Review: Liquid Fire by Anthony Francis

Liquid Fire by Anthony Francis is a 4 star urban fantasy that was released May 22, 2015 from Bell Bridge Books.

Dakota Frost is back again in the third book in the Skindancer series. This time she and her daughter Cinnamon are on their way to San Francisco for Cinnamon to accept a math award. The trip is doing double duty for Dakota and her friends as they have a meeting with the edgeworlders in the city to discuss having a Magical Security Council similar to what has developed in Atlanta. Edgeworlders are vampires, fae, wizards, were-kind and the like. 

In the course of things, Dakota meets a fireweaver named Jewel on the airplane. They become friendly and flirty. Dakota ends up being dragged into a magical feud in which dragons and liquid fire play a major role. "The race is on to find the truth about liquid fire, the secret behind Dakota’s magic tattoos, and the message hidden in the fireweaver’s secret codes—before the world goes up in flames."(from the synopsis on goodreads.com) 

The characters of Dakota and Cinnamon are more comfortable with each other and their roles as parent and child. Generally speaking, the characters are interesting and the major players are well developed. Plotwise, there are ups and downs the way there should be, high action interspersed with downtime. There is a place in the middle of the book where it almost seems like it could have been broken into two books, but it works as a whole. I got a little bogged down in the science of how things work and found myself skimming after a while. These parts will interest you especially if you have an interest in codes and cryptography. I enjoyed the parts that spoke to the mythology/history of things.

Overall, the book is well written and deserves its 4 star status. 

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

Waiting on Wednesday #100: Diner Knock Out by Terri L. Austin

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

Synopsis from the publisher:

Due out October 20, 2015 from Henery Press
ROSE STRICKLAND RETURNS!

Rose Strickland’s life is complicated. Besides her waitressing gig, she works part-time for Andre Thomas, a PI with no faith in Rose’s ability to investigate, her love life with Sullivan has stalled, and her BFF, Roxy, has found a new bestie, leaving Rose out in the cold.

Determined to prove herself, Rose takes a case on the sly. As she searches for a missing MMA fighter, Rose discovers an illegal fight club, a group of ruthless businessmen, dead bodies, and a trail of drugs.

Hunting down clues that lead too close to home, Rose finds herself in the fight of her life. Can she beat the killer to the punch before she gets knocked out for good?

Why am I looking forward to this book? It looks like fun. The description reminds me a little of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. There's currently a giveaway of this book on Goodreads.com It ends on August 27th.

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 - Dollar Daze by Karin Gillespie

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.

Reading something a little different from the past few weeks. This week's teaser is from Dollar Daze by Karin Gillespie, book #3 in the Bottom Dollar series, published by Henery Press.

"To be fair, Attalee often invited her along on outings with Dooley, but Mavis would just as soon stay home. The two of them were constantly kissing - so loud they sounded like the suction cups of a rubber mat being pried from the tub - and Mavis felt like a fifth wheel."

~ From 4% on my Kindle

Synopsis from Goodreads.com:

Cupid is running rampant in Cayboo Creek, South Carolina, and all the Bottom Dollar Girls have been struck dizzy with his arrows…

When high school heartthrob Brewster Clark returns to town, both Birdie and Mavis are angling for his affections, threatening their long-term friendship.

Ever-so-proper Gracie Tobias meets Rusty the dreamy doctor of her dreams but soon discovers he’s actually a blue-collar duct doctor. Will their wildly different social positions drive a wedge between them? Meanwhile Elizabeth is trying to put the sizzle back to her marriage. Not even octogenarian Attalee is immune to love’s siren call. She gets engaged to beau Dooley and plans a wild bachelorette party and steamy honeymoon.

Traveling love’s rocky road keeps the Bottom Dollar Girls asking, “Is it ever too late for moons and Junes?” Through much laughter and a few tears the girls discover that the answer is a resounding no.

Would you keep reading this book? What book are you reading this week? Share your teaser or a link in the comments.

Review: Spider's Trap by Jennifer Estep

Gin Blanco, aka The Spider, is at it again. As Ashland's new queen of the underworld, she is still having to fend off attackers, but something is different about this one. Something feels very familiar to her about the particular style of the attack and the rune that the killer leaves behind. This goes back into her past when her mentor Fletcher was still alive. This will be one of her most dangerous opponents yet. 

Synopsis from Goodreads.com:
One important lesson I’ve learned in the assassination business is that to be the best you have to roll with the punches. Now that I’m queen of Ashland’s underworld—by default, not by choice—a lot more punches are being thrown my way. But I suppose that’s the price of victory for taking down some of the underworld’s top dogs. Good thing I have my Ice and Stone magic to help me survive my volatile new position. Just when I think things are finally settling down, someone tries to murder me during a hush-hush underworld meeting. But the real surprise is how strangely familiar my shadowy assailant seems to be.

My job is to maintain order among killers, crooks, and thieves, and soon I’m embroiled in a bloody game where the ability to keep secrets could be the greatest superpower of all. My enemies have all sharpened their knives and laid their traps, waiting for me to fall. But this Spider weaves her own webs of death.

What happens when your main weapons are silverstone knives and you have to go up against a metal elemental? Gin will find out. And why is she making milkshakes for someone she normally wouldn't do that for. What is right on the tip of her memory? And will she remember it and recognize it in time to keep from getting killed or losing any of her loved ones?

I really enjoyed the book. I didn't like the cover. The model's head seems to be swiveling like an owl's.

Gin and her friends and family were their usual selves. Gin really does seem to enjoy cooking for people, but is uncomfortable in her role as the head of Ashland's underworld. In fact in the opening of the book she is supposed to be mediating a meeting between 3 of the head criminals. She is getting rather exasperated with the 2 men. The third, a woman, doesn't seem to be bothering her as much. 

The plot was action packed with several attempts on people's lives as the book progresses. I don't think that's really a spoiler since this is a book about an assassin. I like the character Silvio who seems to be acting as her assistant and occasionally conscience prompting her to do things.

It's a good addition to the Elemental Assassin series as number 13. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. It's interesting and enjoyable to watch Gin settling into her new role in the underworld and fighting a blast from the past.

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

Review: Romantic as Hell by Rodney Lacroix

Newly released as of August 20, 2015 Romantic as Hell - Tales of woe, Tips of woo by Rodney Lacroix is a fun and funny book to read about relationships. Ever wonder what to get your romantic interest? Wonder if there were better ways to be romantic? Check out this book. There were times that I laughed out loud at his descriptions of situations and other times I nodded in recognition of what myself or someone I knew had gone through searching for a way to be romantic. As well as being a fun book, it also has some good tips in it. It's a humor book, but it can't hurt your relationship either. At best the book can improve it. There are tips for both men and women. An excerpt is available on the publisher's website. 


The book can be purchased at Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com, and from  RCG Publishing.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of the book in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Quickie Review: Nightwise by R.S. Belcher

I just finished reading the 3 chapter excerpt of Nightwise by R.S. Belcher. Laytham Ballard is some strong character. And the setting does not fail on the gritty and seedy part of the synopsis at all.

The main character in the book, Laytham Ballard, reminded me of John Constantine on the television show, "Constantine," but more ruthless. This was a man who wouldn't hesitate to use innocent others if it was the only way out of  a situation. He proved that at least twice in the course of the 3 chapter sample.

In spite of his ruthlessness, I still liked the main character. I found his circle of friends interesting. And I appreciated that he didn't think it was fair to pull someone into "The Life" by association.

I read the 3 chapter preview of Nightwise quickly. It was action packed and interesting. I look forward to reading the rest of the book. I gave the 3 chapters 4 stars for interesting content and characters and fast paced action.

Disclaimer: I received an excerpt from this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

The synopsis from Goodreads.com:
The acclaimed author of The Six-Gun Tarot and The Shotgun Arcana launches a gritty new urban fantasy series set in today’s seedy occult underworld

In the more shadowy corners of the world, frequented by angels and demons and everything in-between, Laytham Ballard is a legend. It’s said he raised the dead at the age of ten, stole the Philosopher’s Stone in Vegas back in 1999, and survived the bloodsucking kiss of the Mosquito Queen. Wise in the hidden ways of the night, he’s also a cynical bastard who stopped thinking of himself as the good guy a long time ago.

Now a promise to a dying friend has Ballard on the trail of an escaped Serbian war criminal with friends in both high and low places—and a sinister history of blood sacrifices. Ballard is hell-bent on making Dusan Slorzack pay for his numerous atrocities, but Slorzack seems to have literally dropped off the face of the Earth, beyond the reach of his enemies, the Illuminati, and maybe even the Devil himself. To find Slorzack, Ballard must follow a winding, treacherous path that stretches from Wall Street and Washington, D.C. to backwoods hollows and truckstops, while risking what’s left of his very soul .

Waiting on Wednesday #99: The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

"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'm waiting on The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness. It's due to be released October 6, 2015 by HarperTeen.

Synopsis from Goodreads: 
What if you aren’t the Chosen One?

The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshiped by mountain lions.

Why am I waiting on this book? It just really sounds interesting to me. It sounds like life from a muggle perspective in a magical world, but on top of that, teenagers. I think it appeals to me because not everyone can be the hero. And here's what life is like if you aren't a supervillain or a hero in a world where these wild things happen. 

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

Teaser Tuesday: Nightwise by R.S. Belcher

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.

"Try me," I said. "Go on, try it on me."

The psychic vampire regarded me for a moment like a cobra about to devour a mouse, and then its lidded eyes widened as it encountered my defenses. It sniffed me and quickly did the math of the jungle.

~ From 20% on my Kindle

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The acclaimed author of The Six-Gun Tarot and The Shotgun Arcana launches a gritty new urban fantasy series set in today’s seedy occult underworld

In the more shadowy corners of the world, frequented by angels and demons and everything in-between, Laytham Ballard is a legend. It’s said he raised the dead at the age of ten, stole the Philosopher’s Stone in Vegas back in 1999, and survived the bloodsucking kiss of the Mosquito Queen. Wise in the hidden ways of the night, he’s also a cynical bastard who stopped thinking of himself as the good guy a long time ago.

Now a promise to a dying friend has Ballard on the trail of an escaped Serbian war criminal with friends in both high and low places—and a sinister history of blood sacrifices. Ballard is hell-bent on making Dusan Slorzack pay for his numerous atrocities, but Slorzack seems to have literally dropped off the face of the Earth, beyond the reach of his enemies, the Illuminati, and maybe even the Devil himself. To find Slorzack, Ballard must follow a winding, treacherous path that stretches from Wall Street and Washington, D.C. to backwoods hollows and truckstops, while risking what’s left of his very soul.

It's definitely a dark and gritty read. Still,  I am mostly enjoying it. Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday #98: Beastly Bones by William Ritter

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

Beastly Bones by William Ritter is the second book in the Jackaby series. It's due to be released September 22, 2015 by Algonquin Young Readers.

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

“I’ve found very little about private detective R. F. Jackaby to be standard in the time I’ve known him. Working as his assistant tends to call for a somewhat flexible relationship with reality.”

In 1892, New Fiddleham, New England, things are never quite what they seem, especially when Abigail Rook and her eccentric employer R. F. Jackaby are called upon to investigate the supernatural.

First, a vicious species of shape-shifters disguise themselves as a litter of kittens, and a day later, their owner is found murdered with a single mysterious puncture wound. Then in nearby Gad’s Valley, now home to the exiled New Fiddleham police detective Charlie Cane, dinosaur bones from a recent dig mysteriously go missing, and an unidentifiable beast starts attacking animals and people, leaving their mangled bodies behind. Charlie calls on Abigail for help, and soon Abigail and Jackaby are on the hunt for a thief, a monster, and a murderer.

Why am I waiting on this book? It's the sequel to Jackaby; and I really enjoyed Jackaby. I liked the character which was said to be a cross between Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes. The story itself was good too. My review of Jackaby can be found here.

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 - Liquid Fire by Anthony Francis

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 comes from Liquid Fire by Anthony Francis. Number 3 in the Skindancer series, it was released May 22, 2015 by Bell Bridge Books.

"Safe," Vickman said, closing his smartphone keyboard with a click. "Go to the club. It's an unplanned diversion from our agenda which means you and Cinnamon will be safer than we are - because no one will expect you to be there. Just... please be careful."

~ 5% through on my Kindle

Vickman is talking to Dakota Frost, the main character, about evening plans for her and her daughter Cinnamon. Vickman and the others have to approach the local Vampire Court. Things could get dicey there since they are away from their home territory.

Would you keep reading?

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

Waiting on Wednesday #97: The Girl's Guide to the Apocalypse by Daphne Lamb

"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 Girl's Guide to the Apocalypse by Daphne Lamb. It's due out September 1, 2015 from Booktrope. 

Synopsis from Goodreads.com:

Welcome to the Apocalypse. Your forecast includes acid rain, roving gangs and misplaced priorities, in this comedic take on the end of the world as we know it, from debut author Daphne Lamb.

As a self-entitled, self-involved, and ill equipped millennial, Verdell probably wouldn’t have ranked very high on the list of those most likely to survive the end of the world, but here she is anyway. Add in travelling with her work addicted boss, her boyfriend who she has “meh” feelings for, and a handful of others who had no businesses surviving as long as they have, and things aren’t exactly going as planned. But despite threats of cannibalism, infected water supplies, and possibly even mutants, Verdell is willing to put in as little effort as she can get away with to survive.

Why am I waiting on this book? It's supposed to be a funny take on survival after the Apocalypse. I like the idea that instead of being all gung-ho about what she needs to do, she wants to put in as little effort as she can get away with and still survive. It makes it sound like this will be a different sort end-of-the-world-as-you-know-it book. 

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 - Spider's Trap by Jennifer Estep

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 July 28th 2015
by Pocket Books

"Try to show a little restraint," Silvio whispered as he passed.

Restraint wasn't a popular word in my vocabulary, but I nodded, acknowledging his point. If I killed Dimitri and Luiz, it would just convince the other bosses that I wanted them all dead, and they would probably start trying to murder me again. I'd fought hard for my relative peace and quiet, and I wasn't going to throw it away on a couple of minor mobsters.

Even if I did feel like stabbing both of them. Violently, Viciously. Repeatedly.

~ 4% through on my Kindle

This is from book #13 in Jennifer Estep's Elemental Assassin series, Spider's Trap. Gin Blanco aka the Spider is doing the thinking in the teaser. This is an urban fantasy book. Gin has been elected as the leader of the underworld and this is her first meeting with some of the bosses. Would you keep reading?

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

Review: Murder at Barclay Meadow by Wendy Sand Eckel

Murder at Barclay Meadow by Wendy Sand Eckel is a debut novel released July 28, 2015 by Minotaur Books. It's to be the first in a series of Rosalie Hart mysteries. These mysteries fall into the cozy category. Rosalie is very much an amateur when it comes to solving crimes.

Rosalie Hart is unhappy at the beginning of the book. Her husband has requested a divorce because he has fallen in love with another woman. Rosalie leaves the house and moves into her aunt's house on the eastern shore of Maryland. It's a small town and tends to be insular. Everyone knows everybody else's business. This works both for her and against her as she becomes involved in solving the mystery of the body that washes up on her property from the river.

Rosalie takes a class on writing memoirs. The small group of students band together to form a group on Facebook called the What ifs. Together they decide to help Rosalie solve the mystery of Megan, the girl who washed up on the shore of the river.

It's interesting how the author uses Facebook for both Rosalie's group of friends keeping in touch and for Rosalie to keep in touch with her daughter Annie. Considering how many people use it the same way all the time, it makes the characters seem more real.

The one character I didn't like was the Sheriff. I think he was written that way on purpose. In which case, the author did a bang up job on him.

Another interesting aspect of the book is how much of it is spent developing the character of Rosalie Hart. There are parts where that is the main focus, almost to the point of being considered chick lit. But then the mystery takes over again.

The pace is fairly steady. It gets faster towards the end. Eckel keeps you guessing about who amongst the pool of suspects they've been gathering information on is actually the killer. 

I really liked the character of Tyler and I hope there will be more of him in the second book in the series. 

I gave this book 4 stars for balancing the mystery and the character development of Rosalie, and for a good mystery.

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