Monday, December 15, 2025

My thoughts on The Alpine Fortress by Rowena Kinread

  

The Alpine Fortress 
By Rowena Kinread


Publication Date: 12th September 2025
Publisher: Goldcrest Books
Page Length: 311
Genre: Thriller

In the shadow of the Bavarian Alps, a forgotten map leads to an unsolved mystery buried for decades. When Ivanna discovers the sketch among her late grandfather’s belongings, she stumbles upon a secret that connects her family’s harrowing past to the Nazi regime's stolen treasures.

What begins as a curious family discovery quickly escalates into a perilous adventure, drawing the attention of law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and dangerous criminals.

The Alpine Fortress is a thrilling tale of survival, betrayal, and redemption. From the chilling depths of Nazi conspiracies to the breathtaking heights of the Alps, this story will keep you on the edge of your seat as the past and present collide in an unforgettable race against time.

Will Ivanna uncover the truth—or will the secrets of the fortress remain buried forever?

Amazon

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover Art: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the opening pages, The Alpine Fortress delivers a gripping blend of thriller and intrigue. Set in the dramatic landscape of the Bavarian Alps, the novel plunges the reader straight into the discovery of a mysterious map—one that hints at secrets dating back to the Second World War and the Nazi era. Kinread skilfully weaves together past and present, inviting us to trace how one family’s legacy collides with hidden history.

The protagonist’s journey is engaging and relatable: a federal policewoman going through her grandfather’s belongings, stumbling on a secret that turns her ordinary life into a dangerous adventure. This ordinary-turned-extraordinary setup gives the story immediate emotional anchor and pulls the reader in.

One of the strongest aspects of the book is the setting. The Alps are more than a backdrop—they become a character in their own right. Harsh weather, treacherous terrain, and winding paths all add tension and atmosphere, underscoring the physical and psychological stakes for the characters. The author’s attention to topographical and circumstantial detail makes the environment and the situational peril feel authentic.

The cast of characters is well drawn. We see loyalty, friendship, and betrayal among them; people driven by ideals and others by ambition or greed. The central antagonist is kept in the shadows for much of the novel, although the reader meets his "apes" vicious and dangers criminals, which builds suspense nicely. 

Pacing is another win. The narrative moves steadily, with early curiosity evolving into mounting danger. The dual threats—the literal difficulties of mountain terrain and the more conventional criminal-conspiracy dangers—are layered in a way that keeps the tension fresh. The second half of the book in particular intensifies in pace, making it hard to put down.

While the novel features dark moments—graphic violence and trauma among them—Kinread handles them with care, weaving them into the narrative in service of the story rather than shock alone. This gives the book depth: it isn’t just about the map or the treasure, but about what happens when people’s lives are upended by secrets, history, and the cost of seeking truth.

If you like thrillers that combine strong sense of place, historical mystery, and characters who feel real—not just plot-devices—then The Alpine Fortress delivers. It’s immersive, well-written, emotionally anchored and suspenseful right through to its satisfying conclusion.



Rowena Kinread grew up in Ripon, Yorkshire with her large family and a horde of pets. Keen on travelling, her first job was with Lufthansa in Germany.

She began writing in the nineties. Her special area of interest is history, after researching her ancestry and finding family roots in Ireland with the Dalriada clan, particularly this era. Her debut fiction novel titled “The Missionary” is a historical novel about the dramatic life of St. Patrick. It was published by Pegasus Publishers on April 29th, 2021 and has been highly appraised by The Scotsman, The Yorkshire Post and the Irish Times.

Her second novel “The Scots of Dalriada” centres around Fergus Mór, the founder father of Scotland and takes place in 5th century Ireland and Scotland, and is published by Pegasus Publishers.

The author lives with her husband in Bodman-Ludwigshafen, Lake Constance, Germany. They have three children and six grandchildren.





Monday, December 1, 2025

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart


Shuggie Bain
By Douglas Stuart

 


It is 1981. Glasgow is dying and good families must grift to survive. Agnes Bain has always expected more from life, dreaming of greater things. But Agnes is abandoned by her philandering husband, and as she descends deeper into drink, her children try their best to save her, yet one by one they must abandon her to save themselves.

It is her son Shuggie who holds out hope the longest. Shuggie is different, he is clearly no’ right. But Shuggie believes that if he tries his hardest, he can be normal like the other boys and help his mother escape this hopeless place.

Amazon

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover Art: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Shuggie Bain is one of those books that pulls you in right away and doesn’t let go. Douglas Stuart writes with so much heart that you feel every moment—good, bad, and everything in between. It’s intense, but in the best way.

The bond between Shuggie and his mum, Agnes, is incredibly powerful. Their relationship is messy and painful, yet full of love. You root for them even when things get tough, and it’s impossible not to feel for both of them.

Stuart’s Glasgow feels completely real. The details are so vivid that you can almost hear the streets and smell the air. Even when the world is bleak, the writing makes it feel meaningful and alive.

Shuggie himself is unforgettable. He’s brave, sensitive, and trying so hard to figure out who he is in a world that doesn’t make it easy. You can’t help but cheer him on and hope he finds his place.

Overall, Shuggie Bain is emotional, honest, and beautifully written. It hits hard, stays with you, and absolutely earns a full five stars.




Saturday, November 15, 2025

The Good Girl Effect by Sara Cate

 The Good Girl Effect 

By Sara Cate



His praise is forbidden―his touch irresistible

Jack St. Claire is desperate. A grieving single father, he buries himself in his work―running a brand-new kink club in Paris. Instead of handling his grief, he's built a fortress around his heart, and it's time he hired someone to help him take care for his daughter before things get worse.

Camille Aubert wasn't looking for a new job. She just wanted to return a lost love letter she'd found within the pages of a book. But when she's mistaken for a job candidate and hired as Jack's live-in nanny, something tells her this is exactly where she needs to be.

Shortly after arriving, Camille discovers a strange room in the apartment that sparks her curiosity―and hints at a dark, mysterious side to Jack that she's desperate to uncover. The lines between professional and personal blur dangerously as the heat between them becomes impossible to ignore. She's drawn to the broken man who hides his grief in ropes and bondage, and she challenges him in ways he never thought possible.

Caught between her growing feelings for Jack and the ghosts of his past, Camille must decide: can love heal a heart still grieving, or will their passion destroy them both?

Amazon

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover Art: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

In The Good Girl Effect, Sara Cate introduces a deeply emotional and steamy romance set in Paris. Jack St. Claire, a grieving single father, runs a new kink club while trying to shield himself from his pain. When Camille Aubert turns up — initially just to return a love letter — she’s mistakenly hired as his live-in nanny for his daughter. 

As Camille and Jack grow closer, the story explores grief, trust, and intimacy in a very raw way. Jack’s sorrow for his late wife makes him emotionally distant, and Camille’s curiosity and openness challenge him to reconcile his past. 

 Their relationship is layered with BDSM elements — particularly rope bondage — but Cate doesn’t just play this for heat: it becomes a vehicle for vulnerability and healing. 

That said, some readers feel the emotional threads are underexplored. According to a review, there’s a lot of setup (family drama, business pressures, grief) that doesn’t fully pay off in this book, leaving things feeling a little fragmented. 

 On the flipside, Cate’s fans appreciate the tension and the chemistry, particularly when the more tender, caring side of Jack starts to come through.

Monday, November 10, 2025

My thoughts on Bonds of Hercules: A Dark Romantasy Enemies to Lovers Spicy Romance Novel Inspired by Greek Mythology (Villains of Lore Book 2) By Jasmine Mas

 Bonds of Hercules: A Dark Romantasy Enemies to Lovers Spicy Romance Novel Inspired by Greek Mythology (Villains of Lore Book 2) 

By Jasmine Mas

I'm Hercules, but my powers are not what they seem.

I'm trapped in a marriage with my two enemies and I've accidentally joined a cult. To make matters worse, Augustus and Kharon are trying to seduce me. It doesn't help that my mentors, Achilles and Patro, are acting really strange.

Now, a dangerous prisoner has escaped from the Underworld, and things are spiraling out of control.

Men are fighting over me.

Mysteries are unfolding left and right.

And I’ve had enough.

Everybody better beware because I’m fighting in the Gladiator Competition and seizing my power.

Things are about to get very messy.

For Sparta.

Amazon

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover Art: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bonds of Hercules picks up where Blood of Hercules left off — Alexis (our version of “Hercules”) is deeper in danger than ever. She’s trapped in a marriage with her two enemies, Kharon and Augustus, and on top of that, she’s joined a cult and entered a brutal Gladiator Competition. 

The stakes are higher in this book: someone is killing Olympians, shadowy powers are stirring, and Titans are mutating. 

 Alexis’s journey is more about power now — not just survival, but control, vengeance, and self-discovery. 

One of the strengths here is the emotional complexity of the relationships. The “enemies to lovers” (or maybe “allies by necessity”) romance is darker and more fraught: Kharon and Augustus vie for power, but there’s also genuine loyalty, sacrifice, and moral ambiguity. 

 Alexis has to navigate not just her own growing power, but the secrets and betrayals of those closest to her.

There’s also more world-building: the politics of Olympus, the Chthonic houses, and the growing war between gods and immortals feel more dangerous and layered than before. 

 The gladiator competition is brutal, and the way Alexis uses her powers (which are dangerous in more ways than one) adds both action and intensity.

If you liked Blood of Hercules and are into dark romantasy with Greek-myth reinventions, morally grey alpha characters, and high emotional stakes — this sequel is likely to satisfy. Just be aware: the romance might not be the straightforward “many lovers” setup some expected, and the book leans hard into its darker, more political threads.

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

My thoughts on Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice By Virginia Roberts Giuffre

 Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice

By Virginia Roberts Giuffre

In 2011, Virginia Roberts Giuffre hit the headlines as Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s most outspoken victim: the woman whose decision to speak out helped send both serial abusers to prison and whose photograph with Prince Andrew catalysed his fall from grace.

But first and foremost, she became known as a voice of courage and resilience for women everywhere.

Giuffre’s story demonstrates with extraordinary power that victims are made, not born. And that once you come to truly understand the horrifying impact of abuse, you will never again question why a victim stays, or returns over and over again.

In April 2025, Giuffre took her own life. She left behind a memoir written in the years preceding her death and stated unequivocally that she wanted it published.

This is the powerful story of an ordinary girl who would grow up to confront adversity and trauma of the darkest form, yet found the strength to move forwards, reclaim her voice and shine a light on evil – advocating for others and fighting for a safer, fairer world.

Nobody’s Girl is a remarkable recounting of one woman’s fortitude in the face of depravity and despair, and the legacy she leaves behind.

Amazon

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover Art: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Virginia Roberts Giuffre offers a harrowing, deeply personal account of her life in Nobody’s Girl. From childhood abuse to being trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, Giuffre spares no detail about the mechanisms of power, manipulation, and grooming that trapped her in a cycle of exploitation. 

Yet the memoir is more than a testimony: it’s a declaration of survival and activism. She doesn’t just recount her suffering — she shows how she used her voice in public and in court to demand accountability and to protect others, even at great personal cost. 

 Her writing is resolute, clear-eyed, and enraged — a powerful reminder of the human toll of abuse and the resilience required to fight it. 

This is an essential, difficult read. If you want an insider’s perspective on the Epstein/Maxwell abuse network and the strength it takes to speak out — especially against very powerful people — this memoir is both important and deeply affecting.

Friday, October 10, 2025

My thoughts on The Lost Kings (The Royals of Rake Forge Book 1) By Ashley Munoz

 The Lost Kings (The Royals of Rake Forge Book 1)

By Ashley Munoz


From the creator of the bestselling Stone Riders series comes an all-new romantic suspense described as "John Wick meets The Summer I turned Pretty," with an angsty love triangle between twin brothers.

I was always told people grew roots where they were planted.

But mine developed between the hearts of two brothers.

For as long as I could remember, they were my protectors, living on the opposite end of the manor.

It was when I turned eight that I realized the truth. The twins were never supposed to protect me. It was the other way around and I would grow up to be the one that kept our family safe.

As time went on, they were forced to watch while I was broken and reshaped into the weapon needed to break us free from the cage our family had been forced into.

I always assumed the twins understood.

But when I became old enough to accept my fate, they slapped it away and tried to show me a different choice.

Even with my heart in their hands, I tried to make them see that there was no other path for me to walk.

They left, abandoning the family and destroying those roots that had kept us together.

Without them, we were forced to align with a powerful enemy.

But the twins returned when it was discovered how close I became with our rival.

I assumed it was to reclaim my heart, but it was to declare war.

We stood on opposite sides, but somewhere in the middle was my broken heart, still held between two lost kings.

Amazon

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover Art: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In The Lost Kings, Ashley Muñoz returns to her Rake Forge universe with a gripping, emotionally charged trilogy opener. The story centers on Presley, who was raised with twin brothers — Gio and Kingston — by a family full of secrets, power, and danger. 

 Presley’s childhood was defined by protection and sacrifice; she was molded into a weapon, not a victim, and her bond with the twins is deep, complicated, and rooted in years of shared history. 

The novel weaves between past and present timelines and uses multiple POVs (Presley, Gio, Kingston), giving readers a rich, layered understanding of how their childhood shaped who they are now — and how their secrets threaten to tear them apart. 

 The romance is intense and forbidden: Presley, the twins, and the love triangle between them create constant tension, made even more dangerous by their mafia-family background. 

One of the strongest elements is the found-family feel, paired with real stakes. Presley isn’t just caught in a love triangle — she’s fighting for her identity, her legacy, and her freedom. Meanwhile, Gio and Kingston are fiercely protective, and their loyalty (and rivalry) toward each other and Presley adds emotional weight and complexity. 

 The writing balances gritty danger with tender, heartfelt moments, making the world feel real and the characters’ pain and passion deeply felt.

The Lost Kings is a stellar start to Muñoz’s Royals of Rake Forge series. If you love dark, high-stakes romance — especially with mafia dynamics, twin brothers, and a heroine who’s more than she appears — this book will pull you in and hold you tight.


Sunday, September 21, 2025

My thoughts on Rebel Unicorn: An Urban Fantasy Novel (Rebel of the Otherworld Book 1) by Brogan Thomas

 Rebel Unicorn: An Urban Fantasy Novel (Rebel of the Otherworld Book 1) 

By Brogan Thomas

Set in the same world as the Creatures of the Otherworld series, Rebel Unicorn can be read on its own or as a continuation.

Her heart is broken, and her wrath is boiling over.

Will she atone for her violence or fall to darkness?

Tru Dennison is tired of being treated like a freak. Sick of monstrous villains wreaking havoc and mayhem on her city, the half-unicorn, half-vampire shifter channels her energy into an undercover role as a black-ops assassin.

But when her angel mentor—an infuriatingly attractive man she secretly adores—finds her standing over a pile of bodies, he assumes the worst. Branded a rogue killer and dragged before the Grand Creature Council, Tru must fight to prove her innocence… and survive their judgement.

As trust crumbles and enemies close in, Tru’s fury only grows.

They wanted obedience. Instead, they got rebellion.

Rebel Unicorn is the explosive first book in the Rebel of the Otherworld urban fantasy duology. If you love underestimated heroines, forbidden power, and edge-of-your-seat supernatural suspense, you’ll be gripped by Brogan Thomas’s thrilling adventure.

Amazon

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover Art: ⭐⭐⭐

Rebel Unicorn introduces Tru Dennison, a half-unicorn, half-vampire shapeshifter who works as a black-ops assassin in a ruthless magical society. 

 Her heart is broken, and she’s furious — when she’s found standing over a pile of bodies, her angel mentor assumes she’s gone rogue. 

 Branded a “rogue killer,” Tru is dragged in front of the Grand Creature Council, where she must fight to prove her innocence and reclaim control. 

This is a strong choice for fans of urban fantasy who like morally grey characters, supernatural politics, and action. If you enjoy reading about outcasts fighting for justice, Rebel Unicorn delivers a powerful, emotionally charged start to a duology.


My thoughts on The Alpine Fortress by Rowena Kinread

   The Alpine Fortress  By Rowena Kinread Publication Date: 12th September 2025 Publisher: Goldcrest Books Page Length: 311 Genre: Thriller ...