Dan South

This is just plain joyful. It also leaves me with deep thoughts. Emotional maturity is no small accomplishment. A true sense of self and acceptance of what and who you are? How you’re made? Wow. Good stuff. So good.

I can’t wait for Coy’s reaction to all of the new developments. Not dying is really good but letting love in is awesome. ❤️

And just like that a mistake turns to a miracle. Hope Mitch has plans for his mistake with Will.

I’ve been attempting a silent reading but this chapter has me a failure. Goosebumps. Lots of goosebumps.

You keep sending me to the dictionary and I love that. Really great storytelling and addictive pacing.

I was really trying to save this read for another day but I couldn’t leave it alone because I knew it’s here. Didn't expect Mitch. Long thought he was made like them.

I couldn’t agree more with @chris191070 : you need to read this. I haven’t checked the story tags but I hope one of them is #retail. So many retail truths in here. This is a fun and funny romp. This is also about profit and loss. Literally and figuratively. Profit and people. Profit versus people. I laughed out loud many, many times. As long as Karens roam the earth in search of bargains there will be room for a sequel. Well done Mr. Stone and thank you❤️

So…LJCC, i don’t know what to call you, how to address you, but you really made my day. Maybe I’ll just, no, I will, I’ll just call you Larry. Tonight anyway. No need for you to respond again but thank you so much for taking that apart! I’m that interested, promise. I love what you’re doing here. This is crazy good, Larry, and I need to know what is happening with Albert. I hold equally unsteady thoughts around what’s going to happen with Damien, Ryan, Candy and all the PA’s. The business? The money. Ugh. Damien. This guy. He’ll be alright, yeah? My current point? This is great. Had to comment so I could Love this twice❤️

I suppose I want to know everything about Chris and more about Caleb. Rob and Bella too. Maybe Bella more than any of these boys. Bella and her orthodontics. ❤️

NEW READER HERE! Sorry. Did I shout that? Spectacular. You have my attention. As a man residing in the Upland South of the USA, raised by an Australian mother, warned, cajoled not to be an ugly American, I’m mildly horrified that the Civil War is mentioned. I’m sticking with you. Rebirth? How could I be disappointed?

My vocabulary is sufficiently diverse but i dropped a lot of one particular expletive reading this installment. Every turn seemed to provide me with an opportunity to drop the F-bomb. How does any of this work back in Hickory? F-bomb! Thank you for the tour!

You’re very welcome! I went back and reviewed Morningstar too.

First, a confession. I binged this 56 chapter book in a few days. I didn’t stop and mow the lawn, I let laundry wait, I couldn’t put it down. I could not tear my attention away from the inhabitants of Morningstar and their life-or-death plight. This is a shifter story and, honestly, that’s why I had left it on the shelf until I was encouraged to read it. I’ve read plenty of shifter stories and Headstall is an author I know for love stories and mysteries. Turns out Morningstar: The Malaise is a love story, a mystery and more! This is a tale of survival for an ancient, magical people living peacefully within a larger society. I am not one for referencing specifics about a plot (it’s compelling), characters (deeply developed), or outcomes (truly satisfying) in a review. I will encourage you, as I was encouraged, to read this. You will be glad you did.

I cannot disagree with “wow”. I want to say a bit more though. This is so well written, well formed, well done. The paragraph that begins with “They both had this condition…” is where you absolutely hit your stride. It’s the way you pace Damien’s inner monologue., his recollections. That’s where I find the intensity. Dr. Rose Manning brought it back to earth. I could breathe again. Seems that’s what she did for Damien too. That’s an amazing scene. This is a too long comment already but I have one more thing to mention. Candy. Her transformation from a gnat buzzing in the background to the extortionist to the help searching for Albert to her genuine care at lunch? That, sir, is hella good character development. Wow. Enough out of me. Tell me more?

You have so many great reviews I didn’t think you would need one from me! I have happily posted one.

I tend to ruminate when I finish a book. I’ve spent some hours thinking on this one trying to capture and keep how I feel about it. What I might say about it. Who I met. Where we journeyed. This is a western and a classic one at that. I opened this book with all the shoot-‘em-up western television shows of my youth on my mind. Sidewinder is like none of them. It’s better. I’m at an advantage because I know there’s a sequel. I can see Boone & Coy again. That won’t make saying goodbye any easier just because there’s a next time available right now. Good guys. Great characters. Vivid imagery. Compelling pacing. Not a single dull moment. Thank you Headstall, it’s a great read!

I tend to ruminate when I finish a book. I’ve spent some hours thinking on this one trying to capture and keep how I feel about it. What I might say about it. Who I met. Where we journeyed. I’m at an advantage because I know there’s a sequel. I can see Boone & Coy again. That won’t make saying goodbye any easier just because there’s a next time available right now. Good guys. Great characters. Vivid imagery. Compelling pacing. Not a single dull moment. Thank you!

The big reward for me is that I learn something every time. I learn the story. I accept everything that’s presented as day-to-day. Inferno. Multiple hells. Unfortunate lighters. There are moments I think you’re writing for shock value but then you tell me why. Both Bazz and the Death Magician are sharing more of themselves. Did Carlos make an appearance? Huh.

I wouldn’t venture to say that they like each other but it seems their partnership is growing.

What a wildly creative character you’ve written in Mr. Corker ❤️

I’ve seen it multiple times in the comments but I’ve got to join the chorus: HALLELUJAH! About damn time Coy pulled his head out of…

I definitely share Boone’s frustration and I think above all else I feel pity for Coy. Seems he is still living in fear of his dead, disgusting brother. Pity.

Two steps forward and high hopes they don’t take one back ❤️

This is a major improvement in circumstance but they’re literally not out of the woods yet. Neither is their friendship…

Welp. This is going poorly… What else could go wrong for Boone? Guess I’m about to find out…