Nash Falls (Walter Nash #1) by David Baldacci #thriller #suspense

On November 20, 2025 By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews7 Comments

When Walter Nash is recruited by the FBI to help bring down a global crime network his life is turned completely upside down in this thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci.

Walter Nash is a sensitive, intelligent and kindhearted man. He has a wife and a daughter and a very high-level position at Sybaritic Investments, where his innate skills and dogged tenacity have carried him to the top of the pyramid in his business career. Despite never going on grand adventures, and always working too many hours, he has a happy and upscale life with his family.

However, following his estranged Vietnam-veteran father’s funeral, Nash is unexpectedly approached by the FBI in the middle of the night. They have an important request: become their inside man to expose an enterprise that is laundering large sums of money through Sybaritic. At the top of this illegal operation is Victoria Steers, an international criminal mastermind that the FBI has been trying to bring down for years.

Nash has little choice but to accept the FBI’s demands and try to bring Steers and her partners to justice. But when Steers discovers that Nash is working with the FBI, she turns the tables on him in a way he never could have contemplated. And that forces Nash to take the ultimate step both to survive and to take his revenge: He must become the exact opposite of who he has always been.

And even that may not be enough.

Wow. It’s been more than a minute since I read Baldacci, and now I’m asking myself why.

Walter Nash worked hard for everything he’s got – a high-level position at Sybaritic Investments, a beautiful wife and daughter, and a home in a gated community. It’s not a perfect life, but it’s pretty predictable and comfortable. Until the FBI taps him to be an informant. Sybaritic Investments is involved in some unsavory business practices with an international criminal mastermind. There’s really no choice, and Walter agrees to help them. Then his world crumbles.

This didn’t feel like nearly 450 pages. I listened to the audiobook on a long road trip, and the time flew. The unexpected twists shocked me every time, and the story ventured into places I couldn’t have predicted. To avoid spoilers, I’ll just say Walter experiences soul-crushing, devasting pain and reinvents himself for a mission of justice and revenge. He’s an easy character to root for, and I fully supported his actions. A supporting character I despised surprised me with hidden depths to their personality. Deep inside the cesspool of a human were a couple of redeemable traits.

With a complex, intelligent plot, and a cliffhanger that left me agape, I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel. Recommended for readers who enjoy seeing the MC pushed to their limit and beyond, multi-faceted characters, and life or death stakes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong #horror #mystery

On November 19, 2025 By Teri PolenIn Uncategorized11 Comments

From New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong comes a nail-biting supernatural horror about a haunted lakeside property and twisted family secrets.

When Samantha Payne’s grandfather dies, she figures she won’t even get a mention in the will. After all, she hasn’t seen him in fourteen years, not since her father took his own life after being accused of murdering a child at their lakefront cottage. Her grandfather always insisted her father was innocent, despite Sam having caught him burying the child’s body, his clothing streaked with blood.

But when she does attend the reading of the will at the behest of her aunt, she discovers that her grandfather left her the very valuable lakefront property where the family cottage sits. There’s one catch: Sam needs to stay in the cottage for a month. To finally face the fact she was wrong and her father was innocent, in her grandfather’s words.

Traveling to Paynes Hollow, Sam is faced with the realities of her childhood and the secrets kept hidden in the shadows of her memories. When her aunt goes missing a couple days into their stay, Sam begins to question everything again. Plagued by nightmares and paranoia, she begins hearing sounds in the forest and seeing shapes crawling from the water as the rippling waves of the lake promise something unspeakably dark lurking just below their surface.

I was traveling yesterday and forgot to schedule this post, so it’s a day late.

I read my first Armstrong book a few years ago, and I’ve become a confirmed fan. This novel is a perfect spooky choice to curl up with this time of year.

Sam is seriously strapped for cash. When her mother’s dementia progressed to the point that she required specialized care, Sam was forced to drop out of college, take a low-paying job, and exist mostly on ramen noodles to pay the bills. After the death of her grandfather, a wealthy, cantankerous man, Sam learns he bequeathed her a ten million dollar lakefront property if she can live in the family cottage there for one month. With creatures creeping from the water nightly, a headless horseman patrolling the shore, and nightmares that have Sam questioning what’s real, it’s easier said than done. But if she can stick it out, the money would allow her to return to medical school and ensure her mother receives the best care available. If she leaves early, she’ll have to forfeit the inheritance.

The secluded three hundred acre setting adds to the eerieness of this story. It feels like nowhere is safe after dark. Sam has disturbing childhood memories of the lake that include discovering her father burying the body of a young boy. Gruff caretaker Ben also has a tragic history related to the property. Being the caretaker wasn’t his choice of career, but Sam’s controlling grandfather again got his way and ensured Ben would stay for many years. The remaining person at the cottage is Sam’s Aunt Gail. After the two argue one evening, Gail goes missing. It turns out several people have disappeared on the property over the years.

At under three hundred pages, this story packs a powerful supernatural punch and can easily be read in a couple sittings. Unsettling descriptions will make you wonder how long you’d stay for ten million dollars. Recommended for fans of family folklore and dark secrets, isolated settings, and a suspenseful blend of paranormal mystery and psychological thriller.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Red City (The New Alchemists #1) by Marie Lu #fantasy #scifi #dystopia

On November 13, 2025 By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews15 Comments

The Godfather meets The Magicians in the sweeping adult debut from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Red City is a dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles.

Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation. An exclusive power wielded by crime syndicates that market it to the world’s elites in the form of sand, a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of themselves: more beautiful, more charismatic, simply more.

Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city―and the paths of their lives―will be irrevocably transformed.

The daughter of a poor single mother, Sam would do anything to claw her way into the ranks of Grand Central in search of a better life. Plucked away from his family as a boy to become a Lumines apprentice, Ari is one of the syndicates’ brightest rising stars. Once, they might have loved each other. But as the two alchemists face off across opposite sides of an ever-escalating conflict, ambition becomes power, loyalty becomes lies, and no transformation may be perfect enough for them both to survive the coming war.

The Godfather is one of the best books I’ve ever read, and I adore everything V.E. Schwab writes, so I figured the odds of me enjoying Red City were pretty astronomical. I was right.

Each an outcast in their own way, Sam and Ari meet during their difficult childhoods and form a strong bond of friendship. Their feelings evolve into love, something they never express, but their ignorance of that fact results in some delicious conflict later. When their schooling is finished they join rival syndicates – something they also don’t communicate – and Sam and Ari lose touch. Their new jobs require them to perform unsavory duties, but each comes from poverty situations and Sam and Ari’s salaries more than allow them to ensure financial stability for their families.

This world is dark, brutal, and complex, and the action scenes are a chef’s kiss and kind of X-Men-ish. With the use of alchemy, characters possess different strengths that make the fights violent and wildly creative. I sometimes skim through action scenes, but not these. I enjoyed every minute.

As adults in their mid twenties, Sam and Ari are involved with other people. The love is still there, but I never felt their strong connection – that’s probably just me as other reviewers disagree. Once they share page time again, emotions are expressed (finally) and come with some pretty quotable lines.

While the world-building is being established in the beginning, pacing is a little slow for my taste, but hang with it – big things are coming.

Lu makes an impressive adult debut with this novel, and the sequel will be high on my watch list. Recommended for readers who enjoy alchemy, Godfather-like drama, and complex, politically charged plots.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#WWWWednesday: What Am I Reading? #amreading

On November 12, 2025 By Teri PolenIn WWW Wednesdays25 Comments

WWW Wednesday is a meme from Sam at Taking On A World Of Words

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

This week features a demon protecting a powerfully wealthy family, a heartwarming collection of Christmas stories, and a wrap up of a chosen one trilogy.

I’ve read several Alma Katsu novels and was fortunate to meet her a couple times at book festivals. Fiend features a powerful, dysfunctional family with not one likeable member among them. Succession is used as a comp title, and it’s well chosen. The first half moves at a slower pace than I prefer, but I think it’s getting ready to turn a corner and pick up speed.

Historical horror maven Alma Katsu turns her talents to the modern world for the first time, in this terrifying tale about an all-powerful family with an ancient evil under its thumb.

Imagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call.

The Berisha family runs one of the largest import-export companies in the world, and they’ve always been lucky. Their rivals suffer strokes. Inconvenient buildings catch on fire. Earthquakes swallow up manufacturing plants, destroying harmful evidence. Things always seem to work outfor the Berishas. They’re blessed.

At least that is what Zef, the patriarch, has always told his three children. And each of them knows their place in the family—Dardan, as the only male heir, must prepare to take over as keeper of the Berisha secrets, Maris’s most powerful contribution, much to her dismay, will be to marry strategically, and Nora’s job, as the youngest, is to just stay out of the way. But when things stop going as planned, and the family blessing starts looking more like a curse, the Berishas begin to splinter, each hatching their own secret scheme. They didn’t get to be one of the richest families in the world without spilling a little blood, but this time, it might be their own.

I love Christmas and tales set around that holiday. When it comes to story collections I usually have favorites, but I couldn’t choose between them in Miracles & Ghosts Past. All eight feature memorable characters in dire situations who are visited by ghosts or angels. The addition of fur babies in most stories makes it even better. Guaranteed to warm your heart and bring out the holiday spirit.

Miracles saturate the sweet-scented Christmas season—a reminder we aren’t alone.
Miracles & Ghosts Past: A Christmas Collection brings eight stories from past holidays. Rita buys train tickets for her and Morris’s 30th anniversary in the novelette, “The Christmas Train Mystery.” She’s convinced this trip will bring her and Morris closer—if he can find the time. A murder mystery excursion will change Rita’s life in more ways than one, but will she go with her workaholic husband or by herself? In the first short story, “Christmas Rescue,” Opal trusts the wrong man and loses her mother in the same year, leaving her feeling lost. On a mission to get candles for the dinner table, she makes an unexpected find. “Is There a Santa?” goes back to the 1920s, where a widower is desperate to hold on to his farm and children. He doesn’t want charity, just a bit of luck or a miracle. In the final stories, you’ll meet an eleven-year-old who’s home alone, a family living in the aftermath of war, a girl who gets some shocking news, a widow with a warning from beyond, and a woman trapped on an elevator with Santa. Hope underlies these stories; it endures even in the direst of circumstances. Whether help comes from a ghost, Santa, or an angel, miracles are just within reach.

When the publisher sent me a NetGalley widget for The Art of Legend, I hesitated to download it. I’m trying to clear out my NG shelf, and the book is over 600 pages – but after hanging out with this “ragtag band of heroes” for two novels, I needed to see what becomes of them. Found family gets me every time.

Once in a faraway kingdom there was a man prophesied to be the chosen one, who would defeat a great villain, the Eternal Khan, and save the kingdom.

But then the Eternal Khan died . . . and the prophecy was broken.

For Jian, the fated hero, this could have been a moment to succumb to despair. But instead, he chose to create his own destiny. He studied under Taishi, his curmudgeonly but beloved mentor, to become a great warrior.

With war on the horizon—and rumors of the Khan’s return brewing—a band of unlikely allies are also on their own missions. There’s Sali, a gruff warrior who is also forging a path different from the one her culture created for her, and Qisami, an assassin whose cold heart might actually be made of gold. And Taishi has gathered a band of other elderly grandmasters to help Jian live up to his destiny.

Because some heroes aren’t simply born legends—they choose to become legendary. And great heroes do not stand alone but are stronger together.

The Moss by Lisa Lueddecke #horror #mystery #TuesdayBookBlog

On November 11, 2025 By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews16 Comments

I know how to find her. Don’t follow me. I mean it. It will break Dad if you do. I love you, Em.
P.S. Stay away from the Sedge Man. He won’t stop, like a hunter, until there’s nothing left of you.

A year after her sister Eve’s sudden disappearance, Emma returns to the small town of Scarrow in northern Maine. The police have no leads, the neighbors spread rumors about her father’s involvement, and the vast bogland known as the Moss lies in wait beside the house like a hungry beast.

Darkly familiar shadows and specters fill her dreams and the quiet spaces between her thoughts. Something is following her, pulling her to the Moss, and it’s growing stronger by the day. Could it be what called to her sister? Or even to their mother, when Emma was only a child?

Haunted by the ghosts of the past, Emma knows she is the only one who can uncover the truth and save her sister…unless she gets lost herself.

The Moss might have you peering over your shoulder if you’re home alone while reading it.

Emma’s mother and older sister Eve disappeared into the misty bog (also called the moss and a character in itself) – her mother when Emma was a child and Eve a year ago. Emma shares a strong bond with her sister and is convinced Eve is still alive somewhere inside the moss. Her father’s fear of losing Emma in the same way resulted in her living across the country with her aunt for the past year. Even at that distance, she still heard the call of the moss and saw terrifying apparitions. After moving back home, the lure is even stronger.

With his wife and daughter missing, Emma’s father is at the top of the suspect list. Even without a shred of evidence to incriminate him, some residents still believe he’s guilty. I liked how Emma’s faith in her father never wavers, and she staunchly defends him at every turn. Aiding her in her brave and somewhat reckless quest to find Eve is Jordan, a loyal, cool-headed friend (and a sweetheart) who might turn into something more. With sinister ghosts roaming the centuries-old house and property and voices pulling her toward the moss, Emma’s running out of time. I honestly didn’t know which way the tension-filled ending would go, and I love it when that happens.

With a Gothic feel and beautiful writing, I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy slow burn horror, strong family bonds, and suspenseful, paranormal mysteries.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Major Life Events, #AmWatching, and Impatient Characters

On November 10, 2025 By Teri PolenIn Monday Share26 Comments

With Bad Moon Rising going on throughout the month of October, it’s been a while since we’ve caught up. Let’s get started.

You may remember Son #1 was married in Alaska in August, and we hosted the reception here in KY in September. Three days after we returned from Alaska, we helped Reese, Son #2, and his GF Emmy relocate to SC. If that wasn’t enough major life events, we decided to cram in one more. Mike and I bought a house in SC. Before moving to KY, we lived in SC for 18 years and always planned to return after Mike retires. My job is remote, so it’s not a factor. He’s not at that point yet, but a fantastic deal on a house presented itself, and it’s something we couldn’t pass up. By being in a golf community (Mike’s a golfer), it also checked off something on his list of hopefuls. But this is the weird part. We closed on the house October 30th – and Mike’s never laid eyes on it – and I first saw it the week before closing. You’re probably questioning our sanity, but we previously toured homes with similar floor plans by the builder and liked what we saw. My parents also live nearby and looked at the house with our realtor who videoed everything.

The not-very-fun part was closing long distance. Seemed like every day in October I was uploading forms, tracking down information, or digitally signing something else. We gave POA to my dad, who was a real trooper at closing and signed three full names (ours and his) on a 4-inch stack of forms. Pretty sure his hand is still cramping. It’s a done deal now and, assuming our flight isn’t canceled (keep your fingers crossed), Mike will see the house for the first time this weekend.

Is anyone watching the new season of The Diplomat on Netflix? I just finished episode 4, and this is one heck of an exciting season. I also finished the second season of Nobody Wants This. For me, it had its ups and downs, but Tovah Feldshuh (Noah’s mom Bina Roklov) is a gem and steals every scene she’s in.

On the writing front, I’m getting reacquainted with my characters who’ve been on the backburner for several months. They’ve been keeping track of the number of days I haven’t written and screaming at me to get my butt in the chair and start. I also had an epiphany in spin class about a connection between two major plot points that had vexed me for weeks. This FB post made me laugh, and I had to share. It’s entirely accurate.

What’s been going on with you?

Body of Water by Adam Godfrey #horror #thriller

On November 6, 2025 By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews19 Comments

For fans of Stephen King’s The Mist and the HBO hit show The Last of Us comes a wildly inventive, sinister thriller following an estranged father and daughter who find themselves trapped in a diner by a living body of water.

Don’t let the water drag you down…

It’s been six years since Glen Masters lost his wife in a tragic accident. In hopes of reconnecting with his grieving teenage daughter, Lauren, he decides to take her on a road trip through the Appalachian mountains, where he has fond memories of their past as a family. But what was supposed to be a quick diner pit stop suddenly transforms into a nightmare when armed men stumble in, ranting about a mysterious and deadly “living water” that attacked several people up the road. The story the men spin seems to be the rantings of drunken lunatics, but soon Glen, his daughter, and the other diners find themselves hostages to both the gunmen and the inexplicably terrifying entity.

Because there’s truly something wrong with the water, and it has no mercy.

Panic grows as the diners play witness to a nature-defying being that seeks only to swallow everything in its path. With help nowhere in sight, the group of strangers must work together to devise an escape, and ultimately, Glen will have to face his worst fears to reconcile with the past or risk losing everything.

A chilling story from a brand-new voice in fiction, Body of Water explores the complicated nature of grief, terror, and the ghosts we must confront to survive.

The Mist is one of my favorite King short stories that’s stuck with me years after reading. A blend of that claustrophobic tale with The Last of Us? I couldn’t resist.

I’ll just say it. My mind is blown. You WILL NOT see that twist coming. Don’t cheat and flip to the end or you’ll miss a haunting tale of a father and daughter who experienced devastating grief and trauma. Struggling to repair their relationship, they take a roadtrip to the Appalachian mountains and become stranded at a small town diner surrounded by unnatural, deadly water.

Glen and Lauren grabbed me immediately. He believes he’s doing his best as a single dad to a teen daughter and hopes to reconnect with her on this trip. To Lauren, Glen is only going through the motions and all but checked out after the death of her mother. Their backstory is told through heart-wrenching flashbacks that mesh well with the story. The supporting cast of diverse characters are just as well-crafted and play integral roles in the story. The mystery of what exactly the water is kept me on the edge of my seat.

With themes of grief and family trauma, this is an intense, cerebral story I could easily see as a movie. I listened to the audiobook, and narrator James Babson is outstanding. Highly recommended for fans of survival stories, confined settings, and family bonds.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#BadMoonRising Book Winners!

On November 5, 2025 By Teri PolenIn Bad Moon Rising32 Comments

I want to thank everyone who participated in the tenth anniversary of Bad Moon Rising. Whether you were an author, commenter, a Corgi in a Wonder Bread wrapper, fur babies assisting writers, someone who shared the posts on social media, or a visitor just passing through, I appreciate all of you. Without you, BMR doesn’t exist, and I’d hate to miss the party every year.

I’ve got lots of winners to announce! Most authors were given contact info of their winners, but I don’t have email addresses for a couple of you. CarolCooks2 (I contacted you through your website) and Nicola Sara (I messaged you on Instagram), please email me at tpolen6@gmail.com

Overlord ebook by Jonathan Pongratz – Darlene Foster, Sue Rovens, Dawn Pisturino

Not For This World ebook by Steve Stred- Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene, Armand Rosamilia, Priscilla Bettis, Misty at Misty’s Book Space, Dawn Pisturino

Served Cold ebook plus 3 more ebooks by Terry Tyler – Jan Sikes

Pretty Little Slashers ebook by Carly Black – Robbie Cheadle

The Pure Shore Club signed copy by Jason Lady – Diana Peach

Demon’s Past ebooks by Shari Sakurai – Deby Fredericks, Sherri Dodd

In a Corner Darkly signed copy by Sue Rovens – Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

The Legend of Dark Girl signed copy by Reagan Rothe – Armand Rosamilia

Edge of Twilight ebook by Joan Hall – Sophie @ Beware of the Reader

Amanda in Ireland ebook by Darlene Foster – Armand Rosamilia

The Fantastic Adventures of Sherlock Holmes digital copy by Anthony D.P. Mann – CarolCooks2

Three book bundle by Iseult Murphy – Terry Tyler

Bad Moon on the Rise ebook by Mandy Webster – Miriam Hurdle

Moonlight and Magnolias signed copy by Jessica Lindsey – Carla Bradley

Miracles and Ghosts Past ebook by D.L. Finn – Cheryl Hunter

Haiku for the Midnight Hour signed copy by Dawn Pisturino – Miriam Hurdle

The Harvest ebook by Alex Hunter – Diana Peach

The Shrine ebook by D.M. Gritzmacher – John Howell

And the Grave Awaits ebook by Roberta Eaton Cheadle – Lauren Scott, Jan Sikes

Detour on the Eternal Road ebook by John W. Howell – Dawn Pisturino

Tale of the Seasons’ Weaver ebook by D. Wallace Peach or an ebook from her backlist – Paula Cappa

Dead of Winter Omnibus ebook by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene – Nicole Sara

King of the Dead ebook by Ryana Hunter – Regina Buttner

Down a Bad Road signed copy by Regina Buttner – C.S. Boyack

Inheritance Revealed ebook by Cheryl Hunter – Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

United States of Apocalypse signed copies by Armand Rosamilia – Jonny Pongratz

Congrats to the winners, and I hope to see all of you at Bad Moon Rising next October!

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson #mystery #thriller #TuesdayBookBlog

On November 4, 2025 By Teri PolenIn Book Reviews23 Comments

A twisty thriller about a young woman trying to solve her own murder.

In seven days Jet Mason will be dead.

Jet is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Woodstock, Vermont. Twenty-seven years old, she’s still waiting for her life to begin. I’ll do it later, she always says. She has time.

Until Halloween night, when Jet is violently attacked by an unseen intruder.

She suffers a catastrophic head injury. The doctor is certain that within a week, the injury will trigger a deadly aneurysm.

Jet has never thought of herself as having enemies. But now she looks at everyone in a new light: her family, her former best friend turned sister-in-law, her ex-boyfriend.

She has at most seven days, and as her condition deteriorates she has only her childhood friend Billy for help. But nevertheless, she’s absolutely determined to finally finish something:

Jet is going to solve her own murder.

What a premise. A woman who knows she has a week at most to live, but she’s determined to solve her own murder. Clear your schedule because you won’t be able to put this one down.

Jet is sarcastic, a little messy, and her track record for finishing what she starts is spotty at best. She’s determined to break that streak and find her murderer before the brain aneurysm they caused ruptures. Joining in her quest is childhood friend Billy who, unbeknown to Jet (she’s totally oblivious), has been in love with her for years. During the investigation Jet is brash, crude, and pushes her way into places (occasionally illegally), but I supported her every move. She doesn’t stop fighting and has absolutely nothing to lose. And Billy? I adored him. He’s a true friend who allows Jet to move in when she shows up on his doorstep (her mother is overbearing) and becomes her rock and anything else she needs during her last days. Billy deserves everything good in life. And so does Jet’s dog, Reggie, the bestest boy ever.

The supporting cast? Let’s just say there are several terrible, selfish, poor excuses for humans on the list. And I suspected all of them at some point. Over the course of Jet’s investigation, she uncovers devastating, deep-rooted secrets that change the course of more than one life.

The ending is unavoidable, and you may think you’re prepared. You’re not. Keep the tissues handy. Jet has regrets but really lives during her last days, and she’s a character who will stick with me for quite a while. Billy’s song at the end is perfection. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy original, well-executed premises, unforgettable characters, and a nice balance of comedy and tragedy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.