Bilingual book in English/Spanish for Intermediate Learners: A Thrilling Crime Mystery (The Dark Series) by Ariel Sanders

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A good short story combined with language learning.

The idea of combining two languages for learning while reading is great. I honestly believe that this boosted my score of this book from four to five stars, as it gives this short story added readability. For those wondering, it’s only seven chapters long. The Spanish translation and glossaries make me want to reread it.

I recommend this book in either eBook or paperback format, as both are excellent for reference when learning Spanish. The beauty of this book truly revealed itself after reading it in English.

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A Cold Day in Hell by Lissa Marie Redmond

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It gets better toward the end.

Expertly written, I kept thinking whether I should give this four or five stars. I went with four stars because I liked it, but I didn’t think it was amazing. However, this is a strong police procedural, and the writing is good. I thought the trial was long, but this novel is realistic. I wonder who would portray the main character, Lauren, if this were adapted as a movie or TV series.

I liked how this story took place in Buffalo because that’s where I’m from. Although some of it was fictional, it was entertaining. I will read the next book in the series, and there is a cliffhanger at the end of A Cold Day in Hell.

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With a Vengeance by Riley Sager

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic.

The book cover is great, the title is fitting, and the story is well written. While I prefer clean reads, there was minimal foul language. While this book isn’t perfect, the story picks up around page 75. Before that, Riley Sager takes the time to world-build and provide backstories for the characters. There is horror, but the mystery and thrills are more prevalent in this story. I hope Riley Sager considers focusing more on mystery and thrills in the future.

This novel reminded me of Murder on the Orient Express, Clue, and movies featuring famous actors in train sequences, like Tom Cruise and Liam Neeson. I would consider re-reading this at around page 75 and on because so many things happened. There were a few surprises that kept me engaged while reading.

This is the second book I’ve read from Riley Sager, and I’ll continue to read more. I want to note I enjoyed this novel much more than Survive the Night. I can see this book being adapted into a movie.

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The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Solid.

The Sun Down Motel has plenty of twists and a solid mystery at its core. The book cover is excellent, and it features a few catchy mentions in this book, such as Psycho. The alternating POVs helped increase my reading engagement, and this story flowed nicely. I didn’t enjoy the blaspheming and profanity, but Simone St. James wasn’t overbearing with it.

Overall, it’s a great ghost story that is worth your time for at least one read-through. I will not reread this novel, but you might.

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Shadows of Fear by Maggie Ford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


It’s fantastic.

Pros:

1. It’s an excellent psychological thriller.
2. It’s novella length.
3. It’s the beginning of a series.
4. My reading engagement was high.
5. It’s expertly written.
6. The book cover is good.
7. The mystery.
8. The cliffhanger.
9. It’s a clean read.
10. The twists.

Cons:

1. Emily never gets a gun.

I recommend this book.

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A Colossal Injustice

by Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr.

Giveaway ends January 31, 2025.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

It is perfect for James Patterson and Robert Galbraith fans, as it features alternating POVs and a blend of genres.

Xmas Break: A Christmas Thriller by J.E. Rowney

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


It’s better than you think.

Pros:

1. It’s a good read.
2. Several genres are blended into this story, such as romance, thriller, mystery, and horror.
3. The title is fitting, mainly after reading the story.
4. It’s an atmospheric thriller, which I enjoyed.

Cons:

1. I didn’t like the main character, Isla.
2. I don’t like Isla’s name, chiefly when compared to Greg, James, and Clara.
3. I didn’t like some one-liners.
4. Some of the romantic stuff made me cringe.
5. I won’t re-read this.

I’d be open to reading more from this author, but the romantic aspect of this story makes me cringe.

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Ushers: A Short Story by Joe Hill

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It’s a good read.

Pros:

1. A wild ending.
2. The book cover is noticeable.
3. It’s a short story.
4. The writing is solid.
5. I would re-read it.
6. My reading engagement was high.
7. There is one laugh-out-loud moment.

Cons:

1. I noticed minor editing errors.
2. A little profanity and blaspheming, but not enough to hamper my reading experience.

I enjoyed this book.

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Carnival of the Dead: Two Paths, One Nightmare: Dual Ending Horror Short Story by Dita Dow

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Excellent.

Pros:

1. Unexpected ending and twists.
2. Dita Dow is a fabulous writer.
3. It’s a short story.
4. Dita Dow edited this book.
5. Despite being a short story, I was content with it.

Cons:

1. None that I can think of.

Dita Dow did a fantastic job with this book. I highly recommend it if you’re into short stories and twists.

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The Town That Cried Werewolf: Second Edition by Danny Dantas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Excellent storyline.

Pros:
1. The second edition’s book cover is fantastic. The black, hairy werewolf in the center, roaring against the red backdrop, is attention-grabbing, and I’ve wanted to read this book for a while because of it.
2. The story revolves around a town, creating a range of suspects. The storyline is outstanding.
3. I enjoyed how Danny Dantas kept me guessing who the killer was until the end. This added to the suspense and gave me time to figure out whodunit. After figuring out who the killer was before they were revealed, I felt I had accomplished something spectacular.
4. I enjoyed this novella’s blend of horror, mystery, thrill, and suspense.
5. The epilogue was a pleasant touch.
6. The alternating POVs increased my reading engagement.
7. I would re-read this story.

Cons:
1. The Town That Cried Werewolf would benefit from improved character development.
2. I noticed two errors while reading this novella (one of them was capitalization).
3. Profanity and blaspheming.

I recommend The Town That Cried Werewolf to mystery and horror lovers. Danny Dantas’s debut is marvelous, and I would read more of his stories.



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City of Spores by Austin Shirey

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A strange whodunit.

Private Investigator Johanna Kolibrik reluctantly agreed to a case to keep her struggling business afloat. Unfortunately, she gets wrapped up in something bigger as Madripol has gigantic problems. Old Town is a dark place, and the enemies she encounters are vicious.

Pros:

1. Worldbuilding.
2. A mysterious, original story.
3. An appealing book cover.
4. It’s novella-length.
5. Austin Shirey used his experience in Prague to create this book.

Cons:

1. Blaspheming and profanity.
2. Not having a glossary to reference.
3. Not including a map.
4. A lack of interior illustrations.
5. The interior formatting could have been better for the e-book. This was the version that I read.
6. Johanna walking through the sewer system without personal protective equipment was unrealistic. The bacteria, pests, smell, and waste should have made her sick.

Not including a glossary and illustrations hurt this story. It was hard for me to keep up with everything because there wasn’t a glossary to reference. I took a star away because Johanna walked through the sewer system without PPE. This should have made her sick, as it could reek of rotten eggs down there. It could also cause her to vomit, have nausea, dizziness, a lack of concentration, or a combination of these symptoms.

The cons listed above are why I did not issue this book a five-star rating. Despite issuing this book a three-star rating, I enjoyed it.

Austin Shirey should think about building a series off of this book. It would be a waste to leave it as a standalone.

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

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Blonde Rage: A Psychological Thriller Novelette by Brenna Devland

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It’s OK.

Someone has been murdering blondes in the neighborhood. Will this ever end? Read this book to find out.

Pros:
1. The ending suspense and thrill is huge. I felt my reading engagement increase.
2. It’s a novelette.
3. The book cover is noticeable.
4. There is no profanity.

Cons:
1. The ending left me confused.
2. There is a loose end.
3. The psychological aspect of this novelette is unclear.
4. I do not desire to re-read this book.
5. There were minor formatting errors.
6. Maggie.

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