Thriller

Review: Jana DeLeon

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So instead of enticing you with a juicy new read today,  I’m throwing several at you in the form of one of my favorite, most enjoyably fun authors.

Jana DeLeon is fun.  Her stories are amusing, intriguing, can’t put it down”ing” all at the same time.  She has so many more that I still haven’t read.  But these three series are all at the top of my “must read the new one as soon as it comes out” list.

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By far my fav is the Miss Fortune series.  Who knew murder could be so funny?  But I jest, just a bit at least.  Whenever I’m reading one of these marvelous little gems I find myself laughing out loud, and trust me,  I don’t LOL too often when reading a book.  The characters are endearing and hilarious, and I can just picture their shenanigans as I’m reading.

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My second favorite series from Jana is the Ghost-in-Law series.  Almost as funny as Miss Fortune,  but with a happy little helping of the paranormal thrown in.  Same small town antics and appeal as the Miss Fortune setting.

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And finally, we have the newest series featuring Shaye Archer.  Not nearly as humorous, but instead dark and disturbing without losing any of the author’s skill as a mystery writer.  Oh and did I mention that all of these books are set in Louisiana?  Surely slanted my opinion just a tad.

As with many series, it’s not absolutely necessary to read them in order.  But in my opinion, that’s part of the thrill.  Growing with the characters, keeping up with them over time, both things that make serial novels most enjoyable.

As for which series to start with?  Sorry, friends, I’m no help with that.  Your best bet would be to grab the first in each, read them all, and then decide which one you’ll read next!

~Thalia

~Buy It Now:  Shaye Archer series   Miss Fortune series   Ghost-in-Law series

 

Review: Make Me by Lee Child

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23664710SO happy with this installment. I’ve felt that the last few have been lacking…hell, to be honest, after reading “Personal” I waited a few days after the release date to read this one….I’ve always read Reacher the day of release! Lee Child has been a long time favourite author of mine…I’ve followed Reacher from the very start…but the last few years have really left me feeling that perhaps Child was more interested in politics, Hollywood deals and easy payouts….

This one however! This is an example of what I loved about Reacher…Child wasn’t trying to invent dialogue and make Reacher more likable. Reacher acted exactly how he wanted to…said and did what he felt like doing, and didn’t much care if others didn’t really approve. They could either go along, or they could walk away….as often is the case, others followed along….I admit, Reacher is a type of person that I often wonder about in real life. I mean, he’s kinda stand-offish…his grooming habits might have a bit to be desired…he often takes the hard road, verses the easy way…and he doesn’t want to talk about, he just wants to bash someone’s head in….I should really be appalled by the man….but I’m not….I absolutely love him….

And if you want to know why….read this book….This is Reacher at his Reacher best…

**Spoiler** as for the all the reviews I am seeing now about Reacher settling down now…I wouldn’t bet on it…he’s had relationships in the past….he’s even crossed the country to meet a woman he was intrigued with….but Reacher isn’t the type to settle down…Hell, having a bank account was a sore subject with him…Does anyone REALLY believe he can stay in one place? Have a toothbrush holder? A favourite coffee mug? Pssssffffttttt….pleaseeeeeeeee…….give me a break…..

Until next time…

Urania xx

Buy it now Make Me by Lee Child

Review: New Orleans Series by Lisa Jackson

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If you’ve not yet experienced the chilling brilliance that is Lisa Jackson, her New Orleans series is a great place to start.

The series starts out with the unforgettable Hot Blooded  and is currently up to Never Die Alone, just released this past summer.  Is it absolutely necessary to read them in order?  Not really.  But as with all great series, they’re best enjoyed read as they were written.  The character development is outstanding, and part of the thrill is seeing the changes each key player goes through over the years.

Most of the stories take place in New Orleans, of course.  But the crimes do venture outside the area from time to time.  Detectives Bentz and Montoya are as good as you’ll find in any series.  The rapport between them is authentic and compelling, and it doesn’t diminish over the course of the series.  Supporting characters are good as well, although my absolute favorites scenes are still the ones revolving around these two.

And lest you fear that they might become a bit cliche as far as murder goes, no worries!  Each one features a distinctly creepy psychopath to contend with.

Sure, I’ll admit I’m a bit biased because of the setting.  Go figure.  But still, it’s murder mystery at its finest.  Each book leaves you guessing until the very end.

~Thalia

Buy It Now:  New Orleans series bundle

Review: Ivory by Tony Park

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This is a crazy good pirate adventure! Alex lives on the shores of Mozambique, building a luxury hotel… with a band of friends who have their own agendas. They are a group of pirates, stealing supplies and construction materials whenever they can, until a bigwig with a secret tries HIS hand at piracy. And then the bigwig’s corporate attorney Jane gets all mixed up in the crossfire. Throw in a Chinese crime lord, some Romancing the Stone meets Oceans Eleven, and you’ve got yourself excitement on the high seas. 

I wasn’t sure I’d like this book, but I needed a departure from my usual. I ended up LOVING the characters, the twists, the old-school piracy, the modern criminal aspect, the beachy vibe, the double double cross, and the tiny bit of romance. And I learned quite a bit about the government practice of culling ivory. 

Despite the bad guys outnumbering the good guys, Alex and Jane get what they wanted in the end, and I got a happily ever after. 

-calliope 

Buy IVORY

Review: Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier

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wonderland-9781501115189_hrJennifer Hillier is one messed up writer. And I mean that in the best possible way. I mean, how else can you explain the brilliance of Creep, Freak, and then the Butcher? And then along comes this one. And there are clowns. And scary dolls. All of the most important elements of one heck of a scary story.

Vanessa is forced to return to her hometown after a scandal nearly cost her a career. With the help of some much needed connections, she’s able to secure a job as Seaside’s chief of police. There’s some comfort in bringing her children home to the place where she grew up, a small touristy town that owes its existence to the omnipresent Wonderland. Everyone wants to be there, and everyone has been at one time or another.

But her less than happy homecoming is thwarted when she’s immediately thrown into the thick of things. A dead man has been found inside the amusement park, after hours no less. And he’s been dead for a very long time. Is this connected to the spate of missing teens that nobody wants to talk about? And what kind of secrets are lurking behind the gates of Wonderland, just under the smells of cotton candy and the cheerful sound of carnival music?

At the very surface, this is your basic scary-mystery-serial killer-slasher story. All the elements of the genre are there. But it goes much deeper than that, thanks to the brilliance of the author. She knows how to set the stage and how to build suspense from page one. This story is scary, and the fears are real. Grab it and settle in for a good read. With the lights turned down low. And then be prepared to sleep with the lights turned back on.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Wonderland

Review: A Density of Souls by Christopher Rice

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51GdIgFFSzL._SX310_BO1,204,203,200_It’s always a joy to discover a book that’s been around for several years but has somehow flown under my reader radar. On the one hand, there’s a bit of frustration that I HAVEN’T READ THIS BOOK BEFORE NOW! But conversely, there’s pleasure in being able to recommend an older, maybe unheard of, book to friends.

Once upon a time, there were four friends. They did everything together. But then they began to grow up. And their paths diverged. Two of them became jocks. One became the popular cheerleader. And one becomes the outcast. But things aren’t always what they seem, and being on the right side of things doesn’t guarantee a happy outcome. Death, by both murder and suicide, sets everything on a collision course to an ending that can’t be happy for everyone.

This story is full of dark secrets and family histories that were best left hidden. Everything’s connected, and that’s not always a good thing. The writing is beautiful, poetic even, full of rich imagery and so descriptive that you can feel the atmosphere with every page.

This was recently a rerelease of Christopher Rice’s debut novel. Of special interest to me was the note from the author sharing his thoughts on how he would/wouldn’t change the story if he were to write it today. Yes, he’s Anne Rice’s son. And with that comes huge expectations. But talent is talent, regardless of the family lineage.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: A Density of Souls

Review: Gathering Prey by John Sandford

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23281640If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand times…Sandford is the absolute master of dialogue. This latest edition to the long running Davenport series is no disappointment in terms of dialogue. The banter between the characters leaves me chucking at times and feeling like I am right there as part of the group. I’ve never experienced any other writer than can nail it so completely. Maybe it’s the sarcasm that pops up from time to time that I relate to so well….

First all, I’ve been an avid and yea….perhaps a rabid fan of John Sandford since the 80’s. I’ve been with Lucas from the very start and I have read them all. I marvel at how Sandford continues to keep this series exciting and fresh after all these years. I have watched Lucas grow up and mature. I don’t even mind anymore that he’s with Weather (I never felt she was a strong enough character for Lucas from the start). I don’t even mind that his hair has grey in it…or that he’s now in the over 50 club. He’s still relevant!

If I am to be honest, I love this series even more now then I did when it first began. It’s just gotten better in more ways than one…

Just as we start to feel that Lucas is getting bogged down in his job…well, Sandford fixes that. We see some hints of conflict between long time characters that spell lots of changes in not just Davenport’s professional life, but perhaps his personal life as well.

Sandford has also been prepping us for more of Lucas’ daughter…really, since she was first introduced in Naked Prey….but in this installment, Letty really comes to shine and we continue getting glimpses of the young adult she is becoming.

The ending of the book didn’t disappoint. I won’t bore you with the plot summery….If you’ve read Sandford, you already know there’s going to be some very bad people who Davenport is going to be tracking…This novel had more than it’s fair share….but from the very start you can sense that the feelings of dissatisfaction, boredom, and aggravation that Davenport has been feeling for his job has got to come to some sort of head. Lucas once again sets off in what can only be called “Davenport style” and off on his own to do what needs to be done. It’s who he is. It’s what I often miss from the older books. So often (as in real life) politics and endless bureaucratic barriers are there to tie Davenport’s hands and prevent him from doing his job in a timely fashion. Not this time….

The ending….well it doesn’t leave me feeling worried….or fearing for the next book. I am excited. I can’t wait to see what happens. It not only opens up this series to endless new possibilities, it also does the same for Sandford’s other series that centers around Virgil “F” Flowers….

Bring, it Sandford….I’m ready!!!!

Until next time….

Urania xx

Buy it now Gathering Prey by John Sandford

Review: Those Girls by Chevy Stevens

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23014603Every reader has a select group of those authors, writers whose newest releases are automatic must-reads. Each book is different, of course, but every new story must be read as soon as it comes out. Chevy Stevens is one of those authors for me. From the very beginning, with Still Missing, to the latest, That Night, her stories have not let me down. This latest offering is no exception.

Like most stories of this genre, everything begins with a bang. And then it quickly spirals downhill from there. When three young girls are able to finally escape their abusive father, it seems as if their lives might finally take a turn for the better. But of course it’s not to be, as one tragedy after another befalls them. Now, eighteen years later, secrets from the past threaten to rise to the surface. The fragile peace they’ve managed to craft for themselves is in danger of being upended as long-buried (literally) secrets bubble to the surface.

And if it seems like my description is ambiguous and vague, it was meant to be. This is one of those stories where you don’t want to give too much away. It’s best enjoyed by going in without too much of a clue as to what it’s going to be about. And it’s far too easy to turn a book review into a summary. So I’ll leave it at that.

When I was kicking ideas for this review around in my head, the first word that came to mind was implausible. And I don’t mean that as a criticism at all. But then as I thought about it, I realized that the same could be said for any of Chevy’s books. And that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying any of them, this one included. The characters are so strong, so relatable that it doesn’t even matter if the storyline is far-fetched. The author makes you care about them, forces you to keep reading to find out how it’s going to end. And there are so many twists and turns that you’re never truly quite sure what’s going to happen. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, it goes in a completely different direction. So grab this one and settle in for quite a ride. And if this is the first book you’ve read by Chevy Stevens, add the others to your list!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Those Girls

Review: The Samaritan by Mason Cross

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21566238oh dear….I’m not sure what happened here…I LOVED the first book in this series. This one? Meh…not so much….

We still are dealing with Carter Blake….We are still wanting to find out more about Blake and his past….we are allowed once again to see bits and pieces….He’s still in the same line of work….finding people that don’t want to be found….so why didn’t I like this one as much as the first?

A couple of things….First we know Blake was part of some top-secret government black ops that very few people played a part in and even fewer knew about…however, once again, Blake stumbles across someone from this operation. It was too much like the first book.

Another thing…..we are left, yet again, with secondary characters that are playing a major part in the story and yet we aren’t given much insight into them. I hardly think one paragraph explaining the controversy around the main detective qualifies…especially since it her were her POV we saw the most of during the novel…

The way the story jumped around from one POV to another for the first 80% was also distracting….and it might be poor editing that will hopefully be fixed once released, but the flashbacks that the Samaritan had…well….they didn’t flow right….there was no stopping point where the present met the past…it made for a very awkward reading experience..at least a space between paragraphs was needed….

Finally….we didn’t even get much of Blake until the end of the book….just a little bit here and there….Carter Blake is the one who makes this series!!!! Yes he is a mystery….but FFS, he should be playing a major role throughout the entire novel…not just at the end…..and it’s been proven in the past that he is known by the FBI and certain elements just didn’t add up at the end with the bit FBI players involved….

Am I let down by this novel? Yes….it felt choppy and unedited….it wasn’t smooth at all….do I still look forward to the next in the series? Hell yes….Carter Blake is a great character. I still think Mason Cross has a great opportunity to make him a household name. I just hope in the next novel that he expands and doesn’t expect the reader to believe that such a small secret operation has team members that are always running into one another…it’s a very large world out there…I think Cross is safe to look outside this small circle for someone who Blake can hunt….it might even make it more interesting and show his skills if it a complete unknown….

Just my thoughts…

Until next time….

Urania xx

ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review

Buy it now The Samaritan by Mason Cross

Review – Invasion of Privacy by Christopher Reich.

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23278495New go-to author alert!

I found this book on Netgalley and thought that it sounded like an interesting read. Was I right, or was I right? In fact, I’ve now gone on to read two other books by the same author (a series featuring the same main characters). I must warn you, if you’re paranoid about technology and how it can be used to know every single detail about your life, then you will be vindicated when reading this book! It is scary and fascinating at the same time.

The plot follows an FBI agent who gets killed whilst on assignment and his wife is not satisfied with the official answers given to her by the FBI, so she goes on her own investigation.

Now, this is a fairly common plot shell to have, but Reich makes it work. Clearly a lot of research went into this book due to all the technological jargon and explanations, and that is a credit to Reich that he didn’t just write a simple thriller plot. Even the characters are fairly well fleshed out, and that does not often occur with a lot of plot driven thrillers.

This was a quick and easy read, and that is exactly what I’m looking when picking a thriller. If you want an author that can put their personal breadth of experience into words to create a good story, then look no further than Christopher Reich!

Pegasus.

Invasion of Privacy: A Novel