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Review Date: 8/5/2015
This is the first time I have read this author, and I know I'll be reading all her books! Loved this story.
Jaya Jones is a new associate professor living in San Francisco. She had recently learned that her old lover, Rupert Chadwick, had died in an automobile accident in Scotland. Since last she knew Rupert was working in London, she was puzzled as to the reason he had been in Scotland. And to add to her confusion, she received a package from Rupert which had been mailed out on the day of his death. In it was the "Artifact", and she became determined to find his killer and trace the artifact's relationship to Rupert's death.
In the ensuing adventure, she relies upon her magician friend in San Francisco and a new aquaintance, Lane Peters. I have to mention, though, that mainly she relies upon herself, and she doesn't lack for courage, although common sense is sometimes missing from any equation she dreams up. The comparisons to Amelia Peabody (Elizabeth Peter's heroine) are well made. I also love those books, which is why I am so sure I will continue to follow Jaya's adventures.
I also liked that I didn't figure out in the first half of the book exactly where the author was taking Jaya. I certainly didn't expect the ending, and there were several "wow, I didn't see that coming" moments for me. Really recommend this book as a quick read, since I couldn't put it down!
Jaya Jones is a new associate professor living in San Francisco. She had recently learned that her old lover, Rupert Chadwick, had died in an automobile accident in Scotland. Since last she knew Rupert was working in London, she was puzzled as to the reason he had been in Scotland. And to add to her confusion, she received a package from Rupert which had been mailed out on the day of his death. In it was the "Artifact", and she became determined to find his killer and trace the artifact's relationship to Rupert's death.
In the ensuing adventure, she relies upon her magician friend in San Francisco and a new aquaintance, Lane Peters. I have to mention, though, that mainly she relies upon herself, and she doesn't lack for courage, although common sense is sometimes missing from any equation she dreams up. The comparisons to Amelia Peabody (Elizabeth Peter's heroine) are well made. I also love those books, which is why I am so sure I will continue to follow Jaya's adventures.
I also liked that I didn't figure out in the first half of the book exactly where the author was taking Jaya. I certainly didn't expect the ending, and there were several "wow, I didn't see that coming" moments for me. Really recommend this book as a quick read, since I couldn't put it down!
Review Date: 4/2/2016
irst, I have to admit that Yasmine Galenorn is one of my favorite authors. I fell in love with her Otherworld series, and have snatched up her books since then. I'm thrilled that she has decided to keep publishing that series even though Berkley has decided to stop publishing those. I already have Darkness Raging waiting for me!
That being said, I have started with her Fly By Night series (just a great as I expected) and now this, her first book in the Whisper Hollow series. As you can glean from the back cover, Kerris is now the spirit shaman for Whisper Hollow. She had left the town 15 years ago, when she graduated high school, and only returned now due to the death of her grandparents. Both her mother and father had disappeared by the time she was 3, and Kerris was the only female left able to assume the role of spirit shaman for the town. Joined by a lament singer and a guardian, she must see that the dead of the town are laid to rest. If they aren't, they are destined to become ghosts or worse.
She left because she didn't feel safe in the town, which has a life/power of it's own, and it seems like she isn't any more welcome upon her return. It appears that the powers in the town, both human and spirit, are sinister and want her not only gone, but dead.
She has to find answers to a lot of questions while trying to keep herself alive, so it's a good thing that she has a few people that she can depend upon.
I think that it's best to leave the story telling to Yasmine, but I can tell you that if you like paranormal adventure, loving sex, and a good mystery, you'll love her tales as much as I do. Give this book a try, and I think you'll snatch up the rest of her series too!
That being said, I have started with her Fly By Night series (just a great as I expected) and now this, her first book in the Whisper Hollow series. As you can glean from the back cover, Kerris is now the spirit shaman for Whisper Hollow. She had left the town 15 years ago, when she graduated high school, and only returned now due to the death of her grandparents. Both her mother and father had disappeared by the time she was 3, and Kerris was the only female left able to assume the role of spirit shaman for the town. Joined by a lament singer and a guardian, she must see that the dead of the town are laid to rest. If they aren't, they are destined to become ghosts or worse.
She left because she didn't feel safe in the town, which has a life/power of it's own, and it seems like she isn't any more welcome upon her return. It appears that the powers in the town, both human and spirit, are sinister and want her not only gone, but dead.
She has to find answers to a lot of questions while trying to keep herself alive, so it's a good thing that she has a few people that she can depend upon.
I think that it's best to leave the story telling to Yasmine, but I can tell you that if you like paranormal adventure, loving sex, and a good mystery, you'll love her tales as much as I do. Give this book a try, and I think you'll snatch up the rest of her series too!
Review Date: 2/18/2017
I love Alice Loweecey's books. I'm a "cradle Catholic", no longer practicing, and I think she does a great job portraying both the laity and the religious in her novels.
In this installment, Giulia finds herself headed back to the convent as an undercover agent when Sister Bridget (a novice relocated to the Motherhouse with her fellow nuns when 4 communities of Sisters of St. Francis were combined), allegedly commits suicide. Bridget's family is suing the order for wrongful death, and Giulia's former Superior General, Sister Mary Fabian, hires Driscoll Investigations to determine why Bridget had killed herself, and she is the one who suggests that Giulia return to the Motherhouse ostensibly to attend the Saint Francis Day reunion. In reality, she wants Giulia because, as a former nun under Sister Fabian's thumb, she thinks she can get Giulia to agree with Sister Fabian's version of the reason for Bridget's suicide. For some odd reason, Sister F. has completely forgotten that Giulia is her own person, and sheep-like obedience isn't in her make-up.
As Giulia dons the habit and returns to the scene of the crime, she finds herself immersed in all the old feelings that had her opting out of the sisterhood 14 months before, and now she has to fight off not only that angst, but keep her guard up because it looks like there is an awful lot that has contributed to the young novice's death.
I really appreciate the way that the author keeps the story moving. This isn't a book that I could put down and go back to in a day or two. I had to keep reading because the story grabbed me and wouldn't let me go.
If you like thrillers, I think you'll like Giulia's story, but I would suggest that you start with book 1 - Force of Habit - so that you are better acquainted with the characters. Now I'm on to book 3 - Veiled Threat!
In this installment, Giulia finds herself headed back to the convent as an undercover agent when Sister Bridget (a novice relocated to the Motherhouse with her fellow nuns when 4 communities of Sisters of St. Francis were combined), allegedly commits suicide. Bridget's family is suing the order for wrongful death, and Giulia's former Superior General, Sister Mary Fabian, hires Driscoll Investigations to determine why Bridget had killed herself, and she is the one who suggests that Giulia return to the Motherhouse ostensibly to attend the Saint Francis Day reunion. In reality, she wants Giulia because, as a former nun under Sister Fabian's thumb, she thinks she can get Giulia to agree with Sister Fabian's version of the reason for Bridget's suicide. For some odd reason, Sister F. has completely forgotten that Giulia is her own person, and sheep-like obedience isn't in her make-up.
As Giulia dons the habit and returns to the scene of the crime, she finds herself immersed in all the old feelings that had her opting out of the sisterhood 14 months before, and now she has to fight off not only that angst, but keep her guard up because it looks like there is an awful lot that has contributed to the young novice's death.
I really appreciate the way that the author keeps the story moving. This isn't a book that I could put down and go back to in a day or two. I had to keep reading because the story grabbed me and wouldn't let me go.
If you like thrillers, I think you'll like Giulia's story, but I would suggest that you start with book 1 - Force of Habit - so that you are better acquainted with the characters. Now I'm on to book 3 - Veiled Threat!
Review Date: 3/29/2016
This is a new series by Jeaniene Frost. I love her Cat & Bones vampire series, so I thought I'd give this one a try. It's not a vampire series, but we definitely have supernaturals by the buckets full.
Ivy, our heroine, has always "seen things", and even though she's been through medications, medical docs, etc., nothing has really helped, although she finally fibbed to her folks and friends and told them her meds were working, and all the visions were gone. However, when her sister disappears and her adoptive parents are killed in a car accident, she decides to go searching for Jasmine herself, and that's when the crazy begins big time!
When she stops at a bed and breakfast in Bennington, Vermont, the last known village that Jasmine had visited, all hell literally breaks loose. The proprietor swears she hadn't seen Jasmine, but when Ivy's back is turned, Mrs. Paulson tries to bash in her skull. Not very friendly, to say the least, and Ivy had noticed when she entered that the B&B was filled with one of her "visions".
When she is rescued by Adrian, who really doesn't seem to be very trustworthy either, she finds herself embarking on an adventure to not only save her sister, but the entire world.
While she and Adrian start a love/hate relationship (due in part to each of their heritages), and they attempt to work together to find a supernatural weapon that only Ivy can activate, she learns that she isn't entirely human. But then, neither is he.
I know the story sounds rather like the same old/same old, but Jeaniene is a terrific story teller, and I couldn't put the book down. Finished it in one day, and can't wait for The Sweetest Burn, the 2nd book in this series. If you like action, supernaturals up the wazoo, and just plain great story-telling, I think you'll love this book, and the new series, too!
Ivy, our heroine, has always "seen things", and even though she's been through medications, medical docs, etc., nothing has really helped, although she finally fibbed to her folks and friends and told them her meds were working, and all the visions were gone. However, when her sister disappears and her adoptive parents are killed in a car accident, she decides to go searching for Jasmine herself, and that's when the crazy begins big time!
When she stops at a bed and breakfast in Bennington, Vermont, the last known village that Jasmine had visited, all hell literally breaks loose. The proprietor swears she hadn't seen Jasmine, but when Ivy's back is turned, Mrs. Paulson tries to bash in her skull. Not very friendly, to say the least, and Ivy had noticed when she entered that the B&B was filled with one of her "visions".
When she is rescued by Adrian, who really doesn't seem to be very trustworthy either, she finds herself embarking on an adventure to not only save her sister, but the entire world.
While she and Adrian start a love/hate relationship (due in part to each of their heritages), and they attempt to work together to find a supernatural weapon that only Ivy can activate, she learns that she isn't entirely human. But then, neither is he.
I know the story sounds rather like the same old/same old, but Jeaniene is a terrific story teller, and I couldn't put the book down. Finished it in one day, and can't wait for The Sweetest Burn, the 2nd book in this series. If you like action, supernaturals up the wazoo, and just plain great story-telling, I think you'll love this book, and the new series, too!
Review Date: 3/3/2012
Helpful Score: 2
Really enjoyed this book. It's a new series for me, and I read the 1st 3 books in three days. Highly recommend this author, and other reviews which suggest a combination of Charlaine Harris and Laurell Hamilton are correct, although, thank heaven, sex is not nearly as graphic as LH's most recent.
Review Date: 8/30/2015
Loved it again! I seldom reread books, but I was on page 20 or so when I realized I had read this one earlier. I loved it then, and decided that I'd reread it. It was well worth it. Queisha and Chance's story literally spans heaven and earth, and has earthy parts (a bit of whomping) and is a heavenly read.
Queisha has had a less than desirable life, with both abuse and phobic issues, and Chance is the perfect angel in her life, although she doesn't realize it.
She had a near death experience, and because of that, she was now "living for 2". In pursuit of that goal, she had agreed 6 years earlier to be a surrogate mother. She was named in the parents' will to become the guardian of her birth twins if something untoward happened, and as the parents were both rich and adventurous, when they went missing mountain climbing, the clause in the will became effective. The twin girls became Queisha's responsibility, and since the two also came with their own fortune, money hungry relatives were following closely behind.
Chance's story, how he became Queisha's guardian angel, and came into her life for the 2nd time, is also a heart tweaker.
Annette Blair penned a wonderful tale of love and acceptance, and I think you would really enjoy this heart warming story.
Queisha has had a less than desirable life, with both abuse and phobic issues, and Chance is the perfect angel in her life, although she doesn't realize it.
She had a near death experience, and because of that, she was now "living for 2". In pursuit of that goal, she had agreed 6 years earlier to be a surrogate mother. She was named in the parents' will to become the guardian of her birth twins if something untoward happened, and as the parents were both rich and adventurous, when they went missing mountain climbing, the clause in the will became effective. The twin girls became Queisha's responsibility, and since the two also came with their own fortune, money hungry relatives were following closely behind.
Chance's story, how he became Queisha's guardian angel, and came into her life for the 2nd time, is also a heart tweaker.
Annette Blair penned a wonderful tale of love and acceptance, and I think you would really enjoy this heart warming story.
Review Date: 8/19/2012
It was good after the first chapter. Took a bit to get into it. Makes you feel that you are in Florida, and all of the populace is certifiably crazy.
Review Date: 3/3/2012
Helpful Score: 2
Really enjoyed this book. It's a new series for me, and I read the 1st 3 books in three days. Highly recommend this author, and other reviews which suggest a combination of Charlaine Harris and Laurell Hamilton are correct, although, thank heaven, sex is not nearly as graphic as LH's most recent.
Review Date: 8/28/2015
This is my first Faith Fairchild book and I won it from Goodreads! The good news is the book is great, I really enjoyed it, and I so didn't predict the ending, and the bad news is it's book #21, so now I have to find the first 20 and read them too. Goodreads has introduced me to so many great and new to me authors. Love you guys!
This story covers the death of one of the owners and the subsequent bequeathing of a Maine "cottage", The Birches, (and the good Lord knows their idea of cottages and mine is vastly different, my cottage doesn't have more rooms than an English castle), and the land that accompanies it. Faith is a neighbor to the Proctor family, the owners of The Birches, and between having a family crisis of her own, her mother-in-law is taken to the hospital and her husband Tom has to travel to her bedside, and the murder/murders(?) at the neighboring estate due to the wording of the bequest, Faith's plate is full. Throw in one of the hottest July 4th's on record in this part of Maine (no air conditioning) and a hurricane, both of which contribute to tempers and temperatures, and you have the perfect kettle of fish for a great mystery.
Since Faith is a caterer too, and I love to cook (and will definitely try at least 2 of the recipes in this book, you can see why I enjoyed it so much.
If you like a great mystery with a great family story line and very little sexual content (just a mention of a previous love and a dab of a current one), I think you will also enjoy this book.
Now I'm off to see if I can collect the first 20!
This story covers the death of one of the owners and the subsequent bequeathing of a Maine "cottage", The Birches, (and the good Lord knows their idea of cottages and mine is vastly different, my cottage doesn't have more rooms than an English castle), and the land that accompanies it. Faith is a neighbor to the Proctor family, the owners of The Birches, and between having a family crisis of her own, her mother-in-law is taken to the hospital and her husband Tom has to travel to her bedside, and the murder/murders(?) at the neighboring estate due to the wording of the bequest, Faith's plate is full. Throw in one of the hottest July 4th's on record in this part of Maine (no air conditioning) and a hurricane, both of which contribute to tempers and temperatures, and you have the perfect kettle of fish for a great mystery.
Since Faith is a caterer too, and I love to cook (and will definitely try at least 2 of the recipes in this book, you can see why I enjoyed it so much.
If you like a great mystery with a great family story line and very little sexual content (just a mention of a previous love and a dab of a current one), I think you will also enjoy this book.
Now I'm off to see if I can collect the first 20!
Review Date: 9/29/2016
I love J. R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and I was fortunate enough to win the 2nd book in this series - The Angels' Share - from Goodreads, so I had to read this first. It's fairly slow going, but I attribute that to the need to set up the characters and the settings, but it seems pretty draggy for this author. I'm used to lots of action and this didn't deliver from the start like I'm used to.
Major dysfunctional family, made me really feel sorry for the poor rich kids and I've never felt that way before. If this is even close to true, I'm really glad I'm middle class. Their childhood with their father left way to much to be desired, and the one truly saving grace was their cook and "real" mother Aurora. She raised them as she would have if they had been her children, and they never lacked for love or discipline when she was around. I have read that many of the Southern wealthy families had their black maids (think The Help) and servants raise the children, and that was the case here. Both parents were pathetic, the father as an abuser and the mother as a doormat, and love was a lost cause in the long run.
None of the kids, 3 boys and a girl, had a good grasp on how to live in the real world, it seems that money is a great padding to keep the world at arm's length, and, when the reality of eminent bankruptcy hits, everyone has a different reaction. Gin, the daughter, can't foresee a life that doesn't include a massive fortune, so she is willing to marry someone who really does resemble her father, especially in the abuse department. Edward, the eldest, has already parted ways with the family. He was to become the leader in the family's bourbon business, but after having been kidnapped and tortured nearly to death on a South American business trip, he purchased Red and Black, the family's stables and is now breeding and racing Thoroughbreds. Maxwell, the 2nd son, isn't well characterized in this book, and hopefully we will learn more about him as the series continues. Lane, the youngest son, has supported himself by playing poker in New York, staying with a college friend.
When Lane received a call that Mama Aurora was in very poor health and in the hospital, he headed for home and all heck breaks loose. He had been involved with their master gardener Lizzie King before he left and the affair had ended when he married his pregnant, but unloved, college girlfriend. Now he was returning to a house that had both women and to a family that was unbelievably screwed up. Somehow he finds himself delegated the savior of the business and the family and his solutions are rather eye-opening to say the least.
I did enjoy the book, but I wasn't blown away by it. It was slow reading at times, but when an author has to set up so much, it does take time and pages. I found it hard to relate to the protagonists, and I don't think it was so much due to their financial status as it was to the fact that I had a hard time believing that they were worth saving. At least by the end of the book I liked them a bit better. It's worth the read though, as the second book is much better. It was a good thing I had it on hand since this one ends in a cliff-hanger.
Major dysfunctional family, made me really feel sorry for the poor rich kids and I've never felt that way before. If this is even close to true, I'm really glad I'm middle class. Their childhood with their father left way to much to be desired, and the one truly saving grace was their cook and "real" mother Aurora. She raised them as she would have if they had been her children, and they never lacked for love or discipline when she was around. I have read that many of the Southern wealthy families had their black maids (think The Help) and servants raise the children, and that was the case here. Both parents were pathetic, the father as an abuser and the mother as a doormat, and love was a lost cause in the long run.
None of the kids, 3 boys and a girl, had a good grasp on how to live in the real world, it seems that money is a great padding to keep the world at arm's length, and, when the reality of eminent bankruptcy hits, everyone has a different reaction. Gin, the daughter, can't foresee a life that doesn't include a massive fortune, so she is willing to marry someone who really does resemble her father, especially in the abuse department. Edward, the eldest, has already parted ways with the family. He was to become the leader in the family's bourbon business, but after having been kidnapped and tortured nearly to death on a South American business trip, he purchased Red and Black, the family's stables and is now breeding and racing Thoroughbreds. Maxwell, the 2nd son, isn't well characterized in this book, and hopefully we will learn more about him as the series continues. Lane, the youngest son, has supported himself by playing poker in New York, staying with a college friend.
When Lane received a call that Mama Aurora was in very poor health and in the hospital, he headed for home and all heck breaks loose. He had been involved with their master gardener Lizzie King before he left and the affair had ended when he married his pregnant, but unloved, college girlfriend. Now he was returning to a house that had both women and to a family that was unbelievably screwed up. Somehow he finds himself delegated the savior of the business and the family and his solutions are rather eye-opening to say the least.
I did enjoy the book, but I wasn't blown away by it. It was slow reading at times, but when an author has to set up so much, it does take time and pages. I found it hard to relate to the protagonists, and I don't think it was so much due to their financial status as it was to the fact that I had a hard time believing that they were worth saving. At least by the end of the book I liked them a bit better. It's worth the read though, as the second book is much better. It was a good thing I had it on hand since this one ends in a cliff-hanger.
Review Date: 6/25/2015
Helpful Score: 2
This is a new author and series for me. Thank heaven I had Scandal in Skibbereen on the shelf, because I had to start it RIGHT NOW!! I also have a few of her orchard series, so I'll probably marathon read through all the books I have on the shelf.
Loved Buried in a Bog. Maura Donovan, our heroine, travels to Leap, Ireland to fulfill the wish of her late grandmother. Maura is 25 years old, and has never been out of the Boston area before this trip. She and her grandmother had very little in material possessions, and Maura would never have been able to afford the trip if she hadn't found the money envelope that her grandmother had left for her. She figures she'll make the trip and then decide what she wants to do with her life.
After she got to Ireland, she got caught up in a multiple murder mystery, with one killing dating back about 50 years, and the other happening shortly after her arrival. She finds herself stalked and suspects that it may be the killer, even though she can't figure out why he/she would want her dead too.
I loved the descriptions of the Irish countryside and the village, and got caught up in Maura's discoveries of both the people that had known her Gran and others who were so very helpful to an American stranger.
The author did a great job of keeping me in the dark when it came to the identities and reasons of both murders/killers, and I'm obviously looking forward to continue the adventures with Maura.
Great book!
Loved Buried in a Bog. Maura Donovan, our heroine, travels to Leap, Ireland to fulfill the wish of her late grandmother. Maura is 25 years old, and has never been out of the Boston area before this trip. She and her grandmother had very little in material possessions, and Maura would never have been able to afford the trip if she hadn't found the money envelope that her grandmother had left for her. She figures she'll make the trip and then decide what she wants to do with her life.
After she got to Ireland, she got caught up in a multiple murder mystery, with one killing dating back about 50 years, and the other happening shortly after her arrival. She finds herself stalked and suspects that it may be the killer, even though she can't figure out why he/she would want her dead too.
I loved the descriptions of the Irish countryside and the village, and got caught up in Maura's discoveries of both the people that had known her Gran and others who were so very helpful to an American stranger.
The author did a great job of keeping me in the dark when it came to the identities and reasons of both murders/killers, and I'm obviously looking forward to continue the adventures with Maura.
Great book!
Review Date: 11/5/2016
This is the 3rd book in the series, and this series only gets better with each book.
Sally Muccio is planning her wedding to her childhood sweetheart Michael Donovan and trying to establish her bakery Sally's Samples. The bakery is finally taking off since Sal's good friend Josie was the head baker and a magician in the kitchen. Seems like everything is finally working out, her sister Gianna has passed the bar and become a public defender, her mom is entering beauty contests (don't ask) and Grandma Rosa is still the rock in Sally's life.
At least, everything is good until Gianna is stuck defending a womanizer with ties to the mob, and he is found dead in the remains of Sally's arson destroyed bakery, with Gianna (who had the apartment above the bakery) missing and wanted for murder. Oh, and did I mention the damnable fortune cookies? Believe me, Sally never wants to see another one, even if it was her idea to hand out a free fortune cookie with every order. They seem to be too "spot on" when it comes to predictions.
Trying to locate Gianna and to convince the insurance company she wasn't involved in the arson would be bad enough, and when you add in relocating the bakery to her parents' house, and worrying about her fiance's affection, Sally has her plate full of more than yummy cookies.
If Sally were a little less headstrong she'd be safer, but believe me, she wouldn't be Sally. This girl can get into more trouble than an unsupervised room of kindergarteners, and the results kept me on the edge of my seat.
The murderer was a complete surprise, and I usually have that figured out in the first 100 pages, so I really loved this book. I was lucky enough to win it in a giveaway from Drusbookmusing and the author and I really appreciate that.
Give it a read, it would work as a stand-alone, but it really would be best to start from the beginning so you are familiar with the characters.
Sally Muccio is planning her wedding to her childhood sweetheart Michael Donovan and trying to establish her bakery Sally's Samples. The bakery is finally taking off since Sal's good friend Josie was the head baker and a magician in the kitchen. Seems like everything is finally working out, her sister Gianna has passed the bar and become a public defender, her mom is entering beauty contests (don't ask) and Grandma Rosa is still the rock in Sally's life.
At least, everything is good until Gianna is stuck defending a womanizer with ties to the mob, and he is found dead in the remains of Sally's arson destroyed bakery, with Gianna (who had the apartment above the bakery) missing and wanted for murder. Oh, and did I mention the damnable fortune cookies? Believe me, Sally never wants to see another one, even if it was her idea to hand out a free fortune cookie with every order. They seem to be too "spot on" when it comes to predictions.
Trying to locate Gianna and to convince the insurance company she wasn't involved in the arson would be bad enough, and when you add in relocating the bakery to her parents' house, and worrying about her fiance's affection, Sally has her plate full of more than yummy cookies.
If Sally were a little less headstrong she'd be safer, but believe me, she wouldn't be Sally. This girl can get into more trouble than an unsupervised room of kindergarteners, and the results kept me on the edge of my seat.
The murderer was a complete surprise, and I usually have that figured out in the first 100 pages, so I really loved this book. I was lucky enough to win it in a giveaway from Drusbookmusing and the author and I really appreciate that.
Give it a read, it would work as a stand-alone, but it really would be best to start from the beginning so you are familiar with the characters.
Confessions of a Vampire's Girlfriend: Got Fangs / Circus of the Darned
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
39
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
39
Review Date: 8/7/2012
Loved getting the background on Katie's vampire series and learn how it started. This book, containing both the stories, was written in a more youth oriented style, but it was very well written. I love reading Katie MacAlister's books, they are all very funny and riviting.
Review Date: 3/18/2012
Another of Handeland's nightcreature creations. I know they are similar, but I really like them for the settings and characters. Really recommend it for light, fast reading.
The Dark Lord and the Seamstress: An Unconventional Love Story In Verse
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
1
Author:
Book Type: Paperback
1
Review Date: 7/16/2015
First, I must tell you that I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. I would never have gotten it on my own (an adult coloring book, not my cup of tea), but I would have missed out on a great new adventure. Both the story and the illustrations are wonderful, thanks to J. M. Frey and Jennifer Vendrig, and I now have to locate other stories by Ms. Frey.
The premise of this story - the devil, feeling old and learning of the lovely seamstress, decided he needed new clothes, but only if she would sew them for him. He sent an imp to offer her employment, promising to take care of her parents if she would come to him. Since the family was poor, she felt that she really had no choice, so she headed down to hell to update his wardrobe. I won't tell you the entire story, but I will highly recommend that you read it for yourself, and then look at some of the other reviews (the ones with the wonderfully colored pictures that the reviewers did all by themselves, talk about talented folks), and you will have an idea of how great this little coloring book really is.
I don't think I'll color any pictures, mostly because after seeing the above reviews I really am intimidated, but the pictures do beg to be colored, so I may just wait till the new family artist shows up and I can gift it to him/her.
Bottom line, even if you aren't artistic, you will love this book. Do read it!
The premise of this story - the devil, feeling old and learning of the lovely seamstress, decided he needed new clothes, but only if she would sew them for him. He sent an imp to offer her employment, promising to take care of her parents if she would come to him. Since the family was poor, she felt that she really had no choice, so she headed down to hell to update his wardrobe. I won't tell you the entire story, but I will highly recommend that you read it for yourself, and then look at some of the other reviews (the ones with the wonderfully colored pictures that the reviewers did all by themselves, talk about talented folks), and you will have an idea of how great this little coloring book really is.
I don't think I'll color any pictures, mostly because after seeing the above reviews I really am intimidated, but the pictures do beg to be colored, so I may just wait till the new family artist shows up and I can gift it to him/her.
Bottom line, even if you aren't artistic, you will love this book. Do read it!
Review Date: 10/4/2015
First let me tell you that I won this ARC through a Goodreads giveaway. I really enjoyed the book, and might have to at least look thru the finished book to see what pictures weren't in my copy. The artwork that is in the book is really neat, and the story, about Arthur B Helmsley, the grandson of the intrepid explorers Ralph and Rachel Helmsley, centers around Arthur's life. Arthur's family lived at 375 Willow Street, and the story really starts when he is 11 years old. His father is a lawyer, and his mother is busy guarding him from any "tendencies" that would encourage him to follow in his grandparent's footsteps. Hard to keep him from dreaming about exploring, though, when the house they live in had belonged to his grandparents, and is filled with animals and mementos that they had acquired on their many expeditions. His mother Helena basically keeps him a prisoner in the home so that she doesn't have to worry about losing him. His grandparents had disappeared 2 years before when they had left their ship to explore an iceberg. They never did return, and when rescuers searched for them, they had no luck.
Arthur had received some presents from his grandparents prior to their disappearance, and even though he had never met them, he dreamed of following them to the iceberg to see if he could find and rescue them.
Luckily he had a friend, Oliver Glub, and when the new girl, Adelaide Belmont, moved into the house next door, he enlisted their aid.
Between dealing with his overprotective mother, a new teacher who was a nightmare for any child who didn't conform to her ideals, and trying to mount an Antarctic expedition to find his grandparents, his plate was overflowing.
This book highlights the wonders of family and friendship, and would be a great addition to any reader's library. I am sharing it with my grandnieces, and I'm sure that they will love it. They'll have to return it when my great-grandson gets older, so he can enjoy it too.
Arthur had received some presents from his grandparents prior to their disappearance, and even though he had never met them, he dreamed of following them to the iceberg to see if he could find and rescue them.
Luckily he had a friend, Oliver Glub, and when the new girl, Adelaide Belmont, moved into the house next door, he enlisted their aid.
Between dealing with his overprotective mother, a new teacher who was a nightmare for any child who didn't conform to her ideals, and trying to mount an Antarctic expedition to find his grandparents, his plate was overflowing.
This book highlights the wonders of family and friendship, and would be a great addition to any reader's library. I am sharing it with my grandnieces, and I'm sure that they will love it. They'll have to return it when my great-grandson gets older, so he can enjoy it too.
Review Date: 8/2/2015
Helpful Score: 2
Hallelujah, Katie's dragons are back, and this is about one of my very favorites, highly opinionated, pain-in-the-rear Kostya. He is a dragon who's attitude makes it very easy to love to hate him, and when Aoife Dakar, recently released from a Swedish sanitarium due to an unfortunate incident 2 years prior at a Goth Faire, finds herself faced with his naked body on the beach not far from her home, the fun begins.
Throw in the little fact that Aoife had just inherited Jim, a amnesiac demon masquerading as a Newfoundland dog (Jim swears that's the pinnacle of perfection for a demon form), by virtue of running him over in the middle of the road, and you know Aoife's life has just begun unraveling. At least she possesses an attitude of her own, and she doesn't take any s**t from anyone, especially great looking naked men and huge black talking dogs!
Kostya is trying to break the curse that the demon Lord Asmodeus has set upon the dragons and he has no time to spare for his potential Mate, Aoife.
As the story progresses, we are reintroduced to many of the great characters in the proceeding dragon books, and this makes me want to go back and reread them, something I am almost never tempted to do. I am just so happy that Katie is back to her dragons, and I'm able to buy the sequel to this in November.
Throw in the little fact that Aoife had just inherited Jim, a amnesiac demon masquerading as a Newfoundland dog (Jim swears that's the pinnacle of perfection for a demon form), by virtue of running him over in the middle of the road, and you know Aoife's life has just begun unraveling. At least she possesses an attitude of her own, and she doesn't take any s**t from anyone, especially great looking naked men and huge black talking dogs!
Kostya is trying to break the curse that the demon Lord Asmodeus has set upon the dragons and he has no time to spare for his potential Mate, Aoife.
As the story progresses, we are reintroduced to many of the great characters in the proceeding dragon books, and this makes me want to go back and reread them, something I am almost never tempted to do. I am just so happy that Katie is back to her dragons, and I'm able to buy the sequel to this in November.
Review Date: 1/22/2017
First read about this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Didn't win, but it sounded so interesting that I decided to get it anyway. Sure glad I did.
The story takes place in New Orleans. A serial killer is on the loose, and Brenda Shapira and her partner (in more ways than one) Roy Agnew are tasked with finding and arresting him. One big problem, all signs point to the fact that he is Thomas M. Carpenter, and he died in 1878. Since it's now 1978, this is a real conundrum. How do you locate a dead man roaming the city, and the murders must be related but how??
I love paranormal books, and this one didn't disappoint. It reads like a modern murder mystery though, and I kept wondering when the paranormal feeling would kick in. The fact that the author kept me on the edge of my seat, pondering chewing my fingernails (bad habit kicked a long time ago) while forcing me to think that this would turn out to be a modern day killer masquerading as a man long deceased....
Brenda has had her share of tragedy and seems to be holding on to reality very gingerly. Roy does seem to ground her, but as the investigation goes on, she seems to be going deeper and deeper into her own world, and it's not an altogether pleasant one. The outcome of the book is a real surprise, and Cynthia gave me a lot to think about regarding how we live our lives, and what we expect from ourselves and others.
If you like to be totally engrossed in a story (I couldn't put it down, finished in 1 night) and love surprise endings, I think you would really enjoy this. As for me, I'm off to buy The Irises, the next book in the series!
The story takes place in New Orleans. A serial killer is on the loose, and Brenda Shapira and her partner (in more ways than one) Roy Agnew are tasked with finding and arresting him. One big problem, all signs point to the fact that he is Thomas M. Carpenter, and he died in 1878. Since it's now 1978, this is a real conundrum. How do you locate a dead man roaming the city, and the murders must be related but how??
I love paranormal books, and this one didn't disappoint. It reads like a modern murder mystery though, and I kept wondering when the paranormal feeling would kick in. The fact that the author kept me on the edge of my seat, pondering chewing my fingernails (bad habit kicked a long time ago) while forcing me to think that this would turn out to be a modern day killer masquerading as a man long deceased....
Brenda has had her share of tragedy and seems to be holding on to reality very gingerly. Roy does seem to ground her, but as the investigation goes on, she seems to be going deeper and deeper into her own world, and it's not an altogether pleasant one. The outcome of the book is a real surprise, and Cynthia gave me a lot to think about regarding how we live our lives, and what we expect from ourselves and others.
If you like to be totally engrossed in a story (I couldn't put it down, finished in 1 night) and love surprise endings, I think you would really enjoy this. As for me, I'm off to buy The Irises, the next book in the series!
Review Date: 11/10/2015
First I have to let you know that I won this book through a Goodreads giveaway. Now I'm going to let you know I have to get the first book in this series, this is the 2nd.
June Lyons is a police officer in Hopewell Falls, NY, and on a routine patrol of the town she smells gasoline. Upon checking it out, she traced the odor to the Sleep-Tite factory, which had been closed for 25 years. As she approached, she noticed the flames and the blazing woman approaching her. Since June had already called for help, the paramedics and fire department arrived momentarily, and the burned woman was transported to the hospital. She fell into a coma and the police were unable to identify her due to the severity of her burns.
This problem would be enough of a mystery, since the Sleep-Tite factory had been owned by Bernie Lawler, a man who convicted of killing his wife Luisa and his son Teddy back in 1983, although their bodies had never been found. June's father had been the arresting officer and the main reason that Bernie was behind bars. Then another mystery surfaced when the clean up of the torch factory had begun. Barrels were discovered behind a sham wall, and a woman's body was in one of the barrels. Of course, the hope was that they had discovered Luisa's body, but that was not the case and the search began.
The FBI was brought in and June is teamed with Special Agent Hale Bascom. As they investigate the case, they discover that her small town has several nasty secrets, and people aren't afraid to kill to keep them secret.
June Lyons is a police officer in Hopewell Falls, NY, and on a routine patrol of the town she smells gasoline. Upon checking it out, she traced the odor to the Sleep-Tite factory, which had been closed for 25 years. As she approached, she noticed the flames and the blazing woman approaching her. Since June had already called for help, the paramedics and fire department arrived momentarily, and the burned woman was transported to the hospital. She fell into a coma and the police were unable to identify her due to the severity of her burns.
This problem would be enough of a mystery, since the Sleep-Tite factory had been owned by Bernie Lawler, a man who convicted of killing his wife Luisa and his son Teddy back in 1983, although their bodies had never been found. June's father had been the arresting officer and the main reason that Bernie was behind bars. Then another mystery surfaced when the clean up of the torch factory had begun. Barrels were discovered behind a sham wall, and a woman's body was in one of the barrels. Of course, the hope was that they had discovered Luisa's body, but that was not the case and the search began.
The FBI was brought in and June is teamed with Special Agent Hale Bascom. As they investigate the case, they discover that her small town has several nasty secrets, and people aren't afraid to kill to keep them secret.
Review Date: 7/16/2015
Guess I should admit that Yasmine Galenorn is one of very few authors that I MUST pre-order! Love her Otherworld series and prayed that this new series would keep me reading all hours, day and night, just like Camille, Delilah and Menolly keep me up way past bedtime. Flight From Death did not disappoint.
Our heroine, Shimmer, is a blue dragon who has been exiled Earthside for five years for crimes in the Dragon Reaches, and she must now work for Alex Radcliffe, vampire and owner of Fly By Night Magical Investigations Agency.
In this first novel, Alex is contacted by an old friend, Patrick Strand, who has purchased a home in Port Townsend and has converted it into a B&B. However, he is unable to open for business because it appears to be haunted and something (ghosts?) create havoc and destruction whenever he gets close to opening. Patrick has asked Alex to come to solve the problem.
Shimmer, Alex and werewolf Ralph, a computer whiz/employee, head for Port Townsend to drive out the ghosts and enable Patrick to open. Once they arrive, however, they learn that nothing is simple. Ghosts would be a blessing compared to the real threat, and the chances of surviving the ensuing mayhem becomes less and less as the investigation goes on.
They enlist the help of a local witch and a Native American that Shimmer suspects is a shaman, and hope that they can eradicate the menace that they discover. I don't want to have to do a spoiler alert, so...
Let's just say that I am really glad that I pre-ordered, and I'm looking forward to many more adventures with Shimmer, Alex and this group. I'm worried that my Otherworld books may be numbered, and at least this series will make it hurt less when Camille, Delilah, Menolly and their friends are settled in and have no more stories to tell. Good books are like good dogs, I love them so much, and it hurts way too much when they leave. Fingers crossed that Shimmer and friends don't leave soon.
Our heroine, Shimmer, is a blue dragon who has been exiled Earthside for five years for crimes in the Dragon Reaches, and she must now work for Alex Radcliffe, vampire and owner of Fly By Night Magical Investigations Agency.
In this first novel, Alex is contacted by an old friend, Patrick Strand, who has purchased a home in Port Townsend and has converted it into a B&B. However, he is unable to open for business because it appears to be haunted and something (ghosts?) create havoc and destruction whenever he gets close to opening. Patrick has asked Alex to come to solve the problem.
Shimmer, Alex and werewolf Ralph, a computer whiz/employee, head for Port Townsend to drive out the ghosts and enable Patrick to open. Once they arrive, however, they learn that nothing is simple. Ghosts would be a blessing compared to the real threat, and the chances of surviving the ensuing mayhem becomes less and less as the investigation goes on.
They enlist the help of a local witch and a Native American that Shimmer suspects is a shaman, and hope that they can eradicate the menace that they discover. I don't want to have to do a spoiler alert, so...
Let's just say that I am really glad that I pre-ordered, and I'm looking forward to many more adventures with Shimmer, Alex and this group. I'm worried that my Otherworld books may be numbered, and at least this series will make it hurt less when Camille, Delilah, Menolly and their friends are settled in and have no more stories to tell. Good books are like good dogs, I love them so much, and it hurts way too much when they leave. Fingers crossed that Shimmer and friends don't leave soon.
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