I’m delighted to share my latest reviews, for books 3 and 4 in the Harbor Pointe Series: The Destination by D. L. Finn and The Seas of Time by D. Wallace Peach. There are eight books in this series of novellas, all by different authors and set in mysterious and remote Harbor Pointe in northern California.

I thoroughly enjoyed both these stories, and I’m looking forward to reading the remaining four books in the series.

Book 3: The Destination – by D. L. Finn

What Amazon Says

The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.

It’s 1967, and best friends Lacey and Sandy are enjoying a beach vacation, completely unaware of the danger that is lying in wait outside their door. Their room is quaint, with an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean and an old lighthouse, but a killer is stalking their next victim. Powerless, Annie the ghost watches, knowing there’s nothing she can do to help—not even her parents, the innkeepers. Who will survive their stay at the Harbor Pointe Inn, where the edge of evil lurks within the shadows?

My Review

5 Stars – An intriguing and suspenseful story

The author has spun an engaging and suspenseful story that includes a few characters and situations from the first two books in the series. It is, however, a fully standalone novella. Two close friends, Sandy and Lacey, go to Harbor Pointe Inn for a couple of days – and both have some major decisions to make. Lacey is about to travel to Europe and wants to become a fashion designer. Sandy must choose between becoming a marine biologist or marrying her childhood friend, Greg.

The girls meet two young men who make a major impression on them – but darker forces are at work. A spine-chilling mystery slowly unfolds, with a serial killer lurking in the hotel and also a well-meaning ghost. A shocking murder unfolds with heartbreaking consequences.

This is the third book in the series. After reading the first two, I now feel right at home in Harbor Pointe, and enjoyed how this author related her story. It’s a very intriguing read that had me turning the pages, always wondering what would happen next. It has the most heart-warming finish, with many elements of the story beautifully resolved.

This was an intriguing story and I give it a resounding five stars.

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About the Author

D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

Discover more about D. L. Finn on her website and blog at https://dlfinnauthor.com/

See all her books HERE

Book 4: The Seas of Time by D. Wallace Peach

What Amazon Says

The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.

In 1858, a ship carrying ice from Alaska is wrecked off the coast of California, and little does Taliah Keldan realize how that tragedy will impact her life in 1972.

When Tali decides to quit college and become a civil rights activist, her disappointed parents encourage her to think it over. What better spot for contemplation than at her aunt and uncle’s Harbor Pointe Inn, a charming seaside getaway with its own lighthouse? The place is under renovation and empty of guests. All she’ll have to deal with is the construction crew.

But the inn is far from peaceful.

Tali discovers an old Bible hidden in the lighthouse keeper’s cottage. Strange prayers angle down the margins, all but one ruined by the sea. When she deciphers the crude writing, a dark portal gapes open to a pre-civil war night when an escaped slave in a foundering ship prayed to his voodoo God. A winged creature emerges from the watery void, and her stay transforms into a nightmare.

With the aid of the construction foreman, Tali is determined to send the beast back through time, a choice that will risk their lives, test her convictions, and change her future.

My Review

5 Stars – A wonderful story set in two worlds

This is a fascinating series, eight standalone books by different authors set in the Harbor Pointe Inn and Lighthouse. This is the fourth book in the series, and I was looking forward to it. The author is a well-known fantasy writer, renowned for her ability to create complex worlds, and this story could rank as one of her best.

The dramatic opening is set in 1858 on board an ice transport ship, with an escaped slave who’s a hard-working crew-member. When other crew-members threaten him, he turns to his only possession, an old Bible. He prays desperately for help, and a wild storm erupts.

The story moves to 1972 and we meet Tali, who is half African-American and has just dropped out of college to become an activist. In despair, her parents ask her to house-sit her aunt and uncle inn while it is being renovated, hoping that will bring her to her senses. Tali agrees, and heads to Harbor Pointe Inn. There she meets Greg, the gruff builder in charge of the renovations.

Everything changes when Tali finds an old Bible hidden away – and a terrifying creature, almost  like a gargoyle, appears. From there, the story races and old and new worlds collide. I could not stop turning the pages – both to find out what happened next and to relieve my non-stop tension. This was a wonderful story that came to a very satisfying conclusion for almost everyone. Tali was a courageous and enterprising hero, and I was so pleased to see her ultimately charting a bright future.

I give this story a resounding five stars.

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About the Author

A long-time reader, best-selling author D. Wallace Peach started writing later in life when years of working in business surrendered to a full-time indulgence in the imaginative world of books. She was instantly hooked.

In addition to fantasy books, Peach’s publishing career includes participation in various anthologies featuring short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She’s an avid supporter of the arts in her local community, organizing and publishing annual anthologies of Oregon prose, poetry, and photography.

Peach lives in a log cabin amongst the tall evergreens and emerald moss of Oregon’s rainforest with her husband, two owls, a horde of bats, and the occasional family of coyotes.

For book descriptions, excerpts, maps, and behind the scenes info, please visit http://dwallacepeachbooks.com.

For her blog on all things writing, please visit http://mythsofthemirror.com.

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The Ferryman and the Sea Witch

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Sunwielder

The Bone Wall

The Melding of Aeris

Unraveling the Veil Series:

Liars and Thieves

Allies and Spies

Lords of Chaos

The Shattered Sea Duology:

Soul Swallowers, Book I

Legacy of Souls, Book II

The Rose Shield Tetralogy:

Catling’s Bane, Book I

Oathbreakers’ Guild, Book II

Farlanders’ Law, Book III

Kari’s Reckoning, Book IV

The Dragon Soul Saga:

Myths of the Mirror, Book I

Eye of Fire, Book II

Eye of Blind, Book III

Eye of Fire, Book IV

Grumpy Ana and the Grouchy Monsters: A Children’s Space Tale

See all her books HERE

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Thank you for stopping by. My name is Toni Pike, a multi-genre author who loves writing thrillers for adults, non-fiction, and hilarious books for children.

I’m the author of LINDA’S MIDLIFE CRISIS, DESOLATION BLUFF, DEAD DRY HEART and The Jotham Fletcher Mystery Thriller Series: THE MAGUS COVENANT, THE ROCK OF MAGUS, THE MAGUS EPIPHANY and HOLY SPEAR OF MAGUS.

The Brody Cody Series is for children aged 6-9: BRODY CODY AND THE STEPMOTHER FROM OUTER SPACE and BRODY CODY AND THE HAUNTED VACATION HOUSE.

I’m also the author of two non-fiction books. THE ONE WAY DIET is a no-nonsense guide to losing weight and HAPPY TRAVELS 101 is a short book of travel tips.

All my books can be found HERE.

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