Continuity Blitz

Life Beyond the Credits

Memoir

Date Published: 09-09-2025

Publisher: Punctuate Press

Academy member Bonnie Clevering spent 50 years in Hollywood, designing hair for dozens of stars including Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Kristen Stewart, Al Pacino, and Jennifer Lopez under the direction of icons like Christopher Nolan, Oliver Stone, and Steven Soderbergh. After uncovering an enormous stash of production Polaroids and behind-scenes photos she took, Bonnie decided it was time to tell some lovely stories about her time in Hollywood.

Continuity By Bonnie Clevering: Life Behind the Credits will be released on Punctuate Press (distributed by APG) on September 9. It will uniquely come in two formats: a paperback memoir, and a beautiful hardcover coffee table book with hundreds of photos. While stories about Nancy Sinatra’s old wives tale helping Bonnie get pregnant, making dinner for the Ocean’s Eleven cast, and how hair creates character are certainly delightful, Bonnie also shares deeply about being a woman in Hollywood, the consequences of saying “no” (and “yes”), single motherhood, and legacy.

 

About the Author

Bonnie Clevering, in a nearly 5-decade career as a Motion Picture Hair Stylist, has trussed the tresses of hundreds of actors including Hilary Swank, Bette Davis, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves, and Kristen Stewart. Her impressive resume includes iconic films and TV series like Hello, Dolly!, RoboCop, Any Given Sunday, Ocean's Eleven, Erin Brockovich, Office Space, The Twilight Saga, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, totaling over 120 productions. She earned membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in 2001.

 

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The Blue Riders Blitz

 

Historical Thriller

Date Published: June 28, 2024

New York, 1890s

The newspaper war between William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer's New York World is raging, while in Cuba a brave band of Cuban rebels are struggling to overthrow the tyrannical rule of Spain.

As war fever builds, Cassie O'Conner, one of the first female reporters of the era, goes undercover in an insane asylum, where she makes a discovery of historic proportion: a plot to assassinate President William McKinley. But before she can act on her discovery, Cassie is kidnapped and whisked away to Cuba, forcing the Journal and the World to join forces in a daring rescue attempt.

Can they return her to Washington, D.C. in time to stop the assassination of the president?

Full of action, adventure and romance, THE BLUE RIDERS is a fast-paced, hard-to-put down historical thriller.

 

About the Author

 

 Jim Lester holds a Ph.D in history and is the author of three successful young adult novels--Fallout, The Great Pretender and Shadow Games as well as two exciting historical thrillers, Deadline:New York and Call to a Nightmare. A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, he now makes his home in Colorado.

 

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Review: Forgotten Ashes

Forgotten Ashes by Kathryn Covens
My rating: 0 of 5 stars



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The Exchange and Other Calamities Blitz

Horror / Collection

Date Published: 07-22-2025

Publisher: Anuci Press

Evil lurks in the darkness, clawing its way towards unsuspecting victims . . .

A woman living with fibromyalgia finds an artifact that unleashes a reality she never thought possible . . . at a steep price.

Two high school seniors take part in a tradition that brings them face-to-face with the monstrous truth behind a haunting, dark urban legend.

The face behind a popular YouTube ghost hunting show travels to the scene of a horrific event to find fresh horrors there.

Fate takes a bite out of a young woman who ventures into the wilderness to grieve her mother.

Best-selling author, Theo Anderson, takes part in a sleep study that turns her into the very thing she fears.

Hold your breath as you immerse yourself in five harrowing stories written by bestselling author, Mallory McCartney. Fans of her gripping Black Dawn series will be kept on the edge of their seat by this horror collection inspired by real life events!

About the Author

 

 Mallory McCartney currently lives in Sarnia, Ontario with her husband, their dachshunds Link, and Leonard and their sphynx cats Luna, Legolas, Ivy and Lily. When she isn’t working on her next novel or reading, she can be found day dreaming about fantasy worlds or bingeing her favorite horror movies.

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Review: The Nantucket Inn

The Nantucket Inn by Pamela M. Kelley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars



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Review: Mockingjay

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mockingjay closes The Hunger Games trilogy with a gut punch of war, loss, and resilience. Where the first book was about survival and the second about rebellion, the third is about the devastating cost of revolution—and it doesn’t shy away from the horrors of conflict.

Katniss is no longer just a girl with a bow—she’s the face of a movement, a reluctant symbol manipulated by leaders on both sides. What makes her so compelling here is her vulnerability: she is traumatized, grieving, and often broken, but she continues forward because she must. Her story is not about glory; it’s about survival in a world that demands sacrifice.

The romance thread reaches its heartbreaking resolution. Peeta, broken and hijacked by the Capitol, is both a symbol of love’s fragility and its resilience. Gale’s harder edges and ruthless strategies force Katniss—and readers—to confront the morality of war. The love triangle ends not in melodrama, but in the quiet recognition of who Katniss needs to survive, not just who she desires.

The war sequences are raw and brutal. Collins doesn’t glorify battle—she shows us its destruction, the toll it takes on children, families, and entire districts. The loss of beloved characters (Finnick, Prim) hits like a physical blow, reminding us that revolutions are never without cost. And the ending—bittersweet, subdued, but deeply resonant—reminds us that healing is possible, even if scars remain.

This isn’t a triumphant finale, but it’s the right one. Mockingjay forces us to grapple with trauma, power, and the messy truth of human resilience. It’s dark, heartbreaking, and necessary—a masterpiece of YA dystopia that dares to tell the truth about war.

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Review: That One Night

That One Night by Emily Rath
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: Death of the Matchmaker

Death of the Matchmaker by Angelica Kate
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Death of the Matchmaker has an imaginative premise: Missy Mays inherits her late mother’s matchmaking business—along with her ghost. Her mom won’t pass on until she successfully completes ten matches, which sets Missy up for plenty of chaos. Add in her neighbor, a cynical divorce lawyer, and there’s plenty of room for banter, clashing ideologies, and potential romance.

The problem isn’t the setup—it’s the execution. The story struggles to balance its paranormal comedy with the romance at its center. The ghostly mom brings some funny moments, but her presence often overshadows Missy’s own arc, making it hard for her character growth to shine through. The romance with the neighbor feels rushed and underdeveloped, more plot device than organic connection.

The pacing also feels uneven. Some chapters drag while others rush through key developments, leaving emotional beats underexplored. The side characters, while quirky, don’t contribute much depth to the story, and at times, the book leans on cliché rather than pushing into the freshness its premise promised.

While the book has charm, humor, and moments of fun, it didn’t pull together into a satisfying whole. For me, it was a miss, though readers who love quick paranormal rom-coms with lighthearted hijinks may find more to enjoy.

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Review: Catching Fire

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

🔥 The spark becomes a blaze—politics, passion, and rebellion ignite in this unforgettable sequel.”

🏹 Quarter Quell, rebellion, and heartbreak. Katniss faces impossible choices as sparks of love and revolution collide. Bold, brilliant, and utterly unforgettable.

Tropes

• Dystopian Survival 🏹🔥
• Rebellion Against Oppression ⚔️
• Fake Relationship ➡️ Real Feelings ❤️
• Found Family & Loyalty 👭
• Arena 2.0: Twists on the Games 🎲

Catching Fire is one of those rare sequels that not only lives up to the first book but surpasses it in scope and emotional depth. Suzanne Collins takes the tightly focused survival story of The Hunger Games and blows it wide open, plunging Katniss and Peeta into the heart of political upheaval, rebellion, and devastating personal stakes.

What makes this book shine is how it layers danger. Katniss isn’t just fighting to survive another arena—she’s grappling with the consequences of becoming a symbol of rebellion she never asked to be. Her defiance at the end of the first Games lights a fire she cannot control, and watching her navigate that tension—between survival, love, and revolution—is captivating.

The Quarter Quell arena is brilliantly designed, full of lethal creativity and heartbreaking stakes. Every twist feels brutal and surprising, from poisoned fog to mockingjay mimicry. The alliance-building here is richer, too: Finnick Odair, Johanna Mason, Beetee, and Wiress bring nuance, humor, and sacrifice, creating relationships that deepen the impact of the Games.

Peeta continues to shine as the moral compass and heart of the series. His devotion to Katniss, whether or not she reciprocates, is both heartbreaking and inspiring. Gale’s presence in District 12 adds another layer of emotional conflict, as Katniss struggles with loyalty, affection, and the crushing weight of expectation.

What elevates Catching Fire above a simple dystopian thriller is its commentary. The Capitol’s decadence versus the Districts’ desperation is sharper here, and Collins makes no attempt to soften the cruelty of systemic oppression. The story ends with one of the most unforgettable cliffhangers in YA history—District 12 is gone, Katniss has been rescued, and the rebellion is no longer simmering; it’s ready to explode.

This is a sequel that raises every stake—personal, political, and emotional—and delivers a story that lingers long after the final page.

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Review: The Penalty

The Penalty by Lynn Montagano
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

⚽️ He’s a world-class goalie with secrets. She’s a woman who refuses to let guilt define her. When they meet, danger and desire collide.

🔥 Star goalie meets guilt-haunted woman = intense chemistry, deep secrets, and a romance that scores when it counts. Emotionally rich and totally binge-worthy!

Tropes

• Sports Romance 
• Second Chance / Complicated Past
• Grumpy-Sunshine Hero Dynamic
• Emotional Trauma & Healing
• Intertwined Fates / Secrets from the Past

The Penalty by Lynn Montagano is a gripping sports romance with real emotional meat beneath the glittering veneer of celebrity. Xavier Maddox is England’s star goalkeeper—talented, charismatic, and haunted by past mistakes. Victoria Chase is a woman running from grief, guilt, and a family tragedy she’s never fully confronted.

When their lives collide, the chemistry ignites fast, but the emotional stakes run much deeper than lust or fame. Montagano does a solid job of weaving in the sports-celebrity setting without letting it overshadow the emotional core: the tension between Xavier’s yearning to protect and Victoria’s stubborn drive to stay distant shapes much of the conflict.

Victoria’s guilt and secret history give the story weight, while Xavier’s attempts to break down her walls feel earnest and sometimes desperate, which adds credibility to his gruff-but-caring persona. Their romance isn’t a fairy tale—it’s messy, marked by hesitation, misunderstandings, and the struggle to balance public pressure with private pain.

If there’s a critique, it’s that at times the pacing swings between frenetic (“must resolve secrets now!”) and reflective (“wait, let’s unpack this trauma slowly”), which can tug at the emotional flow. Still, the dialogue feels real, the character motivations hold up, and the romance lands as satisfying. It’s not a soft or easy ride—but if you’re in the mood for a sports romance that leans into heartache, healing, and hard-won happiness, The Penalty delivers.

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