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Skyeholm #3
Skyeholm: The Bird and The Fish
In the thrilling conclusion of the Skyeholm trilogy,
retired Detective John Brooks deals with a court case
tied to a murder from a previous assignment,
all while secretly planning his and Skye's escape
and struggling with his mental health.
Skye Evans, deeply in love with John,
is haunted by the captivity of her friends in the attic.
As her own sanity begins to falter, she questions
whether her struggles are psychological or spiritual.
As the true nature of Skye’s friends emerges,
the line between victim and villain blurs.
Is John the monster they fear, or are the real dangers
lurking within those he holds captive?
retired Detective John Brooks deals with a court case
tied to a murder from a previous assignment,
all while secretly planning his and Skye's escape
and struggling with his mental health.
Skye Evans, deeply in love with John,
is haunted by the captivity of her friends in the attic.
As her own sanity begins to falter, she questions
whether her struggles are psychological or spiritual.
As the true nature of Skye’s friends emerges,
the line between victim and villain blurs.
Is John the monster they fear, or are the real dangers
lurking within those he holds captive?
804 pages, Paperback
Published March 17, 2025
2 people are currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
Tamara Rector
5 books23 followersI’m Tamara Rector, a self-published author from Canada who loves writing about complicated people and the type of stories that keep you up at night. My books include the Skyeholm series, House on a Hill, and my newest, The Legend of Blackshore. When I’m not writing, I’m usually chasing after my two daughters, curled up with coffee, or daydreaming into different worlds.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 31, 2024
First, thank you to the author for the opportunity to ARC read this series.
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Disclaimer: if you are someone who doesn’t like a lot of detail and information this book in the series will be a struggle for you. This book was a bit harder to get through than the others. There was a lot of information and detail you had to get through in order to wrap up the story. Overall, I enjoyed the story even though I struggled to read it through all the details. I think the ending wrapped it up nicely, and it allowed for readers to come up with their own opinions/interpretations of the events that happened.
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Disclaimer: if you are someone who doesn’t like a lot of detail and information this book in the series will be a struggle for you. This book was a bit harder to get through than the others. There was a lot of information and detail you had to get through in order to wrap up the story. Overall, I enjoyed the story even though I struggled to read it through all the details. I think the ending wrapped it up nicely, and it allowed for readers to come up with their own opinions/interpretations of the events that happened.
December 29, 2024
I was an ARC reader for this book and have read the previous two books as well. Unfortunately, I did not finish this book. I read through the first 10 chapters and just could not get into this book. It felt very juvenile instead of MCs in their 30s/40s.
January 3, 2026
Where to begin. Hmmm
This series has been fantastic from the first book skyeholme to the end. Tamara you have a way to transport your readers to a world that many won't believe. The plot just got better and better and more intense as you read. The fantastic characters that each had a voice and life you've given them. Some of my favorite sayings were.
"Baby, where is it you go?
Are you being carried away on a tide in the unknown waters?.
Baby, what we have together can never be separated.
I will always find you in the storming sea."
It really made me cry feeling that deep love SKYE and JOHN and the struggles they went through.
Second quote.
" Before we found each other, you were like a lonely and traumatized bird, and I was a lost and confused fish. But together, we become firds", I said as we stood by the lake.
As we danced atop the building, I whispered, I love you too, John. "
He gazed into my eyes," I can't imagine a world without you in it. Our colorful world, where we're firds, is where I want to be forever. "
We're firds, we're inseparable....
I loved those.
Its true no one can fathom what a person who has mental illness go through the slightest stress can trigger them to spiral out of control. And with the right person by their side can draw them back to the real world. Helping them live a semi stable life on meds. I always believe never judge ppl til you walked in their shoes.
Thank Tamara once again for sharing this series with me. I'm blessed to have walked this journey with you. Can't wait to see what else you have in store for us. Who knows maybe in the future SKYE and JOHN, MONTY, ABBY, ELLIE AND SANDRA will have another novel of when the girls are older and how JOHN IS COPING and what become of the rest.
Keep writing Tamara and never let anyone make you give up this fantastic talent you have.
This series has been fantastic from the first book skyeholme to the end. Tamara you have a way to transport your readers to a world that many won't believe. The plot just got better and better and more intense as you read. The fantastic characters that each had a voice and life you've given them. Some of my favorite sayings were.
"Baby, where is it you go?
Are you being carried away on a tide in the unknown waters?.
Baby, what we have together can never be separated.
I will always find you in the storming sea."
It really made me cry feeling that deep love SKYE and JOHN and the struggles they went through.
Second quote.
" Before we found each other, you were like a lonely and traumatized bird, and I was a lost and confused fish. But together, we become firds", I said as we stood by the lake.
As we danced atop the building, I whispered, I love you too, John. "
He gazed into my eyes," I can't imagine a world without you in it. Our colorful world, where we're firds, is where I want to be forever. "
We're firds, we're inseparable....
I loved those.
Its true no one can fathom what a person who has mental illness go through the slightest stress can trigger them to spiral out of control. And with the right person by their side can draw them back to the real world. Helping them live a semi stable life on meds. I always believe never judge ppl til you walked in their shoes.
Thank Tamara once again for sharing this series with me. I'm blessed to have walked this journey with you. Can't wait to see what else you have in store for us. Who knows maybe in the future SKYE and JOHN, MONTY, ABBY, ELLIE AND SANDRA will have another novel of when the girls are older and how JOHN IS COPING and what become of the rest.
Keep writing Tamara and never let anyone make you give up this fantastic talent you have.
April 14, 2025
Tamara Rector’s The Bird and the Fish is nothing short of extraordinary. Her writing is breathtaking—lush, lyrical, and deeply emotional in a way that pulls you in and refuses to let go. There’s a quiet elegance to the way she crafts every sentence, weaving meaning into even the smallest moments. Her storytelling has a kind of magic that’s hard to put into words but impossible not to feel.
While the entire series is captivating, it’s the third novel that truly elevates everything. It doesn’t just continue the story—it transforms it. Suddenly, threads that felt delicate or disconnected in the earlier books snap into sharp, brilliant focus. The third installment is where Tamara's vision comes fully alive, where you realize just how intricately and intentionally every detail was laid out. It brings so much depth and clarity to the characters and their journeys that it’s almost like reading the first two books again with new eyes.
And then there’s the ending. Wow. It’s the kind of ending that stays with you long after the last page—satisfying, emotionally rich, and utterly perfect for the story she set out to tell. It’s not just that the ending is good—it’s that it feels right in that rare, powerful way that only the best stories do.
Tamara Rector is an extraordinary talent, and The Bird and the Fish is a testament to what can happen when a writer is completely in tune with her characters, her themes, and her readers. If you’re looking for a story that will move you, surprise you, and linger in your thoughts long after you finish, this is it.
While the entire series is captivating, it’s the third novel that truly elevates everything. It doesn’t just continue the story—it transforms it. Suddenly, threads that felt delicate or disconnected in the earlier books snap into sharp, brilliant focus. The third installment is where Tamara's vision comes fully alive, where you realize just how intricately and intentionally every detail was laid out. It brings so much depth and clarity to the characters and their journeys that it’s almost like reading the first two books again with new eyes.
And then there’s the ending. Wow. It’s the kind of ending that stays with you long after the last page—satisfying, emotionally rich, and utterly perfect for the story she set out to tell. It’s not just that the ending is good—it’s that it feels right in that rare, powerful way that only the best stories do.
Tamara Rector is an extraordinary talent, and The Bird and the Fish is a testament to what can happen when a writer is completely in tune with her characters, her themes, and her readers. If you’re looking for a story that will move you, surprise you, and linger in your thoughts long after you finish, this is it.
December 31, 2024
So this is the third book and it is longer then the first two but just as addicting now it does go back and forth but it is pretty easy to follow so we still have the friends upstairs in this book as well and it describes a lot of what John is going through with all the different people in his mind and Skye really learns more about it too and I love how the author really brought all of it to life it’s like your learning at the same time now my emotions were in this too cause you feel so bad for the ones in the attic but you also feel for John I think he is a good guy just with his ptsd his sad you learn more about his family as well and then at the end the stuff Skye is going through like depression you can actually feel the pain the way the author has described it all three of these books have been amazing and I truly loved reading them I was happy to have read these books you see the love from the author on how she wrote the book and the detail she uses I can wait to see what else this author to give me as I am having some withdrawals from reading this and I would reread them as well
March 19, 2025
What an incredible way to finish this story..WOW. The love between John and Skye is so pure, so beautiful and refreshing.
We meet more of his personalities, the aggression they carry and also the need to protect Skye.
John and his father reconnect and build their relationship to be father and son again after a family gathering for Thanksgiving. I love this.
The love John has for his family is powerful. He will do whatever he has to, to protect them.
The story does go back and forth but it’s easy to follow. This one is a long one but once you start, you won’t notice the pages…you will be invested.
The authors note at the end was so touching, made the story even more special.
We meet more of his personalities, the aggression they carry and also the need to protect Skye.
John and his father reconnect and build their relationship to be father and son again after a family gathering for Thanksgiving. I love this.
The love John has for his family is powerful. He will do whatever he has to, to protect them.
The story does go back and forth but it’s easy to follow. This one is a long one but once you start, you won’t notice the pages…you will be invested.
The authors note at the end was so touching, made the story even more special.
March 21, 2025
The finale of the Sykehom series.
You truly wrote a masterpiece in my opinion. No corner was left unturned with the story. You managed to give us everything we had needed and so much more! You really had me thinking so many things right to the end... was it all in Skye's head, what she even real. Was it a total fictional deconstruction or a dream. But no! The complexity of the diagnosis, and the fall out and outcome were all there. Your writing made us have empathy for everyone! There wasn't a character left untouched from this.
You truly wrote a masterpiece in my opinion. No corner was left unturned with the story. You managed to give us everything we had needed and so much more! You really had me thinking so many things right to the end... was it all in Skye's head, what she even real. Was it a total fictional deconstruction or a dream. But no! The complexity of the diagnosis, and the fall out and outcome were all there. Your writing made us have empathy for everyone! There wasn't a character left untouched from this.
March 1, 2025
The amazing conclusion to Tamara's Skyeholm series. Is it long? Yes. Did I mind? Not at all. This novel does not drag on at all. It continues revealing information we need to understand John and Skye's relationship, gives back stories, and wraps everything up so poetically.
Readers often have books they'd love to be able to read again for the first time.....this series is that for me.
So friggin' good!!!!!
Readers often have books they'd love to be able to read again for the first time.....this series is that for me.
So friggin' good!!!!!
May 27, 2025
Wow!!! This is such an amazing and powerful book! A true work of art!! This is the third book in Skyeholm series! Took me on a rollercoaster of emotions! This book shows how true love can be! This book was a great conclusion to this series! Tamara is an amazing and talented author! This series is so beautiful and a masterpiece! Highly recommend!! Love this series!
March 26, 2025
A wave of emotions in this book as the series wraps up John Brooks journey. Does he ever release the people in his attic. Does Skye and him ever get to be together.
January 2, 2025
Woah!!! That’s really all I can say. This book is a big one but man does it answer all my questions. Do you think what skye had was mental illness or spiritual. I seriously, cried during this book. Skye goes through so much, what happens to John throws me overboard. How the city reacts to all the events, but in the end I cried so many happy tears. I was on the edge of my seat yelling at the book at some points. This book will send you through it all. But you finally get answers on everything.
March 1, 2025
The amazing conclusion to Tamara's Skyeholm series. Is it long? Yes. Did I mind? Not at all. This novel does not drag on at all. It continues revealing information we need to understand John and Skye's relationship, gives back stories, and wraps everything up so poetically.
Readers often have books they'd love to be able to read again for the first time.....this series is that for me.
So friggin' good!!!!!
Readers often have books they'd love to be able to read again for the first time.....this series is that for me.
So friggin' good!!!!!
March 1, 2025
The amazing conclusion to Tamara's Skyeholm series. Is it long? Yes. Did I mind? Not at all. This novel does not drag on at all. It continues revealing information we need to understand John and Skye's relationship, gives back stories, and wraps everything up so poetically.
Readers often have books they'd love to be able to read again for the first time.....this series is that for me.
So friggin' good!!!!!
Readers often have books they'd love to be able to read again for the first time.....this series is that for me.
So friggin' good!!!!!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews