Chloe After Dark by Elsa Joseph

Book Excerpt:

"Moving on from a painful break up with her boyfriend, beautiful Chloe Milano takes a job as a radio host at a steamy late-night radio station to pay off her debts and make ends meet. But she gets a lot more than she bargained for when she becomes entangled in the love lives of after-hours callers..."

Title: Chloe After Dark
Author: Elsa Joseph
Publisher: Independently Published
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Chloe After Dark" by Elsa Joseph

My Assessment:

We find Chloe Milano has broken up with her boyfriend...Daniel is in debt and needs a good-paying job. Her friends [Blair & Stephanie] come to her aid with her landing a radio show job [Fantasy FM] for listeners after dark, who dealt with sexual fantasies. What will Chloe lose at taking this kind of job? The reader is given quite a story that leads her into some up and down situations and some horrible consequences that she will go through, especially after that... The reader will be a little off with how the effects of addressing PTSD and the suicidal situation seemed to have been dealt with. How will Chole choose to come out of this? You will have to pick up this read and see for yourself how this author brings the story all out to the reader.

If Chloe had taken the advice her mother was telling her about counseling...oh well, however, in the end, mom was probably happy with the choice Chloe made in the end.

Be ready for some mystery, drama, suspense, crime, and oh yes, ...some racy steamy romance scenes from this entertaining read.

The ending...oh well...a HEA with HIM...? I thought Chloe deserved better, but in the end, I guess she ended up with whom she wanted in her life.

Sins of a Misfit (The Lewis Series Book 2) Kindle Edition by Niki Jilvontae

 

Book Excerpt:

"What happens when two Misfits come together and create a new generation of Evil? Can the Sins of a Misfit really be visited upon their child? What happens when those Misfits seek revenge A Long Way From Home? Can the chaos the Misfits started a decade ago be finished by their offspring of psychotic Gen Z Misfits? Let's find out in this bloody, gory sequel as the new Misfits let their little lights shine…"

Title: Sins Of A Misfit
Author: Niki Jilvontae
Publisher: N.J.
Series: The Lewis Series Book 2
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"Sins Of A Misfit" by Niki Jilvontae

My Assessment:

There are a lot of questions that will be answered from this story. From 'What happens when two Misfits come together and create a new generation of Evil,"...Can the Sins of a Misfit be visited upon their child?... What happens when those Misfits set revenge A Long Way From Home?... Can the Chaos of Misfits that started a decade ago be finished by their offsprings of psychotic Gen Z Misfits?" To find out all the answers to these questions, you will have to pick up"Sins of a Misfits" that doesn't end with this series. Be prepared for a story with lots of drama, murder, killings... along with all that brings to this story. The story will leave one wanting more as it seems like another family of the Lewis family ...a big brother named Norman. Will he be able to help out after all is said and done? To find out, I guess we will have to wait for the next series to what Norman brings into this series.

Ronnie and Clyde 2 Kindle Edition by Jade Jones

Book Excerpt:

"The Highly-Anticipated Sequel Has Finally Arrived!

Time hasn't changed much for Ronnie, Clyde, and the gang as their drama continues on a bigger scale than ever!

Ronnie's father, Rondo, is still out to make Clyde disappear no matter the cost, even if it means his daughter is caught in the line of fire in the rage-fueled feud.

But all may not be well between the two lovebirds as life throws another curveball their way. Ronnie's infatuation with Clyde wanes when he starts to keep his distance, and she can't help but wonder if they're really meant for one another. Meanwhile, it's not only her relationship with Clyde that's on the rocks. When Ronnie finds out that Nina has boo'd up her ex-boyfriend, Dex, things between them change too, and certainly not for the better.

Can Ronnie and Clyde still have their happily ever after? Or will Rondo find a way to bring it all crashing down?

"Ronnie and Clyde" is packed to the brim with drama, twists and turns, and betrayal, complete with a head-spinning dose of romance, heat, and passion."

Title: Ronnie and Clyde 2
Author: Jade Jones
Publisher: Jaded Publications
Series: Part 2
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Ronnie and Clyde 2" by Jade Jones

My Assessment:

Get ready for another hot heated read by this author with so much drama; you will have to keep up as the story unfolds. Be prepared for plenty of 'deceit, revenge, twists and turns, backstabbing and lies' that will keep the reader's attention as you continue to turn the places to see what will happen next. The work trust doesn't enter into the story because there is no trust from any one of these characters [Ross, Nina, Ana, Vader, Rondo, and Boogie], to name a few. This story will keep you wondering who will make it out of all this hell by the end of the story. I guess we will have to wait and see since we a left with another cliffhanger where everyone will be dealt with accordingly.

 

The Day After by Shani Roffeh

 Book Excerpt:

"Beautiful, charismatic, and successful, Noa Pe’er knows she belongs in the spotlight, a place she has earned with hard work and a million sacrifices, for a simple reason. The day Noa took life into her own hands and embraced her true self was the day everyone turned their backs on her and tried to shun her like an outcast.

But Noa never stopped fighting. Behind the façade of the tough, successful lawyer laid a charismatic woman with so much love to give to the people who needed her. “The day after I finally stand before the world as the real me is the day I stand against the darkness and ignorance.” These are the words that grant Noa her strength, the words that guide her through a journey of hardships and jealousy, constantly reminding her of her true purpose in life.

Shai is a successful business prodigy and a happily married father of three. His academic and professional career may have been laid out with thorns, but he never let the struggles he faced pull him down. Strong, determined, and equally ambitious, Shai hides his pain behind a different kind of mask...but it won’t be long until he has to face his own demons.

A single overpowering secret is engraved in both their souls, binding them together into a treacherous game that will shake their lives to the core. Shai and Noa cannot ignore that secret anymore, and now it’s time it came to the surface...

As friendships wither, betrayal seeps into their lives, and hatred bares its ugly teeth, Noa and Shai must fight to bring light back into their hearts and conquer the fear that holds their freedom hostage. Will they make it?"

Title: The Day After
Author: Shani Roffe
Publisher: BooxAi
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
'The Day After' by Shani Roffeh

My Assessment:

'The Day After' was quite a different read that kept my attention through the story. The reader was taken through a 'journey, with many twists and turns, self-identity, realization, pain, rejection, and love.' The reader gets the inside of the thinking of a genuine transgender person as the story relates to this author. The story was one of the most enlightening reads on this subject.

Love & Saffron A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Love by Kim Fay

 Book Excerpt:

"In the vein of the classic 84, Charing Cross Road and Meet Me at the Museum, this witty and tender novel follows two women in 1960s America as they discover that food really does connect us all and that friendship and laughter are the best medicine.

When twenty-seven-year-old Joan Bergstrom sends a fan letter--as well as a gift of Saffron--to fifty-nine-year-old Imogen Fortier, a life-changing friendship begins. Joan lives in Los Angeles and is just starting out as a writer for the newspaper food pages. Imogen lives on Camano Island outside Seattle, writing a monthly column for a Pacific Northwest magazine. While she can hunt elk and dig for clams, she's never tasted fresh garlic--exotic fare in the Northwest of the sixties. As the two women commune through their letters, they build a closeness that sustains them through the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassination of President Kennedy, and the unexpected in their own lives.
 
Food and a good life—they can't be separated. It is a discovery the women share, not only with each other but with the men in their lives. Because of her correspondence with Joan, Imogen's decades-long marriage blossoms into something new and exciting, and in turn, Joan learns that true love does not always come in the form we expect it to. Into this beautiful, intimate world comes the ultimate test of Joan and Imogen's friendship—a test that summons their unconditional trust in each other.
 
A brief respite from our chaotic world, Love & Saffron is a gem of a novel, a reminder that food and friendship are the antidotes to most any heartache and that human connection will always be worth creating."

Title: Love & Saffron
Author: Kim Fay
Publisher: PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Love & Saffron A Novel of Friendship, Food, and Love" by Kim Fay

My Assessment:

'Love and Saffron' was a delightful read told in a penpal form.
We find the setting of this story was from the 1960s [Seattle and Los Angeles] when Joan Bergstrom, a twenty-seven-year-old who was a columnist, and Imogen and fifty-nine-year-old Imogen Fortier, who through fan letters that produced a friendship that became good friends. Who knew that since they both worked for a newspaper and when Joan sent Imogen a packet of Saffron along with a fan letter, a friendship would come from this situation and you will have to pick up "love & Saffron to find out what all this author has in store for the reader.

It was a heartwarming read seeing how these two were able "to share recipes, love of food, pleasures, even curiosities from their richness of life." What a joy it was reading about seeing these two who 'shared affinity and fascination with each other insights and experiences.' Seeing how these two stuck with each other through a little bit of it all, especially when it came to their love of cooking and food.

Even as life went on around them ...from the Cuban missile crisis, the assassination of President Kennedy, different attitudes toward people of color which brought out fears and all that brought out lots of reactions of the world as there were lots of changes coming forth and most of all hope for the future.

Be ready for not only a well-written story but also a memorable one about friendship and, oh yes, food.

Thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the excellent read and my leaving my honest opinion from the read.

Black Joy Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration by Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts

 Book Excerpt:

"A timely collection of deeply personal, uplifting, and powerful essays that celebrate the redemptive strength of Black joy—in the vein of Black Girls Rock, You Are Your Best Thing, and I Really Needed This Today.

When Tracey M. Lewis-Giggetts wrote an essay on Black joy for The Washington Post, she had no idea just how deeply it would resonate. But the outpouring of responses affirmed her own lived experience: that Black joy is not just a weapon of resistance; it is a tool for resilience.

With this book, Tracey aims to gift her community with a collection of lyrical essays about the way joy has evolved, even in the midst of trauma, in her own life. Detailing these instances of joy in the context of Black culture allows us to recognize the power of Black joy as a resource to draw upon and challenge the one-note narratives of Black life as solely comprised of trauma and hardship.

Black Joy is a collection that will recharge you. It is the kind of book passed between friends and offers both challenge and comfort at the end of a long day. It is an answer for anyone who needs confirmation that they are not alone and a brave place to quiet their mind and heal their soul."

Title: Black Joy Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration
Author: Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts
Publisher: Gallery Books
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Black Joy Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration" by Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts

My Assessment:

Be ready for a read that will give it all to you especially left with the thoughts of being not only 'honest but engaging, informing, and oh so thought-provoking.' This author provides the reader with quite a read that 'gifts her community with a collection of lyrical essays about the way joy has evolved, even during trauma, in her own life.' The 'Black Joy' collection will recharge one as they pass on this information between friends and, yes, even family. I enjoyed how 'It has an answer for anyone who needs confirmation that they are not alone and a brave place to quiet their mind and heal their soul.' The author lays it all out there for the reader as she describes her trauma, also giving us that of even other Black people...end the end provides us with the tool needed for 'resistance and resilience that will counteract the stereotype of the Black pain.'

Be ready to receive essays that will leave you not only inspired but hopeful and reflected in this nonfictional read. The author knows how to keep one's interest as she shares her stories giving the reader quite an ancestorial collective read. However, to fully understand 'Black Joy,' you will have to pick up the read and see for yourself how well this author brings it all out to you. And Yes, I would recommend this read.

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Buzz Books 2022: Spring/Summer by Publishers Lunch

 Book Excerpt:

"Buzz Books 2022: Spring/Summer is the 20th (!) volume in our popular sampler series. As always, Buzz Books presents passionate readers with an insider's look at the buzziest books due out this season. Such prominent bestselling authors as Geraldine Brooks, Sloane Crosley, Chris Pavone, Emma Straub, Adriana Trigiani, and literary greats Abdulrazak Gurnah (our first Nobel Prize in Literature winner), NoViolet Bulawayo, Mohsin Hamid, and Marianne Wiggins. Other sure-to-be readers' favorites are Denny Bryce, Karne Joy Fowler, Jane Green, plus 14 more. At the end of most excerpts, you will find a link to the full galley on NetGalley!

Buzz Books has had a particularly stellar track record highlighting the most talented, exciting, and diverse debut authors, and this edition is no exception. Co-creator of the Emmy-winning series How I Met Your Mother, Carter Bays' first novel, is featured with Nishant Batsha, Jumi Bello, Melissa Chadburn, Sopan Deb, and 13 other debut writers.

Our nonfiction selections cover such fascinating subjects as a symbolic World War II Marine Corps football game by Pulitzer-Prize winner Buzz Bissinger, a literary memoir of recovery from opioid addiction; a true crime story; and a primer on brain health.

Finally, we present early l

look at new work from both established and up-and-coming young adult authors, among them: Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra, the authors of Tiny Pretty Things, a Netflix original series; Sabaa Tahir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Ember in the Ashes series, which has been translated into over thirty-five languages; and Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of six romance novels."

Be sure to look out for Buzz Books 2022: Fall/Winter, coming in May.

Title:  Buzz Books 2022: Spring/Summer

Author:  Publishers Lunch

Publisher:  Publishers Lunch BUZZ BOOKS

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  Five

Review:

"Buzz Books 2022:  Spring/Summer" by Publishers Lunch

My Assessment:  

I enjoyed reading through the Buzz Book 2022 Spring/Summer catalog, picking out ones of interest, [fiction and nonfiction titles] being an avid book reader and reviewer. I thought I would be able to pick out a dozen or so, but it seems like I will want to read a few more. Nevertheless, the summaries were enjoyable, giving us a snippet of what will come in the following months.     

Thank you, NetGalley, for the sneak peeks of what coming! And I will look forward to Bizz Books' next installment.  

Do You Follow? A Thriller by J.C. Bidonde

 Book Excerpt:

"Alexa lives a sheltered life with her widowed father, feeling stifled by his helicopter parenting. So when she secures a marketing job and apartment in New York City—much to her father's and therapist's concern—Alexa has high hopes of finally sneaking her way into adulthood. But her newfound freedom is cut short when her estranged twin sister Beth, after a long stint in a psychiatric setting, unexpectedly shows up at the doorstep of her tiny apartment.

​Alexa, too, has spent time at the Weinstein Center. But she's determined to lead a normal life now and soon begins to date a YouTuber client. According to Beth, something isn't quite right with Curt, but Alexa shrugs her clingy sister's warnings off. It's Beth who's crazy, after all . . . As the sister bond grows strained over Alexa's relationship and career success, questions mount, and secrets unfold, revealing the wickedly dark shared history of the twin siblings. What exactly happened when the twins were only nine that set this vile trajectory in motion?

Things get more complicated, and one treacherous act threatens everything Alexa has been working toward. It will be on her—and Beth—to claw their way out of this situation."

Title: Do You Follow?
Author: J.C. Bidonde
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Do You Follow?" by J.C.Bidode

My Assessment:

'Do You Follow?' was quite a fast-past thriller that will keep you intrigued, turning the pages to see what is coming next for these twins [Alexa & Beth]. The author worked with the readers giving them one interesting twisted read. Be prepared to be led in different directions of thought in this read because if one follows well, one will know many clues to what is going on. When one thinks they are on the right track of what is going on in this story...there it is... the reader may have or may not have missed the final twist of the story. It
After all, is said and done, it is worth reading to find out what this story is all about.

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Anonymous Sex by Hillary Jordan

 Book Excerpt:

"A bold and playful collection of erotic stories written by some of the world's finest writers. The twist? Each story is "anonymous," allowing for tales as subtle or explicit, strange or familiar, tender or fierce as each writer wishes—leaving readers to guess who wrote what.

Welcome to the ultimate literary parlor game—a collection of unattributed erotic stories written by a stellar list of authors, including winners of the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Awards, PEN Awards, the Women's Prize for Fiction, Edgar Awards, and more. Anthology editors Hillary Jordan and Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan present an elegant, international collection of erotica that explores the diverse spectrum of desire. There are sexual obsession and sexual love, domination, and submission stories. There's revenge sex, unrequited sex, funny sex, tortured sex, fairy tale sex, and even sex in the afterlife.

This seductive anthology is true to its name. While the authors are listed in alphabetical order at the beginning of the book, none of the stories are attributed, providing readers with a glimpse into the landscape of sexuality as explored by twenty-seven of today's best-known authors.

Contributors include Robert Olen Butler, Catherine Chung, Trent Dalton, Heidi Durrow, Tony Eprile, Louise Erdrich, Jamie Ford, Julia Glass, Peter Godwin, Hillary Jordan, Rebecca Makkai, Valerie Martin, Dina Nayeri, Chigozie Obioma, Téa Obreht, Helen Oyeyemi, Mary-Louise Parker, Victoria Redel, Jason Reynolds, S.J. Rozan, Meredith Talusan, Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan, Souvankham Thammavongsa, Jeet Thayil, Paul Theroux, Luis Alberto Urrea, Edmund White."

Title: Anonymous Sex
Author: Hillary Jordan
Publisher: Scribner
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"Anonymous Sex' by Hillary Jordan

My Assessment:
'Anonymous Sex' was quite a read of twenty-seven erotic stories. Now, if this is your kind of read, then you have come to the right place because these authors give it all to you as they present their anonymous short and sweet stories. You may not enjoy all of these stories; however, there will be something just for you because many topics will be covered. So, be ready for 'some thrilling ones, long-married love, hardcore, sweet, gritty, steamy, and even some fanciful.' so you get a little bit of it all from this collection. I liked the idea of how these stories were put together because even though the author's name is listed, you do not know the particular author of the story that comes up. That, to me, makes the story even more intriguing. So, if you are into this type of reading...get ready for 'Anonymous Sex' will give it to you.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb

 

Book Excerpt:

"A riveting page-turner about a Black classical musician's desperate quest to recover his lost violin on the eve of the most prestigious music competition in the world

"Utterly original and downright gripping." —Zakiya Dalila Harris, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Black Girl

Growing up Black in rural North Carolina, Ray McMillian's life is already mapped out. If he's lucky, he'll get a job at the hospital cafeteria. If he's extra fortunate, he'll earn more than minimum wage. But Ray has a gift and a dream—he's determined to become a world-class professional violinist, and nothing will stand in his way. Not his mother, who wants him to stop making such a racket; not the fact that he can't afford a violin suitable to his talents; not even the racism inherent in the world of classical music. 
 
When he discovers that his great-great-grandfather's beat-up old fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, all his dreams suddenly seem within reach. Together, Ray and his violin take the world by storm. But on the eve of the renowned and cutthroat Tchaikovsky Competition—the Olympics of classical music—the violin is stolen, a ransom note for five million dollars left in its place. Ray will have to piece together the clues to recover his treasured Strad . . . before it's too late. With the descendants of the man who once enslaved Ray's great-great-grandfather asserting that the instrument is rightfully theirs, and with his family staking their own claim, Ray doesn't know who he can trust—or whether he will ever see his beloved violin again."

Title: The Violin Conspiracy
Author: Brendan Slocumb
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Anchor
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"The Violin Conspiracy" by Brendan Slocumb

My Assessment:

After all, is said and done, 'The Violin Conspiracy' was a good read. First, we find Ray McMillian's violin had been stolen. From there, we learn of its 'disappearance, lawsuits, and even prejudice' that came with all of it, giving the reader one fascinating story. It was interesting how well this author, Brendan Slocumb put the story together as he wrote from his own experiences...seeing that he had suffered in a way that Ray suffered. Seeing how Ray had fought against racism, prejudice, frustrations, roadblocks, and even abuse from his own family, friends, and society, we are given quite a story. 'The Violin Cospiracy' was about how 'Ray's grandma had passed down the violin to Ray that her Pop Pop had carried from slavery.' Who would have thought that this violin turned out to be a Stradivarius? However, on the eve of a classical music competition in Moscow, someone has stolen the violin, and a 5 million dollar ransom is demanded its return. Again, the author did an excellent job of giving us an engaging read ...how will this end? Who can Ray trust? I enjoyed how Ray searched it down to find the untrustworthy person who had stolen his violin, and I will stop here and say you will have to pick up 'The Violin Conspiracy' to see how it will all come out for Ray by the end.

If you are looking for a good book 'about music, mystery, coming of age, and social commentary,' you have come to the right place for 'The Violin Conspiracy' will give it all to you and more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Fear None: An Ex-Convict Romance Kindle Edition by Amarie Avant

Book Excerpt:

"RESPECT ALL, FEAR NONE . . .

TATUM
I lived by my father's motto until River entered the MMA cage, River's brown eyes reflected mystery, and his soul held darkness.
Off-limits to a good girl like me.
One day, the demons that haunted River swallowed him whole. Forever passed away, yet I failed at forgetting the beast who showed me a tender side of him.
Now, I'm the law. A cop.
River's as gorgeous as sin. An ex-convict.
And I'm the reason he was tossed in the slammer.

RIVER
Coach treated me better than any blood of mine. So I stabbed him in the back.
I'll twist the knife this time and steal his most prized possession: his daughter, my everything.
Tatum's innocence was created for my corruption. Prison sharpened the monster she couldn't save.
She can take down any enemy.
But her biggest opponent has a claim to her heart.
I've loved that girl for the better part of my life. Only one of us stopped loving the other. And it wasn't me."

Trigger warning: this story has dark elements and graphic language, steamy scenes, and twisted situations.

Title: Fear None
Author: Amarie Avant
Publisher: A.A. ‎
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
'Fear None: an Ex-Convict Romance' by Amarie Avant

My Assessment:

Get ready for quite an exciting read that 'Fear None' brings to the table featuring Rive and Tatum that had a 'relationship with so many layers.' Be ready for there will be 'definitely hurdles, tragedy, and even redemption' in this B.W.A.M. read. We find that Tatum's parents were in the love interest of 'Dirty Takedown.' I was so sorry to hear about Renee...Tatum's mother.

In 'Fear None,' we find Tatum was very sure of herself, with River being challenging knowing just what he wanted. We see them together; however, with all of River being so protective of Tatum, this will get him into trouble defending her honor...five years in prison...now an ex-convict. Directly, what caused all of this? What will happen after River gets out of jail and finds out that Tatum is a cop? Will they be able to pick up a second shot at love?'

What secret was Tatum carrying around about her 'godfather,' and how does he come into play in all of this mess? There are a lot of questions and more to be answered in the well-written read. Unfortunately, you will have to pick up not only this one...'Fear None' but also 'Dirty Takedown' and 'Bound for You' to get a heck of a good read that all comes together.

The reader is left wondering what's next for these two...Tatum and River, but I guess we will have to catch the following story to see what's coming next.