Old Bones by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

November 2, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Old Bones by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Publisher: Head Of Zeus Ltd
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Nora Kelly, a young curator at the Santa Fe Institute of Archaeology, is approached by historian Clive Benton with a once-in-a-lifetime proposal: to lead a team in search of the so-called “Lost Camp” of the tragic Donner Party. This was a group of pioneers who earned a terrible place in American history when they became snow-bound in the California mountains in 1847, their fate unknown until the first skeletonized survivors stumbled out of the wilderness, raving about starvation, murder-and cannibalism.

Benton tells Kelly he has stumbled upon an amazing find: the long-sought diary of one of the victims, which has an enigmatic description of the Lost Camp. Nora agrees to lead an expedition to locate and excavate it-to reveal its long-buried secrets.

Once in the mountains, however, they learn that discovering the camp is only the first step in a mounting journey of fear. For as they uncover old bones, they expose the real truth of what happened, one that is far more shocking and bizarre than mere cannibalism. And when those ancient horrors lead to present-day violence on a grand scale, rookie FBI agent Corrie Swanson is assigned the case…only to find that her first investigation might very well be her last.

Corrie Swanson is a newly minted Special Agent. Eager to move forward from re-visiting cold cases, she is undeterred when her first case is the murder of a low-level criminal hired to dig up a long-interred grave. Corrie finds a number of circumstantial links to other similar cases and a tenuous link to one common ancestor – Albert Parkin. Parkin was one of those who died on the infamous Donner Party and Dr. Nora Kelly has just begun a search and excavation of the Lost Camp, the third and final resting place of that long ago Party. Past and present collide as Nora and Corrie discover long-buried secrets.

I have been a huge Preston & Child fan for many years, but I really especially enjoyed this book. I have a particular soft spot for Corrie’s character and she’s hands down one of my favourites. I also really enjoy Nora and am pretty much guaranteed to read anything related to these two – together or apart. That said I feel this is the perfect entry-way book for a number of reasons. Readers who have never read anything by Preston & Child can easily pick this up and enjoy it. This is the first book featuring Nora and Corrie and thus has no real connotation of back story or previous installments. The book very carefully explains how both Nora and Corrie end up at the same place – the Lost Camp of the Donner Party – and what they’re looking for. This is easily a book that can be picked up just by itself and thoroughly enjoyed on its own merits.

I loved the plotline – two seemingly separate stories that slowly wind together until it’s clear they’re both a part of the same whole. And I really enjoyed how both Nora and Corrie were two quite different characters and each coming from different positions yet could try to find some common ground and learn to respect each other. The whole story – both their characters and the plotlines – felt natural and well woven, and most importantly of all enjoyable. Add in there were a bunch of elements that just always make a good story – hidden gold, the history behind a failed journey, cannibalism and archaeology along with modern day grave robbing and murder. What on earth is not to like?

This is a fun book which I found to be a lovely blend of mystery, adventure and high stakes this is an exceptional book and well worth the time. I can’t wait for the next one.

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

Square Penny: Romance and Mystery Afoot by Shelley White

November 1, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Square Penny: Romance and Mystery Afoot by Shelley White
In for a Penny Series, #2
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Historical, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

With the dramatic conclusion of Penny Gothic and Tripp’s self-realization, Penny’s happily ever after should be just around the corner…right? What happens when neither main character is ready to ride off into the sunset? They read another book.

The couple meet up in 50s-era teen series Pom Squad Mystery #17. They channel their inner Nancy Drew and Ned to solve the corny mystery of the missing time capsule.

Meanwhile, Penny’s research into her family legacy produces information that suggests sexy neighbor, Gregorio, might be more than just a secondary character.

When the mystery is solved will Penny and Tripp be ready to take their romance into the real world or will unanswered questions still stand in their way?

If you like gentle fiction, look no further.

I was once again amused by Penny’s healthy suspicion of and intelligent responses to some of the tropes of the romance genre that would be unusual to find in the real world. That is to say, she wasn’t the sort of character who leapt into anything without knowing exactly where she’d land first and what she’d do if something didn’t turn out the way she expected it to. That endeared me to her just as much as it did in the first book. She was relatable, funny, and well-rounded.

It would have been helpful to have a little more time dedicated to the mystery storyline. I was interested in how it would play out but didn’t find enough clues to help me come up with good theories about what happened to the missing time capsule. This was the only issue preventing me from choosing a full five-star rating as I enjoyed everything else about this book.

One of the things I’ve enjoyed the most about this series so far has been how much time the slow-burn romance has been given time to develop. While this can be read as a standalone work, I’d recommend starting with Penny Gothic: A Romance of Fictitious Proportions if you want to fully appreciate all of the effort the author put into setting up the framework for Penny and Tripp to fall in love. These sorts of storylines are so much more meaningful to me when I’ve had ample time to get to know the characters and discover the reasons why they’d make a fantastic match.

Square Penny: Romance and Mystery Afoot was a lighthearted and entertaining read.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Akseli by Dianne Duvall, Kirsten Potter (Narrator)

October 28, 2022 By 3 Comments


The Akseli by Dianne Duvall, Kirsten Potter (Narrator)
Aldebarian Alliance, Book 4
Publisher: Self-Published, Tantor Audio (Publisher)
Genre: Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Action/Adventure
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

Simone has hunted and slain psychotic vampires night after night for hundreds of years and desperately needs a change. When the leader of the Immortal Guardians offers her an opportunity to guard ten mortal women who are venturing to another planet, she dives right in and finds traveling into space and meeting amazing alien races just as exciting as she’d hoped… until an enemy attacks. Simone saves everyone she can before she’s thrust into an escape pod and the ship explodes. Alone, fearing some—if not all—of her friends have been killed, she vows to seek vengeance.

Despite his fierce reputation and propensity for violating the law, Janwar has formed a friendship with strait-laced Prince Taelon of Lasara. When the prince’s ship is destroyed, Janwar joins the massive Aldebarian Alliance-wide search and rescue mission and soon locates the Gathendien ship that launched the attack. An odd thing happens, however, as he and his crew stealthily approach it. The lifeforms inside begin to perish, two or three at a time in quick succession. Much to his surprise, someone else has reached the ship first: one of the very Earth women he hoped to rescue.

Fascinatingly fierce, Simone bands together with Janwar and his crew to search for her missing friends and wreak havoc upon those who wish to harm them. She also widens eyes, drops jaws, and sparks laughter and mischief as she banishes the warriors’ world-weariness and makes each day seem like a new adventure. The friendship that grows between Janwar and Simone swiftly deepens into love. But the enemy warriors they face are tenacious and boast more weapons in their arsenal than the alliance knows. Can Janwar, Simone, and such a small crew vanquish them?

Looking for an edge-of-your-seat, romantic suspense, sci-fi adventure that will knock your socks off? The Akseli is definitely the book to check out. There are space battles, sword fights, alien monsters, narrow escapes, action behind enemy lines on an ice planet, an A.I. program that can actually be considered a secondary character, and a romance that made my little heart go pitter-patter.

That list is only a tiny fraction of what made this story stand out as it amazed and enthralled me and had me listening to the audio version twice – some scenes, thrice. Lest a reader worry that it’s all flash-bang action, I assure you that there are tender moments, sweet moments, character dialogue that made me sniffle and my heart hurt for some of the guys in the scenes. Janwar’s crew each have their own story, and I will tell you, every single one needs their own HEA. You want tortured heroes? Men who’ve been hurt, scorned, made examples of and treated as pariahs by either their culture or their families? My heart broke for each of these brave men that Janwar now calls family. They all have good hearts, are actually noble and, even having chosen an unorthodox career in order to survive, have resisted becoming villains and instead kept their honor and are fiercely loyal to Janwar and to each other. How could the heroine NOT fall in love with Janwar and his ‘family’?

The Gathendiens are back being their dastardly, disgusting, vile, smelly selves – they are the perfect villains. They hate everyone and are bent on genocide towards any civilized planet that has something that they want. And they are not the only characters with defunct moral compasses – a reader finds out there are more deviant, greedy, power-hungry beings that will do anything for power and/or money. One of them reminds me of a character from the second set of Star Wars movies, and the other, is too close to a real-life villain. But I won’t go there. This novel is about a hero and heroine who defy and overcame incredible odds, all in order to rescue victims and friends from evil aliens. The story is about Janwar and Simone falling in love even while in the thick of things. It’s about a man who becomes better, stronger, more focused and more heroic all because of the love of a strong woman with a zest for life and adventure. It’s about acceptance, embracing differences and finding common goals. All of that is woven in throughout the novel with excellent storytelling skill.

If fans listen to the audio version, they are in for an experience of delight, entertainment, laughter and being 100% engaged and invested in every character’s wellbeing. The narrating talent of Ms. Potter is second to none. Each character has their own voice and Ms. Potter uses her voice skills flawlessly. I’ve yet to experience another narrator with her consistent range and ability to express emotions only through voice. Yes, the writing has to have it first, and it does, but the narration explodes the story into brilliant life. It’s one of the reasons that, when it comes to Ms. Duvall’s books, I purchase them in all three formats, audio, print and ebook. I’m always so satisfied, I find it well worth the investment.

The Akseli is a star-quality novel that gives readers a top-notch reading experience that thrills and entertains non-stop, all the way to the perfect and romantic happy ever after ending, with an irresistible hook for the next adventure in the series. Sign me up! I simply can’t get enough of this wonderful universe Ms. Duvall has created through the Aldebarian Alliance. It’s a book addiction worth having.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy 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.

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Rivers Of London by Ben Aaronovitch

October 27, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Rivers Of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Peter Grant looks look your average London police officer, but he is actually a part-time wizard in a very elite branch of the Metropolitan Police. It’s his job to investigate those crimes that regular cops don’t like to talk about because they often involve vampires or strange things in Underground tunnels. Peter’s latest case features a self-driving killer automobile, a Serbian refugee, the Most Haunted Car in England, a handsome drug dealer with a nice paisley scarf and a seemingly harmless wooden bench with a dark past! Collecting the sell-out smash mini-series, Rivers of London: Body Work!

Constable Peter Grant is nearing the end of his probationary period and is excited to see what his next steps will be in the Metropolitan Police Service. Only he finds himself taking a witness statement from a ghost and all too soon his career takes a sharp sideways turn. Peter discovers there are all manner of paranormal beings out there, and plenty of them call London home.

It has been quite some time since I have been really excited by a paranormal story and this book was absolutely exceptional. I really enjoyed the light, easy to read voice of the author – and of Peter himself – and found the whole story very “moreish” in that I kept on wanting to read just a little bit more, then a bit more after that. There are a bunch of interweaving characters and while the plot seems to meander a fair bit even that I can find acceptable because Peter is entirely new to this world and so everything wasn’t making complete sense to him yet either. There isn’t a lot of cohesion to everything, but I feel this mimics how unusual everything appears to Peter as well.

That said, I found this a very easy to read book and while everything appears scattered at first the tone and overall feel to the whole book – and the new paranormal world opening up to Peter – was so interesting and enjoyable I didn’t think twice about slowing down or stopping. I was again very happy to discover this is the first in a decently sized series and I had already purchased the second story when I was barely halfway through this one.

Readers who like a good police/mystery novel should definitely find this appealing. I also think paranormal readers should be very happy with this book. Readers who don’t mind a bit of humour in their stories – or a lighter take on the various paranormal creatures out there – should definitely feel the style of this novel suits their tastes too.

A brilliant first book and a new-to-me author which I am very happy to add to my collection. Recommended.

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

*Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin

October 25, 2022 By Leave a Comment


*Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

When a cold case in Texas leads to a sinister string of disappearances, a newcomer to the small town helps a detective piece together the clues in this new romantic thriller from New York Times bestselling author Laura Griffin.

Corporate lawyer Ava Burch has had enough of the big city and the daily grind. She grew up with her father, who raised search-and-rescue dogs, in rural Texas and has moved to the small town of Cuervo to spend time in the dry, rugged wilderness near Big Bend National Park. When she and her dog, Huck, discover an abandoned campsite on a volunteer search-and-rescue mission, she’s perplexed, but she carefully photographs it all the same.

All Grant Wycoff can see when he looks at Ava is a city slicker—with her designer jeans and shiny car—who has no business on a serious team made of seasoned outdoorsmen and retired cops. But when she tells him of her findings on the trail, he sees there’s more to her than meets the eye.

Ava’s discovery reminds Grant of the unsolved case of a young woman who went missing two years ago. As they look into the campsite further, another woman disappears under odd circumstances. With time running out, Ava and Grant must work against the brutal heat from both the Texas sun and their own electric chemistry to solve the case.

Vanishing Hour is an intense and exhilarating story filled with unforgettable characters, intricate plot weaving and intrigue. Laura Griffin is one of my favorite authors; she knows how to make romantic suspenseful stories come alive.

Ava is an attorney, and she is also a search and rescue volunteer. While Ava and her dog help to search for a young woman who is missing, she meets Grant. Grant and Ava have an immediate connection and they share tons of chemistry as they work together to try to find the woman.

I immediately connected with the two main characters, Grant and Ava and I enjoyed all of their interactions. They work tirelessly trying to uncover clues to solve the case they are working on and also try to find time to spend with each other. This spellbinding story kept me on the edge of my seat, and I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend this one.

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

A Room Full Of Bones by Elly Griffiths

October 25, 2022 By Leave a Comment


A Room Full Of Bones by Elly Griffiths
Publisher: Quercus
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

When Ruth Galloway arrives to supervise the opening of a coffin containing the bones of a medieval bishop, she finds the museum’s curator lying dead on the floor. Soon after, the museum’s wealthy owner is also found dead, in his stables.

DCI Harry Nelson is called in to investigate, thrusting him into Ruth’s path once more. When threatening letters come to light, events take an even more sinister turn. But as Ruth’s friends become involved, where will her loyalties lie? As her convictions are tested, Ruth and Nelson must discover how Aboriginal skulls, drug smuggling, and the mystery of the “Dreaming” hold the answers to these deaths, as well as the keys to their own survival.

Dr Ruth Galloway is invited to an important but unusual event, assisting in the opening and documentation of a coffin excavated from a medieval church. When Ruth arrives an hour early at the museum, she is shocked to discover the curator recently deceased next to the ancient coffin. Detective Inspector Nelson is called in to investigate and things become more difficult – and far more dangerous.

This is the fourth book in the Dr Ruth Galloway series, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. I could well understand if many of the readers find the writing takes a little bit to get used to – most of this book (and the others I’ve read so far in the series) are written in the third-person omniscient tense which sometimes gives a bit of an overview feeling or like you’re watching something unfold, not directly connected or able to see things properly through the characters’ eyes. I recall feeling for the first book (The Crossing Place) that this was quite odd and took a bit to get used to. I can’t tell if the author just got better/more subtle about it or whether I’m now simply used to it, but I certainly don’t find the voice as jarring or difficult anymore – though it is still a slightly different feel to other books I’m used to.

That said I still felt a really good connection to Ruth in particular – and oddly I found myself highly enjoying Cathbad’s character as well. While Nelson is certainly the other primary character here, the murky situation between him, Ruth and Nelson’s wife had me feeling a little less charitable to Nelson’s character for much of the book. I don’t really feel Nelson acted badly or “wrong” but I personally feel he could have handled the entire situation better. While I fully expect to be won over again by Nelson in the next few books, I spent a lot of this story feeling equal parts sorry for Nelson and annoyed by him. I thought Cathbad’s character – while certainly not taking over from Nelson’s in any way – really helped fill the void I’m certain would have been there otherwise. I also simply enjoy Cathbad quite thoroughly.

Readers should know that there is an exceptional current-day murder mystery expertly woven around the medieval skeleton of a local Bishop. There are also some Australian Aboriginal bones and a few other smaller sub-plots revolving around in this story that really helped to keep me rapidly turning the pages. I feel the author did an excellent job balancing the various mystery/archaeology plots along with the inter-personal relationships of the various main characters. While I do feel everything is explained well enough a reader could pick this book up by itself and still thoroughly enjoy it, I personally would recommend reading this series in order. While not strictly necessary, a lot of the complexities and history revolving around these characters is from the prior stories and so I feel readers will have a much richer enjoyment having already read the previous books.

An exceptional murder mystery with strong archaeological ties, this is a good book and I personally found it a compelling read. Recommended.

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

Long Road To Mercy by David Baldacci

October 24, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Long Road To Mercy by David Baldacci
Publisher: Pan Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Catch a tiger by its toe.

It’s seared into Atlee Pine’s memory: the kidnapper’s chilling rhyme as he chose between six-year-old Atlee and her twin sister, Mercy. Mercy was taken. Atlee was spared.

She never saw Mercy again.

Three decades after that terrifying night, Atlee Pine works for the FBI. She’s the lone agent assigned to the Shattered Rock, Arizona resident agency, which is responsible for protecting the Grand Canyon.

So when one of the Grand Canyon’s mules is found stabbed to death at the bottom of the canyon-and its rider missing-Pine is called in to investigate. It soon seems clear the lost tourist had something more clandestine than sightseeing in mind. But just as Pine begins to put together clues pointing to a terrifying plot, she’s abruptly called off the case.

If she disobeys direct orders by continuing to search for the missing man, it will mean the end of her career. But unless Pine keeps working the case and discovers the truth, it could spell the very end of democracy in America as we know it…

FBI Special Agent Atlee Pine is the only officer in a remote outpost near the Grand Canyon. She covers an enormous range of the desert in Arizona but that’s exactly how she likes it. When one of the tourists down in the Canyon goes missing and their mule is gutted Atlee is puzzled but soon drawn into far deeper waters than she could have ever imagined.

This is the first book in the series revolving around Atlee Pine and I thoroughly enjoyed it. While I felt the pace of the book was a little slow to begin with, I feel Baldacci did an excellent job setting the story up – both with the multi-layered characters and the scenery itself. I soon found myself heavily invested in Atlee and the case in general, the plot clearly having multiple levels to it and I found it deliciously twisty – not something I could easily unravel early on in the book.

The story ends up having a strong political line, but I don’t think that’s uncommon with Baldacci stories. I was particularly pleased that while definitely political, the writing and plot itself didn’t feel preachy or like the author’s personal agenda or beliefs were skewing the story one way or the other. I feel the action and plot itself drove most (if not all) of the politics and I’m quite happy with that in a story. I also feel there was enough turns and layers to everything that it would surprise me if a reader guessed too far ahead of how events would unfold until well past the halfway mark.

Readers can easily pick this book up as a standalone. While it’s very clear Agent Pine’s personal story (especially the kidnapping of her twin sister when they were young children) will evolve and grow further as the books progress the plot, characters and overall feel of the book was very well contained in this story with a definite – and I feel satisfying – conclusion at the end. I am very eager to move on to the next in this series and feel most mystery/suspense/political thriller style readers will enjoy this book. Recommended.

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

Sweetwater and the Witch by Jayne Castle

October 24, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Sweetwater and the Witch by Jayne Castle (Author), Barbara Rosenblat (Narrator)
A Harmony Novel, #15
Publisher: Berkley (Print), Recorded Books (Audio Publisher)
Genre: Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

If there’s something Ravenna Chastain knows, it’s when to end things. And after she almost winds up the victim of a cult that believes she’s a witch, it’s easy to walk away from her dead-end career, ready for a new start. But where to find a job that would allow her to use her very specialized skill set? The answer is clear: she becomes a matchmaker.

But even a successful matchmaker can’t find someone for everyone, and Ravenna considers Ethan Sweetwater her first professional failure. After nine failed dates, Ravenna knows it’s time to cut Ethan loose. But Ethan refuses to be fired as a client—he needs one final date to a business function. Since Ravenna needs a date herself to a family event, they agree to a deal: she will be his (business) date if he will be her (fake) date to her grandparents’ anniversary celebration.

What Ethan fails to mention is that attending the business function is a cover for some industrial espionage that he’s doing as a favor to the new Illusion Town Guild boss. Ravenna is happy to help, but their relationship gets even more complicated when things heat up—the chemistry between them is explosive, as explosive as the danger that’s stalking Ravenna. Lucky for her, Ethan isn’t just an engineer—he’s also a Sweetwater, and Sweetwaters are known for hunting down monsters…

I’ve been a fan of the Harmony series, and the Dust Bunnies, for quite some time. This latest adventure delivered what I enjoy most about Ms. Castle’s writing. There’s of course, the romance, but there is laughter, intrigue, close calls and daring escapes, mystery and murder and fascinating secondary characters. The dialogue is fast paced, witty, and always provides great forward momentum to the plot. That is all a credit to the great writing talent of Jayne Castle. What brings this story over the top beyond the author’s skills, is the talent and incredible storytelling voice of the narrator, Barbara Rosenblat. Ms. Rosenblat brings the story to life in such an effective manner that it’s a delightful pleasure to listen to the story. In fact, I listed to the audiobook twice before I sat down to write this review. I know I missed things the first time around and when the story is as good as this one, it was an easy decision to give it another go-round to catch what I might have missed the first time. It’s actually a treat when I do find some missed words or descriptions because the added details make the book come alive for me again. It was an awesome experience.

What makes me crack up is Ethen Sweetwater and his return dialogue with Ravenna when she says something that once again makes it clear that she is completely oblivious to his attentions with regards to herself. The narrator’s perfect intonation gave me the giggles – Ethan has a dry wit so that when he responds to Ravenna’s clueless response in that certain way, I felt for the guy. A reader will know long before the heroine that the hero is smitten with her, and his dry responses just slayed me.

The cutest scene has something to do with Dust Bunny theater. Harriet, the Dust Bunny, stole quite a few scenes with her chortling and waving of pens. The newspaper headline gave me the snickers as well.

There are a few red herrings in the mystery and a few surprises too which ratcheted up my enjoyment. There was mild suspense and drama sprinkled throughout the book, keeping me riveted throughout the entire story. I couldn’t believe how fast time flew. I had such an awesome time reading and experiencing Sweetwater and the Witch. I was very happy with the happy ever after too. I suspect fans are going to have So much fun reading this story just like I did. This was an excellent book and I highly recommend it.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy 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: , , , , , ,
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