Don't Tell My Mom

TITLE: Colt (Double U Ranch #1)

AUTHOR: Jessica Peterson

PUBLISHER: Peterson Paperbacks, LLC

PUBLISHING DATE: August 18, 2026

PAGES: 432   

SOURCE: KU

FROM GOODREADS: Lainey Brown is not ranch material. She's a city girl who landed on the legendary Wallace Ranch to give the place a fresh coat of branding—and get her career back on track. She's got no interest in cowboys, cattle, or the infuriatingly gorgeous foreman who clearly wants her gone. 

Colton Wallace has spent every day since losing his wife building something worth leaving his son: a spotless reputation, a thriving operation, and a life with no room for complications. The last thing he needs is a firecracker from Austin with a sketchbook full of big ideas and a smile that makes him forget every reason he swore off wanting things he can't keep. 

But somewhere between their very first fight and a Texas night sky that stretches on forever, something shifts. Lainey stops counting the days until she can leave. And Colt stops pretending he wants her to. 

The ranch has always been the Wallace legacy. But Colt is starting to wonder if the best thing that's ever happened to it—and to him—just walked in wearing city shoes.

MY THOUGHTS: First things first (I'm a realist - extra points if you understand that segue and please comment if you do).  Okay back on task. This is exactly the type of cover I would have razzed my mother about reading when I was a teen and stuck knee-deep in my Stephen King/Anne Rice library loans).  However, apparently, I'm still in my cowboy romance era so this is what I'm forced to deal with.  Thank heavens I love this author and I ended up loving this book!

Readers were first introduced briefly to Lainey and Colt in the last Lucky River Ranch book so it was no shock that we would be visiting this neighboring ranch and their brood of troubled sons next.  Lainey is a city girl from Fort Worth.  She has just completed college and is looking for an "adult job" despite having mixed feelings about working in the business world.  Colt is foreman on the Wallace family ranch.  His wife died a few years back but not before loading him down with plenty of baggage and an adorable and precocious kindergartner named Dean.  Colt's father hires Lainey to rebrand the ranch and solidify its legacy before he completely hands over the reins.  He failed to consult Colt so when Lainey shows up, he is less than pleased.  He fights Lainey and her rebranding research every step of the way, but it is really the possibility of things changing around the ranch that infuriates him, or the changes he sees himself making because of Lainey's presence.

I love the way this author combines serious topics and family drama with fun and spice.  Lainey's parents are not the best example of a marriage, so she loves spending time with the entire Wallace clan, who values family over all else.  And Colt has lived by the book for so long after being burned by his wife and then raising a child on his own that he is the definition of grumpy and downright mean at times.  Colt and Lainey are the perfect enemies-to-lovers trope with some excellent banter, and I just knew this would lead to some very interesting sex scenes later on. This book was on the long side for a romance, but I always fly through them and eagerly want the next in the series when I'm finished (which doesn't come out until January by the way).

If you are looking to dip your feet in the cowboy romance genre, Peterson's books are a great place to start.  However, I do recommend you read the Lucky Rivers Ranch books first as there really is a lot of cross-over between the two series.   

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

2 Bloggers 1 Book - Swamp Monster Massacre

 

This month Stormi and I decided to venture into one of Hunter Shea's backlist books for our buddy reads.  We have always enjoyed this author, and she received this book as a birthday gift from a friend, and I was able to access it on Kindle Unlimited, add in Summer of Horror and it made perfect sense. So read on for my thoughts and then hop over to Stormi's to see hers. 

TITLE: Swamp Monster Massacre

AUTHOR: Hunter Shea

PUBLISHER: Severed Press

PUBLISHING DATE: October 2, 2012

PAGES: 149   

SOURCE: KU

FROM GOODREADS: The swamp belongs to them. Humans are only prey. 

Deep in the overgrown swamps of Florida, where humans rarely dare to enter, lives a race of creatures long thought to be only the stuff of legend. They walk upright but are stronger, taller and more brutal than any man. And when a small boat of tourists, held captive by a fleeing criminal, accidentally kills one of the swamp dwellers’ young, the creatures are filled with a terrifyingly human emotion—a merciless lust for vengeance that will paint the trees red with blood.

MY THOUGHTS: Was this a great book?  No.  It doesn't even land on my favorite books by this author.  However, it was entertaining, action-packed and a quick read and sometimes that is all you need.  

Rooster is a career criminal.  At the beginning, he gets a little greedy and ends up killing the son of a gang member and stealing a bunch of guns and money.  He then has some drinks, does some drugs and passes out.  When he awakens, the father's goons are pounding in his door, so he ends up running off, with them close behind, and hopping on a tour boat headed for the Everglades. 

Rooster soon demands control of the boat and ends up driving the motley crew taking the tour deep into the Everglades.  Several people end up hurt when a storm brews up and the boat is run ashore and smack dab into the tree.  But in its path is a hairy monkey which is brutally splattered all about by the boat and everyone starts to wonder, why is there a monkey in the middle of the Everglades?

Soon the crew is being chased by Swamp Apes (aka Bigfeet? Bigfoots? what is the plural here?). The death of their big little one has angered the momma and before you know it, the group is fighting for their lives in the middle of a swamp.  

Like I mentioned, this book was okay.  There was A LOT of dismemberment and horrific deaths and I actually started liking Rooster as the end so I guess you could say there was some character development.  However, there was also a lot of stereotypical good-looking girl talk and some perversion but again, kind of expected for the type of book this is.  I do have to say that there is a scene thrown into the end that the book definitely didn't need and actually brought the rating down a bit for me.  

I don't regret reading this one and I will still pick up future Shea creature-feature books.  Unless you have a real reason to seek this one out, there are many other books by this author I would recommend first.

MY RATING: 3 PAWS

Feed Your TBR (Summer of Horror 2026 Edition)

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Also, since it is Summer of Horror, each week I will be trying to do one horror and one horror pick - at least through August.  

August 25, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: Home is where the haunt is.

Lexi Darling has always been a city girl through and through. New York is loud, crowded, and just chaotic enough to keep her mind off everything she’d rather not think about—especially the eerily realistic nightmares that have plagued her all her life. So when she and her twin brother, Logan, are summoned to the postcard-perfect town of Midas, Iowa, one golden October to handle an inheritance from the grandmother they never knew, Lexi figures it’ll be a quick detour: sign a few papers, snap a fall foliage selfie, and catch the next flight home.

But Midas has other plans.

The town has been waiting for the Darling twins, and it’s not about to let them leave. Their arrival stirs up a centuries-old curse, one that promises something dark and hungry will rise again by Halloween night. And the key to stopping it might just lie in their family’s mysterious past. Now, trapped in Midas with the shadows closing in, Lexi has to team up with a group of stubborn locals to save the town…including Jack, the grumpy-but-unfairly attractive diner owner who drives her crazy in all the wrong ways.

As the nights grow longer and an uncanny evil creeps closer, Lexi must uncover the truth behind the curse before Midas—and everyone in it—is consumed. Because in Midas, some secrets refuse to stay buried—and some nightmares never end.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT: Halloween, curses and a grumpy diner owner named Jack who is giving me Luke Danes vibes?  Yes, please!

October 26, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: It's 2005, and Vera Valcourt is an aimless goth waitress in New York City, desperate for something to sink her teeth into. Caged by her Catholic upbringing, her dead-end job, and her deadbeat boyfriend, Vera's only solace is her rescue cat, Sammy. But when Sammy disappears, Vera is forced to claw her way out of the domestic life she's been trapped inside.

The frantic search for her missing cat drives Vera into the dark underbelly of cat lore. Following a blood-soaked trail blazed by a medieval abbess and a roaring twenties witch, Vera is cast into a world of ancient myths and ancestral magic, ruthless cults and cutthroat cat ladies. If she and her beloved Sammy are to survive, Vera must uncover the secrets of a deadly feline species with more than nine lives.

A suspenseful mix of occult horror and urban fantasy drenched in dark humor, Nightcats explores the unbreakable bonds between women and their cats, and what we sacrifice to keep our teeth sharp in a world that wants us defanged.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  The pups may not forgive me for this pick, but I really need to know more about these cat ladies.  Also, the word vampire always catches my attention.

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK????

Horror Movies I Probably Wouldn't Recommend (Summer of Horror 2026)

 

  

 I'm participating in Tammy's, over at Books, Bones & Buffy, Summer of Horror Event.  It's such a great event and she encourages all kinds of horror-related posts. Unfortunately, me and Mr. Barb have recently watched some horror movies I wasn't a huge fan of, but I thought I would share some of our thoughts anyways.  

Evil Dead Burn - Over the years I've really enjoyed the Evil Dead franchise, and I thought the last movie was really well done.  However, this is one I wished I had skipped altogether.  The story, while it made some sense, did nothing to bridge the gap between the last one and the next one and there is such a graphic dog death early on I couldn't get to the fast-forward button fast enough.  And if that wasn't bad enough, you knew it was coming 15 minutes prior to it happening.  I have Mr. Barb rate our movie watches for fun and he gave this one a 2/5 but personally, I would have given it a 1/5.

The Devil's Mouth - This was a recent release on Amazon Prime so at least I didn't pay any extra to watch it.  I love a good shark movie and expect a bit of camp in a lot of them, but this one had some of the most annoying characters I've seen in a while.  The underwater cave stuff was pretty interesting and while I didn't hate it, it definitely isn't a fave. 

The Last House - This is another fairly new release except this time it is on Netflix.  I'm not even sure what I watched her.  Basically, people are trapped in their houses by rain and after watching it, all I can think of a fishbowl comparison where sea life is seeking revenge for years of captivity. But that's just my take and honestly, if you like survival movies, this one might interest you some.   

So have you watched any good horror lately.  Drop any recommendations into the comments!

Why Did I Think This Was a Sequel???

TITLE: Ghost in the Night

AUTHOR: Tiffany D. Jackson

PUBLISHER: Scholastic Press

PUBLISHING DATE: August 04, 2026

PAGES: 284   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: Savannah, Georgia, is a city on edge when twelve-year-old Harmony arrives with her blues musician father for a summer gig. The recent disappearance of a local boy remains unsolved, and the trail has gone cold, leaving the simmering community without answers or closure. Savannah, with its mossy trees and ornate old homes, is also a place rich in history...and ghosts. Ghosts are what pique Harmony's interest. Still reeling from her losses back home, Harmony wants to believe in ghost stories...but isn't sure what's real. When she goes on one of the many ghost tours around town, she takes a photo of what might be a ghost. Or is it a hoax?

As Harmony and her new friends look into the truth behind the ghost picture, they stumble into a dangerously tangled web of ambition, lies...and murder. Can Harmony unravel the mystery in time...or will she have to give up the ghost?

New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers thrills and chills once more with this layered, evocative mystery that is sure to give readers goosebumps.

MY THOUGHTS: For some reason, I thought this was a sequel or companion novel to last year's Blood in the Water, Jackson's debut MG book I loved so much. Shows you how much I know.  Either way, I really enjoyed this spooky MG read and am glad I grabbed it off of Hoopla and started it on a whim.

Harmony has spent the past few months touring with her father following her grandmother's recent death.  Her father takes an extended gig in Savannah for six weeks and the two of them are staying in a cottage on one of his friend's properties. Harmony has a fascination with ghosts, partly because she believes she saw her grandmother's ghost in their apartment after her passing.  In every city they visit, Harmony attends a local ghost tour hoping to see more. 

The friend's son Robby, who is a bit younger than Harmony, ends up attaching himself to Harmony. He is a unique kid smart beyond his years who spends his time building robots and entering robotic competitions.  In addition, one of the town's historians has recently been murdered and his young grandson is missing.  One night, Robby goes with Harmony on a ghost tour of Savannah. Harmony ends up taking a picture and she thinks she has captured a ghost peering out the haunted Myers Mansion. Harmony meets another girl her age, Myah, who thinks Harmony actually caught the ghost of murdered historian.  Can Harmony and her friends prove what happened to him and just as importantly, his missing grandson?

You know, I think I just realized how much was really going on in this book.  On top of that, you have growing pains between Harmony and her father, her missing her friends back in Harlem and trying to find out the real connection between her father and his friend, and Harmony dealing with the death of her grandmother. In fact, maybe it was a bit too much.  I enjoyed the ghost story and how all the ended up and loved seeing Harmony and Robby grow closer and Robby finding "family" that has seemed to elude him since his dad died but would have liked to see a bit more of Harmony and her father exploring the loss of her grandmother and the toll it has taken on both of them.

Also, I have to say, Harmony is young - I'm guessing 13 maybe, and her father is allowing her to go on nighttime ghost tours of cities like Savannah and Chicago alone.  I'm not sure that is really a message to send MG readers but hey, maybe that is just me. 

Overall, this was a quick read and a perfect MG to work in for my Summer of Horror event.  If you like this author, I am sure this book will be a hit and is definitely something you could grab for some of the younger readers in your life. 

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Not Safe to Be a Horse

TITLE: Stay Buried

AUTHOR: Jennifer McMahon

PUBLISHER: Gallery Books

PUBLISHING DATE: August 11, 2026

PAGES: 400   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: Some towns stay isolated for a reason. 

1919: Frankie O’Massey has always been the black sheep of isolated Boone’s Ferry, Vermont. Her uncle, Dr. Thomas Endicott, has been training her in the science of medicine, something the townspeople are wary of. When a mysterious illness strikes the town, and the community suspects supernatural forces, the two desperately search for a logical explanation. Patient zero seems to be the town’s knackerman—a recluse who collects dead and dying farm animals to make use of their parts. 

2016: Siblings Ashley and Malcolm lost their mother two years ago. When their grandmother dies, they inherit a property in Boone’s Ferry—a place they’ve heard of, but their grandmother has always refused to talk about—and embark on a trip to their ancestral home. The idyllic town is full of autumnal décor, picturesque farmland, and small-town charm. But some of the townspeople aren’t very welcoming—and they have some unsettling traditions, like leaving offerings to a vengeful spirit four times a year.

MY THOUGHTS: I've read at least three previous books by Jennifer McMahon and have a couple more on my shelves so when I see a new release announced, I'm always excited to see what she comes up with next.  I personally have never heard of a knackerman and after reading this book and by the sheer nature of his job, I don't think I would like him.

This book is expertly told in dual timelines and I have to admit, I was thoroughly invested in both.  In 1919, Frankie is living with her uncle and learning to practice medicine.  Frankie has not been well accepted as she prefers wearing men's clothing and has a secret relationship with her childhood bestie, Pearl, but she fits in as her uncle's assistant and she and Pearl have dreams of one day sharing their lives together out in the open.  In 2016, Ashley and Malcomb have just recently lost their grandmother following their mother's disappearance two years ago and after the passing, they have been left with more questions than answers.  

Ashley and Malcomb learn they have inherited a home in Boone's Ferry, a place their grandmother claims she has never been.  In addition, it was also the last known whereabouts of their mother, who was working on a genealogy project when last seen.  The timelines overlap and little by little, the reader is told of the Knackerman.  The Knackerman was an elusive man in Boone's Ferry who came and took away the dead animals in the town and turned them into useful items such a glue, leather and other materials.  One day, most of horses turn up sick and Boone's Ferry and before the week is out, most have passed gruesome deaths, often mutilating and injuring each other in the process.  Frankie and her uncle are trying to figure out what is going but before long, the illness has spread to humans and results in them dying and then "coming back to life" before succumbing to irreversible madness.  Everyone blames the Knackerman as he was the Patient Zero and what transpires is an urban legend that continues to haunt Boone's Ferry into 2016. The danger grows the more Ashley and Malcomb learn more about this history and the evil that lurks in Boone's Ferry and can they uncover the truth and escape before it is too late.

I adore McMahon's writing and the moment I started enjoying one timeline more than the other, she pulled me right back in to choosing another favorite.  The whole book is filled with suspense and an atmosphere filled with dread.  I loved all the main characters and wanted to best for them all but ultimately knew that wouldn't happen.  I also loved the way McMahon showed us several sides to the Knackerman and the lore surrounding him in Boone's Ferry. 

I will warn you this was a difficult read in the beginning.  The poor horse situations were graphic and hard to handle at times.  However, they were not abusive and were not sensationalized at all.  I can't rave about this book enough and when I finished it, even though it was 400 pages, I still wanted more.  McMahon is becoming an auto-read author for me, and I can't wait to learn what she comes up with next.  

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

I Think I Need a Cowboy Romance Slasher for Summer of Horror!

TITLE: Halfway Home (Clear River Ranch #1)

AUTHOR: Janalyn Knight

PUBLISHER: Independently Published

PUBLISHING DATE: July 14, 2026

PAGES: 174   

SOURCE: KU

FROM GOODREADS: Addie Kingsley never outgrew the habit of loving Talon McGraw. He was her big brother Silas’s best friend. Her shadowed childhood hero. The city boy her father took in and taught to rope, ride, and tend cattle. The boy who let her trail after them no matter how close she followed—who gave her the nickname Tagalong and never once told her to go home—until the day he left town. 

After ten years as an Army Ranger, Talon returns to Clear Water Ranch a different man—wounded, hardened, and carrying scars he won’t explain. He takes up residence in a remote hunting cabin and makes one thing he doesn’t want to be found. 

Addie should respect that. She should listen to her brother. She should stay far away from the man who has always been off-limits. But she can’t. Because behind Talon’s silence is something darker than pain—something that isolates him, consumes him, and calls to every part of her that’s loved him for years. 

Talon knows better than to let her close. Silas would never allow it. And more than that, Talon doesn’t trust himself with her. Not now. Not like this. But Addie isn’t the girl he left behind. She’s stronger. Braver. And far too determined to walk away from him. And when she finally steps into his solitude, refusing to be shut out, the line Talon has held for years begins to fracture. Because wanting her was always dangerous. Now it might be inevitable. And if he gives in—if he lets her see the man he’s become—he risks losing the only family he’s ever had. But walking away from her might cost him everything he is.

MY THOUGHTS: I needed something to break up all the horror I've been reading so I put my Kindle Unlimited subscription to good use and grabbed a cowboy romance.  

Talon has returned home from service with a few injuries.  Needing some time along and some solitude, he ends up staying in a cabin on his best friend's family farm.  However, this puts him in close proximity of his best friend's sister, Addie.  Addie has always had a crush on Talon and truth be told, he always had feelings for her as well, but he never acted upon them because he was afraid of angering his best friend.  

Addie starts texting Talon and leaving care packages on his porch and eventually they start hanging out with each other behind every one's back.  Things start heating up, and let's get real, we knew they would, and Talon has to decide between possibly losing his best friend or losing his chance at happiness.

This was a fun quick read which is on the shorter side at under 200 pages.  It scratched my romance itch, and I really did like Addie and Talon as characters.  My main complaint was that the ending seemed to be rushed and left me wanting more of the in between. Of course, there was your happily-ever-after epilogue, and the writing is on the wall for the next installment.  I will probably pick it up eventually because I am curious and want to see how thing progress on the ranch.  If you are looking for a quick fix, this would work, but if you want a longer read, there are plenty of other places to start.

And by the way, does anyone know of any cowboy romance slasher novels.  Now THAT would be something I would jump on!

MY RATING: 3 PAWS