The Hunter by Monica McCarty is a Ballantine/Random House publication set for a June 2013 release date.
Wow! This was a really good Highlander HistoricThe Hunter by Monica McCarty is a Ballantine/Random House publication set for a June 2013 release date.
Wow! This was a really good Highlander Historical romance. Ewen Lamont is a proud, honorable member of the Highland Guard. Ewan is determined not to end up like his father, a man that had caused a scandal by marrying for love no matter what the cost. Ewan didn't really think a great deal about women. He was more concerned about preserving his clan and lands that he blamed his father for losing. He was loyal to Bruce and fought the English. But, when he encounters a nun in a dangerous situation, he is determined to see her to a safe place despite her protestations. Along the way he finds himself fighting an attraction to the nun. The two have a hot and cold relationship until they are finally separated. But, the two are destined to encounter each other time and again. Janet has been presumed dead for three years. She wears the disguise of a nun and works as a courier. She fully intends to eventually become a nun so she can continue her work, which she would have to give up if she ever married. To her, marriage was like a death penalty and she intended to avoid it at all cost. That is until she meets Ewan. While both are determined to do their jobs, they find themselves in dire danger from the enemy and from falling in love. Will history repeat itself for Ewan?
This was an absorbing story with intrigue and danger either in the fore front or lurking in the background at all times. The back and forth between Ewan and Janet was sharp and funny and at times emotional. Two very determined adults have all they hold dear on the line as they fight for their leader and their personal values as well as for the love that is forbidden. I really, really liked this one. You will finish this book with a big smile on your face. I also enjoyed the author's notes at the end which detailed some of the history the story was built around. A+ all the way. Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC....more
Lover Be Mine by Nicole Jordon is a 2013 Ballantine Publication. I would like to thank the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC digital copy of this boLover Be Mine by Nicole Jordon is a 2013 Ballantine Publication. I would like to thank the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC digital copy of this book. This is the second book in the "Legendary Lovers" series. Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone.
Lord Jack's adopted sister, Katharine and his cousin, Skye are up to their old match making tricks again. This time they have targeted him. Kate believes the five Wilde cousins can find true love by emulating legendary lovers through out history. In the first book, Cinderella was the legend. For Lord Jack, Kate has chosen "Romeo and Juliet". The reason is that Sophie Fortin is about to accept a marriage proposal from a Duke that is more much older than her and a complete bore. She is only agreeing to the marriage because of her parents and her sense of duty toward them. Kate and Skye convince Lord Jack to rescue the lady from being sold into a loveless marriage. What Lord Jack didn't count on was his immediate attraction to Sophie. The two felt a chemistry between them right away. Sophie had lost her only sibling and felt it her duty to bring a title into the family. Her father had been cheated out of a peerage title because of a long standing feud between Sophie's family and Lord Jack's family. The loss of a title and the wealth that could have been his has become an obsession for Sophie's father. But when Jack is given a journal written by one of his ancestors, he finds that his family never intended things to work out the way they did. It was all just a terrible tragedy. Once Jack has his first encounter with Sophie, he is determined to set her free from her parents and a loveless marriage. He is also determined to show her what she would be missing out on if she married the staid Duke. Once Sophie has experienced a few smoldering kisses from Jack, she discovers a passion she never knew could exist. But, she is torn between duty to her parents and her own happiness. Because her parents are so set on Sophie having a title and wealth, Jack decides he will attempt to claim his inheritance from his estranged father. This would make Sophie a princess and give her vast wealth. But, will that be enough to satisfy her unbending father? Are Sophie and Jack doomed like Romeo and Juliet? Or will they have their happy ever after? Nicole Jordan is a wonderful author of historical romances. This one is really inventive. There is adventure, romance, scandal , but also there this is a story about the power of love. Jack is in need of finding peace concerning his mother's death and his fear of loving anyone, lest he lose them. Sophie learns to step out of her parents shadow and take up for herself. I loved the way the author built the sexual tension. Hot kisses, then a slow progression from there. Having to keep the romance a secret also added a element of suspense. I also loved Sophie's Aunt Eunice. She was a lady way ahead of her time. If you love historical romances or just any kind of romance, this is one to try out. I'll give this one an A....more
The Ophelia Cut by John Lescroart is the latest installment in the Dimas Hardy series. This book was provided to me by Atria publishing and Netgalley The Ophelia Cut by John Lescroart is the latest installment in the Dimas Hardy series. This book was provided to me by Atria publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book was published in May 2013.
The gang is back. Diz and Moses and Abe. Moses is trying to stay sober and is doing a great job until his daughter Brittany hooks up with the wrong guy. After he confronts the man about harassing his daughter, the man turns up dead and of course we can guess who the prime suspect is.
Diz must try and help his old friend who is also his brother in law. The truth is everyone who puts themselves in Moses's position knows deep down they would do the same thing if it was their daughter and for the most part everyone including Moses's wife and daughter thinks he is guilty. But, there are other suspects. So, did Moses take revenge on the man that hurt his daughter or was it the guy's lifestyle and rather sleazy associates that got him murdered?
This is one the hardest cases and hardest situations Dismas has been in a long while. The weight of decisions made in the past still hang in the air around the close friends and family and is always like an elephant in the room. Could this case be somehow connected to the past?
I have to admit that I love Dismas Hardy legal thrillers. I was looking forward to this one for awhile and have actually been hoarding this one because I don't know when there will be another one. This installment though will leave you in complete shock like no other before it. I am still reeling from the developments and of course I'm sure the author has raised a few eyebrows from long time fans. I'm a little unsettled about the whole thing and many questions are left unanswered or rather left up to the reader to draw their own conclusions. I'm going to have to think on it before I decide for sure, but I do hope we get a follow up to this story soon. This was still a solid outing in the series even if I wasn't thrilled with the plot developments. So, I'm still going to give this one an A....more
Ice Cold by Cherry Adair was published by the author and released in October 2012.
Honey Winston has the reputation of being an "Ice Princess". CompleIce Cold by Cherry Adair was published by the author and released in October 2012.
Honey Winston has the reputation of being an "Ice Princess". Completely devoid of emotion, all Honey needs is her computer. Honey's specialty with T-FLAC is cyber crimes.
Rafael Navarro is a bomb specialist with the T-FLAC organization. He lost his wife after only five months of marriage and has vowed to never get involved with another agent again.
Then he finds himself teamed up with the famed Honey Winston. When a bank is bombed they must determine if it's a disgruntled employee or if terrorist are involved. Rafael initially is relieved that Honey lives up to her icy reputation, but it's not long before he realizes her exterior is just a protective shell. Although Rafe and Honey grew up in entirely different circumstances they find they have a lot in common. Despite the vow each of them has taken to avoid involvement with other agents, some things just can't be helped.
When I know I'm going to read a Cherry Adair romantic suspense novel, I get geared up for action, adventure, suspense, and super hot sexy romance. This novel was a little off the beaten path from other novels by this author. For some reason I kept thinking about the movie "A Long Kiss Goodnight" and some sort of James Bond movie or novel. There were cool gadgets and tools the T-FLAC agents get to use, and old enemies come out of the agent's past to reek havoc. While there was plenty of action , the plot wasn't all that cohesive. I understood it fine, but I was left wondering if I should have read a novel ahead of this one that explained Honey's and Rafael's enemy and the back story of Honey's relationship with this person. The book was off to a good start, but at about the half way mark, the romance heats up, and the sex scenes go on for at least three or four chapters and the crime story took a back seat. I nearly lost the thread of the story at that point. When we finally got those chapters read, the story picked back up at a really fast pace and from that point on, I was completely engaged in the story. I don't mind if there is an equal amount of romance and mystery/suspense. In fact, many of Cherry's books are written in that style. For some reason, in this novel, it was a too much and took away from the story which needed to keep moving at all times. This was still an enjoyable romantic suspense novel and I would like to thank the author and Netgalley for the DRC of this novel. Overall a C+/B-...more
This is the second Maggie Sullivan mystery that I have read. These mysteries are great fun. The setting is during the depression and the author does aThis is the second Maggie Sullivan mystery that I have read. These mysteries are great fun. The setting is during the depression and the author does a great job of describing the clothes, cars, jargon and lingo of the period. Maggie is a single gal that runs her own private detective agency. In this story, Maggie has been hired by a very wealthy man to find out what happened to a man that swindled him out of some money. Evidently, he wasn't the only one swindled and one of the other victims committed suicide. So, Maggie sets off to find the mysterious Mr. Draper. Naturally, the situation gets sticky in a hurry. Maggie once again finds herself in danger. These mysteries should appeal to all mystery lovers no matter what style of mystery you like to read. There's a little of a hard boiled detective, little women's sleuths, a little bit of a cozy element, and some darker themes as well. There isn't any SC or graphic violence and the language is mild. Another enjoyable installment in this series. Overall an A....more
Just one of the Guys by Kristan Higgins is a 2008 HQN publication.
Chastity O’Neill grew up the only girl in her large family- then Trevor came along,Just one of the Guys by Kristan Higgins is a 2008 HQN publication.
Chastity O’Neill grew up the only girl in her large family- then Trevor came along, and was for all intents and purposes, adopted into the O'Neill clan.
Trevor’s own family was torn apart by tragedy, but the O’Neill family embraced him as one of their own. But, for Chastity- her feelings towards Trevor aren’t brotherly- she’s in love with him, and try though she might, she can’t help but compare other men to him … and so far, no guy has been able to measure up.
The problem is, Trevor’s feelings towards Chas, are firmly planted in the ‘sisterly’, ‘best friend’, ‘just one of the guys’ categories…
This is one of Higgins’ older titles- published back in 2008. This book was buried deep in my TBR list, and I was surprised to find it there. I was positive I’d already read this book, but with no rating or review and listed as ‘want to read’, apparently, I hadn’t.
According to my new rules, if a book has been on the list longer than five years, it gets deleted, or read immediately. Well, there’s no way I’m scratching a KH book off my list, no matter how long it’s been there. But- If I’m ever going to make headway with this monster list, I needed to read it right away…
So here we are…
This novel is over a decade old, and it shows, with some dated phrases and attitudes- with Chas’s willingness to poke fun of her body image being one of them. Okay, she is funny- laugh out loud funny- but sometimes, I thought she was too hard on herself.
The premise of the story is emotional, and I loved the various challenges the characters faced, and am a firm believer in the moral of this story.
The tension between Chas and Trevor is palpable, for a while- but things went on a bit too long, and I found myself more interested in another thread.
When the big moment finally came it was literally at the last moment, and though the gesture is huge, it seemed to come out of nowhere, and was super rushed.
I admit, I never really warmed up to Trevor, for some reason, but I wanted Chas to be with the great love of her life, so I was happy, if she was.
The epilogue was perfect, though, and I closed the book feeling good about how it all turned out.
Admittedly, this was not my favorite KH novel, but I still enjoyed it, overall, and I’m glad I finally took the time to read it!
All Shall be Well by Deborah Crombie is a 2004 Avon/Harper Collins publication.
This is the second book in the Kincaid /James series, and was originalAll Shall be Well by Deborah Crombie is a 2004 Avon/Harper Collins publication.
This is the second book in the Kincaid /James series, and was originally published in 1995.
When Duncan’s neighbor, Jasmine, who is terminally ill, passes away, it shouldn’t have been all that much of a shock, but something doesn’t seem to add up. So, Duncan employs Gemma to help him sort through his neighbor’s past, interviewing nurses, other neighbors and relatives, some of whom claim Jasmine was suicidal.
Was Jasmine’s death natural, suicide or could someone have murdered her?
I am attempting to read through this entire series, in order, which means going back over a decade to catch up with Duncan and Gemma.
This second outing was not as solid as the first, but I did enjoy gaining insight into the lives of the recurring characters, which is one of the main reasons I decided to go back and read the series from the beginning.
The mystery was a little weak, but I was struck by how little use the author made of various forms of technology, which made the book seem rather ageless. If I had not known this book was published in the mid-nineties, I never would have guessed. It is very proper, and very British, and characters adhere to that atmosphere, flawlessly.
I have been encouraged by comments from other fans of this series, who have ensured me it keeps getting better, the further along you go.
So, hopefully, I can squeeze more these into my immediate TBR list soon. So far, I have found the books to be short, character driven, and easy to follow, and I may already have a slight crush on Kincaid! LOL!
If you were here by Alafair Burke is a HarperCollins publication. This was a June 2013 release.
I received a copy of this book from the publishers and If you were here by Alafair Burke is a HarperCollins publication. This was a June 2013 release.
I received a copy of this book from the publishers and Edelweiss.
Nicky has been stealing cell phones from New Yorkers until one day in the subways he stole from the wrong lady. He was chased down and nearly killed on the tracks. The woman saved his life and also retrieved her cell phone. Now McKenna is doing a story for the magazine publication she works for about the incident. When a cell phone video surfaces, McKenna is stunned to see the woman in the subway bears a striking resemblance to her good friend, Susan , that disappeared ten years ago.
McKenna begins to obsess about the disappearance again and contacts the detective assigned to Susan's case. This brings back memories of another time in MeKenna's life when she worked for the District Attorney's office. She had had to leave that job due to delving into an officer involved shooting of a young black man, that was supposed to have been self defense, but McKenna believed there was more to it. Soon after McKenna begins to look back into Susan's disappearance, things start to get ugly for her. She has major work related issues, and worst of all she feels like her husband is holding information about Susan and she can no longer trust anyone.
Is Susan still alive? What does everyone else seem to know, but McKenna? This is a multi layered mystery suspense novel. Two old cases, one mostly forgotten and the truths long buried, the other one cold as ice. Now, someone is trying to kill people that were involved in both of those cases, and McKenna is at the very heart of the story. Everything unfolds at the perfect pace. The mystery continues to deepen and the suspense continues to build, with one twist after another. We are all pulling for McKenna and we hope she will be able to finally find peace in her personal life and in her professional life.
The secondary characters that work with McKenna are also interesting and we hope they will also be able to finally shut the door on past resentments and find peace in their personal lives as well.
This was very interesting and original novel. I recommend this novel to those who enjoy mystery, suspense with a bit of a darker tone. Overall an A...more
The Forgotten Queen by D.L. Bogdan is a Kensington Publication. The release for the book was January 2013. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for thThe Forgotten Queen by D.L. Bogdan is a Kensington Publication. The release for the book was January 2013. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital copy of this book.
The Forgotten Queen is a historical novel about Margaret Tudor, Henry the 8th's older sister. Margaret becomes a bride at the ripe old age of 12, married by proxy to King James of Scotland. At the age of thirteen she is on her way to Scotland to become the queen. Margaret adores James, but it's a little while before he views her as woman. They suffer many heartbreaks, until at the age of 23 Margaret finds herself a widow, betrayed by her own brother and left with virtually no trustworthy counsel and must take on the role of Queen Regent until her son comes of age. It's at this point Margaret goes off course and makes one crucial mistake after another. Her heartbreak, her loneliness, her role thrust on her although she never desired it, and the toll so many losses takes on her, makes her yet another queen during the Tudor period that suffers a tragic life. Although, we do see glimpses of her sense of entitlement at times, the duty that must always come first is a burden to Margaret. All she ever really wanted was to love and be loved and have a family. Her endless pursuit of this causes her more heartbreak than happiness. This is an interesting portrayal of this queen that we rarely hear spoken of or written about. Times were hard in those days and people were ruthless. I can't imagine being a woman in that time and having the duties and responsibilities Margaret had, but none of the respect and power the men had. Yes, she schemed and yes, she was unhappy no matter where she managed to land. She was restless, disillusioned, and worn out by loss. She was far from perfect and self absorbed a great deal of the time. However, she wasn't prepared for the death of her first husband and didn't really know how to move forward at such a young age, especially since most of the time she was pregnant and giving birth. She was both successful and a failure at parenting. She was never successful at marriage or relationships with men, even with her brother Henry. We do get the feeling though that she did make it to a time in her life when things did slow down for her and she found some sort of peace with Harry and the role she played in her son's life. This was a very absorbing read. The Tudor period is just filled with schemes, power struggles, wars, great romances, and tragic deaths. If you like this period of history, you will really enjoy this book. A fascinating life story. Overall this one gets an A...more
Taking the Reins is a Kensington publication. This book was published in Dec. 2012. This is a contemporary western romance written by Kat Murray. I reTaking the Reins is a Kensington publication. This book was published in Dec. 2012. This is a contemporary western romance written by Kat Murray. I received a copy of this book from the publishers and Netgalley.
Peyton is the middle child. Her older brother, Trace is a rodeo star, and her younger sister, Bea is an actress living in California. That means that Peyton has been running the ranch and trying to keep the place profitable. This life is in her blood and she loves it, but when her mother had no head for business and has let the ranch run down. When Sylvia dies in an accident, Peyton learns the true extent of the damage her mother did and not only that, but her father is the only one that left a will. The ranch would be split three ways amongst the children. The ranch really belongs to Peyton and everyone knows it, but she has to contact her siblings and work out the details. Meanwhile her horse trainer is fired and Peyton desperately needs help. Red is the best trainer around. He has lots of offers and can pick and choose. But, when Peyton approaches him with a job offer, he is stunned. The two don't exactly get along so well.
Trace comes home and brings along a child and is mum about the details. He won't discuss the situation about the mother with anyone, but does the best he can to help Peyton and be a good parent.
Bea on the other hand come back and doesn't appear to have matured much over the years. But, she's also at loose ends and she and Peyton start to repair their relationship.
Peyton has to live down her mother's reputation and get the ranch back on it's feet. But, her attraction to Red is distracting. She is afraid of getting involved with him for several reasons, but the two just can't seem to keep away from each other.
This was a fast, light romance. Nothing too dark or heavy. Red is easy to like and Peyton learns to bite back her pride and to live a little. Trace and Bea will most likely be featured in future books. Both of them remain a bit of a mystery in this book though. Entertaining and enjoyable. Over all a B....more
Stakeout by Parnell Hall is an Pegasus publication and was released in January 2013. This is a Stanley Hastings Mystery.
Stanley feels like a real deteStakeout by Parnell Hall is an Pegasus publication and was released in January 2013. This is a Stanley Hastings Mystery.
Stanley feels like a real detective when he is hired by a woman to find out if her husband is having an affair. Stanley is staking out a motel where the man in question has gone. A woman never shows up, however. After waiting what felt like an inordinate amount of time, Stanley loses patience and goes to see what's going on. He finds the man has been murdered and almost immediately, the cops show up and arrest Stanley for murder.
Stanley's lawyer, his wife, and a New York detective all get involved in the case as Stanley tries to find out who really killed the guy in the motel as well as another murder victim that could be related.
Stanley's case turns out to be quite complicated. A mobster, his girlfriend and his wife, the woman that hired him and the manager of the motel all wind up being suspects. Stanley's lawyer is at his wits end as Stanley continues to get in his own way. Laugh out loud funny, this screwball mystery was an absolute delight. Stanley's conversations with his wife are classic, the descriptions of New York and New Jersey traffic had me bowled over in laughter. I highly recommend this mystery, and all the charming Stanley Hastings mysteries. I promise you will love these. Highly recommend!...more
This book was originally published back in 1996, I believe. This is a digital copy provided to me by Open Road Media and Netgalley. The book has been This book was originally published back in 1996, I believe. This is a digital copy provided to me by Open Road Media and Netgalley. The book has been re-issued and updated in e-book format and is available through Open Road Media and anywhere e-books are sold.
Heather Graham has been writing novels for many years. She is the author of historical romances and paranormal romances, as well as romantic suspense. This book is a romantic suspense novel with a touch of the paranormal. This month Heather Graham has been giving us 31 reasons why she loves New Orleans. This book lines up nice with her blogs and facebook posts.
Jon and Ann are still best friends even though they are divorced. Both are artist and recently Jon has been doing drawings of a high class group of strippers at an infamous Jazz club. He meets and falls in love with Gina, but then both Jon and Gina are stabbed. Gina dies, and Jon is in a coma, accused of Gina's murder. Ann doesn't believe for a minute that Jon killed Gina. She is determined to find out the truth. This puts her in direct opposition to the two detectives working the case. Mark is sure that Jon is guilty. All the evidence points to him. But, he is immediately impressed with Ann and her determination to see her ex-husband exonerated. For some reason, Mark just can't shake the impression that Ann is in danger. He also can't shake his intense attraction to her. As Ann digs into the jazz club's other workers, the musicians, managers and strippers, she uncovers a link to voodoo rituals, another murder and more questions than answers. I enjoyed the atmosphere in this one and confess to missing Heather Graham's romantic suspense novels. New Orleans is one of my favorite destinations and I love it when a book is set in this location. Our hero is a bit of a jerk at first. He comes on a little too strong and is a bit bossy. As the novel progresses, Mark still attempts to steer Ann away from the investigation for her own safety, but the chemistry between the two is undeniable. I am happy to see several of these older books being released in e book format. It is fun to go back and read an author's older material and see it updated for new fans to enjoy. Over all I give this one a B....more
Glory by Heather Graham is part of the Old Florida series. This book was originally published in 1993 I believe. Open Road Media has re-released this Glory by Heather Graham is part of the Old Florida series. This book was originally published in 1993 I believe. Open Road Media has re-released this book as well as others in this series, in e book format.
Set in Florida in the Civil War era, Rhiannon, a war widow and rumored witch finds her home invaded by rebel soldiers. Julian McKenzie needs a place to shelter a wounded comrade. Not knowing if this home was abandoned or not, he still had to rest for a while. When he encounters the beautiful Rhiannon, he is indeed bewitched. But, the ravages of war and the death of her husband, Richard, has Rhiannon sampling her own medicines too often, mainly opium. Julian recognizes it right away. He knows she has become addicted and wishes to prevent her from continuing on that way. But, Rhiannon isn't fooled by Julian's lies about being Union soldiers. She guessed right away they were rebels and she intends to turn them in. But, in a drug addled state, Rhiannon, dreaming of her husband Richard, shares a night with Julian. She is unsure it really happened though because of her drug use. When Julian guesses her intent to betray them, he manages to escape. But, his brother arrives at Rhiannon's home and is the spitting image of Julian, only he is on the opposite side from his brother. However, both brothers wish to remove Rhiannon from her home so she can overcome her addiction. This begins a saga that involved both bothers and their extended family of uncles and cousins. The family is divided by the sides they have chosen to fight for and their fierce loyalty to the cause they each represent. But, they still love their family despite the differences they have. Rhiannon is often caught in the middle, as she struggles with her feelings for Julian and the horrible dreams she has that often prove prophetic. Rhiannon shakes her addiction, and proves quite useful in healing the wounds of soldiers. When she begins having dreams about Julian's death she makes a fateful decision, that will forever change her life and Julian's. The author does an excellent job of depicting the conflicts on both sides of the Civil War. Families divided and separated, the diseases acquired on the battlefield, and the incredible agony suffered of the body, heart, mind and soul. The love story between Rhiannon and Julian is fraught with difficulties. Their relationship seems doomed, but these two people are incredibly strong in mind and spirit. They love each other and despite the feelings they had about the war, they decided to chose life and living over all else. To me, these historical romances written by Heather Graham back in the 1980's and 1990's are really her forte. To me this is where she really shines. These days, she has carved out a niche for herself writing paranormal romances and while I like to read those from time to time, I must say, these historical romances are just awesome. Yes, the subject matter is controversial, but that was the way things were. The author did an excellent job of showing both sides of the war, and did it such a manner that it read like an actual piece of history. So, although it is fiction and there was some steamy sex scenes once or twice, this book could also be categorized as historical fiction because often times the romance took a back seat. Again, I am happy to see Open Road Media releasing these older titles in digital format. I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for the DRC copy of this book. This one gets a solid A....more
Darkness My Old Friend by Lisa Unger is a 2011 publication.
Jones Cooper is now retired, but it’s not going well. He’s looking for a purpose, while hiDarkness My Old Friend by Lisa Unger is a 2011 publication.
Jones Cooper is now retired, but it’s not going well. He’s looking for a purpose, while his wife insists he continue seeing his therapist. An opportunity presents itself when a renowned psychic approaches him with a dire warning, and he is lured into a the private detective sector. The case in question is a cold case surrounding the mysterious disappearance of a woman who was thought to have walked out on her husband and kids never to be seen or heard from again. Now that the woman’s husband has died, her son has returned to settle his affairs, but he seems more interested in digging around some old mines than getting the house ready for sale. His odd behavior is noticed by a teenage girl quite by accident and could inadvertently put her in danger…
I have noticed while culling through my TBR list this past year, and now looking through the hundreds of books on my Kindle, that I tend to hoard books by specific authors. I’m not sure why I do that, but I know I love their work and will want to read anything they write. Maybe I want to store them up for a rainy day or want to have a good selection to choose from without having to wait for their next book to come out. I don’t know- but Lisa Unger is one of those authors. This book has been sitting around on my Kindle for a good long while and took me back to Hollows- a setting I was familiar with back when I first discovered this author.
This story took me a while to get into, though, as I was unsure how the various seemingly disconnected threads were going to merge. For a long time it all felt too disjointed, but eventually, I was able to see where the threads were beginning to merge- though one of the threads still didn't quite fit in with the cold case in question.
I suspected the outcome early on but liked the way all was revealed and the positive way the story ends for our hero.
I can’t say this was one of my favorites by this author, but I still enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading through some of her backlisted titles this summer.
Seduction by M.J. Rose is an Atria publication. I received this DRC from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Mythologist, JacSeduction by M.J. Rose is an Atria publication. I received this DRC from the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Mythologist, Jac L'Etoile, has had her fair share of grief. She is under the care of her mentor and counselor, Malachi Samuels. When she is contacted by her old friend, Theo about studying some Celtic ruins, Jac is very excited to go. But, Malachi warns her to be very careful. Theo had just lost his wife and he had never been really stable. But, Jac made up her mind to travel to the Isle of Jersey to meet with Theo.
When Jac arrives she discovers that Theo did actually have an ulterior motive. He had discovered his grandfather had some letters or a journal of the famed novelist Victor Hugo. He wants Jac to use her special abilities to help him discover the communications between Hugo and a spirit called the Shadow of the Sepulcher.
The relationship between Jac and Theo began back in their teens when they were both in an institution. The two formed a bond, but then Theo was sent home under a cloud of suspicion. Now, Jac finds Theo grieving for his wife, but at odds with his brother, Ash.
The story starts out with the journals of Victor Hugo. The death of his beloved daughter has lead him into spiritualism in hopes of communicating with her again. But, what he encounters are various other spirits, and one very evil one. We alternate between the past and Victor's journals to the present with Jac and Theo hunting for more of Victor's journals and Jac having more frequent hallucinations. We finally begin to see an ironic connection between the past and the present that involves old Druid rituals, mythology, and reincarnation.
It took me a little while to get into this one. I couldn't figure out how any of the various threads were ever going to come together and make any sense. The atmosphere is heavy, dark and there are few real spine tingling moments. In the end, Jac is able to understand her role and gift, but also gets to find a little of her own history, which gives her a new direction to go in. The pace is slow, but this adds to the suspense. I just think that maybe there was just a little too much going on sometimes and it was easy to get lost. The history was based in fact, and was very interesting. I don't know what I was expecting with this novel. I haven't read a lot of this author's work. It was a little off the beaten path for me and sort of defies a specific genre. I think it might really belong more in the horror genre than in mystery or paranormal romance. But, it was a certainly imaginative. Overall I give this one a B....more
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan is a 2010 Knopf publication.
It’s not often these days that I am able to read popular books since I mostlyA Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan is a 2010 Knopf publication.
It’s not often these days that I am able to read popular books since I mostly read for review purposes, but, I made a personal pledge this year to squeeze a few books into my schedule for pure pleasure reading. So far, I’ve a few spotty chances to do that, and it’s been a lot of fun. This book sat in a wish list limbo for a very long time, and frankly, I had not thought of it in years. Recently, the book cropped up in a discussion group, and I decided to check it out.
First of all, I need to confess, Pulitzer prize winners, or novels that garner many awards mean nothing to me when deciding to read a book. I’m a simple person, with simple taste, and usually stick to certain genres I enjoy most. But, this book didn’t sound like heavy literature or anything all that difficult to follow, so despite all the accolades I forged ahead, actually feeling pretty excited about the book.
Well, because I see the novel has garnered so many reviews, and because this is not a review copy, I am going to take the gloves off here. I rarely ever leave a one- star review, for many personal reasons, but this is an opinion only, an expression of my personal experience with the book, so here goes.
I didn’t get it. Sorry, but it did nothing at all for me. I looked for a redeeming quality, for something good to say that would lift the rating at least by half a star. But, I got nothing. Nothing.
I’m sorry to say that whatever it was about this book that touched so many people, sailed over my head, and left me feeling flat, disappointed, confused, and even a little angry.
But, we live, we learn, and so I’m shaking it off, thinking an old fashioned whodunit will help me recover.
Millie’s Fling by Jill Mansell is a 2001 Headline Review publication.
This book is over twenty years old and it has been on my Goodreads TBR list for Millie’s Fling by Jill Mansell is a 2001 Headline Review publication.
This book is over twenty years old and it has been on my Goodreads TBR list for about half that time! Because I have been meaning to read a book by this author for such a long time, I figured I may as well start with this one so I could scratch it off my list.
Any book this old, no matter the genre, will suffer from some dated-ness- in most cases- to various degrees. Sometimes it is hard for me to fathom that 2001 was that long ago!! Were we still making fat shaming remarks- still thinking things like ‘ being gullible is a girl thing?’. Oy!
Okay, putting it all into perspective, I realize this book was meant to be lightweight, fluffy, and humorous. It was never intended to be taken all that seriously. As such, I’m not going to go to the trouble of writing up an in depth analysis of the book.
The long and short of it is that the book didn’t really work for me, overall. Occasionally, I did find myself engaged in some of the drama, but mostly the characters- male and female- were annoying from start to finish and the book went on far longer than it needed to.
That said, I feel it is only fair to try one the author's later releases. She has a solid library of books, so maybe reading an up to date novel might work out better.
Overall, I can’t say I found this book to have very many redeeming qualities, unfortunately. I’m sure this is not the best representation of this author’s work, though- so maybe I’ll give her another try someday.
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury is a 1998 Avon publication- originally published in 1962.
I can’t believe it is already October, but atSomething Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury is a 1998 Avon publication- originally published in 1962.
I can’t believe it is already October, but at the same time, I’m glad it’s here. October is one of my favorite months of the year! One reason for that is that I get to pull out a spooky or scary book and create fun blog posts for Halloween.
The downside is that there are so many books to choose from, and so little time to get them read. Usually, I only manage to get one horror novel read, out of the dozen or so I planned to read.
This year, however, deadlines be damned, I’m going to cram in as many horror stories in as possible.
Because I am such an avid reader, it is terribly embarrassing to admit there are so many ‘classic’ horror stories I haven’t read. I’ve seen movie versions, but never got around to reading the book. This book falls into that category.
It’s been many years since I watched the movie version, starring Jason Robards, but I do still remember parts of it. Still, I had forgotten more than I remembered, so reading this book felt like a fresh experience. However, this book may have shaken by enthusiasm for October and the beginning of autumn…
“For some, autumn comes early, stays late through life, where October follows September and November touches October and then instead of December and Christ’s birth, there is no Bethlehem Star, no rejoicing, but September comes again and old October and so on down the years, with no winter, spring, or reviving summer. For these beings, fall is the ever normal season, the only weather, there be no choice beyond. Where do they come from? The dust. Where do they go? The grave. Does blood stir their veins? No: The night wind. What ticks in their head? The worm. What speaks from their mouth? The toad. What sees from their eye? The snake. What hears with their ear? The abyss between the stars. They sift the human storm for souls, eat flesh of reason, fill tombs with sinners. They frenzy forth. In gusts they beetle-scurry, creep, thread, filter, motion, make all moons sullen, and surely cloud all clear-run waters. The spider-web hears them, trembles- breaks. Such are the autumn people. Beware of them.”
Jim Nightshade and Will Halloway are very best friends. But, when a late season carnival arrives in Green Town, their friendship, and maybe even their very lives are in jeopardy.
This short book, is packed with so much imagery, imagination, and intense suspense, it is hard to put it down. For me, the writing was a little hard to adjust to, with chopped sentences, separated by commas. It did force me to slow down and read more carefully, but didn’t really affect the suspense, once I got into the groove.
Horror stories and movies can be taken strictly at face value, a lot of the time. There may not be much depth or symbolism to them- it is what it is. But, quite often there's an underlying theme, a moral to the story that gets overlooked if you aren’t looking beneath the surface, or with a more critical eye. In this case, I think time is a central theme, and the book is chock full of clocks and references to them.
Charles Halloway, Will’s father, is quite concerned about his age, having become a father later in life. Clocks are referenced metaphorically, and the town clock is a prominent prop.
There are other noteworthy allegorical symbols sprinkled throughout, all of which I will leave for you to decipher.
For me, though, the story has a more basic appeal. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the library and how often books are referenced. But, this isn't a book about books- I just happened to enjoy seeing two boys enjoy reading books.
But, more importantly- how do the boys and Charles beat Dark and his minions? I think they come through to the other side of their ordeal armed with familial love and trust and the ultimate power of friendship.
While Bradbury has written books that speak of true horrors, cautionary and powerful, this one may not hit that plateau, but it is the perfect fireside tale of good versus evil. 4 stars...more
Frederica by Georgette Heyer is a 2009 Sourcebooks Casablanca publication. (Originally published in 1965)
Utterly charming!
The Marquis of Alverstoke, Frederica by Georgette Heyer is a 2009 Sourcebooks Casablanca publication. (Originally published in 1965)
Utterly charming!
The Marquis of Alverstoke, a confirmed bachelor, generously becomes the sponsor for his cousin, Frederica, who seeks his help in presenting her beautiful sister, Charis, into society. Once he lays eyes on the beauty, he goes out of his way to help her, but soon finds himself embroiled in Federica’s dramas, while becoming an unwitting father figure to her young brothers, who are currently in her charge.
Although Lord Alverstoke is easily bored, he is puzzled by his fondness for his delightful cousin and the pleasure he finds in spending time with her brothers.
Frederica’s concerns are always centered on her siblings and doing right by them, completely disregarding the prospect of finding a husband of her own. Yet, she occasionally finds herself shaking off stray thoughts of Lord Alverstoke.
When a shocking development commands Frederica’s attention, Charis is planning to marry a man her sister does not approve of….
I have been a very long break from Regency period historical romance. Recently, I’ve found myself in the mood to bring historical romance back into my reading rotation, while also working through some titles on my TBR list. I have read a few of Georgette Heyer’s novels in the past- mostly her mystery novels- but if one is looking for a nice, clean, polite regency romance, Heyer is certainly a ‘go-to’ author.
One knows what to expect from a regency romance- so of course, there’s a great deal of fluff here, but there are some moments of suspense and concern, and Lord Alverstoke’s character takes great stride, redeeming him of his shallow self-absorptions. Frederica is a lovely, vibrant character, and I really enjoyed her dialogue and spirit.
Overall, this was a nice change of pace for me. Heyer’s books are what I refer to as ‘pure’ regency romance. These are so fun to read from time to time- and are good for my mental state, as well! Yes, I think it is time to start adding more of these lovely stories back into my regular reading routine!
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