A Pirate’s Love by Johanna Lindsey

November 17, 2022 By Leave a Comment


A Pirate’s Love by Johanna Lindsey
Publisher: Harper Collins
Genre: Action/Adventure, Romance, Historical
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Sailing westward toward the Caribbean sun, young Bettina Verlaine obediently sets out to fulfill the promise made by her father–but not by her heart — a prearranged marriage destined not to be…once the notorious Captain Tristan’s pirate ship appears on the horizon.

Abducted by the bold and handsome brigand, the pale-haired beauty surrenders her innocence in the warm caress of the tropical winds — detesting her virile captor for enslaving her. . .yet loving him for the passionate spell he casts over fragile, yearning heart.

He’s hot and he’s demanding…he’s also in charge.

I was given this book as part of a recommended reading list and I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it. The writing flowed well and it’s certainly a throwback romance. I’ve never read a Johanna Lindsey before now, but I’m glad I did. I’m headed to check out more of her work after this one.

Tristan is everything a romance hero should be–he’s in charge, he’s dangerous and he’s demanding. He’s also a hot pirate, so that doesn’t hurt. Bettina is inexperienced, as I expected in a book like this, and he’s about to give her that experience. I liked the pairing because as much as he’s pushing her, she’s giving it right back to him. They play off each other well.

This is a bodice-ripper, though. He pushes to the point where it’s almost not attractive. I wasn’t a fan of him for most of the book, to be honest. He was just too…much for me. Bettina was a bit much, too. She’s a firebrand and she detests him, but she likes being with him. The push-pull got tiresome at times. I also wasn’t fond of the way the word rape was thrown around. I get it was dubious consent. Oh, boy, I got that. For me, it took me out of the story to have that word used so much.

Still, this was hot and there were times of tenderness. It’s a good read and one I’m glad I ticked off my reading list. You should, too.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Sufficient Loss Protocol by Kemi Ashing-Giwa

November 16, 2022 By Leave a Comment


The Sufficient Loss Protocol by Kemi Ashing-Giwa
Publisher: Tor Books
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When an alien entity sneaks aboard a corporate spaceship, with no motive besides sabotaging the mission and murdering those aboard, commander Uzoma Ifiok launches an investigation—despite knowing that the real danger isn’t the one picking off her crew.

Who cares what happens to those pesky civilians as long as there’s money to be made, right?

Uzoma wasn’t someone I’d ever want to cross paths with, but they sure were an interesting protagonist. I was intrigued by their willingness to do anything for money, up to and including being a contract killer as mentioned in one of the earliest scenes. Their reasons for doing this sort of grisly work are best left up to other readers to figure out for themselves, but I kept trying to figure out where this person’s limits were and what might happen if they were pushed past their comfort zone. This was an excellent example of how to write an arrogant and unlikeable but also incredibly memorable character.

I did find myself wishing for more world building. Yes, there are companies in our world who get away with killing people for profit through faulty products and other such things, but the amount of murders mentioned in this short story made me wonder what on Earth – or, rather, in space – the governmental system in this setting was doing while the corporation who hired Uzoma continued to give this character orders that would lead to the deaths of countless innocent people. It would have been helpful to know whether their government was unable or unwilling to step in and how all of those deaths were explained to the general public.

Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that explored the assumptions we all make about things we’ve done a hundred times before. It’s easy to fall into a pattern and not necessarily pay attention to little things that might be different this time around. I liked the fact that Uzoma stuck to what they knew just like anyone else probably would in their shoes. As terrible as some of their life choices were, it made this character feel more human and relatable.

The Sufficient Loss Protocol was a wild ride.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths

November 15, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths
Publisher: Quercus
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Forensic archeologist Ruth Galloway investigates a heart-stopping case: an old university friend and fellow archeologist murdered in an arson attack.

When Ruth Galloway learns that her old university friend Dan Golding has died in a house fire, she is shocked and saddened. But when she receives a letter that Dan had written just before he died, her sadness turns to suspicion. The letter tells of a great archaeological discovery, but Dan also says that he is scared for his life.

Was Dan’s death linked to his find? The only clue is his mention of the Raven King, an ancient name for King Arthur. When she arrives in Lancashire, Ruth discovers that the bones reveal a shocking fact about King Arthur—and that the bones have mysteriously vanished.

The case draws in DCI Nelson, determined to protect Ruth and their eighteen-month-old daughter, Kate. But someone is willing to kill to keep the bones a secret, and it is beginning to look as if no one is safe.

Dr Ruth Galloway heads north when an old University buddy gets in contact with her. Wanting Ruth’s expertise in bones and with her sterling reputation in forensic archaeology Ruth is compelled to go searching the answers when her friend is unexpectedly murdered. Ruth and Nelson once again cross paths as Nelson has returned home with his wife for a short summer break to visit each of their families and his ties with the local police remain as strong as ever.

I found this an interesting and enjoyable archaeology-based murder mystery. While the entire book is solidly set in the present, I did love how the author managed to make so much of the history feel equally modern but still factual and historically accurate. I greatly enjoyed the characters – though readers who have enjoyed previous books in this series should be warned that Nelson, his wife, Ruth, Kate and Cathbad are really the only main characters that have significant amounts of time in the book. I did enjoy getting an update on Judy though – that helped tie this book in with the recent events in the few previous books.

Readers should know I feel this book can definitely stand exceptionally well on its own. I feel a lot of my emotional investment in the characters comes from having read the previous installments – but the plot absolutely is self-contained in this story and there aren’t too many ties threading this book with the others. I feel readers should be able to easily pick this book up with no prior knowledge and thoroughly enjoy it.

I thought the mystery was solid and well-paced. While it is definitely a mystery novel there is a lot of history and archaeology as well in this story. Personally, I feel it was very well balanced and made for a lay person to read quite easily. I found it enjoyable and very readable having no real experience or knowledge about British history and/or archaeology. I found it really interesting and the plotlines themselves very well woven.

A fun and enjoyable read, I’m looking forward to more books in this series.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Longstone by LJ Ross

November 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Longstone by LJ Ross
Publisher: Dark Skies Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Between the devil and the deep blue sea…

Viking treasure is discovered beneath the icy waters of the North Sea and local historian Doctor Anna Taylor is called in to help catalogue the most exciting hoard in living memory. But when a shipwreck diver washes up dead, she’s soon out of her depth. Luckily, she knows just the person to call…

When DCI Ryan arrives at the picturesque fishing town of Seahouses, he’s faced with an impenetrable wall of secrets and lies. As he juggles marine archaeology and the cutthroat world of shipwreck diving, another murder blows the case wide open. To uncover the truth, Ryan must delve deeper into the hearts of those around him to find what lies beneath…

Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced crime whodunnit set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape.

After years of searching, a university professor contacts Dr Anna Taylor-Ryan, excited beyond belief he’d found an intact Viking ship and treasure beyond belief. Agreeing to meet the following morning, Anna is shocked to discover her colleague drowned mysteriously overnight. DCI Ryan is called in to investigate, but the small coastal town has plenty of secrets and no one appears eager to divulge any of them.

I have been enjoying this series and while this – the tenth book – is not blindingly new or breaking new ground, it has all the hallmarks of a really good British police procedural storyline and a gripping who-done-it murder mystery plot. Given the small, coastal town and the limited number of potential murderer’s readers could be forgiven for thinking the mystery element might be a bit lacking – but I was delighted to find that assumption couldn’t be more wrong. While superficially the motive for murder is clear cut, I was pleased that DCI Ryan’s investigation uncovers a complicated web of interlocking parts, and the entire plot was shown to be delightfully complex.

Readers who have enjoyed the previous stories might be a little bummed that a number of the regular main characters – particularly other members of DCI Ryan’s team – are very much on the periphery of this investigation until about halfway through the book. I thought this was a double-edged sword for the book. On the one hand I really enjoyed the fact this plot and mystery very much stood properly by itself – an exceptional and well contained story that could be picked up, read and thoroughly enjoyed by anyone even had they not read a single previous book. That is always a very bright spot in a series and an excellent way to draw new readers in who otherwise might not be keen to start a series mid-way through. That said, I spent most of the first half of the book struggling not to skim ahead to see how some of the characters – particularly Jack – pulled up after the events of the last two books. While this will easily make a re-read of the book later far more enjoyable, I do feel it was a bit of a shame the author left it so late into the book to answer those questions left dangling from the previous two books.

I greatly enjoyed seeing plenty of Anna and Ryan though and was pleased to see such a self-contained plotline back in England. The mystery itself was quite interesting and there were enough subplots, red herrings and other goings-on in the small town that kept me invested and eagerly turning the pages. I feel this would be a good book for readers new to this author and series to dip into – virtually no pre-existing knowledge of the characters, world or set up is needed to properly and thoroughly enjoy this story.

An interesting read for those who enjoy British police procedural style murder mysteries.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

This Calder Sky by Janet Dailey

November 4, 2022 By Leave a Comment


This Calder Sky by Janet Dailey
Publisher: Pocket Books
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

The great Calder empire stretched across the Montana plains as far as the eye could see. Everyone knew a Calder’s word was law and that one day Chase Calder would carry the family name to new glories. But for handsome, arrogant Chase Calder there was also beautiful Maggie O’Rourke, who came to him in innocence and stirred in him a deep, insistent longing. But Maggie was determined to be free from the harsh codes of hard men. And even Chase Calder’s strong arms couldn’t keep her. Still, in them both burned the raw passion of the land…where even the greatest love must fight to live beneath This Calder Sky.

Two souls bound to come together, but boy are there some wrinkles in this plan.

I’ve only read a couple books by Janet Dailey, but I was urged to read more by this author because these are some of the classics of romance. This is some of where the romance genre really came into its own. I’ll certainly read others by this author because I see why this author is so well-loved.

The pacing was interesting. There were moments when the characters weren’t together, but they weren’t far from each other’s mind. I liked that. I liked that Chase was so alpha. He knew what he wanted, but he was smart enough to realize he wasn’t ready to have it. That takes guts.

I have a few quibbles with this book though. Maggie is fifteen when the story starts. When she and Chase get together the first time…she’d underage and he’s not. That really bugged me because I kept thinking she was a child. It wasn’t right. Another thing that bothered me was how she went from naïve to experienced in seconds. It seemed a bit unrealistic. I get that this book was originally published in 1981, but even then, the age gap at that time seemed too much. I also didn’t get into the big chunks of the book where the main characters were so far away from each other. But that’s just me. There’s also the trigger warning that there is animal abuse in this book. This might not bother some, as it’s fiction, but if you’re not a fan, then you might want to skip those pages.

I’ve left quite a bit of negative about this book, but there are some positives, too. I liked the interaction between Chase and Maggie in the second half of the book. The tenderness showed right through. I liked how Chase was with Ty, too. He came into his own as a father.

If you’re looking for a book that’s certainly vintage, but still interesting, then this might be the book to try. Give it a shot.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Jingle Bells by Nick Butterworth

November 3, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Jingle Bells by Nick Butterworth
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Join some very enterprising mice in this funny, festive story from best-selling creator of Percy the Park Keeper, Nick Butterworth. Fastened with ribbon and jingly bell, this book makes a wonderful Christmas gift!

Christmas time, a happy time – or so it should be. But for two small mice, Lottie and Jack, Christmas Eve is overshadowed by one big problem… That Cat. How can they stop him from spoiling everything? Their friend, the wise rat, Ton Chee, has an idea involving a little golden bell … but will it work?

Not every Christmas is a perfect one.

What a peaceful farm to set this story on. I felt as though I received exactly the right amount of information about the farmhouse, barn, outbuildings, and yard. The most important portions of the plot involved what the characters were doing in these places, of course, but it was nice to have such a sturdy backdrop for all of their adventures. Things like this can be easily overlooked, yet they make such a big difference in how readers connect to a story. Good job on all of this, Mr. Butterworth!

I would have liked to see more attention paid to the bullying in this story. Angus the cat was consistently unkind to Lottie and Jack in previous obvious ways. I was surprised by how much Angus was able to get away with and found myself wishing for stronger consequences for these actions. The solution that was eventually shared was a good start, but it would have been nice to see it taken far enough for the cat to realize they were wrong and try to do something to make up for it. As much as I enjoyed the rest of the storyline, I’d want to have a conversation about more efficient ways to handle bullying afterwards if I were to read it to preschoolers.

With that being said, I did appreciate Lottie and Jack’s creativity in this area of their lives. There is definitely something to be said for seeking advice from wise folks and trying to fix a problem after listening to someone else’s ideas about it. I also enjoyed seeing how this issue tied into the magic of the Christmas season, but that’s something other readers should learn more about themselves.

Jingle Bells made me wish Christmas would arrive sooner.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Dark Whisper by Christine Feehan

November 1, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Dark Whisper by Christine Feehan
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Vasilisa Sidkorolyavolkva is a Lycan of royal blood. She knows what is expected of her, but all she wants is to be out from under her family’s watchful eyes. There is a fire inside her that is building. A restlessness coupled with a sense of growing dread. Every day she feels the weight of the legacy passed down through generations. The prophecy that says a man will come to claim her as his mate, and that she will guard his soul. She knows nothing about him except that he is hers. But nothing seems real until the night she meets him in the flesh….

Afanasiv Belan is a Carpathian, an ancient one. In all the centuries of his existence, no one has ever affected him like Vasilisa. He can see into her mind and feel what is in her heart. They are so alike, warriors bound by honor and plagued by secrets. They both know they must reveal the darkest parts of their souls if they hope to survive and protect the ones they love.

But if they claim each other as lifemates, it will change them down to the bone. They will become something more—something feared by both of their kinds….

The action is well-written, the suspense and drama are strong, and the characters are as interesting as ever. What I liked about Dark Whisper is that there is no stupid drama about the heroine resenting or resisting Afanasiv’s claim to her, or the possessive alpha nature of the hero. Vasilisa is well aware of what she guards, and I actually like that about her. No unnecessary angst, just a strong sense of self, knowing her duty and the confidence of her skill to carry it out, come what may. She’s a very strong heroine.

Both hero and heroine work well together. They don’t get a lot of down time because the pace of this novel is non-stop. The plot conflict keeps coming at them. But with their allies, Afanasiv and Vasilisa are up to the task of fighting off demons, vampires and betrayers. It’s a dark read which fits the title appropriately.

The ending is a bit abrupt, and I wasn’t expecting that. Usually there’s a wrap up that gives a reader time to admire all the threads of the plot being wrapped up, including the happy ever after. It felt like a roller coaster ride that ended too soon, up, down whoosh and …done. It was still a good tale, entertaining and engaging. Afanasiv and Vasilisa definitely complement each other. There were even a few surprises which I enjoyed.

I’m not too thrilled with the current story arc. I’ve been a fan of the series for a very long time, and most of the books are awesome. This one with the demons and Lilith mixing with vampires and mages just seems like it’s pushing the envelope into an area I don’t care for. The one sticky point that bothered me the most was the use of holy water. It seemed disingenuous because there was no correlation to anything referring to Christianity in Dark Whisper. I am used to holy water being directly associated with some type of Christian faith because it’s one of the most potent, visible and easily accessible symbols, yet it’s frequently taken out of context, using all its power but none of its source. I’m all for engaging willing suspension of disbelief in order to enjoy the paranormal romances I read, but I can’t ignore the use of something with power devoid of what gives it power in the first place. Using it on evil beings and then expecting me to believe that it would have the same powerful effect as if it were produced from the sole source, a Christian religion, but not? Nope, that didn’t work for me. It didn’t completely kick me out of enjoying all the other aspects of the novel. Like I said, there was a lot going on, but I took note, and it bothered me enough to mention it. It’s a good thing that there were many other facets of the tale I did like. There were exciting and powerful characters helping the hero and heroine out and I enjoyed the idea that there is something about Skyler that could create a new story arc for her and Dimitri. It certainly brought up more questions than answers, but they are captivating ideas to ponder. Then there’s the mention of the trapped Carpathian, Justice. Something big is building, that’s for sure. I’m glad they got one of the bad guys out of the picture. How they did it was sort of gruesome but extremely apropos. This is a dark romantic paranormal suspense after all. Ms. Feehan knows what she’s about.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. It’s a good read and I think fans of the series will like it. I did go, Wow! a few times and threw in a whoa! or two as well. It’s worth checking out.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

Dead Level by Damien Boyd

October 28, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Dead Level by Damien Boyd
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

In the early hours of Christmas Eve, the wife of parliamentary candidate Tom Perry is brutally murdered in an apparent burglary gone wrong.

With the by-election campaign about to start in earnest, and the festive season in full swing, torrential rain brings with it flood warnings on the Somerset Levels.

Suspended on full pay and transferred to the cold case unit, Detective Inspector Nick Dixon is languishing on the sidelines as the investigation into Elizabeth Perry’s murder unravels and the floodwaters rise.

Returning to duty, Dixon is convinced that the answer lies hidden in Tom Perry’s political life, but why was Elizabeth the target and not her husband? The more Dixon uncovers, the further he is from finding the truth…

DI Nick Dixon is suspended on full pay while a disciplinary action is investigated against him. Working temporarily in the cold case unit he’s grateful just to be kept busy. But when a local parliamentary candidate’s wife is murdered DI Dixon soon finds himself back in action and investigating quite a murky case.

This next installment of the Nick Dixon mystery series is a far longer book than the previous offerings. I enjoyed the fact the plot was equally a fair bit more convoluted and there were a few more moving parts than I recall there being in the previous books. I was surprised that for much of the first quarter or so of the story Nick was suspended and so it was his girlfriend and colleague Jane, and another DI, Janice, who worked the main murder mystery case. While I did enjoy this very different aspect to the story, I wondered a few times what other readers might think of the focus of the story being very much not on Nick as the main character, but very much sitting idly by and not really involved at all.

I was also a bit surprised that Nick’s cold case really took a back seat once he was reinstated and immediately took over the murder of the politician’s wife. At no stage did I think Nick had forgotten about it or that he wouldn’t return to it, but there was a large section of the book where it clearly wasn’t his focus and while I understood this it also didn’t feel very good to me.

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this strong police procedural story. I enjoyed seeing a few more characters and actually hope to see more of the other DI Janice in later books. The pace of this story is fairly slow – readers looking for a heavily action orientated style of novel won’t find that here – but for more classic British style who-dun-it and police mystery novels should really find this a well written and exceptionally well plotted story. I was also pretty happy that the book stood very well on its own. I don’t believe any of the prior novels in this series need to be read to really enjoy this book.

An interesting and well plotted murder mystery, this is a great book, and I am eager to read the next.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Salt & Blood by Tesla Storm

October 21, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Salt & Blood by Tesla Storm
Darker Desires, book 2
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

After slaying a wendigo, banishing a sub-prince of Hell, and falling in love with Adrian Graves despite her addiction to demons, Vivianna Sky is on to her next adventure: locating and destroying the monstrous entity that plagues Munkai Island. The manananggal is attacking expectant mothers in the anachronistic village, resulting in the death of at least one child and the threat of many more lives.

Vivianna initially answers the call for the bounty on the manananggal’s head, but once she lands on the island, everything changes. She feels a calling to kill the creature wreaking so much havoc, but the closer she gets to the case, the further Adrian seems to stray. Vivianna swears his eyes are drawn to Ilena Martin, the federal agent assigned to the island. And the distance between Adrian and Vivianna only widens when the Sky family curse rears its ugly head.

To kill the beast, Vivianna must give up everything—even and especially her own self-control. But will her loss of control destroy more than just the monster?

Dark, dangerous and full of desire.

Tesla Storm is a new to me author and I’ll be looking for the first book in this series. It’s dark, hot and has a lot of twists to it. The story moved along at a good clip, and I felt like I was there with Vivianna.

This is book 2 in the series and might be best read after reading book 1. There’s a lot of information to digest right away, but honestly the author does a good job of getting the reader up to speed.

I liked that the author used a different type of monster for this book. The manananggal isn’t as well-known as other paranormal monsters and it was nice to see representation in this book. It was also nice to get invested in the characters of Adrian and Vivianna. I rooted for them and liked the real-world issues that come up between them. Sometimes life is messy.

If you’re looking for something hot, dark and different, then this might be the book for you.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Alceu by Jade Marshall

October 20, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Alceu by Jade Marshall
Cammareri Family Book 1
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Guilia Rossi
Every little girl fantasizes about her wedding day, but being forced to marry a man that gives me the creeps? It soon becomes less of a dream and more of a nightmare. Getting out of this marriage and away from Salvador Berlusconi is the only thing I can think about. But when I finally get the chance, will I pick the devil I know or the monster I do not?

Alceu Cammareri
Salvador Berlusconi has been a thorn in my side for far too long. Taking Giulia Rossi from him will finally start the war I need to take him out. Permanently. What I never considered is the woman I married. She twists my insides and forces me to feel things I never wanted to feel. But I am not a knight in shining armor, I am the devil dripping in blood. Will she ever be able to accept me for who I am, or will I send her running?

A marriage of convenience that just might be the perfect pairing.

I’m not wild about mafia romance, but I decided to check this one out because I’ve read this author before. I enjoyed the book. It moves along at a good clip and the characters are interesting. I do like the pairing of Giulia and Alceu. They work together well, and it was nice to see her take her life into her own hands.

Giulia is a tough girl and she’s used to doing what she’s told. I liked how she decided instead of marrying a gross man, she picks one more suitable. The pairing worked for me and made me want to root for them.

All in all, this is a quick, sexy read and one good for an afternoon when you want something to heat the screen. Give it a shot. I’m glad I did.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »