Tag: reading

Book Review and Blog Tour:  Crimson Summer, by Heather Graham

Image belongs to Harlequin/MIRA.

Title: Crimson Summer
Author:    Heather Graham
Genre:    Thriller
Rating:  4 out 5

They’re not going down without a fight.

 When FDLE special agent Amy Larson discovers a small horse figurine amid the bloody aftermath of a gang massacre in the Everglades, she recognizes it immediately. The toy is the calling card of the apocalypse cult that Amy and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest, have been investigating, and it can only mean one thing: this wasn’t an isolated skirmish—it was the beginning of a war.

 As tensions between rival gangs rise, so does the body count, and Amy and Hunter’s investigation leads them to a violent, far-right extremist group who are in no hurry to quell the civil unrest. With a deadly puppet master working to silence their every lead, it’s a race against the clock to figure out who’s been pulling the strings and put a stop to the escalating cartel turf war before the Everglades run red.

I’ve really enjoyed the Larson & Forrest books so far. Just creepy enough to keep my attention without being gory enough to gross me out. The characters—both the two main characters and the supporting characters—are solid and interesting, and I love how they work out exactly what’s going on with the crimes. I’d definitely recommend this!

Heather Graham is a bestselling author. Crimson Summer is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

 

 Book Review:  Sense and Second-Degree Murder, by Tirzah Price

Image belongs to HarperCollins.)

Title:   Sense and Second-Degree Murder
Author:   Tirzah Price
Genre:   YA, historical, mystery
Rating:  4 out of 5

When eighteen-year-old aspiring scientist Elinor Dashwood discovers her beloved father slumped over the desk of his office study, she knows his death means dire straits for the Dashwood women. To make matters worse, an outdated will entails his estate—including Norland & Company, the private investigation firm where her younger sister Marianne worked as her father’s partner and protégé—to their half-brother and his haughty wife, who waste no time in forcing the Dashwoods out of their home and into a cramped apartment on London’s Barton Street. 

But before they go, the Dashwood sisters make a startling discovery that points to foul play, and the killer might be family.

 Obviously, the girls must investigate. It could be dangerous; it could ruin their reputations; and most importantly, it won’t bring back their father. But if the Dashwood sisters can combine their talents and bring their father’s murderer to justice, it may bring them all some comfort—and it might even lead to love.

This was a fun read. I forgot how much Marianne annoyed me—in this and the original—but she really got on my nerves for the first 3/4ths of the book. The supporting characters were very well-done, and I loved the combination of the original storyline and the ladies having their own interests and ambitions. This is definitely a good weekend read.

Tirzah Price Grew up in Michigan. Sense and Second-Degree Murder is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.)

Sundays are for Writing #167

This was a great writing week! I wrote seven book reviews, my March reading post, and the best books I read in March. Back to work tomorrow, so I’m sure there will be significantly less reading and writing this week.

Happy writing!

The Best Books I Read in March (2022)

In March, I read 20 books. A few of those were really excellent reads. All are fantasies this month.

In a Garden Burning Gold, by Rory Power. This was a unique tale (to me). I liked the culture and world, but the main family was mostly unlikable. However, Rhea really grew on me as she became her own person instead of her father’s puppet. Definitely a solid read!

A Magic Steeped in Poison, by Judy I. Lin. I was hooked from the very first page! Setting, culture, characters, I loved it all. I think linking tea and tea ceremonies with magic is so unique, and as a tea fanatic, I really appreciated it.

A Forgery of Roses, by Jessica S. Olson. This was another good fantasy read. I liked the magic system, and the characters were both relatable and likable.

What I Read in March (2022)

Books Read in March: 20

Books Read for the Year:  67/250

Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:

The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom (spiritual). This was an incredible story.

Beginning a Praying Life, by Paul E. Miller (spiritual). Interesting take on prayer. I learned some things.

The Water Keeper, by Charles Martin (TBR). This was SO good! I just loved it.

Autopsy, by Patricia Cornwell (TBR). I haven’t read this series for probably a decade, so it was a bit odd revisiting the characters.

Not Even for a Duke, by A.S. Fenichel (TBR). I enjoyed this series wrap-up.

Fortune and Glory, by Janet Evanovich (TBR). Just pure enjoyment. And too much Joe.

For Review:

Hideout, by Louisa Luna. Alice Vega is not an easy character to like. She’s hard. But she gets stuff done. Despite all the hatred she encounters, I enjoyed this read.

The Paradise Tree, by R.A. Denny. This was a fitting ending to Daniel and Peri’s story.

The Shadow Glass, by Josh Winning. This was a fun, kind of campy tale that reminded me of the movie The Labyrinth.

The Kaiju Preservation Society, by John Scalzi. I’m not sure what I was expecting from this, but I did enjoy the read.

A Forgery of Roses, by Jessica Olson. I enjoyed this story of magic and art. Loved the characters!

A Magic Steeped in Poison, by Judy I. Lin. This was an incredible read! I was hooked from the very beginning, and I can’t wait to read the second book in the duology.

The Lighthouse on Moonglow Bay, by Lori Wilde. This was a very “meh” read for me. I liked one of the sisters, but the other was completely self-absorbed and selfish. There was also a pretty big scene at the end that was totally disconnected from the rest of the narrative (involving a character we’d seen once, early on, and then not the slightest hint of through the rest of the novel.). This just didn’t work for me.

Savage City, by L. Penelope. This was an intriguing concept, but the characters felt a little flat to me.

Crimson Summer, by Heather Graham. I’m really liking these books with the main characters. Lots going on here, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Sense and Second-Degree Murder, by Tirzah Price (review forthcoming). I forgot how much Marianne annoyed me in the Austen book, but this was still a solid, entertaining read.

In a Garden Burning Gold, by Rory Power (review forthcoming). This was unique and intriguing, with characters that I wasn’t sure I liked (and most of them, no, I didn’t).

The Echo Man, by Sam Holland (review forthcoming). This started off a bit slow, but I ended up staying up until 2 a.m. to find out who did it!

The Burning Pages, by Paige Shelton (review forthcoming). This was a fun cozy mystery read—and I’m all about the books.

Just Because:

Mysteries of the Messiah, by Rabbi Jason Sobel. This was a fascinating read!

Left Unfinished:

Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell, by Taj McCoy. I thought this was going to be more of a learning-to-embrace-yourself-warts-and-all type of book, but the 15% I read made it clear that wasn’t the case. Savvy’s boyfriend was a total jerk, but she just let him act like a selfish pratt and make her feel bad about herself, and she still let him have that power over her. I was hoping she grew past that, but I was too annoyed to keep reading and find out.

The Younger Wife, by Sally Hepworth. Yeah, these characters are a hard no for me. Annoying, unlikable, and I could not have cared less about them after reading 15%. Good writing, but not a good fit for me.

Fool Me Once, by Ashley Winstead. I read less than 10% of this before stopping. Lee might have learned never to trust men, but she sure hasn’t learned anything from her own bad behavior, and I just can’t stand to read any characters that are horrible people. And Lee qualifies. So no, thank you. I prefer characters that are decent human beings, not caricatures of a “twenty-first century woman” which, in this case, seems to be code for “selfish, hurtful, and completely frivolous”—and showing no sign of redemption.

Book Review:  Savage City, by L. Penelope

Image belongs to Heartspell Media.

Title:  Savage City
Author:  L. Penelope
Genre:   Fantasy
Rating:  3.8 out of 5

For Talia, death is only the beginning of survival…

 When a tragic accident cuts my lonely life short, instead of heaven or hell, I’m stolen away to a terrifying city of warring shifter clans—the Nimali and the Fai. The Nimali mistake me for their missing princess. Her father, the dragon king, is identical to my own. But in this world, he dotes on me with the love and affection I always craved. And in a land with no tolerance for outsiders, feigning amnesia and impersonating shifter royalty may be the only way to survive.

 For Ryin, falling in love is the worst kind of betrayal…

 As a Fai warrior in captivity, I’m forced to serve my enemy even as I plot their destruction. The lost princess returned much changed, now the heat between us crackles irresistibly. While helping her heal using my magical talents, I begin to question what I thought I knew about the Nimali. She remains as forbidden as ever, but she also might be the key to freedom for me and my people.

 Caught between two enemy factions balancing on the knife-blade of annihilation, our lies are the only thing keeping us alive, but they just might be our undoing.

This was a decent read, but I felt like the characters were pretty generic. I liked the prince better than the two main characters, so I might read more about him. I was interested enough to keep reading the story, but not so much I’m eager to read the sequel. I found the court intrigues in the midst of a world slightly skewed from our own to be a bit not realistic, but my main problem was I just didn’t really care about the characters that much.

L. Penelope was born in the Bronx and lives in Maryland. Savage City is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Heartspell Media in exchange for an honest review.)

 

Book Review:   The Lighthouse on Moonglow Bay, by Lori Wilde

Image belongs to William Morrow.

Title:    The Lighthouse on Moonglow Bay
Author:    Lori Wilde
Genre:    Fiction
Rating:  3 out of 5

It was an inheritance neither sister expected–a lighthouse in Moonglow Cove, left to them by a grandmother they never knew! Harper and Flannery weren’t exactly best friends either. For years, Flannery had held down the home front, taking care of their sick mother and raising a daughter, while Harper sent nothing but checks. And after their mother’s funeral the two sisters had an argument that left them not speaking for six years–why, Harper didn’t even know she has a niece!

 But life has a way of changing when you least expect it. And the sisters discover their grandmother’s will has a stipulation: the two of them must live there, work out their issues… and compete in baking challenges with a hundred-year-old sourdough starter. If either of them gives up, or fails to keep the starter alive, they lose the lighthouse. Will they be able to come together and see their grandmother’s wish come true? Or will these two sisters forever be estranged?

This book just wasn’t a good fit for me. I didn’t like Harper at all, so I wasn’t invested in her story even a little bit. She was too self-absorbed for me. I did like Flannery quite a bit, and her daughter was wonderful. I feel like the author kept some things really distant that should have been seen from the characters’ eyes. Instead, the action happens off-stage. Or, the action happens on-stage, but comes literally out of nowhere, so it feels disjointed. Just not a good fit for me.

 Lori Wilde is from Texas. The Lighthouse on Moonglow Bay is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of William Morrow in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour:  A Forgery of Roses, by Jessica S. Olson

Image belongs to Inkyard Press.

Title:   A Forgery of Roses
Author:   Jessica S. Olson
Genre:   Fantasy, YA
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.

 But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.

 Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.

 Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.

I enjoyed this! Myra was a great character, and her relationship with her sister was just wonderful, and made the book really shine. This book is fairly dark from the first page, but there are spots of brightness. August is another of them. The author portrayed his debilitating anxiety so well, and I was never sure if he would conquer it, or it would conquer him. His family, meanwhile, was absolutely horrible. A lovely read!

Jessica S. Olson lives in Texas. A Forgery of Roses is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Inkyard Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:   The Kaiju Preservation Society, by John Scalzi

Image belongs to Macmillan-Tor/Forge.

Title:    The Kaiju Preservation Society
Author:    John Scalzi
Genre:    SciFi
Rating:  4 out of 5

When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls “an animal rights organization.” Tom’s team needs a last-minute grunt to handle things on their next field visit. Jamie, eager to do anything, immediately signs on.

 What Tom doesn’t tell Jamie is that the animals his team cares for are not here on Earth. Not our Earth, at at least. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures named Kaiju roam a warm and human-free world. They’re the universe’s largest and most dangerous panda and they’re in trouble.

 It’s not just the Kaiju Preservation Society that’s found its way to the alternate world. Others have, too–and their carelessness could cause millions back on our Earth to die.

I don’t delve into science fiction too often these days, but this was a fun, quick read. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and even in serious moments, I enjoyed the characters. The idea itself is so far beyond my comprehension that I just went along with it without question, but Scalzi made me believe in it.

John Scalzi is a bestselling author. The Kaiju Preservation Society is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:   A Magic Steeped in Poison, by Judy I. Lin

Image belongs to Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends.

Title:    A Magic Steeped in Poison
Author:    Judy I. Lin
Genre:    Fantasy, YA
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it’s her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her—the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu. 

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom’s greatest shennong-shi—masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making—she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning’s only chance to save her sister’s life.

 But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger.

I really enjoyed this read! The culture and world were fascinating, and I loved all the sensory details that brought it to vivid life. The characters were believable, and I really loved Ning and the friendships she formed—and the intrigues she landed in. I can’t wait to read the second book in the duology!

Judy I. Lin grew up in Canada. A Magic Steeped in Poison is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends in exchange for an honest review.)