Book Review: "The Others" by Evette Davis

 

Beneath the fog of San Francisco lurks a hidden world that controls our fate.

Much as she wishes otherwise, superstar political consultant Olivia Shepherd was born a powerful empath. It’s a legacy she walked away from long ago—but when she wakes up one morning to find Elsa, a tenacious time-walker, standing in her kitchen, she realizes she can no longer ignore her gifts. She is quickly plunged into the hidden world of powerful “Others” and drafted to work for the Council, a shadowy organization that summons the fog to San Francisco to obscure their involvement in human affairs.

Complicating matters further is Olivia’s new love interest, William. A centuries-old vampire, William is far too jaded to take an interest in human affairs—but Olivia no longer has the luxury of remaining impartial. As shocking details from Olivia’s own past emerge and her role in the Council begins to take shape, will she rise to the challenge of her destiny? - from Booksirens.com

This eARC was provided by Booksirens.com at no cost and I am providing an unbiased review.

This is listed as the first book in 'The Council Trilogy' by Davis, and I feel it may turn out to be a nice series. The story synopsis interested me enough to test out the book, which I found to be entertaining. As with many books, I felt there was some fast movement regarding character acceptance of magical entities, and that they have a special power. I think it was mostly to keep the story moving along at a fairly decent pace so as to not lose the reader.

Worldbuilding was pretty plain, as it takes place in what seems to be a present-day type San Francisco. There wasn't much as to magical theory, of how it appears to work in this story, but most seems to be based on mythical creatures we know of and their basic powers (i.e. vampires with mesmerism, werewolves changing shape). The MC seems to accept abnormal situations, people, and just information about her self, without questioning anything, and seems to quickly "move ahead" in this magical world. Overall, I did find the book entertaining, and I would love to see where this series tends to go in the next part.

Book Review: "Robert B. Parker's Buried Secrets" by Christopher Farnsworth

 Police Chief Jesse Stone investigates the mystery behind a dead body found strewn with photos of murder victims and placed on top of $2 million in cash, before a mob of hit men converge on Paradise.

Just another day in Paradise . . . 

Chief of Police Jesse Stone is on his way home from a long shift when a call comes in for a welfare check on an elderly resident of the wealthy seaside town of Paradise, Massachusetts. Inside a house packed with junk and trash is a man’s dead body. It’s a sad, lonely end, but nothing criminal . . . until Jesse finds the photos of murder victims strewn around the corpse, on top of a treasure trove of $2 million in cash.

Jesse takes on the case and finds a trail leading to an aging mobster who will do whatever it takes to keep the past from coming to light. Before long, Jesse has a price on his head as hit men converge on Paradise to take back the cash and destroy any remaining evidence. But the real danger might be coming from inside his own department. Jesse Stone must unearth the truth buried under the wreckage of a dead man’s life . . . before he winds up in the ground himself. - from Netgalley.com

This eARC was received through Netgalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.

By my reckoning, and help from some other book sites on the interwebz, this is the 22nd novel in the Jesse Stone series originally started by Robert B Parker. Once again we are following along in the steps of the Paradise, Mass., police chief Jesse Stone as another crime happens in the peaceful town. If you have read previous novels in this series, and have been able to catch at least one of the several movies made from the books (featuring Tom Selleck) you will more than understand how I picture our MC to look.

This is Farnsworth's first endeavor into the realm of Robert B Parker novels (Spenser, Sunny Randall, Jesse Stone) and he does what I consider a very fine job of doing so. I found the writing style similar to previous novels (by other authors, and Parker himself) and the story moved along at the pace that Parker intended all his stories to go (in my opinion). I really liked how he brought into play the issue regarding 'hoarding', as it seems to occur more often these days, or at least we hear more of it happening. I also liked how he brought up issues with the main character himself, and fears he might be facing (spoiler: being old and alone and dying but no one would notice).

I definitely enjoyed this read, and another trip into the world of Jesse Stone, and I think Farnsworth has done a wonderful job with his first novel into this realm.

Book Review: "In Too Deep" by Lee Child and Andrew Child

 

The gripping new Jack Reacher thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child

Reacher had no idea where he was. No idea how he had gotten there. But someone must have brought him. And shackled him. And whoever had done those things was going to rue the day. That was for damn sure.

Jack Reacher wakes up alone, in the dark, handcuffed to a makeshift bed. His right arm has suffered some major damage. His few possessions are gone. He has no memory of getting there.

The last thing Reacher can recall is the car he hitched a ride in getting run off the road. The driver was killed.

His captors assume Reacher was the driver’s accomplice and patch up his wounds as they plan to make him talk.

A plan that will backfire spectacularly . . . - from Netgalley.com

This eARC was received through Netgalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.

I believe this is the 29th book in the Jack Reacher series originally created by Lee Child, and now being written also with his nephew(?) in these past recent novels. The story continues the exploits of our favorite Major Reacher (Ret.) as he travels across whatever states he feels like, with just some cash, his passport, and the willingness to walk. 

I had some feelings prior to starting this novel. Mostly, it was along the lines of 'where are they going to get a story that hasn't already been used' since we are so far into the series. This one started with Reacher having amnesia, and much of the storyline is him figuring out what/who are involved, while trying to recall the short-term memory lapse he has. Not bad on the story line front...

I did see more of a change int he writing style, compared to earlier novels. I think Andrew is doing much more of the writing now, and though trying to stay in character with the dialogue we are used to seeing in other Reacher novels, it just quite doesn't feel the same. I do believe that given some more time, Andrew could tell the tale as well as Lee has done all these years, and perhaps, bring in some ideas that have not been used to date. Overall, it is a Reacher novel and I just love this series!

Book Review: "Opal" by Patricia Wolf

 

A small mining town. A brutal double murder. A killer among them.

DS Lucas Walker is off duty. He's supposed to be showing his little sister Grace the Australian outback, on her visit from Boston, but instead they're headed out bush- where Walker's cousin has been mining for boulder opal. Something seemed off when Walker heard that Blair wanted to get out of Kanpara, so he and Grace are en route to bring him home to Caloodie.

But Kanpara is in Channel Country, and a major flood is on the way.

The atmosphere in the isolated mining town is already tense with rumours of a big opal find, and when Walker, Grace and Blair wake up the next day they find themselves completely cut off. A deluge far north has run off into the rivers that make up this unique ecosystem, and the roads will be impassable for days. As they take in their predicament, Blair receives a shocking phone call.

Two bodies have been found, brutally murdered.

The husband is an immediate suspect, but Walker is not convinced. And when Blair is taken in for questioning, the stakes couldn't be higher. Before the water recedes, he must work with local police to uncover the killer in their midst. Can Walker act fast enough to save his cousin, and keep Grace safe? - from Netgalley.com

This eARC was received through Netgalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.

This is the third novel in the DS Walker series, and once again has proven that Wolf has a great story-telling presence. This book starts not too long after the end of the second novel, and finds our MC not only trying to still find the biker leader of previous crimes, but now on a vacation with his visiting little sister from the US. From the synopsis, you can see where this goes from there....

I have been lucky enough to read all three novels of this series, and I anxiously await each one, hoping that this series doesn't just end after a "few books". Not knowing anything about Australia, it's policing system, geography, et cetera, Wolf does a wonderful job of describing ther world detail in a way even a non-resident will enjoy the read.

Book Review: "Bloodlust Bites" by Luanne Bennett

 

Welcome to Crimson, Georgia. I’m Charley Underwood—witch, bar owner, and accidental demon hunter.

Crimson isn’t a regular town. With vampires, shifters, and humans living side by side, tensions always run high. I try to keep the peace, and most of the time nobody gets hurt. Most of the time.

Right now, Crimson is one bite away from all-out chaos.

A dangerous new wolf is stirring up trouble. A sexy vampire is on the hunt, with a gun full of sunlight bullets. And thugs from Atlanta are threatening my friends.

As if that wasn’t enough, my magic is running wild. One second it’s throwing bad guys through windows, the next it fizzles out to nothing. There’s only one way to get it under control—by taking lessons from Crimson’s terrifying old-school coven of witches.

I need to get a handle on it fast. Way out in the woods, someone is attacking young women, leaving them bitten and bloody. Is it a stranger or one of our own?

When police pin the attacks on one of my bartenders, it’s clear that none of this is random. Someone is coming after me and the people I love.

I’ll do anything to protect my crew. Even strike a deal with a vicious old enemy.

Because when I see what I’m fighting against, it’s clear I need all the help I can get. - from Netgalley.com 

This eARC was provided by Netgalley.com and I am giving an unbiased review.

This is the second novel in the Charley Underwood series, and continues the adventures of our newest up and coming witch in Crimson. More trouble has arrived for our MC, and as she deals with the multiple problems that arise, trying to keep everyone (mortal, shifter, vampire) from ending up hurt or dead, and stopping the bad guys.

Overall, this is my basic kind of urban fantasy I prefer to read. It is fairly quick and easy to read, and doesn't necessarily dive into vivid detail if there is some 'romance' going on. We have action, magic, fighting both magical and physical. Small plots twists (to a degree) and multiple things going on that just throw the MC into a tizzy trying to figure out which to face and take care of first. Let's throw in that personal love interest part again, and just mix it all up!

I have enjoyed several other stories from this author, and this one does well keeping my interest in the story. Definitely would recommend for any that like urban fantasy.

Book Review: "Schemes & Scandals" by Kelley Armstrong

 

It’s Mallory Atkinson’s first Christmas in Scotland. Victorian Scotland, that is. Also, as the twenty-first-century detective learns, Christmas really isn’t a thing in Victorian Scotland. It’s all about Hogmanay. But her boss, Dr. Duncan Gray, treats her to an early gift of tickets to the event of the season: a Charles Dickens reading. There, they bump into Lady Inglis—the lovely widow who has sent Gray sexy letters trying to entice him back to her bed.

Lady Inglis introduces Mallory to Dickens—the meeting of a lifetime—but in return she wants their help. She’s being blackmailed. Someone stole letters she wrote to another lover and is threatening to publish them.

Mallory isn’t sure what to make of Lady Inglis, but no woman deserves that, so she insists on taking the case with or without Gray’s help. Growing tension between them soon tells Mallory that Gray is hiding a secret of his own. She has until Hogmanay to uncover the blackmailer…and, hopefully, to put things right with Gray so they can enjoy the holiday together.  - from Netgalley.com 

This eARC was provided by Netgalley.com and I am giving an unbiased review.

So, historical fiction stories are not my favorite reads, but the first book in this series had intrigued me with the plot synopsis, and so I started in on it. Of course, this being a smaller novella between possible longer tales, it was a much shorter read, and I did finish it rather quickly once started. Our MC is still stuck back Victorian Era Scotland, with still no idea, or much hope, at returning to modern day. However, her relationship with Gray is developed more, and still, due to the period, not able to be openly displayed, or even talked about amongst their own privacy. Here there is a nice touch that the MC gets to meet Charles Dickens, who just happens to be one of her favorite authors (coincidental...hmmm).

Overall for the shortness of this story, it flowed well. Sticking to the characters, and events from previous installments, I detected no deviance from what has happened before. How accurate the part of Dickens being in Scotland that possible Yuletide... who is to say. There probably is some record of him making a circuit during the era, but I am not that interested to verify. It sounded well and true to me.

Enjoyed the short work, and because I've got some vested reading into the series, I would definitely recommend and read additional stories if the author presents more. 

Book Review: "Robert B Parker's Hot Property" by Mike Lupica

 

Spenser investigates a case that hits far too close to home for his comfort in this latest installment of Robert B. Parker's beloved series.

Spenser is waiting out the latest Boston snow storm when he gets word that Rita Fiore's been shot. Rita's always been a tricky one: nudging Spenser for years, she's an ever-present figure that transcends friendship in Spenser's circle. Like many of them, at the end of the day, Rita is family. And family will always be protected.

Both a pit bull in the courtroom and provocateur outside it, though, Rita is no stranger to controversy. But as one of the city's toughest lawyers, Spenser knows that there's no short list of suspects who might want to enact revenge. With Rita's life hanging in the balance, it's up to him to get to the bottom of things, even if it means unearthing some savory secrets. -from Netgalley.com

This eARC was given to me by Netgalley.com and I am providing an unbiased review.

Where do I start with this one? Well, if you remember from the 1980's, there was a television show called Spenser For Hire starring Robert Urich as a private detective in Boston named Spenser. I did not know then, this was based on the first books Robert Parker had put out, but I grew up loving that show. As an adult, I went back and through the library read pretty much the whole series, and some off-shoots as well. This is around/about book 52 in the Spenser series, with the last dozen (guessing) written by a few different authors.

I always love getting back into the character lives of a large series like this one. I have written a few reviews on other books by Lupica, including a Spenser book or two. He has well-mastered the writing style Parker had created and used for his stories, and it just helps (in my mind) how I play the story out in my imagination as I read it. One of the things I really liked about this story, is the connection to many of the other series that Parker had created (Jesse Stone, Sunny Randall). Both of those characters either made an appearance, or were mentioned, at some point in the tale. This series has always been one of my favorites, and would like to see more, but not sure where the story can go after this many books.