Xepherus Reads

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!     September is on the way and August has flown by. In August I managed to read ten books. Traveling aided in getting some audio books in. The fun of FanExpo Boston introduced me to new writers and creative publishers, as well. All-in-all I had a great month with books.   September has always been the official beginning of Autumn to me. I find myself adding Pumpkin spice lattes to my reading sessions. And I anxiously await the first turn of the leaves. Convention season is in full swing for me with Connecticut HorrorFest and New York Comic Con preparation. There are also street fairs and book fairs that gather together more book worms. This is truly my favorite time of the year.   I am hoping that September is a great reading month. In the past few years I have ranged one to three books for September. Thankfully I have a perfected my reading style, pushing aside the chaos of reading three or more books at a tim...

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!   Taking a genre and altering it to fit a new generation can be difficult. But for J.P. Delaney, old noir stories with a new twist seem almost effortless. When I began to read Believe Me, I was certain that the premise was strong enough to reel me in. But what I found was a story a lot more intricate and diabolical than I could have imagined. Trust me. Love me. Just don't believe me...   Believe Me is written by J.P. Delaney (a  pseudonym  of author, Anthony Capella). It is published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. The story was originally published in 2001 as the Decoy under Capella's other pen name, Tony Strong. This newer version revises some names and changes plot points, but keeps the over-all foundation intact. Admittedly, Capella felt that the original version of his work was lacking. Using his fame as J.P. Delaney from  the  Girl Before, he used his current reso...

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!   Thrillers have always been a favorite genre of mine. This blog is filled with reviews of many novels that I have read, featuring crime fiction. And when I try an author that I have never read before, the anticipation is always high. Now that I have read a Shari Lapena novel, I may not want to stop.   An Unwanted Guest is Shari Lapena's third thriller. It is published by Viking Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. In it we are introduced to the Mitchell's Inn, a beautiful, small hotel located high in the Catskill Mountains of New York State. Family-owned, it is well worth the exorbitant booking price, boasting posh rooms and classy living. Only six of the twelve rooms are booked for the snowy -forcasted weekend, with a skeleton crew on duty. Ten guests are slated to arrive ahead of the storm, and the hotel is prepared with firewood, oil lamps, and an impressive menu of drinks and culinary delights. A beautiful wee...

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!   I have read three of Ruth Ware's four novels, and I have yet to find a book that is below four stars. With the Death of Mrs. Westaway , The Woman in Cabin 10 , and In a Dark, Dark Wood behind me, I have finally arrived at my fourth Ware book in under a month. What I found was another page-turning tale that has left me excited that I have yet again finished a very satisfying mystery.    The Lying Game is Ruth Ware's third novel, and it is published by Scout Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. In it we are introduced to Isa Wilde and her partner, Owen. The new parents are constantly tired, and things are a bit shaky. Owen knows that Isa has been acting strange lately since her return to London, but he is puzzled as to why. All he knows is that a few days ago she was summoned by her old school friend, Kate, and she has seemed to change. She is on edge, snappy, and very secretive. But why? What could poss...

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!   Taking the time to read a book series usually takes a lot of planning and time for me. But when a series is as good as the Tracy Crosswhite series, time seems to speed by as I become engrossed in each book. Some I read in under a day. With compelling stories and a great ensemble cast, I never have trouble coming out of each novel satisfied with how I have spent my time. With three books behind me, book four awaits. And to say I was not prepared for the twist at the end is an understatement.   The Trapped Girl is written by Robert Dugoni, and is published by Thomas and Mercer, an Amazon imprint. In it we are introduced to Andrea Strickland, a beautiful book worm whose only ambition in life is to be left alone to enjoy her many novels. She has a job that pays the bills. And she fights daily to regulate the terrible memories of her troubled youth, including the death of her parents on Christmas Eve when she was thirteen. ...

Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!   Summer time reading has been a roller coaster for me this year. I have enjoyed many books. But one series that I continue to come back to is the Tracy Crosswhite detective series. Comprised of six novels and two short works, the series is a tense and thrilling excursion into the crime genre. After reading book one and two, it was time to pick up the third installment.             In the Clearing is book three in the Tracy Crosswhite detective series by Robert Dugoni. It is published by Thomas and Mercer, an imprint of Amazon. It brings us into the heart of two mysteries; one in present day and one begun forty years prior. In 1976 a young Native American girl named Kimi Kanasket disappeared while walking home from her job as a waitress. Fearing that something happened to her, Officer Buzz Almond worked with a search party to find the teenager. What he ended up find...