Tag: book 2

Push (Beat: Book 2) by Jared Garret

Displaying

Title: Push

Author: Jared Garrett

Publisher: Future House Publishing

Date of publication: Feburary 8th 2017

Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction

Number of pages: unknown

POV: 1st person

Standalone: No

Series: Beat

Beat – Book 1 (review here)

Push – Book 2

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Two months after the attack on New Frisko, Nik Granger and the other survivors believe themselves hidden from the tyrannical rule of Prime Administrator Adam Holland. After finishing a patrol, Nik returns to camp to discover everyone was wrong. Holland and his Enforsers have killed or captured most of the survivors—including Nik’s parents.

Barely escaping with their lives, Nik and his friends Pol and Melisa race to stop Holland before he murders their friends and family. As they travel through what’s left of America, they face danger at every turn, including Ranjers who will stop at nothing to carry out Holland’s sadistic orders. With the world against them, can they make it in time to save what’s left of humanity? And when it comes to it, will Nik have what it takes to destroy Holland once and for all?

My review:

Push picks up two months after Beat ends.

Nik and his group of Pushers are living in the woods, near New Fisko, and they are battling relentless Ranjers who are determined to wipe them out of existence.

During one attack on their camp, the Ranjers kill several people and take Niks mother and father (Kayt and Bruse) hostage per the Prime Administrator. He is warned that if he goes after them to find out where they were, then he will kill Nik’s parents. Which is the wrong thing to say to Nik.

They travel to another site (where other survivors from New Frisko are). After they get there, a group of Wanderers happens to wander near the camp (which is located in a cave). The leader of the triune of Wanderers dropped a bombshell on Nik. He knows information about Holland (the Prime Administrator) and is willing to let Nik know….if Nik lets Devera, a young Wanderer girl, join his triune. After making that decision, he returns to the caves to find Dyana and Pol arguing about Nik not being the leader of the Pushers. It escalates to Dyana blaming Nik for everything that happened from the destruction of New Frisko to present day. Nik makes the announcement that he will go traveling to San Francisco to see what intel he can get on Holland.

The trip to San Francisco is pretty much drama free and the trip to find Holland’s offices are too. One of the Wanderers, Lily, was alerted to an attack being planned by the Ranjers that targeted her father and she left with Pol and James to go warn him what was happening. Leaving Melisa and Nik to search the building. What they turned up (and almost died for) was something that would rock their worlds.

From this point on, the book focuses on Nik, James, Lily, Pol and Melisa and their journey to go free Nik’s parents. It is full of action and there was a twist that I kinda saw coming and one that I didn’t see coming.

I did think that Nik must have nine lives. That boy was beaten, stabbed, impaled with metal, shot and choked. He didn’t die. I seriously was in awe over that….lol. Either he was super lucky or he was a superhuman. I am still trying to figure that one out.

The substory of the Wanderers and the Outsiders was interesting. The Outsiders fascinated me and I really wished that there was more background on them. A society of people who have piercings, tattoos and body modifications while being artistic fascinated me.

The end of the book was great. I couldn’t get a feel if there is going to be a book 3 (there is the NorthWest, SouthWest, MidWest, SouthEast and NorthEast to explore…hint, hint).

How many stars will I gave Push? 4

Why: A great 2nd book that didn’t hold back on the action.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age Range: Teen

Why: No sex (a couple of very mild kissing scenes) and no language. Lots of violence.

I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

From London with Love (Rebellious Brides: Book 2) by Diana Quincy

From London with Love: Rebellious Brides

Title: From London with Love

Author: Diana Quincy

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 7th, 2017

Genre: Historical romance

POV: 3rd person

Number of pages: Unknown

Series:

A License to Wed – Book 1 (Review here)

From London with Love – Book 2

Standalone – Yes

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Emilia St. George is moments away from marrying the admired grandson of a duke when the man who once jilted her decides to kidnap her at the altar. It’s the second time in five years Hamilton Sparrow has ruined her wedding day, and Emilia isn’t about to forgive him. The mere sight of her ex-fiancé revives painful memories—and, most regrettably, aching desires that refuse to be ignored.

Scanning the guests at Emilia’s wedding, Sparrow spots a familiar face: an assassin he recognizes from his days as a spy in France. Whisking Emilia away, he’s pleasantly surprised by her newly formed curves. Could this be the same flame-haired slip of a girl once promised to Sparrow? And does the fop she still insists on marrying realize what a prize she is? True, Sparrow left Emilia at the altar. But he’s afraid that the only way to right that particular wrong is to risk the one thing he’s always guarded: his heart.

My review:

Emilia is about to have the wedding that was denied to her 5 years earlier when her fiance, Hamilton Sparrow, left her at the altar. She was just minutes away from walking down the aisle when she was kidnapped by none other than…..Hamilton Sparrow. His reason for kidnapping her….there was an assassin in the audience and that assassin was there to kill her.

He brings Emilia to his manor, where she notices that his housekeeper is overly friendly with him. Put it this way, she was shoving her boobs in his face, giving Emilia (who she referred to as “the ginger”) dirty looks and the kicker, she tried to give Hamilton a blow job while he was sitting at his desk, which he quickly deterred but not before Emilia sees.

The assassin catches up with Sparrow and Emilia at Sparrow’s estate….where Emilia brains him with a rock while Sparrow fights him. The injury to his head, causes the assassin to go into a coma. Which is bad in a way because he can’t tell Sparrow who hired him.

So begins the mystery of who wants to kill Emilia and why.

Come to find out that there are a couple of people who want to kill her and they all have motives. Her cousin, a recluse, whose parents were murdered in their beds years ago and who people suspected of killing them. A shady art dealer who Emilia caught swindling people and got him fired from his job. Her current fiance who, come to find out, is a spendthrift and really isn’t nice to Emilia.

All the while, Sparrow is fighting a growing attraction to Emilia and he is trying to figure out how to get out from under a mountain of debt that the previous holder of his title left him when he died.

I really enjoyed this book. It was definitely something that I needed to read after the last few books I have read. The humor in the book was great.

I really liked Emilia. She knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it. Which was pretty funny in some scenes (like when she wanted to paint Sparrow naked…she was tenacious….lol).

Sparrow wasn’t the perfect hero either. He was hurt, badly, in the past by a former lover and he couldn’t move past that. So, what does he do? He forms attachments that won’t require him to get emotionally involved with the women. If that starts to happen, he ends the relationship. The gradual change in him took place from the minute he kidnaps Emilia. He turned down sex (from his housekeeper) because Emilia was there.

The sex scenes between Sparrow and Emilia were very hot and I loved how she propositioned him….lol.

I was surprised at who the person was who wanted Emilia dead and the reasons why. Well, I take that back. I wasn’t surprised at that because it made perfect sense. The end of the book was perfect. I do wish that there was an epilogue to show how Sparrow and Emilia were doing. I am sure, though, that they will make an appearance in the next book!!

How many stars will I give From London with Love? 4

Why: This was a funny, sexy, mystery/romance that keeps the pages turning.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and violence

I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Her Delicious Dragon (Her Biker Dragon: Book 2)

Her Delicious Dragon: A Tiger & Dragon Shifter Paranormal Romance (Her Biker Dragon nº 2) (Spanish Edition) by [Tipton, AJ]

Title: Her Delicious Dragon

Author: A.J. Tipton

Publisher: Unknown

Date of publication: June 23rd, 2015

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Dragons

Number of pages: 94

POV: 3rd person

Series: Her Biker Dragon

Her Valiant Dragon – Book 1 (review here)

Her Delicious Dragon – Book 2

Her Rock Star Dragon – Book 3

Her Hacker Dragon – Book 4

Her Alpha Dragon – Book 5

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes but I would recommend reading the series in order

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Dangerously tasty

Ned is tired of being underestimated. He’s a motorcycle-riding dragon shifter who kicks ass and bakes a mean cheesecake. When a mission for his biker club, the Iron Claws, leads Ned to the famously promiscuous tiger shifter clan, he finds much more than he bargained for.

Maya’s a cunning tiger shifter and her clan’s head of security. She has always defied her clan’s sex-obsessed ways, but meeting handsome, sensitive Ned makes her question her cynical views. When Ned’s club is attacked, Maya and Ned are thrown into a battle with deadly stakes. Will Maya be willing to lose all she has to save Ned?

This novella for adults includes daring rescues, drool-worthy desserts, and a love that can’t be whisked away.

My review:

I will admit that I had a “moment” when reading Her Delicious Dragon. As I started reading, I was thinking to myself “Ned seems awfully familiar” but I couldn’t place him. It was when he was telling Maya about his past that the darn light bulb went “Ding”. Ned was the bellhop in Alpha’s Domain and Alpha’s Christmas Flame. The bellhop that I thought, for some reason, was a teenager. Don’t ask me why I thought that. I just assumed it (remember that old saying about assuming…..yeah).

Ned was a sweetheart in this book. I mean, what guy would not make a move on a girl in the middle of an orgy. Ned!!! He was also somewhat of a pacifist (I say somewhat because he did see action in the first book) and he could cook. My mouth was watering at the descriptions of what he baked and I thought to myself “I wish he was real. I would kidnap him and keep him in my kitchen”. Then thought “Yeah, BK would LOVE that”….lmao.

Maya was not your typical tiger shifter. Tiger shifters banged anything with two legs (or more) and did not believe in monogamy but Maya, well she was different. I did like her but she came off as prickly at the beginning of the book. Real prickly but it was explained why she was the way she was and it made sense.

The sex, as always, was insanely hot. I really enjoyed the talons and claws that were used to shred clothing. Not torn off but shredded. Always a sign of great sex….lol.

The Puff storyline was in full force and of course, the Dragon High Council made a big appearance towards the end. Which made me think….what else could they have up their sleeves?

How many stars will I give Her Delicious Dragon: 4

Why: A great book with hot sex scenes and a fantastic storyline.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, and language

I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it

The Watcher (Crossing Realms Series: Book 2) by Rebecca E. Neely

The Watcher

Title: The Watcher

Author: Rebecca E. Neely

Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing

Date of publication: November 30th, 2016

Genre: Suspense, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance

Number of pages: 242

POV: 3rd person

Series: Crossing Realms

The Keeper – Book 1 (review here)

The Watcher – Book 2

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Hell-bent on avenging his own death, former Keeper Dev Geary eagerly accepts when the Watchers task him with returning to the human realm to discover the secret for rendering Similitude—the very thing that killed him.

But to succeed in the seven days he’s been granted, he’ll need to work with the one human who wants nothing to do with him, and who he can’t help falling for—Meda Gabriel, a cagey, street-smart bar owner with a unique skill set, and maybe, the key to his mission.

With the clock ticking and the Betrayers barely a step behind, can Dev conquer his demons and find the answers the clan so desperately needs, with Meda at his side? Can love find a way, or will he be forced to abandon her and the clan, leaving them all to face imminent destruction?

My review:

The Watcher is the 2nd book in the Crossing Realms series. Told in 3rd person, this is Dev Greary’s story and oh boy was it a good one. Brought back from death, Dev has 7 days to convince Meda Gabriel, a woman with the power to read minds, to help Dev in his mission. He has to outwit Abel, Haenous’s son and now the leader of the Betrayers while trying to figure out how to keep them from making more Similitude and keeping the Betrayers from destroying not only Earth but the realm that the Watchers are from.

I will be honest, Dev annoyed me. He had such a huge chip on his shoulder about repaying a debt to Nick. He took unnecessary risks and one day it caught up to him and he was killed. Even as a Watcher in Training, he took those same type of risks. Like the beginning scene where he was climbing the mountain and was standing over the edge of the ravine while it was crumbling. But, the more I got to know him, the more it made sense he was taking these risks. I also could see why The Watchers chose him to carry out the mission.

Meda was a little harder to get a handle on in the beginning but as the author started to reveal what made her tick, I could see why she shut herself off from people. When she talked about how she got the scar on her face, I wanted to bawl (ok, I might have cried a bit). I liked that she took no crap from Dev. I really think that he needed someone in his life-like that before he died. Just saying. What I also really liked is that the author chose to include Native American mythology when they were making Flint. I thought that little myth was very interesting and it totally went with the story (click here for the legend of Flint).

The romance between Meda and Dev wasn’t a slow burn. It couldn’t be, seeing that he had only 7 days to do what he had to do. It was explosive and I loved it. Sometimes life doesn’t have time for a slow burn romance. The sex scenes between Meda and Dev were intense and off the page sizzling.

Now, I am going to do something I barely do but I have to talk about Abel, the Broodmaster of the Betrayers.

All I have to say is wow. Have to be Amazon PC, he is not a very nice guy and was determined to follow in Haenous’s footsteps. I did feel for him though, because it seemed like his father abused him (big flag to me was when he was starved by his father energy-wise) and he was always picked on by the other children because he always wore sweaters, even in the summer, because he was always cold. He felt that he couldn’t love Magpie (even though she was completely head over heels in love with him) and he wanted to destroy his niece, Jordan, who he considered a half-breed.

But any feelings of being sad for him were wiped in the last couple of chapters of the book. All I have to say is that I hope he gets what is coming for him. And poor Magpie. I wanted to cry for her. She didn’t seem inherently bad…..just following orders from her Master. I also felt awful for Jordan.

While Dev and Meda’s storyline was kinda wrapped up (I have a feeling that something that Meda said couldn’t happen has happened), the main storyline wasn’t and it looks like it is just revving up.

How many stars will I give The Watcher: 4

Why: This was an action-packed romance right from the get-go. The characters were a bit prickly to read and I honestly thought Dev was annoying in the beginning, but they grew on me and I grew to love them. The storyline was fantastic and I can’t wait for Book 3 (Curtis and Jordan’s story???) to come out.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, language, violence

I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it

To Tame a Wild Lady (Duke-Defying Daughters: Book 2) by Ashlyn Macnamara

To Tame a Wild Lady (Duke-Defying Daughters, #2)

Title: To Tame a Wild Lady

Author: Ashlyn Macnamara

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: January 31st, 2017

Genre: Romance

POV: 3rd person

Number of pages: Unknown

Series: Duke-Defying Daughters

To Lure a Proper Lady – Book 1

To Tame a Wild Lady – Book 2

Can be read separately from series: No

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Lady Caroline Wilde is expected to ride side-saddle, but she’s not about to embrace convention. She’s also expected to keep a chaste distance from men like Adrian Crosby, the new estate agent, yet she cannot cease her ogling—which is especially irksome considering their ongoing feud. Adrian insists that the fields must be planted; Caro needs those same fields to train her horses. But whenever she tries to put him in his place, Caro looks into his steely gaze and her words simply … disappear.

A bastard son who grew up on the Wyvern estate, Adrian was lucky enough to receive an education at the behest of the late marchioness. Now that he has set out on his own, Adrian knows better than to fall for Lady Caroline, the Duke of Sherrington’s daughter. Caroline is at once a thorn in his side and an exquisite temptation, especially when she’s playing the feisty daredevil. Adrian would give anything for a chance to tame her—and with Caro in the saddle, he just might get his wish.

My review:

Lady Caroline Wilde, the Duke of Sherrington’s headstrong daughter is in a pickle. She has lost her 11-year-old step-nephew, Gus while riding in the rain. Going back to look for him, she finds him, thrown from a horse, besides a stream, unconscious with blue lips. Which isn’t good. As she struggles to lift him on her horse, Boudicca, she is helped by a man who happened to be passing by.

Adrian Crosby is on his way for an interview at the Sherrington Manor when he notices two children struggling in the mud next to a horse. Going to help them, he is shocked to find out that one of the children is actually a woman dressed in breeches. He was scandalized (remember the era!!) and brings the boy, and the woman, to the manor for help. Once he’s there, he is again shocked to find out that the woman he helped is The Duke of Sherrington’s middle daughter, Caroline.

Adrian is offered the job as an estate agent and his first order of business is to cultivate some fallow fields. Unfortunately, Caroline has plans for those fields. What she was going to do is host a hunt in those fields and try to get into another, more desirable hunt. So to say that she was not very happy with his plans are an understatement.

As this is happening, there are strange happening around the household. Caroline’s horse keeps getting let out and the stable hands are at a loss as to how it is happening. Gus is slowly recovering from his head wound and keeps giving the maid who is supposed to be watching him the slip. Holes are showing up all over Sherrington lands and that causes the horse Caroline is riding to stumble and throw her…..spraining her ankle.

Caroline is also fending off a dastardly man by the name of Marcus Pendleton. He is trying to get her horse, Boudicca, and has been going through extreme measures to try to get her. That includes having his stallion nearby to breed with Boudicca when she comes into season (and it does happen).

Adrian, however, is dealing with his own issues as the estate agent. He steps in and helps a maid by the name of Sadie who is being abused by her stepfather. He offers her a position as a nursemaid in the Sherrington house. But Sadie has other plans. Plans that could not bode well for Adrian or Caroline.

While all of this drama is happening, Caroline and Adrian are growing closer and closer. Adrian has a few secrets that he would rather that Caroline not find out and Caroline, well she is determined to find out.

Will Caroline find out Adrian’s secrets? Will Pendleton get his slimy hands on Boudicca? Will Gus learn to listen to his elders? Will they find out who has dug the holes? Will Caroline and Adrian be together despite their difference in stations?

Guess you need to read the book to find out.

*****************************

Caroline really annoyed me in this book. She wouldn’t listen and argued with Adrian over everything. Heck, a prime example would be when Boudicca was in season and being difficult to handle. He advised her not to take her out and what does she do….takes her out to spite him. Seriously, I wanted to throttle her.

She also was very impulsive and couldn’t care less about her reputation. I mean, heck, she was going glass for glass with Pendleton because she wanted to show she could be just as good as a man. All because she wanted to ride in a hunt and show her horsemanship off. Again, I wanted to throttle her.

I did feel bad for Adrian. Not only is he dealing with the spoiled, impulsive middle daughter of his employer but he has to deal with tenants who have their own agendas. I seriously felt that he needed a medal for everything that he dealt with there.

He also needed one for the stuff he dealt with at his previous employer. When it came out why his ex-employer’s wife acted the way she did, I was a little shocked. Actually, a lot shocked. I didn’t see it coming in the book (kudos to the author to keeping that secret well hidden with only a few hints).

The romance between Caroline and Adrian didn’t feel right to me. It felt forced in a way. Almost like Caroline was thumbing her nose at her station. The attraction was there but I honestly can’t pinpoint where they fell in love with each other and that kinda bothers me. Usually, I can pick it out and I couldn’t.

The end of the book was pretty standard…with a HEA and everything.

How many stars will you give To Tame a Wild Lady: 3

Why: I give the author major props for trying to make a Regency-era woman a feminist outlook. I really do. Too bad I couldn’t get past Caroline’s chip on her shoulder. I also felt that the romance between her and Adrian was forced. There is a pretty good plotline, though, and the secondary characters really came alive in this book.

Will I reread: No

Will I recommend to family and friends: Maybe.

Age Range: Adult

Why: Sex and some mild violence. No language

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Unpunished (Gardiner and Renner: Book 2) by Lisa Black

Title: Unpunished

Author: Lisa Black

Publisher: Kensington Books

Date of publication: January 31st, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, General Fiction

Number of pages: 321

POV: 3rd person

Series: Gardiner and Renner

That Darkness – Book 1

Unpunished – Book 2

Can be read out-of-order from series: No

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Maggie Gardiner, a forensic expert who studies the dead, and Jack Renner, a homicide cop who stalks the living, form an uneasy partnership to solve a series of murders in this powerful new thriller by the bestselling author of That Darkness.


It begins with the kind of bizarre death that makes headlines–literally. A copy editor at the Cleveland Herald is found hanging above the grinding wheels of the newspaper assembly line, a wide strap wrapped around his throat. Forensic investigator Maggie Gardiner has her suspicions about this apparent suicide inside the tsunami of tensions that is the news industry today–and when the evidence suggests murder, Maggie has no choice but to place her trust in the one person she doesn’t trust at all . . .

 
Jack Renner is a killer with a conscience, a vigilante with his own code of honor. In the past, Jack has used his skills and connections as a homicide detective to take the law into his own hands, all in the name of justice. He has only one problem: Maggie knows his secret. She insists he enforces the law, not subvert it. But when more newspaper employees are slain, Jack may be the only person who can help Maggie unmask the killer– even if Jack is still checking names off his own private murder list.

My review:

I really wish I had read That Darkness before I read Unpunished because I had so many questions about Maggie and Jack that couldn’t be answered in this book. I got frustrated because there were references to what happened to the first book and I had no clue what the characters were talking about.

But, besides my frustrations, I really enjoyed this story. I enjoyed it because it was a true vigilante/police novel. The last vigilante story that I read quickly turned into softcore book porn and the vigilante part was lost between the main characters bumping uglies. So, I was very pleased when this book didn’t even go near there.

I did like Maggie. She was so relatable on so many levels and she had a great relationship with her coworkers. She was a bit apprehensive when she found out that she was working with Jack on a case, but who wouldn’t be. I mean, she knows about his secret. She wasn’t unaffected by what happened to her (read the book to find out what) and she is required to see the police psychologist.

Now, Jack, on the other hand…..I wasn’t sure what to think of him. I wish I knew why he started vigilante killing (I am sure it was explained in the first book) because it would have explained a lot. I do know that I did start to see him soften towards Maggie, towards the end.

The newspaper storyline was pretty solid and moved rather quickly after the first victim was killed. I did have the killer pegged towards the middle book but doubted myself, took him off my list and added another person. All because of a red herring. Blah. I do want to say that I learned more about print newspapers and their equipment then I ever wanted to know.

The other storyline of Jack being a vigilante killer was barely touched upon. I do wish that it was included more in the book but I have a feeling it will be featured more in the next book. The reason I feel that way is because of certain events that happened towards the back of the book.

The end of the book was pretty gruesome and, to be honest, drug out a bit. I was a little surprised at who the killer was (see above). I will say that Maggie got the short end of the stick, again and that Jack seemed like he was softening up towards her.

How many stars will I give Unpunished: 4

Why: While I really liked the book, I do wish I had read book 1 before reading this one. Other than that, the book was great. The characters were engaging, the mystery was pretty good (had me going for a little while) and the thriller parts of the book were very well written. I do wish that more attention was paid towards Jack and him being a vigilante but at the same time, I do think that it would have taken away from the main storyline (the killings of newspaper employees).

Will I reread: Yes but only after reading book 1.

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Violence and language

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Esper Files: The Sky Cult (Esper Files: Book 2) by Egan Brass

Esper Files 2: The Sky Cult (A Steampunk Superhero Series) by [Brass, Egan]

Title: The Sky Cult

Author: Egan Brass

Publisher: Inkitt

Date of publication: January 25th, 2017

Genre: Steampunk, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Number of pages: 183

POV: 3rd person

Series: Esper Files

Esper Files – Book 1 (review here)

The Sky Cult – Book 2

Can be read out-of-order from series: No

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

After the events of the first book, Freya has joined the Institute – an organization created to help Espers control their powers, and she thought she’d finally found peace.

That is until Anti-Esper weapons find their way into the hands of The Coalition, a radical group who is determined to kill anyone with powers.
At the same time, the Sky Cult has arisen, claiming that Espers have the right to rule over lowly humans.
The timing couldn’t be worse, as all of this happens three days before Esper Day, the first holiday designed to show that humans and Espers can coexist.

Now Nathan, Freya and the team have to fight both organizations in a race against time before one of the radical groups tips the scales and plunge the entire world into their own version of Armageddon.

My review:

The Sky Cult was a fast-paced, excellent second book to the Esper Files. Picking up shortly after The Esper Files ended, the book starts off with a bang and there are two new villains introduced. Jupiter, who can control thunder and lightning, and Lichtmann who can burn people with his touch and exudes a golden light (he also thinks he’s an angel). Jupiter is the leader of the Sky Cult and he believes that the Espers should rule over the non Espers. Lichtmann’s agenda is to protect Jupiter……as long as Jupiter is in the good graces of the mysterious Hades.

Freya is still my favorite character in this series. She is a typical teenager, except she can wield ice like Elsa in Frozen (sorry, I had to put it in there). And her mouth, oh boy, I was laughing in some parts. But, she was also someone you didn’t want to mess with. When the Institute gets attacked by the Anti-Esper Coalition, she was there defending it from the Coalition with her ice powers.

Nathan was still as suave as he was in the first book. He was also still absorbing other Esper’s powers. That is something he does by touch. I will say that he did get plenty of action in this book. The poor guy was injured more often than naught….well until he absorbed Red Cap’s powers.

The main storyline of the book was great. I loved that there was so much action and the steampunk elements (Hello….airships, RAILGUNS!!!!!!) were absolutely great. If it seems like I am going on a little overboard with the praise it’s because I can count on one hand how many good steampunk books I have read and truly enjoyed. This series is one of them.

The secondary characters of this book made it. I cannot wait to see if the Phantom Thief, Red Cap (who cracked me up while reading because while he was so evil, his one-liners that had me rolling) and more of the Espers from the Institute will be featured.

I loved the climax of the book. I was not expecting what happened to happen. It threw me for a loop. I also liked the explanation about why Nathan couldn’t absorb Jupiter’s powers. It made so much sense. Well, at least it made sense to me.

While the Coalition storyline was somewhat wrapped up and the storyline about the weapons that can cripple the Espers was definitely wrapped up (want to know what that is?? Read that book), another storyline opened up. I am very curious about what is going to happen with it and if we will ever find out who the mysterious Hades is. I also want to know how Nathan fits into this whole insane thing.

The end of the book was different and it raised more questions than it answered. Which is makes me want to read the next book.

How many stars will I give The Sky Cult: 4

Why: A strong second book that I couldn’t put down. It was full of action and humor, as well as mystery, and I loved it. Plus, it was steampunk and I love, love, love steampunk!!

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Young Teen

Why: Mild violence

I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Alpha’s Mates (Bear Shifter Billionaire: Book 2) by A.J. Tipton

Alpha's Mates: A MFM Menage Paranormal Romance (Bear Shifter Billionaire Book 2) by [Tipton, AJ]

4 Stars

Publisher: Savvy Storytelling LLC

Date of publication: March 18th, 2015

Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Erotica

Series: Bear Shifter Millionaire

Alpha’s Heir — Book 1 (Review Here)

Alpha’s Mates — Book 2

Alpha’s Domain — Book 3

Alpha’s Christmas Flame—Book 4

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis: 

A CEO under attack by a vengeful coven. Two farmhands with a ranch in trouble. Can these three save each other?

Cleo has everything under control: she’s a wildly successful CEO, Alpha of a powerful bear shifter clan, and a total knockout. When a business deal puts her on the wrong side of powerful witches, she’s exiled to the middle of nowhere. Cursed to be unable to interact with electronics, Cleo has to trust the kindness of two handsome ranch hands to get back to her old life.

Titus, a cursed dragon shifter, and Connor, gifted with supernatural intuition, are not used to company. When their ranch–a sanctuary for magical creatures–is threatened, the men must rely on their strength and Cleo’s resourcefulness to save the day. Will Cleo be too distracted by her own plan for revenge to realize she may have found her true loves?

Alpha’s Mates is an MFM paranormal romance novella in the “Bear Shifter Billionaire” series, a set of stand-alone stories that sizzle and satisfy. If you like steamy romance, wet and wild firefighting, and a literal roll in the hay, then you’ll love this breathtaking book.

My review:

Cleo had pissed off a coven of witches by suggesting that they use magic to keep an ice hotel frozen during the summer months and, when the coven refused, offering it to another coven instead. They had been pelting her office windows with hate mail (paper mail to be exact). Cleo wasn’t backing down, no matter how sacred that the Moon Glow coven says that magic is.

She was rummaging through her purse, talking to her assistant and looking for her car keys. When she touches the door to her car, she is transported to the middle of nowhere. When she tries to use her phone, she finds out that it is hexed. She decides to shift to her bear form. While she is deciding where she should go, she finds a captivating scent and decides to follow it.

Titus and Connor are ranch hands on a ranch that is a sanctuary for magical creatures. Titus is a dragon shifter who was cursed when he was 6. When his family discovered that he couldn’t shift, they exiled him. Luckily, Connor, who can see a magical being’s true form, found him. He was able to see Titus’s true form and was able to convince his family to take him in. They have been best friends ever since.

They were alerted that something or someone was coming because the animals in the sanctuary were spooked. What they saw was Cleo running towards the ranch.

Cleo asks if she could use their phone and asks about the sanctuary. She goes into the house, shifted as a bear, and had a close encounter with Daisy, a hell-hound. After changing back to human form, Cleo uses the phone and discovers that if she touches their cell phones, she shorts them out. But if she hands them back to Titus and Connor, they become charged again. Also, if they dial the phone for her, static overtook her voice. If she went near their truck, it would stall and die but worked fine for the boys.

To ease her anger, Connor decides to give her a tour of the ranch. She is in awe seeing animals that she had thought a myth. She went over to pat the unicorns and were met by the centaurs. These centaurs were the wise centaurs that Cleo had heard about. These were, well, not smart.

That night, over dinner, Connor and Titus fill Cleo in on their backgrounds. They tell her that they barely date because they like to share their women, and they can’t find many women that are willing to be in a menage. They also tell Cleo that it is hard to keep the ranch afloat with all the expenses and debt that they have.

Later that night, the centaur and unicorn’s stable catches on fire because of a phoenix flying over. Both men had been lax in keeping track of the molting cycle, one was flying around, and it dropped one of its feathers onto the stable. Connor was able to contain the fire enough to get the unicorns out, but the centaurs were still trapped. They were calling for help (which made me so sad to read). As Titus and Cleo attempt to rescue the centaurs out, 4 of them escape, leaving one in the barn. Titus runs into the stable to save the last one, and Cleo is stunned. She forgets that he is a dragon, and he can’t get burned.

Cleo is so relieved that she decides, on the spot, to have sex with both. On the ground, while covered with soot and in front of the centaurs. That sex scene was beyond hot.

I thought Cleo to be a complete bitch at the beginning of the book. I felt that she deserved what she got when she was transported to the middle of nowhere at the beginning of the book. But then, I changed my mind. She needed a break from her hectic lifestyle, and she needed to rethink how she treated people (I know a few people who need to do that).

I liked Connor and Titus. They both had soft hearts (running a sanctuary for supernatural animals), and they both are good looking. Plus, Titus can walk through fire and not get burned.

The sex scenes, as always, were hot, hot, hot. With there being two guys and one woman, every scene was a scorcher.

The end of the book was what I expected but sweet at the same time.

I would give Alpha’s Mates an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Alphas Mates. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Russian Holiday (Paladine Political Thriller Series: Book 2) by Kenneth Eade

Russian Holiday, an American Assassin's story (Paladine Political Thriller Series Book 2) by [Eade, Kenneth]

4 Stars

Publisher: Times Square Publishing

Date of publication: December 17th, 2016

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Series: Paladine Political Thriller

Paladine — Book 1 (Review here)

Russian Holiday — Book 2

Traffick Stop—Book 3

Unwanted—Book 4

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Paladine, terrorism’s worst enemy, is back in this sequel to the hit political thriller.

From the best-selling & award winning author critics hail as “one of the strongest thriller writers on our scene” comes the continuation of the unforgettable story of an unlikely “anti-hero,” Robert Garcia, a dangerous and unfeeling assassin of jihadist terrorists, has been exalted by social media as “Paladine”, a living paladin whose mission is to rid the earth of evil for the betterment of mankind. In this installment of the series, Paladine crosses paths with a Russian assassin, which puts him in the middle of the controversial new cold war between the United States and Russia.

My review:

Russian Holiday starts with Robert Garcia, aka Paladine, doing a covert op mission. It is a sanctioned hit on General Abu Muslim al-Basara, a former member of Saddam Hussein’s Royal Guard and now an Isis terrorist in the city of Aleppo. The hit itself goes off without a hitch, but Robert ran into problems with getting out of there.

The pickup vehicle wasn’t where it was supposed to be. Luckily, Robert had a Plan B. A motorcycle that is stashed nearby. As Robert leaves, he is followed by a truck with terrorists hell-bent on getting to him. Desperate to escape, he shoots down a Black Hawk helicopter that was coming to get him to buy him a little time. Not that it worked, he ends up with a group of Isis militants.

After suffering a bad beating, which broke his nose, Robert is taken to their headquarters, where he is prepped for live execution. Right before his execution, the base is attacked. Robert is saved by a jeep full of Russian soldiers who were involved in the raid of the base.

After contacting his boss (who did screw up on the pick up) and informing him that he was on vacation, Robert decides to go with one of the soldiers to Moscow as part of his vacation. But, before he heads there, he goes to a bank in Iskenderun, where he maintains a safe deposit box. That box has several identities, money, phones, and a gun. Robert only takes the money, a passport, and one of the phones before going to Moscow with the soldier.

Back in the CIA headquarters, an alarm goes off, alerting Robert’s handler that Robert has gone off the grid. At the same time, the head of the CIA is getting briefed about the same situation. He is upset and worried because even though Robert was an illegal operative, he could still be tortured and could still give the Russians secret information.

While that drama is happening, Robert is having a grand old-time in Russia. He and Lyosha (the solider) are becoming good friends, well as good as a friend as he can be with a Russian. Lyosha has generously provided him with an apartment, clothes, and money. They go dancing every night, and it was at one of those dance clubs, Robert meets Svetlana (or Lana), a beautiful Russian girl. He forms an immediate connection with her.

After discovering a tail on him during a date with Lana, Robert decides that Moscow has become too hot for him and heads to Paris, where he has an apartment. His boss, the man with no name, is sitting in his apartment and has an assignment for him in Paris. Robert argues that he never does jobs where he lives. The man with no name tells him “too bad, we own you” and leaves after giving Robert the specifics on the job.

I enjoyed reading this book. It kept to its thriller roots. I liked seeing Robert being portrayed as a human being and enjoying himself while he was on vacation. He was able to relax and enjoy being with a friend. It made him more human to me. Is it wrong that when Lyosha spoke, I got the Russian accent right in my head? Not sure how it would sound if I did it in real life, though. Probably horrible.

The action in this book was great. I was kept on edge with what Robert was going to do next with his assignments, and when he executed them, it was perfect.

The ending was somewhat anticlimactic, but it wasn’t bad. Having grown up in a large Greek community and hearing malaka used all the time, I giggled when I read it. The way the book ended, I am wondering if there will be a book 3.

I would give Russian Holiday an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Russian Holiday. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Deadlight Jack (The Faceless One: Book 2) by Mark Onspaugh

Deadlight Jack (The Raven and the Canary Book 2) by [Onspaugh, Mark]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Hydra, Hydra

Date of Publication: January 3rd, 2017

Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Paranormal

Series: The Faceless One

The Faceless One – Book 1

Deadlight Jack – Book 2

Where you can find this book – Amazon

Book synopsis:

Worse things than gators lurk in the Louisiana swamp. . . . The author of The Faceless One fuses the twisted imagination of Fritz Leiber with the razor-sharp plotting of Joe Hill in this rollicking horror thriller.
 
Appearances can be deceiving. Take Jimmy Kalmaku. Anyone passing him on the streets of Lake Nisqually, Washington, would merely see an elderly man. But Jimmy is actually a powerful Tlingit shaman, with a link to the god Raven and a résumé that includes saving the world.
 
Or take his friend and roommate, George Watters. Another ordinary retiree, right? Wrong. Like Jimmy, George is more than he seems to be. He too has a link to the supernatural. He too has saved the world.
 
Then there’s Professor Foxfire—also known as Deadlight Jack. Dressed in the garb of a stage magician, he seems a figure of magic and fun. But he isn’t fun at all. He isn’t even human. And his magic is of the darkest and bloodiest kind.
 
When George’s grandson vanishes on a family vacation to the Louisiana bayou, George and Jimmy fly across the country to aid in the search. Once they arrive, family feuds and buried secrets bring George face-to-face with the ghosts of a forgotten past; Jimmy finds his powers wilting under the humid Southern sun; and deep in the swamp, Deadlight Jack prepares his long-awaited revenge.

My review:

Deadlight Jack is not a book to read at night.

Repeat.

Deadlight Jack is not a book to read at night.

I generally don’t scared of books but this one, well it scared me, big time. Take the cover, for instance. The one orange eye and the salamander are creepy. Then add the swamp, and the creepiness factor goes up.

Deadlight Jack starts after the events of The Faceless One. Jimmy and George are living together, but not together if you know what I mean. After saving the world in the first book, they are expecting to be left alone and live out the rest of their lives together.

Life (and the Gods) have other plans.

Jimmy is visited by Dabo Muu, a giant albino alligator that tells Jimmy that he needs to get down to Louisiana. It was more of an order, and Jimmy feels that there is more going on than what Dabo Muu is letting on.

George gets a phone call from one of his sons. His grandson, Donny, has gone missing while on a camping trip with his moms and older brother in Louisiana. He and Jimmy decide to head on down to help and offer Mel and her wife moral support while they search for Donny.

When George tells Jimmy that Donny is missing, Jimmy immediately cancels plans that were taking him to Boston to visit his son, daughter in law and granddaughter to go with George. During the flight down to LA, George tells Jimmy about his tragic past. All about his kids, his wife, and the tragedies that happened. He warned Jimmy that his daughter, Delphine, will be there, and it will not be pleasant when she finds out George is there. Delphine is holding on to the hurt and resentment from the past, and she will make things very difficult for George.

And she does. She had to have been the most self-centered secondary character that I have ever read, and I wanted someone to put her in her place sooner than they did. I understand that she had issues with George, but there is a time and a place for everything and to be a rude asshole to him, and making an already tense situation even tenser wasn’t cool.

I loved how George had to come into his own during the book. He had to accept his past to save his grandson and the other children.

I wish that I had read the first book. That would have helped me connect with Jimmy a little more and would have helped me understand his character a bit better. I would have loved to read more about shamanism and the indigenous people of Alaska.

The paranormal/horror aspect was fantastic. Like I said above, this is a book that you really shouldn’t read at night. Not only did it feature a swamp (which is creepy in its own right), but Professor Foxfire was genuinely scary. I mean, anyone who has tattoos that come alive and off their face has a special place in the creepy hall of fame. But add that he can make children into ghosts and he kidnaps even more kids to turn them into either food/more ghost children, he is vile.

The end of the book was excellent, and I loved the showdown. I was expecting something to happen, just not on that scale. I also liked that the author set up for book 3.

I would give Deadlight Jack an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Deadlight Jack. I would recommend it to family and friends.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**