BOOK REVIEW: THE TROUBLE WITH TWELFTH GRAVE by DARYNDA JONES - CHARLEY DAVIDSON # 12 - PIATKUS - URBAN FANTASY

By: Darynda Jones
Published By: Piatkus
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from the library, 289 Pages

RATING: 4.5 STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Grim Reaper Charley Davidson is back in the twelfth installment of Darynda Jones' New York Times bestselling paranormal series, The Trouble with Twelfth Grave.

Ever since Reyes Farrow escaped from a hell dimension in which Charley Davidson accidentally trapped him, the son of Satan has been brimstone-bent on destroying the world his heavenly Brother created. His volatile tendencies have put Charley in a bit of a pickle. But that's not the only briny vegetable on her plate. While trying to domesticate the feral being that used to be her husband, she also has to deal with her everyday life of annoying all manner of beings—some corporeal, some not so much—as she struggles to right the wrongs of society. Only this time she's not uncovering a murder. This time she's covering one up.

Add to that her new occupation of keeping a startup PI venture—the indomitable mystery-solving team of Amber Kowalski and Quentin Rutherford—out of trouble and dealing with the Vatican's inquiries into her beloved daughter, and Charley is on the brink of throwing in the towel and becoming a professional shopper. Or possibly a live mannequin. But when someone starts attacking humans who are sensitive to the supernatural world, Charley knows it's time to let loose her razor-sharp claws. Then again, her number one suspect is the dark entity she's loved for centuries. So the question becomes: Can she tame the unruly beast before it destroys everything she's worked so hard to protect?



BOOK REVIEW:

I do love a good Charley Davidson tale that comes with all the crazy shenanigans and side stories to solve, that ultimately weave back around to cross over the finish line = ending of each book.

I-see-dead-people-Charley, Reyes, Cookie, Ubie… the list goes on of main and sub characters that will inevitably make you snort and giggle in your snuggly reading space.

One book after this one and I feel like there is space for things Darynda has to reveal with Charley and this mega thing she is and…and…and…

Like WOW!

My head is spinning.

Okay, so I did love this installment—how could I not?

I figure I’m a relatively smart person, but I gotta say, I am a little *blinks rapidly* about the Reyes side of this story. I totally get what Darynda was doing with Reyes and his God self, but erm…*whispers* I kinda got a bit *cocks head on the side like a puppy* when it came to the why.

OOO yes. The why. The reason. The big reveal.

It may be a case of it’s me and not you, but…*scratches head* I might need a Dummies 101 explanation from Reyes what he was up to this installment from his perspective. I got what he told Charley, I watched what he did throughout the pages…but the ultimate reason, I kinda get, but me being me, wants more detail for that reason. It felt a little unresolved the answer, considering what Charley’s hubby got up to. I might be thinking too hard about it.

*rubs chin with an eyebrow raised*

Putting that aside, I read this series because I LOVE Charley and crew and I want to laugh and I do. I love Reyes like every other reader and he just bakes my cake for me.

Darynda has to have a spin-off planned…surely. 

Beep and ...

I mean she can’t leave us with nothing after book 13.

I mean she simply can’t.

Well, she could, but I think there must be more coming.

Fingers crossed.

BOOK REVIEW: VISION IN SILVER by ANNE BISHOP - THE OTHERS # 3 - PARANORMAL/URBAN FANTASY - ROC

By: Anne Bishop

Published By: Roc

Released: Available Now

Details: Hardback from the library, 400 Pages

RATING: 4.25 OTHERS STARS

Blurb: Goodreads

The Others freed the cassandra sangue to protect the blood prophets from exploitation, not realizing their actions would have dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in greater danger than ever before; both from their own weaknesses and from those who seek to control their divinations for wicked purposes. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn’s help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.

Meg is still deep in the throes of her addiction to the euphoria she feels when she cuts and speaks prophecy. She knows each slice of her blade tempts death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions may be Simon’s only hope of ending the conflict.

For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the prejudice of a fanatic faction is threatening to bring the battle right to Meg and Simon’s doorstep…




BOOK REVIEW:

This series is raved about and gets so many five stars and glowing reviews, and that is absolutely freakin’ fantastic!

I do personally find it very, very slow-paced.

I am addicted to reading the series…but not a lot happens inside each book for such thick books.

But I’m addicted.

This series is so different, and it really is Simon’s series, he kinda owns it with Meg playing side-character, even more so in this installment, but yet she is the reason for the series. But this story was also shared with Monty and Lizzy.

I don’t have any quotes that stood out and that annoys me because I feel as though I should have some.

Visually I see everything so clearly, but it is like a slow stroll in the park the action side to the story, and that kinda bothers me too for a paranormal/urban fantasy read.

There was one fighting scene that stood out for me. Simon got hurt, shit went down, and tragedy happened. But Meg is still giving out sugar cubes, sorting the mail and thinking about her feelings for Simon. Now the girls have banded together to help the other Blood Prophets survive outside of their previously controlled existence.

Simon is a smart wolf, but he seems so clueless with Meg. He owns a bookstore, he needs to order in a self-help book on ‘How to have a relationship’ and have a thorough read. I get that Anne is showing us two individuals having a hard time working out how to hold hands and what it means, but, this is the third book in the series.

Time to grab that hand and… well, we are halfway there. ;)

I like the introduction of the mysterious ‘other’ above Simon and the da…da…da…daaaaaa moment.

I feel as though I need a break and will continue Marked In Flesh at a later date.



Signed: Addicted

BOOK REVIEW - TILL DEATH by JENNIFER L ARMENTROUT - WILLIAM MORROW - SUSPENSE ROMANCE

By: Jennifer L Armentrout
Published By: William Morrow
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from the library, 384 Pages

RATING: 4 COLE STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

In New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout’s gripping new novel, a young woman comes home to reclaim her life—even as a murderer plots to end it. . . 

It’s been ten years since Sasha Keaton left her West Virginia hometown . . . since she escaped the twisted serial killer known as the Groom. Returning to help run her family inn means being whole again, except for one missing piece. The piece that falls into place when Sasha’s threatened—and FBI agent Cole Landis vows to protect her the way he couldn’t a decade ago.

First one woman disappears; then another, and all the while, disturbing calling cards are left for the sole survivor of the Groom’s reign of terror. Cole’s never forgiven himself for not being there when Sasha was taken, but he intends to make up for it now . . . because under the quirky sexiness Cole first fell for is a steely strength that only makes him love Sasha more.

But someone is watching. Waiting. And Sasha’s first mistake could be her last.



BOOK REVIEW:

Till Death is a suspense read combined with a second chance romance.

Jennifer knows how to give us the delicious ex-boyfriend from ten years prior and weave the second chance romance from the rubble of the horrible, near death experience Sasha had when she was I think nineteen. The Groom abducted her and did all sorts of awful things to her.

The Groom, a serial killer, was collecting brides (girls) and eventually killing them. Without spoiling, Sasha, the only survivor of The Groom, comes back to West Virginia to help her mother run the Inn ten years later and bodies start piling up again.

There’s a new killer in town. Da…da…da…daaaaaa!

It has taken me a while to write this review because I did admittedly guess very quickly who the killer was, which is a pet peeve for me. Being quite obvious I thought the editors or beta readers may have hollered at Jennifer at the time. I am not the first to find the killer to be too obvious, but eh, there will be others who won’t. A suspense read for me has to be suspenseful.

This book definitely has creepy parts.

I did enjoy the story, but I think the essential element of whodunnit was spoiled for me, but that is okay.

I will always pick up a JLA book and read it.

BOOK REVIEW: THIS MAN by JODI ELLEN MALPAS - THIS MAN # 1 - ORION BOOKS - ADULT - EROTIC ROMANCE

By: Jodi Ellen Malpas

Published By: Orion Books

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from the library, 456 pages

RATING: 4.5 STARS

Blurb: Goodreads

Young interior designer Ava O’Shea has an appointment for a first consultation at The Manor with the owner, Mr. Jesse Ward. She is expecting nothing more than an overweight, cravat-wearing, well-to-do countryman, and on arrival, nothing would suggest otherwise. How wrong could she be? This Man is devastatingly handsome, charming and confident. He is also a conceited, hedonistic playboy, who knows no boundaries. Ava desperately does not want to be attracted to him, but she can’t control the overwhelming effect he has on her. Every instinct is telling her to run, so she does, but Jesse Ward is not so willing to let her go. He wants her and is determined to have her. She knows she is heading for heartbreak, but how can she run when he won’t let her?



BOOK REVIEW:

This is my fourth JEM read and I don’t really know why I waited so long to embark on reading about Jesse Ward.

I’ve met Miller and have one book left to read in the One Night trilogy.

I’ve really stayed away from knowing anything about this series for fear of spoilers and wanted to go in cold turkey.

Jesse… I gotta admit I had no clue he was going to be the type of character he turned out to be. I like him, but he seemed a little desperate…erm… to say the least. I know there is much more to come for me to learn. Two books to be exact and then With This Man.

Jesse is very much a Fifty Shades/Crossfire type male lead, even though I didn’t feel like Christian or Gideon were desperate or a little bit of a jerk (I say this nicely). These gazillionaires seem to have similar trust issues and bad pasts and get the girl with three letters to her name.

I did chortle a little at the lead female’s name being Ava.

Ana, Eva, and Ava—I’m seeing a little something there. (cocks an eyebrow)

I did enjoy This Man. I love the sexual content in books and there is a very high dose in this one. LOL *cough*

I did think Ava was a little too naïve for her age and sometimes I felt the angst was a little too forced when a conversation would have been so less dramatic, but I can see why this series has legions of fans.

I can see how it took off like a bullet from the start. We all seem to like that Fifty Shades/Crossfire-style of a story with the three letter female lead name and the secret these lads all hold close to their hearts.

They instantly want the three-letter-girl, but for all the money and business sense they possess, they don’t seem to know how to go about courting their three-letter-girl without going about it the controlling way and arsing things up. But they know how to get it on in the bedroom, against a wall, shower... (switches fan on)

Something seems to go off in their very sensible-business-minded minds and they do jerky things… all for love.

*sigh*

We simply love this style of a recipe in a book.

The End.

BOOK REVIEW: MURDER OF CROWS by ANNE BISHOP - THE OTHERS # 2 - PARANORMAL ROMANCE - HARPER VOYAGER

By: Anne Bishop
Published By: Harper Voyager
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from the library, 369 Pages

RATING: 4.5 STARS

Blurb: Goodreads

Return to New York Times best-selling author Anne Bishop’s world of the Others - where supernatural entities and humans struggle to co-exist, and one woman has begun to change all the rules.

After winning the trust of the terra indigene residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.

The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard - Lakeside’s shape-shifting leader - wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.

As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet - and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.


BOOK REVIEW:

This series has such a different paranormal world, and I really do enjoy it. The pacing at times can be quite slow, but when things start to happen, they really start to happen.

I have all the books ready to read and will move onto Vision In Silver # 3.

This would easily be a 5 star read for me if the pacing was tightened up because I can’t fault how amazing the world is that Anne has brought to life.

The different groups of ‘others’ are fantastic.

Meg is still not a very big character, considering she is on the front of the covers, she seems almost secondary sometimes to Simon’s character. The ‘others’ seem to do more in the book, action wise.

Meg is a blood prophet. She’s still trying to understand her limits, and who she is. I understand the ‘others’ more now. They are written so well.

I’m watching the ‘others’ as they become more tolerant of the humans. They make allowance for those in the courtyard but still will kill those who set out to harm, kill or simply stand by and watch ‘others’ being hurt. Towns will be wiped out.

I’m glad I know more about Meg now. She’s twenty-four. In Written In Red, she read to me personally like she was sixteen or thereabouts.

This is a very good series to-date, it just can be painfully slow in areas for me to rate higher than 4 stars. I think I want Meg to be more than she is at the moment, even though I did get a little more from her character in this book.

I see Simon and the ‘others’ growing more.

Meg is sweet and unique and sweet and caring, confused with Simon as a man, confused with friendship and what it means. She still does her mail delivery.

I liked reading about humans and how they really do play with their own fate when it comes to the ‘others.’

The Elementals are still in my mind the most dangerous, next to Tess. They really are the ones controlling life because not even the ‘others’ like Simon can survive what they could unleash on the world.

I always take a break before reading the next book, in fear of the pace making it difficult for me to stay committed to this series, but I can already feel I am addicted. Anne has quite the creative mind, and I need to know what she has in store for these characters.

What I liked was we got to know more about the Controller. In book 1 he was just words in the background of the story, but he is more in this installment. He became that villain we want to hate.

Introducing some new sub characters like Skippy, was fun. Monty, Burke, and Kowalski always make great additions to the storyline. Dominic Lorenzo and Steve Ferryman I enjoyed knowing more about. And as always, I do love it when the Elementals pop up.

I have developed a healthy curiosity about this series.

I need to know more.

BOOK REVIEW: BORN OF ICE by SHERRILYN KENYON - THE LEAGUE # 3 - PIATKUS - PARANORMAL ROMANCE - SCI-FI

By: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Published By: Piatkus

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 352 Pages

RATING: 3.75 STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

In the Ichidian Universe where The League is law, most live in fear. We fight back. Welcome to a world where corrupt assassination politics dominate everyone. It’s kill or be killed. Welcome back to the future…and meet hell's new breed of heroes.

Devyn Kell spent his life in service to the League until he learned of the double dealing and backstabbing that was costing innocent people their lives. Refusing to play those politics, he became a Runner; someone who makes sure planets get the weapons, medicine and supplies they need to survive. May the gods have mercy on any who get in his way, because he definitely won’t.

Alix Garran is a woman on the run from a past she can’t escape. Signing on to work for Devyn as a System’s Engineer, she finds a cause she can fight for—and a man she can respect. But as Alix’s past catches up to her, and Devyn’s old enemies turn lethal, they have to fight together…or fall alone, in Born of Ice, the third bestselling League novel from Sherrilyn Kenyon.

BOOK REVIEW:

Okay, here’s the deal: I do LOVE Sherrilyn Kenyon’s writing and I am making my way through both The League and Dark Hunter series. I am coming in very, very late to both series and I love all the five and four star reviews. Bravo!

I just referred to my reviews of the first two books in this series and I gave them 4 and 4.5 stars. I enjoyed them very much.

This book took me by surprise…fast forward at a guess thirty plus years and we have Devyn, son of Syn and Shahara, which is great , but being the third book in the series, it was a leap into hyperspace. Bahahaha. It felt kinda weird going there after only two books in the series prior, but it was okay. I got used to it and I forgot about Syn being an older man.

I had a little trouble with connecting with Devyn and Alix as a couple. I was trying to deal with it as I read, but there wasn’t that reader/character connection for me personally.

You win some; you lose some.

Born of Ice got my eyes a little twitchy, especially when pages 173, 175, 177 and 181, Claria does a switcheroo and becomes Claire on several occasions. I read from the Piatkus published copy. These are the ones I could quickly find.

At first I thought, eh, they are being silly with her name, but then the more I read, my eyes started twitching.



“Thanks, Claire.”



“I’m not your bitch, Claire.



Devyn took a step forward. “Claire—”



Devyn motioned for Zarina to follow him so that he could give Sway and Claire privacy.



I still enjoyed it enough to give it 3.75 stars. Not as good as the first two, but still I read cover to cover and glad I did read it.

I just found this on Google, it explains the time jumping. https://www.sherrilynkenyon.com/book/league-reading-list/ 

Original Publication Date: January 01, 1990

This is the correct reading order for The League® series that Sherrilyn means for the series to be read in. For those who are wondering why the series jumps ahead in time from League®: Nemesis Rising® to League®: Nemesis Legacy®, the reason is simple. Back in 1991 when Sherrilyn first sold Born of Night, her original publisher tied up the Nemesis Rising books with the option clause of her contract for many, many years. Since the books were so original and unlike anything currently published back then, they were delaying the publication dates and refusing to release the books back to her (again, the book sold in ’91 and wasn’t released for publication until ’96). Unable to touch the series since the main characters were under contract, Sherrilyn went on and began the second set of League characters under the Nemesis Legacy® banner and started writing about the children of the first set.

She quickly sold those books to two more publishers. But because they were tied to the first, she was advised to change their names and break them away from the original books so that no one would know the Legacy books were tied in any way to the Nemesis Rising books. As a result, Paradise City (League: Nemesis Legacy) was released in 1993 by Dorchester and Fire & Ice (League: Nemesis Legacy) was released in 1995 by Time-Warner. After their stellar success, Born of the Night (League: Nemesis Rising) was then finally by its original publisher in 1996 who saw that there was indeed a market for Sherri’s work. Sherri was then able to get the rest of the Nemesis Rising books away from that publisher and Born of Fire (League: Nemesis Rising) became the first ebook in history by a bestselling New York published book author when it was released in the summer of 1996. Then, in 1999 Born of Night (League: Nemesis Rising) and Fire & Ice (League: Nemesis Legacy) were both rereleased by Time-Warner where it immediately skyrocketed to #1 and stayed there for months. However, their program was summarily cancelled the next year and all their editors let go. Sherri was again cast adrift with the series and her e-rights, as well as the print rights were again tied-up.

In 2004, Fire & Ice (League: Nemesis Legacy) was then bought by Penguin Group, USA where it immediately it more bestseller lists and was again republished in 2010 as part of an all Kenyon anthology collection entitled In Other Worlds.

Due to contract restrictions on the original Born of Night, Sherrilyn had to wait for all her rights to be returned to her before she could continue writing the League®: Nemesis Rising novels®. But in 2009, once her rights were again her own and she had all of the original books back, except Fire & Ice, Sherrilyn returned the titles and the character names to their original ones and was able to republish the first three published League books as a cohesive unified series and the first three Nemesis Rising and Nemesis Legacy books (which at that time were selling on eBay for thousands of dollars a copy) were brought out back to back. Born of Night (League: Nemesis Rising), Born of Fire (League: Nemesis Rising), Born of Ice (League: Nemesis Legacy).

From that point on, Sherri has continued the series as she wanted to originally in the ’80’s, starting with the League: Nemesis Rising characters and then moving to the League: Nemesis Legacy once she finished the Nemesis Rising arc that takes place during the League-Sentella war.

NemesisLegacy books begin approximately 30-35 years after the war ends.

As to why all the books aren’t listed in the front of other League books is simple. The series has never been published by a single publisher. And sadly, publishers only list the books that they publish in their own company. Therefore, the only place the get the full list of all the League books is here on Sherri’s site.

If you want to read the books chronologically, you can choose that option on the menu bar above, but please note that Sherri didn’t write them that way. She wrote them out of sequence and that is how they’re meant to be read. So it’s safe to read them in the order she wrote them in, as she was very careful in how she gives out character details. So while the books might go back in time, there is a carefully thought out reason for this. She doesn’t do that arbitrarily.

Nemesis Rising Books setting: Before & during League-Sentella War i.e. Nykyrian/Nemesis rising to become emperor of the Andarion and Triosan empires

Nemesis Legacy Books setting: 30-35 years after the League-Sentella War ends. The are about the reign of Nykyrian/Nemesis as emperor.

BOOK REVIEW: LOYALTY IN DEATH by J.D. ROBB - IN DEATH # 9 - PIATKUS - CONTEMPORARY CRIME

By: J.D. Robb

Published By: Piatkus

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from Library, 443 Pages

RATING: 4.5 PLOT STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Eve Dallas has been chosen by a deadly revolutionary group, Cassandra, as their one true adversary. While investigating the seemingly simple case of a jealous lover killing her partner, she receives a disk from  Cassandra, telling her to expect a demonstration of their power. Arriving just in time to see one of her billionaire husband Roarke's empty properties blown up, the link continues as more of Roarke's city landmarks are destroyed, testing Eve and her team to the limit and costing more and more lives.

Discovering that Cassandra is linked to a previous group, responsible for blowing up the Pentagon several years ago, things turn increasingly sinister as Eve realises that the murdered man and his family are implicated, and she races to break down the web of deceit and destruction before the city falls.


BOOK REVIEW:

9 Books and a novella story done and dusted. This is one of my top fave badass-long series to snuggle in bed with. 46 Books and still going strong. I bet the publishers pinch  themselves with excitement every time another is due for release. They snagged such an awesome storyteller.

Okay onto my personal thoughts.

Ooh the sexual tension between Peabody and McNab was so much fun to read in this installment. I love these two and their banter and their inability to stop what was happening between them.

I LOVED seeing Roarke quite speechless over something Eve did. It was moving and you can see how something as simple as an imperfect rose could mean a great deal to him. Especially to a man that has and can have anything in the world, or off planet.

I have to say, the case-to-solve part of this installment wasn’t as interesting as in previous books, but it was still very good. It definitely had its tense moments. I think the "cassandra" group irritated me a little. A case of it's me and not you.

I always enjoy Roarke coming to Eve’s aid with all his devices and transport. He’s rather sexy the way he does it. He just seems to get better and better each book. Such a well written character. I can't wait to see how his character reads by book 46.

Peabody’s bro makes an appearance and the poor love is a bit of a softy. A free-ager who falls hard pretty quickly. I did enjoy meeting Zeke. 

This was another really good installment in the In Death series. I would never have noticed this series if I wasn't doing a google search for 'similar to Stephanie Plum' , even though it's not even on the same level as Steph Plum series.

I do highly recommend this series for its intelligent writing and character growth...and ROARKE!!

I will invest in all these paperbacks for my shelves because I want my daughter to one day enjoy them.

BOOK REVIEW: DON'T TELL by KAREN ROSE - CHICAGO # 1 - SUSPENSE ROMANCE - HEADLINE

By: Karen Rose

Published By: Headline

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 404 Pages

RATING: 4.75 MAX & DAVID STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

It was a desperate plan. But Mary Grace Winters knew the only way to save herself and her child from her abusive cop husband was to stage their own death. Now all that remains of their former life is at the bottom of a lake. Armed with a new identity in a new town, she and her son have found refuge hundreds of miles away. As Caroline Stewart, she has almost forgotten the nightmare she left behind nine years ago. She is even taking a chance on love with Max Hunter, a man with wounds of his own. But her past is about to collide with the present when her husband uncovers her trail and threatens her hard-won peace. Step by step, he's closing in on her—and everything and everyone she loves.

BOOK REVIEW:

This was my first Karen Rose book, and it won’t be my last. I was pleasantly surprised by the detail of the plot.

Max and Caroline come from very different backgrounds. Caroline aka Mary Grace had been in a very abusive marriage and she finally took matters into her own hands and bravo to her.

Unfortunately for Caroline, her abusive husband is a very smart detective who will stop at nothing to get the information he requires. The man is all kinds of crazy. He gets a lead into the disappearance of his wife and their seven-year-old son and the crazy sonofabitch is on the hunt.

There are two car chases (I shall call them) going on: Winters hunting down his wife and son and Special Agent Steven Thatcher is on the trail of Detective Rob Winters.

I really liked the effort Karen put into weaving all the action that was happening at once. The plot keeps the pages turning.

I will say Max, the professor’s character, kinda annoyed me sometimes with the way he was written. He’s kinda self-centered and then he’s not and then he is. Rinse and repeat. It is insta-love and I can handle those, but I wasn’t totally feeling the guy.

Tom, Caroline’s son I really liked. He was written very well. A lot of emotion is dredged up. 

Dana is an amazing woman. Bravo!

David! OMG! Max’s brother is amazing. He kinda stole the limelight from Max as far as I am concerned right up until nearly the last page.

David, rocks!

Steven, rocks!

The next book in the series is about Steven Thatcher and I already have it on my shelf to read from library.

Only thing I can pick about Steven is, in this book he was ‘the man’ on a mission and then Karen wrote him making a very unprofessional move. I do understand it was supposed to be because of the situation, but… damn! I could have done without that happening because I think it didn’t need to happen.

I do recommend for all the dark suspense romance readers. A lot of tough topics are hit up and in detail.

Anywho… big thumbs up to Karen and the first installment in the Chicago series.

BOOK REVIEW: NIGHT PLEASURES by SHERRILYN KENYON - DARK HUNTER # 1 - PIATKUS - ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE

By: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Published By: Piatkus

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from libary, 338 Pages

RATING: 4.5 KYRIAN STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

The Dark-Hunters are ancient warriors who have sworn to protect mankind and the fate of the world is in their hands. . .

He is solitude. He is darkness. He is the ruler of the night. Yet Kyrian of Thrace has just woken up handcuffed to his worst nightmare: An accountant. Worse, she's being hunted by one of the most lethal vampires out there. And if Amanda Devereaux goes down, then he does too. But it's not just their lives that are hanging in the balance. Kyrian and Amanda are all that stands between humanity and oblivion. Let's hope they win.

BOOK REVIEW:

I’m a little behind on this series by like another 27 books, plus all the novellas hidden inside Dark Bites and in Other Worlds. I have to get my Dark Hunter Universe map out to guide me to keep me on track. And also I have to pull out my Chronicles of Nick paperbacks and sort out where I read them among all this.

Speaking of Nick, I do like the kid. He has wit and a great personality, plus he doesn’t give a shit about rollerblading around Kyrian’s massive home.



“You’re the only man I know who can have sex with a woman who looks that good and be in this bad a mood ten minutes later. Damn, didn’t you know sex is supposed to make you feel better?”

Kyrian rolled his eyes at his impudent Spire. Rules and regulations had never applied to Nick Gautier.



“I need you to take Amanda shopping for clothes. The Daimons burned her house down and she has nothing except the clothes on her back.”

Nick arched a brow. “From what I saw, she had no clothes whatsoever on her back. Her front neither.”

Kyrian narrowed his eyes on his Squire.

“Don’t have a hissy fit.” Nick held his hands up in mock surrender. “I know she’s yours and I would never encroach, but man, I’m not blind, either.”

“One day, Gator bait…”

“Yeah, right. That threat might actually carry weight if I didn’t know how much you live to order me around. You’d go insane if you couldn’t page me at all hours of the night.”

I have heard so much gushing over Acheron aka Ash (seems Kyrian gets away with calling him Ash) and Styxx that I rather enjoyed every time Acheron popped up in this book. I immediately felt he overshadowed Kyrian, but I stayed #teamkyrian for this book—although Acheron is rather yummy.



He was lying on his back with his legs dangling way over the arm of the sofa and his hands behind his head as he watched her from the darkness.

Shirtless and barefoot, he wore a pair of tight leather pants. He had long, dark green hair and a stylized small birdlike tattoo on his left shoulder, the tail of which curled down and around is biceps. His skin was the same golden tone as Kyrian’s and it set off to perfection the small gold necklace he wore around his neck.

“And you are?” she asked.

“Acheron Parthenopaeus,” he said in that steady, deep voice. “Pleased to meet you.” His words were devoid of any warmth or emotion.

Okay, this was no Yoda. Well, except they both had green heads.




Giddy up!

Anywho… back to the main characters of this book: Kyrian and Amanda, who are a great couple of characters to get to know. I really enjoyed the small scenes we got of Kyrian, being his dark-hunter self with the back flips and fighting. Before that, he seemed just a sexy guy and I needed the action rather than the sexy times to shine through. It took a while for the story to show me what a two thousand year old dark-hunter was capable of. Visually I enjoyed seeing that in my head as I read.

I really liked Julian and Grace popping up in this book and the little bits of Talon and his motorbike. Rawrrr.



Patting the white and black dog, Amanda looked up to see the man who had arrived on the motorcycle. He was every bit as handsome as Hunter, yet there was something ethereal about him. Mystical.

His blond hair was cut short except for two long braids that fell from his left temple down to the middle of his chest. He wore a zipped-up black motorcycle jacket that had red and gold Celtic scrollwork painted all over it and a thick torc around his neck.



A great second installment. I was told to read Fantasy Lover first and I use that as my # 1 in the series, although technically Night Pleasures appears to be, so that became my second in the series.

Eh.

I’ve got the next two on my shelves in paperback so I’ll get onto Talon’s story next in Night Embrace, but I feel I need to crack out a few of the novellas first, which appear in Dark Bites. I’ve ordered it from my local library.

I'm in for the long line of books and am eager to get to Acheron's story. It is a whopping thick book.

Until the next installment...

BOOK REVIEW: LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS by CHARLAINE HARRIS - SOOKIE STACKHOUSE # 2 - GOLLANCZ - PARANORMAL ROMANCE

By: Charlaine Harris
Published By: Gollancz
Released: Available Now
Details: Omnibus paperback from library, 722 Pages
Living Dead In Dallas is 217 pages of this omnibus.

RATING: 4 STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is having a streak of bad luck. First her co-worker is killed, and no one seems to care. Then she comes face to-face with a beastly creature that gives her a painful and poisonous lashing. Enter the vampires, who graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it).

The point is: they saved her life. So when one of the bloodsuckers asks for a favor, she obliges - and soon Sookie's in Dallas, using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire. She's supposed to interview certain humans involved, but she makes one condition: the vampires must promise to behave and let the humans go unharmed. But that's easier said than done, and all it takes is one delicious blonde and one small mistake for things to turn deadly....



BOOK REVIEW:

I’m going to start by saying I decided to watch 3 episodes of Trueblood after I had finished the second book. I think I so far prefer watching the show.

This was a good read, but I am so not connecting with Bill and Sookie in the paperback, thus far, but now I have seen 3 episodes on TV, I feel they express more emotion as actors playing their characters.

I am trying with Bill, but I find him dull in the book. It was great being introduced to Stan and some of the other vampires and there was a great story attached to that.

I think about halfway through this book I started to get into the swing, no pun intended (refer below paragraph) with Sookie and her detective type mission.

I still enjoyed this instalment, but I wouldn’t rave about it. *hides under pillow*

I felt a little awkies with the orgy scene. Not because it was an orgy scene. Pffft! I devour erotic books, but because the characters felt awkward in the scene. Eric in pink lycra…hmmm…I shall say no more. Maybe I need to look at the year this book was written and the clothing styles of the era. I get it was supposed to be funny? But this is Eric!!!

I sometimes feel (and this is me and my personal expectations), that parts need to be fleshed out more in this book between Bill and Sookie. I felt that a bit with book 1, too. I know there is a massive fan base for this series, but I personally would like some more emotion with Bill on paper and I feel he’s not your typical ‘dream’ vampire book boyfriend—yet.

The sexual content seems to overshadow where more fleshing out could be inserted. I want to believe in these two and I feel like I am floating rather than getting depth.

I’ve got the omnibus from my local library because I can’t find books 2 and 3 in my library but they seem to have book 1 and 4 onwards.

Go figure.

I have purchased paperbacks for 4 onwards to keep me happy for a while from my local newsagent, but they didn't have 1-3.

This omnibus is really an uncomfortable weight to read snuggled in bed. It’s like a big, heavy brick. I think it would be the heaviest book I have ever held as a fictional novel, and I have to grip it hard it’s that heavy.

Note to publishers: Don’t release such a whopping heavy paperback. Reading is for snuggling in bed, or snuggling somewhere. Not getting knocked in the face with the book or struggling to hold the thing up. It’s really a lay-on-your-tummy read or sit at a table.

I am very intrigued to know more about this series, so I will heft this whopping book back up ( it will be left side heavy this time) and crack on with Club Dead.

BOOK REVIEW: CONSPIRACY IN DEATH by J.D. ROBB - IN DEATH # 8 - CONTEMPORARY CRIME - PIATKUS

By: J.D. Robb
Published By: Piatkus
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 459 Pages

RATING: 5 6 ROARKE & PLOT STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

In the late 21st century, on the streets of New York City, a street sleeper is found murdered, his diseased heart removed with surgical precision. His death would typically drop to the bottom of a list of senseless and inexplicable killings, but Lieutenant Dallas, who "would stand for the dead and the living," is not about to let that happen.

When her research uncovers similar crimes in several cities that were dropped under mysterious circumstances, Dallas knows she's facing a killer cruel enough to prey on the weakest in society and powerful enough to conspire an extensive coverup.

To complicate matters further, Dallas faces an equally troubling threat to her career when she's linked to the death of a fellow cop. Now she must fight to restore her good name as well as track down the killer.



BOOK REVIEW:

6 STARS!!! And I don't often hand those out. 

This was my FAVE book thus far in the series. I do love them all, but this one was that little bit more.

Organ harvesting is not a fun topic, but this was the path Eve was on with her faithful sidekick, Peabody, as they worked the case of the displaced (homeless) people on the streets who are killed for their not so healthy organs.

I can’t express how much I love Roarke, he really is one hell-of-a-guy and I keep getting Christian Grey in my head whenever I imagine him, but with long black hair. Dude is drool worthy and always comes through for Eve, even when she doesn’t want him on the case.



They made an interesting picture: Roarke, sexy and elegant in suave black tie; Eve, long and lanky in her copper column; and Mavis, in a silver dress that looked wet to the touch and faded into transparency a wink below her crotch, while a temporary tattoo of a grinning lizard slithered up her right thigh.



I really enjoyed the injection of the ‘troublemaker’ in this instalment, just to add a little more to Eve’s plate. She was a doozey of a character.

Watching Summerset and Eve have a moment where they are both at odds with their normal behavior with each other was a little emotional. See, Summerset isn’t heartless towards Eve, he just likes to play it that way. I think by now he knows she's not a money hungry woman looking for an easy ride in life. 

Watching Roarke handle Eve when she needs him most, cements in my mind farther how suited these two are for each other.

Yup! There was a lot of depth to this instalment and the case to solve came with a more complicated plot, and that I really enjoyed.

J.D. Robb aka Nora Roberts really has a smashing hit on her hands with this über long series. I’m in for the long haul. I’m beginning to lag a little with enthusiasm for Stephanie Plum series (I’m at Explosive Eighteen #18), because nothing really changes. The In Death series really brings it all. I know they are chalk and cheese as far as seriousness, but it would be nice for a little depth with Steph and the gang.

I highly recommend In Death series, it is clever (even though sometimes the cases to solve are a little too easy), sexy, the characters are mature and can be funny and serious. Roarke is really exceptional, I think.

I have read Loyalty In Death, finished it this morning and this one is still my fave.

Time to reserve a couple more from the library. This is a series I will definitely invest in paperbacks for my personal shelves. 

BOOK REVIEW: BLOOD OF THE EARTH by FAITH HUNTER - SOULWOOD # 1 - URBAN FANTASY - PENGUIN

By: Faith Hunter
Published By: Penguin
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 358 Pages

RATING: 4.25 NELL STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Set in the same world as the New York Times bestselling Jane Yellowrock novels, an all-new series starring Nell Ingram, who wields powers as old as the earth.

When Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she was almost alone in the world, exiled by both choice and fear from the cult she was raised in, defending herself with the magic she drew from her deep connection to the forest that surrounds her.

Now, Jane has referred Nell to PsyLED, a Homeland Security agency policing paranormals, and agent Rick LaFleur has shown up at Nell’s doorstep. His appearance forces her out of her isolated life into an investigation that leads to the vampire Blood Master of Nashville.

Nell has a team—and a mission. But to find the Master’s kidnapped vassal, Nell and the PsyLED team will be forced to go deep into the heart of the very cult Nell fears, infiltrating the cult and a humans-only terrorist group before time runs out…

BOOK REVIEW:

I’ve been interested to read some Faith Hunter since I noticed the Jane Yellowrock series. I have not started the Jane Yellowrock series yet, but headed straight into the Soulwood series.

I don’t normally read like this, skipping the original series before the spinoff, but my local library simply does not stock Jane Yellowrock, so away I went meeting Nell when I saw it on the shelf.

I found I could quite easily read Blood of the Earth without any prior knowledge of Jane Yellowrock series. I met Rick in this spinoff series and from some of the reviews I have read of Jane Yellowrock he was possibly a bit of an ass in that series? I found him to be fair and authoritative in this book. Only once did Nell have to put him in his place and she did it with pure female grunt.

The only thing I am curious to know is about Rick and Paka’s situation/relationship, which would have been revealed in the Jane Yellowrock series. Rick was Jane’s boyfriend, yet there is some witchy-shiz going on between Rick and Paka. Not love, but they are together and Paka seems the only one pleased.

Nell is a great character and Faith lifted several layers for me to see under in this book. Watching Nell discover bit by bit what she could achieve with the powers she is still discovering was very intriguing. Faith does have a way with words. These moments I really enjoyed.



I gulped breaths, calming my heart, and shifted position until I could place both hands on the dirt, both soles on the roots, my spine and the back of my head against the tree, looking up into the limbs. It was miserable cold, but I could feel the ground beneath me, solid and sandy, rock and stone and feel dirt, clay and layers of long-rotten leaves, water rising through the ground, under pressure, surface water falling down the hills, under gravity. Water spreading out, feeding rootlets and moistening seeds and dancing through the air as it splashed over rocks. My breath came easier, and the panic began to slide away. With the sun gone, the earth was at rest and yet never resting. Always alive and breathing and moving and pumping nutrients. Animals slept in the nooks of trees and rocks, in nests, in dens, and curled in tall grasses. Others hunted. I reached out with my senses, into the ground, and felt the earth, the contentment that was life, and the health of the trees.



Don’t expect any romance in this book; although I would love at this early stage to see her and Occam shipping. They appear like they have a connection… or something. At first I thought it was Tandy, but he’s not right for Nell, if she is to ever have herself a relationship away from the church—something different to John—I hope it is with Occam, at this early stage.


Sunlight turned Occam’s lightly tanned skin a pale gold, and made his amber-hazel eyes glow. He was wearing loose cotton pants and a stretchy T-shirt, the clothing dark blue with the words PsyLED stenciled on the shirt in white. And he was barefooted again, toes pawing the ground, the way a cat might milk the earth.

Tandy and Occam are my fave sub characters so far.

I LOVE urban fantasy and I did find this first book to be very, very slow for me for about the first 40% of the book. Eh, it could just be me, but I did find it hard to want to keep reading due to the pace—initially—it did get more exciting the more I turned the pages. I normally like a little faster paced urban fantasy, where I get more action and quicker information.

The one thing about Faith’s writing is she is über descriptive and sometimes that was great and sometimes I felt I didn’t need to know every single thing Nell was doing in the kitchen as an example, but that is just me. Descriptive is awesome, but I found this book could be over descriptive when maybe not necessary.

Eh, each to their own.

I’ll be getting my hands on the first paperback in Jane Yellowrock series soon, as I am intrigued to know her character and this Rick business. The Soulwood series was more a spontaneous reaction to grab from the library shelf when I realized Jane Y series simply wasn’t available.

I can’t finish up without mentioning the cover art, which is absolutely amazing… beautiful! Seeing Nell on the cover with the forest floor swirling around her has great meaning.

BOOK REVIEW: MIDNIGHT IN DEATH by J.D. ROBB - IN DEATH #7.5 - CRIME ROMANCE - PIATKUS

By: J.D. Robb

Published By: Piatkus 

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 139 Pages (Midnight In Death). 

RATING: 4.5 ADDICTED STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

The number-one New York Times bestselling In Death series explodes with intrigue, passion, and suspense. Now, Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb, propels you into the darkest night of Lieutenant Eve Dallas's life...when a killer comes to call...

Eve's name has made a Christmas list, but it's not for being naughty or nice. It's for putting a serial killer behind bars. Now the escaped madman has her in his sights. With her husband, Roarke, at her side, Eve must stop the man from exacting his bloody vengeance...or die trying...

BOOK REVIEW:

A young man from Eve’s past has reared his evil head and written out his own deadly naughty list to get back at the people who helped to put him away.

Naturally Eve Dallas is on that list and time is of the essence to save those listed above her name.

Now the one thing that kinda screwed the plot a little for me was David wrote the order he was taking people out and left it for Lieutenant Dallas to find. Now bear with me, because I am a stickler on plot not having any flaws, it’s just my little OCD thing with reading a thriller/crime story. David was indeed taking out the people in order, so why didn’t Eve secretly wait with the person who was next on the list and capture the evil prick? If the names hadn’t been listed OR it was random order, then I can understand she simply didn’t know who was going to be taken out next—but she did. The only reason the list changed was if the person was put in a safe house, which was farther down list.

She could have still been investigating and trying to find the ‘hole’ David was in as he worked the people over and used Peabody and company to do the foot work while waiting with the third person on the list, because the first two deaths had proven the list was true. It seemed the simplest solution to me and BAM she would have David.

To further cement my comments, the police guarding one person against David, did not stop him from approaching and kidnapping the person on the list. The kid was simply clever in his approach—the cop was not.

Eve is a very intelligent, methodical character. Roarke is extremely off-the-charts intelligent. Surely giving away the list of names in order of their downfall would have you one step ahead and closely shadowing the next person on the list, like being their sticky-buddy. Hiding in their workplace, the backseat of their car when they went out, especially how the third person was taken. I know the cops were guarding them…but this is Eve and she knows what the kid looks like and again THIS IS EVE!

The kid wasn't that far ahead with his kidnappings and gross killings, which was set out for the reader to plainly see. The next on the list, Eve simply had to be waiting for him, with Peabody and no doubt Roarke.

For me just a simple tweak to the plot with the list would have made this a flawless plot, considering Eve’s personality and intelligence and the way the rest of the story played out.

It is my only gripe because the story itself I enjoyed very much.

Here are a couple of my fave Roarke moments.



He looked so… perfect, she thought. He was dressed casually for the day, in black, his long, lean body relaxing in a chair probably made two hundred years ago.

He had the face of a god with slightly wicked intentions, eyes of blazing Irish blue and a mouth created to destroy a woman’s control. Power sat attractively on him, as sleek and sexy, Eve thought, as the rich fall of black hair that skimmed nearly to his shoulders.



“That’s what I get for marrying a cop.” Ireland sang quietly in his voice, the lilt of a sexy poet. “For loving one,” he added, and tipped her face up to kiss her.



He combed his fingers through her short brown hair. “You’re what I want, Eve, the woman who leaves her home to stand over the dead. And the one who knew what a copy of Yeats would mean to me.”



Due to each Kindle book being a bit out of my price range I have been borrowing from library. #keepinglibrariesalive

I will be buying all the paperbacks for my personal library for my daughter to read one day, because this is such a fantastic series—and ROARKE!

I DID have Conspiracy In Death waiting on the reserve shelf for me to pick up tomorrow (public holiday today), but some inconsiderate #@(*@!!! took the book off the reserve shelf under my name. They took my slip out of it sometime yesterday and decided to jump the queue (who knows if they even swiped their card, because paper trail). 

Really? You can’t wait to reserve the book like I did and I waited like eight weeks for my turn? It had only been sitting on reserve shelf for 2 days! I'm feeling grumbly if you couldn't tell. I'll be pulling a Eve Dallas tomorrow and getting them to see if the dumbass swiped their card and they can ring them, because this is about the 8th time this has happened to me over various reserves I've had, and I am getting a little over it.

Fark me!

But there are worse things in life. :) 

Signed: A little grumbly, only because I'm addicted.

BOOK REVIEW : HOLIDAY IN DEATH by J.D. ROBB - IN DEATH # 7 - CRIME ROMANCE - PIATKUS

By: J.D. Robb

Published By: Piaktus

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 395 Pages

RATING: 5 STARS

Blurb: Goodreads

No one likes to be alone during the holidays. For New York's most posh dating service, Personally Yours, it is the season to bring lonely hearts together. But Lieutenant Eve Dallas, on the trail of a ritualistic serial killer, has made a disturbing discovery: all of the victims have been traced to Personally Yours. As the murders continue, Eve enters into an elite world of people searching for their one true love--and a killer searching for his next victim. A world where the power of love leads men and women into the ultimate act of betrayal...


BOOK REVIEW:

What can I say about the In Death series and make it new each book I review, because there is a formula in place?

I know—Roarke!

Sure he’s in every book, but there was something more in this installment. I had wondered how Nora aka J.D. Robb was going to handle his character over 46 books when I am only seven in, and I think she will do just fine. Roarke just does things that would make any female sigh.

I adore the way he accepts Eve’s dedication-to-the-job and doesn't complain and he loves her possibly more each book. He always makes himself included in most cases in the takedown of the villain. He does it to make sure she doesn’t get hurt. He is there for her, even though he probably shouldn’t be inserting himself into her case—but he’s not going to let the fact he doesn’t hold a badge stop him.

Detective McNab and Peabody are so amusing and I know we are going to get a lot more from these two. His clothing attire appears quite flamboyant, which doesn’t match his personality—I feel. Maybe I’m wrong. He is very witty, but he seems to be rather overdressed for his job. Not that it matters, but it feels kinda off to me when he appears clothed the way he is. Eh, if anything it is a splash of color on the page. :) I know it's the future, but Roarke seems very Christian Grey attired in my head, or maybe I am not paying attention. I think this quirk with McNab bothers me, but it shouldn't.



Eve looked over and saw Ian McNab swagger into the room. He had a big, satisfied grin on his pretty face, a knee-length vest in eye-searing fuchsia over his Christmas-green jumpsuit, and a striped ribbon of both colors binding back his long sweep of glinting gold hair.


I think J.D. Robb showed us a more emotional Eve in this instalment. She does get cranky, she can upset Peabody, but she does it from her heart and how she sees Peabody as more a friend than just a work colleague.

This makes her more real to me.

She isn’t perfect. She has very real female moments, which are all her and not the job. She had an extremely rough childhood, no solid parenting and she’s floundering about a bit in how to be a wife and live in Roarke's social world and be a good friend.

I can read a book where I wonder why the guy even bothers with the female lead, because she isn’t making me believe she-is-the-one with her behaviour. I know the author wants me to be brainwashed with their words, but the connection simply isn’t there, due to the writing.

Roarke is a man who could have anybody on any of the planets he visits. He is a man that keeps showing us why he is so deeply in love with a woman who was broken so young. Eve is beautiful no matter how she walks through the door after a rough day on the streets. She doesn’t need the bells and whistles and he doesn't ask for them, but he will zip her up in a dress he has purchased for her, because she isn't a girlie shopper—far from it.  

This is so damn romantic.

She has access to squillions and spends virtually nothing on herself.

But he knows his wife and he provides.

He gives her what she needs when she doesn’t realise she needs it, purely out of love and devotion and never control. You feel this through the author’s words.

You could strip the murder case from each book and you are still left with substantial pages filled with Eve and her Roarke. 

Until the next book...

#teamroarke

BOOK REVIEW: DEAD UNTIL DARK by CHARLAINE HARRIS - SOOKIE STACKHOUSE # 1 - PARANORMAL ROMANCE - PENGUIN

By: Charlaine Harris

Published By: Penguin

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 312 Pages

RATING: 4.25 STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life-and one of her coworkers checks out....

Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea.

BOOK REVIEW:

Folks, I’m a virgin to the Sookie Stackhouse (I keep wanting to say Steakhouse) series and I have never watched True Blood, so I am reviewing without comparison.

I’m not sure how I feel about Sookie and Bill’s coming together at this stage. I will leave that open. I will say it didn’t make a great impact on me in Dead Until Dark.

To be truthful I thought Bill may have needed a little more oomph injected into his character, but I shall hold no judgement until I read more in the series.

Eric’s character, although only a very small part he played in this first book, made me pay attention a little more.

Visually in my head, when I first read his description, I felt he came across in my mind more like a biker looking guy with his jeans, boots and vest. Then I googled True Blood and saw their Eric.



The vampire he indicated was handsome, in fact, radiant; blond and blue-eyed, tall and broad shouldered. He was wearing boots, jeans, and a vest. Period. Kind of like the guys on the cover of romance books. He scared me to death.



I do understand this series has sold a bazillion million copies and I am coming into the series very late in the game. My thoughts are but a drip in the ocean.

I was entertained, and that is all I can ask for, but I would have liked a little more from Sookie and Bill in regards to their relationship (?) and not just the sexual content. I kind of craved more, wanting to connect with them as the reader.

All up, it was a quick read that has me intrigued to know more… especially about Eric.

BOOK REVIEW : SMOKIN' SEVENTEEN by JANET EVANOVICH - STEPHANIE PLUM # 17 - HEADLINE - CONTEMPORARY CRIME

By: Janet Evanovich

Published By: Headline

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback from library, 306 Pages

RATING: 4 STARS

Blurb: Goodreads

Where there’s smoke there’s fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum.

Dead bodies are showing up in shallow graves on the empty construction lot of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. No one is sure who the killer is, or why the victims have been offed, but what is clear is that Stephanie’s name is on the killer’s list. Short on time to find the murderer, Stephanie is also under pressure from family and friends to choose between her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Trenton cop Joe Morelli, and the bad boy in her life, security expert Ranger. Stephanie’s mom wants her to dump them both for a former high school football star who’s just returned to town. Stephanie’s sidekick, Lula, suggests a red-hot boudoir “bake-off.” And Joe’s old-world grandmother gives Stephanie “the eye,” which may mean that it’s time to get out of town.

With a cold-blooded killer after her, a handful of hot men, and a capture list that includes a dancing bear and a senior citizen vampire, Stephanie’s life looks like it’s about to go up in smoke.


BOOK REVIEW:

I feel like saying, ‘Scooby and The Gang are back’, with this never aging series of mystery and shenanigans.

I started reviewing this series 26th November 2016, so I’ve averaged one book a month (sort of).

Very much a rinse and repeat series, but I can’t seem to stop reading it, even though yet again the villain—the murderer—was so plainly obvious and Steph couldn’t see what was in front of her nose.

I adore Lula and Steph, but I am almost craving more growth from them. They can be funny and silly, but let’s see some growth in their skills.

Surely by now they have learned the best technique to catch an FTA?

After this many books, it’s plain to see that Steph’s dad lives a very unhappy life. I would like to see the man get a night out with his wife… something! Poor mum irons when she is stressed, and that is a lot. Let’s see those two look happy to be married to each other.

I am soooooooooo #teamranger but even his dialogue and actions are starting to feel de ja vu. It’s a little flat and when Steph and Ranger do get it on… I’ve lost my ability to even care, I think, because I know nothing will come of it.

Somebody slap me in the face for saying that!

Joe… you poor, poor man. Janet, what are you doing to him? #unsureofhowifeelaboutacertainsomething

I really don’t know that many authors that can get away with no growth and constant recycling of story to no real resolution for this many books and more and sell so many freakin’ books. I do know there are another 6 books for me to read and there will be no resolution or growth and I can be okay with that... but I wish I had more.

It’s the weirdest thing. It’s like Bella, Joe’s grandmother has given me the stink-eye and addicted me to these books, even though you could skip every 6th one and read a quarter of them and be satisfied you haven’t missed anything in Joe-Steph-Ranger world.

I congratulate the author/publishers on convincing readers to stick with this series for so long… twenty years!!! That is freakin’ amazing, but is it time after #23 to close up shop, or shake the shit out of this series?

With so many books and authors flooding the market, it ain’t like it used to be pre 2010.

I am still addicted, but I think I get a little less enthusiastic with each rinse and repeat, because it feels like Janet is a little less enthusiastic. There are so many avenues to shake this series up and still keep her strict formula (if she must).

Dive deeper with emotions. Make it harder to guess the villain. Give the folks some joy in their lives. Have Grandma Mazur do something different. Lawd... everybody is parking up around her and she’s still forcing her way to the front of the viewing. Bob is still eating knickers—even large ones. Give Rex a girlfriend and a new soup can to sleep in. Teach Steph some self-defence skills.

A series of 6-10 books where the lead characters are doing the same things wrong or recycled, over and over is acceptable, but now I am starting to bang my head against the headboard when reading.

Signed



Still Addicted