Review: Wok Walk by Melissa Bowersock

 

Genre: Mystery/Paranormal

Description:

“The Dancing Wok is a highly successful family-owned restaurant in LA’s Chinatown, but it has a problem: it’s haunted. The recently deceased owner is making his unrest known by moving things around at night and leaving them in places they don’t belong, throwing the restaurant into chaos every morning. Sam and Lacey are called in to connect with the unhappy spirit and find out why he’s still on the earth plane and causing problems for the surviving members of his family. Oh, and while they’re at it, it would also be nice if they could find out who murdered him.”

Author:

“Melissa Bowersock is an eclectic, award-winning author who writes in a variety of fiction and non-fiction genres: paranormal, biography, western, action, romance, fantasy, spiritual, and satire.”

For more visit Ms.Bowersock’s website and follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

As the 50th book in this series, those of you who already discovered the series and read more than a couple of the prior books have a rough idea of what you’ll find. Thnstallment should meet those expectations. The main characters, Lacey Fitzpatrick and Sam Firecloud, are a married couple. Sam, is a native and has the ability to communicate to the spirits of people who have passed on, but for some reason are unable to leave this world and go on to their next life. Lacey is a detective and assists Sam in putting together the clues he gleans from the departed in order to help them resolve whatever is preventing them taking their next steps.

The installment fits the big picture of the series, but if you’ve read lots of them and think you can guess where things are headed, I’ve never been able to do that before and this one throws a twist that I didn’t see coming as the issue at hand turned out to be a bit different than Sam, Lacey, and the readers would expect. As always, a fun, engaging, and enjoyable read. I’m already eager to start reading #51.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 20-25,000 words

Review: A Ravishing Abomination by Dutch Broadstreet

 

Genre: Suspense

Description:

“I didn't intend to kill a televangelist. But once I met his wife, the rest felt inevitable.

Jordan Bramble makes a living spotting weaknesses and exploiting them for profit. He applies pressure. He gets paid.

When he meets Seraphine Hale—the dangerously beautiful wife of a rising Christian celebrity—he thinks he’s found his next sexual conquest. Instead, he finds a ruthless partner in crime.

Together they hatch a deadly plan that will turn a digital megachurch into the biggest religious phenomenon in America. All it takes is a little seduction, a carefully staged tragedy, and a nation desperate to believe.

But when the cameras turn on and the donations start pouring in, Bramble realizes something unsettling: Seraphine may be even more ruthless than he is.

A Ravishing Abomination is a fast, vicious pulp novella about sex, faith, media manipulation, and the kind of ambition that leaves bodies behind.

In every great con, someone eventually becomes expendable.”

Author:

“Dutch Broadstreet writes dark pulp about crime, ambition, and the people who turn catastrophe into opportunity.

He lives in his own private Sodom, somewhere in Upstate New York.”

Appraisal:

This is an interesting and very unique read. When a story involves two or more parties, all plotting against another one, but none of those involved are very good people, just evil in a different way, who do you root for? I went for the party I’d view as the lesser of the evils. How things actually shake out kept me engaged and wondering how it would end. (The answer is … well, I can’t tell you. That would be a spoiler.) But this is a quick read, so it won’t take you long to find out if you decide to give it a read yourself.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small amount of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an advance reviewer copy, so I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words

Review: Show Yourself by Shane Pollard

 Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Description:

“Walking home on a summer evening, Tristan's eleven-year-old goddaughter runs ahead to hide and scare the group. A warm breeze filters through the city streets. She turns down an alley and tucks behind an old dumpster unaware of the stranger. Tristan's best friend, James, jogs ahead of the group to catch his daughter at her own game.

James reaches the alley and turns the corner. The stranger draws a knife. In the seconds it takes for James to collapse, the worlds of those closest to him change forever.

Tristan becomes Jenavieve's guardian. He makes her breakfast, argues with the PTA, and teaches her to cook. He also learns to disappear into crowds, lines the trunk of his car with plastic, and quietly begins hunting a killer that no one has been able to find.

Sharp, warm, and darkly funny, Show Yourself builds to a conclusion that will make you hold your breath. Shane Pollard's debut asks not just who did it, but what you would be willing to become to make it right.

This is not a revenge story. It's a story about what it means to be alive.”

Author:

“Shane Pollard decided at a very young age that he was going to work for NASA. But when an accident in his teens forced him to take time off from school to recover, his plans changed. He instead took the incredibly straightforward path of chasing his own curiosity half-way around the world, and back, a few times. Throughout his travels, Shane taught sailing, English, illustration, and critical thinking. He sold his photography and paintings, and pushed pixels and words as a graphic designer and copy writer. He mixed drinks professionally, spent a few years underwater as a commercial Divemaster, did technical shenanigans for an electric boat company, became an engineer for a 3D printing company, and wrote a novel that he is currently trying to convince people to read.”

Appraisal:

This story gives the reader lots to think about, wondering how you’d react if you found yourself in a comparable situation to what the protagonist of this story, Tristan, did. There are multiple threads that explore different aspects of what Tristan and his goddaughter Jenavieve go through after the murder of Jenavieve's father James, and Tristan subsequently becoming her guardian. Not to mention wondering who murdered James, whether others are in danger with him uncaught, and who he might be. The police don’t seem to be getting anywhere, maybe James can figure it out. But if he does, then what? It all makes for an intense story that I couldn’t put down.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words

Reprise Review: Prancing Around With Sleeping Beauty by Stacy Juba

 

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Young Adult/Chick Lit

Description:

“Dance instructor Rory Callahan likes to play it safe. When she meets Kyle, he’s impulsive, persistent, and her exact opposite. He’s pushing her to tango way past her comfort zone and keeping Rory on her toes more than twenty years of dance teachers ever had.

Unfortunately, he’s the grandson of her family’s archrival and she doesn’t want to disappoint them. After all, her parents imagine her as a proper princess - hence her namesake Aurora, AKA Sleeping Beauty. Complicating matters, Rory’s also dealing with a surgeon boyfriend who’s perfect for her (sort of), an obnoxious boss, and desperate dance moms. Kyle wants to change her whole life, but Rory doesn’t like the stakes. After all, princesses are the ones who get the happy endings. . .aren’t they?”

Author:

“Stacy Juba loves to write about Characters at a Crossroads: individuals who are finding themselves and getting on the right life path after overcoming obstacles. Her goals are to entertain readers of all ages as well as inspire them through her mystery, romance, and contemporary fiction books for adults, teens, and children. She has written about ice hockey, sibling rivalry, and sportsmanship, teen psychics, U.S. flag etiquette for kids, and determined women sleuths solving mysteries.”

Find out more about Ms. Juba on her website or follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

Aurora Callahan, nicknamed Rory, is floating through her life. She’s dating a doctor in residency. Their relationship is comfortable but going nowhere. When Rory trips into Kyle’s life they both enjoy a lively banter. Which entices Rory and Kyle alike.

Rory’s brother, Dylan is general manager for the family-owned Storybook Valley Amusement Park, who we met in book one. Wants to start a princess program for young girls that will incorporate dance, crafts, and games. He wants Rory to teach it. Grandmother is quick to offer her services for etiquette lessons as well. Rory agrees to start the program but can’t see how she can continue to work the program while she is teaching ballet and running interference between competitive dance students, their mothers, and other dance teachers who are tired of dealing with their overly competitive boss. It’s beginning to be a full-time job for Rory to smooth things over for everyone involved. Things are working to a boiling point.

I really enjoyed the way this story was told. I kept waiting for Rory to end up in a coma like her namesake Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. That would have devastated me, because I grew to love all the characters. That’s not to say I didn’t want to slap Rory a few times or perhaps just shake her and yell, ‘WAKE UP’. It was fun watching her learn to stand up for herself and go after her dream job and dream guy with or without her family’s approval. It was also nice to learn more about Rory’s family’s past. What a quirky family with grandmother all prim and proper, and grandfather with his feud that stems from a high school classmate and his garden gnomes. This is a quick easy, enjoyable read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Prancing Around With Sleeping Beauty is book 2 in Ms. Juba’s Storybook Valley Series. These novels can be read in any order. The series starts with Fooling Around With Cinderella.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no issues with proofing or formatting.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Review: Winning Without a Lawyer: How I Fought My Unfair Dismissal for Six Years — and Won by Ryan Lee

 

Genre: Memoir

Description:

“What really happens when you take on a system — without a lawyer?

Fired by text message.

No warning. No explanation. No way back.

At 46, Ryan Lee watched his career end in a single moment. No severance. No support. No legal representation.

Most people don’t fight the system.

They don’t know how.

Or they can’t afford to.

He had neither option.

What followed was a six-year battle across three courts—facing a system few individuals truly understand, and even fewer dare to challenge alone.

No legal training.

No deep pockets.

Just relentless persistence—and a refusal to let the official record stand.”

Author:

“A former sales professional, he now writes about resilience, justice, and the power of refusing to quit.”

For more, follow him on Facebook.

Appraisal:

I frequently joke that I’m not an attorney, but I sometimes play one on the internet. Ryan Lee, the author of this book, did the equivalent of responding to that with “hold my beer,” acting as his own attorney after being fired from his job in what I’ll describe as a very non-professional way that I don’t think any normal person would see as a reasonable approach, even if the firing was justifiable which in this case it doesn’t appear to be. How Ryan fought back is an interesting read, at least for an internet lawyer like myself. His disclaimer makes it clear that while he tried his best to cover the story fully, that it is based largely on memory and he might have missed something in his version here. (Yeah, disclaimers are good in this situation.) He also avoids getting too deep into the weeds where only an actual attorney or someone doing their best to be their own would understand the fine points, instead talking about things from a higher level that an average person can follow while still getting a sense of what this battle was like for him. If you’re interested in this kind of thing like I am and find yourself playing attorney on the internet, odds are reasonable that you’ll enjoy this story.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 15-20,000 words

Review: Prettier When Still by O.J. Lovaz

 Genre: Psychological Thriller

Description:

“When psychiatrist Emma Tyler learns that a former patient has died from suicide, unease settles in fast. The woman had been frightened. Guarded. And in their final sessions, she shared secrets that still haunt Emma.

Unable to quell her concern, Emma is drawn back into the life her patient left behind. A volatile marriage. A history riddled with lies. And a growing sense that her curiosity has not gone unnoticed. When a chance encounter brings an unexpected ally into her life, Emma clings to the feeling of safety he offers, even as her instincts warn her otherwise.

Because someone is paying attention.

As Emma digs deeper, the threat around her sharpens, closing in on her and her young daughter. The closer she comes to the truth, the more she is forced to confront a chilling possibility. The danger she fears may not be waiting in the shadows. It may already be inside her life.”

Author:

“O.J. Lovaz writes psychological thrillers that explore guilt, obsession, and the darker corners of human behavior. He is the author of Silent Pretty Things and Prettier When Still. With a background in psychology, Lovaz draws on a deep fascination with the human psyche to create stories that linger long after the final page.

He lives in Minneapolis with his wife and daughter.”

Appraisal:

The protagonist of this story, Emma Tyler, a psychiatrist, is a character I liked and trusted. The official stance, that seems to fit the facts, that her patient committed suicide, doesn’t feel right to her. The patient had issues she was working through, but wasn’t suicidal in Emma’s professional opinion. So what really happened? Emma starts digging and things get interesting. Some people seem to be trying to cover the truth. Others come out of the woodwork to help Emma. Then she gets an inside scoop on what was going on in her dead patient’s life that she wasn’t aware of that complicates matters even more. Is anything she thought was true actually reality? Or maybe only some of it. It all makes for a tense, engaging story that I didn’t want to put down and kept me guessing what was going on to the very end.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words

Review: Trail Creek by Daniel G. Block

 

Genre: Memoir

Description:

“In 1946, fresh from the battlefields of World War II, a 26-year-old Dan Block, fancying himself a knight in shining armor, sets off for the wilds of northwest Montana with his young bride, a truck full of mink cages, and a dream carved from the bones of wilderness.

What follows is a breathtaking and heartfelt chronicle of life on the last American frontier: a place where snow falls six feet deep, bears roam the woods, and where only the night sky is crowded. Through freezing temperatures, dangerous animal encounters, wild neighbors, and trout-filled streams, Dan and GeRayne carve a life from scratch outside the boundaries of Glacier National Park near Trail Creek - fifty miles from town and a thousand miles from comfort.

Told with wit, wisdom, and an unflinching eye for detail, Trail Creek is more than a survival memoir - it's a love story, a coming-of-age tale, and a tribute to the forgotten art of making do, holding fast, and finding joy in the hardest places.”

Author:

“A gifted writer, educator and natural storyteller, Dan later became a professor sharing his passion for biology, literature, wilderness conservation and self-reliance with generations of students. Trail Creek: A North Fork Saga is his vivid memoir of those early, hard, unforgettable years - a tribute to adventure, his marriage, a one-of-a-kind life and the last true frontier.”

Appraisal:

One of the things I like most about memoirs and biographical books is comparing the life of the person in the story to that of myself, my family, and my friends. Daniel Block, the author whose experiences moving from a midwestern city to a homestead in an extremely rural and rugged area of Montana well before I was even born is definitely not something I experienced, but I found myself comparing his life to my father’s, a rural western farm boy who eventually became a forester, as Dan Block eventually also does. While I’ve never lived in an area as rural as Block’s homestead, I’ve definitely spent time in and experienced to a small degree what those areas are like, even if a whole lot later in the world’s timeline, but I found I could both relate at times to his experience and enjoyed getting new perspectives and a glimpse of someone else’s experiences that were different from the people I know. Definitely an enjoyable and enlightening read. Adding to it are a few sections with pictures of the people who play the biggest part in the story from the same time frame being chronicled, making picturing them that much easier.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an advance reader copy, so I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 115-120,000 words

Review: Painting Over Cracks by Lee Bukowski

 

Genre: Crime Fiction/Suspense/Thriller/Women’s Fiction

Description:

“Beth Collins lives her life shadowed by a secret, one she believes she can outrun by building a perfect family of her own with her attorney husband, Danny. And for a while, it seems she has—until a freak car accident kills Danny and shatters her world in an instant.

Desperate for a fresh start, Beth quits her job as a mortgage broker and buys a café. As she settles into the rhythm of her new life, she finds unexpected friendships, a sense of purpose, and eventually, even the spark of a new romance.

But when mysterious details about the crash emerge, leading to shocking secrets about her husband, Beth sets off on a search for answers. Every revelation pulls her deeper into a world she could not have imagined and forces her to confront the unthinkable—she’s mourning a man who never existed. When the illusion she’s relied on collapses, Beth must decide what future she wants and who the woman is she’s ready to become.”

Author:

“Lee Bukowski lives in Reading, Pennsylvania. When she’s not writing, she loves reading, traveling, and trying cocktails with creative names. She’s also a self-proclaimed Billy Joel superfan with a live concert count of fifty shows. She is the award-winning fiction author of A Week of Warm Weather, her debut, and Painting Over Cracks.”

Appraisal:

I loved this book. Beth, the protagonist has had her life disrupted in extremely disturbing ways, starting with the car accident that kills her husband and fetus that she hadn’t even told her husband about yet. As she struggles to get her life back on a path that feels right to her, she keeps running into things she couldn’t have anticipated and has to figure out the situation and how to deal with it. You’ve got a few mysteries and a whole lot of suspense through all of these threads, but are pulling for Beth all the way as you wonder what life’s going to throw at her next.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small amount of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

Although the review is based on an advance reviewer version I spotted no issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words

Reprise Review: Mr. Pish Goes to the Farm by K. S. Brooks (Author, Photographer), and Mr. Pish

 

Genre: Children’s Picture Book/Educational

Description:

“The adventurous traveling terrier, Mr. Pish, takes us on a personally guided tour to show us what goes on at a farm. From playing with a cute lamb to driving a big swathing machine, Mr. Pish explores it all in Mr. Pish Goes to the Farm. In this sixth book in the Mr. Pish Educational Series, full color photographs and engaging text provide us with entertaining insight to teach us where our food comes from! Best viewed on a full color device.”

Author:

K.S. Brooks has written numerous books in multiple genres including romantic suspense, satire, and educationally oriented children’s books. She is administrator of Indies Unlimited (a multi-author blog “celebrating independent authors”), where you can often catch her pontificating on matters of interest to both readers and authors. For more, visit Ms. Brooks’ website, as well as Mr. Pish’s website.

Appraisal:

Who would have thought a trip to the farm could be so entertaining and informative? Mr. Pish explains about the many different types of farms there are. He even included greenhouses growing different types of flowers and vegetables. His engaging dialogue will keep kids interested as Pish shows different animals and farming implements from various eras. Mr. Pish’s enthusiasm springs off the page and into children’s imagination.

This is a fun read to share with your little ones and older children. Mr. Pish Goes to the Farm would be an excellent addition to any home or school library.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Mr. Pish Goes to the Farm is book 6 in the Mr. Pish Educational Series and is best read on a colored e-reader or tablet.

Format/Typo Issues:

No issues with proofing or formatting

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 26 Pages

Review: Revenge on Ice by Linda LeBlanc

 Genre: Police Procedural/Mystery

Description:

“A frozen corpse. A mystery investigation explodes into an adventure thriller where Detectives Sara and Ryker must survive the most dangerous pursuit of their lives in a race against time.

They’re a razor-sharp duo--equal parts wit, grit, and heart—forced to confront how far they’ll go for justice, each other, and survival.

As they uncover a trail of revenge, every clue leads deeper into a web of lies tied to a tragic Everest expedition led by the victim. Each team member carries a secret and has a motive for murder: a beguiling woman with a jealous husband, a violin maker who lost three fingers, an offbeat sculptor with a temper, a man who fled within hours of the crime. A rival climber benefits from the victim’s death.

Every discovery exacts a price. And as the countdown tightens, so does the line between hunter and hunted.”

Author:

An avid world traveler, Linda LeBlanc had visited 74 countries as of 2025. Born in Denver, Colorado she explored the Rocky Mountains and later expanded her explorations to other parts of the world including the Himalayas. She’s written a few other books. This is the second one in the Sara/Ryker Mystery series.

Appraisal:

A frozen body discovered in the freezer at a meat packing plant isn’t quite the same old thing to kick off the day for Sara and Ryker, a team of detectives for the police department. Figuring out how this happened, who was responsible, and hopefully bringing them to justice takes this detective team (with the reader tagging along, of course) down some unexpected roads, both figurative and literal roads. Uncovering the why and who is difficult and takes some strange turns in their path to figuring things out. But it also involves some trips to places many of us (okay, most of us) have never been and I suspect most haven’t even read or otherwise been exposed to what things are like in such places as the area around Mt Everest. If you have no clue what is involved in getting acclimated to the increased elevation near the top of the world’s tallest mountains, you’ll find that kind of thing out along the way with Sara and Ryker.

The author’s unique travel and adventure experiences as detailed in her biography are put to good use, adding to the uniqueness of this story.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

While the second book in a series featuring Sara and Ryker, this book stands alone.

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of proofing misses.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words