Review: Disturbed Earth by E.E. Richardson

Published April 7, 2015 by Abaddon

Detective Chief Inspector Pierce's first day back to work after an injury sustained in the line of duty (in book one in the series, Under the Skin) promises to be a hectic one. The hectic one becomes a hectic few days as there are more calls into the Ritual Crime Unit: there are skulls covered in runes discovered buried in a field, a string of recent magical artifact thefts, a lantern in magical forensics is warning that something big is going to happen within the next few days, and there are druids camping out in the parking  lot demonstrating against the fact that someone has bought the site they normally worship at for the winter solstice. 

Things that go bump in the night are no stranger to DCI Pierce as much as she might wish otherwise. She has almost a whole new department of inexperienced people after the craziness of their previous case involving skin walkers. Her new second in command is pushy and wants to do things his way. He hires a necromancer to investigate the first of the skulls that are found. And things start to go sideways. Her boss seems to be concerned solely as what kind of publicity the department will receive based on the personnel's actions.

The department is spread thin as they try to investigate all of these things. They get some backup from the local police. Will they figure out what's going on in time to prevent something catastrophic from  happening?

Positives: DCI Pierce is not a young chick. She is experienced both in the way of magical things in her department, as much as she can be, and in office politics which she has to play like it or not. When she calls on an expert, she chooses another older woman who is an expert and professor in the field. The novel is told from DCI Pierce's point of view. The story is fast paced. It takes place over just a few days before the Winter Solstice. The mystery is a good one. It kept me guessing. It can be read as a standalone novel, which I did. 

Negative: DCI Pierce is the only character who is really fully developed. Some of the others could use a little flesh on their bones. They're not zombies, just a little less developed. And while the novel can be read as a standalone, it might be enjoyed more if you had read the first book in the series.

Overall, I give the book 4 out of 5 stars.

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



 

2015 Armchair BEA Day 3 - Character Chatter

Character Chatter

It's time to give your favorite characters some love! Characters are essential to a story, and they can make or break a book for some readers. Now's your chance to shine the spotlight on your favorite characters, or maybe your least favorite. Who's your favorite couple? What are the components of a well-written character? What are you favorite or least favorite cliches associated with characters?

My favorite characters are the ones that appear in the Charles de Lint's Newford books. I

especially like Jilly. The title of a book focused on her is The Onion Girl and I think that explains why I like his characters so much. They are multi-layered. They come across like real people rather than 2 dimensional. It's easy to suspend your disbelief because so many of the characters come across just like regular people even when they have a touch of magic.

I enjoy reading about the characters in urban fantasy novels in general because they are mostly regular people, maybe with something special about them, in extraordinary circumstances. Most recently I've been reading The War of the Alphas series by SM Reine. I've read both Omega and Beta. Alpha is next to come. The main character is a shapeshifter who can't shift. I also like Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series, Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series, CE Murphy's Walker Papers series, among others.

Henery Press Spring Logo

I enjoy mystery series as well. I find that lately I particularly like the light and humorous mysteries that Henery Press puts out. I love their slogan, "If you like one, you'll probably like them all." 

Basically for me what makes a good character is one that comes across as 3 dimensional. There is more to them than meets the eye initially. And they grow as the series continues or as the book progresses in the case of a stand alone.

As for cliches, my least favorite cliche is characters who fall into insta-love. I can live with love triangles as long as it isn't the main part of the plot, but the insta-love is in most cases ridiculous. I can understand the urge to get to know someone better based on the first time you meet them, but I have trouble with suddenly finding someone that you are deeply in love with at first sight. 

I also dislike characters that are added in solely to resolve plot problems. They may have been mentioned once or twice during the course of the novel or story and suddenly at the end they tie everything together conveniently as the killer or perpetrator.They are usually two-dimensional.

What makes a good character to you? Do you have character cliches in stories that really bother you?

2015 Armchair BEA day 2 - Social Media

How do you use social media to expand your blogging/writing horizons?  Social Media is all about networking and connections, and utilizing today's technology to the fullest.  Make sure you mention your own social media pages. Do you have another blog, maybe a Tumblr? Have a Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook? Or maybe there's an underrated social media program that you like.

OK. I use a variety of social media, but I don't use them all for blogging. I do use Goodreads.com as Laura Jennison both for posting reviews and keeping track of books. I use twitter mostly for promoting blog entries. But I also follow a fair number of authors, publishers, and bloggers. I am @ljennison on twitter. I have a pinterest account, but I mainly use it for curating things of interest to me rather than for blog promotion. I use facebook both for keeping in touch with family and friends and for promoting blog entries. I use Google+ for promoting blog entries and following other bloggers, authors, and publishers. I have a tumblr account, but I don't update it as often as I should.  https://www.tumblr.com/blog/ljennison

I don't know if you would consider Bloglovin social media, but I like it for following other people and having people follow me. And I like using comment luv on my blog to be able to see recent posts by other people who have visited and commented on my blog.

And that's pretty much the extent of my social media. How do you use social media? Do we use any of the same ones?

2015 Armchair BEA Introduction Questions

Who am I?
I am a middle-aged mother of adult children and a grandmother. I used to teach high school science and I've worked various positions in libraries and bookstores over the years. I've been blogging for about 5 years now, the last four of which have been dedicated to books and all things bookish. I got into blogging about books after I came to the realization that I would much rather talk about books and things bookish than any other topic.

Why do you love reading and blogging?
I've loved reading as long as I can remember. Books have always been a big part of my life. As for blogging? I love writing and blogging allows me to have a public forum to write about books and share this with like-minded people. I love it when I get comments that let me start a conversation or let me know how people feel about something I've posted.

What does diversity mean to you?
Diversity to me means variety. If I read all the same thing all the time, I might grow tired of it. Instead, I read a variety of books and book types. My taste in books is eclectic. Even if I do favor urban fantasies and mysteries, I do read and review other types of books as well. Diversity can mean more than just diverse genres. It can also mean diversity of characters within the books we read. And I don't go out seeking that, but I find that I will read anything pretty much as long as it sounds interesting regardless of who the main characters are. Diversity is important because readers come in all shapes, sizes, etc. And it's always nice to read about someone like you or to deliberately read about someone unlike you to try and understand others better.

What book are you reading right now?
I'm actually reading two books. Nightbird by Alice Hoffman and Ritual Crime Unit: Disturbed Earth by E.E. Richardson. The first one is a middle-grade book with magic realism. The second is a paranormal mystery.

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what author would you want to bring with you? Why?
Charles de Lint. I love the way he writes fantasy and urban fantasy. His Newford books are among my all time favorites. I think it would be fascinating to talk to him about mythology and folklore as well as about his writing. I was lucky enough to have a friend in my early 20s who introduced his writing to me with a hand full of books she was looking to get rid of to make room on her shelf for more.

And that is my 5 answers to questions for the BEA Introduction. Leave me a link to yours in the comments?

Waiting on Wednesday #88: Nine Lives by Wendy Corsi Staub

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

Nine Lives by Wendy Corsi Staub is a Lily Dale mystery due  out October 27, 2015.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
After the death of her husband, Bella Jordan and her son need a fresh start. But on their way to stay with family in Chicago, they stop in Lily Dale, New York and a storm forces them to spend the night.

Brimming with kooky psychics and mediums, Lily Dale is just the kind of quirky little town Bella's late husband always talked about settling down in. So when the local hotel's owner, Leona, passes away, Bella agrees to step in and help temporarily. The longer she and Max stay there, the more Lily Dale starts to feel like home.

But for Bella, finding a home means finding danger, too. Leona was murdered, and it's up to Bella to track down the killer before her sanctuary comes crashing down. 

Why am I waiting on it? Well it sounds different from the other books I've read. The setting reminds me of one from one of the episodes of The Mentalist where they went to a Florida town that had a lot of psychics, only this one is New York. It reminds me of the spiritualist movement in New York as well. And it's a murder mystery that is supposed to be "witty and warm." So altogether, it sounds interesting to me.

What book are you waiting on this week? Please leave the title or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to out ever-growing TBR lists.
Happy Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: Nightbird by Alice Hoffman

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Miz B of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can participate, just do the following:

• Grab your current read and open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and the author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Published March 10,  2015
by Wendy Lamb Books

The novel is aimed at middle graders, but I am enjoying it all the same. 

My teasers:

location 72 at 3% through:

People in Sidwell argue as much as people do anywhere, but everyone agrees on one thing:Our monster can only be seen at night, and then only if you are standing at your window, or walking on a lane near our orchards, or if you happen to be passing our house.

location 82 at 4% through:

Being unusual is not unusual for the Fowlers.

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

Review: With Vics You Get Eggroll by Diane Vallere

With Vics You Get Eggroll by Diane Vallere is #3 in the Mad for Mod series. It was released April 14, 2015 by Henery Press.

Synopsis from Goodreads.com:
Business as usual for mid-century modern interior decorator Madison Night involves a rundown ranch restoration and endorsing a set of retro paint colors. But when an investigation into a string of recent abductions turns up a murder vic, and evidence at the scene links the flirtatious Lt. Tex Allen to the crime, Madison’s priorities shift faster than she can say “Doris Day.”

Voluntary suspension keeps Tex off the case, and pesky reporters force him to live in his car. Madison’s own life is complicated by the return of her hunky handyman and her new demanding client. She immerses herself in routine, but suspects come out of the freshly-painted woodwork. When seemingly unrelated events lead back to the abductions, she exposes a secondary agenda, a copycat crime, and a vengeful plot to destroy someone she loves.

What's good about this book? The mystery itself is really good. It kept me guessing until the end. And as it says in the last paragraph of the synopsis, there is more to it than just a simple solution. The romance is good. It doesn't feel like a love triangle to me even though there are 2 love interests. She is drawn to both of them for different reasons. It becomes apparent as the book progresses which one she is being drawn to more. The guys don't really compete for her. There is also humor to the book.

The bad? There is just a little repetition about how Madison came to be in Dallas and what motivates her to keep her emotional walls up. I didn't need it repeated as much as it was, but it is a minor complaint.

Overall this is really a well written, engaging mystery. If you like Doris Day type characters, Madison Night is for you. And even if you don't like Doris Day all that much, I think you could still enjoy the mystery. 

I give it 4 out of 5 stars. 
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review: The Dead Play On by Heather Graham

Published March 31, 2015 by Mira

Tyler Anderson plays the sax his friend Arnie Watson left to him and has a replay of some of the events of his life and death. Someone starts killing musicians from the French Quarter in New Orleans and stealing their instruments. Tyler approaches Danni Cafferty and Michael Quinn and asks them to look into Arnie's death because he knows it was murder and not the overdose it looked like. Also, Detective Larue invites Quinn in to look at the cases of the dead musicians. Something unusual is going on.

The key to this mystery seems to be the last few lines of the synopsis: They (Danni Cafferty and Michael Quinn) 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. 

The killer is convinced that somewhere in New Orleans is Arnie Watson's magic sax. And he will go through anyone to get it.

This mystery isn't quite as magical as the first 2 in the series. And most of the secondary characters from the first book are relegated to minor status in this one. 

The romance between Cafferty and Quinn is still going strong. The relationship between Billie and Hattie is mentioned, but not built on.

There are a lot of names in this book. A lot of band characters to try and keep straight. Danni, Quinn, and Billie join the local music scene to try and find out what's going on with the deaths and see if they can solve the mystery faster that way. 

I liked the book, but I was expecting something a little different from the mystery portion. I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars because it was well written even if it wasn't exactly what I was expecting.

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

Waiting on Wednesday #87: Lord of the Wings by Donna Andrews

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

Expected Publication August 4, 2015
by Minotaur Books

Synopsis from publisher: 

The brilliantly funny Donna Andrews delivers another winner in the acclaimed avian-themed series that mystery readers have come to love. The eighteenth book in her New York Times best-selling series continues to surprise and delight in this next knee-slapping adventure featuring Meg Langslow and all the eccentric characters that make up her world.

It's another holiday and Mayor Randall Shiffley has turned Caerphilly, Virginia into Spooky City, USA. The residents are covering every window with cobwebs and roaming the streets in costume to entertain the tourists, and Meg's grandfather is opening a new "Creatures of the Night" exhibit in the zoo. When a real body at the zoo and a suspicious fire at the Haunted House threaten to mar the town's creepy fun, it's up to Meg Langslow to save Halloween.

Like Meg Langslow, the blacksmith heroine of her series, Donna Andrews was born and raised in Yorktown, Virginia. She introduced Meg to readers in her Malice Domestic Contest winning first mystery, Murder with Peacocks, and readers are still laughing. This novel swept up the Agatha, Anthony, Barry, and a Romantic Times award for best first novel, and a Lefty for funniest mystery.

With Lord of the Wings, readers can look forward to another zany Meg Langslow mystery--this one filled with Halloween spirit and suspense.

Why am I looking forward to this one? I love reading mysteries that have a Halloween setting. And I love to read humorous mysteries. This particular book seems to satisfy both of those preferences. I like the cover and the punny title too.

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: The Dead Play On by Heather Graham

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Miz B of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can participate, just do the following:

• Grab your current read and open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and the author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

She (Danni) cleaned up the kitchen, deciding to leave as soon as she was done to see Natasha Larouche, aka Madame LaBelle. Natasha was a voodoo priestess and a dear friend. She also owned a voodoo shop where she learned just about everything that was going on in the Quarter and the surrounding area.

location 879 in The Dead Play On by Heather Graham 

Synopsis from Goodreads.com:

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 lead 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.

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

Quickie Review: Killer Instinct by S.E. Green

Published May 6, 2014 by Simon Pulse

Killer Instinct by S.E. Green is a killer YA suspense novel. It's book #1 in new series. Book #2,  Killer Within, is due out May 19, 2015. 

I think this is the first YA thriller I've read. It blew me away. I read it in 2 sittings. If you like the television show Dexter at all, you would probably like this book. 

Lane isn't quite the typical teenage girl that her sister is. She isn't into cheerleading and boyfriends and hanging out with her friends at the mall. Instead, she is in the gifted and talented program in school and tends to be a loner. And she has a fascination with serial killers. 

Perhaps this is understandable given that her mother and step-father both work for the FBI. Lane somehow feels they wouldn't understand her obsession though and keeps it to herself. With the unwitting help of her BFF, she finds herself examining the crimes committed by the Decapitator - a serial killer who has brought his crimes to her hometown. And once she has drawn his attention, she is worried about who might be the next victim. 

Lane also has another hobby. Taking up for the defenseless while wearing a ski mask and getting revenge on those who appear to have gotten away with crimes. 

I liked Lane even though she was an unusual character. I liked the family unit she had. The book was suspenseful and well written. The action and suspense kept it moving forward. I don't usually read books in one or 2 sittings and yet I finished this one in 2 sittings. The ending of the book was unexpected and mind-blowing, yet at the same time a possible logical outcome.

I would recommend this book for people who like Dexter - a serial killer who targets other criminals. I would also recommend it if you are a little curious about serial killers in general. And also, if you like a fast-paced suspenseful read.  I give it 4 stars out of 5.

This week this book is available on the Simon Pulseit website to read for free. http://www.pulseit.com/

Review: Day Shift by Charlaine Harris

Released May 5, 2015
by Ace

A man walks into a hotel in Dallas... Manfred Bernardo, psychic, is in Dallas to see clients. He does see the clients, but he also sees Olivia from back home in Midnight with an unknown couple who turn up dead the next day. Meanwhile, one of his regular clients ends up dead just as their reading is getting started. Her son Lewis is accusing him of having stolen her jewels from her purse. Somehow Manfred knows that Olivia can help him out and get things back to normal as fast as possible, as normal as things get in Midnight, Texas anyway.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, so to speak, Midnight has a hotel being mysteriously remodeled. Also, there are insights into the lives of the other Midnight residents with the exception of Teacher and Madonna who we really don't know why they live in Midnight since they don't appear to have any of the peculiarities that the other residents have. All of the other residents are special in some way, including the Rev, who didn't seem to have much going on for himself has a visitor that brings his uniqueness to the forefront before the end of the book. 

It's an interesting book about the town and it's occupants and leaves things open for the next book. It's well written. There is a short appearance by a couple of characters from the Sookie Stackhouse series. 

My biggest and perhaps only real disappointment in the book is that it seems we are going to learn more about Olivia and her background, which we do up to a point. But it seems like it's going to play a bigger part of the plot, and instead it sort of fizzles out. It's definitely wide open for action in book 3 though. My other disappointment is that there is little motivation for revealing the uniqueness of Joe and Chuy other than to inform us and make Madonna and Teacher stand out more.

Otherwise, it's a good mystery. It's pretty much a cozy since it's solved by amateurs of sorts. And, of course, the overall book has paranormal overtones. 

I give the book 4 stars. It's well written and interesting. And it leaves you wanting to know what will happen next for the characters in Midnight.


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

Waiting on Wednesday #86 - Letters to Zell by Camille Griep

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

Expected publication:
July 1, 2015 by 47North 

This week, the book I am waiting on is Letters to Zell by Camille Griep. 

From the publisher:

Everything is going according to story for CeCi (Cinderella), Bianca (Snow White), and Rory (Sleeping Beauty)—until the day that Zell (Rapunzel) decides to leave Grimmland and pursue her life. Now, Zell’s best friends are left to wonder whether their own passions are worth risking their predetermined “happily ever afters,” regardless of the consequences. CeCi wonders whether she should become a professional chef, sharp-tongued and quick-witted Bianca wants to escape an engagement to her platonic friend, and Rory will do anything to make her boorish husband love her. But as Bianca’s wedding approaches, can they escape their fates—and is there enough wine in all of the Realm to help them?

In this hilarious modern interpretation of the fairy-tale stories we all know and love, Letters to Zell explores what happens when women abandon the stories they didn’t write for themselves and go completely off script to follow their dreams.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like to see what people do when they play with fairy tales. In Letters to Zell, Camille Griep plays around with some of the best-known fairy tales and asks what if things didn't go as planned for the happily ever after? Would it be better? Or worse? I love retellings, so I will be checking this one out. Plus, it got a starred review in Publishers Weekly.

What book are you waiting on this week? Leave it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Maybe add it to our ever-growing TBR list. 

Quickie Review: Fat Girl by Susan Bodiker

Fat Girl: How to let go of your weight and get on with your life by Susan Bodiker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fat Girl by Susan Bodiker is a short book that is pretty much a cross between a memoir and a how I did it book. She talks about how awful her time growing up with her mother was and her mother's focus on her weight. And then there is a rather miraculous change when she gets married and moves out from under her mother's roof. Her changes in thinking are detailed and she credits this awareness to changing her life and her weight.

The book is ok. I don't think it was really a how-to book, but rather a how I did it and maybe it will work for you too book. I gave the book 3 stars. I liked it, but wasn't crazy about it.

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


View all my reviews

Teaser Tuesday: Day Shift by Charlaine Harris

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Miz B of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can participate, just do the following:

• Grab your current read and open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and the author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

This week's teaser is from Day Shift by Charlaine Harris. It's a recent release as of May 5, 2015 from Ace. Midnight, Texas has a small population of permanent residents. Olivia is one of the more mysterious ones. No one is quite sure how she makes her living. In this teaser, she is trying to help out Manfred who has been accused of stealing jewelry by looking around the house of the owner.

Both teasers are from 31% into the book:
location 1090:
When she came out of the bathroom, wiser only in a negative way- she was fairly sure nothing was hidden there, and she hadn't learned anything more interesting besides the fact that Rachel Goldthorpe had had a great Mary Kay saleswoman in her neighborhood- Olivia made her goodbyes and renewed her condolences to Annelle Goldthorpe Kling before she went down the carpeted stairs and out to the front courtyard.
...
Again, the teaser is about Olivia.
location 1099:
Her inner alarm system told her there was something to watch out for in this man, and she always listened to that system with great attention.

Day Shift is book 2 in the  Midnight, Texas series. Manfred Bernardo, a sometimes real psychic who works as a telephone and computer psychic has a client die on him while he is conducting a seance in person with her. Her son, Lewis, accuses him of stealing her jewelry, but there seems to be even more than that going on. Manfred turns to Olivia for help. He doesn't know what she does for a living, but somehow he knows that she can make this situation right.

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

Review: Dark Heir by Faith Hunter

In Dark Heir by Faith Hunter, the action starts pretty much from the moment you start the book. There is a brief respite from time to time, but basically it’s a quick moving, action filled book. This is book 9 in the Jane Yellowrock series.

Jane Yellowrock, owner and active manager of Yellowrock Securities provides security for the Master of the City, that is to say, the head vampire of the city. She and her officers are called to headquarters because of an altercation on a lower level. Things go from bad to worse and next thing they know, the team is hunting the Son of Darkness, one of the biggest, baddest vampires ever.

Synopsis from Publisher:

Shapeshifting skinwalker Jane Yellowrock is the best in the business when it comes to slaying vampires. But her latest fanged foe may be above her pay grade…

For centuries, the extremely powerful and ruthless vampire witches of the European Council have wandered the Earth, controlling governments, fostering war, creating political conflict, and often leaving absolute destruction in their wake. One of the strongest of them is set to create some havoc in the city of New Orleans, and it’s definitely personal.

Jane is tasked with tracking him down. With the help of a tech wiz and an ex-Army ranger, her partners in Yellowrock Securities, she’ll have to put everything on the line, and hope it’s enough. Things are about to get real hard in the Big Easy.

Review: The book is well written. The pace is quick. The characters are well rounded. Alex is her go to tech man and his brother Eli is her partner in action. Bruiser is her “something,” her romantic interest. There isn’t much of what you would consider gooey romance here, but there is definitely a developing relationship between the two. And for those of you who prefer your books sex free, keep looking. There aren’t many sex scenes, but when those that are in the book are pretty hot.

Jane is a tough woman. A Cherokee shapeshifting skinwalker, Jane has an alternate shape of a mountain lion. This gives her an advantage over regular people in regards to senses, strength, and healing. She can be one of the guys. But in the end, she is also still a woman who will cry when it’s appropriate, and hang with her besties.

I give this book 4 stars for the action, the characters, and the writing. There is humor in the mix. The way she and others call the vampires suckheads is just one example. This was the first Jane Yellowrock book that I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. It can function as a stand-alone novel. I can only imagine that if you’ve been following the series it would be even better. The book was released April 7, 2015 by Roc. More about the author and her books can be found at Faithhunter.net

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

Waiting on Wednesday #85 - The Demon Door by Kim Alexander

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

Expected publication:
May 19, 2015 by Booktrope

This week I am waiting on The Demon Door by Kim Alexander.

Synopsis from Goodreads.com: 

Explore the world beyond in this charming fantasy debut from Kim Alexander. Perfectly combining romance and humor with pure imagination, The Demon Door is a must read for all fans of modern fantasy!

The demon Prince of Eriis has turned out to be something of a disappointment. Rhuun is crap at magic. He can’t fly, can’t even shoot flames from his hands. His poor girlfriend has just about had it with him. It’s no wonder he drinks. All Rhuun really does is daydream about visiting the other world, the world without magic—the human world of Mistra. No one has been there for a generation, but Rhuun knows all about the humans. He’s got a book. It’s the only human book on Eriis, and he’s been studying it his whole life. The fact that his book is a bodice-ripping romance novel, well… it’ll make his adventures in the human world a little more complicated.

Tip #1 – Human women do not generally like to be called “wench.”

In Mistra, Lelet va’Everly could use a little magic herself. Parties and boys have lost their luster, and she’s desperate for an adventure. When a bizarre, exasperating, extremely good looking – and hot (literally) stranger shows up, he might be the person, and purpose that she had been waiting for. But why does he keep calling her a wench?

Sometimes love doesn’t just change your own world… it changes all of them. 

Why am I waiting on this one? The combination of romance, humor, and fantasy sounds promising.

Teaser Tuesday - Omega by SM Reine

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Miz B of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can participate, just do the following:

• Grab your current read and open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and the author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

Omega  (War of the Alphas Book 1) by SM Reine was released April 2, 2015 by Red Iris Books. Book 2 in the series, Beta, was just released April 22, 2015.

I know it's more than two sentences, but it needed to  be more to paint the picture more accurately.

"Is he dead?" Deirdre asked.

"Probably not. Nightmares are hard to kill." Gage thumbed the switch on the battery pack off. "But I don't think he'll be bothering you again any time soon." The timer on the oven dinged. He grinned. "Can I stay for dinner?"

Omega is a dystopian urban fantasy. The world ended and people were reborn. Those that were reborn often had special abilities. Deirdre became a shapeshifter that can't change into whatever animal she's supposed to be. And she can't be coerced by any Alpha to do so. She is known as an Omega, the weakest member of the pack. She becomes a key figure in a war between two Alphas and maybe the only chance that one of them has to win.

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

Happy Reading!

Review: Dinner with Buddha by Roland Merullo

Expected to be available
June 2, 2015 from
Algonquin Books

Dinner with Buddha by Roland Merullo is essentially a novel that also has spiritual lessons that are an important part of the plot. 

Otto Ringling is a sort of Everyman representing the seeking, skeptical human. Volya Rinpoche is a world renowned spiritual teacher and Otto's brother-in-law. Together they travel around what I think of as the American West. They see both what are considered the great places to go sight-seeing and the more ordinary places that people live most likely getting there via a meal at a local restaurant. 

Along the way, Otto is exposed to many lessons of a spiritual nature. Some are easier for him to swallow than others. The hardest one of all may be that his niece might be the next Dalai Lama. To be honest, the author almost lost me on that one. But I realized that wasn't as important as Otto's reaction to the news. 

This is the third book in this series. Breakfast with Buddha is the first one and is described by the Boston Globe as "Enlightenment meets On the Road." I think this book could basically be described the same way.The actual places they travel aren't the same, but the idea of all this change happening on a road trip is the same.

It took me a while to read the book because I was trying to absorb the lessons to a degree as I read. It could be read straight through without doing that, but it seems you would miss out on a big part of the book that way. Or if you want the lessons after absorbing the fiction, you could always go back and read it again.

I gave this book 3 stars. I liked it. I enjoyed the story for the most part. I didn't like the aimless feel to some of the traveling around. It felt plotless in those parts and slowed down my reading. The spiritual lessons continued during those parts, but the sense of them having a destination faltered.

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