"Brothers Forever: The Enduring Bond between a Marine and a Navy SEAL that Transcended Their Ultimate Sacrifice"--by award-winning journalist Tom Sileo and former Marine colonel Tom Manion--the personal story of how two Naval Academy roommates defined a generation’s sacrifice after 9/11

  

Brothers Forever: The Enduring Bond between a Marine and a Navy SEAL that Transcended Their Ultimate Sacrifice

Four weeks after Navy SEALs had killed Osama bin Laden, the President of the United States stood in Arlington National Cemetery. In his Memorial Day address, he extolled the courage and sacrifice of the two young men buried side by side in the graves before him: Travis Manion, a fallen US Marine, and Brendan Looney, a fallen US Navy SEAL. Although they were killed three years apart, one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, these two best friends and former roommates were now buried together—“brothers forever.”

Award-winning journalist Tom Sileo and Travis’s father, former Marine colonel Tom Manion, tell the intimate and personal story of how these Naval Academy roommates defined a generation’s sacrifice after 9/11, and how Travis and Brendan’s loved ones overcame heartbreak to carry on in their memory. From Travis’s incredible heroism on the streets of Fallujah to Brendan’s anguished Navy SEAL training in the wake of his friend’s death and his own heroism in the mountains of Afghanistan, Brothers Forever is a remarkable story of friendship, family, and war.

Reviews

 

"Brothers Forever is the story of two warrior brothers-in-arms who are bonded forever by their love of country, their shared need to serve, their selflessness, their courage, and war. This is the story of a deep and lasting friendship that lives on in the hearts of all who knew and loved them. A deeply moving, true-to-life tale of two men, two brothers, two American heroes, who now rest with the angels, side by side at Arlington cemetery. God bless them both."—Gary Sinise, award-winning actor and founder of the veterans-supporting Gary Sinise Foundation

"Brothers Forever is—literally—a staggering book. It drives home the price of a decade of war through the stories of a Marine and a SEAL whose memory will live forever."—Nathaniel Fick, author of One Bullet Away

"Brothers Forever is more than the shared story of two American heroes, it encapsulates the pride, adrenaline, ethos, and anguish of the entire military community. The best way for our country to honor the sacrifices made by our fallen and their families is to never forget them. We can begin by reading this incredible book."—Siobhan Fallon, author of You Know When the Men Are Gone

"First Lieutenant Travis Manion and Lieutenant Brendan Looney are true American heroes. Both were killed in action while I was Secretary of Defense, and I attended Brendan's funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. I was told there of Travis being re-interred next to him so that these best friends and Naval Academy roommates might spend eternity together—a bond unbroken by death. Their story is one of extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and love. It is a story of the price of freedom. All Americans should read it and understand the unimaginable debt we owe to such men, the best America has to offer."—Robert M. Gates, Secretary of Defense under Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush

"Brothers Forever by Tom Sileo and Col. Tom Manion provides an intimate portrait of two patriots who are compelling examples of a generation of young Americans who have sacrificed in the defense of our freedoms following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001."—Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense under Presidents George W. Bush and Gerald Ford

“This moving story is told well…and it succeeds as a testament to the courage and dedication of two young men who are now buried next to each other at Arlington National Cemetery.”--Publishers Weekly

“Inspirational narrative…Enthusiasts of military heroics should enjoy this grueling account of valor.”--Kirkus

“Their bond binds this heartfelt and loving tribute…The school years, service and sacrifice of two young men instill awe, inspire humility and introduce tears.”--Military Times (Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force Times)

“[A] heartfelt and devastating story…A powerful read…Capture[s] the pain of the family when the two soldiers lose their lives for their country…The book is a stark reminder of what the last 13 years of fighting these two wars have been about. It's also a look at how proud are enlisted members are to serve us all.”--Blogcritics.org

“This is a tale of two lives, and more than two lives. It is a heart-touching story, and more than a little troubling.”--Roanoke Times

“I particularly recommend the just published book, Brothers Forever. [It's] a gripping account of friendship, war, sacrifice, and valor.”--Weekly Standard

"If you want to understand the warrior spirit of an American generation, please read this powerful and unforgettable book. . . . Brothers Forever is, at heart, a testament of what it means to live a good life."—Eric Greitens, Navy SEAL and New York Times bestselling author of The Heart and the Fist

"For those who might question America's character, this account of two remarkable young men will restore confidence. So long as our country breeds committed warriors like Travis Manion and Brendan Looney, we will pass down our freedoms intact to the next generation. Their story is the stuff of legends, yet for them it was very real."—General James Mattis, USMC (Ret.), former commander of US Central Command

"Brothers Forever is an incredible story of brotherhood and heroism that every true American patriot should read. Brendan and Travis represent the very best of a generation that answered the call after 9/11. Their story captures the heart, inspires a whole new generation to serve, and stands as a testament to the unbreakable bond formed among US Armed Forces as they fight alongside each other and lay down their lives."—Lieutenant Commander Leif Babin, US Navy SEAL and Silver Star Recipient; Instructor and Teammate of Lieutenant Brendan Looney

Tom Sileo

 

Tom Sileo is co-author of Three Wise Men: A Navy SEAL, a Green Beret and How Their Marine Brother Became a War's Sole Survivor, 8 Seconds of Courage: A Soldier's Story from Immigrant to the Medal of Honor and Fire in My Eyes: An American Warrior's Journey from Being Blinded on the Battlefield to Gold Medal Victory. He lives in Florida.

http://amzn.to/2egYyYS 

 

 

Tom Manion

 

 

Tom Manion is the father of First Lieutenant Travis Manion. He started his career in the Marine Corps, retiring after thirty years at the rank of colonel. He is chairman emeritus at the Travis Manion Foundation and lives in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

https://www.travismanion.org/about-us/tmf-staff-and-board/board-of-directors/col-tom-manion-usmc-ret/

"HEIRESS IN RED SILK" and "HEIRESS FOR HIRE"--"Duke's Heiress Series"--from New York Times bestselling author Madeline Hunter--in this intriguing historical romance series, a duke's mysterious bequest brings fortune—and passion—to three young women...

   

Heiress In Red Silk

A sparkling new love story from a historical romance legend, perfect for Bridgerton fans and readers of Sabrina Jeffries, Eloisa James, and Grace Burrowes.

In one life-changing windfall, Rosamund Jameson goes from struggling shopkeeper to heiress—and co-owner of a new business. Not only will her sudden fortune allow her to move her millinery shop to fashionable London, but Rosamund will be able to provide her younger sister with a proper entry into society. The only hitch for resourceful Rosamund is her arrogant, infuriatingly handsome business partner...

Kevin Radnor is shocked that his late uncle, the Duke of Hollinburgh, bequeathed half his company to a total stranger—worse, a beguiling beauty who can only hinder his enterprise. But Rosamund insists on an active, equal partnership, so Kevin embarks on a plan: a seduction that will lead to a marriage of convenience, giving Rosamund the social status she needs, and guaranteeing him the silent partner he desires. Yet as this charismatic gentleman sets his flirtation in motion, he begins to wonder who is seducing whom—and if he can learn to share himself body and mind, without losing his heart . . .

“Stellar…vibrant and witty writing.” – Booklist
 
“Another smart pairing and a genuinely romantic ending.”— Publishers Weekly

 

Heiress for Hire

Minerva Hepplewhite has learned the hard way how to take care of herself. When an intruder breaks into her home, she doesn't swoon or simper. Instead, she wallops the rogue over the head and ties him up—only to realize he is Chase Radnor, the man who nearly got her convicted of her late husband's murder. Now, he's insisting that Minerva has inherited a fortune from his uncle, a wealthy Duke. Only one thing could surprise her more: her sudden attraction to this exasperating man...

Chase can't decide whether Minerva is a wronged woman or a femme fatale. Either way, he's intrigued. Since the scandal surrounding her husband's death, she has set up a discreet detective business to rival Chase's own. She may be the perfect person to help him uncover the truth about his uncle's demise. But as proximity gives way to mutual seduction, Chase realizes he craves a much deeper alliance...

MY REVIEW:  Acclaimed historical romance author Madeline Hunter begins her "A Duke's Heiress Series" with "Heiress for Hire", which features a smart, resourceful heroine who is as brave as she is beautiful. Minerva Hepplewhite left behind an unhappy past and created a new life and a new identify. Starting her own investigative agency with the help of two friends, she has an aptitude for discovering the secrets of others while hiding secrets of her own. An intruder into her home turns out not to be a thief, but another private investigator on a mission of personal importance. Chase Radnor, nephew of the eccentric and recently deceased Duke of Hollinburgh, has been tasked with finding three unexpected, previously unknown heirs to the Duke's estate. His attempt to uncover information about Minerva while snooping about her home is thwarted by a blow to his head and an inquiry by Minerva herself. Chase and Minerva have their suspicions about each other--she doesn't know why the Duke named her in his will, and Chase is not sure of her real identity. However, as the two of them continue to cross paths. their initial spark of mutual awareness flames into something deeper and hotter. There is more than one mystery to be solved, and Chase and Minerva are equally matched at deduction--can these two inquiring minds solve the puzzles which just might keep them apart? When truths are revealed, will there be hope for a bright and happy future for all? "Heiress for Hire" is an intelligent, intriguing sparks-fly historical romance, and I look forward to the upcoming books in the series.

Book Copy Gratis Kensington Books via BookishFirst


Praise for Heiress for Hire:

“At the heart of this smart, satisfying Regency romance—the first in a new trilogy from Hunter (Never Deny a Duke)—is the mystery of why a duke would bequeath a fortune to a woman he’d never met. Chase Radnor, gentleman investigator and nephew to the late duke, is instantly suspicious upon meeting newly minted heiress Minerva Hepplewhite. His eccentric uncle’s fall from a parapet looks like murder, and Minerva gained a great deal from his death. The self-reliant young widow also has a dark, secretive past that makes her a perfect suspect. To clear her name, Minerva begins her own investigation into the duke’s death, launching Hepplewhite’s Office of Discreet Inquiries, and she and Chase form an uneasy alliance as they first compete for, then begin to share, clues. Hunter gives the well-matched pair plenty of ground to cover with a wide cast of memorable suspects, and their clever detective work is a consistent pleasure. The plot moves apace, but Chase and Minerva’s relationship is treated patiently, with their attraction simmering alongside mutual respect, and their eventual love scenes are sensitively rendered. Romance readers craving substantive mystery and intelligent leads will savor this pitch-perfect love story.”—Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW

“An unexpected heiress finds love with the nephew of her benefactor as they both investigate the death that brought them together… Their banter is sharp and exciting.”—Kirkus Reviews

Praise for the previous works of Madeline Hunter
 
“Fueled by an abundance of subtle wit and potent sensuality . . . an exquisitely crafted love story by one of the romance genre’s masters.”—Booklist
 
“A rash, adventure seeking heroine and an honorable, take charge hero clash splendidly as passions blaze . . . to the delight of all concerned.”—Library Journal
 
“Intelligent and memorable. . . .  With its tangy dialogue, Pride and Prejudice themes, bits of mystery and nefarious characters, readers may be reminded of Jane Austen.”—RT Book Reviews (Top Pick)
 
“Hunter . . . spins the intrigues of an enterprising bastard son and a resourceful artist to delightful effect in this excellent launch.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
 
“Stellar . . . hits all the literary marks. Hunter’s effortlessly elegant writing exudes a wicked sense of wit; her characterization is superbly subtle, and the sexual chemistry she cooks up between her deliciously independent heroine and delightfully sexy hero is pure passion.”—Booklist (starred review)


Madeline Hunter

 

Madeline Hunter is a nationally bestselling author of historical romances who lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons. Her books have won two RITA awards and seven nominations, and have had three starred reviews in Publishers Weekly. In a parallel existence to the one she enjoys as a novelist, Madeline has a Ph.D. in art history and teaches at an East Coast university.

http://www.madelinehunter.com/

"Personal Effects: What Recovering the Dead Teaches Me about Caring for the Living"--by Robert A. Jensen--the owner of the world's leading disaster management company chronicles the unseen world behind the yellow tape, and explores what it means to be human after a lifetime of caring for the dead

  

Personal Effects: What Recovering the Dead Teaches Me about Caring for the Living

You have seen Robert A. Jensen--you just never knew it. As the owner of the world's largest disaster management company, he has spent most of his adult life responding to tragedy. From the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, the Bali bombings, the 2004 South Asian Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina to the 2010 Haitian Earthquake and the Grenfell Tower Fire, Jensen is at the practical level of international incidents, assisting with the recovery of bodies, identifying victims, and repatriating and returning their personal effects to the surviving family members. He is also, crucially, involved in the emotional recovery that comes after a disaster: helping guide the families, governments, and companies involved, telling them what to expect and managing the unmanageable. As he puts it, "If journalists write the first rough draft of history, I put the punctuation on the past."

Personal Effects is an unsparing, up-close look at the difficult work Jensen does behind the yellow tape and the lessons he learned there. The chronicle of an almost impossible and grim job, Personal Effects also tells Jensen's own story, how he came to this line of work, how he manages the chaos that is his life, and the personal toll the repeated exposure to mass death brings, in becoming what GQ called "the best at the worst job in the world."

A rare glimpse into a world we all see but many know nothing about, Personal Effects is an inspiring and heartwarming story of survival and the importance of moving forward. Jensen allows his readers to see over his shoulder as he responds to disaster sites, uncovers the deceased, and cares for families to show how a strong will and desire to do good can become a path through the worst the world can throw at us.

Reviews

 

"Robert Jensen's revelations of recovering the dead create a gripping and page-turning experience, indeed. But what stood out to me was his deep concern, respect for and commitment to giving the proper tools to those left behind; the ones forced to pick up the pieces in their grief and cobble them together into a new life. By showing―and not merely telling―them that their loved ones will not be forgotten, he plays a role in alleviating their suffering, and teaches us all of the importance of doing the same."―Rebecca Soffer, coauthor of Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome.

"Personal Effects is a moving and fascinating glimpse at what comes after the worst has happened . . . Ultimately Personal Effects offers reassurance: even after a mass tragedy causes the total breakdown of all the systems we take for granted, order and dignity are possible. A crucial read for anyone who dwells on worst case scenarios." ―Lauren Larson, features editor at Texas Monthly

"Robert Jensen delivers a powerful and riveting book of the toughest work a kind person can do. I could not stop reading until I finished every word, and then with tears streaming down my face, In the midst of the most horrible tragedies, there is one person you want to be there―Robert Jensen."―Mary Schiavo, Former Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation and CNN Aviation/Transportation Analyst

"Jensen has lived a life few of could fathom, or frankly endure. And for this we should be grateful. Through his face to face encounters with unmeasurable carnage, we are taught the tenets of survival, perseverance, and compassion." ―Patrick Smith, bestselling author of Cockpit Confidential

 

Robert A. Jensen

Robert A. Jensen is Chairman of Kenyon International Emergency Services, the global leader in crisis management and mass fatality response. He has spent most of his adult responding to such events. Personal Effects is his first publication for consumers. 

https://www.kenyoninternational.com/  

"THE TRAP"--"THE BAIT"--"THE DECOY" and "THE SETUP"--by CAROL ERICSON--the "A Kyra and Jake Investigation Series"--follow the same couple, Kyra Chase and Jake McAllister, as they investigate four copycat serial killers, an investigation that will have devastating personal consequences for both of them (see my reviews)

 

The Trap

Can they outplay The Player?

When a fourth copycat killer strikes, Detective Jake McAllister and Kyra Chase race to find the mastermind behind LA's serial murders. Now there's a new lead, but to protect the woman he loves, Jake must reveal a crucial secret about Kyra's past—the real reason The Player wants her dead. Exposing the truth could turn this investigation on its head…and force this notorious criminal to make one final move. 

MY REVIEW:  A fourth copycat serial killer carrying out his deadly agenda--precious lives lost--the original madman, "The Player" still on the loose--is time running out for investigators Jake McAllister and Kyra Chase? "The Trap" is the long-awaited , stunning conclusion to author Carol Ericson's "A Kyra and Jake Investigation Series".  Victim's Advocate and task force consultant Kyra Chase has a tragic connection to "The Player--her own mother was one of his victims. Detective Jake McAllister and the other members of the task force are pushing themselves--and each other--to bring the killing spree of the malevolent mastermind and his murderous mimics to an end. As the team delves further into the mounting evidence, painful truths--some unbearably close to home--come to light. The sizzling attraction between Kyra and Jake has grown into a deep affection, and they are now close partners on and off the job. If they survive, can their relationship bear the bright light of revelation? They trust each other, but can they trust those around them? Carol Ericson is a masterful teller of romantic suspense tales, and I highly recommend this thrilling, well-written series.

Book Copy Gratis Author 

The Bait

They’re after a vicious serial killer.

And this time it’s personal.

Decades after The Player’s infamous murder spree, a third copycat killer terrorizes LA. Detective Jake McAllister and victim advocate Kyra Chase launch a risky dark web investigation—complicating their relationship and exposing their troubled pasts. But when the copycat kidnaps Jake’s daughter, Kyra defies her partner to lay her life on the line. Just one chilling question remains: Is The Player back?

 MY REVIEW:  A third copycat serial killer stalks Los Angeles in "The Bait", Book Three in author Carol Ericson's suspenseful "A Kyra and Jake Investigation Series". This time, everything is more real, more personal, and more crucial for Detective Jake McAllister, Victim's Advocate Kyra Chase, and the other members of the special task force unit. The first two killers were stopped, and an internet connection between the two may provide vital information about the third killer and the connection of all three to "The Player"--the original killer from twenty years ago. Kyra is intent on solving the mystery of "The Player"--her own mother had been one of his victims. Jake and his task force are focused on preventing more victims by solving the mysteries of the duplicate killers. The growing relationship between Kyra and Jake faces some unexpected complications when Jake's fourteen-year-old daughter, Fiona, pays a surprise visit to her father. Fiona, who lives with Jake's ex-wife, has been keeping her online activities a secret from both parents. When Fiona is targeted by the killer, and Kyra also becomes endangered, Jake will stop at nothing to save the lives of the two people he loves most. Will he be at the right place at the right time to keep them from harm? Will the evil games of "The Player" and his heinous henchman ever be brought to a close? The romantic suspense storytelling expertise of author Carol Ericson will give you goosebumps and keep you turning the pages. I greatly look forward to Book Four, "The Trap", which will be the highly-anticipated finale of this exciting series.

Book Copy Gratis Author

 

  

The Decoy

She changed her name and identity to escape her violent past.

But she didn’t run far or fast enough.

Therapist Kyra Chase fights for victims and their families. But she harbors her own tragic secret: the unsolved murder of her mother. Now a new threat is terrorizing the City of Angels—a killer who mimics another killer’s MO. LAPD homicide detective Jake McAllister has to help his partner solve crimes in both the past and present before Kyra becomes the victim in a chilling vendetta of violence that’s far from over…

From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.

MY REVIEW: Author Carol Ericson draws readers in with another pulse-pounding romantic suspense tale in "The Decoy", Book Two in the "A Kyra and Jake Investigation Series". The lethal legacy of "The Player", a serial killer from two decades ago, continues to terrify residents of Los Angeles. While the original fiend was never found, one copycat killer was recently captured. Now, another murderous mimic was on the loose, and law enforcement agents were striving mightily to bring the killing spree to an end. Homicide Detective Jake McAllister and victim's advocate and police consultant Kyra Chase, along with Jake's partner, Billy Crouch, and retired Detective Roger Quinn, pooled their considerable skills and experience to solve the mysteries of "The Player" and his sickening spawn. As the investigation intensifies, so does the fiery attraction between Kyra and Jake. Will secrets revealed bring them closer together, or drive them apart? Can they protect each other's lives --and their own hearts--as danger swirls all around them? Author Carol Ericson's detailed, descriptive storytelling just gets better and better with each book. I look forward to the next entry in "A Kyra and Jake Investigation Series".

Book Copy Gratis Author

 

 

The Setup

With a serial killer on the loose…Secrets get you killed.

Detective Jake McAllister isn’t aware Kyra Chase is connected to a twenty-year-old unsolved murder. He sees his new case partner only as an unwelcome distraction. But with the body count rising, they’ll need to trust each other to help them catch a killer who seems to know more about Kyra than Jake does.

MY REVIEW: "The Setup" is Book One in author Carol Ericson's romantic suspense "A Kyra and Jake Investigation Series". Detective Jake McAllister is assigned to lead a special task force investigating a serial killer wreaking deadly havoc in Los Angeles. The killings are eerily similar to the murders perpetrated twenty years earlier by a sadistic fiend known as "The Player", who was never caught. Jake is not pleased when therapist Kyra Chase is assigned to the task force as a liaison between the families of the victims and the ongoing investigation. He had been burned by a previous encounter with a victim's advocate, and he was wary of going through the same experience again. Kyra has her own very personal reasons for wanting to find the killer--reasons that go back twenty years. Sparks--both personal and professional--fly between Jake and Kyra from the very beginning, but they must work together and combine their skills and determination to catch a ruthless killer. Author Carol Ericson is a skilled romantic suspense writer, and she has set this chilling mystery in her hometown of Los Angeles, so she knows the turf well. "The Setup" is a taut thriller--a great beginning to a new series. Where one mystery ends, another begins.

Book Copy Gratis Author

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.

For more action-packed stories, check out the other books in the A Kyra and Jake Investigation series by Carol Ericson!

Carol Ericson

Best-selling, award-winning romance author, Carol Ericson, has written more than 50 books, mostly romantic suspense. A California girl and graduate of UCLA, Carol lives near the ocean with her husband and their giant dog. Carol has an eerie fascination for true crime, a weakness for reality TV, and a fondness for really hot salsa. For more information about Carol’s books, please visit her website at www.carolericson.com, join her newsletter, and like her on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolEricson/

"Bavel: Modern Recipes Inspired by the Middle East"--by Ori Menashe, Genevieve Gergis, Lesley Suter--from the acclaimed chefs behind award-winning Los Angeles restaurant Bavel comes a gorgeous cookbook featuring personal stories and more than eighty recipes that celebrate the diversity of Middle Eastern cuisines (see my review)

  

Bavel: Modern Recipes Inspired by the Middle East

When chef Ori Menashe and pastry chef Genevieve Gergis opened their first Los Angeles restaurant, Bestia, the city fell in love. By the time they launched their second restaurant, Bavel, the love affair had expanded to cooks and food lovers nationwide. Bavel, the cookbook, invites home cooks to explore the broad and varied cuisines of the Middle East through fragrant spice blends; sublime zhougs, tahini, labneh, and hummus; rainbows of crisp-pickled vegetables; tender, oven-baked flatbreads; fall-off-the-bone meats and tagines; buttery pastries and tarts; and so much more.

Bavel--pronounced bah-VELLE, the Hebrew name for Babel--is a metaphor for the myriad cultural, spiritual, and political differences that divide us. The food of Bavel tells the many stories of the countries defined as "the Middle East." These recipes are influenced by the flavors and techniques from all corners of the region, and many, such as Tomato with Smoked Harissa, Turmeric Chicken with Toum, and Date-Walnut Tart, are inspired by Menashe's Israeli upbringing and Gergis's Egyptian roots. Bavel celebrates the freedom to cook what we love without loyalty to any specific country, and represents a world before the region was divided into separate nations. This is cooking without borders.

MY REVIEW: "The Middle East" is a geographical region spanning territories from India to the Mediterranean. It includes such countries as Iraq, Iran, Cyprus, Oman, Egypt, Bahrain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Palestine, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Israel, Syria, Kuwait, and Jordan. "Bavel: Modern Recipes Inspired by the Middle East" is a taste-filled journey through the many cultures, customs, and cuisines of this exotic region. Chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis (also the owners and operators of Bavel Restaurant in Los Angeles, CA), along with food writer Lesley Suter, offer an amazing arm-chair tour of these richly-diverse lands through fantastic food, history and personal stories, and beautiful photos. As someone who loves to cook, loves to try new recipes, and greatly enjoys the fragrant aroma of my own personal spice cabinet, I was inspired and motivated by this book to see just what spices and ingredients I did have on hand and which ones I might need to acquire. The recipes here range from simple ingredients and preparation to more complex dishes requiring more cooking experience and time to invest in completion. There is a section in the book called "Spices" which gives a listing of the spices used at Bavel Restaurant, and each spice has its own flavor profile. There are also a number of recipes for varying spice blends. Several delicious recipes that I have tried include: "Wedding Rice"--a Persian-style side dish with jasmine rice, cardamom, bay leaves, onions, and golden raisins; "Grandmother's Meatballs"--a family recipe featuring ground beef, cracked bulgur wheat,  onion, pepper, cumin, turmeric, and Yukon Gold potatoes; and "Apple-Prune Cake"--with apples, apple cider, prunes, cardamom, cinnamon, butter, and vanilla (How good does that sound?). However, the recipes that have captivated me the most are the bread recipes. I am a bread maker--and eater--of many years, and I am so enjoying learning to make such recipes as "Whole-Wheat Pita", "Buckwheat Sourdough", and "Laffa'"(flatbread). Husband-and-wife chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis have a young daughter, Saffron, and a lovely sense of family and heritage pervades this beautiful book.

Disclosure: "I've received a free copy from Clarkson Potter in exchange for a free and unbiased review."

 

Reviews

 

“I started writing down all the things I want to cook from Bavel and then quickly had to abandon the list. It was a pointless endeavor as I was simply copying the whole cookbook! Ori and Genevieve manage to pull off a style of cooking that is both familiar (and therefore comforting) but also new (and therefore fresh and exciting). This is the sort of food I could live on.”—Yotam Ottolenghi, chef and author of Ottolenghi Flavor
 
“Organized to give you a clear view into the minds of
 some of the hardest-working chefs in the business, Ori
 and Genevieve share the building blocks of their famously intense and flavorful cooking. They reveal the keys to mastering this depth of flavor at home through their collection of thoughtfully curated, carefully articulated recipes, with plenty of guidance. PS: The masterful breads included in the book are some of the best I’ve ever tasted!”—Chad Robertson, co-owner of Tartine and author of Tartine Bread
 
“By drawing from all corners of the Middle East, their family heritages, and an evocative personal cooking philosophy that remains centered on Downtown Los Angeles, Ori and Genevieve have created something truly one of a kind with Bavel. This cookbook is as compelling as it gets.”—Michael Solomonov, chef and co-owner of Zahav

 

About the Authors

 

Ori Menashe is co-owner and executive chef of Bestia and Bavel, which was named “Best Restaurant of the Year” by the Los Angeles Times, Eater, Los Angeles magazine, Time Out, and Tasting Table, and has been nominated as a finalist for a James Beard Best New Restaurant.

Genevieve Gergis is the co-owner and pastry chef of Bestia and Bavel.

Lesley Suter is the travel editor for Eater, the former food editor for Los Angeles magazine, and a two-time James Beard Award winner for food writing. 

 

BAVEL RESTAURANT

Bavel, in Downtown Los Angeles’ Arts District, is a Middle Eastern restaurant from Chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis. With family roots in Israel, Morocco, Turkey, and Egypt, Ori and Genevieve have always wanted to open a restaurant that showcases the cuisines of their family lineages, bringing together the flavors and dishes they grew up with. 

https://baveldtla.com/ 

"The Railway Countess" and "The Bluestocking Duchess"--"Heirs in Waiting Series"--from acclaimed historical romance author Julia Justiss--three Oxford friends with stellar destinies ...three men who mold the present as they await a future of wealth and prestige--waiting in the wings is never easy, whether one carries the responsibilities without the authority, or is shut out and must find one's own way--but forging ahead on one's own means encountering exceptional women who would never be found at a ton ball...

 

The Railway Countess

She didn’t want to marry

Least of all a Viscount!

Marcella Cranmore wants to avoid marriage and continue using her mathematical expertise to help her railway engineer father—but her mother insists on her having a season. At her first ball, Marcella’s relieved to see someone she knows, railway investor Crispin D’Aubignon. Conversing with the viscount is safe, for she’s as off-limits to him as he is to her…except that is only increasing the fascination! 

 

The Bluestocking Duchess (Heirs in Waiting Book 1)

Her good friend...

Is suddenly a duke’s heir! Miss Jocelyn Sudderfeld is working at Edge Hall, indulging her love of translating ancient texts with her librarian father—and evading the need to marry! She’s always enjoyed a teasing friendship with estate manager Mr. Alex Cheverton. Until he unexpectedly becomes the duke’s heir. Now his first duty is to marry a suitable debutante, not consort with an earnest bluestocking like her… So where does that leave their friendship?

 

UPCOMING 2021: BOOK THREE: THE EXPLORER BARONESS

Gregory Lattimar is heir to Baron Lattimar (and brother to Pru and Temper, from A MOST UNSUITABLE MATCH and THE EARL’S INCONVENIENT WIFE.) Since leaving Oxford, Gregory has had to take over the running of the Lattimar estates, a job his reclusive collector father has simply ignores. Checking up on the sources of the antiquities the baron spends vast sums on, Gregory encounters Charis Dunford, the free-spirited daughter of an adventurer who travels the world, selling in a small London shop some of objects he collects in order to fund his journeys. Gregory expects to encounter, if not deference, at least cooperation from the lady who runs the shop—certainly not a dressing down for his ignorance about the treasures her father discovers. Committed to restoring a family reputation already tarnished by his notorious mother and his unconventional sisters, Gregory has pledged to marry an eminently proper Society maiden. The last thing he needs is to find himself captivated by a shopkeeper... 

 

 

Julia Justiss

 

Julia Justiss grew up breathing the scent of sea air near the colonial town of Annapolis, Maryland, a fact responsible for two of her life-long passions: sailors and history! By age twelve she was a junior tour guide for Historic Annapolis, conducting visitors on walking tours through the city that was a hotbed of revolutionary fervor. (Annapolis hosted its own tea party, dispensing with the cargo aboard the "Peggy Stewart," and was briefly capital of the United States.) She also took tourists through Annapolis's other big attraction, the United States Naval Academy. After so many years of observing future naval officers at P-rade and chapel, it seemed almost inevitable that she eventually married one.

But long before embarking on romantic adventures of her own, she read about them, transporting herself to such favorite venues as ancient Egypt, World War II submarine patrols, the Old South and, of course, Regency England. Soon she was keeping notebooks for jotting down story ideas. From plotting adventures for her first favorite heroine Nancy Drew she went on to write poetry in high school and college, then worked as a business journalist doing speeches, sales promotion material and newsletter articles. After her marriage to a naval lieutenant took her overseas, she wrote the newsletter for the American Embassy in Tunis, Tunisia and traveled extensively throughout Europe. Before leaving Tunis, she fulfilled her first goal: completing a Regency novel.

Children intervened, and not until her husband left the Navy to return to his Texas homeland did she sit down to pen a second novel. The reply to her fan mail letter to a Regency author led her to Romance Writers of America. From the very first meeting, she knew she'd found a home among fellow writers--doubtless the largest group of people outside a mental institution who talk back to the voices in their heads.

Her second goal was achieved the day before her birthday in May, 1998 when Margaret Marbury of Harlequin Historicals offered to buy that second book, the Golden-Heart-Award winning novel that became THE WEDDING GAMBLE. Since then, she has gone on to write fourteen novels, three novellas and an on-line serial, along the way winning or finalling for historical awards from The Golden Quill, the National Reader’s Choice, Romantic Times, and All About Romance’s Favorite Book of the Year.

Julia now inhabits an English Georgian-style house she and her husband built in the East Texas countryside where, if she closes her eyes and ignores the summer thermometer, she can almost imagine she inhabits the landscape of "Pride and Prejudice." In between travelling to visit her three children (a naval officer son stationed in Washington, DC, a textiles and design major daughter who cheers for University of Texas at Austin, and a mechanical engineering major son also at UT Austin) keeping up with her science teacher husband and juggling a part-time day job as a high school French teacher, she pursues her first and dearest love--crafting stories.

To relax, she enjoys watching movies, reading (historical fiction, mystery, suspense) and puttering about in the garden trying to kill off more weeds than flowers. 

https://www.juliajustiss.com/index.php

"The Second Life of Mirielle West"--by acclaimed author Amanda Skenandore--a thought-provoking and sensitive novel, inspired by the true story of a Louisiana leprosy hospital where patients were forcibly quarantined--an extraordinarily timely tale of resilience and hope--and the last woman who expected to find herself in such a place...

  

The Second Life of Mirielle West

1920s Los Angeles: Socialite Mirielle West's days are crowded with shopping, luncheons, and prepping for the myriad glittering parties she attends with her actor husband, Charlie. She's been too busy to even notice the small patch of pale skin on the back of her hand. Other than an occasional over-indulgence in gin and champagne, which helps to numb the pain of recent tragedy, Mirielle is the picture of health. But her doctor insists on more tests, and Mirielle reluctantly agrees.

The diagnosis--leprosy--is devastating and unthinkable. Changing her name to shield Charlie and their two young children, Mirielle is exiled to rural Louisiana for what she hopes will be a swift cure. But the hospital at Carville turns out to be as much a prison as a place of healing. Deaths far outnumber the discharges, and many patients have languished for years. Some are badly afflicted, others relatively unscathed. For all, the disease's stigma is just as insidious as its physical progress.

At first, Mirielle keeps her distance from other residents, unwilling to accept her new reality. Gradually she begins to find both a community and a purpose at Carville, helping the nurses and doctors while eagerly anticipating her return home. But even that wish is tinged with uncertainty. How can she bridge the divide between the woman, wife, and mother she was, and the stranger she has become? And what price is she willing to pay to protect the ones she loves?

Praise for Amanda Skenandore

“At its heart, this luminous book tells a Romeo and Juliet story. But Skenandore’s book is so much more than a simple romance. This novel examines the complex relationship between love and loss, culture and conquest, annihilation and assimilation. . . As the tale winds its way to the shocking and heartbreaking conclusion, the meticulous writing and the perfect rhythm of the pace combine to create a true work of art.” – Historical Novel Review

“Skenandore’s intensely emotional debut reveals the difficulties faced by Native Americans who were torn from their culture to integrate into a white society where they were not accepted . . . [Her] deeply introspective and moving novel will appeal to readers of American history, particularly those interested in the dynamics behind the misguided efforts of white people to better the lives of Native Americans by forcing them to adopt white cultural mores.  – Publishers Weekly

” . . . By describing its costs in human terms, the author shapes tension between whites and Native Americans into a touching story. The title of Skenandore’s debut could refer to reality and dreams, or to love and betrayal; all are present in this highly original novel.” – Booklist

“Sweeping, epic, heart-wrenching, and powerful, Skenandore’s debut plunges readers into the world of the mission schools in the American west. Skenandore has drawn on family history to create a realistic and gripping account of a forbidden friendship. This thought-provoking novel illuminates the plight of Native American children and the planned destruction of a culture and a people. It’s a well-written, carefully researched, compelling novel for anyone fascinated by this hidden piece of our history.” – RT Book Reviews

“. . . a heartbreaking story about the destructive legacy of the forced assimilation of Native American children. Historical fiction readers and book discussion groups will find much to ponder here.” — Library Journal

“Gripping and beautifully written, Between Earth and Sky tugs at the heart with its dynamic heroine and unique cast of characters. Though this novel brings alive two historical American eras and settings, the story is achingly modern, universal and important.” — Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author of The It Girls

“A beautifully written debut, Between Earth and Sky is an eye-opening reminder of the United States’s attempt to assimilate and oppress Native Americans by stripping them of their identity and culture, and the tragic aftermath that left them lost between two worlds. This novel is, by turns, brilliant, heartbreaking, and haunting. I wish I had written it!” — Ellen Marie Wiseman, author of The Life She was Given

“A masterfully written novel about the heart-wrenching clash of two American cultures . . . a fresh and astonishing debut.” — V.S. Alexander, author of The Magdalen Girls and The Taster

“A sweeping tale of courage, friendship, and love, Between Earth and Sky held me spellbound. This engrossing novel transports the reader to frontier America, amid the tensions between the White Man, the Natives, and those who longed to bridge the gap in understanding and compassion. Skenandore doesn’t miss a beat—her elegant prose sings, Alma and Harry’s story mesmerizes, and the evocative setting feels all too real. I adored this book!” — Heather Webb, author of Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of WWI

 

Amanda Skenandore

 

Amanda Skenandore is a historical fiction writer and registered nurse. Her debut novel, Between Earth and Sky, was the winner of the American Library Association's RUSA Reading List for Best Historical Fiction Novel of the Year. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit Amanda Skenandore online at AmandaSkenandore.com 

"The Heron's Cry" and "The Long Call"--from international bestselling author author Ann Cleeves--"Two Rivers Series"--gripping police procedural mysteries set in North Devon, England featuring Detective Matthew Venn

 

The Heron's Cry

Ann Cleeves--New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows--returns with the extraordinary follow-up to The Long Call, in the Two Rivers series, soon to be a major TV series too.

North Devon is enjoying a rare hot summer with tourists flocking to its coastline. Detective Matthew Venn is called out to a rural crime scene at the home of a group of artists. What he finds is an elaborately staged murder--Dr Nigel Yeo has been fatally stabbed with a shard of one of his glassblower daughter's broken vases.

Dr Yeo seems an unlikely murder victim. He's a good man, a public servant, beloved by his daughter. Matthew is unnerved, though, to find that she is a close friend of Jonathan, his husband.

Then another body is found--killed in a similar way. Matthew soon finds himself treading carefully through the lies that fester at the heart of his community and a case that is dangerously close to home.

DI Matthew Venn returns in The Heron's Cry, in Ann Cleeves powerful next novel, proving once again that she is a master of her craft

Praise for Ann Cleeves
 

“Ann Cleeves is one of my favorite mystery writers.”―Louise Penny

“Gripping from start to finish.”―Booklist

“Chilling . . . enough to freeze the blood.”―Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review

“Cleeves’ taut, atmospheric thriller will keep readers guessing until the last page.”―Publishers Weekly

 

 

The Long Call

The Long Call from Ann Cleeves―bestselling and award-winning author of the Vera and Shetland series, both of which are hit TV shows―introduces the first in a gripping new series, told with deep compassion and searing insight.

In North Devon, where two rivers converge and run into the sea, Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his estranged father’s funeral takes place. On the day Matthew left the strict evangelical community he grew up in, he lost his family too.

Now, as he turns and walks away again, he receives a call from one of his team. A body has been found on the beach nearby: a man with a tattoo of an albatross on his neck, stabbed to death.

The case calls Matthew back to the people and places of his past, as deadly secrets hidden at their hearts are revealed, and his new life is forced into a collision course with the world he thought he’d left behind.

Reviews

"Cleeves's true strength lies in her descriptions of the natural world, gorgeously captured."―New York Times Book Review

"Cleeves' acclaimed Shetland series may be history, but her newest detective―buttoned-up, gay, married, ex-evangelical Matthew Venn―is a righteous successor."―People

"The plotting is complex and intriguing, the location comes alive, and the resolution satisfies... fans of Cleeves lamenting the end of the 'Shetland' series will find much to love in her new characters and setting."―Library Journal (starred)

"Fans missing detective Jimmy Perez (Wild Fire, 2018, etc.) will find a worthy successor in the equally complex Venn, who presides over an excellent mystery in this series kickoff."―Kirkus

"Cleeves makes good use of Devon local color and populates this subtle, expertly paced mystery with distinctive supporting characters."―Publishers Weekly

"As usual with this talented author, the key is relationships, and the murder is an occasion to examine them and then, finally, to expose what rips them apart."―Booklist

"Cleeves' new series is as nuanced, compassionate and compelling as her bestsellers starring two other gifted cops, Vera Stanhope and Jimmy Perez."―Seattle Times

"This is a perfect opening chapter that promises to be another phenomenally successful Cleeves series."―Globe and Mail

"Cleeves shows her usual mastery at creating fully fleshed characters, as well as a plot that keeps readers rapt, and ready for the next installment."―Cleveland Plain Dealer

"The Long Call . . . is driven by strong characters who are deep, likeable and presented in great detail. Cleeves is also adept in providing a good sense of place. Although the story is rife with twists and surprises, the end comes together nicely."―The Missourian

"Matthew is immediately engaging. So, especially, is Jonathan, and so are Matthew's two sidekicks, colorful single mother Jen and straitlaced and ambitious Ross."―St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"As a huge fan of both the Shetland and Vera series of books, I had high expectations for Cleeves’ latest. She easily exceeded those expectations with The Long Call. Matthew Venn is a keeper. A stunning debut for Cleeves’ latest crimefighter."―David Baldacci, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Brilliant, thoughtful and deeply engaging."―Sara Paretsky, New York Times bestselling author of the V.I. Warshawski series

"Ann Cleeves is a phenomenal talent. With unfailing skill, gorgeous setting, flawless plot and seamless voice, she brilliantly conjures new worlds in crime fiction. Her instantly iconic Detective Matthew Venn is a treasure―and we will all follow him anywhere."―Hank Phillippi Ryan, Nationally bestselling and award-winning author of The Murder List

“Fans of Ann Cleeves' Vera and Shetland novels won't be disappointed with this unputdownable series debut! With an evocative setting, a gripping plot, and beautifully drawn characters, The Long Call is a terrific read―and Matthew Venn is my new favorite detective.”―Deborah Crombie, New York Times bestselling author of Garden of Lamentations

“A new series from Ann Cleeves had hopes raised sky-high but The Long Call exceeded them. Of course, the setting is sumptuously realised, as Cleeves moves without apparent effort from painting the sweep of wild landscapes to skewering the tiniest domestic vanity. Matthew Venn is a triumph of Cleeves’ particular blend of compassion and toughness and I already love him.”―Catriona McPherson, national bestselling author of Strangers at the Gate

“Ann Cleeves has done it again! A new detective, a new series, another terrific puzzle of a story that won’t let you go until the very end. Matthew Venn quickly earns his place beside Vera and Jimmy in a debut you don’t want to miss: The Long Call.”―Charles Todd, bestselling author of The Black Ascot

"In The Long Call, Ann Cleeves builds a prism of a world, multi-faceted, complex, and as brilliant as a diamond. Fans of Vera and Jimmy will love Matthew Venn."―Lori Rader-Day

"Clever, compassionate, and atmospheric, with a great cast of new characters to love. I am already a Matthew Venn fan."―Elly Griffiths, award-winning author of the Ruth Galloway series

"Ann Cleeves has a special gift for making it seem as if she has been writing about a new character or new location for years. The Long Call is brilliant--a page-turning and sensitively told tale, with a vividly evoked North Devon setting, a powerful emotional heft and a new detective hero in Matthew Venn who you will want to follow for book after book. Wonderful!”―Chris Ewan, award-winning author of the Good Thief's Guide series

"Ann Cleeves’ new series gets off to a terrific start with The Long Call―her native Devon is wonderfully evoked, and Matthew Venn is a very appealing new detective. Another sure-fire hit."―Martin Edwards, author of Gallows Court

"Cleeves excels at creating believable, flawed characters in dramatic settings. Moody and tense, The Long Call will more than satisfy Cleeves's many existing fans and new readers alike."―Shelf Awareness

"[The Long Call] introduces us to an unexpectedly splendid new hero, Detective Matthew Venn. In this book we have fleshed-out characters, as well as an engaging plot, with lots of twisting contemplations and complications."―The Regulator Bookshop

"[An] intelligent and complex police procedural of which Ann Cleeves is a master. This has all the Cleeves' hallmarks―beautiful writing, intelligent plotting, thoughtful social explication, and wonderfully memorable characters. Great debut to a new series."―Aunt Agatha's

"Cleeves evokes the local landscape as if it were a character in its own right. The plot moves at a healthy pace, and there is at least one surprise in store. By the end, The Long Call had me hooked―a promising beginning to another fine chapter in the Ann Cleeves story.”―The Times UK

“With a series of ingenious twists and an endearing cast of characters, The Long Call is a triumph that cements Cleeves’ status as one of Britain’s best crime writers.”―Daily Express (UK)

“Splendid stuff, with Cleeves’ characteristic gift for locale (here north Devon).”―Financial Times (UK)

Ann Cleeves

Ann is the author of the books behind ITV's VERA, now in it's third series, and the BBC's SHETLAND, which will be aired in December 2012. Ann's DI Vera Stanhope series of books is set in Northumberland and features the well loved detective along with her partner Joe Ashworth. Ann's Shetland series bring us DI Jimmy Perez, investigating in the mysterious, dark, and beautiful Shetland Islands...

Ann grew up in the country, first in Herefordshire, then in North Devon. Her father was a village school teacher. After dropping out of university she took a number of temporary jobs - child care officer, women's refuge leader, bird observatory cook, auxiliary coastguard - before going back to college and training to be a probation officer.

While she was cooking in the Bird Observatory on Fair Isle, she met her husband Tim, a visiting ornithologist. She was attracted less by the ornithology than the bottle of malt whisky she saw in his rucksack when she showed him his room. Soon after they married, Tim was appointed as warden of Hilbre, a tiny tidal island nature reserve in the Dee Estuary. They were the only residents, there was no mains electricity or water and access to the mainland was at low tide across the shore. If a person's not heavily into birds - and Ann isn't - there's not much to do on Hilbre and that was when she started writing. Her first series of crime novels features the elderly naturalist, George Palmer-Jones. A couple of these books are seriously dreadful.

In 1987 Tim, Ann and their two daughters moved to Northumberland and the north east provides the inspiration for many of her subsequent titles. The girls have both taken up with Geordie lads. In the autumn of 2006, Ann and Tim finally achieved their ambition of moving back to the North East.

For the National Year of Reading, Ann was made reader-in-residence for three library authorities. It came as a revelation that it was possible to get paid for talking to readers about books! She went on to set up reading groups in prisons as part of the Inside Books project, became Cheltenham Literature Festival's first reader-in-residence and still enjoys working with libraries.
Ann Cleeves on stage at the Duncan Lawrie Dagger awards ceremony

Ann's short film for Border TV, Catching Birds, won a Royal Television Society Award. She has twice been short listed for a CWA Dagger Award - once for her short story The Plater, and the following year for the Dagger in the Library award.

In 2006 Ann Cleeves was the first winner of the prestigious Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award of the Crime Writers' Association for Raven Black, the first volume of her Shetland Quartet. The Duncan Lawrie Dagger replaces the CWA's Gold Dagger award, and the winner receives £20,000, making it the world's largest award for crime fiction.

Ann's success was announced at the 2006 Dagger Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hilton, in London's Aldwych, on Thursday 29 June 2006. She said: "I have never won anything before in my life, so it was a complete shock - but lovely of course.. The evening was relatively relaxing because I'd lost my voice and knew that even if the unexpected happened there was physically no way I could utter a word. So I wouldn't have to give a speech. My editor was deputed to do it!"

The judging panel consisted of Geoff Bradley (non-voting Chair), Lyn Brown MP (a committee member on the London Libraries service), Frances Gray (an academic who writes about and teaches courses on modern crime fiction), Heather O'Donoghue (academic, linguist, crime fiction reviewer for The Times Literary Supplement, and keen reader of all crime fiction) and Barry Forshaw (reviewer and editor of Crime Time magazine).

Ann's books have been translated into sixteen languages. She's a bestseller in Scandinavia and Germany. Her novels sell widely and to critical acclaim in the United States. 

http://www.anncleeves.com/

"The Reading List"--by Sara Nisha Adams--an unforgettable and heartwarming debut about how a chance encounter with a list of library books helps forge an unlikely friendship between two very different people in a London suburb

  

The Reading List

Widower Mukesh lives a quiet life in the London Borough of Ealing after losing his beloved wife. He shops every Wednesday, goes to Temple, and worries about his granddaughter, Priya, who hides in her room reading while he spends his evenings watching nature documentaries.

Aleisha is a bright but anxious teenager working at the local library for the summer when she discovers a crumpled-up piece of paper in the back of To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s a list of novels that she’s never heard of before. Intrigued, and a little bored with her slow job at the checkout desk, she impulsively decides to read every book on the list, one after the other. As each story gives up its magic, the books transport Aleisha from the painful realities she’s facing at home.

When Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to forge a connection with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha passes along the reading list…hoping that it will be a lifeline for him too. Slowly, the shared books create a connection between two lonely souls, as fiction helps them escape their grief and everyday troubles and find joy again. 

 

Reviews

 

“The story is an absolute joy. A captivating and exquisitely crafted debut.”  -- Heidi Swain, bestselling author of The Winter Garden

“If you love books, read this. If you love people, read this. If you love crying with sadness, crying with happiness, and feeling like you have been wrapped in the blanket of someone else's life, read this.”  -- Debbie Johnson, bestselling author of Maybe One Day

“A wonderful read about the fundamental power of books to lift our lives from the mundane and transform them into something truly magical.”  -- Imogen Clark, bestselling author of Postcards From a Stranger

“The Reading List absolutely captures the magic of reading and of libraries. I felt a part of Mukesh and Aleisha's book club, revisiting some of my favourite novels alongside these new friends.”   -- Louise Hare, author of The Lovely City

 

 

 

Sara Nisha Adams

 

 

 

Sara Nisha Adams is a writer and editor. She lives in London and was born in Hertfordshire to Indian and English parents. Her debut novel The Reading List is partly inspired by her grandfather, who lived in Wembley and immediately found a connection with his granddaughter through books.  

https://www.instagram.com/saranishaadamsbooks/ 

"DARK ROADS"--by CHEVY STEVENS--the acclaimed and beloved author of "Still Missing" is back with her most breathtaking thriller yet-- plus more terrific, terrifying thrillers--her atmospheric, disturbing suspense reads will have you sleeping with the light on long after you have turned the final page (see my reviews)

 

Dark Roads

For decades, people have been warned about the Cold Creek Highway. Hitchhikers have vanished along it over the years, and women have been known to have their cars break down... and never be seen again. When Hailey McBride decides to run away from an unbearable living situation, she thinks that her outdoor skills will help her disappear into the Cold Creek wilderness, and she counts on people thinking that she was the victim of the killer.

One year later, Beth Chevalier arrives in Cold Creek to attend a memorial for the victims of the highway, but it might as well be one week for the amount of pain that Beth is still dealing with after her sister, Amber, was murdered the previous summer. Beth has quit university, is lying to her parents, and popping pills like Tic Tacs. Maybe this will finally bring her peace.

When she gets a job at a local diner where Amber once worked, she connects with people who knew her sister. Beth wants to find who killed her sister and put her own life back together, but as she gets closer to the truth, she learns that there is more than one person lying in Cold Creek.

Praise for Dark Roads:

"My favorite Chevy Stevens book since Still Missing. Stevens reliably creates complex, resilient female characters, and Hailey and Beth - whose lives collide in Dark Roads - are utterly compelling. The suspense builds with every page, and the ending is a complete shocker." ―Sarah Pekkanen, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of The Wife Between Us

"Aptly named, Dark Roads is deep, dark, and unsettling. From the opening page, it’s clear you’re in the hands of a master storyteller. The missing, the dead, those left behind, the ones who know what's happened, all explode onto the page. With brilliant characterizations, tight plotting, and a setting bound to give you chills, this is Steven's finest book to date. A tour de force mystery you do not want to miss."―J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of Her Dark Lies

“Chevy Stevens is a brilliant and unique talent and Dark Roads is an instant classic. My hat’s off to her.”― C. J. Box, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Long Range

"Chevy Stevens is back and better than ever with a grisly tale that will make you think twice before driving down any deserted highways at night. Dark Roads is a chilling, pulse-pounding thriller that also tugs at the heartstrings. It's everything you've come to love from a master of the psych thriller genre!"― Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of The Other Mrs.

 

Still Missing

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a 32-year-old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever-patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all.

Still Missing interweaves the year Annie spent as the captive of a psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfold through sessions with her psychiatrist, with a second narrative following the events after her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

Still Missing is a shocking, visceral, brutal and beautifully crafted novel.

MY REVIEW:  "Still Missing" by Chevy Stevens will change the way you look at many aspects of life. There are some things that you will never take for granted again, like your freedom, physical safety, and most of all, your peace of mind. This is a harrowing survival tale of a woman who faces kidnapping, imprisonment and physical and mental cruelty at the hands of a sadistic psycho. After you read this book, the title, "Still Missing", will haunt you till the end of your reading days! 

Book Copy Gratis Amazon Vine

  

Never Knowing

At thirty-three Sara Gallagher is finally happy. Her antique furniture restoration business is taking off and she’s engaged to a wonderful man. But there’s one big question that still haunts her — who are her birth parents? Sara is finally ready to find out.

Sara’s birth mother rejects her—again. Then she discovers her biological father is an infamous killer who’s been hunting women every summer for almost forty years. Sara tries to come to terms with her horrifying parentage — and her fears that she’s inherited more than his looks — with her therapist, Nadine, who we first met in "Still Missing." But soon Sara realizes the only thing worse than finding out your father is a killer is him finding out about you.

Some questions are better left unanswered.

 

The Other Side

An original e-book short story from New York Times bestselling author Chevy Stevens featuring Psychiatrist Nadine Lavoie and Staff Sergeant Sandy McBride, from Never Knowing. Sandy is working the biggest case of her life—the Campsite Killer, who has been hunting women for almost forty years. She’s finally close to nailing him, if she can just keep her head in the game. But when an old friend calls with a lead about Sandy’s mother’s murder, Sandy is pulled into the past—a past she thought she’d closed the door on. Her life is about to get real complicated, real fast. 

 

Always Watching

She helps people put their demons to rest.

But she has a few of her own…

In the lockdown ward of a psychiatric hospital, Dr. Nadine Lavoie is in her element. She has the tools to help people, and she has the desire—healing broken families is what she lives for. But Nadine doesn’t want to look too closely at her own past because there are whole chunks of her life that are black holes. It takes all her willpower to tamp down her recurrent claustrophobia, and her daughter, Lisa, is a runaway who has been on the streets for seven years.

When a distraught woman, Heather Simeon, is brought into the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit after a suicide attempt, Nadine gently coaxes her story out of her—and learns of some troubling parallels with her own life. Digging deeper, Nadine is forced to confront her traumatic childhood, and the damage that began when she and her brother were brought by their mother to a remote commune on Vancouver Island. What happened to Nadine? Why was their family destroyed? And why does the name Aaron Quinn, the group’s leader, bring complex feelings of terror to Nadine even today?

And then, the unthinkable happens, and Nadine realizes that danger is closer to home than she ever imagined. She has no choice but to face what terrifies her the most…and fight back.

Sometimes you can leave the past, but you can never escape.

Told with the trademark powerful storytelling that has had critics praising her work as “Gripping” (Kirkus), “Jaw-dropping” (Publishers Weekly) and “Crackling with suspense” (People magazine), ALWAYS WATCHING shows why Chevy Stevens is one of the most mesmerizing new talents of our day.



That Night

They said she was a murderer.

They said she killed her sister.

But they lied.

As a teenager, Toni Murphy had a life full of typical adolescent complications: a boyfriend she adored, a younger sister she couldn’t relate to, a strained relationship with her parents, and classmates who seemed hell-bent on making her life miserable. Things weren’t easy, but Toni could never have predicted how horrific they would become until her younger sister was brutally murdered one summer night.

Toni and her boyfriend, Ryan, were convicted of the murder and sent to prison.

Now thirty-four, Toni is out on parole and back in her hometown, struggling to adjust to a new life on the outside. Prison changed her, hardened her, and she’s doing everything in her power to avoid violating her parole and going back. This means having absolutely no contact with Ryan, avoiding fellow parolees looking to pick fights, and steering clear of trouble in all its forms. But nothing is making that easy—not Ryan, who is convinced he can figure out the truth; not her mother, who doubts Toni’s innocence; and certainly not the group of women who made Toni’s life hell in high school and may have darker secrets than anyone realizes. No matter how hard she tries, ignoring her old life to start a new one is impossible. Before Toni can truly move on, she must risk everything to find out what really happened that night.

But the truth might be the most terrifying thing of all. 

MY REVIEW:  Author Chevy Stevens continues to thrill readers with atmospheric, disturbing suspense reads. "That Night" is a cautionary tale of how youthful bullying can have very serious undertones--often learned at home and then passed on from generation to generation. As a teenager, Toni Murphy had loved her boyfriend Ryan and struggled with "mean girls" and school bullies. At home, she was caught between her controlling mother and her dominated father. Her relationship with her younger sister, Nicole, was problematic. A careless mistake in judgement one night leaves Nicole dead, and Toni and Ryan are blamed for her death and later convicted of her murder. After serving a torturous fifteen years in prison, Toni is released into the world, forever changed, but finding some things are still the same. Mean girls are now mean women with bigger secrets and more convoluted issues than those of high school girls. Trying to start over and make peace with her family is not easy, especially with her mother's blameful estrangement. Making matters more complicated is the presence of Ryan--back in her life, maybe wanting back in her heart, and determined to solve the crime which stole a decade and a half of their lives. Should they let the past continue to haunt them, or is there a way to bring the truth to light? If so, who will remain standing in the brightness of the light, and who will scurry away into the darkness? "That Night" is another terrific suspense thriller from author Chevy Stevens.

Book Copy Gratis Amazon Vine

 

Those Girls

Chevy Stevens is back with her most powerful, emotional thriller yet— a story of survival…and revenge.

Life has never been easy for the three Campbell sisters. Jess, Courtney, and Dani live on a remote ranch in Western Canada where they work hard and try to stay out of the way of their father’s fists. One night, a fight gets out of hand and the sisters are forced to go on the run, only to get caught in an even worse nightmare when their truck breaks down in a small town. Events spiral out of control and a chance encounter with the wrong people leaves them in a horrific and desperate situation. They are left with no choice but to change their names and create new lives.

Eighteen years later, they are still trying to forget what happened that summer when one of the sisters goes missing and they are pulled back into their past.

This time there’s nowhere left to run.

As much of a thriller as it is a deep exploration of the bonds among sisters, THOSE GIRLS is an unforgettable portrait of desperation, loyalty, and evil.

 

Never Let You Go

Eleven years ago, Lindsey Nash escaped into the night with her young daughter and left an abusive relationship. Her ex-husband, Andrew, was sent to jail and Lindsey started over with a new life.

Now, Lindsey is older and wiser, with her own business and a teenage daughter who needs her more than ever. When Andrew is finally released from prison, Lindsey believes she has cut all ties and left the past behind her. But she gets the sense that someone is watching her, tracking her every move. Her new boyfriend is threatened. Her home is invaded, and her daughter is shadowed. Lindsey is convinced it's her ex-husband, even though he claims he's a different person. But has he really changed? Is the one who wants her dead closer to home than she thought?

PRAISE FOR CHEVY STEVENS:

"Frank, fierce, and sometimes even funny, this is a dark tale pin-pricked with light—and told by an unforgettable heroine." – Gillian Flynn, author of Sharp Objects  and Dark Places

“Pulsates with suspense that gets a power boost from the jaw-dropping but credible closing twist” –"Publishers Weekly"

This mystery is not easy to figure out and will keep readers quickly devouring the story to discover what exactly is going on...and it will not be the expected answer.
-- "RT Book Reviews"

Stevens's taut writing and chilling depiction of love twisted beyond recognition make this a compelling read from the first page to the last.-- "Publishers Weekly"

The hooks that sink in from page one and dig ever deeper, through to a thrilling and unanticipated end, are all the more frightening for their invisibility.-- "Shelf Awareness"

Stevens' take on a familiar woman-pursued-by-abuser plot has sparked a fast-paced thriller with a surprise twist.-- "Kirkus Reviews"

Disturbing, suspenseful, and just a little nerve-wracking, this fast-paced psychological thriller will keep fans of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl on edge-- "Library Journal"
 

CHEVY STEVENS

 

CHEVY STEVENS grew up on a ranch on Vancouver Island and still calls the island home. For most of her adult life she worked in sales, first as a rep for a giftware company and then as a Realtor. While holding an open house one afternoon, she had a terrifying idea that became the inspiration for Still Missing. Chevy eventually sold her house and left real estate so she could finish the book. Still Missing went on to become a New York Times bestseller and win the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel. Chevy’s books have been optioned for movies and are published in more than thirty countries. 

Chevy enjoys writing thrillers that allow her to blend her interest in family dynamics with her love of the west coast lifestyle. When she’s not working on her next book, this dog-lover is camping and canoeing with her husband and daughter in the local mountains.

http://www.chevystevens.com