Review: The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero

This is the story of A. and Niamh, 2 very normal-seeming people. Niamh is mute and communicates mostly through written notes. A. has no such handicap.

A. inherits a house just outside of Point Bless, Virginis from a distant relative who has recently defenestrated himself committing suicide. He is now crazy rich and in possession of a huge mansion complete with a maze and a ghost.

A. starts having terrible nightmares. They write to Aunt Liza for advice and she tells them to destroy the bed. It's acting  like a conduit. Instead, they search for what could be affecting the bed in the house. They find a sphere that when touched produces a large zap of electricity and the images of the dreams in his head again.

The butler is missing, but there is a note for him. This starts a whole chain of events. The letter is written cryptically. Further correspondence they find is written in code. There is a lot about ciphers in this book. While I am sure it's really interesting for a lot of people, it just slowed down the story for me and I found myself skipping over those bits.

The action in the story generally happens at a good pace. I found it easy to get sucked into the book. It's told as a series of journal entries, letters, notes, and audio and video recordings. The format sort of reminds me of Bram Stoker's Dracula. Other parts of the book reminded me of Stephen King, H.P. Lovecraft, and Edgar Allan Poe. There was still a lot of originality to the story as well.

Overall I give this book 4 stars. The writing is good and absorbing. The format is unique. The plot is quickly paced. If you like this sort of thing, check it out. My local library had a copy. When I saw the cover and read the blurb, I couldn't resist.

Waiting on Wednesday #71 - The Dead Play On by Heather Graham

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 


This week the book I am waiting on is The Dead Play On by Heather Graham.

This is #3 in the Cafferty and Quinn series. It is expected to be published March 31, 2015 by MIRA. 

The synopsis from Goodreads.com: 

Play a song for me… 

Musicians are being murdered in New Orleans. But Arnie Watson apparently died by his own hand. When Tyler Anderson plays the saxophone he inherited from Arnie, a soldier and musician who died soon after his return, he believes he sees visions of his friend's life—and death. He becomes convinced Arnie was murdered and that the instrument had something to do with whatever happened, and with whatever's happening all over the city… 

Tyler knows his theory sounds crazy to the police, so he approaches Danni Cafferty, hoping she and Michael Quinn will find out what the cops couldn't. Or wouldn't. After all, Cafferty and Quinn have become famous for solving unusual crimes. 

They're partners in their personal lives, too. Quinn's a private investigator and Danni works with him. When they look into the case, they discover a secret lover of Arnie's and a history of jealousies and old hatreds that leads them back to the band Arnie once played with—and Tyler plays with now. 

They discover that sometimes, for some people, the line between passion and obsession is hard to draw. Only in uncovering the truth can they hope to save others—and themselves—from the deadly hands of a killer.

Why am I looking forward to this book? I've enjoyed the first two Cafferty and Quinn books in the series. It's both a paranormal mystery and a little bit of a romance. Danni Cafferty is a strong female character with artistic talent that sometimes is influenced by the paranormal. Former policeman Michael Quinn is a gentleman when it's called for and a sleuth when necessary. Together they make a good team. I also like the cast of recurring support characters in the book. 

What book are you looking forward to this week? Please add a title or a link in the comments and we will check it out. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday - The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of  Should Be Reading.

Anyone can participate. just do the following.

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t  give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

This week's teaser comes from The Supernatural Enhancements by Edgar Cantero published August 12, 2014 by Doubleday. It's a bit of a ghost story and a mystery. So far it reminds me a little of Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher, H.P. Lovecraft, and Stephen King's The Shining.

Niamh and A. are adopting a dog. Niamh is mute, but not deaf. A. tells her to choose the dog. This is their resulting conversation. A. is referred to as Guy in this bit of writing and Niamh as girl on p.41.

Guy: I like him. What are you going to call him? 

(The girl retrieves from under her pullover a small notepad and a short pencil on a string around her neck; she writes.)

- Your choice - I'm not calling him.

There is humor in the book from time to time even though it mostly is supernatural, horror and mystery. So far I'm enjoying the book. What's your teaser this week? Leave it or a link in the comments. I'll check it out. Happy Reading!

Review: Southern Spirits by Angie Fox

Published January 21, 2015 by
Season Publishing

Southern Spirits by Angie Fox is the first book in her new Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries. It has so many things in a cozy that I like: a strong female main character/amateur detective, a southern setting, a touch of the paranormal, humor, and a dash of a possible romance.

Verity Long is a graphic designer who is currently unemployed and about to lose her grandmother's house because of her jerk ex-fiance and his mother who have poisoned some of the townspeople against her.

After an estate sale, Verity has few items left and still owes $20,000. When she takes a vase out into the garden to clean it off, she discovers that it was an urn and she has accidentally trapped the ghost of the inhabitant on her property. Her newly found ability to see other spirits with his help leads to a job offer from her ex-fiance's brother.

Ellis wants her to do one thing, clear the ghosts out of the carriage house that he is converting to a restaurant so that they will stop tearing up the place. Verity soon finds out that there is more than the supernatural at work. And that the mystery from the past and the present mystery are linked.

"Verity isn't above questioning the living or the dead. But can she find the truth before the killer finds her?" (Goodreads.com)

This book is really a fun, cozy, paranormal mystery. I enjoyed reading about Verity who was definitely very courageous right from the beginning. The ghostly character of Frankie wasn't overdone and was interesting. He faded out at a good time in the plot. Ellis was a good character as well. Don't want to say more about him because that would be a spoiler. The supporting characters were kept to a minimum which kept any confusion down. There is room for expansion on them and their roles in Verity's life in the future. I seriously enjoyed this book and would recommend it to people who like a little paranormal with their cozy mysteries.
I gave it 5 stars. I am so looking forward to the next installment in the series. I hear it may be out Fall of 2015.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Waiting on Wednesday #70 - Canary by Duane Swierczynski

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. 

This week the book I am waiting on is Canary by Duane Swierczynski. It's due out February 24, 2015 from Mulholland  Books.

I like that it has a strong female as the main character and from the synopsis it sounds like she gets her own over crooked cops and gangsters alike. 

The synopsis from Goodreads.com:
It's dangerous enough when an ordinary college girl turns confidential informant. Even more dangerous when she's smarter than the killer, kingpins, and cops who control her. 

Honors student Sarie Holland is busted by the local police while doing a favor for her boyfriend. Unwilling to betray him but desperate to avoid destroying her future, Sarie has no choice but to become a "CI"--a confidential informant.

Philly narcotics cop Ben Wildey is hungry for a career-making bust. The detective thinks he's found the key in Sarie: her boyfriend scores from a mid-level dealer with alleged ties to the major drug gangs.

Sarie turns out to be the perfect CI: a quick study with a shockingly keen understanding of the criminal mind. But Wildey, desperate for results, pushes too hard and inadvertently sends the nineteen-year-old into a death trap, leaving Sarie hunted by crooked cops and killers alike with nothing to save her--except what she's learned during her harrowing weeks as an informant.

Which is bad news for the police and the underworld. Because when it comes to payback, CI #1373 turns out to be a quick study.

So, what book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Happy reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Southern Spirits by Angie Fox

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of  Should Be Reading.

Anyone can participate. just do the following.

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t  give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Southern Spirits by Angie Fox is turning out to be a cute book. There are mysteries on 2 levels: paranormal and human. Verity Long needs cash fast to pay off her ex-fiance and keep her grandmother's house. Ellis needs someone to look into a destructive haunting at his property. He hires Verity and the 2 begin to work together to solve the ghostly mystery and find the all too real human mystery.

This scene is where they are negotiating:

(Ellis) He took a slow breath as he steered us onto more solid ground. "That kitchen equipment cost me more than you're asking. You clear out my vandal ghosts, every damned one of them, and you've earned the twenty grand."

(Verity) "All right, then." This was a business arrangement, pure and simple.

It's a good sample, but it doesn't do justice to the banter between Ellis and Verity or the banter between Verity and the ghost she has accidentally grounded on her property. I'm enjoying the book. It comes out officially January 21, 2015 from Season Publishing. It's Book #1 in the new Ghost Hunter Mystery series.

What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Happy Reading!

Review: When Mystical Creatures Attack! by Kathleen Founds

When Mystical Creatures Attack! by Kathleen Founds is a winner of the John Simmons Short Fiction award. Published October 1, 2014 by University of Iowa Press is a somewhat disjointed account of Ms. Freedman, a high school teacher who is also bi-polar, and some of her students. I would agree with the synopsis. Some of the novella told mostly in letters and essays is funny. Some of it is heartbreaking. Towards the end of the book it seems to get more disjointed. I attribute that to another impending psychotic break for Laura Freedman.

Synopsis from Goodreads.com:

In When Mystical Creatures Attack!, Ms. Freedman’s high school English class writes essays in which mystical creatures resolve the greatest sociopolitical problems of our time. Students include Janice Gibbs, “a feral child with excessive eyeliner and an anti-authoritarian complex that would be interesting were it not so ill-informed,” and Cody Splunk, an aspiring writer working on a time machine. Following a nervous breakdown, Ms. Freedman corresponds with Janice and Cody from an insane asylum run on the capitalist model of cognitive-behavioral therapy, where inmates practice water aerobics to rebuild their Psychiatric Credit Scores.

The lives of Janice, Cody, and Ms. Freedman are revealed through in-class essays, letters, therapeutic journal exercises, an advice column, a reality show television transcript, a diary, and a Methodist women’s fundraising cookbook. (Recipes include “Dark Night of the Soul Food,” “Render Unto Caesar Salad,” and “Valley of the Shadow of Death by Chocolate Cake.”) In “Virtue of the Month,” the ghost of Ms. Freedman’s mother argues that suicide is not a choice. In “The Un-Game,” Janice’s chain-smoking nursing home charge composes a dirty limerick. In “The Hall of Old-Testament Miracles,” wax figures of Bible characters come to life, hungry for Cody’s flesh.

Set against a South Texas landscape where cicadas hum and the air smells of taco stands and jasmine flowers, these stories range from laugh-out-loud funny to achingly poignant. This surreal, exuberant collection mines the dark recesses of the soul while illuminating the human heart.

The book says a lot about human nature. Some of it is sly observations while other parts say clearly what they mean. I enjoyed the first part of the book more than the latter part. It gets looser and more disjointed at that point. Still over all it is an interesting read. It gives insights into several characters. It's a little on the bizarre side in parts. 

I liked the format in the part of the book where it read like student essays and then emails between the teacher and a couple of her students after she is put away. Harder to follow some of her diary entries.

Overall,this is a good book. I gave it a 3.5/5 stars mostly because it gets disjointed and you can't tell what really happens in the end (or maybe it's open to interpretation?) Otherwise I probably would have given it a 4 stars. 

If you liked Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick,  you might also enjoy this book. The end of the book is really a descent into madness of sorts, where Leonard Peacock has a redemption of sorts. Still I think if you liked one you might like the other. 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Review: Black Widow by Jennifer Estep

Black Widow by Jennifer Estep is book #12 in the Elemental Assassin series. The Kindle edition was released November 25, 2014 by Pocket Books.

I really enjoyed this book as much as I did book #11, Poison Promise. It was surprising to find out that Mab had a daughter, but not so much a surprise that Madeline would choose to seek revenge against Gin and use it to gain control of the underworld. After all, ever since there was a power void created when Gin killed Mab, every other boss in town has been trying to do the same thing.

The plot twist comes when it shows that Madeline's expertise is not so much in face to face confrontation, but in weaving webs around opponents causing things to become more and more miserable before she finds a way to take them out. What I am saying here isn't so much of a spoiler since it is mentioned in the blurb on Goodreads.com.

Finn comes across a little two dimensional in this book as did some of the other characters. The thing is. this book really was mainly about Gin Blanco, the Spider, vs Madeline Monroe more than anything else. Her friends served mostly as a supporting cast. I did like the way her relationship with Bria seemed to improve after the last book. I enjoyed the character of Silvio, her self appointed assistant. It would have been nice to see more of the other characters in terms of development, but again this particular book is mostly about Gin vs. Madeline.

The writing is good. The pacing of the book is well done. I kept turning pages wanting to know what would happen next.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Waiting on Wednesday #69 - Southern Spirits by Angie Fox

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

This week I am checking out a new series, Southern Spirits by Angie Fox. It's due out January 21, 2015, so I don't have too long to wait.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
When out of work graphic designer Verity Long accidentally traps a ghost on her property, she’s saddled with more than a supernatural sidekick—she gains the ability see spirits. It leads to an offer she can’t refuse from the town’s bad boy, the brother of her ex and the last man she should ever partner with.

Ellis Wyatt is in possession of a stunning historic property haunted by some of Sugarland Tennessee’s finest former citizens. Only some of them are growing restless—and destructive. He hires Verity put an end to the disturbances. But soon Verity learns there’s more to the mysterious estate than floating specters, secret passageways, and hidden rooms.

There’s a modern day mystery afoot, one that hinges on a decades-old murder. Verity isn't above questioning the living, or the dead. But can she discover the truth before the killer finds her? 

Why am I waiting on this book? Well, it's a paranormal mystery that takes place in the southeastern U.S.
And it looks like it will have some humor to it. Those are 3 ingredients that have made up good mysteries before for me.

What book are you waiting on this week? Leave it or a link in the comments so we can check it out! Thanks for coming by.

Teaser Tuesday - Black Widow by Jennifer Estep

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of  Should Be Reading.

Anyone can participate. just do the following.

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t  give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

This week's teaser is from Black Widow by Jennifer Estep, book #12 in the Elemental Assassin series. Last week's teaser was from Book #11 in the series, Poison Promise. 

Published November 25th 2014
by Pocket Books

Once again the teaser is more than 2 lines. It just wouldn't make sense without the background.

Despite his being involved with Bria, Finn was still a shameless flirt who loved to charm every woman who crossed his path. He would never do that with Madeline, for obvious reasons, but that didn't keep him from ogling her for all he was worth. I snorted again and rolled my eyes. 

"What?" he protested. "She's like a black widow spider. I can admire the beauty of such a creature, even if I know how deadly it is."

"Only you would think that being eaten during your post coital bliss would be worth it."

Finn shrugged, then flashed me a mischievous grin. "But what a way to go."

Madeline is their enemy, which is why Finn wouldn't flirt with her. The book is good. Characters are well developed. And there's humor as well action.

What's your teaser this week? Leave a link or the teaser in the comments so we can check it out.

Review: The Quick and the Undead by Kimberly Raye

Published November 26th 2014
 by Bell Bridge Books

The Quick and the Undead had a new concept for me - vampire cowboys. I like historical cowboy romances and I like vampires. What more could I ask for?

The Tombstone Ten are running a Wild West experience in Tombstone, Texas. They had all been turned into vampires by the same person about 200 years in the past. They did some robbing of the rich or "deserving" and shared with those who needed it. Raye doesn't make a big deal out of this.

What Kimberly Raye does make a big deal out of is Boone's romance with Riley. Boone is the Sheriff of this town. Riley is a travel blogger visiting the resort in order to write about it. She's had some bad experiences in the past with her ex-husband who was abusive. So in spite of their chemistry it's a little surprising when they hook up. Riley is witness to a brutal attack on one of the employees. Boone decides that she needs protecting and spirits her away to a private cave.

My objection is how quickly lust becomes instalove. You have a previously abused woman falling for another alpha male who is keeping her in a cave "for her own good." It smacks of Stockholm syndrome. And the book ends in a cliffhanger. I would give the second book in this series a chance.

It is a romance and the sex scenes are very steamy. They could almost qualify the book as erotica.

I gave the book 3 stars because I liked it, but I didn't love it. There were some places I had trouble suspending my disbelief. But, if you like steamy paranormal romance and don't mind the instalove, then this book might be for  you.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: Poison Promise by Jennifer Estep

Published July 22nd 2014
by Pocket Books

Gin Blanco aka the Spider is back in Elemental Assassin #11, Poison Promise by Jennifer Estep. Ever since she killed Mab, one denizen of the underworld or another has been gunning for her. Now in addition there is a new drug on the street called Burn.

Her sister Bria, a good cop, has been investigating Burn and who is putting it out on the streets. One of her confidential informants is murdered by the vampire who is spreading it.

Now, one of Gin's employees has witnessed him killing someone and he and his men are out to get her. Gin steps in to protect the girl, but what will happen next?

I gave this book 5 stars out of 5 stars. It is well written. The pace of the action keeps you turning the pages. The characters are well written. And the snarky banter between Gin and the vampire is entertaining. She knows how to provoke a guy.

The drug Burn is interesting too. It has a component to it that mundane drugs don't. It is still highly addictive though. 

Also a little of Gin's past is revealed in a flashback. I found that interesting because I am a bit of a latecomer to the series. I started with Book #10. I will be starting Book #12, Black Widow now that I have finished Poison Promise.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Waiting on Wednesday #68 - Arsenic and Old Books by Miranda James

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

  This week, the book I am waiting on is Arsenic and Old Books (Cat in the Stacks #6) by Miranda James. It's due out January 27, 2015 from Berkely. It's a cozy type mystery.

There are a few things that intrigue me about this book. It's a series I haven't heard of before. And I love reading stories that take place in and around libraries and librarians. And to boot it takes place in the South and has a Maine Coon Cat.

Synopsis from Goodreads.com: 

In Athena, Mississippi, librarian Charlie Harris is known for his good nature—and for his Maine coon cat Diesel that he walks on a leash. Charlie returned to his hometown to immerse himself in books, but taking the plunge into a recent acquisition will have him in over his head…

Lucinda Beckwith Long, the mayor of Athena, has donated a set of Civil War-era diaries to the archives of Athena College. The books were recently discovered among the personal effects of an ancestor of Mrs. Long’s husband. The mayor would like Charlie to preserve and to substantiate them as a part of the Long family legacy—something that could benefit her son, Beck, as he prepares to campaign for the state senate.

Beck’s biggest rival is Jasper Singletary. His Southern roots are as deep as Beck’s, and their families have been bitter enemies since the Civil War. Jasper claims the Long clan has a history of underhanded behavior at the expense of the Singletarys. He’d like to get a look at the diaries in an attempt to expose the Long family’s past sins. Meanwhile, a history professor at the college is also determined to get her hands on the books in a last-ditch bid for tenure. But their interest suddenly turns deadly…

Now Charlie is left with a catalog of questions. The diaries seem worth killing for, and one thing is certain: Charlie will need to be careful, because the more he reads, the closer he could be coming to his final chapter.

So, what book are you waiting on this week? Please share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday - Poison Promise by Jennifer Estep

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of  Should Be Reading.

Anyone can participate. just do the following.

Rules:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t  give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

Kindle Edition, 400 pages

Published July 22nd 2014 by Pocket Books

The teaser is from about 43% into the book. 

"I stopped a few feet away from the porch and stared at the vampire. He lifted his chin and returned my gaze with an unreadable expression of his own. I had a good poker face, but Silvio's was even better than mine. Then again, it wouldn't be smart to let your emotions show around Benson, lest he rip them right out of you."

Gin Blanco aka the Spider is back in Elemental Assassin #11, Poison Promise by Jennifer Estep. Ever since she killed Mab, one denizen of the underworld or another has been gunning for her. Now in addition there is a new drug on the street called Burn.

Her sister Bria, a good cop, has been investigating Burn and who is putting it out on the streets. One of her confidential informants is murdered by the vampire who is spreading it.

Now, one of her employees has witnessed him killing someone and he and his men are out to get her. Gin steps in to protect the girl, but what will happen next?

I'm loving the book. So, what's your teaser this week? Leave it or a link in the comments and so we can check it out. Happy Reading!