WRITTEN IN STARLIGHT......A SWEET CHAMBERMAID 'BOOKS' AN OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD TRIP TO ROMANCE.....LITERALLY....(****)......

Written in Starlight by Sloane Brooks (2026)

       I have no rational, reasonable explanations for why I fell so hard for this book. I just did. It must've been the softhearted mushy romantic deep inside that came bursting out of my chest like that disgusting little thing in "Alien". Speaking of which.......

     .....it also didn't hurt that there were ray guns, spaceships, aliens and robots aplenty. Which, in my considered opinion, you can never have enough of, especially to pop up smack in the middle of the plight of a put-upon 19th century chambermaid.

     What we've got here is an achingly star-crossed romance grandly conceived on an epic scale.......where crossing eras, planets and galaxies can be accomplished by simply losing yourself in the pages of a good book. Come to think of it, isn't that what everyone reading this review likes to do anyway?

     Cinderella-like Della Farley ekes out an impoverished, hard scrabble life, mopping and scrubbing her way through a Dickens-like bad dream of a grey grimy British town. Until she stumbles upon a book that sweeps her into the fantastic, sci-fi i swashbuckling of galactic rogue Ansel Tulzok....(think Han Solo crossed with Peter Quill of "Guardians of the Galaxy"). Ansel, as inevitable criss-crossed fate would have it, has found a mirror image book detailing Della's own heart rending story of romantic longing as she struggles to earn a paltry wage to help care for her ailing mother.

     These two strangely unique books not only give Della and Ansel the power to correspond with each other through the pages, but alter their own lives........and in Della's case, enable her to write herself directly into Ansel's amazing adventures, sharing his dangers, his vicious adversary and bonding with his oddball, wisecracking crew of aliens and robots. This unlikely intergalactic pairing of the spunky chambermaid and the rough 'n ready space outlaw touches off sharply humorous banter that soon deepens into overpowering, seemingly impossible romance.

     I can't help but fall in love with a book that goes all out in its impressive world-building, heart-stopping romance and action thrills that either take your breath away or make you lough out loud. When "Written in Starlight" finally reveals its mythology of the origins, details and purpose of Della and Ansel's extraordinary books, it's a heartfelt meditation on the power of each individual's personal stories to tell.........yet still keeps a reader fervently hoping that nothing on Heaven, Earth, or thousands of galaxies will serve to keep our lovers apart.

      A lot to absorb here and not for everybody, I'll admit. But if you're willing to let yourself fully succumb to it, this book can serve you up a 20 course meal of adventurous romance. I couldn't stop reading it at full starship warp speed myself.

       For this one, blasting off 4 stars (****). 

PLEASE ENJOY YOUR STAY......STAY ALIVE FOR CHECK-OUT TIME....THAT'S THE KEY TO ENJOYING YOUR STAY......(****)....

 Please Enjoy Your Stay by Tara Goedjen (2026)

     What could possibly go wrong in re-opening a spooky Austrian castle-hotel that already boasts a history jam-packed with multiple murders, scandals and who knows how many ghosts? Feel free to break out into delicious bwa-ha-ha-ha evil laughter while rubbing your hands together in glee.

     EMT first responder Mia surely has her owned haunted history with that place. Years ago her Aunt Iris, a true crime author who adopted Mia after her mom's death, took her son Tristan and Mia for a stay there. Already famous for three other deaths in its infamous past, the castle also claimed Tristan as another murder victim, with the castle's manager accused, tried and jailed for the crime. And now a new generation of true crime podcasters are whipping up doubts and conspiracies about Tristan's death, and Iris's true motives, considering it was 13 year old Mia's testimony that helped lead to a conviction..

     Determined to get to the truth and help her Aunt, Mia boldly plunges into her own undercover mission, securing a position as a nanny to the young daughter of the hotel's new owner. Great timing too.......right on the eve of of a the hotel's Grand Re-opening. Luckily, as an adult, Mia remains unrecognized by many of the castle's same employees who only knew her briefly during her fateful visit as a child. All the better to probe and delve into the many mysteries, potential suspects and possible paranormal entities populating the all new 'Hotel Renew, as it's called.

     After setting up this intriguing premise, author Tara Goedjen makes sure her gothic puzzler teems with baffling new clues, red herrings, twists and any number of bump-in-the-night/"Who's there?!" moments. There's no end of murderous mysteries that stretch out over generations to untangle.......and if there's a killer still running loose through the castle corridors, maybe Mia's made herself a prime target.

     Had a fine old time with one. And my eternal thanks to the author for creating a properly perilous atmosphere without resorting to the increasingly tiresome trope of afflicting the castle with a hurricane. power failure, earthquake, plague or washed out roads and bridges that no one can navigate Otherwise I might've dropped the rating down by 2 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay with "Please Enjoy Your Stay'......even those extra creepy, mold covered rooms, too.

     4 stars (****).

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE......SOMETHING SMELLS IN THIS SLAUGHTERHOUSE BESIDES THE PIGS.......(*****).

 Where There's Smoke by Rachel Louise Adams (2026)

     I fairly gushed over 'No Rest for the Wicked', author Rachel Louise Adams first mystery featuring beautiful, troubled Wisconsin pathologist Delores Diaz and I enjoyed this second book just as much. (See my review of 9/16/25).   While this one lacks the extra helping of Halloween flavoring that made the first book such a spooky season pleasure, rest assured there's plenty more gristly goings-on here to keep Delores busy........and in danger of ending up on her own morgue slab. .

     This can be read as a stand alone but I'm pretty sure that after finishing 'Where There's Smoke" readers will want to check out "No Rest..." for the full harrowing backstory of Delores and her estranged family..........whose aftermath still lingers on, and still referred to in this new entry..

     Delores, still traumatized by the events of the return to her Halloween-ish Wisconsin hometown, has taken on the job of Medical Examiner in a closely neighboring town.......close enough to reconnect with her brother Asher, her impetuous young sister Josie and her imperious, controlling, emotionally distant stepmother Charlotte. And the first murder victim landing on her autopsy table is none other than Benedict Marcy, the town's most beloved big business employer, owner of the Marcy's Meats slaughterhouse. Of course, where else would the murderer leave the nausea-inducing remains of Marcy but right on the slaughterhouse killing floor.

     While Delores delves into the gruesome medical mysteries surrounding the corpse, FBI agent Paul Turner takes on the case with his new rookie partner Kate Butcher, who used to be Delores's hot tempered bullying adolescent nemesis. As the case deepens, growing ever darker and more horrific, Paul tirelessly flirts with Delores and Delores re-establishes the torn, damaged ties to her family......even making friendly overtures to Kate, who's plagued by worries she's in over her head at the FBI.

     As the case unfolds, the full sickening extent of the crimes and conspiracies surrounding the Marcy slaughterhouse and the neighboring county prison become clearer.......not only in previous deaths but a fresh new murder proving that somebody's determined to keep the dreadful truth from coming out. And that puts Delores, Paul and Kate in their their crosshairs.

     Once again, author Adams truly excels at making heartbreaking human emotion and empathy for the characters a major part of the twists and turns. And her double whammy showdown in the reveal of the evil at play will hold you spellbound as you speed through the pages.

     So far (for me) this series is batting 5 stars per book, so I can't think of any better way to wrap up this review.

         5 stars (*****).

KILL YOUR DARLINGS......POPPED OUT OF HER PAGES, A HORROR WRITER RAGES.....(***).

 Kill Your Darlings by Yuvashri Harish (2026)

     Like a 'Goosebumps' book on steroids, 'Kill Your Darlings' dials up its YA Halloween night of horrors to way-off-the-dial proportions. It pits its plucky band of teens and their two babysitting charges against a risen-from-the-pages, long dead, yet still infinitely loathsome horror author.. And this prolific harpy comes fully armed with all her creations come to life. We're talkin' zombies, vampires, demonic children and all manner of slithering monstrosities who proceed to lay bloody waste to the small town that was home to the woman who spawned them from inside her books.

     In structure, this all plays out along the lines of those 'kids-vs-monsters' movies from the 1980's ("Goonies", "Gremlins", Monster Squad", "Fright Night", etc, etc.) . But be forewarned that the gory collateral damage splattered across the pages here goes a little above PG-13. Author Yuvashri Harish is serious as a heart attack in detailing the agonies of slaughtered innocents and the priceless value of the lives they've lost so horribly.

     The terror begins when good-girl-to-the-max Thulasi inadvertently unleashes 19th century horror scribe Addison Greer from within the pages of a first edition Greer book. Addison and her monstrous menagerie of fictional abominations are on a vengeance fueled quest to punish the living relatives of those responsible for the death of Addison's beloved daughter. Now it's up to Thulasi, her quarterback crush Sam, her best friend Celeste and 7 year olds Arjun and Miri to find a way to put a stop to Addison's reign of carnage before she wipes out the entire town......including Thulasi and Sam''s families.

     I was on board with the crazy funhouse ride this book takes you on until its overbearing overwriting began to bog down the pace and just plain wear me out. It's ironic the author chose 'Kill Your Darlings' as a title, because she certainly didn't take that phrase to heart in its use as standard advise to writers when revising their drafts. The dragged out, laborious showdown finale almost sinks under its endless repetition, with the same points and observations hammered away at over and over.

     But I did greatly appreciate and admire how the diversity and family backgrounds of Thulasi and Sam are well integrated into the storyline, along with the issues of racism, misogyny, and even the 19th century patriarchal oppression of women. No one could accuse 'Kill Your Darlings' of not having a lot on its mind other than its many scares.

     For those who demand nothing less than full immersion into a packed-the-the-rafters rampage of horror tropes........ with some misgivings, I'd still recommend this one. I doubt there's a single nightmarish creature or moment it forgot to throw into the mix.

      3 stars (***).

THE FRENCH ILLUSION.....HONEYMOONING IN PARIS TURN PERILOUS.....(****).....

The French Illusion by John Grisham (2026)   

     Leave it to skilled storyteller John Grisham to make an international terrorists-vs-CIA clash every bit as nuanced, detailed and suspenseful as his legal thrillers.

     The main adversary here, fueled by fierce, unforgiving vengeance, oversees the kidnapping of young American honeymooners in Paris with unerring clockwork precision. After a short time, the brides are released, shaken but relatively unharmed......but only after their families transmit a 2 million dollar ransom. While the families of the husbands must pay the same amount. those honeymooning grooms remain hostages and their captors subject them to a full array of physical tortures.

     With three couples already victimized, this brutally efficient gang finally reach the attention of the FBI, CIA, NSA, French Security forces and the White House. As the stricken families and their rescued traumatized daughters worry themselves sick in maddening frustration, the wheels of global law enforcement finally move into action. And in the midst of all their operations, one low level CIA agent in particular comes up a with daring seriously perilous mission to put a stop to the plot, and save the kidnapped husbands before their very possible execution.

     You can probably tell from the above description, this storyline is tailor made to keep you in its grip from the first page to the last. John Grisham expertly introduces his rapidly growing cast of government operatives and all their machinations, diplomatic rivalries and personal quirks. There's no big surprises or twists to reveal but the methodic, relentless turning of the wheels of oncoming justice can't help but keep a reader turning those pages at top speed..........with even the most unlikely (and wry) forced proximity romance thrown into the mix for additional entertainment.

     "The French Illusion' is just one of those books where you know you're in super capable hands from the moment you dive into it. Most assuredly one of the top Fall thriller reads of this year.

     4 stars (****). 

TRUST FALL......NEBRASKA MEETS NEW YORK CITY.....WATCH THE ROMANTIC SPARKS FLY....(****).

 Trust Fall by Lynn Painter (2026)

     'Trust Fall' may proudly take its place as the ultimate YA romance of this reading season. Simply because author Lynn Painter makes this book one-stop shopping for EVERY familiar and duly expected genre trope imaginable.

     Adorable good-hearted girl straight from the heartland of Nebraska? Julia's here for you. Then suddenly, our captivating Jules and her curly 'Pretty Woman' hair are made wealthy and thrown into that Mean Girl infested 9th circle of Hades....the exclusive New York City prep school. Oh yes indeed, she's there, alright. And the only thing missing from this bottomless pit of Uppercrust bullies are the usual cliques of vampires and witches.

     Plagued by weak math abilities that might jeopardize her enrollment (and her family's windfall of New Money), our girl must accept tutoring from Damion, the school's handsomest, snarkiest purveyor of rapid fire quips......mostly about Nebraska girls. Their banter, as you knew it would starts to veer from mutual distrust and dislike into......dare I say it out loud? A growing attraction to each other that keeps their internal thoughts helplessly obsessing about their.....uh.....hotness. and kissing potential.

     This is especially bedeviling for the sharp tongued Damion, because his own beloved late uncle was in fact the benefactor who turned Julia and her family into instant multi-millionaires. So his original agenda to somehow expose and accuse Julia and family as shady usurpers now conflicts with his realization that Julia's as honest, genuine and overall lovable as she appears to be.

     Lynn Painter, like a supremely skilled acrobat, simultaneously juggles all these ingredients.......enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, secret complications, snobs vs. salt-or-the-earth folk,, quaint small town vs. NYC's Upper West Side, , a meet-cute to remember......and some swoon inducing moments to the max..

      And all of this packed into one single book? If you're always entranced by this kind of story, then I don't know what more you could ask for. A fully stocked romantic buffet awaits......

     4 stars (****).

CRONE.....DEEP IN THE DARKEST HEARTS OF DARKNESS....(*****)....

Crone by Keith Rosson  (2026)

     All lovers of Take-No-Prisoners, Leave-Nobody-Unscathed blood dripping, gore drenched horror.......... fasten your seatbelts and try to keep your stomachs in the upright position. Because what goes on in author Keith Rosson's Pacific Northwest little town is more than equal to any of the monstrosities lurking in Stephen King's New England burgs.

     It seems to start out like a grungy, gritty crime noir, filled with psychotic low level drug lords and their pathetic hopelessly addicted customers. Trapped amid them is disgraced ex-cop and ex-addict Eli Lamp, with a backstory riddled with gut-wrenching tragedy, a life strewn with all the wrong roads taken. Eli, when still on the skids of addiction, was utterly destroyed by the disappearance of his nearly blind teenage daughter Hannah, who foolishly accepted a van ride in the middle of a dark rainy night. His further descent into violence left him in a vise-like obligation to drug kingpin Dave and reduced to eking out a dissolute existence as an enforcer and delivery boy of Dave's graft payouts to the town Chief of Police.

     And now Eli's bedeviled life takes an even darker stranger turn. Anton, one of Dave's two thuggish sons has been found mutilated beyond all rational description.......and Dave's offered Eli a way out of his eternal servitude as a gang minion - to use his rusty skills as a detective to hunt down and deliver up Anton's killer to a revenge frenzied Dave.

     To Eli's growing dread and Dave's stunned amazement, more mutilations and impossible happenings unfold before their disbelieving eyes. And the very last thing victims see is something humanoid, something female, something with enormous jet black wings that block out all light. This escalating carnage appears to coincide with the return of Hannah's best friend Avery,, who's lived with the guilt of doing nothing to stop Hannah from getting into that van. Avery's been drawn back to town by nightmare visions of Hannah and she brings her own set of troubles with her, feeding her powerful drug addiction with money belonging to one of Dave's rival drug lords.....a certain death sentence.

     Beyond the endless, graphic horrors that erupt every few pages or so, I felt equally gripped by the overwhelming sadness and inescapable tragedy in the beleaguered lives of Eli, Avery and Hannah. Even in the constant churn of the cruelty and grotesque supernatural events on display, the book still manages to make you ache and worry for these poor accursed characters. To me, that's what lifted this book into the level of Stephen King excellence and why I'm giving out 5 stars. "The Crone" packs in more fast moving thrills and scares than any multi-episode streaming horror series I've seen in the last few years.

        Anyone fearlessly devoted to seeking out the darkest reads of the spooky season.(or any other time), your search ends here. 5 stars (*****).