Sunday, December 27, 2015

The Final Seven (The Lightkeepers #1) by Erica Spindler

Detective Micki Dare is a seasoned, no-nonsense cop. She doesn't need a partner, especially one like Detective Zach Harris. But the decision's been made and there's nothing she can do about it. Zach is from an experimental FBI training programme and he brings a different set of skills to the table. But no one, least of all Micki and Zach, could have predicted what those skills are really needed for. There's a new kind of evil lurking, waiting, watching, and Zach may be the only one who can stop it. Micki soon realises that there's more to her partner than meets the eye and for the first time in her life she wonders if the terror they're facing might destroy them all ...Full of twists and drama, The Final Seven is a compulsive and heart-pounding thriller that will shock you at every turn.

Review: I was given an ARC of The Final Seven from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.This is one of the best books I have read in very long time and I am not sure how I am going to be able to wait almost an entire year for the next book in this series it is that good. I fell in love with Zach and Micki from the start and the idea of Sixers was fascinating and this book is just fabulous.
Now with that said key me explain a bit. Zach and Micki are two people who are paired up in the New Orleans Police Department as partners, Micki is a legitimate officer and Zach is part of the FBI's program known as Sixers who are more or less people with special senses but not really police officers. This leads to a number of problems with a by The book cop a what she feels as someone who is using hocus pocus to do his part of the job. Some of the situations Zach got the two of them into had me laughing as I was reading.
They also had a serious case they were dealing with which was looking for two missing college students that were taken on their twenty-first birthday. This leads to telling the reader all the secrets behind Zach's power and a group called Lightkeepers that are trying to save the world from the evil that is trying to take it over and reason behind the series of the books.
I am not going to give out spoilers but I can't wait to see where this series is going to go. The sexual tension between Zack and Micki is off the charters. The Lightkeepers are fascinating and this first book was a can't put it down thriller.
The Final Seven gets five out of five stars.


Known (Bone Secrets #5) by Kendra Elliot

After a brutal snowstorm in the Cascade Mountains, Chris Jacobs discovers two things he never expected to see: the charred shell of a cabin and Gianna Trask and her sixteen-year-old daughter huddled in an SUV, having barely escaped from their burning vacation rental.
Still scarred from a childhood ordeal, Chris knows there’s something sinister about the scene—it’s the stench of burned flesh. 
Forced to wait out the blizzard in their rescuer’s retreat, medical examiner Gianna Trask wonders if her hidden past has finally caught up with her. When a body is found in the destroyed cabin’s ashes and a forest ranger is brutally murdered, both Gianna and Chris must confront their secrets—to escape the violent threat lurking outside.

Review:  I was given an ARC of Known from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
This was the fifth book in this series and it was Chris' story and I can honestly say I enjoyed having his story out there and finding out what happened to him after as a reader, I got attached to him in the first book that he appeared. I really liked the chemistry between him and Gianna. They were written so well together because she was able to see beyond his scars and because of her profession Chris was able to accept that she was able to look beyond what happened to him and see the man that he is so it was a perfect match.
The story was also interesting with a few twist that are typical Elliot that has the reader, I should have seen that one coming. It was edgy and well written and fit perfectly with the Bone Secrets series.
I am giving this book four out of five stars.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Esther's Gift: The Lei Crime Series: (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Bette Lee Crosby

In the days before hurricane Iniki hit the island of Kauai the forecasters predicted it would stay south of Hilo. But Esther Ka’awai, a psychic and gifted wise woman of the ancient culture has seen the future. She knows of the devastation that will come to the island. She has warned those she loves; now all she can do is pray. 
As she struggles to accept this gift of knowing, Esther discovers that even the most wonderful gift can sometimes break your heart. 
A story of love, faith and a belief in the future. 

Review: I was given a copy of Esther's Gift for an honest review and this is my review.
This novella was a beautifully written piece about second chances, finding love, saving those we love and strong ties to one's heritage. I loved the character of Esther and what a strong woman she was. I can't get into her too much because of spoilers but she is a very special character that as a reader you have no choice but to be drawn to. The character of John was the same way. I absolutely loved him as her male counterpart. He was also so special in his own way especially with how he treated his grandson and how he stood up for him when his parents were dropping the ball. I just wanted to slap them and hug John for being such a great a guy. As I said I can't say much for spoilers but this was an excellent novella with a great story that touches your heart.
I am definitely giving this five out of five stars.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Ice Scream (The Thomas Family #4) by Morgan Hannah MacDonald

YOU CAN’T SCREAM
Somewhere in the vast Alaskan wilderness hides a psychotic monster. His methods are unlike any other serial killer to date. He likes his women cold, frozen to be exact. Once finished with a victim, he displays her like a twisted piece of art. 
YOU CAN’T RUN
FBI Agent Annie Thomas is on leave after the loss of her fiancĂ©, Matt Locklear. She has spent the better part of a year in his one-bedroom cabin in the wilds of Alaska. Lately she’s had the feeling of being watched. Is her self-imposed exile getting the better of her? 
YOU CAN’T HIDE
Homicide Detective Stone Wooshkeetaan has become a driven man. He would work 24/7 if he could, anything to prevent him from sleeping. He’s the one who found the mutilated body of his friend, Matt, an image that has haunted his dreams ever since. 
YOU CAN’T MOVE 
It’s the day after Christmas and Draper’s Pond is filled with the sound of laughing children as they race around on the ice trying out their new skates. Little do they know a dark cloud looms ahead. Two little girls are holding hands and spinning as fast as they can until they break apart. One goes sliding into a snow bank. Once she rises, a blood curdling scream rips from her tiny throat, silencing the crowd. Directly below her is the body of a woman trapped under the ice; her hands up as if warding off an attack, her mouth frozen in a silent scream.
HE WINS 
The woman’s death was not an accident and Stone is certain this isn’t the killer’s first victim. He asks Annie to help him prove it, but before long the investigation takes a sinister turn. The bodies of women start showing up all over the Mat-Su Valley looking like horrific ice sculptures. Now Annie and Stone are on the hunt for a sadistic killer hiding in a state over twice the size of Texas and largely comprised of uninhabited wilderness. They must capture this beast before he finishes his perverse agenda and disappears…
AGAIN


Review: I was given an ARC of Ice Scream for an honest review and this is my review.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the idea of having two mysteries going on at once by two teams that are not related in any way.
The first mystery was who was after Shadowhawk who we have met in previous books by MacDonald. In this part of the story her and her partner J.J. Thomas are try to solve a homicide while also trying to figure out who is stalking and messing with Shadowhawk. This part of the book was intriguing because the readers got to reconnect with Thomas and Shadowhawk, two characters who they grew to love in MacDonald's Sandman book. This mystery kept the reader guessing who the perpetrator was until the end.
The second mystery which was taking part at the same time but in a different state focused around Annie, Thomas' sister who is an FBI agent who was in Alaska grieving the death of her fiance and Stone the local sheriff who are in search of a serial a killer who leaves women frozen in and on lakes after doing unspeakable acts with the bodies. This is the part were the romance comes in as well between Annie and Stone who suit each other very well. Even though this mystery is solved quicker then the other owner there are a few twist in Alaska as well.
This was a very well written book and an excellent addition to to series. I loved seeing the old characters have a big role in another book. This definitely gets five out of five stars.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

My Kind of Wonderful (Cedar Ridge #2) by Jill Shalvis

Bailey Moore has an agenda: skiing in the Rockies, exploring castles in Europe, ballroom dancing in Argentina. Now that she has a second lease on life, she's determined not to miss a thing. What she doesn't realize is that item #1 comes with a six-foot-one ski god hot enough to melt a polar ice cap. She doesn't want to miss out on him either, but Hudson Kincaid isn't the type of guy to love and let go. And as gorgeous as Cedar Ridge is, she's not planning to stick around.
As head of ski patrol at his family's resort, Hud thinks he's seen it all. But never has he run into someone like Bailey. She might look delicate, but her attitude is all firecracker. And her infectious joy touches something deep within him that he's been missing far too long. Now he'll just have to convince Bailey to take a chance on her biggest adventure yet . . . something rare and all kinds of wonderful.

Review: I was given an ARC of My Kind of Wonderful from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
I really enjoyed this book which was the second in a series and kept going with the story line from the first but this was the story of one of the brothers, Hudson. I really enjoyed Hud and Bailey's story. Both characters were flawed in their own way and it was finding each other that they both got over the weaknesses that they had when it came to dealing with relationships and living life the way they wanted to.
I also enjoyed that this book flowed so well from the first one and kept a lot of the family pranks going on and also the other things the family is dealing with like the missing brother, Jacob, and how they are going to get the money to save the resort. With these themes continuing it keeps the books tied together and also keeps ongoing questions throughout this series that brings the reader back for more.
This book gets five stars out of five stars.
 

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

She Can Kill (She Can... #5) by Melinda Leigh

Reformed assassin Cristan Rojas just wants to raise his daughter in peace. But after twelve years on the run, he learns that even the quiet little town of Westbury, Pennsylvania, has many hidden dangers. Although he can’t shake the feeling he’s under surveillance, Cristan’s attraction to Sarah Mitchell continues to grow, as do his concerns that his secret past could jeopardize anyone who gets too close to him.
Sarah is ready to start her life over with her children, a new job, and a budding romance. Her newfound happiness is threatened when her ex-husband becomes increasingly violent—and she soon learns her ex isn’t the only person stalking her.
Cristan fears someone from his past has arrived in town, someone far worse than a jealous ex. Someone who may be responsible for a brutal—and unsolved—murder a dozen years ago. To protect Sarah and his daughter, he must shine a light into the darkest recesses of his nightmarish past.

Review: I was given an ARC of She Can Kill from NetGalley for an honest review and this is my review.
This was another excellent addition to Melinda Leigh's She Can series which seems to get better with each new book. This book focused around Sarah who had to deal with her crazy ex husband who was not ready to let her go and Cristan who was on the run from his past. So the book had a bit of double angst going on, but the true mystery was who was trying to kill Cristan.
This book was definitely filled with a lot of action. I also was pleased with being unsure of who was really behind the threats towards Cristan and his daughter until the end of the book. I also want to give props to the author for revealing everything that took place twelve years ago that led to them going after Cristan and his daughter and not leaving any unanswered questions at the end of the book about anything. I am not sharing for spoilers but that was nice to know all.
The match between Sarah and Cristan was also nice. It moved a bit slow but that were a nice pairing for this book. It was also nice to see a marriage of Rachel and Mike from the last book.
I am giving this book five out of five stars.