Review: The Queen's Weapons

The Queen's Weapons by Anne Bishop
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Although I may need to give this a second read to let it all sink deeper in, right now, I can say that this is a superb addition to the Black Jewels series. This book revolves mainly around Jaenelle Saetien’s life. She is now more than several centuries old but still a; well, let's say, a young adult. She has not yet made her offering, so she still has only her Twilights Dawn jewel. She has turned into a right little b*itch, and it gets worse as the book progresses. But you'll see why and it's a doozy of a plot twist!

If you've kept up with the whole series, don't do as I did and re-read  since it will make the first, oh, maybe 10% of this book boring. There is a lot of repetition about Surreal and Daemons' marriage and 'the heat'. A conflict that does seem to get resolved in this book.

This book is definitely a must-read for those who love The Jewels series and will definitely be going on my comfort read shelf. You know the one I mean- the books that you just read for pure enjoyment when nothing else seems to suit!

*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley. Thank you.

SYNOPSIS: "Enter the dark and sensual realms of the Black Jewels, a world where power always has a price, in this sweeping story in the New York Times bestselling fantasy saga.

They are Warlord Princes, men born to serve and protect. They are the Queen's Weapons, men born to destroy the Queen's enemies--no matter what face that enemy wears.

Daemonar Yaslana knows how to be bossy yet supportive--traits he shares with his father, the Demon Prince, and his uncle, the High Lord of Hell. Within his generation of the family, he assumes the role of protector, supporting his sister Titian’s artistic efforts and curbing his cousin Jaenelle Saetien’s more adventurous ideas. But when a young Eyrien Queen, someone Titian thought was a friend, inflicts an emotional wound, Daemonar's counterattack brings him under the tutelage of Witch, the Queen whose continued existence is known only to a select few.

As Daemonar is confronted by troubling changes within and around the family, he sees warnings that a taint in the Blood might be reappearing. Daemonar, along with his father and uncle, must uncover the source of a familiar evil--and Daemon Sadi, the High Lord of Hell, may be forced into making a terrible choice."

 

Review: The Baddest Girl on the Planet

The Baddest Girl on the Planet by Heather Frese
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Dianne's review

Jan 22, 2021   

really liked it

bookshelves: arc-s-tbr, attl, edelweiss

This was an excellent book that reads more as if it were a series of short stories. It was easy to follow and had likable character's that I could relate to. It was a book that made me appreciate the little things in life a bit more.

We do a lot of jumping around in time, but it was easy to follow. It is a thought-provoking read that deals with a variety of situations. I felt a lot about Evie -frustration, sadness, grief, joy, and even some confusion. It is ultimately a coming of age story that was relatable to people of any age or sex.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher, the author, and ATTL/Edelweiss. I want to thank the author for such a good read at such a difficult time in our lives.

SYNOPSIS: " WINNER of the LEE SMITH NOVEL PRIZE

Evie Austin, native of Hatteras Island, North Carolina and baddest girl on the planet, has not lived her life in a straight line. There have been several detours―career snafus, bad romantic choices, a loved but unplanned child―not to mention her ill-advised lifelong obsession with boxer Mike Tyson. Evie is not plucky, but when life’s changes smash over her like the rough surf of the local shoreline, she muddles through―until that moment of loss and longing when muddling will no longer suffice. This is the story of what the baddest girl on the planet must find in herself when a bag of pastries, a new lover, or quick trip to Vegas won’t fix anything, and when something more than casual haplessness is required. The Baddest Girl on the Planet is inventive, sharp, witty, and poignant. Readers will want to jump in and advise this baddest girl on the planet―or at least just give her a shake or a hug―at every fascinating turn."

Review: The Newcomer

The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dianne's review

Jan 17, 2021  

it was amazing

bookshelves: galleys-arcs, netgalley

Mary Kay did her usual fantastic job on this book. But I must tell you her writing style has changed a lot from her beginnings. The topics are way less frivolous. The storylines and characters are more profound and more mysterious. The last few books have less humor and off-the-wall characters in them. In this book, the main mystery is quite complicated, and because there are actually 2 mysteries going on, it can get a little complicated. There are some stereotypical characters in this book (the usual Florida Olde Pharte, for example), but you can see why as you read. I loved it.

This book was filled with mystery, intrigue, family, murder, unlikable characters (and I must admit that it took me a very long time to connect with and warm up to, Letty Carnahan and her niece Maya, our main character's) lies, romance, and the usual luscious descriptions of the deep South.

I have to admit that this book's twists were phenomenal, and I hope that there will be a book about Vikki Hill. She was a great secondary character!

This book will be a must-buy for avid Mary Kay Andrew's fans, and I highly recommend this book to those that love a good mystery and tales of the South. This is going to make for an exceptional beach read this year!

*ARC supplied by the publisher, author, and NetGalley.

SYNOPSIS: "IN TROUBLE AND ON THE RUN . . .

After she discovers her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her fashionable New York City
townhouse, Letty Carnahan is certain she knows who did it: Tanya's ex; sleazy real estate
entrepreneur Evan Wingfield. Even in the grip of grief and panic Letty heeds her late sister's
warnings: "If anything bad happens to me--it's Evan. Promise me you'll take Maya and run.
Promise me." So Letty grabs her sister's Mercedes and hits the road . . .

WITH A TRUNKFUL OF EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE . . .

. . . and her wailing four-year-old niece Maya. Letty is determined to out-run Evan and the law,
but run to where? Tanya, a woman with a past shrouded in secrets, left behind a "go-bag" of cash
and a big honking diamond ring--but only one clue: a faded magazine story about a sleepy
mom-and-pop motel in a Florida beach town with the improbable name of Treasure Island.
She sheds her old life and checks into an uncertain future at The Murmuring Surf Motel.

THE NO VACANCY SIGN IS FLASHING, & THE SHARKS ARE CIRCLING . . .

And that's the good news. Because The Surf, as the regulars call it, is the winter home of a
close-knit flock of retirees and snowbirds who regard this odd-duck newcomer with suspicion and
down-right hostility. As Letty settles into the motel's former storage room, she tries to heal Maya's
heartache and unravel the key to her sister's shady past, all while dodging the attention of the
owner's dangerously attractive son Joe, who just happens to be a local police detective. Can Letty
find romance as well as a room at the inn--or will Joe betray her secrets and put her behind bars?
With danger closing in, it's a race to find the truth and and right the wrongs of the past."

 

Review: Heartbreak Bay

Heartbreak Bay by Rachel Caine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Heartbreak Bay (Stillhouse Lake #5)
by 

Rachel Caine (Goodreads Author)

Dianne's review

Jan 11, 2021  

it was amazing

bookshelves: galleys-arcs, kindle-unlimited-books, netgalley, to-recommend

From Wikipedia -"Rachel Caine was the pen name of Roxanne Longstreet Conrad, who was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy, mystery, suspense, and horror novels. " Unfortunately, Ms. Caine passed away on  November 1, 2020. "

This is the second time (for me) that an author of a long-running series has passed away while in the middle of the series.  Sadly we will never know now if Gina/Gwen will have finally escaped the notoriety that has dogged her ever since the world finds out that her late husband was a serial murderer.

In this book, problems with Gwen's past crops up once again, and it seems that these problems will include Kezia this time.  I found that reading this book from both Gwen and Kenzia point of view was interesting.  Also, learning more about Kenzia and her personal life was fascinating.

All in all, this was an excellent book that leaves you somewhat lacking at the end. I also felt a tad frustrated that the antagonists were using the same tropes that were used at the beginning of this series.   However, I think that many things would have been cleared up had we not lost Ms. Caine.

Remember - if you have Kindle Unlimited, you may read this series through KU.

*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley.

SYNOPSIS: "They’re hunting a killer so silent, so invisible, that his unspeakable crimes are the only proof he exists.

A car submerged in a remote pond. The bodies of two girls strapped into their seats. The mystery of their mother, vanished without a trace, leads Gwen Proctor and Kezia Claremont into dangerous territory.

On the surface, Gwen’s life is good—two children approaching adulthood, a committed partner, and a harrowing past dead and gone. But that past is attracting the attention of someone invisible…and unstoppable. Trouble’s just beginning. So is the body count in this backwoods Tennessee town.

As threats mount and Gwen’s hunted by an enemy who pulls all the strings, Kezia has her back. But working to solve these vicious and unreasonable crimes will expose them both to a killer they can’t for the life of them see coming."

Review: Blood Heir

Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



View all my reviews

Dianne's review

Jan 13, 2021 

liked it

3.5 Stars---- Dear Gods and Goddesses, when will Goodreads allow half stars as LibraryThing does???

I am not as enamored with this book as everyone else seems to be, and I'll tell you why. There is really no difference between this book and the Kate and Curran books. Well, except for the fact that Kate had to fight a lot more for her power. We even have the trope that there is no ending to the bad guy; Julie can't 'expose' herself, so she goes under an AKA and has also had a, well, so I don't spoil things -a total make-over.

I enjoyed the book, but I didn't LOVE the book. I will do a second read to see if I feel less like I'm reading a copy of the K and C books, and hopefully, I'll find something fresher about this one.

SYNOPSIS: "From Ilona Andrews, an all-new novel set in the Kate Daniels World and featuring Julie Lennart-Olsen, Kate and Curran's ward.

Atlanta was always a dangerous city. Now, as waves of magic and technology compete for supremacy, it’s a place caught in a slow apocalypse, where monsters spawn among the crumbling skyscrapers and supernatural factions struggle for power and survival.

Eight years ago, Julie Lennart left Atlanta to find out who she was. Now she’s back with a new face, a new magic, and a new name—Aurelia Ryder—drawn by the urgent need to protect the family she left behind. An ancient power is stalking her adopted mother, Kate Daniels, an enemy unlike any other, and a string of horrifying murders is its opening gambit.

If Aurelia’s true identity is discovered, those closest to her will die. So her plan is simple: get in, solve the murders, prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled, and get out without being recognized. She expected danger, but she never anticipated that the only man she'd ever loved could threaten everything.

One small misstep could lead to disaster. But for Aurelia, facing disaster is easy; it’s relationships that are hard."

Review: Oslo, Maine

Oslo, Maine by Marcia Butler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Oslo, Maine
by 

Marcia Butler (Goodreads Author)

Dianne Socci-Tetro's review

Jan 10, 2021

I can not for the life of me to describe this book. Was it a mystery? Was it a coming of age story? Was it a pity party? Was it erotica?
If there was a trope to be found, this author found it and not in a nice way. However, I will say that this was un-put-downable, and it was a swift read.


TRIGGER ALERT--->What, in my opinion, amounts to wild animal abuse, then a very descriptive passage about butchering what amounts to one of the narrators ( a moose cow).

I'm going to leave this one up to you all, folks -I can't say that it is a horrible book because I couldn't put it down. However, I can not say that it was entertainment because it was just one misery after another.

*ARC supplied by publisher author and NetGalley.

SYNOPSIS: "A moose walks into a rural Maine town called Oslo. Pierre Roy, a brilliant twelve-year-old, loses his memory in an accident. Three families are changed for worse and better as they grapple with trauma, marriage, ambition, and their fraught relationship with the natural world.

Meet Claude Roy, Pierre’s blustery and proud fourth-generation Maine father who cannot, or will not, acknowledge the too real and frightening fact of his son’s injury. And his wife, Celine, a once-upon-a-time traditional housewife and mother who descends into pills as a way of coping. Enter Sandra and Jim Kimbrough, musicians and recent Maine transplants who scrape together a meager living as performers while shoring up the loose ends by attempting to live off the grid. Finally, the wealthy widow from away, Edna Sibley, whose dependent adult grandson is addicted to 1980’s Family Feud episodes. Their disparate backgrounds and views on life make for, at times, uneasy neighbors. But when Sandra begins to teach Pierre the violin, forces beyond their control converge. The boy discovers that through sound he can enter a world without pain from the past nor worry for the future. He becomes a pre-adolescent existentialist and invents an unconventional method to come to terms with his memory loss, all the while attempting to protect, and then forgive, those who’ve failed him."

Review: Bears Behaving Badly

I WANTED TO REPRINT THIS REVIEW SO YOU COULD SEE FOR YOURSELF.  ALSO TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU HAVE KINDLE UNLIMITED THIS BOOK IS FREE. SEE REVIEW FOR BOOK TWO BELOW THIS ONE.












Bears Behaving Badly by MaryJanice Davidson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book a lot. (added 9/28---I loved it even the second time around, so this is going on my comfort read shelf!) I didn't quite find it gut-busting funny, but I did get quite a few giggles. MaryJanice follows her tropes and long-time readers are pretty comfortable with this fact. As far as first-time readers of MJD...I think they are going to like this book a lot.

I do wish there had been more backstory-so we could have understood better, what was going on. It took quite a while for me to understand totally what was going on.

I also wish there had been some better editing as I found some inconsistencies. but that may be fixed before release.


*ARC provided by the publisher.

SYNOPSIS: "These social worker bear shifters give the term "mama bear" a whole new meaning! Bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson is back with this brand-new paranormal romance series featuring a foster care system for at-risk shifter babies and teens.

Werebear shifter Annette Garsea is a caseworker for the Interspecies Placement Agency. When a selectively mute and freakishly strong teen werewolf is put in her custody, Annette has to uncover the young girl's secrets if she's to have any hopes of helping her. And not even the growling of a scruffy private investigator can distract her from her mission...

Bear shifter David Auberon appreciates Annette's work with at-risk teen shifters, but he's not sure if her latest charge is so much a vulnerable teen as a predator who should be locked up. All that changes when he, Annette, and her motley band of juveniles find themselves dodging multiple murder attempts and uncovering a trafficking cartel that doesn't just threaten the kids, but risks discovery of the shifters by the wider world of homo sapiens.

BeWere My Heart series:
Bears Behaving Badly (Book 1)"

Review: A Wolf After My Own Heart

A Wolf After My Own Heart by MaryJanice Davidson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Wolf After My Own Heart (BeWere My Heart Book 2)
by 

MaryJanice Davidson (Goodreads Author)

Dianne's review

Jan 10, 2021   

it was amazing

bookshelves: galleys-arcs, comfort-books, netgalley

4.5 Stars

I loved this book even more than the first one in this series. I suggest that you start with the first one if you are interested in this book, just to get you up to speed with the series. However, it is not absolutely necessary since this book has plenty of back-stories.

This book is filled with the author's marvelous and wacky tropes that long-time readers have come to know and love.

Oddly there wasn't a lot of 'steam' in this novel (some, but it wasn't the main focus), just humor and action.

If I have any complaints at all, it would be that I cannot wait until the next book comes out! Please, MaryJanice, write faster!!!

*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley.

SYNOPSIS: "Orphans and humans and weres, oh my! Escape into this delicious shifter romance from bestselling author Mary Janice Davidson.

Oz Adway is a rare breed: an accountant who wants to get dirty. And, by the way, a wolf shifter working for the Interspecies Placement Agency. Bored with his safe office job, he volunteers to find runaway bear cub Sally Smalls, recently orphaned by a plane crash. Piece of cake, right? Unfortunately, Sally's taken refuge with "ordinary" human Lila Kai, a reluctant guardian who has no idea what's going on, but will destroy anyone who tries to take the cub. Not that it matters. Oz is not about to let a gorgeous Stable jeopardize his career move.

As for Lila, she knows something's different about the sexy weirdo who keeps popping up in the wrong place at the right time. She's determined to figure out what, regardless of the escalating threats to her safety and Oz's distracting hotness. She didn't move into a cursed house and take in a werebear just to run when things get complicated. Together, Oz and Lila will prevail! But only if they can keep their hands off each other...

Put away your pocket protectors: This hilarious story includes a nerdy shifter accountant with a bad-boy side, a fiercely protective human heroine, and a baby bear cub that will make every reader sigh in cuteness.

A hilarious and sexy book in the BeWere My Heart series"

Review: The Titanic Sisters

The Titanic Sisters by Patricia Falvey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dianne's review

Jan 07, 2021 

liked it

bookshelves: galleys-arcs, netgalley, re-pub

View all my reviews

This was a reprint into an e-book.

This book was not what I expected. It was not a book that did a lot of focus on the Titanic (as the title leads you to assume); it was more of a story about two sisters that have never really liked each other, lies, deceit, and double-crossing. Throw in some tepid romance, and there you have it.

Most of the secondary characters are what kept me going, and I admit I did need to finish it to see how it all worked out for everyone.

Not a horrible book, but not un-put-downable.

*ARC supplied by the publisher and author.

SYNOPSIS:  "Sisters Nora and Delia have been given the chance of a lifetime - to escape their poor Irish farm and travel on the Titanic to a new life in America. Delia is to become a treasured governess for a rich family, while Nora has only a lowly maid's position.

But when disaster strikes, and Delia dies, a small misunderstanding leads to Nora taking Delia's place as governess. As Nora grows closer to her charge, and the girl's father, will she be able to reveal the truth to find a chance at happiness? And what will happen when she finds out that Delia is actually alive, and coming to take what is rightfully hers...?"

Review: Daylight

Daylight by David Baldacci
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Daylight (Atlee Pine, #3)

by David Baldacci (Goodreads Author)

Dianne's review Jan 07, 2021

View all my reviews

I have only read the first book in this series, and after reading this one, I am going to make sure that I buy the second one and reread all three!

I know that many long-time readers didn't like this book(for many reasons), but I found it fascinating, action-packed, and one that I just couldn't put down. I  have no problems with the continuing story of Atlee still looking for her sister. After all, I think that once she finds her sister, the series will have to end, don't you think so too?

Mr. Baldacci uses his usual tropes with this book, and I find it quite comforting that he does so.  Some of the 'action' IS a tad far-fetched, but I found it easy to suspend my disbelief and keep reading.

I wholeheartedly recommend this series to any who likes a kick-butt heroine, no romance, and a LOT of action.  This is also a book that forces you to use your brain to keep up with all the twists and turns.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher and the author. Thank-you.

SYNOPSIS:"FBI Agent Atlee Pine's search for her sister Mercy clashes with military investigator John Puller's high-stakes case, leading them both deep into a global conspiracy -- from which neither of them will escape unscathed.

For many long years, Atlee Pine was tormented by uncertainty after her twin sister, Mercy, was abducted at the age of six and never seen again. Now, just as Atlee is pressured to end her investigation into Mercy's disappearance, she finally gets her most promising breakthrough yet: the identity of her sister's kidnapper, Ito Vincenzo.

With time running out, Atlee and her assistant Carol Blum race to Vincenzo's last known location in Trenton, New Jersey -- and unknowingly stumble straight into John Puller's case, blowing his arrest during a drug ring investigation involving a military installation.

Stunningly, Pine and Puller's joint investigation uncovers a connection between Vincenzo's family and a breathtaking scheme that strikes at the very heart of global democracy. Peeling back the layers of deceit, lies and cover-ups, Atlee finally discovers the truth about what happened to Mercy. And that truth will shock Pine to her very core."