Review: Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran

Title: Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead (Claire DeWitt Mysteries #1)

Author: Sara Gran
Publication Date: June 2, 2011
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Genre: Adult Mystery
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N
Source: Library

Sara Gran has written a novel about an unprecedented private investigator named Claire DeWitt. Destiny, it seems, has chosen Claire to be a detective, planting a copy of the enigmatic book Détection in her path as a teenager. Claire has grabbed this destiny with both hands but fate has been cruel. Twenty years later detection is her religion andDétection is her Bible.

Now she is summoned to New Orleans, because someone has heard she is "the best," to search for an upstanding citizen lost in the miasma of Katrina. The battered and beggared New Orleans, second only to Claire, is the star of this story. Thus the title.

The style is slick, gripping, and mystical, as strange and as easy as the character of Claire DeWitt. You may be repelled by her earthiness or mesmerized by her off-the-wall devotion to her calling.

Well known district attorney Vic Willig has disappeared - assumed to have perished in the floods that devastated much of New Orleans. However, his nephew isn't convinced that Vic perished in the flood and calls on detective Claire DeWitt to find out what happened to his missing uncle. Following the controversial methods of Jacques Silette in his book Détection, Claire has a knack for finding out what others want hidden.

My big problem with this book is the main character, Claire Dewitt. She is the (self professed) best detective in the world but it's really unclear why she or anyone else would think so. We are not given an information on her professional background or what cases she has solved. Most of her investigative process involves drinking and smoking with teenage delinquents and dream interpretation. Clues fall into her lap (or next to her chair) and I saw very little detection going. Since Claire's skills are supposed to be slightly mystical, she goes about things in an unconventional way. However, as a reader, I think we need to have some idea of where her conclusions come from. There is one point in the book where Claire figures out a major clue but I have no idea how she got there. Without insight into her thought process, she’s just pulling answers out of thin air, with no skill or talent involved.

Claire is a contradiction. She acts intellectually and morally superior to everyone but is also constantly telling people how she comes from the street and the gutter. She is depressed, hostile, arrogant and has addiction problems. She has no friends and I can see why. Now there are plenty of flawed literary detectives with poor social skills, but they usually have some kind of investigative brilliance or an endearing quality to make up for some of it. And, as noted above, I did not see signs of Claire possessing any extraordinary detective skills or redeeming personality traits.

I do have to say that the author paints a vivid picture of New Orleans, post Katrina. It is an extremely bleak picture though. Gran's New Orleans is a place of desolation and violence, where people are lost and no one cares. Even seemingly good people turn out not to be and there is little hope for those who stay. It’s a side of New Orleans I don’t often think about and I have been told by a friend that the portrayal is accurate on many points.

I was pretty disappointed in this book. I was looking forward to a good mystery but found Claire to be too unlikable and the mystery was pretty bland. There was too much coincidence and conjecture and not enough real detecting. I will not be continuing on with the series.

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

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Audiobook Review: The Black Echo by Michael Connolly

Title: The Black Echo (Harry Bosch #1)

Author: Michael Connolly
Publication Date: December 1, 2002
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Adult Mystery/Thriller
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Audible
Source: Library

For maverick LAPD homicide detective Harry Bosch, the body in the drainpipe at Mulholland Dam is more than another anonymous statistic. This one is personal...because the murdered man was a fellow Vietnam "tunnel rat" who had fought side by side with him in a hellish underground war. Now Bosch is about to relive the horror of Nam. From a dangerous maze of blind alleys to a daring criminal heist beneath the city, his survival instincts will once again be tested to their limit. Pitted against enemies inside his own department and forced to make the agonizing choice between justice and vengeance, Bosch goes on the hunt for a killer whose true face will shock him.

When a body is found in a drain pipe in the Mulholland Dam, Detective Harry Bosch knows it's more than just the tragic fate of a homeless man. The victim is from someone from Harry's past and the investigation leads him down a dark and winding road that will test him in more ways than one.

I don't usually read a series out of order but that's what happened and I read Nine Dragons, book 15 in the series a couple of years ago. It had good points but I didn't love it and put off reading more in the series until now. The first book in Michael Connolly's popular Harry Bosch series is gritty, twisted and full of surprises. I listened to this audiobook in one week while commuting and it was great at helping pass the time while stuck in traffic. Bosch is a throwback to the grizzled noir detectives of the past. He's smart and unrelenting and has a hard time with authority.  He can be gruff at times but it's clear that he cares the victims in his cases. I also enjoyed that the story was set in LA (where I live) and the city was great backdrop for the unfolding mystery.

The story was well paced and full of twists that I did not expect. It was also really interesting to see how Bosch meets Eleanor Wish, a character who comes back later in the series. Dick Hill is the narrator for the audiobook and he has a great voice that embodies Bosch well. There's a grit to it and a sort of wariness in the voice that fits the character well. I wasn't as big of a fan of his female voices - Eleanor comes off as a bit high pitched and breathy - but he is a very good narrator overall.

I am glad that I returned to the beginning of this series. While I don't think I will be rushing out to get the next book but it will be on my list of books to read when I am in the mood for a well written mystery. Recommended for fans of noir and hard-boiled detective stories and mysteries.

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Visit the author online at www.michaelconnelly.com/, Facebook and follow him on Twitter @Connellybooks

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Audiobook Review: Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones

Title: Second Grave on the Left (Charley Davidson #2)

Author: Darynda Jones
Narrated by: Lorelei King
Publication Date: August 16, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, Audio by Brilliance Audio
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository, Audible
Source: Library

If you hang around with dead people, life can get pretty complicated. Take it from Charley Davidson, part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Complicated is her middle name. The deceased find her very sparkly. Demons find her irresistible. And one entity in particular wants to seduce her in every way possible.

When Charley and Cookie (her best friend/receptionist) have to track down a missing woman, the case is not quite as open and shut as they anticipate. Cookie's friend Mimi disappeared five days earlier. Mimi then sends Cookie a cryptic message telling Cookie to meet her at an nearby coffee shop. The coffee is brewing, but Mimi's still missing. There is, however, a clue Mimi left on the bathroom wall: a woman's name. Mimi's husband explains to them that his wife had been acting strange since she found out an old high school friend had been murdered. The same woman whose name Mimi had scribbled on the bathroom wall.

Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. He's left his body because he's being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can't let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they'll have a portal to heaven...well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty.

Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Can she keep those she loves out of harm's way? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel her as she does?

Here is your signpost for the most hilarious read of the year: Second Grave on the Left.

I read and really liked First Grave on the Right, the first book in the Charley Davidson series. Charley’s sarcastic wit and self-deprecating nature really appealed to me and had me laughing out loud. The super hot romance with Reyes was an added bonus and I was really happy to find a fun new series to get into. I don’t know what happened between when I read the first book and when I read the second one, but Second Grave on the Left was not fun and I really had to push myself to finish it.

The main problem for me with the book was Charley herself. I remembered that she was super sarcastic in the first book and the jokes felt a little forced at times but, overall, I liked her and enjoyed the sarcasm. This time around though, I really noticed how every sentence and word out of her mouth was a sarcastic quip or catch phrase. It’s like she could not utter a normal sentence. Because she would only speak in wisecracks, nothing that came out of her mouth seemed sincere. She also used “like,” “duh” and “totally” too much and I kept wondering if she was a grown woman or a testy teenager. She is also described as being a great PI but I did not see any evidence of this. At least 3 people tail her during the book and she doesn’t notice a single one of them. Later she ends up leading the bad guys to a witness. She makes really dumb decisions and barely manages not to get herself killed every few hours.

I was hoping that Reyes would save this book for me but I didn’t like him either. His interactions with Charley in this book consist of threatening her and saving her life. He even calls her a “whore” at one point, which isn’t a good sign in a relationship. The two still have physical chemistry but the book doesn’t go anywhere with it. And if I have to hear about Reyes’s “liquid brown eyes” one more time, I may scream. There is a reason that I have avoided audiobooks with a lot of romance. Lines that sound swoon-worthy when reading often sound cheesy when read aloud.

Then we get to the ending, which really annoyed me. I don’t want to give it away but Charley’s actions at the end of the book just show how immature and selfish she is. I really can’t think of any other reason why she does what she does.

Lorelei King read the audiobook of Second Grave. I have heard good things about King but this is the first time I have listened to her. King is very talented, giving life and expression to the words and dialogue. However, her voice didn’t quite match what my image of Charley. As I said, Charley is very immature and speaks more like a teenager than an adult. King has a really rich, deep voice that is incongruous with how I perceive Charley. It just wasn’t a good fit for me.

Sad to say that I won’t be continuing on with this series. I don’t think I can take another book of Charley’s one-liners and pouty quips. It’s unfortunate, too, because I really enjoyed the first book in this series. But Charley’s schtick gets old fast and, without a viable plot or other likeable characters, the humor simply isn’t enough.

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Visit the author online at www.daryndajones.com and follow her on Twitter @darynda

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Reivew: The Loneliest Alpha (The MacKellan Alphas #1)

The Loneliest Alpha (The MacKellan Alphas #1)
by T.A. Grey

Publication date: 15 June 2013 by CreateSpace Publishing

ISBN 10/13: 1490405461/978-1490405469
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo 

Category: Adult Paranormal Romance
Keywords: werewolves, romance, mystery, Happy Ever After
Format:   eBook
Source: Purchased

Synopsis from GoodReads:

One look will change their lives forever.

Lingerie designer Alicia Clarkson just had to open her stupid mouth. Now thanks to trying to defend a fellow pack mate, Alicia’s been blindfolded, tied up, and carted off to the new alpha of the Oregon pack—Gavin MacKellen.

However, the blindfold doesn’t come off so soon as Gavin reveals he’s searching for a mate. But Alicia’s curiosity gets fired up when Gavin refuses to reveal his face to her. Just what happened to him? He talks to her from shadowy corners and behind closed doors. The man is as allusive as a squirrely fox. But Alicia doesn’t play games and the quiet spoken, hoarse voiced alpha doesn’t stand a chance against her. They settle on an agreement, thirty days for them to get to know each other because that’s the only way this cowboy alpha will have it.

Gavin MacKellen needs a mate. But he knows no good woman would ever want to look at his face after the incident he suffered. After one look at Alicia Clarkson all his plans fly out the window. The woman’s beauty has stunned him damn near speechless. She torments his thoughts and Gavin finds himself yearning to know everything about her. He admires her creativity and intelligence, the cool way she handles herself in stressful situations. Most of all, he aches deep in his chest to taste her lips. Those beautiful sweet lips, but in order to kiss her without showing her what a monster he was, he has to get creative.

A relationship forms and as love threatens to grow between them Gavin struggles to cope with his physical appearance in the face of the beautiful Alicia. Will she be the one to stand in the face of a monster and accept or will she turn her back on him as everyone else has?

Review:

The Loneliest Alpha is the first book in the MacKellan Alphas series, which is a spin-off of T. A. Grey's Kategan Alphas series.  Since this was my first T. A. Grey book, I am not certain whether I missed anything by not having read her previous series. For the most part, Grey provides enough information about the world where her books take place.  She has some of your usual characters found in paranormal books, but there are a few twists.  Werewolves have some special abilities such as being able to heal faster than a human and having better senses, but there doesn't appear to be any shifting or transforming, even partially.  There are also Vampires, and Humans, but I don't think the humans know about the other two (this may have been explained in the previous series), and I also don't know if Vampires are different from "traditional" vampires.

Overall, I really liked The Loneliest Alpha.  It was definitely a book that I wanted to keep reading.  As for characters, I liked Gavin (the MacKellan Alpha), his family, and Alicia. The chemistry between Gavin and Alicia was good, but there is definitely some insta-love that goes on with the story. Given that Alicia is "abducted" (sort of) by her pack and brought to the MacKellan's as a possible mate for Gavin and the majority of the book takes place in a couple of weeks, the assumption of insta-love is going to be made, and it isn't due to the typical mate imprinting that happens in other werewolf stories.

Another aspect of the story that I really liked is that both main characters have some very real flaws and relationship issues that they need to work through before things can be resolved.  Some of Alicia's flaws make some of her decisions at times seem annoying, but she was a strong female character.  Her interactions with Gavin's sisters were really funny too.

I also appreciated Grey's effort to create a story line that included an actual mystery to be solved rather than just the whole paranormal romance thing. But don't worry, the sexy scenes definitely had some heat.  One of the other concerns I had was that some of the scenes or parts of the book might have taken a little too long and could have been edited to keep the pace moving.  Regardless of the things that might have detracted from the story for me, I would definitely read another book by Grey and would recommend the series for those who want an interesting werewolf story.  

Check out the official book trailer:

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Visit the author online at www.tagrey.com, her blog, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter @authortagrey

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Dark Companion - Review

Dark Companion by Marta Acosta

Publication date: 03 July 2012 by Tor Teen

ISBN 10/13: 0765329646 | 978-0765329646
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Category: Young Adult Mystery/Romance 
Keywords: Mystery, romance, Gothic, boarding school 
Format: Hardcover, eBook
Source: ARC received from publisher at ALA

Synopsis:

Orphaned at the age of six, Jane Williams has grown up in a series of foster homes, learning to survive in the shadows of life. Through hard work and determination, she manages to win a scholarship to the exclusive Birch Grove Academy. There, for the first time, Jane finds herself accepted by a group of friends. She even starts tutoring the headmistress’s gorgeous son, Lucien. Things seem too good to be true.

They are.

The more she learns about Birch Grove’s recent past, the more Jane comes to suspect that there is something sinister going on. Why did the wife of a popular teacher kill herself? What happened to the former scholarship student, whose place Jane took? Why does Lucien’s brother, Jack, seem to dislike her so much?

As Jane begins to piece together the answers to the puzzle, she must find out why she was brought to Birch Grove—and what she would risk to stay there.

Review:

Dark Companion starts off with a bang. A young girl battles for her life while a storm rages. Blood flows and she knows that she will die. A spirit takes her high into the trees, where she is safe and warm. When Jane Williams wakes up, she has no memory of the terrible events of that night, or her life before the accident.

Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, the first few pages of Dark Companion are probably the most compelling and I really struggled to finish it. I was never really able to connect with any of the characters and they didn’t feel real to me. The pace of the book was also really slow. Halfway through the book and still felt like I was waiting for something dark, scary, or even interesting to happen. There were definitely hints throughout the book that all was not right in Birch Grove. But Jane wasn’t putting the pieces together quickly enough. By the time she finds out what the Big Secret is, it’s very anticlimactic.

I also had issues with Jane and her friends. I read a lot of YA novels and, while I am no longer a teen, I feel like I have a decent grasp of what teens sound like. But Jane and her friends do not sound like any teens I know or have ever heard. They’d spout utter nonsense and slang one second and then top it off with a Latin phrase the next. And why did everyone and everything have a nickname? MV, JM, Wilde Thang, Ms. McSqueak, etc. etc. I actually got confused a couple of times because of all the nicknames. Perhaps I am not around teens enough but the dialogue seemed really forced and it took me out of the story.

The biggest disappointment for me was Jane herself. She starts off as a cynical, sarcastic, street smart young woman who has studied hard and earned herself an education at a prestigious school. And though she’s a fish out of water at Birch Grove at first, she remains true to herself and makes some good friends along the way. But then the inevitable happens and she falls for Hot Guy. In this case, the impossibly gorgeous and unattainable Hot Guy is Lucky Radcliffe, the town’s golden boy. And like most golden boys he’s smart, charming, and gets whatever he wants. The second that Lucky shows any interest in her, smart, strong Jane disappears and a Jane I don’t recognize takes her place. She ditches her friends and stays at home so that she can be available for him at all times. He proceeds to treat her like crap in public, while telling her how much he trusts and needs her and asks her to agree to a “secret relationship.” It’s never a good sign when a guy doesn’t want to be seen in public with you.

And what’s so great about Lucky? Truly I do not know. I could have understood Jane’s attraction more if he really cared about her or had some kind of redeeming personality traits, but I really did not see what Jane saw in him besides his good looks. He was clearly using her and she was so starved for love that she compromised herself to obtain it. I could kind of understand Jane’s desire for love and a family since she is an orphan, but it seemed very out of character for her to change so much and I started to lose a lot of respect for her.

As you can see, this book just wasn’t for me. It’s clear that Acosta has some writing chops and I did like certain parts of it. She has a knack for creating an atmospheric setting and the birch forest in particular had a real personality. I liked Mary Violet even though she was ridiculous and I didn’t understand half of what she was saying. However, she was sweet, and I enjoyed her rabid enthusiasm. I also thought that Acosta’s premise for the blood play was a really unique take on the vampire myth as genetic disorder. While the whole hierarchy and the traditions of the Family didn’t make sense to me (why do only men get Companions?), the scientific angle was original, and I wish we could have explored it more.

While I enjoyed certain parts of Dark Companion, they could not save the book for me. The various elements never quite came together and the book fell short.

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

 

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Visit the author online at http://www.martaacosta.com/ and on twitter at @MartaAcosta.

Grave Peril - Audiobook Review

Grave Peril (The Dresden Files #3) 
by Jim Butcher, ready by James Marsters

Publication date: 01 September 2001 by Roc/audio by Buzzy Multimedia

ISBN 10/13: 0979074975 | 9780979074974
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Audible

Category: Adult Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Urban fantasy, warlocks, ghosts, revenge, vampires
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook, audibook
Source: Library

Synopsis:

*This review may contain spoilers for previous books in the series.*

Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden has had a rough couple of weeks. As the only openly practicing professional wizard in the Chicago area, he has squared off against a multitude of supernatural bad guys. Harry has won the day against demons, poltergeists, sorcerers, trolls, vampires, werewolves, and even an evil faerie godmother. You might think nothing could spook him. You would be wrong.

Something is stirring up angry apparitions all over town. Something that can break all the laws of supernatural physics. Something that doesnt like Harry.

His closest friends are being targeted. The net is closing in. Harry must find a solution soon or find this is one Nightmare from which he will never waken.

Review:

The Dresden Files is one of those series that everyone seems to love and I feel like I should love it, too. I diligently listened to the first two books and, while I found them entertaining, they didn’t wow me. I never wanted to rush out and read the next book and I always felt like something was missing. But I kept seeing the reviews and people said that it just took a little bit of time for the series to hit its stride and then you’d be hooked. With that in mind, I decided to give the third book in The Dresden Files a chance in the hopes that it would be the book that would convince me of this series’ awesomeness.

The book starts off well enough with Harry and Michael, a new character, fighting off an angry ghost wreaking havoc in the maternity ward of the hospital. Looks like someone powerful is going around and pissing off a bunch of ghosts, causing them to act out destructively. The mastermind of these attacks is more powerful than other demon Harry has ever encountered and he has a grudge against Harry.

At this point, I am on board and it seems like this story could be pretty fun and interesting. Then a girl, Lydia, appears and Harry loses all his common sense. This is a reoccurring theme for Harry and there seems to be an endless queue of damsels in distress just waiting to take advantage of him. Then Harry gets a call that Johnnie Marcone has been attacked. Then some vampires come and threaten Harry and invite him to a ball. And then Murphy is also attacked in the same manner as Marcone. Oh and did I forget to mention that Harry’s evil fairy stepmother is after him as well?

Sounds like a lot of crazy stuff, right? Well it was too much for me. I felt like there were 3 or 4 storylines going on at once and I didn’t care about any of them. The plot just kept getting more convoluted and ridiculous. Seriously, why is everyone trying to kill Harry and how does he manage to survive? I don’t think it’s by his awesome detective skills because he missed a lot of things that were staring him right in the face. And while I normally enjoy Harry’s somewhat martyred air, he comes off as pretty whiny in this one.

The one bright spot was Michael, whom I really liked and wouldn’t mind seeing more of. I also really liked his wife Charity. She had a razor sharp tongue and wasn’t afraid to use it.

As you can see, Grave Peril was not the book to put me on the Dresden Files train. While I like most of the characters and many elements of the books, they just don’t wow me enough to continue on with the series. This last book especially was very tedious for me. Even James Marsters’s wonderful voice is not enough incentive to continue.

 

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Visit the author online at www.jim-butcher.com and his blog.

Before I Go To Sleep - Review

Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson

Publication date: 14 June 2011 by Harper

ISBN 10/13: 0062060554 | 9780062060556
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Category: Adult Mystery/Thriller
Keywords: Mystery, thriller, suspense, amnesia, memory
Format: Hardcover, paperback, eBook
Source: Library

From Goodreads:

'As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I'm still a child. Thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me ...' Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love - all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story. Welcome to Christine's life.

Thuy's Review:

You know that disorienting feeling you get sometimes when you take a nap for too long? You wake up a little bleary eyed and confused, wondering where you are or what time it is. But then you recognize your house and remember that you decided to take a nap. Well what if, when you woke up, couldn’t remember where you were or how you got there? And the face when you looked in the mirror wasn’t what you thought you looked like? Scary, right? Well this is what life is like for Christine Lucas, the main character of Before I Go To Sleep. Each night she goes to bed knowing that, when she wakes, she will not remember her life.

The book begins when Christine wakes up in an unfamiliar room next to a man she doesn’t recognize. She goes into the bathroom only to see a face in the mirror that looks twenty years older than how old she believes she is. She has no memories of her husband or her life before that morning and she learns that when she goes to bed, she will lose whatever little progress she has made for the day. Suspicions arise when Christine finds out that her husband hadn’t been telling her the truth. But has he been doing it for spare her the grief or for some other sinister purpose? And can she trust the doctor she’s seeing or does he have his own plans for?

This was a totally gripping story that had me holding my breath from one page to the next. Taut and suspenseful, Watson does a great job of putting us inside Christine’s head. I felt Christine’s frustration, grief, anger and fear as she tries to piece together her life each day. The journal entries really drew me into Christine’s world and I wanted to know about her past just as much as she did.

The journal entries were a little repetitive at times but I could see why it set up that way, since we were seeing things through Christine’s unique perspective. Things take a decidedly creepy turn once Christine realizes that what she’s writing down and what she is being told aren’t adding up. I was trying to read as fast as possible near the end of the book. If I was a nail biter, my nails would have been bitten down to the quick.  The ending has the inevitable twist, though it was one that I hadn’t predicted. Things wrapped up a little too nicely and conveniently at the end, which lessened the believability of it all, but it was still a very exciting and nerve wracking ending.

Before I Go To Sleep makes us ask the question - who are we without our memories? It’s not something I’ve ever wanted to think about before and the answer is frightening. Creepy, intense, and original, Before I Go To Sleep an emotional thriller that you won’t be able to put down. Recommended for fans of the film Memento and dark, psychological thrillers.

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Visit the author online at www.sjwatson-books.com, follow him on Twitter @SJ_Watson, and Facebook

Get A Clue - Review

Get A Clue by Jill Shalvis

Publication date: September 2005 (reprinted January 2008)
by Brava

ISBN 10/13: 0758211384 | 9780758211385
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Category: Adult Romantic Suspense
Keywords: Romance, suspense, mystery, murder
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook
Source: Library

Synopsis:

All in one day, city girl Breanne Mooreland gets left at the altar, takes the flight from hell to her honeymoon--alone--loses her luggage, and ends up snowed in at a Sierra mountains lodge run by the kookiest staff this side of the Addams Family. Oh, and there just happens to be a gorgeous naked man taking a shower in her suite who says he isn't going anywhere. Burned-out vice cop Cooper Scott is in serious need of this vacation, and he's not about to give up the only available room during a bad snowstorm just because an upset, okay, make that insane, woman is having a conniption fit. They'll just have to make the best of it--her side of the bed versus his. But when Cooper wakes up kissing the long, leggy Breanne, he has other thoughts. Part of him wants to prove that not all men are scum, and another part of him entirely wants to show her exactly what that honeymoon suite is intended for. But that will have to wait, because a screaming Breanne has just stumbled on a very dead body.

Review:

A snowed in cabin, a jilted bride, one sexy naked cop, a house full of suspicious servants, and one dead body all add up to a fun little read by one of my fave contemp authors.

A play on Clue, the story opens with Breanne making her way to her honeymoon cabin, without the groom. Stood up at the altar, she figures she can at least enjoy the paid for vacation. But instead of a cozy retreat, she finds herself snowed in with no power with Cooper, a very attractive ex-cop, and a hodge podge group of servants. When Breanne finds a dead body in the cellar, the inhabitants of the house have to figure out who the killer is before one of them is then next victim.

This would be a great beach read - fun, fast and not too serious. The murder mystery was not as exciting or scary as I had hoped. It was actually kind of slow and I wish it had been more suspenseful.

The best part of the book, for me, was the chemistry between Cooper and Breanne. They had some serious heat going on and I loved the smexy times. The book also had plenty of Shalvis's signature clever and oftentimes hilarious dialogue.

I really liked Cooper. Smart, sexy, and protective, I felt like he put with a lot when dealing with Breanne. She's pretty much afraid of everything and he kept saving her. She was a little neurotic for my tastes but again, the love scenes were hot, so it was worth it.

It's not my favorite Jill Shalvis book but I think fans will enjoy this peek into some of her early writing. Readers new to Shalvis should probably start with something more recent like her Lucky Harbor series.

 

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Visit the author online at jillshalvis.com and follow her on Twitter @JillShalvis

Deadlocked - Review

Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse #12) by Charlaine Harris

Publication date: 01 May 2012 by Ace

ISBN 10/13: 1937007448 | 9781937007447
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Category: Adult Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Urban fantasy, paranormal, mystery, vampires, shifters, weres, murder, fae
Format: Hardcover, eBook
Source: Library

Synopsis:

With Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), in town, it’s the worst possible time for a body to show up in Eric Northman’s front yard—especially the body of a woman whose blood he just drank.

Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

Thuy's Review:

I think this is my least favorite Sookie Stackhouse book. Unlike a lot of people, I really enjoyed the previous book, Dead Reckoning. The series to me had been going downhill for the last few books. Perhaps Harris was losing steam or maybe I was just losing interest. But I felt like Dead Reckoning was finally getting the series back on track and I found myself once again engaged in Sookie’s world. So it was with anticipation and excitement that I opened up Deadlocked.

Unfortunately Deadlocked was not what I was hoping for. The first hundred pages or so were slow but I figured that the series has so many characters and crazy plot lines that Harris really needed to get us caught up with everyone. Finally they find a dead body and I thought, “Now things are going to start happening.” Only...they don’t. I mean, they do, but not in a way that moves the series forward. Like trying to walk through knee high wet sand, I felt like I was trudging through this book with little to show for my efforts. There were no sexy times, no fun times and even the murder mystery was uninteresting after awhile.

I also didn’t want to hear about every little detail of Sookie’s day. Sookie goes to the grocery store, she paints her nails, does the laundry, goes to work, goes to the grocery store again....You get the idea. Now I don’t mind a little taste of Sookie’s life. The series has always had little bits here and there about how Sookie goes about her day and I appreciate these small details. However, this book was filled with mundane tasks that added nothing to the story and only succeeded in boring me. And the endless recapping! Everyone was constantly recapping events to someone who wasn’t there who would then recap it to another person and then they’d go over it again themselves in case they missed something. I was almost hoping that someone would just send out a mass email or put it on Facebook to save me the trouble of reading it 5 different ways.

Now let’s talk romance, or the lack of it. I am in the minority here since I have always been Team Bill and that possibility died long ago. But that doesn’t mean that I want Sookie and Eric to go kaput. I actually like them together and it’s clear that they have strong feelings for each other, despite all the angst. Vampire politics once again rears its ugly head with Eric and Sookie caught in the middle. The politics only aid in showing how dysfunctional their relationship is and Eric has very little page time in this book. This book is also sadly lacking in any hot sex scenes. Perhaps Harris is slowly leading Sookie in another romantic path but the constant drama between Sookie and Eric is getting old and I find myself not caring one way or the other if they stay together or not. Sookie does have a few nice moments with Bill though I don’t think they’ll ever be together again (Bill, call me!). Sam is as faithful and true as ever and his taste in women still sucks.

The story finally picked up in the last few chapters but, by that point, I didn’t really care. This really felt like a filler book. I just finished it half an hour ago and already I am hard pressed to recall what happened in it. I am glad the series is coming to a close. I still love the series and the characters in it but I think Harris has done all she can with it and it’s time to move on. I look forward to seeing how Harris closes out the series and what the fate holds in store for Sookie and the rest of the Bon Temps gang.

 

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Visit the author online at www.charlaineharris.com 

Fool Moon - Audiobook Review

Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2) by Jim Butcher
audiobook read by Jim Marsters

Publication date: 09 January 2001 by Ace/Roc

ISBN 10/13: 0451458125 | 9780451458124
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Category: Adult Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Urban fantasy, paranormal, mystery, murder, werewolves
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook, audiobook
Source: Library

From Goodreads:

Business has been slow. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn't been able to dredge up any kind of work—magical ormundane.

But just when it looks like he can't afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise.

A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon. Take three guesses—and the first two don't count.

Thuy's Review:

In this second installment to The Dresden Files, Harry finds himself in yet another sticky situation. When a slew of murders occur on the full moon with paw prints found next to the mutilated bodies, Harry is hired by the police to help find the killer before the next full moon and killing spree. The investigation leads him down an unexpected path and Harry finds himself caught between the law, the mob, and more than one pack of supernatural creatures that want him dead.

This time, Harry finds himself tangled up with werewolves in a complicated plot that has him playing both sides. Harry is the same as ever – sarcastic and just trying to pay the bills. He’s also got this pesky sense of honor that gets him into a lot of trouble. Sometimes I feel like he plays the part of the martyr a bit much and he has enough angst for most of Chicago. At one point, Murphy calls him on his hero complex, which is priceless. But I like that Harry tries to do the right thing, even though it’s not always the smart thing. The werewolf plot was interesting but there were too many different kinds of werewolves to keep track of. They all kind of blended together at one point. And is it just me or is the idea that a person can turn into a werewolf with the aid of a belt somewhat unromantic?

I was glad to see that Murphy was back on the case. She’s tough as nails and I love her. She and Harry have a complicated relationship that gets even more so in this book. Susan also makes an appearance and Marconi is never far when there’s trouble. We don’t see much of Bob in this one but I hope to see more of him in the next book. The action is non-stop and there’s a really bloody battle in the book. It’s clear that Butcher isn’t afraid to kill characters. The ending kept me on the edge of my seat as I waited to see who would live or die.

I liked Fool Moon though not quite as much as Storm Front. It was still very enjoyable though and I am going to pick up the next book in the series. James Marsters once again rocks my socks as the narrator. He’s become Harry Dresden to me and I can’t imagine anyone someone else reading it. Another entertaining installment in the series and looking forward to the next.

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Visit the author online at www.jim-butcher.com and his blog

A Tryst With Trouble - Advance Review (#2)

A Tryst with Trouble by Alyssa Everett  

Publication date: 1 April 2012 (postponed) by Dorchester Publishing

ISBN 10/13: 1428516425 | 978-1428516427

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Category: Adult Romantic Suspense/Mystery
Keywords: Mystery, suspense, romance, Regency
Format: Paperback
Source:  e-ARC received from Netgalley

Jacket copy:

Dogged for years by painful gossip about his father’s homosexuality, the Marquess of Beningbrough—Ben, to his friends—has protected himself by becoming the ultimate man’s man. Passed over by suitor after suitor in favor of her pretty but vapid younger sister, clever, forthright Lady Barbara Jeffords has reached the disappointing conclusion most men are shallow, boorish clods. 

When a philandering footman turns up dead, the two square off: he’s sure she’s determined to pin the crime on his hapless young cousin, while she thinks he means to shift the blame to her sister. To find the real killer, Ben and Barbara must declare a truce that threatens to expose both their buried insecurities and their growing desire for each other.

Thuy's Review:

With two headstrong and charismatic leads, an engaging mystery and sharp dialogue, A Tryst with Trouble is must read. The book is written from the dual first person perspectives of Ben and Barbara, two characters who seem to have nothing in common. Ben, the heir to a dukedom, has lived in the shadow of scandal his entire life. Charming and conceited, Ben isn’t looking for any entanglements. Unfortunately he finds himself caught up in a murder investigation at the home of Lady Barbara Jeffords, an independent and determined young lady. They can’t stand each other which, of course, means that they are perfect for one another.

I breezed through this book in little over a day. Ben and Barbara are both extremely stubborn, each one not wanting to lose to the other. I love a good fight and this had plenty of them. The snappy dialogue between Ben and Barbara had me chuckling and Everett uses sarcasm and wit brilliantly. The physical chemistry between the two is intense, even if neither of them wants to admit it. The book is quite chaste by my standards (yes, my mind is in the gutter) with only one really major love scene. However, it’s a really good one and it’s still plenty hot so that I almost didn’t miss the love scenes. :)

It was nice to read a book that wasn’t overly dramatic and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Yes, there’s a murder plot and there were plenty of misunderstandings and even some tears, but it isn’t excessively angst-y. I had a good time watching Ben and Barbara fall in love while throwing insults at each other. The mystery was well thought out and not overly complicated. It kept me guessing until almost the very end.

I thought that the dual POVs might get annoying but it wasn’t at all. I enjoyed seeing both Ben and Barbara’s points of views. I think my only real complaint about this book is that I wanted more. More Ben, more Barbara, just more. Can I make a plea to the author for a novella or even some deleted scenes?

Alyssa Everette is a bright new talent in the romance world and I am excited to read more by her. I’ve already re-read my favorite parts of this book more than a few times. Luckily I only have to wait until May for Everett’s next book, Ruined by Rumor to come out. In the meantime, I was totally serious about more stories with Ben and Barbara. Pretty please?

You can also see Alethea's review of the book here.

*Unfortunately, Dorchester publishing is going through some financial pains right now (read more here) and the release date for A Tryst With Trouble has been postponed indefinitely. This sucks because the book is awesome sauce and I want you all to read it. Everett's next book, Ruined By Rumor, will be released by Carina Press in May.  It's available now on NetGalley for those who have an account.  Until then. learn more about Alyssa later this week when she stops by the blog for an interview.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

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Visit the author online at www.alyssaeverett.com and follow her on Twitter @Alyssa_Everett.

You Slay Me - Review

You Slay Me (Aisling Grey: Guardian #1) by Katie MacAlister

Publication date: 07 September 2004 by Onyx

ISBN 10/13: 0451411528 | 9780451411525
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Category: Adult Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Urban fantasy, paranormal, mystery, dragons, witches, Paris
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook

Thuy's synopsis:

Aisling Grey is a down on her luck 30-something working for her uncle as a courier. Unfortunately while on a job delivering a prized artifact in Paris, Aisling finds her client murdered and herself as the main suspect. She also loses the artifact to a mysterious and sexy stranger who claims that she is a Guardian (more on that later). Suddenly thrust into a new and frightening world filled with witches, demons, dragons, and talking dogs, she must prove her innocence and get the heck out of Dodge (or Paris as the case may be) and hopefully not lose her job or get killed in the process.

Thuy's Review:

I knew I was going to have a problem with this book when, a few pages in, an airline clerk read the contents of Aisling’s passport back to her and we conveniently get her physical description. This book is definitely a case of telling, not showing, the reader what is happening. Instead of letting events unfold naturally, there are long passages where characters are explaining things to each other. Aisling also talks to herself in long, rambling monologues to explain either what’s happening in front of her or what she’s thinking. And I know this isn’t the author’s fault but my copy of the book was also riddled with typos, which made for a distracting read.

My biggest problem with the book is the main character. Aisling Grey is a Guardian. Don’t know what that is? Don’t worry - Aisling doesn’t either. In fact, she doesn’t know much of anything. She’s a total ditz who has no clue what’s going on most of the time. I don’t love dumb characters but I don’t mind them as long as they have some redeeming qualities. Unfortunately, there’s nothing endearing about Aisling and she’s more annoying that anything. As I mentioned before, she has a habit of babbling incoherently to herself and others. She is always asking questions but then either doesn’t believe or doesn’t understand the answers. She’s totally clueless most of the time and does and says many dumb things. It’s really a miracle that she manages to survive at all.

There is also a lot of very awkward dialogue in the book. I think the author was trying to go for funny and clever, but it comes across as forced and unnatural. Not everything has to be a joke, but if it is, it should at least be a good one. I also found the author’s depiction of France to be cliche and outdated. Do Americans still think that all French people are rude and snobby? Judging by this book that still seems to be the popular opinion. And the ones who weren’t cliche tourist haters were unrealistically friendly, offering to chauffeur Aisling around for cheap while telling her about Paris’ underground occult scene, and helping her with dangerous breaking and entering missions.

There were a couple of bright spots in the book. I liked Aisling’s demon dog, Jim. He probably had the funniest lines in the whole book. It was weird that everyone kept referring to Jim as “it” though. He’s clearly a male but everyone refers to him as “it” instead of “him.” Maybe all demons are supposed to be referred to as “it” but it just sounded wrong. My favorite part of the book, though, was Drake. Dark, mysterious and predatory, Drake is a real live dragon housed in a gorgeous male body. I was really intrigued by the idea of a dragon that also has a human body. I wish we could have learned a little bit more about the history of the dragon clans. Drake’s also very attracted to Aisling, for reasons I cannot fathom, and they have great chemistry. I really enjoyed the scenes that they had together, especially the sexy ones. Aisling’s dreams were h-o-t. I just wish the rest of the book had been as captivating.

As you can see, this book was not for me. I was actually quite relieved when I finished the book and was happy to be done with it. While I want to see where the relationship between Aisling and Drake goes, I will not be picking up the next book in the series.

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Visit the author online at katiemacalister.com and follow her on Twitter @katiemacalister

A Tryst with Trouble - Advance Review

A Tryst with Trouble by Alyssa Everett  

Publication date: 1 April 2012 by Dorchester Publishing

ISBN 10/13: 1428516425 | 978-1428516427

Category: Adult Romantic Suspense/Mystery
Keywords: Mystery, suspense, romance, Regency
Format: Paperback (received as an eARC from Netgalley)

Jacket copy:

Dogged for years by painful gossip about his father’s homosexuality, the Marquess of Beningbrough—Ben, to his friends—has protected himself by becoming the ultimate man’s man. Passed over by suitor after suitor in favor of her pretty but vapid younger sister, clever, forthright Lady Barbara Jeffords has reached the disappointing conclusion most men are shallow, boorish clods. 

When a philandering footman turns up dead, the two square off: he’s sure she’s determined to pin the crime on his hapless young cousin, while she thinks he means to shift the blame to her sister. To find the real killer, Ben and Barbara must declare a truce that threatens to expose both their buried insecurities and their growing desire for each other.

Alethea's review:

It's been ages since I read a really satisfying Regency romance. I read a few last year that I don't even count as having read since they were so poorly written and disengaging, I might as well have been leafing through a ten-year-old copy of Cosmo. (Wait, is Cosmo still around?)

A Tryst with Trouble, Alyssa Everett's debut novel, was just what I needed to revive my love for Regency. Ben and Barbara provided everything I look for in a good couple--likeability, chemistry, and conflict. Everett embroils them in mystery, a few improper situations, and just enough comedy to keep it from being a stuffy Historical with a capital H. At first I thought I'd be annoyed by the alternating points of view, but I ended up enjoying it. It's really the author's knack for balancing all the story elements that kept me firmly engaged in this novel.

Here's a bit from Barbara's perpective that made me laugh out loud:

"Do you think my pulse always hammers that way?"
"I don't know." I gulped, afraid to let myself believe I was the cause. "You might have a heart condition."

Everett also throws in a bit of commentary on homosexuality that strikes me as very modern, and that I found very welcome especially against the backdrop of prim and proper English society. It's done well in that not only does it seem plausible, but it also figures slightly in the plot--not enough to be a central issue but shaping and nudging the rest of the puzzle pieces into place.

Oddly enough, the last three Regencies I read were sadly lacking in the department of hot and bothered--sad wastes of a romance novel, in my book. I know they're supposed to be more on the tame side compared to Historicals, but there's a fine line between getting some and getting none at all. Again, Everett manages to balance tension with release--not too much, not too little--just right.

A too-transparent mystery would have ruined this for me, but don't be too quick to decide whodunit. Everett managed to keep me guessing almost up until the end. (It also didn't hurt that my mind cast the actors from the new BBC Sherlock in some of the leading roles--yum!) This is definitely one I will be picking up to re-read, and I'll be looking forward to more entertaining releases from this bright new author!

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Visit the author online at www.alyssaeverett.com and follow her on Twitter @Alyssa_Everett.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.