is the frequent-yet-not-preachy calls to God, prayer, faith, etc. Having grown up in the Southern Baptist Church and lived my entire life in the exurban or even rural Southern United States, this is the level that people actually talk down here – not the preachiness that so many politicians or celebrities pound on, but just the honest, heart felt, “natural” level of people who genuinely believe what they say. Some of y’all are going to love that, I know other readers who will 1* a book the instant they come across that. So consider yourself prepared either way. 😉

I’ve bought many of Thompson’s books in the time that I’ve known of her, mostly on the strength of being around her and having several common friends that *rave* about her books. And now I call tell you straight up: If you’re looking for something deeper, something more complex with various threads going all over the place and making a book world feel like a true community rather than just a series of barely-joined books… you’re going to want to check out this author. And this particular book isn’t a bad place to start, despite being labeled Book 2. (Though yes, it does give several details of what – presumably – happened in Book 1.) Very much recommended.

This review of The Patron by Tess Thompson was originally written on May 25, 2021.