Posted on by Jacquie Biggar

#Bookreviews- The Hay Bale @PriscillaBettis, The Sorcerer’s Garden @DWallacePeach, Redemption @GMPlano, The Last Drive @HowellWave, The Bubble Reputation by Alex Craigie #reading


Spring is here and I’m so happy!

This is one of the cute little crocuses popping up in the garden. I love their fuzzy orange sherbet centers 🙂

This week I have a few reviews from some of the amazing writers I’ve met on the blogs. Please click the covers and support our blogging community.

The posts on this site may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission should you make a purchase using a link.

Contemporary Southern Gothic meets weird horror in this new novelette from Priscilla Bettis.

A haunted house, creepy community, and an oozing hay bale keep readers on edge in this weird and wacky tale!

Microbiologist Claire Davenport is on a sabbatical after several miscarriages and her husband’s subsequent desertion. The historic manor house she rents seems like the perfect getaway but looks are deceiving. A strange scraping in the kitchen and the sound of a crying child leads Claire to search for answers from the local townsfolk, and the chills begin!

This is a fast-paced page-turner with a wild ending- check it out for yourself!

D. Wallace Peach’s eighth novel is a collision of medieval and urban fantasy centered in the Northwest Hills of Portland, Oregon.

Reality and fantasy collide in this imaginative story of a young woman (Madlyn) who accepts a temporary position as a reading companion to her ex-boss’s-awkward? yes!-younger comatose brother.

Thanks to the unfair dismissal, Madlyn needs the position offered by the rather strange, but sweet, grandmother of the corporate mogul who ruined her life. The mansion is everything she expects, but the staff within it is not. They are fiercely loyal to their employers and figure largely in the fantasy novel adventurer Cody was writing before the accident that left him in a vegetative state.

When Madlyn begins the tale there are only four chapters written, but somehow it grows, one page after another. And that isn’t the strangest thing, Mady is in the book, and so are the weird dreams she’s been having- how is that possible?

“The veil of civilization is a gauzy thing,” Lillian said. “It tears easily when fear finds a flaw, a small hole to worm its claws into and pull the threads apart. It’s quite remarkable, in fact, how quickly humans revert to bestial instincts, action without a thought for consequence, violence with impunity, and the freedom to commit atrocities.”

The Sorcerer’s Garden- D. Wallace Peach

The fantasy novel is an action-packed suspense and is eerie with its many parallels in the Lofton’s business world. There’s obviously something strange going on, but will Mady figure it out before someone else gets hurt?

One of the reasons I love this writer’s work is the underlying messages she incorporates into her storylines. In this case, it’s one of family loyalty, trust, and generosity- valuable goals we should all embrace.

In this fast-paced psychological thriller, Lisa and her brother embark on a quest to solve the mystery of their father’s murder.

When Lisa makes a reluctant trip home at her mother’s request, the last thing she expects is a deadly premonition that comes true.

An empty house is never truly vacant. Walls whisper and floors moan. It lives, even though others might not.

Plano, Gwen M. Redemption (p. 11). Fresh Ink Group. Kindle Edition.

With her father murdered and her mother gravely injured, Lisa is forced into a series of counseling appointments she doesn’t want. He draws details of the murder scene from her, and she realizes there’s more to the story than an unsolicited attack. Unable to trust the police or the FBI, Lisa decides to investigate the crime herself with help from her brother and his friend.

Secrets are unearthed, danger abounds, and a puzzling mystery makes for a page-turning read in this engaging story.

The author does a wonderful job creating characters with deep family values. The theme of forgiveness and redemption give this novel a heartwarming tone I really enjoyed. A recommended read!

This book is for you if you like plenty of action, strong characters, time travel, and a touch of spiritual and historical fiction. So, join Sam and James as they try to find the missing souls while staying one step ahead of the Prince of Darkness, who is determined to destroy all that is good.

Summoned by the Archangel Michael, Sam is sent on a quest to find a lost soul and his guide on earth before Lucifer can interfere with their journey to Heaven. She calls upon her old friend, James, to help and so begins a search that will lead the duo through a series of calamitous events in time as they work to evade the devil and survive some of history’s most horrendous events.

All of which must be accomplished without doing anything to change the future!

There was a lot of research put into this novel and the author does a commendable job of integrating it into the storyline. My favorite parts are those including Lucifer. His evil charm is palpable- so good!

If you want to destroy someone’s reputation, social media provides the perfect tool.

An editor, desperate for the next big story, sends her star reporter out to get the dirt on a too-good-to-be-true tv star and children’s author (Emmie) who is favored to win at a prestigious awards ceremony.

Tempted by a large bonus, Jessie agrees, but soon lives to regret the decision.

A jealous co-star starts the ball rolling with a web of lies spiraling into a series of fake news, doctored photos, and flaming comments that take on a power of their own. Emmie’s life unravels, leaving her a pariah among not only her fans but many of her family and friends.

It is horrendous how much power fake news can have on a person’s life. In The Bubble Reputation, the author sheds light on just how easy it is to destroy someone’s character in this age of technology. A thought-provoking read.

My daughter knows me so well. I came back from a birthday date at the beach with hubby to find this treat on the doorstep- yum!

73 Replies to “#Bookreviews- The Hay Bale @PriscillaBettis, The Sorcerer’s Garden @DWallacePeach, Redemption @GMPlano, The Last Drive @HowellWave, The Bubble Reputation by Alex Craigie #reading”

  1. Your daughter rocks, Jacquie! I’ve read (or written, haha) several of these books, but I still need to read The Bubble Reputation. It sounds so good.
    Thank you for reading and reviewing The Hay Bale!:-)

    Liked by 2 people

  5. Wow, what a great collection of authors and books. I’ve read all of these but one, and I’ve read a lot of that author’s other novels. Fabulous reviews. Congrats to all.

    And that popcorn is the perfect snack to accompany binge reading!

    Liked by 2 people

  7. I’ve read three of these (Priscilla, Gwen, and John) and enjoyed them very much. Excellent reviews, Jacquie. My best to all the authors.

    BTW, the crocus is lovely. So nice to see after all these months. And Happy Birthday!

    Liked by 2 people

  8. Thank you, Jacquie, for including Redemption in your recommended list. I’m honored to be among these wonderful writers. You’ve brightened the day immensely. Hugs to you. 🤗

    Liked by 2 people

  9. Crocus and popcorn. What great birthday gifts, Jacquie. Happy Birthday. Thank you so much for the lovely review of The Last Drive. I’m so pleased you liked the story and took the time to provide your thoughts to your readers. Congratulations to Priscilla, Diana, Gwen, and Trish.

    Liked by 2 people

  10. We have been doing some similar reading, Jacquie. I enjoyed all of these! Perfect surprise on your bday. I love you got a beach date 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  12. I hope you had a great birthday, Jacquie. Thanks for the excellent choices. I’ve already read the last two and have Gwen’s book on my Kindle. I seldom read fantasy, but Diana’w writing is always brilliant. I’ve seen Priscilla around many of the same blogs I follow, and I like the description for this one.

    Liked by 2 people

      1. I’ve read Liars and Thieves and The Necromancer’s Daughter—loved them. I see this is one of her earlier books.

        Liked by 2 people

  14. What a great surprise to come home to, Jacquie. I have been planning on taking a week in April and reading books from bloggers that I follow and highlighting them as I post my review. I agree, there are so many great bloggers that are also authors. I am not a horror fan, so I won’t read the first one, but several of the others appeal to me.

    Liked by 2 people

  15. HI Jacquie, I am enjoying your flower posts on FB. I love spring. Your daughter is amazing, what a fun gift. I have read The Hay Bale and The Last Drive and both were very good reads. The others also sound excellent and I have all of them on my kindle.

    Liked by 2 people

  16. What a fun post, Jacquie. Thank you for reading The Sorcerer’s Garden. I’m glad you enjoyed the strange tale. It was fun to write, for sure. And I’ve read all the other books you featured. What amazing talent in our community. Congrats to Priscilla, Gwen, John, and Trish. Enjoy your crocuses and your popcorn! Lol.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I’m so grateful to Jacquie for this wonderful review- the support from this community, people like you, is what keeps me writing. I have The Sorcerer’s Garden ready in my Kindle. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  17. Congratulations to Priscilla, Diana, Gwen, and John on these wonderful reviews! Thanks for sharing, Jacquie. I tried to comment yesterday from my phone, but WP decided it wouldn’t let me, lols. Hugs 💕🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  18. Jacquie, this was a wonderful surprise and I’m so happy to be included here with Priscilla, Diana, John and Gwen. I love your review – many thanks! Also, a belated Happy Birthday! Your daughter sounds wonderful! 😀

    Liked by 1 person

  23. I think my hubby could go through that bag of popcorn by himself, lol. Nice selections, Jacquie! Priscilla’s book was uber-creepy, and I’m almost finished with John’s. Congrats to the authors!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thanks, Toni! You can imagine the delight of finding myself with these authors. I have read all of them or have them already on my Kindle. 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

Comments are closed.