All I've known about Matthew Fisher is that he's Drew's best friend and he was seeing Dee Dee. I assumed he was a player given Drew's history. He is somewhere in that zone but I contend that he was just waiting for "the one" after having been once burned.

Matthew is a lot more interesting than what I'd "assumed" about him. Shame on me. He's a nice guy who likes a good time but he's smart, talented and respectful of women.

When he meets Dee Dee, he sees her inner spirit and is drawn to her like the proverbial moth to flame. She's the one skittish about any whiff of relationship so Matthew tries to keep it light until it becomes impossible to do. If there's any taming to be done, I think it was Matthew trying to lasso Dee Dee.

The narration was great as all of the others were. Deacon Lee managed to put a little smirk in his performance while keeping Matthew just plain likable. I loved his interpretation of the character.

I'm not only in serious like of this series but also in serious love with the narrators. They've nailed the men in the stories and made their journey from players to committed men a fun one. I enjoyed Matthew's story and highly recommend the audiobook format, though the book will be entertaining no matter the format.

Originally posted on The Book Nympho

Quick summary
Jace Wilson, 14-years old, unwittingly witnesses a murder and has the good sense to get away but left his ID behind. The killers are two cold-blooded brothers, Jack and Patrick Blackwell, and they never leave anyone behind. Jace is in a unique witness protection location, a wilderness skills program in the mountains of Montana. His instructor, Ethan Serbin, knows he's there but doesn't know which of his students is Jace.

What works
This is one of those books that hooks you from the first sentence. Knowing that a young teenager is the hunted prey just elevated the suspense level to almost unbearable proportions. The Blackwells are two of the scariest villains I've read in fiction and, trust me, I've encountered some monsters. The beautiful but isolated Montana setting provided a surreal contrast to the nightmare created by the Blackwells search.

The characters who come to Jace's aid...Ethan, his wife, Hannah the fire tower lookout among others...added even more depth to the story. Jace was also an extraordinary young boy who made this more interesting. The journey was just as important as the outcome. Plus, there was a twist at the end that blindsided me hugely. NEVER saw it coming, not even a hint. The climax was bittersweet but an appropriate ending for the characters and the story.

The narration
Absolutely superb! Michael Petkoff made a suspenseful story even more riveting. Everything was perfect...character distinctions, perfectly pitched voice elevation, pacing. This was my first time listening to Michael Petkoff and when I discovered he narrates the Immortals After Dark series, I got the next book in audio format.

The bottom line
This is my first book by Koryta and I'm adding more to my shelf. It's a perfect blend of mystery, suspense and thrills. If you can listen to the book, you'll enjoy this story even more. 

(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)

Originally posted at The Book Nympho

Kate Pheris lost her husband, Matt, in an accident over a year ago. She's just emerging from her fog of grief, tuning into the world around her for the first time since Matt's death, only to find that her mother-in-law has taken complete control of her life and her 8-year old daughter, Devin. When her daughter finds some old correspondence from her great aunt Eby Pim, Kate is reminded of the wonderful summer she spent with her at a place called Lost Lake. She suddenly decides to share that experience with Devin and they head for the lake. What was originally planned as an overnight trip blossoms into an indefinite stay.

This trip sets off a whole new path of self discovery for not only Kate but an interesting group of people connected to the lake and Aunt Eby. Lost Lake holds some wonderful memories for them as well as some tragedies. As each of them explore his or her past and connection to the place, some find redemption and others new beginnings. There's also something mystical in the air, subtle but definitely ethereal.

I was captivated by this story with it's eclectic mix of characters. It was lovely to see Kate use the lake as her anchor to restore herself, rekindling a romance from her past and letting her daughter be a child again through the magic of Lost Lake.

The secondary characters play strong roles in this story, often colorful and always complicated. The stories oddly but effectively converge at Lost Lake and blend beautifully.

The narration is superb as there were several Southern dialects, one French character, many male roles and a child. All were delivered flawlessly and I was able to distinguish each easily.

I enjoyed the story, writing style, narration and the twinge of mysticism. It's lovely and I look forward to reading more from this author.

(I received an ARC from the publisher)