May in Review

 

It's been a long time since I've done a month in review. And it's been a heck of a long time since I've read 4, almost 5 in a month. Being able to read again like I used to is such a blessing, and I'm enjoying every minute!

                                   Almost done. ↨↨↨

We don't realize how valuable our eyes are until we can't use them.

I hope you had a great May. Ours was a mixture of good and bad, so I'm hoping June is amazing. As of today, I am six months seizure-free, which is amazing!

Have you read any of the books I've finished this month? Please let me know in the comments.

The Girl Upstairs: A Gritty Psychological Thriller by Jessica R. Patch Reviewed

 

About the book:

Title: The Girl Upstairs

Author: Jessica Patch

Source: Purchased

Format: Kindle

Publisher: Love Inspired Trade

She bought this house to save her marriage. Unearthing its secrets might just claim her life.

Gwen McDaniel’s life is broken. But she knows the perfect place to fix it. Cold Harbor, Maine, an idyllic small town with views of Acadia National Park, is where she used to vacation with her parents as a child. Here, she and Steven can start over, renovating their cliff-side fixer-upper while patching up their marriage. Soon, everything will be better.

Except from the moment they arrive, Gwen sees and hears things, and it’s more than just the drafts and shadows that are part of any old house. Steven downplays her fears, warning her not to fixate on problems as she has in the past. But Gwen spent years as a homicide detective, and her instincts don’t lie. Something happened here. Proof comes when she rips up the attic’s carpet to discover a chilling message carved into the wood underneath.

As Gwen delves into the history of the house and the Cold Harbor community, she begins to piece the fragments together. And gradually, a terrifying picture A missing girl. A house of horrors. And a dark, decades-old nightmare that is more haunting than Gwen ever imagined…

Add to Goodreads || Amazon || B&N

My Thoughts:

I'm honestly not sure what to say about a book that literally takes you to another time and place. That has you on the edge of your seat, as well as trying to figure out what's going on, but creates a masterful ending worthy of Frank Peretti.

Jessica R. Patch knows how to spin a tale of all of that and more. 

Ms. Patch picked the perfect time of year to set this story in: Halloween. I'm not a fan of Halloween for several reasons, but that doesn't matter. Having a house of death set against Halloween gave Ms. Patch the perfect backdrop to this amazing story.

I hope you give this book a try!

Jessica R. Patch is a New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than thirty novels. Known for her pulse-pounding plots, emotionally charged characters, and signature twists, Jessica’s stories explore themes of justice, resilience, and the unshakable power of hope.

Whether weaving inspirational stories of danger edged with romance or crafting chilling thrillers that probe the shadows of the human heart, Jessica delivers fiction that thrills while shining light in the darkest places.

She makes her home in Northwest Mississippi, where she enjoys life with her family, a good cup of tea, and dreaming up her next edge-of-your-seat story usually over tacos and queso.

You’re invited to join the Patched In community at her website: www.jessicarpatch.com and receive a FREE short thriller, Nobody Has to Know.

Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.

You can connect with Jessica on the following social media platforms.

Facebook || Instagram

Top Ten Tuesday Favorite Books From My Favorite Authors

Happy Tuesday, and welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday link-up sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl. Today's theme is ten of your favorite books from your favorite author. I mixed it up a bit.

The D's Have It

 

Happy Tuesday, and welcome to the Top Ten Tuesday blog link-up sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl. Today's theme is favorite secondary or minor characters, and I can't think of any, so I decided to continue with the alphabet challenge. 

If the title starts with The or an A, I will use the second letter. I'll post them in alphabetical order. This is perfect for those alphabetical reading challenges.

I hope you have found a new book or two, or found one or two to add to your TBR. Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful Tuesday!

Secrets Chase Her by Rachel Dylan

 About the book:

Title: Secrets Chase Her

Author: Rachel Dylan

Series: Deadly Justice Book 2

Source: Publisher

Format: E-book

A brutal murder. A deadly secret. A lawyer who won't back down.

When high-powered attorney Quinn Kelly finds her protégé brutally murdered, she’s plunged into a nightmare—one that points directly to a ruthless serial killer. FBI Agent Samira Haddad takes over the case, but her complicated past with Quinn threatens to cloud the investigation.

Blackmailed by a powerful tech mogul who holds incriminating evidence against her, Quinn is forced to take on his defense to keep him silent. But she refuses to sit on the sidelines while Samira hunts the killer who took her friend’s life. Quinn’s search for answers uncovers a chilling someone close to her is in the crosshairs—and she may be the reason why.

The killer is watching and lying in wait. With trust in short supply, both women must decide how far they’re willing to go for justice—and survival.

Add to Goodreads || Amazon || B&N || 

My Thoughts

This is book two of Rachel Dylan's Deadly Justice series. This is definitely a series you'd have to read in order so you could understand the relational dynamics.

Rachel Dylan knows how to write a courtroom thriller. I love reading her books because she's a lawyer, and she knows how to write an intriguing courtroom drama. This had me on the edge of my seat, trying to figure things out. I never can, but that doesn't stop me from trying, and I'm always shocked and dismayed by the truth.

The twists and turns, even the ending, were superb, and opened the door for book 3, which I'm all in for.

If you've read book one of the Deadly Justice series, you have to read this next installment.

I received a copy of this book via the publisher; I wasn't required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About Rachel Dylan

Rachel Dylan is an award-winning and bestselling author of legal thrillers and romantic suspense. Rachel has practiced law for over a decade including being a litigator at one of the nation’s top law firms. The Atlanta Justice Series features strong, female attorneys in Atlanta. Deadly Proof, the first book in the Atlanta Justice series, is a CBA bestseller, an FHL Reader’s Choice Award winner, a Daphne du Maurier Finalist, and a Holt Medallion Finalist. Lone Witness is the winner of a Holt Medallion, the Maggie Award, and is a Selah Finalist. Rachel lives in Michigan with her husband and five furkids–two dogs and three cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers. You can find Rachel at her Website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: A Brewed Awakening 

Author: Pepper Basham 

Publisher: Thomas Nelson 

Release Date: May 5, 2026 

Genre: Small Town Contemporary Romance 

Daphne dreams of Mr. Darcy. Finn serves up pints and rock music. Can opposites attract when a tea shop princess meets her pub-owning rival? 

In the charming mountain town of Wisteria, North Carolina, Daphne Austen clings to tradition like cream to a scone. She's built her life--and her late grandmother's tearoom, Tea Thyme--around all things English: delicate china, Jane Austen novels, and the comforting predictability of routine. The only thing threatening her perfectly ordered world? The loud, aggravatingly handsome Brit opening a pub next door. 

After his ex-wife broke his heart and his business partner nearly destroyed his career, Finn Dashwood packed up his six-year-old daughter and left England behind. He's looking for a fresh start, and the last thing he needs is a fussy, tea-obsessed neighbor criticizing his every pint and playlist. It doesn't matter that she's ridiculously kind (to everyone else) and that his daughter is utterly fascinated by her. Finn's heart is not open to being broken again. 

But disagreements turn into prank wars and then a competition when a high-profile wedding needs a last-minute caterer. The townsfolk are thrilled--Wisteria hasn't seen this much excitement since the county fair lost a goat. 

When the wedding demands both sweet and savory fare, Daphne and Finn are forced to put down their swords and pick up their serving trays. Between burnt pastries, brewing tempers, trending hashtags (#SipsAndSpats, anyone?), and one very adorable little girl, rivalry soon gives way to reluctant friendship--and maybe something that feels suspiciously like chemistry. 

Can a tea shop princess and a pub owner with a past mix their lives as seamlessly as clotted cream and jam . . . or will their differences keep them steeped in rivalry forever? 

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Thomas Nelson | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | BookBub | Bookshop

Also Available:

My Thoughts:

This is a fun enemies to more rom-com. It had social media fun with hashtags after hashtags. As well as the next-door business owners, battling each other. One likes all things British, and one is a transplant who is British. The townspeople get involved in this culinary tug-of-war, which only adds to the incredible delight. Lucy is just a darling sidekick as Finn's daughter. Daphne just nestles up to little Lucy when she's picked on at school for talking "funny." 
The entire book, from beginning to end, is full of drama and loads of fun! This is a must-read, and it is my favorite book of Pepper Basham's, and I've read all of her books. 

I received an audio version from NetGalley. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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About the Author

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance “peppered” with grace and humor. Writing both historical and contemporary novels, she loves to incorporate her native Appalachian culture and/or her unabashed adoration of the UK into her stories. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of southwestern VA, where she is a wife, mom to five great kids, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

Connect with Pepper by visiting pepperdbasham.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will receive a signed copy of A Brewed Awakening, and winners choice of a Literary Beverage Mug or a Storming Castles mug!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 13, 2026 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 20, 2026. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Top Ten Flowery Covers

 

Welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday link-up sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl.  Today's theme is May Flowers, piggybacking off the April Showers post. I was going back and forth between flowery titles and flowery covers, and went with flowery covers.

My eye is healed, and I'm able to wear my contacts and read!!! It's been so nice.

These covers are so pretty. 

Have you read any of these, or have you heard of them? Let me know in the comments. 

I hope all of you, Moms, had a wonderful Mother's Day on Sunday. We took my mother-in-love out to lunch, and flowers to my mom; got to spend Sunday with my daughter, and my grands. It was a busy weekend, but full of lots of fun.