REMAIN.....SPARKS AND SHYAMALAN JOIN FORCES....AND A HAUNTING THEY WILL GO......(****).

Remain by Nicholas Sparks with M. Night Shyamalan (2025)

     Although I purchased this book as a Christmas gift for a much cherished family member who loves a good ugly cry, how could I, as a book blogger, resist a read myself? 

     (Not to worry I got through 'Remain' without bending the pages or staining them with tears before the book hit the wrapping paper....)

      This isn't, by the way, Nicholas Sparks' first plunge into the supernatural or paranormal.....we seem to remember he tossed in a surprise little 'Twilight Zone' twist at the end of a previous novel....(and we'll not say which one so as not to spoil the surprise for anyone who's freshly exploring the Sparks-iverse.)

         'Remain' also signifies a major switch in location, moving from the author's favored North Carolina shores to Cape Cod. It's on that island where emotionally shattered architect Tate Donovan is tasked with designing a sumptuous new home for his friend Oscar.

         Tate spent months recovering from depression and grief over the cancer death of his beloved sister Sylvia. After a stay in psychiatric care, he's tentatively ready to face the world again. And, as they say in romantic conversation......he's met someone. 

          Not just any someone. He discovers he's not alone in the historic old house he thought he was the sole resident of while planning Oscar's new home. He finds a beautiful vivacious young woman named Wren living there as well.  In true Sparks fashion he's entranced by her at first and then slowly but surely falling hard, consumed with overpowering affection for her. 

        But there's way, way more to Wren than meets the eye, including her toxic, blighted relationships with three previous men in her life...a cheating business partner, an ex-husband and a prominent town figure who took to obsessively stalking her. 

        Here's where I seal my lips about any more plot details. But this much you should know.....you will find in 'Remain' the best of both worlds of novelist Sparks and filmmaker Shyamalan, renowned for his blending of the fantastic and scary with grounded, relatable drama and characters whose struggles and plights resonate with you.

      From Sparks, you'll experience all the familiar themes.....the aching joy of first love and its power to triumph over anything that thwart it.....even death. 

     M. Night delivers the shocks and thrills and Nicholas Sparks, as always, conspires to make you reach for a tissue box as your eyes start brimming.

      So all in all, a 4 star (****) holiday treat to put under the tree for your favorite avid reader.....or any other time of the year. 

        

THE KEEPER (MURPHY SHEPHERD # 4)......THE RESCUER OF TRAFFICKING VICTIMS....ON A NEW MISSION WHILE DEEP IN GRIEF...(*****)

 The Keeper (Murphy Shepherd # 4) by Charles Martin (2025)

     This is the fourth book in a series that chronicles the perilous and heartrending adventures of Murphy Shepherd, a mysterious man with combat, violence and tragedy in his checkered past. 

      Murphy has taken it upon himself to become the rescuer and avenging angel for countless, worldwide victims of modern day slavery and sex trafficking of women and and young boys and girls.

      Shepherd does way more than just use ruthless commando efficiency to destroy the leaders and minions of trafficking networks. Also a man of compassionate faith, he provides the shelter, love, empathy and Christian kindness that these broken victims desperately need to rebuild their shattered lives. 

       In this series, author Charles Martin has crafted a one-of-a-kind blend of genres that sounds like an impossible mixture that you wouldn't think could exist.....thrillers that read as suspenseful and action packed as any James Patterson or Tom Clancy novel combined with the tearful gut wrenching emotion and faith-based optimism of anything by Colleen Hoover or Nicholas Sparks.

       I was late coming to the world of Murphy Shepherd, but once I'd experienced the first book, I immediately binged my way through the next  two in a matter of days. You can still start this fourth entry as a stand alone, but it will leave you wanting to go right back to the beginning (with "The Water Keeper", "The Letter Keeper" and "The Record Keeper").

        "The Keeper" finds Shepherd at a low ebb, mourning the death of his beloved friend and mentor Bones, who perished as he and Shepherd  put an end to Bones' evil brother Frank, the head of a vast trafficking network. 

         But Frank's organization still has nest of vipers, second-in-command 'generals' positioned around the world.....and somehow one or more of them has engineered the brutal kidnapping of the three young daughters of Vice President Aron Ashley, Shepherd's longtime friend and ally, and a Presidential hopeful himself in the upcoming election. 

         Shepherd assembles his team to hunt down the traffickers and save the girls. But precious time's running out and still convulsed with grief over Bones' death, both he and his team wonder if Shepherd can maintain the sharp edge he'll need as they head into harm's way.

        As in the previous books in the series, everything you'd expect from a top-notch, keep-you-up-all-night thriller, you'll find here. Shepherd's painstaking hunt begins to yield leads......and it's possible that the malignant kidnapping plot might have its origins in the very halls of government power. 

         But what you'll also find here is what makes this series distinctly unique - almost overwhelming, overpowering amounts of so many deeply felt emotions....enduring love, loyalty, friendship, the struggle to heal from the most heinous of hurts. 

        Be prepared to being unable to stay dry-eyed through many scenes in this book.....yes, it's the kind of storytelling that'll put you, along with the characters, through a non stop barrage of poignant, impassioned moments. 

         Does all of this sound like the highest recommendation yet?   How about a 5 star rating (*****).  Send this one right to the top of your TBR list. 

        

ALL EYES ON HIM.....AN AMATEUR SLEUTH UNDERCOVER.....IN A LETHAL PREDATOR'S HOUSE OF SECRETS....(****)

 All Eyes On Him by Iliana Xander (2025)

     Even with all its many glaring faults, I still had a good time with this book and raced through it to find out what calamity would next befall its foolhardy heroine. It's rapidly plotted and paced and kept my full attention despite its Big Twist revelations that require a very sizable amount of belief suspension.

     Natalie plunges herself, like a Nancy Drew who's common sense deprived , into her very own amateur undercover operation. Her roommate's date, a Crypto Currency whiz in all the headlines, left the poor girl unconscious and coma-stricken. And her roomie maybe wasn't this predator's first victim. Natalie, in pursuit of evidence against him, manages to insert herself as a housekeeper in Mr. Crypto's vast sprawling estate, populated with minions and servants who cater to his every need. (Including one who's got the hots for Natalie.). She finds working there a creepy experience.......not only is the staff openly hostile to her, it appears that nobody's exactly whom they seem to be - and that includes the all powerful Crypto Prince himself, who's on the verge of sealing a deal that will make him a multi-Billionaire.

     No more can I say of course, without spoiling the over-the-top surprises that hurl Natalie into those constant life threatening situations that we all knew she was headed for sooner or later.

     If the last mystery thriller you read was overlong, too complicated and heavily gloomy, I'd recommend this one as a fresh, fast palate cleanser.....if you can keep your temper at Natalie's reckless investigative skills.....

     4 stars (****).

FINDING HER EDGE.....ESTRANGED OLYMPICS HOPEFULS FINALLY WARM UP TO EACH OTHER.....ON THE ICE.....(****)

 Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli (2025)

     Now here's a combination hard to resist........a sweet teen romance, rekindled after a long estrangement combined with the competitive intensity of Olympic figure skating and ice dancing.

     Ice dancer Adriana Russo is part of a skating dynasty run by her domineering father, who's been mentoring and training potential Olympic champions in a family owned facility with its own skating rink. Among these future champions are also Adriana's younger sister Maria and older sister Elisa, who's on her way to the Beijing Olympics in pursuit of a figure skating gold medal.

     But all's not well for Adriana on multiple fronts. The family's training center is in the red and if Elisa doesn't come home with a medal, securing much needed financial sponsorships, the facility may end up mortgaged to the max. Adriana herself is under the same kind of pressure as she prepares for Junior Championship ice dancing competitions in Paris. Though she has chemistry to burn with her new partner Braydon, she still pines for her original partner (and friend since childhood) Freddie. When younger, they were forced to break up as a team when Adriana grew too tall to dance with Freddie, and both have spent years nursing the hurt from their parting. But now Freddie's back with a new partner and among a group of other assorted skaters coming to train at the Russo family rink.

      From this point, author Jennifer Iacopellli brings on everything you'd expect or ever want from this story - plenty of slow burn swoon, and romantic drama both on and off the ice. Sorry to say, the large cast of characters swirling around Adriana and Freddie aren't particularly fully realized, especially Elisa and the girls' medal obsessed dad. But readers who can't wait for those 'At-long-last-they're-together!!' moments will enjoy a full helping.

     Also, anyone who never misses all those skating trials and competitions on TV, will want to dive into ''Finding Her Edge' as the next best thing in between the televised events.

     4 stars (****).

BLOOD OATH....SPECIAL AGENT MARTEL BACK IN ACTION, ON A VENGEFUL HUNT TO RESCUE HER DAD....(*****)

 Blood Oath by Steve Urszenyi (2025)

     There's nothing to get a reader's blood pumping faster than another Steve Urszenyi action crammed thriller about ultra Special Agent Alex Martel. Supreme sniper, fearless fighter and deployed by the CIA, FBI, Interpol and who who knows how many other clandestine special ops teams, this woman is a global force to be reckoned with. And woe to any terrorists, mercenaries, oligarchs or tyrannical regimes who unwisely tangle with her.

     This time the stakes rise up higher than ever for Alex. While on a Serengeti Plains photo safari with her father, General David Martel, bloodthirsty rebels kidnap and brutalize her dad, planning to turn him over to Chinese forces. Gen. Martel faces certain death, but only after the Chinese have tortured him for top secret info that will severely damage a vital operation in Africa. To further up the catastrophe level, Russian forces under the command of an equally ruthless officer are on their way to eliminate the General altogether.

     Alex, fueled by a raging desire for payback and a long ago oath she and her father took to protect each other, wants an immediate rescue mission with guns blazing. But she's forced to hold back and proceed with caution by the the CIA director and her own boss (and hopeful love interest) Caleb. Anyone who know anything about Alex, (including her adversaries well aware of her skills) knows she can't be contained and kept in check for too long......especially with her father in such immediate danger.

     Readers of this series who know the kind of explosive action and suspense that erupts in the Alex Martel universe will not come away from this book disappointed.. In fact, the ending may leave them surprised and intrigued at an all new, even more perilous path that Alex has been left to take.

     A top notch,, turn-the-pages-faster-than-bullets thrill-a-thon......a guaranteed 'don't miss' for all armchair secret agent adventurers.

      5 stars (*****).

LEAVE IT ON THE TRACK.....A TRAUMTIZED TEEN GIRL TRIES TO HEAL.....ON WHEELS.....(****)

 Leave it on the Track by Margot Fisher (2025)

     In Moab Utah, queer teen Morgan 'Moose' Shaker loved, more than anything, roller skating with her two dads.......(and with her shy, growing crush on a popular girl at her school coming in second.) Then an indescribable tragedy at the rink left her fathers dead and Moose with terrible severe injuries, both physical and emotional.

     Now under the guardianship of her half sister Eden in Portland Oregon, Moose not only struggles with recurring PTSD from her ordeal, she's thrown into a new life, new environment and a sibling she barely had any contact with growing up, now in charge of looking after her. Eden, who skates in a local roller derby team, offers Moose a lifeline, something to engage with......by trying out for the league's junior team. Reluctantly at first, but then with full determination, Moose secures a place on the team, makes friends with some of her teammates and finds herself in an all new crush and a whole new set of challenges. (Once again, physical and emotional.)

     Author Margot Fisher surely knows how to make your heart ache for Moose and cheer her on as she takes her up-'n-down journey through the literally rough and tumble sport of roller derby, her nightmarish flashbacks from her past and the rapturous, sometimes awkward moments of her first love. Some bad choices and bad behavior lead Moose into a crisis that further upends her world, but as a reader, I never lost sympathy and hope for her......and the good news for us, neither did author Fisher.

     There's plenty of diversity and unforgettable characters on the roller derby team and the book doesn't flinch as it takes you on a punishing, knockabout thrill ride in its descriptions of the actual games. But there's always plenty of heart on display here, along with the multiple contusions, abrasions, and assorted sore ribs, knees and muscle aches.

     You'll want to stay at Moose's side every step of the way as she navigates herself through gut wrenching tragedy, new found maturity,, romance and the chances to start the healing of her own internal hurts........and all this on roller skates, no less!

     4 stars (*****) It's swell on wheels.

NASH FALLS....A BREATHTAKING PAGE TURNER INTRODUCES A UNIQUE NEW BALDACCI HERO....(*****)

Nash Falls by David Baldacci (2025)

     David Baldacci's storytelling expertise comes into full force on this one. This book, essentially a new hero's origin story,, could not keep me turning the pages fast enough, right up to that cliffhanging, you-ain't-see-nothin'-yet final page. (And I say this as a reader who normally despises cliffhanger endings with all my heart and have complained about in other reviews.....)

     On the contrary, I loved every page of "Nash Falls" and finished it shamelessly panting for the next adventure in the series.

     Walter Nash is a well to do investment acquisitions executive whose methodical and analytical business acumen brings in more money for the Sybaritic Corporation than any of their other divisions.....much to the delight of his boss Rhett, an incompetent Nep0 Baby weasel with an unbridled libido. What Walter doesn't know is that Rhett and the company's founder, Rhett's father, turned over their struggling firm for money laundering use by international crime viper Victoria Steers . The ruthless, remorseless Steers, scarier than a Bond villain,, prefers to either kill or maim minions who repeatedly fail her. And she herself works under the control of yet another powerful overlord who scares even her.

     The FBI, who've been on to what Sybaritic's up to, pressures Nash to become their latest inside company mole, following the ill fated recruitment of three other lesser employees who were found out one way or another........and who all died under mysterious, suspicious circumstances.

     Nash pays dearly for his decision, leaving his life and family destroyed and himself a fugitive accused of the worst crimes imaginable. The forces arrayed against him seem overwhelming and impossible to overcome.........and at this point, I wouldn't dare say one more word about the surprising, suspenseful, and thrilling journey that author Baldacci has in store for Nash.....and all of us readers.

     A terrific entertaining read and more than succeeded in making me want to be among the first in line to to find out whatever next befalls Walter Nash......and the man he's made of himself to effectively wreak vengeance on his formidable tormentors.

     5 stars (*****).