NetGalley Reviewer nix21230

Shadow State is the first book with Nathan Pike as the lead character. Pike is a cryptography and cyber weapons specialist for hire, balancing the fine line between what's right and wrong. I have alway enjoyed McNab's books so when this one popped up in the lists on Netgalley, I immediately downloaded it.  McNab brings the modern world of crypto currencies and computer experts to the war between good and bad; and to wars without military weapons between countries and financial corporations. In a world where governments are no longer in full control, crypto is king. Also, to win, you no longer need muscles or traditional weapons, but instead a brain and a PADD (I'd love one of those!). I thoroughly enjoyed this book and especially the long term game played by Pike; bring on the next one! Thank you to Welbeck Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with a digital review copy.  Shadow State will be released on January 5 and can be pre-ordered now via your usual sources.  #...

Finally we get Cole's story and it sure delivers! Marked, the fifth book in the Blood Brothers series, written by Samantha Wilde.  Bad boy and contract killer Cole Holmes is drawn into rescuing a little girl who's been kidnapped; the "only" complication being that her mother is Detective Sophia Aldridge who is hell-bent on putting Cole behind bars for his many crimes.  They shouldn't work together but needs must, and other needs develop along the way.  I have been hooked on the Blood Brothers books since I stumbled upon the first one on Netgalley in 2021. Fast paced, bad boys, mafia, corrupt police and strong capable women. If you haven't yet read them all, I recommend that you do; you're in for a treat.  I thought this would be the last book, but after having read the last few paragraphs I am not so sure any longer... #Marked #NetGalley

I requested this book as I was pulled in by the eye catching front cover design and the title of the book. Finally a chance to get an insight into what other women want! I was also hoping that the book would be written in a way that it would be meaningful to buy copies for my male friends so they could understand the needs of women and what we are really looking for.  The book is well written, and shares stories of seven different women who all have been in psychotherapy with Maxine Mei-Fung Chung for shorter or longer times. It gives a good description of the interaction between the women seeking help and the professional and how the sessions help them to develop as persons, and in some cases reclaim their own personalities. There is plenty of detail and I liked how Maxine Mei-Fung Chung guides the clients through the sessions with tender probing and open questions. It was not at all what I expected; perhaps I read the synopsis too quickly and misunderstood the content. ...

A Noble Cunning - The Countess and the Tower - by Patricia Bernstein is another throughly enjoyable story published by History Through Fiction  who I thank for pointing me to this book via Netgalley.  The lead character Bethan Glentaggart, Countess of Clarencefield, a persecuted Catholic noblewoman, is based on Winifred Herbert Maxwell, Countess of Nithsdale who is said to have rescued her own husband from the Tower of London in a similar fashion as Bethan does in A Nobel Cunning . It is a fascinating tale of one woman's bravery, determination and endless ideas to achieve her goal. Considering this is set almost 300 years ago I am astonished what she managed to accomplish.  History and fiction combined to perfection! #ANobleCunning #NetGalley

With his daughter going down the wrong path and ending up in big trouble, former Texas Ranger E.J. Kane (now somewhat disgraced) is drawn into some dodgy business when working as security for an energy company. Events are linked in a way which may not be apparent to start with, but the tenacity of E.J. and his allies start to unravel the truth piece by piece.  The story plays on rights and wrongs, to do what is expected by the law, or to follow the heart, especially as family is involved. The dynamic between E.J. and his ex-wife contributes greatly to the story.  This is a finely woven story and I'm looking forward to Jimerson's next book should it be made available on Netgalley. #WhiteGold #NetGalley

This book sounded interesting and unusual with the mixture of real persons and their guardian angels, and some nasty demons set on causing havoc. I was also looking forward to a story set in warmer climates than what we're experiencing in the United Kingdom at the moment (with the first snow falling today). The first few chapters where slow going, but definitely needed, as the author was introducing the many characters in the holiday village. Once all the persons and their angels had been introduced, and we've learnt what each of them contribute to village life, the story took off. Greed, envy and self disbelief all feature, but the angels do their best to lighten the mood by encouraging their wards to believe in themselves and care for others.  In the end I was left with a positive feeling and perhaps a little kick up the back to not just "plod along". I really enjoyed the complexities, the way the locals "accept" the tourist - perhaps some less so than oth...