REVIEW - BURNED - HOLLOWAY PACK SERIES BY JA BELFIELD

 

Title: Burned

Author: J.A. Belfield

Genre: Paranormal, Shifter, Romance, Fantasy

Release Date: 8th June 2026

BLURB

Josh Larsen is playing with fire and is about to get burned.

Youngest of the Larsen brothers. Easiest going of the pack. And faller from buildings.

When Josh is sent to fix a tenant’s TV aerial during a storm that takes a turn for the worse, nobody predicted him waking up in a hospital bed that day, and certainly not staring into the eyes of an old flame.

For Josh, Blaise Nicholls is the one that got away. Literally. A bundle of beauty encased in a mouthwatering scent, Blaise was the one for Josh. His high school sweetheart. His everything. Until she wasn’t.

It took Josh a long time to move on from her mysterious disappearance from his life. Now she’s back, and Josh wants, needs, to know why she left. He’s just not sure he’s ready for the answers.

Especially not while his lingering injuries are affecting his wolf instincts. And especially not when outside forces ensure they reconnect on a level neither of them are prepared for, and they end up on a journey into an unknown Josh hoped to never step foot in again.

Now Josh isn’t sure if he’ll make it home in one piece. And if he does, he’s not even sure his rekindled relationship will survive.

Goodreads Link

REVIEW
I started reading the Holloway Pack books back in 2012 so 14 years ago when they had totally different covers which I did love at the time but I have to say I also love the more streamlined look of the current covers for the books.

I finished reading bk5 in the Holloway Pack series in 2016 so its been 10 years since I was immersed in this world with its wolf shifter family at the centre of it. I was really looking forward to returning to this series and the characters I had grown to love over the years and this book did not disappoint. I felt like I slipped back into the Holloway Pack universe extremely easily and soon remembered all the characters quirks and inter pack relationships.

Burned is very aptly named and you’ll discover why when you read the book!
Burned is centred on Josh Larsen, the youngest Larsen brother. Being the youngest in the Holloway pack and family means you tend to get the jobs the others don’t really want when they arise, such as fixing Mrs Gloria Mannings TV aerial. Mrs Manning is fine she comes across as lonely and in need of a friend to chat to and whilst he is there to fix the aerial that friend whether he wants to be or not will be Josh! When Josh goes up onto the roof he sees the problem with the aerial straight away and groans when he realises it needs a part replacing which means a return visit, probably a return visit he will have to do. He sets about looking at the aerial despite the weather being awful, its raining and even thundering and lightening. Josh continues working oblivious to the conditions around him. When a bolt of lightning strikes close by, he jumps and stumbles backwards off the roof. As he is hurtling towards the ground, he loses grip on the drill he was using so he lands first on the hard ground and then the drill lands hard on top of Josh’s forehead. The last thing Josh thinks is “better call dad” Then everything goes black. Luckily for Josh and the rest of the pack that’s exactly what Mrs Manning does which gives Josh’s dad just enough time to make sure that the private family Doctor Craig Monckton is at the hospital to oversee Josh’s care. Obviously as a shifter Josh will heal differently to a normal human, and there would be anomalies on tests, but as Craig is in attendance he can take care of the needed tests and paperwork. Craig had been set up as the Holloway Pack doctor years before with all necessary paperwork signed to refuse blood transfusions, certain tests etc things that would show up the pack members to be “other” rather than fully human. Its whilst Josh is unconscious that he dreams of his old girlfriend Blaise, quite literally his very own “one that got away”. As teenagers they had been besotted with each other, making future plans, when one day Blaise didn’t turn up on a date and when Josh went to her home the movers were there. They told him her dad had come and taken her and her mum to live elsewhere. That was the last he had seen or heard of Blaise. As shifters or course have a stronger sense of smell it makes sense he even dreams about how Blaise used to smell, like roasted marshmallows. It’s his shifter sense of smell that alerts him that he is in a hospital when he finally becomes conscious again. His father, Connor has literally slept at the hospital since Josh was admitted but typically the minute someone has finally succeeded in urging him to get something to eat at the canteen is when Josh opens his eye. Josh cannot open the other eye as he is still heavily bandaged. It turns out Josh has not only lost his trademark hair but a piece of his skull had to be removed to relieve the pressure on his brain from the fall. If the drill had fallen point end down or slightly further over it could have blinded him, so he is lucky to be alive. Though Josh doesn’t think so when he realises he has to stay in hospital and cannot get up and move about due to being so weak. Nurse Rogers tends to him, which whilst Josh immediately takes a liking to her, who wouldn’t she looks and smells great! He isn’t so keen when its time for her to wash his nether regions, preferring to do so himself, and have his dad help in moving him about whilst he gets redressed.

It’s not long until Josh is more himself and eventually gets to go home, though he still isn’t fully recovered and has the family worried when it appears he cannot shift forms. It’s there the dreams about Blaise continue, and then Josh realises why he liked the smell when Nurse Rogers was around him. Josh has to beg someone to take him to the hospital as he still isn’t allowed to drive as he wants to see Nurse Rogers.

It’s not long before they are dating, though things become heated and complicated very quickly as it soon becomes apparent that Nurse Rogers is something other than fully human too, not that it puts Josh off, he just has to become creative to solve their little obstacles. Just when everything is going well Nurse Roger’s overbearing father interferes making her question whether the relationship she has with Josh is genuine. Josh gives her space but its obvious to the family he has developed deep feelings for her and in the end he decides he will literally go the ends of the earth to prove to her his feelings for her are real.

I still adored these characters as much now as when I first started reading these books!
I loved the humour the way Connor had taken holey boxer shorts and an inappropriate slogan t-shirt to pull out to give Josh to wear as a joke.
I think the dynamics within the pack still work really well, the previously no nonsense, super tough males who now have partners they are protective of and because some of them now have babies/toddlers you see a tender, vulnerable side too. The way Josh is the only one that can get baby Dean to sleep when he’s upset. The Holloway Pack men are a perfect mix of high energy and tenderness! Then you have them when they shift into predators chasing rabbits, hares etc. Though we didn’t see as much of Pack in their wolf form in this book.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing reading Burned were Wow 🔥 absolutely loved revisiting the Holloway Pack, I adored Josh & his story. It was 10 years since I read the last book but I slipped so easily back into the Holloway Pack universe & pack life. It was really interesting catching up with the old favourite characters and the new families they’d formed, as well as meeting new characters. It was intriguing to learn all about Blaise.....there were hidden clues & hints throughout the book about this new character, some I caught...others I have realised afterwards.
I’d definitely love to read more in this universe, perhaps something around Connor and Maghon and the youngest members of the pack, Lia and Dean. I can imagine the grandads, dads and Uncles being very protective of those youngsters and maybe the youngsters rebelling!

Summing up Burned gave me another bite of the Holloway Pack, now I want more!

REVIEW - THE SPIRITUALISTS BY KRISTIN O'DONNELL TUBB

 

Title: The Spiritualists

Author: Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Genre: Teens, YA, Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy

Release Date: 2nd June 2026

BLURB

Stella Bohdan is never alone—never—and yet she is the loneliest person she knows, dead or alive. A gifted psychic who can hear the voices of spirits, all Stella wants is to con enough people to survive on the brutal New York City streets and find a way to deal with the tragic death of her sister.

Performing seances in parlor rooms and tarot readings by candlelight, Stella is barely holding on. Until she meets Pax, a mysterious young man who offers Stella an invitation and a Join a secret group of talented mystics who explore the darker realms of spiritualism, and together they will get revenge on her sister’s killer.

But how can Stella admit she is the reason her sister is dead?

In the hope of righting past wrongs, Stella joins Pax and his team of mystics. It’s soon clear there is more behind their partnership than just vengeance.

They must tread carefully though, because in the world of spiritualism, not everything is what it seems—especially when communing with the unknown.

Goodreads Link

REVIEW
It was the cover that originally drew my attention to the book, the hint at spiritualism and the planchettes featured on the cover. Along with the clever way each “I” in the book title has a little flame above making it a candle too. This cover would definitely make me pick it up from a bookstore shelf to learn more about it. I’ll be honest do find spiritualism, tarot card, seances, psychics, mediums etc absolutely fascinating so reading in the blurb that the main female character speaks to the other side and the main male character is eagerly putting together a group of spiritualists had me invested, wanting to know more and eager to start reading.

Stella Bodhan is the main female character and she hears voices and uses this gift to earn money and uses the name Lady Rose. She is alone after the death of her sister Daisy. Stella blames herself for her sister’s death and goes about life punishing herself thinking that Daisy cant have these things so neither will I. Stella deeply misses her sister as they used to work together too, Stella used her natural gift and spoke to spirit and Daisy had taught herself to read tarot card so did readings for people. Due to Stella’s Lady Rose “business” and mediums being illegal in the area she has to move around a lot and is often followed and literally plagued by Reverend Jenkins and his followers shouting and hurling abuse at her, meaning she has to move from boarding house to boarding house.

Pax Princip is continuing the work he began with William T Stead in forming a group of spiritualists to work together safely in one place called Julia’s Bureau. It is to be called Julia’s Bureau after his dead sister.

Pax sneaks into one of Stella/Lady Rose’s meetings without paying which really irks Stella/Lady Rose and it’s a continuing joke/jibe throughout the book. Pax sees her giving messages from the other side and how she isn’t some charlatan. Pax asks Stella to become part of Julia’s Bureau at first Stella refuses but the offer of a place to work safely without the likes of Reverend Jenkins etc following her begins to look more attractive. Stella also feels pulled towards Pax and spirit seem keen on him and her joining his group too.
He later takes her to a hotel to dine and puts forward his business proposal of Lady Rose joining Julia’s Bureau. However, during the meeting Stella starts to feel icy cold, smells tobacco smoke and gets an image of a man sat smoking as water pours in around him. When it gets to the point Stella’s teeth are chattering she is so cold, Pax puts his jacket over her shoulders and Stella reveals the message from the late William T Stead, telling Pax not to open Julia’s Bureau as there is always a cost to communication with the other side. Stella tells Pax that William T Stead had attempted to send him a telegram whilst he was travelling back to America. Pax reveals that William T Stead never made it home from that journey as he was travelling on the Titanic and it sank. Stella goes to the toilet and when she returns Pax has left. Stella has no money and begins to panic a little until spirits point her to a hidden door, which takes her downstairs to a much less grand establishment full of men eating steaks and there is Pax! Stella storms up to him, gives him a piece of her mind about leaving her to pay the bill and pours a full gravy boat over his head. Pax shakes the gravy off and tells her she has his jacket with his wallet in it which makes Stella feel a little bad about the gravy boat but shes still annoyed Pax had left her.
It turns out Pax is an artist but he uses his gift by painting already famous expensive painting and selling them as though they are the original! A woman he had sold such a painting to had walked into the hotel and Pax was worried she may have realised her painting was a fake and may confront him so that is the reason he had left without saying/leaving word.

Theres quite a lot of mis-communication between Pax and Stella, which is quite amusing as you also get spirits take on what Stella should say or do at the same time wherever Stella is spirits connected to the people around her speak to her wanting her to relay messages.

Pax and Stella have a lot in common though they don’t always fully reveal things to each other. Both have a sister that died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. One of the owners Max Blanck had ordered the factory doors to e locked to discourage stealing and workers taking longer breaks etc. So, when the fire took hold the workers mainly women and children had no way out. Some chose to jump from the alight building and fell to their deaths. The owners got away with it meaning there were many disgruntled grieving families.

Eventually the two along with other mystics they have gathered and added to the group along the way decide to take revenge on Max Blanck. Max Blanck is throwing a lavish party, an effort for him and his wife to stay including in society after the fire at the factory. One of the guests attending the party is going to be wearing the most expensive and rare diamond, the hope diamond.
Pax has hatched a rather elaborate plan that will ruin Max Blanck once and for all and make him disappear from society for good…..if they can pull it off.
Before the big party Pax needs to gather other mystics to help them pull off the heist!

I loved how the book was presented with the tarot cards and their meanings at the beginning of the Chapters from Daisy’s point of view. I enjoyed Daisy’s chapters especially the very poignant one where she talks about the factory fire and revealed she knew Julia. The section struck me emotionally as this is not a fictional disaster, this is based on something that really happened and though Daisy and Julia were characters in a book, real people died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire disaster.

I thought the delicate artwork at the beginning of each chapter fitted really well with the era the book was set in. The content of the book has really been researched really well, down to the era, fashion and of course the mention of the very real events of Titanic sinking and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory disaster.

The descriptions within the book are really good, you can easily and rather gleefully visualise the brown greasy gravy dripping down over Pax’s head, through his perfectly combed hair, over his ears, onto his fancy white four dollar sears & roebuck shirt.

I adored the characters of Stella and Pax and their eventual friendship Stella is both amusing yet fragile. She may have the gift of speaking to spirits but she cannot control it at all really. She sometimes finds it difficult to distinguish between the voice of spirit and her own inner voice.

I found Pax quite endearing the way he owed Stella a jitney/nickel but always brushed off paying at the same time saying “I always pay my debts”. There's more but I won't reveal any spoilers.

I also totally adored Kiyoku and Nirav who became part of Julia’s Bureau and perhaps a smaller character but I loved Laura the librarian who once Stella & Kiyoku revealed the reason they were looking for certain information went above and beyond to help them.

On the most part I adored Spirit. When they are eyeing up Pax with one spirit saying “Law chile those abs! Could scrub some skivvies clean on those couldn’t ya!” Or when spirit wolf whistles after Pax. I thought it was really funny how the spirits argued between themselves in Stella’s head. Spirit is quite useful and when their timing is good, they are great at warning Stella or telling Stella things she may need to know, such when Pax asks Stella to guess how he knows her name and the spirits have already told her that Pax paid the landlady a jitney/nickel for her to tell him it!

Of course, as William T Stead warned for all the light in spirit there is also dark so there were the dark prone to violence spirit forces of the Dark Legion who at times try their best to take over Stella. They “helped” Stella once in the past and then became tethered to her. I have to admit they gave me the shivers a time or too, how dark and sinister they were and always lurking in the background.

My immediate thoughts on finishing The Spiritualist was that I really enjoyed it and quickly grew to adore the characters who were initially individuals with gifts that were loners and probably considered misfits by society, until Pax brought them together and they ended up forming a family.
A family that doles out justice to a man whose negligence and greed were responsible for the deaths of Daisy & Julia.

Summing up this book is aimed at Teens & YA but honestly the General Fiction Adult market is missing out if they don't read this one. I'm well past being a teen and I absolutely loved it!

REVIEW - SANCTUARY BY JAMES CLEARY

 

Title: Sanctuary

Author: James Cleary

Publisher: HQ

Genre: General Fiction, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Mystery, Thrillers

Release Date: 28th April 2026

 

BLURB

“The meek shall inherit the Earth, unless the rich get there first.” That’s the reality of the post-apocalyptic world in this electrifying debut thriller.

The near future…

Climate disasters have crippled the United States. With half the country under water and the other half a dust bowl, civil unrest would soon escalate into something darker, something unstoppable. Billionaire John Brandt anticipated this and channeled his money, power, and influence into being prepared for the great unraveling.

Now Brandt, his family, and his security team must retreat to Sanctuary, their underground bunker—a vast luxury mansion beneath the parched earth of the Nebraskan Great Plains. But they are not alone. Above ground a group of raiders are desperate to survive and will use any means possible to accomplish that goal.

As tensions mount both inside and out, battle lines are drawn— between the haves and the have-nots, between decency and expediency, between life and death. In this game, everyone's a loser.

 

Goodreads Link  

 

REVIEW
I’ve seen different covers for this book, and to be honest I have really liked aspects of them all and in there own way they all fit the book really well too. Each of the different book covers would have me picking it up from a bookstore shelf to learn more about the book so they all do their job well!

America has been suffering and declining for many years, suffering from climate change and other disasters it has come to the very brink of societal collapse. Some have prepared for this eventuality, one of these men is millionaire John Brandt. John has a piece of land in a remote area with a mansion house within a compound in an isolated area in Nebraska that has plenty of supplies but he has also thought further ahead and had a state of the art, fully equipped bunker built underground too for if things get “really bad”. Some people thought him mad when he was having it built but he could see the signs around him and was determined to protect his family and a few hand selected people needed to run the bunker. He employed many workers who all did different small sections of the build so no one had access to the full plans. All the workers had to sign non-disclosure/secrecy type forms regarding the work they were doing and the location of the property.

When things are showing signs of the “final collapse” John Brandt sends different members of his security team to bring his family members and staff to the mansion house. His daughter Julia is hiking with her bodyguard Michael Flynn, whom she has a bit of a crush on, though it seems the romantic feelings maybe mutual, when he gets the call to head straight to Sanctuary. 
Ex-Army and bodyguards Cooper and Schaeffer bring John Brandts wife Rebecca and their young son Jeremy to Sanctuary. 
Others bring Mrs Krajic the Brandts cook/cleaner and her daughter Maia who is a student nurse. There’s a physician, Dr Robert Matheson to look after the Brandts and their staff, an agriculturist called Hanna Laval who designed and is in charge of the bunkers extensive food growing systems,

Unfortunately, some of those that were chosen for their needed skills do not make it to Nebraska when society breaks down and before the group have to lock down in the bunker so those that have made it end up taking on extra jobs to keep things running smoothly.

Despite the world being in chaos when John Brandt discovers there is no cream for his coffee he sends two of his best people from his security guards in search of some in a helicopter and is disappointed and disgruntled when they return empty handed explaining every store and gas station for miles has been ransacked and looted! That’s how selfish this man really is! My initial dislike for John Brandt began then, why would you have supposedly valued employees risk their lives for such a silly luxury as cream for your coffee but I guess it goes to show just how out of touch or how far above everything and everyone else John Brandt puts his own needs. My opinion of the man didn't really improve throughout the book. At times I wante dto reach in and shake him to his senses and shout think about what you are saying and doing!

The bunker really is the height or should that be the depth of luxury! With eighteen floors, although really there are only seventeen as the thirteenth floor does not exist because of the same sort of superstitions as the grand hotels have. The first floor is the command centre where the cameras are that watch the land and mansion above the bunker. The second floor is the armoury, again well stocked. This floor also has an area to be used for detention purposes should it ever be need. The third floor is the barracks for the security men/women most of which are ex-army so used to living in barracks. The Brandt family have two floors, four and five to themselves which are connected by a private staircase within them. The sixth floor is for Mrs Krajic and her daughter Maia who are basically the housekeepers for the bunker who duties include cooking and cleaning for the Brandt family. There are other floors with living quarters, some which sit empty due to the people they were designated to not arriving. The eleventh floor is a fully equipped and well stocked infirmary. Theres also a library, a commons area, a laundry, community style realistic market, a recreation centre with a swimming pool and bowling alley, it seems like MR Brandt has even thought about how his family will be entertained until it is safe to rise out of the bunker. Of course, there are areas of cold food storage and a hydrophonics section where fresh fruit and vegetables are grown and are tended to by Hanna Laval. There is also a floor dedicated to mechanical items and generators.

Whilst the Brandt family and his hand chosen staff are safe in the luxurious bunker fairly oblivious to the plight of the normal American things are getting worse. So much so that one of the men who helped build the bunker, Tom Grady decides to head out to Nebraska with his wife and new born baby to see if the Brandts will allow them to join them in the bunker. When Tom decides to set off a initially a few neighbours join him with their families until the number grow into a small group, but Tom Grady knows how big the bunker is there will be plenty of room and supplies for them all for years. Its not like they want these things giving they are prepared to work for their housing and food as most of the group actually have skills that would be useful to Mr Brandt and his family. The children in the group would be company for young Jeremy Brandt. However, when the Tom Grady’s group arrive at the Brandt mansion and the Brandts refuse them access to the bunker emotions become heightened with both sides digging in their heels. John Brandt is determined to keep the plentiful resources he has built up for his own family and handpicked staff and flatly refuses Tom Grady and his group access under any circumstances even when Tom Grady and his wife beg for help for their ill new born baby and a few others in their group that are ill. John Brandt has the medical supplies to help and despite some of those inside the bunker trying to reason with him he still refuses to share.

When the Grady’s newborn baby dies it naturally hardens his group against the Brandts and they decide they will gain access to that bunker by whatever means necessary even if it means slowly cutting off the air supply and forcing the Brandts to come out.

The book is told from a few different points of view, from the diary entries of someone on the bunker, the point of view of the Brandts in the bunker and from the point of view of Tom Grady and his group.

I did enjoy the book as a whole, though it was sad to see a man who had everything denying basic medical help to a new born baby. John Brandt was stubborn to the very end in the view that everything in the bunker was his and his families and he had no intention of sharing, in fact he would rather attack those asking for help and kill them to solve the issue than offer help.

I felt the book was fairly slow paced but I guess that gave you time to really think about the actions of the characters as they were making them.

I did find Sanctuary a thought provoking read, How far would you go to protect your family?, Who and how do you choose who to save by taking them into the bunker? What lengths are you prepared to go to, to prevent others gaining access to your bunker? Who would you help? Where do you draw the line at helping others? Could you turn your back on the request for help for an ill newborn baby of a man you had employed to help build the very bunker you and your family are safely inside?

Sanctuary is certainly a thought provoking read. Then there’s the ending where the secret escape tunnel fails. Did John Brandt deserve what happened in the end?

I found the epilogue section that jumped years ahead interesting, poignant, yet at the same time really sad looking back at was left of the bunker and that only a few people were still around that really knew what had happened there.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were that I felt a bit dazed, a little disappointed even, yet at the same time I had enjoyed what I had read.

Summing up, a little slow paced for my usual taste, a different take on the usual post- apocalyptic survival story. This book centres more on the characters and their behaviour when things go really bad. After digesting what I'd read for a few days and reflecting on the book I came to the conclusion that I did enjoy what I'd read. The book reminded me a little of The Pharmacist by Rachelle Atalla which I also enjoyed reading. It also made me think back to watching the Tales Of The Unexpected TV show when I was younger and how they were so cleverly thought provoking and had you thinking about them long after the ending.

REVIEW - DESPERATE WORLD - EMP AFTERMATH BY GRACE HAMILTON

 

Title: Desperate World

Series: EMP Aftermath

Author: Grace Hamilton

Publisher: Relay Publishing

Release Date: 20th May 2026

BLURB

All they want is a safe haven. They’ll have to fight to get it…

Dr. Laurel Rivera, Bear and their small band of survivors have left their home, fleeing into the wilderness near Lake Superior. With children to protect, they’re forced to make ruthless choices, as they run a gauntlet of desperate survivors willing to kill for vital supplies.

Then Mae collapses.

Pregnant, feverish, and slipping fast, she needs medication Laurel doesn’t have—and can’t make. The only remaining supply belongs to another armed, organized, and determined to protect what’s theirs at any cost.

Stealing the medicine could ignite a war they won’t survive. Walking away will condemn Mae and her unborn child to death.

As time runs out and enemies close in, Bear and Laurel must decide how far they’re willing to go to save one life—and how many others they’re willing to damn in the name of survival.

REVIEW
The book cover depicts a tense scene within the book really well and it fits in with the rest of the series well too. It is the type of cover that would make me pick it up from a bookstore shelf to read the blurb.
As I was about to start reading Desperate World EMP Aftermath bk9 by Grace Hamilton I was really looking forward to rejoining the characters, discovering what is going to happen next. So far it has been an amazing series with fantastic characters and a brilliant plot but at the same time I'm having mixed feelings as this is the last book in the series so I am sorry its coming to an end.....I wonder what Grace Hamilton has in store for the characters.....happiness or heartache?

The group has decided to leave Thunder Bay, heading to Lake Superior in the hope of settling on an island, rebuilding a home, a clinic and community. The group are still recovering from the last battle with the Rossi’s so they want to put as much distance between themselves and Thunder Bay as possible. They hop that if the Rossi mafia return to Thunder Bay and they have already left they will do no harm to those still living there. The truck Kate, Gideon, Sharon, Lisa, Thomas & Maggie arrived in is quickly repaired with Kate and Lyle working around the clock so the group that are leaving can get back on the road as soon as possible. They leave some basic medical supplies behind and surprisingly it is Harkins that steps up as the new Thunder Bay Medic.

The group make their way to the lake and find a boat big enough to carry them to nearby islands to try to find one to settle on, but Mae is taken ill. Laurel quickly diagnoses gestational diabetes.

The initial idea was to avoid any contact with any of the Rossi mafia at all, unfortunately the plan ends up having to change when it becomes clear that Mae is in desperate need of medication for her diabetes. When Kate reveals she knows where the Rossi's have a secret stash of medicines & medical supplies the group take a vote on what to do.....go raid the supplies......or forget about the supplies....
It’s decided that with Mae having developed gestational diabetes & possibilities of complications during the birth...that they should plan and risk a raid on the Rossi compound.

It’s the first time the group will have done anything that they would consider selfish or being on the attack/offensive. Though I think they were thoroughly justified on planning the raid as it wasn’t like the Rossi’s would have even negotiated with them to “buy” or trade for the medications they needed for Mae. The Rossi’s are the selfish one’s stock piling medications and selling them to the highest bidder!

It’s a risky plan and involves two members of the group being decoys so the others can sneak in and steal the medications that they need for Mae. Of course, Bear is in the decoy party of two saying it makes sense, and that he should take the risk as Mae is his daughter. Laurel has to be in the raiding party as she knows which medications they need.

Once inside the compound and the warehouse Laurel discovers that it really is a treasure trove of medication, medical supplies and medical equipment too. There’s more than enough if she takes it to set up a clinic for anyone who wishes to use it. Laurel, Kate and the others quickly find the medication for Mae’s gestational Diabetes and for any other pregnancy complications that may arise. They find pain medication, much needed antibiotics for future illness and other equipment that would help when setting up Laurel’s dream clinic.

Obviously, the head of the Rossi mafia is furious, first Kate steals his cargo of medication and Laurel and the Thunder Bay group use them. Then they shoot his son when he goes with a group of men to get the medication back. Rossi will not be happy until someone pays for the death of his son and after they raid his so called secret compound, he knows it is Kate that has helped them so he wants her and anyone else who won’t cooperate and surrender dealt with!

Laurel and Bear’s group eventually settle on an island and they are planning to build a clinic for the benefit of anyone who wishes to come to it. They are caught unaware when the Rossi’s Mafia are suddenly spotted. It’s revealed that Mae had seen Vin, one of Rossi’s men on a different island they had been scouting and had said nothing, but it’s too late to lay blame or argue the Rossi Mafia has arrived and they need to be dealt with once and for all.

Characters I loved were of course Laurel, Bear, Mae and Trent, their family unit is built on trust and mutual respect. Even though they needed the medication for Mae, the idea of raiding the Rossi’s secret compound was put to a vote between themselves and the wider group. It was a relief and a a lovely scene when Trent reconciled fully with Laurel and told her he no longer blamed her for Alyssa’s death.

I had spotted the possibility of a “relationship” between Vin and Mae in the previous book, though I think Gideon ran some interference there and being protective of Mae wouldn’t let Vin get any closer to her. Then in this book when Vin and Mae come across each other on an island and its just the two of them, there is an instant affection between them. They may be on totally opposite sides of the Rossi battle but its clear the care about each other. I adored the scene where despite being pregnant Mae fought and tackled him to the ground. He was certainly shocked and perhaps a little bemused by her feisty side.

The scene was definitely left as the group settling into a future of sorts together, a thriving community where perhaps they may be on an island but they are in touch with other survivors and attempting to rebuild a decent life for everyone.

My immediate thoughts when I finished reading Desperate World were that though I was sorry to see the series some to an end and was sad to be saying goodbye to the characters I had grown to love, Grace Hamilton had wrapped everything up really well. We had conclusions such as Mae giving birth to her baby and looking toward the future and the prospect of Laurels dream clinic becoming a reality. Though at the same time certain things were left open for the readers imagination to finish off such as a hint of a possible relationship for Trent and a future where they are in touch with other survivors who like them wish to rebuild and live in a peaceful society, of course there will always be the Rossi’s in the world but they will be dealt with as and when. 

Summing up it is a fitting ending to an amazing series but I can't help being book greedy & wishing there were more bks to come. Maybe we can revisit them in the future, or perhaps some of the characters could have cameo’s and appear or be mentioned in another series too. (hey, I can hope!) As you can tell I'm a little sad to be saying goodbye to these characters whom I have become really attached to over the past 4 years....I highly recommend this series and others by Grace Hamilton.

REVIEW - DARLING SAVAGE SINS BY DV FISCHER

Title: Darling Savage Sins

Author: DV Fischer

Publisher: Love N Books Press

Genre: Dark Romantic Suspense, Curvy Girl Romance, PTSD, Cult

Release Date: 21st April 2026

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Dolly never met a red flag she didn't want to fix.

As a therapist, she knows better than to chase the dark, dangerous man watching her from the shadows of the bar. But when Jagger touches her, all mystery and coiled violence, reason doesn't stand a chance. One night in a parking lot becomes an obsession she can't shake. He's every warning sign she's ever ignored, and exactly the kind of broken she's drawn to.

Jagger came back to Ashwood, Oregon for one reason: to save his sister from the Savage Temple cult he barely escaped alive. The brutal compound shaped him into something he can't forgive. A soldier with too many kills on his hands and PTSD that won't let him sleep. He doesn't deserve Dolly's soft hands or her determination to make him whole. But when she inserts herself into his life, refusing to walk away from his darkness, he can't resist the hunt.

Now his father stands between him and his sister's freedom. The law wants him gone. And the deeper Dolly falls into Jagger's world, the more she realizes some souls can't be saved, and some monsters wear the faces of victims. When the final confrontation comes, survival will demand a sacrifice neither of them saw coming.

Goodreads Link

REVIEW
I love the dramatic dark cover and the hands holding a crucifix which hints at how strict the Savage Temple Cult really is.

This book is a plus size dark romance between a tortured soul with a dark past in a cult and a curvy therapist who can't resist wanting to fix him. But can Dolly really tame the monster he was made into and does Jagger really want to be fixed?

Dolly is the curvy female therapist who is divorced yet still best friends with her ex-husband, Rollo who happens to be a police officer. The two are good friends and Rollo worries about the kind of people that Dolly meets within her job as a therapist, so much so he gives her pointers on self-defence. Both Rollo and Dolly’s best friend Sadie know Dolly has a weakness when it comes to men with tortured souls and troubled pasts, so its no great surprise to them when Dolly becomes involved with Jagger Valentine.

Jagger had a highly troubled childhood at the hands of his own father who is also the Savage Temple Cult leader. One night a teenaged Jagger and a young teen girl neighbour make a run for it and escape the cult. Jagger ends up in the army where he is singled out for special violent missions further adding to his tortured soul. When the army abandons him when he is no longer needed with only ex-army buddy Blake to look out for him.

Jagger has been dealing with his demons and his guilt of leaving his sister behind in the cult by turning to drink. Jagger doesn’t just have a social drink he drinks, and drinks himself into oblivion. This alcohol induced oblivion giving him a little respite from his guilt.

The only thing that has kept Jagger going is his desperate need to go back to the Savage Temple cult to rescue his younger sister Isabelle and get revenge on his father, its all he has lived for. As for women, he’s always settled for one-night stands until he meets Dolly, one night just isn’t enough with her. Dolly allows his damaged, savage side to exist and be part of their sexual encounters. What starts out as an outlet and a fascination for Jagger turns into something else, he cannot put a name to. Jagger even tries to put distance between himself and Dolly when he thinks she may be drawn into his issues with the Savage Temple Cult. However, Dolly doesn’t give up easily and it seems that Jagger can’t stay away from her either despite vowing to himself he would.

After a rather violent confrontation with his father, it becomes apparent that there is another person heavily influencing the cult and its direction. Jagger doesn’t care who is in charge, he wants his sister out and he doesn’t care she is married and pregnant. Once out of the clutches of Savage Temple Cult, Jagger thinks that Dolly can fix his sister and everyone can continue with their new lives. However things are not as Jagger first thinks when it turns out that Tyron a man he remembers from his childhood in the cult as being abusive is the man who is married to his sister, Isabelle.

When a hostage situation occurs and Sadie has to face her past in order to help best friend Dolly, she doesn’t hesitate to act. When Jagger arrives on the scene to rescue those held captive he is faced with an impossible decision. A choice between past and future.

I really enjoyed reading this one, it kept you on the edge of your seat and certainly kept you thinking and guessing who was the power behind the Savage Temple Cult other than Bryce Valentine. The ending is quite explosive in more ways than one. The twists were very well written though I did have a slight inkling as to where things were going but perhaps that because I have read other books by this author!

I loved the moment when Jagger realises the feelings he has for Dolly that he can’t put a name to are feelings of love, that he can experience this type of love. I adored the way Dolly was willing to do anything and even sacrifice herself for Jagger. It was a shame one of the characters was killed off but it really did fit into the story for that character to sacrifice themselves. There are quite explicit sexual scenes in the book, though they are in context and show how Jaggers past have influenced every aspect of his life. There are also quite detailed violent scenes too, though in the greater plot you understand why these scenes are within the book and they are believable for the characters involved in them.

The character I fell immediately in love with was of course Jagger, the troubled guy who just needs to be shown love and learn how to love. I wanted to reach into the book and give him the biggest hug, though I don’t think it would have been received well.

I adored Blake, the army buddy who stuck by his friend and the motto of “never leave a soldier behind” despite Jaggers path of self-destruction via alcohol and his intention of walking into the Savage Temple Cult to free his sister no matter the consequences. I thought Dolly was a complex character herself and I wondered if perhaps she had experienced troubles in her own past before becoming a therapist.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were, what a twist! And that it was a shame Jagger had to face the difficult choice but perhaps he had to make that choice to be able to move on with his own future.

Summing up, this was another great book by DV Fischer!

 

REVIEW - PLAGUED WORLD - EMP AFTERMATH SERIES BY GRACE HAMILTON

  

Title: Plagued World
Series: EMP Aftermath
Author: Grace Hamilton
Publisher: Relay Publishing
Release Date: 15th April 2026

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Society collapsed. But the true nightmare is only beginning…

Bear and Laurel are still reeling from the attack on their small community. Their clinic has been reduced to ashes, and what little remains of their medical supplies won’t last long. They need time to recover—but fate has other plans.

A brutal illness rages through the battered community, and there’s nothing Laurel can do to stop it. One by one, Thunder Bay’s residents are falling sick. Now, Trent is infected—and getting worse. With only natural remedies at their disposal, time is running out. They have to stop the spread before it’s too late.

Meanwhile, Gideon and Sharon travel with Kate, desperate to leave old enemies behind. But long, dangerous miles still separate them from the relative safety of Thunder Bay. And to make matters worse, someone is following them…

With two frightened children depending on them for protection, they’d rather avoid a fight. But every time they slip away, their pursuers close in again. It’s not bandits. It’s not hostile locals. They’re being hunted.

And soon, there’ll be nowhere left to run… 

Goodreads Link 

REVIEW
The cover depicts a male and female figure with masks on carrying weapons, which could be either Laurel and Bear, or Gideon and Mae. The cover fits well with the rest of the series book covers so far and it would make me pick it up from a book store shelf.

When I saw the title and the figures on the cover with masks I knew we were in for a highly contagious illness attacking the character we have grown to love, so I was immediately wondering how things would work out especially as the community have not really recovered from the medical clinic and its supplies being burnt down.

When a mysterious illness begins striking down people, Laurel has to act quickly whilst not causing alarm in an already tired and despondent community. When she visits the home of what turns out to be patient zero she cannot believe what she is seeing, the elderly man seriously ill with something he seems to have caught from the numerous cats he insists in keeping in his home as pets. You really see how far medicine has jumped back since the EMP, with no hospitals, no modern technology, vaccines and very little in the way of medicines. The illness spreads faster than the fire at the medical centre did and soon Laurel is making house calls to an increasing number of ill people. At first, she doesn’t believe what she is thinking, she thinks she is overreacting but her fears are real, the illness is the plague. Thunder Bay must isolate itself to prevent the spread, people need to keep themselves to themselves, stay indoors and take the herbal medication to treat the symptoms and the preventative herbal teas that Laurel and her family are making around the clock. The difficulty is getting all the residents of Thunder Bay to believe that the illness if the plague and how serious is, having them comply with the new restrictions on movement as well as having them put their faith in herbal medicines & preventatives when there is nothing else available. All this falls to Laurel, Bear, Mae, Trent and the trusted friend of Bear, Lyle. This small group of five need to go around the whole community of Thunder Bay delivering provisions without causing mass panic. Despite all precautions Trent falls ill with the plague. He is isolated within the cabin and treat with the herbal medications at hand.

Gideon and his group think their luck has changed when they meet Kate and her armoured vehicle, however it soon becomes apparent that Kate has not tole the group the whole truth about who she is, what she is carrying and how she came into possession of it. Kate also doesn't tell Gideon and his group that she is being chased down by the Rossi mafia family who do not care who is killed as collateral damage as long as they get back what belongs to them as well as some retribution on who took it. As always there are a lot of difficult decisions to be made....do they risk going to Thunder Bay with the Rossi Mafia on their trail, but it they don’t go there where else can they go? Also, Gideon knows that the medical supplies would be put to good use by Laurel, shared in the community not sold to the highest bidder like the Rossi Mafia want to do with them. The group attempt to lose the Rossi thugs following them but know its highly likely that they will come looking for them after the Rossi Mafia Bosses son Matty Rossi is shot by Gideon. They decide to go to Thunder Bay and if the Rossi thugs follow them there make a stance there. Eventually they arrive on the outskirts of Thunder Bay and see a sign warning of illness and saying Do Not Enter etc which makes Gideon, Sharon and Lisa even more determined to see their friend with the medication they have with them.

The Rossi thugs do arrive in Thunder Bay and a risky plan is formed by Laurel and Bear, in an attempt to weaken the men, they put them in the home of the now deceased patient zero. It works to a point but these are dangerous men and Matty Rossi uses drugs and is unhinged wanting to shoot everyone and anyone. Things come to a head when the Rossi men first kidnap Thomas, the young boy now in Gideons care. Laurel, Bear, Sharon, Lisa, Gideon and Lyle decide to try to retrieve Thomas. Everything is going to plan then when one of the men grabs Mae, Gideon sees red and shots are fired! A battle ensues sadly one of my favourite characters dies in the battle.

The Thunder Bay residents regroup and decide to try and lure the remaining members of the Rossi gang into a ravine where they can hopefully pick them off without losing any more Thunder Bay people. Bear and Lyle organise for Mae and the children to hide out at the Harkins place. Harkins may be a little eccentric but he does help when needed.

Another battle ensues, Matty Rossi is killed, a truce is made but I can’t help thinking that the war between the Rossi Mafia and the Thunder Bay residents is far from over. 

I loved Gideon, Sharon and Lisa reuniting with Bear, Laurel, Mae and Trent. I enjoyed the introduction of the new character of Kate, though have to admit to being angry with her sometimes with her quite selfish attitude. Her younger brother died due to an asthma attack, brining home the fact that previously treatable conditions can be deadly in this new EMP Aftermath world. I could identify with Sharon and Lisa when it seems Kate is more bothered about her dog Beau and disregarding the danger that Thomas is also in. I’m still on the fence about her character and wouldn’t trust her 100% she seems to want to help the Thunder Bay Residents, that have taken her in despite the danger she brought to them, but she also seems like she would probably make a deal to save herself at the expense of others.

The book did have some happier news from Mae, though it does immediately put Gideons nose out of joint as he has always had a not always so secret crush on Mae and its certainly clear the feelings aren’t particularly reciprocated. Mae’s news also strengthens Maes position that she has not been pining for Gideon and is making a life for herself that doesn’t necessarily include Gideon in a romantic sense.

I also became angry with Gideon in this book, the way he lost his temper and said some really nasty things to Mae. It was kind of sweet how he had a “not so secret” love crush on Mae. I think you could say he was besotted by her and the idea of a future they could have together. Unfortunately Mae simply sees him as a good friend, and army colleague, though she makes this fairly clear she still remains friends with him. I was so angry when despite this he became rather possessive, and judgemental of Mae insinuating she wasn’t in a position to make wise choices and look after herself when we all know that Mae is definitely the daughter of Bear and Laurel, the best survivalist, preppers and when needed combatants when needed. Mae also has a protective sibling figure in Trent too. Gideon may think he is being protective but he certainly steps way over the mark and Mae lets him know.

I really love Trent, he has been through such a lot, lost everything, then finding Bear and becoming part of the family. Then just as he is experiencing first love with Alyssa, she is badly injured and dies. Trent has still not come to terms with the loss of Alyssa and still blames Laurel for her death which makes the atmosphere a difficult one to work with, however they manage to call a truce so they can work together making herbal medicine and delivering it to the community. Then when Trent succumbs to the plague, Laurel finds herself treating the young man that she views as a son, trying desperately to save his life, in the hope if he recovers, they can straighten out the way he feels about Laurel and what he considers Laurels part in Alyssa’s death.

Of course, I still adore Laurel and Bear and the way this devastation in the world has brought them back together, the way they protect their family, friends and the Thunder Bay community.

I’m also looking forward to more from the newer characters of Lyle, Harkins and Kate as well as more from the existing characters that are all more well known.

My immediate thoughts upon finishing the book were that it was another great book in the EMP Aftermath Series

Summing up, really sad to see the lives of some characters end, but interested to see where the character of Harkins will develop, maybe he will be the one to help Mae heal her heart and plan for the future? I honestly cannot wait to read more!

 

REVIEW - ALL THAT HOLDS BETWEEN BY SJ LEE

 

Title: All That Holds Between

Author: SJ Lee

Publisher: Pew Books

Genre: Speculative fiction, futuristic, fantasy

Release Date: 7th April 2026

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Life runs efficiently when nothing hurts.

In Meiyu, people clip away their heaviest emotions and store them in memory drives so life can continue neatly and undisturbed. Lena is a courier who delivers these sealed fragments across the island, her days defined by routine, distance, and careful neutrality.

When one delivery goes wrong, a defective drive activates in her hands. The feelings inside are not hers and were never meant to surface. Ignoring protocol, Lena follows its pull through the city, through night markets scented with scallion and fried dough, into noodle shops, and the quiet generosity of neighbours' kitchens, where lives brush against one another. With each step, the walls she's built around herself begin to thin.

Goodreads Link

REVIEW
I have seen various different covers for this book ranging from quite abstract ones to simplistic ones alluding to Lena’s job as a courier.

All That Holds Between is set in Meiyu a futuristic world where you can put any unwanted emotions on a chip at the Halcyon Integrated Wellness company, the chip can then be destroyed or stored for a monthly cost with the possibility of being restored at a later date.
Lena was once an 'Affect Technician' but was then demoted and is now a courier transporting the chips between clients & the Halcyon depot. Lena has her route already planned out for her down to the minute and if she isn’t on time there are consequences! Even her breaks are meticulously planned and she is more or less forced to take them when told to do so. Lena is on her best behaviour at work she has already had a warning, if she were to get more she could be demoted again to an even lesser job.

Lena prefers to use her bike much to her supervisor Mr Peng’s irritation as he regularly offers her the company vehicle to use especially on bad weather days. It’s on a particularly rainy day that Lena comes across a faulty chip and when circumstances mean she is unable to deliver it she takes it home with her which is expressly forbidden.

Lena has an old machine that she trained to be an Affect Technician on and it’s not long before curiosity gets the better of her and she ends up putting the defective chip in it and experiencing the chips owner’s memory.

Lena becomes obsessed with finding a food stall featured in the memory which leads her to talking to Runi who owns the restaurant she regularly eats ate, resulting in the women becoming closer friends rather than just acquaintances.

By the end of the novella Lena realises that her true obsession is not the defective chip she has viewed but a memory that she chose to have removed, put on a chip and destroyed.

I found the idea of putting undesired memories on a chip a fascinating idea and would have loved some other memories & chips to be explored, though as this is a novella and Lena was given a different job near the end of it which would put her in a position where she would be in contact with peoples memories on a regular and legitimate basis, so I guess there’s the potential for more after this novella. I’d be interested in reading more in this world setting.

Lena seems a rather sad and lonely character only going to and from work with no friends her own age or family around her, though her neighbour does look out for her and cooks “too much” food meaning there is always plenty leftover for Lena. Then slowly through conversations Lena has with her neighbour about the neighbour’s loss of a loved one and her evolving relationship with Runi that Lena reveals her own background and the memory she had removed and destroyed.

Immediate thoughts were that I enjoyed reading the novella, but I wished that it had explored more chips and their content. It could have been so much more.

Summing up, though this novella centred mainly round just one character, Lena, it also revealed quite a lot about those around her too. I loved the concept of having memories, feelings & emotions removed and placed on a chip. Could I do it? I don’t think I would as even our bad, painful memories have value and are an integral part of us. Overall, I did enjoy the novella and I would be interested in reading more set in this world.