Cold Hollow (Cold Hollow Mysteries Book 1) by Emilie J. Howard

Description
The Barner family relocates to Cold Hollow, a quaint town nestled in a Vermont mountain range. They find it to be quite charming and the inhabitants endearing, except for a few residents. Odd laws are enforced, confrontations begin, and insanity reigns as a madman sits upon his imaginary throne, trying to keep the threads of his dream from unraveling. Will Sophia and Angus Barner be able to protect their children from the malevolence that lurks within the small township? This is the story of Cold Hollow, a place you’ll never want to visit.



The Barner family is relocating to a lovely home in  Cold Hollow, which from all outward appearances is a perfect little town. So what if certain residents like to dig a hole in the dirt to nap in or slap their wives upside the head to show appreciation for preparing their favorite meal. It's really not that big of a deal if you have no cell phone reception and have to leave town if you need to make a long distance call is it? Well... provided you are able to get out. What might be a problem however, is what happens if you don't show up to town hall on time to collect your monthly bill or if you can't pay your "living fee." I have to say I LOVE books about strange little towns with bizarre inhabitants so this was right up my alley.  I was enthralled from the first sentence and thrilled to see that there is a part 2 (Weaving The Web: A Cold Hollow Mystery (Cold Hollow Mysteries Book 2)                  

I received a complimentary copy for review                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

The Blood On My Hands by Shannon O'Leary

Description
Set in 1960s and '70s Australia, "The Blood on My Hands" is the dramatic tale of Shannon O'Leary's childhood years. O'Leary grew up under the shadow of horrific domestic violence, sexual and physical abuse, and serial murder. Her story is one of courageous resilience in the face of unimaginable horrors.

The responses of those whom O'Leary and her immediate family reach out to for help are almost as disturbing as the crimes of her violent father. Relatives are afraid to bring disgrace to the family's good name, nuns condemn the child's objections as disobedience and noncompliance, and laws at the time prevent the police from interfering unless someone is killed.

"The Blood on My Hands" is a heartbreaking-yet riveting-narrative of a childhood spent in pain and terror, betrayed by the people who are supposed to provide safety and understanding, and the strength and courage it takes, not just to survive and escape, but to flourish and thrive.

I don't know that I have ever read of such a horrific case of abuse that didn't end in death. I had to constantly remind myself to calm down, this is a first person account so the author did survive. Words spoken to Shannon by her mother are what truly defines this story.
"Go down the road until you come to a telephone box, and ring the police if your father kills me." Words spoken by a mother who never knew from one day to the next if she and her children would survive the madman she married.
I received an advance copy for review

Old Flames by Jack Ketchum

Description
When her lover betrays her and dumps her coldly, Dora’s mind begins to crack. She tracks down her old high school love to recapture what she might have had. He’s married with a family, but Dora isn’t about to let that stop her…

This novel contains graphic content and is recommended for regular readers of horror novels.


This book contains 2  novellas.
In the first "Old Flames" a psycho woman hires a detective to track down her old boyfriend and then proceeds to insinuate herself into his and his families lives.

In the second, "Right To Life"

A woman is abducted on her way into a clinic where she intends to terminate an unplanned pregnancy.
This was definitely the more graphic and horrific of the 2 stories, full of depravity and torture as Jack Ketchum fans have probably come to expect.

With No Regrets by Julie N. Ford

                                               

Description

Living With No Regrets Is Harder Than It Seems
Finley isn’t exactly sure when her life began to feel unfamiliar. She suspects the transformation started long before she caught her husband and fellow garden club member doing the white-trash-two-step on her new Bernhardt sofa. Now free from the shackles of a loveless marriage, and with her children off to college, she’s finally able to go searching for the missing pieces of her heart.

Finley’s best friend, Cathyanne, is already working hard to ensure that Finley finds true love this time around. But when Finley is unwittingly tossed into the arms of two men—their sexy trainer and her neighbor, a popular country star—Cathyanne fears finding the right guy will be more complicated than she ever could have imagined.

For Finley, building a new life feels as impossible as flying a paper airplane to the moon. But maybe, just maybe, with the right help, she will find her whole heart—even if it’s in the very last place she thinks to look.

This was a bitter sweet story that I read over Valentine's day. It reminded me a bit of the movie How Stella Got her Groove Back and I guess it's because Finley needed to get her groove back too. Finley had been stuck in a stagnant marriage for quite some time. Finally catching her husband cheating on her was the push she needed to end things. She probably would have just stayed in the marriage and spent her life unhappy if not for that.
Her best friend seems to be in a rush to get her into another relationship, but she has another motive for wanting to make sure that Finley has someone in her life to lean on.
I would give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I received an advance copy for review