Throwback Thursday Review: Livin' Lahaina Loca by JoAnn Bassett

Wedding planner Pali Moon finds herself searching high and low in Lahaina for a missing bridesmaid on Halloween night. She is a little puzzled that the bride doesn't seem to be that worried about the girl. When the girl doesn't materialize, but something else does, Pali goes to the police and the detectives don't seem to be any more interested in the missing girl than the bride.

The mystery has action amidst the wedding planning as Pali tries to solve the disappearance. I liked the details about the culture of Lahaina, Maui. And the pace was pretty good. There is a little bit of a beginning of a love triangle going on. The main thing I didn't like was the resolution of the mystery. It's a cliffhanger with loose ends. So, if you're planning on reading this one, you might want to go ahead and pick up book 3 as well. I am not sure if I will bother or not.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars mainly for the ending. Otherwise it would be higher. This is supposed to be a series, but the ending lends itself more to a serial.

Livin' Lahaina Loca by JoAnn Bassett was published March 18, 2012 by Lokelani Publishing. It is the second book in the Islands of Aloha mystery series.

Waiting on Wednesday #131: Practical Applications for Multiverse Theory by Noa Gavin and Nick Scott

"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 prepublication title I'm waiting on is Practical Applications for Multiverse Theory by Noa Gavin and Nick Scott. It's due out April 19, 2016 from Inkshares. 

Synopsis from Goodreads:

"Scott's teacher is a demon. She wasn't always like this. Mid-way through the class, between Scott looking from the board to his paper and back again, she transformed into a hell-creature bent on killing Scott. Meanwhile, Davey watches the janitor turn into a sloth a sloth who wears a cowboy hat and chaps that read, "Slow Ride." 
Things aren't going well. Something's gone wrong. Things that shouldn't be in this universe are sliding in and taking root here. People who should be here are gone, transformed into something else. Some are dying. Some are on fire. Some can unhinge their jaws and absorb their crushes via their tooth-lined throats. 
Scott and Davey are the only ones who are aware of this, who can see it happening. They're the only ones who can do anything about this, apparently. But they're only armed with school supplies and a deep-seated hatred of one another."

Why am I waiting on this book? Advance praise for the book bills it as funny and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy meets Red Dwarf" (Anthony Bowling). I like a side of funny with my books. This one is listed as YA Science Fiction.

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

Teaser Tuesday: Can You Keep a Secret? by R.L. Stine

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• 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 so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"I shivered. I'm not afraid of the dark, but this darkness felt eerie, as if it went on forever and would never lift."

~ 13% on my Kindle, Emma's thoughts as they approach the woods

Can You Keep a Secret? (a Fear Street novel) is due out April 12, 2016 from St. Martin's Griffin.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out. 

Review: Cast in Angelfire by SM Reine

Marion is a 19-year-old woman who wakes up clueless in the hospital. She can't remember how she got there nor can she remember much about who she is and what she is capable of. She gravitates towards Dr. Lucas Flynn who identifies her as half angel and half witch which makes her a mage. Mages are relatively rare and powerful beings.

It's not long before they find out that Marion has a price on her head and various beings, including some of the Fae, are ready to collect. At this point it becomes clear that Lucas Flynn is more than just a good doctor; he is as good at protecting her as he is at healing his patients. Lucas and Marion embark on a journey together to return her to her home and try and help her remember more about who she is and what happened to her.

Honestly, I wasn't crazy about Marion at first. The more that it explained what kind of person she felt herself to be (young, arrogant, and powerful), the less I liked her. BUT, as the book goes on, she becomes a little more human and likeable. By the end, I was rooting for her to succeed in her goal, even if I wasn't sure what the ramifications would be of her success.

It's a pretty fast moving novel. There is a lot of action because of the price on Marion's head. And it's hard to tell who she can really trust other than Lucas. The ending has a twist to it that I hadn't quite figured out in advance. All in all, it's a good book. I'm looking forward to the sequel to see what happens to Marion and Dr. Lucas Flynn. I give the book 4 stars.

Cast in Angelfire is the first book in the new Mage Craft series by SM Reine. It was published March 13, 2016 by Red Iris Books. The second book in the series, Cast in Hellfire, is due out April 3, 2016.

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

Waiting on Wednesday #130: Night Shift by Charlaine Harris

"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 prepublication title I am waiting on is Night Shift by Charlaine Harris, #3 in the Midnight, Texas series. It's due out May 3, 2016 from Ace.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

At Midnight’s local pawnshop, weapons are flying off the shelves—only to be used in sudden and dramatic suicides right at the main crossroads in town. 
 
Who better to figure out why blood is being spilled than the vampire Lemuel, who, while translating mysterious texts, discovers what makes Midnight the town it is. There’s a reason why witches and werewolves, killers and psychics, have been drawn to this place. 
 
And now they must come together to stop the bloodshed in the heart of Midnight. For if all hell breaks loose—which just might happen—it will put the secretive town on the map, where no one wants it to be...

Why am I waiting on it? I've enjoyed the 2 other books in the series so far. And I like the way Charlaine Harris writes. Once again Midnight, TX is in danger of its oddness being exposed and I want to see what happens.

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

Teaser Tuesday: Cast in Angelfire by SM Reine

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• 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 so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Her voice was a low hiss, the whisper of wind through cadavers dangling at the gallows. "I'll keep them busy as long as possible, but... don't take your time crossing the street." 

~ From 88% through on my Kindle, Charity is speaking about creating a diversion.

Cast in Angelfire is the first book in the Mage Craft Series by SM Reine. It was released March 13, 2016 by Red Iris Books. A preview and description are available on the author's site, here. 

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

Throwback Thursday Review: The Shotgun Arcana by R.S. Belcher

This week's throwback review is of The Shotgun Arcana by R.S. Belcher. It was published October 2014 by Tor Books. This is the second book in the Golgotha series.

Golgotha, Nevada, deep in the desert, is from outward appearances a busy frontier town bolstered by the recent influx of miners. If one looks closely beneath its veneer, one can see that not everything is necessarily what it appears to be. Nor is everyone who they appear to be. After all, one can remake themselves in Golgotha: "You could be a hero, a villain, a self-made man, or you could vanish without a trace, erasing the person you once were." (p.23)

Sheriff John Highfather and his deputies, Mutt and Jim, have been having their hands full with ordinary crimes. Something supernatural is on the horizon, though. There is an evil skull that Biqa, aka Malachi Bick, was tasked with hiding and protecting and now Ray Zeal is after it along with those that possess any of the teeth  that were scattered back in the day. Those that have the teeth have been pursuing lives of crime, to put it mildly. Ray Zeal wants them to help him recover the skull and take over Golgotha.

Also back in this novel are Maude, her daughter Constance, Malachi Bick, Mayor Pratt, Auggie, Clay, Gerta, and Gillian. Each has a special role to play in what's coming to Golgotha. Kate, a Pinkerton detective, is introduced as well as a pirate queen, and the bouncer for the Dove's Nest.

The book can be read as a stand-alone, but is a better read if you've read book one. It's fast-paced and full of action that only increases in momentum as the book goes on.

This book is definitely a weird western. It's a bit of horror/dark fantasy. I like all of the good guys, but Maude, Kate, Jim, Mutt, and the sheriff are my favorites. The bad guys are pretty much majorly unlikeable which is a good thing. The main characters are multi-dimensional.

Overall the book is well written. If you like weird westerns, or your horror or dark fantasy with a taste of old-time west, then this book is for you. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to the next in the series. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

You can read an excerpt from the book on Tor.com

Waiting on Wednesday #129: Unraveled by Jennifer Estep

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

Unraveled by Jennifer Estep is #15 in the Elemental Assassins series. It's due out August 30, 2016 from Pocket Books.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
After the shocking revelations of the previous book, Bitter Bite, the world of Ashland’s become even more sinister, and Gin Blanco (aka Ashland’s most fearsome assassin, the Spider) no longer knows who—or what—she can count on. Only one thing is for certain: danger and new enemies await Gin in Unraveled, Book 15 in the New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series that RT Book Reviews calls “unbeatable entertainment!”

What could go wrong when you’re trying to unravel a decades-old conspiracy?

As the current queen of the Ashland underworld, you would think that I, Gin Blanco, would know all about some secret society controlling things from behind the scenes. I might be the Spider, the city’s most fearsome assassin, but all my Ice and Stone elemental magic hasn’t done me a lick of good in learning more about “the Circle”. Despite my continued investigations, the trail’s gone as cold as the coming winter.

So when Finnegan Lane, my foster brother, gets word of a surprising inheritance, we figure why not skip town for someplace less dangerous for a few days? That place: Bullet Pointe, a fancy hotel resort complex plus Old West theme park that Finn now owns lock, stock, and barrel. At first, all the struttin’ cowboys and sassy saloon girls are just hokey fun. But add in some shady coincidences and Circle assassins lurking all around, and vacationing becomes wilder—and deadlier—than any of us expected.

Good thing this assassin brought plenty of knives to the gunfight … 

Why am I waiting on this one? Well, I've been following the series. And I've been enjoying reading it. The last book ended with a bit of a cliffhanger with the introduction of "the Circle." Not sure where she's going with it, but I am curious and want to see what's going to happen. 

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

Teaser Tuesday: The Shotgun Arcana by R.S. Belcher

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• 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 so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"They all headed west, where luck and fortune still flowed like milk and honey and where your fate wasn't set in stone. You could be a hero, a villain, a self-made man, or you could vanish without a trace, erasing the person you once were." p.23

Golgotha is definitely a place where there are people who have remade themselves. And it is a town where both the natural and preternatural abide, sometimes side by side. It's sort of a paranormal western, maybe tends a little towards horror. 

The Shotgun Arcana by R.S. Belcher was published October 7, 2014 by Tor Books.

What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our ever-growing TBR lists. 

Throwback Thursday Review: Doctor Who: Touched By an Angel by Jonathan Morris

This week's throwback review is for Doctor Who: Touched By an Angel by Jonathan Morris. It was released March 6, 2014 by BBC Books as the Monster Collection Edition. It features the Eleventh Doctor as played by Matt Smith as well as his companions Amy Pond and Rory.

Mark Whitaker receives an envelope 8 years after his wife Rebecca died in a car accident. It's addressed in his own writing, yet he has no recall of having written it. Inside is a note including the simple message, "You can save her."

The angels transport Mark back in time to before his wife died. He is anxious to make changes to the timeline, but doing so would mess up his future self and probably cause some paradox. The paradox would feed the Angels. While Mark wants to save Rebecca, The Doctor and his companions are trying to save him and the world from the Weeping Angels.

The plot centers around Mark Whitaker with limited involvement from the Doctor and his companions. The Doctor, Amy, and Rory mostly do brief stints of time travel appearing at key points in Mark's timeline as outlined in the letter, to thwart the angels.

The Doctor, Amy, and Rory act true to their characters. I especially enjoyed the Doctor. He is a little more fleshed out than Amy and Rory. The plot is fast paced leaping from one point on the timeline to the next with little downtime for the characters in the telling. The book still manages to tell  how Mark manages to survive in his past.

Overall it's a good book. The characters are true to form. It would enhance your experience if you are familiar with this cast of the Eleventh Doctor. I still give the book 4 stars for the portrayal of all including the Angels and for the action.

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

Waiting on Wednesday #128: Haunted Destiny 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.

Haunted Destiny is Book #18 in the Krewe of Hunters series by Heather Graham. It's due out May 24, 2016 from MIRA.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
A historic cruise ship, a haunted ship, the Celtic American Line's Destiny, sets sail from the Port of New Orleans—with a killer on board. He's known as the Archangel Killer because of the way he displays his victims in churches. And how he places a different saint's medallion on each body. No one knows exactly who he is or why he's doing this. 

Jackson Crow—head of the FBI's Krewe of Hunters, a special unit of paranormal investigators—is assigned to the case, along with local agent Jude McCoy. Then Alexi Cromwell, who works in the ship's piano bar, is drawn into the situation when a victim's ghost appears to her—and to Jude. She and Jude share an attraction, and not just because of their mutual talent. 

There are many suspects, but one by one they're ruled out… Or are they? In the end, Jude and Alexi have to rely on each other to catch the killer and escape his evil plans for Alexi.

Why am I waiting on this one? Basically, I want to read it because I enjoy the Krewe of Hunters series. And I want to see how the mystery plays out on the ship. I like the character Jackson Crow and hope he gets some good page time in this book, but I know the other two main characters will probably have a little more.

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: Doctor Who: Touched By an Angel by Jonathan Morris

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• 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 so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Published June 23, 2011
by BBC Books

"So what exactly are these 'Weeping Angels'?" asked Mark. 
...
"The most malevolent creatures in the history of the universe," he said. "Nothing gives them greater pleasure than to watch a lesser species suffer. And to them we are all lesser species."
~ From 32% through on my Kindle

The Eleventh Doctor is speaking in the second part of the teaser. If you've seen the episode of Doctor Who, "Blink," then you know how malicious the angels can be and just how scary they are. If not, this book does a pretty good job of conveying that message. "Don't Blink."

What are your teaser sentences this week? Please share them or a link in the comments so we can check them out. Happy Reading!

Review: Once Darkness Falls by SM Reine

Once Darkness Falls by SM Reine is Preternatural Affairs series #7.
After a rude awakening by Fritz, Cesar is transported to Reno which has recently been devastated by the mother of all demons, Yatai. Someone in the Office of Preternatural Affairs (OPA) has screwed up and Cesar is tasked with finding out who before Lucrezia de Angelis shows up in Reno. Anytime he deals with Lucrezia, his career and his life are on the line.

Fritz tells Cesar, "Don't trust anyone, especially me." But there are usually a few people he can trust to some degree. His partner Suzy isn't working with him, but has a separate mission. Malcolm Gallagher, a Union guy, seems to be helpful, but frequently drunk. Can he trust a Union guy? Something freaky is going on with the Union. People disappearing to who knows where.

As usual, Cesar is up to his ears in trouble and then some. But he's still making wisecracks pretty much no matter what's going on. You can count on him for witty banter in the face of danger. Cesar is the main character and my favorite in the series.

Aside from the humor, there is plenty of action and danger for all of the characters. Isobel is probably the only one who doesn't see battle of some sort. The plot is fast paced and the book was hard for me to put down. I can hardly wait for the next one in the series to come out. Right now it's tentatively scheduled for December of 2016.

I give this book 4 stars out of 5. It's a well written, fast paced, paranormal mystery. If you haven't given SM Reine a read yet, consider trying out one of her books. There are excerpts available on her website to give you a taste of things to come.

Happy Reading!

Throwback Thursday Review: Dollar Daze by Karin Gillespie

Romance and relationships are the themes for Dollar Daze by Karin Gillespie. This is the third book in the Bottom Dollar series. All of the women tied together because of the Bottom Dollar store are having issues with romance and relationships.

First off Mavis and Birdie both are trying to get former high school classmate Brewster Clark's attention. Mavis and Birdie are close friends, but will this competition destroy that relationship? Who will end up with Brewster?

Then there is Attalee the octagenarian soda jerk at the Bottom Dollar store. She has found love again. Something she didn't think possible at her age. She ends up engaged to Dooley, a man after her own wild heart.

And then there is Gracie aka Mrs. Tobias. Will her relationship with Rusty, a duct cleaner, be able to survive the difference in their class backgrounds?

Finally, there is Elizabeth who is struggling with the role of stay-at-home Mom. She wants more, but her husband isn't sure that a job outside the home is a good idea.

It's lovely to read how the women interact and what obstacles they face in their pursuit of love and relationships. And it's funny. At times it made me smile, other times laugh aloud. Attalee, in particular, was good for soliciting a laugh. This is southern chick lit at its best.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's enjoyable, humorous chick lit. I don't read much like this, but when I do I appreciate the dose of humor with the story. Dollar Daze was published May 12, 2015 by Henery Press.

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

Waiting on Wednesday #127: Cast in Angelfire by SM Reine

"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 Goodreads:

Eighteen-year-old Marion can’t remember anything before waking up in the hospital. All she knows that a lot of people want to kill her. And her would-be assassins are not human…

Vampires are real. So are faeries and angels.

They all want Marion dead.

Surrounded by enemies, Marion turns to Lucas Flynn: a mysterious doctor who seems to know more than he’s letting on. He’s as good with a gun as he is with a scalpel. He fights like a demon but claims that he’s human. And he’s hellbent on protecting Marion.

Lucas claims that Marion is a mage: half-witch, half-angel with terrifying powers that could crack the world. But Marion can’t remember how to cast magic any more than she can remember where she comes from.

Marion must find her identity and her power…before the forgotten sins of her past catch up with her.

This is book one in the Mage Craft Series and is due out March 13, 2016 from Red Iris Books.

Why am I waiting on this book? I've read other SM Reine books and have enjoyed them. One of them had the character of Marion in it and I thought she was interesting. This book looks like it explores who she is and what she can do more in depth. 
You can read an excerpt on the author's webpage: SM Reine

 Have you read any of SM Reine's books? If so, what did you think?

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

Teaser Tuesday: Shaman Rises by C.E. Murphy

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat. 

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.

I managed to get on the plane with my drum, which I wasn't about to relegate to checked luggage and which didn't technically fit in the carry-on bin above my head, but the flight attendants seemed to be studiously Not Noticing it. I was pretty certain my subconscious was running a "these are not the droids you're looking for" kind of thing on them, and while part of me thought my subconscious shouldn't be allowed to do magic without  me, the rest of me was just basically glad it was doing so.

~6% through on my Kindle

Shaman Rises is book 9 in the Walker Papers series by C.E. Murphy featuring Joanne Walker. The book was released June 24, 2014 from Harlequin MIRA.

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