A Body Washes Ashore by Bradley Pay

A Body Washes Ashore is the heart-racing sequel to The Killings Begin and Death in a Dark Alley that you've been waiting for! Bradley Pay's signature blend of contemporary romance and psychological suspense will sweep you off your feet and into the thick of mortal danger.

Blurb:

Tracey's new group of friends seems perfect. For as long as he could remember he felt lik ean outsider, struggling to make connections, and living as an unknown serial killer certainly didn't help. Now he has discovered a circle of friends that begins to fill his need for close relationships. He's one step closer to living a "normal" life despite the cold-case investigators on his tail.

Remy Marin, one of Tracey's new friends, also bears scars on her damaged heart. She has vowed to only sleep with married men to protect herself from heartbreak. However, the stakes rise when she breaks her biggest rule and takes things too far. Now, she must deal with the consequences of her affair, whatever the cost.

My Thoughts:

A continuation of the Spectrum Series and a wonderful adventure. I love all the original characters.

Beginning with Jane’s dissertation proposal, I love the exploration of cheating and the potential of collateral damage as a theme throughout the book. Are the characters good or bad? Or are they just experiencing the collateral effects of the people and relationships around them?

As with the previous books, the settings are rich with the beauty and details of the various locations. The scents, flavors and scenery are visceral! Midway through my reading, I joined a friend for dinner who had just returned from a river cruise. As she described her travels, I realized that I was currently reading about the same route, and I longed to join the adventure.

And the ending!! I cannot wait for the next book in the series! The authors have done it again. I highly recommend this book!

Contirbuting Reviewer:

My name is Lissa I am a wife, mom aspiring author and new Florida transplant who loves all things books and coffee! Self proclaimed nerd who refuses to stop believing in Fairytales! If you want to follow along on my book review journey you can follow me on Instagram at @reviewsonwheels.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book free for review.  This however does not affect my opinions, as I do not leave a review for each book I receive. There are links to Amazon, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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Death in a Dark Alley by Bradley Pay

 

Synopsis:

Tracey Lauch may be a murderer, but he is still a man. Although his childhood abandonment trauma began decades ago, now his compulsion to strangle women who resemble his mother has begun to evolve. Outrunning his past, embracing love in the present, and creating a future free of investigation proves increasingly complicated.

Isabelle’s life in Brazil is burdened with mistakes and abandonment, too – but not in the same way. She falls in love with all the wrong men at all the wrong times, and her best friend Frank shows his true colors when, over and over again, he is not there for her when she needs him most. Aside from the stark difference that Isabelle is not a murderer, she and Tracey both desire love, a life partner, and the warmth of a family. 

But what does Isabelle’s story have to do with Tracey? How can an innocent trip to Strasbourg, France, become a heart-stopping event that changes their lives forever?

Trigger Warnings: violence, sexual content

Thoughts:

This is book two in the Spectrum Series, book one being The Killings Begin. In this book, we are taken through the past history of some of the characters we met in book one. We find out how Lydia and Mari met. We meet Frank and learn about his history, his troubled past, his relationships. We meet Isabella and how she had a friendship with Frank. We also find out the struggles of Isabella and what she does to survive when she strikes off on her own. Frank takes Isabella on a trip to meet his Uncle Victor; Isabella and Victor have their own story. And we meet a whole host of other characters.

 We get just a bit more of the relationship between Tracey Lauch and Charlotte, and some of their travel adventures. Tracey is a wildly captivating man, but he has a darkness to him. Personally, I want more of Tracey’s story, what makes him tick, the reason he does what he does, the meaning behind his triggers. What makes Charlotte so special to Tracey?

I absolutely enjoyed this book. It was filled with drama, romance and intrigue. It is amazing how these books in the Spectrum series can stand on their own. Can't wait for the next one.

Death in a Dark Alley is Book Two in Bradley Pay's Spectrum Series and is available on Amazon and Bookshop.

Contirbuting Reviewer:

My name is Lissa I am a wife, mom aspiring author and new Florida transplant who loves all things books and coffee! Self proclaimed nerd who refuses to stop believing in Fairytales! If you want to follow along on my book review journey you can follow me on Instagram at @reviewsonwheels.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book free for review.  This however does not affect my opinions, as I do not leave a review for each book I receive. There are links to Amazon, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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The Killings Begin by Bradley Pay

  Please enjoy this debut contributor post by Lissa, and be sure to check out their instagram page  to follow this amazing aspiring author and reviewer!

Immerse yourself in a complex romance and suspenseful serial-killer psychology that break all expectations. The Spectrum Series is one of the most creative takes on storytelling in the last century, weaving toegether innovative plots and completely unforgettable characters!

Blurb:

When Gia escapes her arranged marriage, she enteres into a contract with three complicated men in Madrid. She'll pretend to be their "no strings" wife, whether they want to display her in public or lead her to the bedroom. They are bound to secrecy, and no one is allowed to fall in love.

Tracey is destine to tear Gia's life to shreds. As he tries to cope with his abandonment trauma, he loses control. Now a serieal killer, he flees to Europe, hoping a change of venue will quell his murderous desires. Can he heal his past, or will his anger and pain enslave him forever?

Thoughts:

The Killings Begin is a dual plotline novel. One plotline follows Gia as she flees an arranged marriage and enters into an unconventional relationship with three men in Madrid, Spain. The other follows Tracey, a respected judge in Raleigh, as he struggles to keep his serial killer lifestyle separate from his “normal” lifestyle. Gia and Tracey’s worlds collide when they meet on a Spectrum cruise. What happens on that cruise will forever shape Gia and Tracey’s life.

I liked Gia. She had a great outlook on life, and she cherished her friendships. My only issue is that she didn’t end her contract with Sal sooner. I understood why she didn’t do it (loving an addict is hard), but in the end, she was forced to. I also loved how supportive she was of her friends. Overall, she was a lovely person. 

I thought Tracey was a fascinating character and wished the authors dedicated more book time to him. I was fascinated by how he turned into a serial killer and his reasons. That scene with his mother explained everything. He was remorseful and horrified at what he was doing, and escaping to Europe was supposed to be a reset for him. I knew that it wouldn’t be and was eager to see when he would get triggered into killing. What I wasn’t expecting was who it was.

The thriller angle of the book was well written. The authors did a good job keeping me guessing at what was going to happen next with both Gia and Tracey.

The Killings Begin is available on Amazon and Book Shop.

Contirbuting Reviewer:

My name is Lissa I am a wife, mom aspiring author and new Florida transplant who loves all things books and coffee! Self proclaimed nerd who refuses to stop believing in Fairytales! If you want to follow along on my book review journey you can follow me on Instagram at @reviewsonwheels.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book free for review.  This however does not affect my opinions, as I do not leave a review for each book I receive. There are links to Amazon, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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The Curse of the Fallen by H.C. Newell

 An exciting immersive series to take you somewhere else for a bit.

Blurb:

This Child is not the chosen one. She is a demon to be destroyed.

Born of magic, Nerana is labeled a demon and forced into hiding by the Order of Saro. Living with a curse that binds her to their leader, Nerana seeks to free herself from their hold and soon learns that the path to redemption may prove more fatal than the Order itself.

But for Nerana, this is more than a quest for survival... It’s a promise of revenge.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Trigger warnings: Violence, Gore, Animated dead, 

parental death, torture, attempted suicide, cliffhanger

Thoughts:

H.C. Newell wastes no time getting right into the thick of it with this series, and she's not afraid to toy with your emotions. Nerena, or Neer as she is called in this book has spent her life hiding from the Order. Every magic user to this order is evil, and must be extinguished. Every child born is tested for magic, and when they are found to have it, they are immediately executed. Neer escapes this fate as a child, but it came with a heavy cost.  The Order has branded her, and cursed her.

Neer's closest friend is Loryk, and I firmly believe everyone needs a Loryk in their life. They found eachother at a low point in their lives, and vowed to stick together to the end. Loryk is a bard, who wins the affection of the ladies in their travels when he sings at taverns, but none of them can shake the devotion he has to his closest friend Neer. Together they meet two elves (Elvae), one named Klaud, the other Avelloch. 

Klaud and Avelloch have their own story which isn't laid out clearly in this book, but they join Neer and Loryk in seeking the location of the trials.  They hope to save Avelloch's sister, one of the first bloods, claiming all is lost with out her, but we don't really learn what or why. I'm feeling like this might be explored more deeply in book 2.

We have lots of character development, and I really enjoyed seeing Neer grow into her own.  She is a formidable sorceress, with a deeply vulnerable side.  There's a bit of a enemies to lovers romance, but no spice here...we fade to black.

If you're looking for a fast paced dark fantasy book, with a side of enemies to lovers romance be sure to grab this book.   This world is so in depth, there's a beautiful map at the beginning, and a glossary and footnotes in the back. Beware, it does end on a cliffhanger, but happily book two is available too!

Curse of the Fallen is available at Bookshop and Amazon and is available on Kindle Unlimited!

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Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of this book free for review.  This however does not affect my opinions, as I do not leave a review for each book I receive. There are links to Amazon, clicking these links won't cost you anything but any purchase helps support this blog.  Thanks!

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