Thriller

Review – Cross and Burn by Val McDermid.

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17572973Fair warning: this is book 8 of a series, and even though you can technically read it as a standalone, I would highly recommend reading the previous novels in order to truly understand the relationships of the characters.

There’s nothing quite like returning back to that series you love – the comfort food in the book world. For me, this is one of those books. Part of the Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series, Val McDermid has written yet another brilliant installment. If you’ve never heard of McDermid, she is a Scottish crime writer who has written many successful books, both standalone and part of this series. I highly recommend you check out her standalone novels, if you’re not interested in picking up another series.

Cross and Burn begins not long after the events of the previous novel. The killer of the day is one that is seemingly hunting victims that have a strong resemblance to DCI Carol Jordan. Is this killer obsessed with Carol, or is there another motivation driving him/her?

As per usual, McDermid pulls no punches when getting into the psyche of the killer and the actions the killer takes. Gruesome, yet scarily realistic, McDermid’s ability to shock the reader whilst never going too over the top, is on top form. The relationship between the titular characters is also very well written. Even after 8 books, McDermid still manages to find new nuances to explore and always keep the reader on their feet.

If you’re looking for a fun new series than I highly recommend this one. You can start with The Mermaids Singing (Tony Hill / Carol Jordan Book 1) if you want to start afresh (which I recommend), but don’t come complaining to me when you get hooked and that TBR pile gets a little bigger!

Until next time,

Pegasus

Cross and Burn (Tony Hill and Carol Jordan Mystery)

Review: Breaking Butterflies by M. Anjelais

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18523137Breaking Butterflies is one of those books that you can’t put down because you just know something big is going to happen. But in this case the “something big” keeps happening over and over.

Cadence and Sphinx have been connected since before they were born, the result of a lifelong friendship between their mothers. Everything was planned out from childhood. When they would marry, how many kids they would have, even what those kids would be named. But plans go awry when it becomes very clear that something is wrong with Cadence. His golden child persona that the rest of the world sees is covering up something very wrong with his soul, his conscience, his inner being. And Sphinx herself is the object of his desire, the object of his obsession.

This story was both good and bad for me. Good because it kept me intrigued and reading until the very end. The bad for me was the dislike that I increasingly felt for Sphinx as the story progressed. But still, that’s the sign of a well-written story, one that elicits emotion either good or bad. A good read with some interesting twists!

~Thalia

Buy It Now:Breaking Butterflies

$1.99! What a deal!

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I’m doing a little online shopping and I’m tempted by the great price drops on kindle books. Here are four fantastic looking reads that caught my eye – at bargain prices! –calliope

IMG_1624.JPG BUY IT!

IMG_1625.JPG BUY IT!

IMG_1626.JPG BUY IT!

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Review: Black Ice, by Becca Fitzpatrick

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01bla I really enjoyed Becca Fitzpatrick’s Hush Hush series, so I was super excited to hear she was writing another book. But when I heard it was a mystery/thriller, that made me a bit nervous. I’m usually not a fan of those. However, I LOVED this book. I did break my rule of no reading blurbs, but I was still in the dark and was able to make my own assumptions.

When we first meet Britt, some may think that she’s this spoiled brat, but I never got that at all. I thought she had a good head on her shoulders and was fully prepared to take on whatever life threw at her. So what if she pretends to not understand how to pump gas, so the guy will do it for her. That doesn’t make her spoiled, that makes her smart. 😉

Britt has been planning this Spring Break hiking trip for a while now and she isn’t happy that her ex is meeting her up at the cabin. She was hoping for a girls week, but at least it will give her a chance to see if her feelings for him have changed or not.

However, she never makes it to the cabin. Instead, she gets stranded and finds herself at the mercy of two strangers who hold her hostage. She is forced to pull herself together and do what they say. They want her to lead them off the mountain, away from cops and other people. If they want down, she’ll get them down, even if she “accidentally” leads them into the path of people who could save her. She just has to stay alive long enough for someone to find her.

As she makes her way, she is being taken to the areas where three murders were committed, this past year, and it makes her question if she’ll be the next victim. Her captors seem like they know more than they’re saying, so she is determined to get away, at the first chance she gets.

Throughout this entire ordeal, she struggles with knowing who is telling her the truth and who isn’t. Mason, one of her captors, is proving to be more than what she thought. It may all an act, but the evidence all around him, is making his kindness seem out of place.

Who can she trust? Who will keep her safe? Will she be the next victim?

I liked the action that was spread all over the place. My nerves were shot. My heart was racing. The thought of being stuck out in the freezing temps, on a mountain, makes me nervous. But Britt has a good grasp on reality and learns to think on her feet and make fast decisions that could possibly save her life. The smidgen of romance was enough to keep this love her girl happy also. It wasn’t the main focus of the story, but it was a nice mixture.

This is a standalone that will keep you at the edge of your seat, til the very end.

~Melpomene

Release date October 7, 2014

Preorder Black Ice