"Here To Stay" by Mark Edwards

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A beautiful home. A loving wife. And in-laws to die for.

Gemma Robinson comes into Elliot’s life like a whirlwind, and they marry and settle into his home. When she asks him if her parents can come to stay for a couple of weeks, he is keen to oblige – he just doesn’t quite know what he’s signing up for.

The Robinsons arrive with Gemma’s sister, Chloe, a mysterious young woman who refuses to speak or leave her room. Elliot starts to suspect that the Robinsons are hiding a dark secret. And then there are the scars on his wife’s body that she won’t talk about . . .

As Elliot’s in-laws become more comfortable in his home, encroaching on all aspects of his life, it becomes clear that they have no intention of moving out. To protect Gemma, and their marriage, Elliot delves into the Robinsons’ past. But is he prepared for the truth?

From the two million-copy bestselling author comes a tale about the chilling consequences of welcoming strangers into your home.

I loved this book! Even though Elliot seemed over-the-top nice, I wanted him to do something through the whole book to get rid of the in-laws. Admittedly, what he ended up doing wasn't very rational, but oh, how it satisfied. Unfortunately, there were more secrets, deceptions, and duplicities to uncover. I pray a sequel comes because where it ended just wasn't enough for me. I need to know what happens next.

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"Spirit of the Book" by D.E. Howard

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Do you believe in magic?

Ellie Forrester didn't.

Raised an only child by a mother who never hid her resentment Ellie learned from an early age to be self sufficient.

Finally moving away from her mother's negative influence Ellie thought her small run down flat was a little piece of paradise.

The old book she found hidden away didn't seem to be anything remarkable but Ellie soon discovered that it contained far more than just the words on the pages.

Ellie soon discovered that not only did magic exist but it was within her reach.

Do you believe in magic?

Ellie Forrester does!

Ellie's story didn't turn out to be what I'd expected. The beginning of the book shared her mother's story; it formed the foundation of why she moved into her apartment. I would have preferred to start where she found the magic book and learned about her mother gradually, or perhaps I didn't even need to know about her mother. I'm not sure leaving it out would have affected the story at all. My favorite part of the book was Sayid and Farley's tale of long ago and the curse that landed him in the book. I very much enjoyed it, the sacrifice Ellie made to help him escape, and the conclusion.

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'The Black Fox: Run for your life. (A Lambeth Group Thriller)' by Gordon Bickerstaff

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Incredible conspiracy. Intricate espionage. Spy story.

Zoe Tampsin is resourceful, smart and Special Forces-trained, but she has been given an impossible mission.

She has to protect scientist, Gavin Shawlens, from assassination by the CIA, and discover the secret trapped in Gavin's mind that the CIA want destroyed.

As the pressure to find Shawlens escalates – the CIA send Zoe's former mentor to track her down and her fate seems sealed when he surrounds Zoe and Gavin with a ring of steel. With each hour that passes, the ring is tightened, and the window for discovering Gavin's secret will shut.

Zoe is faced with a decision that goes against all of her survival instincts. If she is wrong – they both die. If she is right – she will discover the secret and become the next target for assassination.

Run for your life…

I enjoyed Zoe's character- her strength, intelligence, and loyalty. The race to figure out what lurked in Gavin's subconscious thrilled. The many twists and the difference between what he thought was happening and what was genuinely happening surprised me. His character seemed a little weak and, at times, annoying, but his wits prevailed in the end, and he was redeemed. The action and battle of strategic forces entertained. 

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"Treacherous Love: A Short Story of Misdirected Passion" by Karen Black

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Rochelle adores Ethan, but volatile confrontations threaten to destroy their marriage. When a tragic accident hospitalizes their son, the resulting events force Rochelle to recognize the damage that her rage has caused. Determined not to lose Ethan, Rochelle vows to change. Ethan agrees to give their relationship another chance. Despite it all, he loves his wife. But the road to recovery isn't an easy one, and sometimes love isn't enough.

A reverse on the typical story of domestic violence, 'Treacherous Love' features a man trying to hold his family together while suffering physical abuse from his spouse. Ethan tolerated far more than I thought he should. I felt sorry for him up until his son was injured. Instead of being the end of their marriage, Rochelle got the upper hand and further manipulated Ethan. The ending surprised, and it didn't say what consequences Rochelle faced but I don't think she'd have the upper hand anymore. I enjoyed the story. 

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