Kelly reviews Deadly Silence by Rebecca Zanetti
TITLE: Deadly Silence
SERIES #: Blood Brothers #1
CHARACTERS: Zara & Ryker
AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/04/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
DON’T LOOK BACK
Under siege. That’s how Ryker Jones feels. The Lost Bastards Investigative Agency he opened up with his blood brothers has lost a client in a brutal way. The past he can’t outrun is resurfacing, threatening to drag him down in the undertow. And the beautiful woman he’s been trying to keep at arm’s length is in danger…and he’ll destroy anything and anyone to keep her safe.
Paralegal Zara Remington is in over her head. She’s making risky moves at work by day and indulging in an affair with a darkly dangerous PI by night. There’s a lot Ryker isn’t telling her and the more she uncovers, the less she wants to know. But when all hell breaks loose, Ryker may be the only one to save her. If his past doesn’t catch up to them first…
Full of twists and turns you won’t see coming, DEADLY SILENCE is New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti at her suspenseful best…
A Blood Brothers Novel
REVIEW:
Great start to Ms. Zanetti’s new series. The Blood Brothers series is a spin off of the Sin Brother’s series. While you don’t have to read the Sin Brother’s first I would recommend it!! There is a lot that happens in that series that I believe is going to have a huge impact on the Blood Brothers.
Deadly Silence introduces us to Ryker, Denver and Heath. These three have been friends and family since they bonded in the boys home they lived in. And they just happened to be some of Dr. Madison’s pet projects.
There is a lot that is going on in this story. We have multiple storylines happening at once, but Ms. Zanetti does a great job of balancing each of these stories and give us answers to almost everything (because she has to leave some questions for us).
I really liked Ryker & Zara. Ryker is the dark mysterious bad boy who has a big heart that every girl wishes she could find. Zara is the perfect match for Ryker. She is not a pushover and she challenges Ryker every step of the way.
Of course we have to talk about the other Jones’ brothers Heath & Denver. They are just as dark and mysterious but there is something about each of these guys that will shock us and possibly even shock their brother too.
I am looking forward to seeing where Ms. Zanetti is going to take this series and how much she is going to make us suffer!
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Forever (Grand Central Publishing) & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
Kelly reviews The Family Plot by Cherie Priest
TITLE: The Family Plot
CHARACTERS: The employees of Music City Salvage
AUTHOR: Cherie Priest
PUBLICATION DATE: September 20, 2016
NARRATOR: Kate Udall
RUN TIME: 10 Hours & 38 Minutes
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | Audible | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The author of the enormously successful Boneshaker returns to Tor with her unique take on the classic haunted house book
Chuck Dutton built Music City Salvage with patience and expertise, stripping historic properties and reselling their bones. Inventory is running low, so he’s thrilled when Augusta Withrow appears in his office offering salvage rights to her entire property. This could be a gold mine, so he assigns his daughter Dahlia to personally oversee the project.
The crew finds a handful of surprises right away. Firstly, the place is in unexpectedly good shape. And then there’s the cemetery, about thirty fallen and overgrown graves dating to the early 1900s, Augusta insists that the cemetery is just a fake, a Halloween prank, so the city gives the go-ahead, the bulldozer revs up, and it turns up human remains. Augusta says she doesn’t know whose body it is or how many others might be present and refuses to answer any more questions. Then she stops answering the phone.
But Dahlia’s concerns about the corpse and Augusta’s disappearance are overshadowed when she begins to realize that she and her crew are not alone, and they’re not welcome at the Withrow estate. They have no idea how much danger they’re in, but they’re starting to get an idea. On the crew’s third night in the house, a storm shuts down the only road to the property. The power goes out. Cell signals are iffy. There’s nowhere to go and no one Dahlia can call for help, even if anyone would believe that she and her crew are being stalked by a murderous phantom. Something at the Withrow mansion is angry and lost, and this is its last chance to raise hell before the house is gone forever. And it seems to be seeking permanent company.
The Family Plot is a haunted house story for the ages-atmospheric, scary, and strange, with a modern gothic sensibility to keep it fresh and interesting-from Cherie Priest, a modern master of supernatural fiction.
REVIEW:
Another great and disturbing story from Ms. Priest. I am very happy that I picked up a copy of The Family Plot. I was not 100% sure what to expect when I started this book except for the fact that Ms. Priest will give us a great story. I really enjoyed not only the humans but the ghost too.
After a bit of a slow start to the story the twists and turns that Ms. Priest put into this story kept me on the edge of my seat. And the ending!!! OMG!!! The ending!!!!
If you are a fan of horror or ghost or Ms. Priest I would encourage you to pick up a copy of The Family Plot and find out why no one wants to live at the Withrow Estate.
This was my first book narrated by Kate Udall. Ms. Udall did a good job with this story. I will be looking for more books narrated by her in the future.
Disclaimer:
I purchased this book from Audible.com this is my honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
Winter Romance Wednesday! Kelly reviews One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis
TITLE: One Snowy Night
SERIES #: Heartbreaker Bay #2.5
CHARACTERS: Max Stranton & Rory Andrews
AUTHOR: Jill Shalvis
PUBLICATION DATE: November 8, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis returns to Heartbreaker Bay with a fun and festive holiday novella!
It’s Christmas Eve and Rory Andrews is desperate to get home to the family she hasn’t seen in years. Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, and his big, goofy, lovable dog Carl.
Hours stuck in a truck with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school and she knows he’s attracted to her, too. But they have history… and Max is the only one who knows why it went south.
They’ve done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past… and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.
REVIEW:
QUICK!!!! This was a super quick read. I really wanted more to happen. But the tension between Max and Rory has been building over the last two books. I don’t think that you have to read this series in order, but I would. It will give you a better insight into Max and Rory’s relationship. I don’t want to give away any details, but we finally learn in One Snowy Night why Max has been so stand offish to Rory over the years.
Really enjoying this new series my Ms. Shalvis and I can’t wait for the next installment.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Edelweiss & Avon Impulse in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
Set your books down and VOTE!
Kelly reviews The Purloined Poodle by Kevin Hearne
TITLE: The Purloined Poodle
SERIES #: The Iron Druid Chronicles #8.5
CHARACTERS: Oberon (The Irish Wolfhound) and Atticus O’Sullivan
AUTHOR: Kevin Hearne
NARRATOR: Luke Daniels
RUN TIME: 2 Hours & 57 Minutes
PUBLICATION DATE: September 30, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | Audible | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Thanks to his relationship with the ancient Druid Atticus O’Sullivan, Oberon the Irish wolfhound knows trouble when he smells it—and furthermore, he knows he can handle it.
When he discovers that a prizewinning poodle has been abducted in Eugene, Oregon, he learns that it’s part of a rash of hound abductions all over the Pacific Northwest. Since the police aren’t too worried about dogs they assume have run away, Oberon knows it’s up to him to track down those hounds and reunite them with their humans. For justice! And gravy!
Engaging the services of his faithful Druid, Oberon must travel throughout Oregon and Washington to question a man with a huge salami, thwart the plans of diabolical squirrels, and avoid, at all costs, a fight with a great big bear.
But if he’s going to solve the case of the Purloined Poodle, Oberon will have to recruit the help of a Boston terrier named Starbuck, survive the vegetables in a hipster pot pie, and firmly refuse to be distracted by fire hydrants and rabbits hiding in the rose bushes.
At the end of the day, will it be a sad bowl of dry kibble for the world’s finest hound detective, or will everything be coming up sirloins?
The Purloined Poodle is another exciting novella entry in Kevin Hearne’s New York Times best-selling Iron Druid series.
REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Awesome as always!!!! I loved this novella that Mr. Hearne wrote for us.
The Purloined Poodle is told from Oberon’s point of view. Oberon is one of my all time favorite character!! So listening to him tell this story was great. Of course the amazingly talented Luke Daniels narrator this book when makes just that much better. So in the Purloined Poodle Oberon and his trusty sidekick Atticus are on a mission to solve a murder. It was a fun journey! It was also great to see all the wonderful places in the Pacific Northwest that showed up in this story.
The only thing that made me sad was that this story was short. I can’t wait for the next installment in the IDC and I hope that we will get more of Oberon’s Meaty Mysteries
Disclaimer:
I purchased this book from Audible.com and this is my honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
Kimberly reviews Al Capone by Deirde Bair
TITLE: Al Capone
CHARACTERS: Al Capone
AUTHOR: Deirdre Bair
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/25/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From a National Book Award-winning biographer, the first complete life of legendary gangster Al Capone to be produced with the cooperation of his family, who provided the author with exclusive access to personal testimony and archival documents.
Born in 1899 in Brooklyn, New York, to poor, Italian immigrant parents, Al Capone went on to become the most infamous gangster in American history. In 1925, during the height of Prohibition, Capone’s multi-million-dollar Chicago bootlegging, prostitution, and gambling operation dominated the organized-crime scene. His competition with rival gangs was brutally violent, a long-running war that crested with the shocking St. Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929. Through it all, and despite the best efforts of law enforcement and the media elite, Capone remained above the fray. Federal income-tax evasion was the strongest charge that could be made to stick, and in 1931 he was sentenced to eleven years in federal prison. After serving six-and-a-half years, mostly in Alcatraz, a severely impaired Capone, badly damaged by neurosyphillis, was released to live out his final years with his family in Miami. From his heyday to the present moment, Al Capone’s life has gripped the public imagination, and his gangster persona has been immortalized in the countless movies and books inspired by his exploits.
But who was the man behind the legend? Capone loved to tell tall tales that perpetuated his mystique; newspapers loved him and frequently embellished or fabricated stories about him to sell copies. While some remember him as fundamentally kind and good, others speak of how frightening he was, a vicious, cold-blooded killer. Was Al really such a quotable wit? Did he really shower the poor with hundred-dollar bills and silver dollars from the window of his bulletproof car? Did he really keep a bevy of mistresses ensconced in his hotel headquarters in Chicago? Writing with exclusive access to Capone’s descendants, Deirdre Bair finally gets at the truth behind this eternally fascinating man, who was equal parts charismatic mobster, doting father, and calculating monster.
REVIEW:
I have had an interest in Al Capone for years. I have no idea what it is about him but I really think he is a fascinating person. He was bad and yet he was a really good guy to those he felt deserved it.
I believe this book did a really good job showing what his family, friends and conspirators felt about the man. There were a number of things that I didn’t know about him in this book and of course there were things that I did know already that were not a part of the book.
I would say if you don’t know anything about the man this is not the only book you should read but it is one that gets a portion of his life as told by his closest people out to the world.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kimberly reviews The Obsidian Chamber by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
TITLE: The Obsidian Chamber
SERIES #: Pendergast #16
CHARACTERS: Constance & Proctor
AUTHOR: Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/18/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A TRAGIC DISAPPEARANCE
After a harrowing, otherworldly confrontation on the shores of Exmouth, Massachusetts, Special Agent A.X.L. Pendergast is missing, presumed dead.
A SHOCKING RETURN
Sick with grief, Pendergast’s ward, Constance, retreats to her chambers beneath the family mansion at 891 Riverside Drive–only to be taken captive by a shadowy figure from the past.
AN INTERNATIONAL MANHUNT
Proctor, Pendergast’s longtime bodyguard, springs to action, chasing Constance’s kidnapper through cities, across oceans, and into wastelands unknown.
BUT IN A WORLD OF BLACK AND WHITE, NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS
And by the time Proctor discovers the truth, a terrifying engine has stirred-and it may already be too late . . .
REVIEW:
So here is the problem.. This is a Pendergast novel but there is no Pendergast. This is more of Constance’s story which isn’t bad I just miss Pendergast when he is not around.
Preston and Child have this interesting way of writing. My understanding is this each write their part separately and then bring their book together to complete. If this is true in some ways I think this is what makes the series so interesting.
I will say that while you can sometimes read the Pendergast series out of order you really need to read Crimson Shore (#15) before this story to understand where Pendergast is and why Constance is the star of this story.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kimberly reviews Escape Clause by John Sandford
TITLE: Escape Clause
SERIES #: Virgil Flowers #9
CHARACTERS: Virgil
AUTHOR: John Sandford
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/18/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Whenever you hear the sky rumble, that usually means a storm. In Virgil Flowers’ case, make that two. The exceptional new thriller from the writer whose books are “pure reading pleasure” (Booklist)
The first storm comes from, of all places, the Minnesota zoo. Two large, and very rare, Amur tigers have vanished from their cage, and authorities are worried sick that they’ve been stolen for their body parts. Traditional Chinese medicine prizes those parts for home remedies, and people will do extreme things to get what they need. Some of them are a great deal more extreme than others — as Virgil is about to find out.
Then there’s the homefront. Virgil’s relationship with his girlfriend Frankie has been getting kind of serious, but when Frankie’s sister Sparkle moves in for the summer, the situation gets a lot more complicated. For one thing, her research into migrant workers is about to bring her up against some very violent people who emphatically do not want to be researched. For another…she thinks Virgil’s kind of cute.
“You mess around with Sparkle,” Frankie told Virgil, “you could get yourself stabbed.”
“She carries a knife?”
“No, but I do.”
Forget a storm – this one’s a tornado.
REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts This is the ninth story in the series. And I swear the longer this series goes on the weirder Virgil gets. But not in a bad way. He is an odd character but somehow quite interesting. He just kind of keeps you wanting to read more.
Speaking of weird. Sandford writes in a different way than most, or at least most that I read. Sandford writes with both sides of the story but also throws in a number of completely other stories. It is hard not to keep your attention when so much is going on.
So much is happening you might want to keep a notebook by your side to keep track.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Snowfall On Haven Point by RaeAnne Thayne
TITLE: Snowfall On Haven Point
SERIES #: Haven Point #5
CHARACTERS: Andrea & Marshall
AUTHOR: RaeAnne Thayne
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/27/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
There’s no place like Haven Point for the holidays, where the snow conspires to bring two wary hearts together for a Christmas to remember
It’s been two rough years since Andrea Montgomery lost her husband, and all she wants is for her children to enjoy their first Christmas in Haven Point. But then Andie’s friend asks a favor—to keep an eye on her brother, Sheriff Marshall Bailey, who’s recovering from a hit and run. Andie will do anything for Wyn, even park her own misgivings to check on her grouchy, wounded bear of a brother.
Marshall hates feeling defenseless and resents the protective impulses that Andie brings out in him. But when a blizzard forces them together for the holidays, something in Marshall begins to thaw. Andie’s gentle nature is a salve, and her kids’ excitement for the holidays makes him forget why he never wanted a family. If only he and Andie can admit what they really want—each other—their Christmas wishes might come true after all.
REVIEW:
This is a very sweet holiday story with a bit of mystery thrown in. Marshall is a good guy with a heart of gold for his town but not to any women and for sure not for any children. Andie is a lovely widowed mom of two young children so of course they are a match made in heaven. The kids are a perfect addition to the story as well.
The story did drag a little with the whole “I can’t be in love with him but I am” and “I shouldn’t be in love with her but I am” kind of attitude. Marshall gets a bit testy sometimes and has to apologize and Andie accepts but then he does something and you realize why she lets him be a grouchy guy.
This is a perfect by the fire story to get the reader in the mood for Christmas and romance.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Kelly reviews Death and Her Devotion by Kendra Elliot
TITLE: Death and Her Devotion
SERIES #: Rogue Vow #1
CHARACTERS: Zane Duncan & Stevie Taylor
AUTHOR: Kendra Elliot
PUBLICATION DATE: October 25, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In the first Rogue Vows novella, Zane and Stevie are about to get an unexpected wedding present…and it’s a deadly one.
It should be the happiest weekend of Officer Stevie Taylor’s life. She’s finally going to marry Police Chief Zane Duncan and live happily ever after in Solitude, Oregon. But all wedding plans grind to a halt when a dead body is found at a nearby campground. A vacationing A-list TV actor has been murdered…and all hell is about to break loose.
When it comes to a celebrity murder, everyone has a motive—and everyone wants a piece of the action. As news media and paparazzi swarm their sleepy town, Stevie and Zane must dig deep to untangle a web of lies, dirty little secrets, and betrayals—and uncover the killer. But the closer they get to the truth, the deadlier their investigation becomes. And if they don’t act quickly, ’Til death do us part may come sooner than they thought.
REVIEW:
I was so excited when Ms. Elliot and Ms. Leigh announced that they were going back to Rogue River. From the end of the last Rogue River/Rogue Winter series I was hoping the ladies would revisit this tiny little Oregon town.
It was great to be back in the city of Rogue River, Oregon even if it was a murder that brought us back. A murder of a high profile super star just turned this sleepy little town upside down. There is so much that happens in this little novella. Just when I thought I had it all figured out Ms. Elliot throws a curve in the road. So many unanswered questions!! I will have to wait for Ms. Leigh’s book (book 2 in this series) to hopefully get the answers I seek.
If you are a fan of either of these ladies you need to pick up the Rogue Series (there are three, but they all focus on the city of Rogue River and the Taylor family)!! Can’t wait to see what is next.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kendra Elliot in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
Kimberly reviews Deadly Silence by Rebecca Zanetti
TITLE: Deadly Silence
SERIES #: Blood Brothers #1
CHARACTERS: Zara & Ryker
AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/04/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
DON’T LOOK BACK
Under siege. That’s how Ryker Jones feels. The Lost Bastards Investigative Agency he opened up with his blood brothers has lost a client in a brutal way. The past he can’t outrun is resurfacing, threatening to drag him down in the undertow. And the beautiful woman he’s been trying to keep at arm’s length is in danger…and he’ll destroy anything and anyone to keep her safe.
Paralegal Zara Remington is in over her head. She’s making risky moves at work by day and indulging in an affair with a darkly dangerous PI by night. There’s a lot Ryker isn’t telling her and the more she uncovers, the less she wants to know. But when all hell breaks loose, Ryker may be the only one to save her. If his past doesn’t catch up to them first…
Full of twists and turns you won’t see coming, DEADLY SILENCE is New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti at her suspenseful best…
A Blood Brothers Novel
REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts This is the first in the second series wrapped around brothers designed by Dr Madison. If you have no clue what I am talking about then please go back and find Rebecca’s Sin Brothers series. While you do not need to read it to start this series it will help and trust me the stories are worth the read!!!
The Blood Brothers are Ryker, Heath and Denver are on the run from Dr Madison and Sheriff Cobb. Zara is a simple paralegal secretary who has a heart of gold and somehow she and Ryker begin an affair but it soon turns into more romance and more suspense to make this romantic suspense novel a wonderful read.
I will say I enjoyed the Sin Brothers a bit more than I enjoyed Ryker. He has a lot of different facets about him… he is alpha for sure and protective, he loves his brothers beyond belief and he can be controlling and downright obnoxious at times but when it comes to his brothers, Zara and Greg his heart turns to jelly and I found myself enjoying him. Zara is sweet but she has the heart of a mama bear. When you mess with what is hers she will stop at nothing to protect them.
I really enjoyed this story. I am thrilled that the story continues with the new brothers and it sounds like there are a number of brothers to come in the future (thank goodness). I am not sure who’s story is up next but I sure hope it is Heath’s. I have a feeling he may turn into my next book crush.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.