Something About You by Julie James (thoughts)

Romantic suspense is a genre that I'm always wanting to read more of and books like this are really why.  From a sizzling chemistry between two characters that can't stand each other at the beginning of the book to an intensely fast-paced mystery, I found myself hard-pressed to put this book down.

In this book, Cameron Lynde inadvertently becomes a witness to a murderer when a young woman is killed in the hotel room next to hers.  Forced to work with FBI agent Jack Pallas, she soon finds herself in danger from this elusive killer.  The two of them have a shared history of working together though and their past isn't a good one.  Can Cameron remember enough details from that evening to help identify the killer before he finds her?

Let me tell you from the beginning that I am a sucker romances where the main characters start off either disliking or hating each other.  It gets me every single time!  This book had me from the very beginning then as Cameron and Jack have no good feeling towards one another and are very antagonistic towards working together.   This slow building romance was exactly what I was looking for as they were forced to put aside their mutual feelings of dislike in the pursuit of finding the killer.  It was fun watching them work through their misunderstandings and especially fun to watch them try to fight the attraction/chemistry that they were feeling.  It always makes it that much better when they finally come together and quit fighting their feelings.  It was definitely worth the wait and left me eager to see them find their happy every after.

The mystery/suspense portion of this book was well done as I had a very hard time putting this book down.  The author did a very nice job of keeping me on my toes just waiting to see what was going to happen next. I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's books and am even more excited to see that this is the first book in a series.  Woohoo!  The ending wrapped up everything very nicely and kept me on my toes until the very last page.  I stayed up past my bedtime finishing this one which is never a bad thing (until the next morning that is).

Overall, this was one of those books that just clicked for me in all of the right ways.  I loved the chemistry between the two main characters, was intrigued by the storyline, and didn't want to the book to end.  This is definitely one of the best romantic suspense reads that I've come across in awhile.  Luckily enough I have many more of this author's books to look forward to, and I will definitely be continuing on with this series.  Highly recommended but especially to romance fans!

Bottom Line:  A book that hit all the right spots for me and a romance that I found myself caught up in.

Disclosure:  I checked a copy of this book out from my local library.  Thoughts are my own!

The Kill List by Nichole Christoff (thoughts)

The Kill List was a solid debut to this new mystery series and was quite the page turner for me.  I easily found myself engrossed within its' pages and this didn't let up until the very end.  I'm left eager to continue on with this series and read more by this author!

In this book Jamie Sinclair is asked to investigate when her ex-husband's daughter is kidnapped.  Despite all of the hard feelings between the two of them, Jamie drops everything to rush to the army base where he and his new family live in search of his three year old daughter.  Almost instantly Jamie begins to realize that her ex-husband is hiding something and the questions don't stop there.  Soon Jamie finds herself in deathly danger and is unsure who she can trust.  Will she be able to find the missing girl before time runs out?

I really enjoyed this book from the very beginning.  The author starts this book out with a really intense scene from a case that Jamie is finishing up and it really just takes off from there.  This book was filled with suspense along with twists and turns.  It was easy to see that there was something off when it came to the little girl's kidnapping but as the reader you don't know what exactly.  I was left questioning everything and everyone trying to figure out for myself what could have happened to that little girl.  I didn't care for Jamie's ex-husband Tim Thorp at all thanks to all of the secrets that he seems to be hiding.  He comes across as quite the jerk but it was the fact that Jamie could never get him to tell the truth despite the missing girl that sealed my dislike for him.  These secrets and evasions did add to the atmosphere of the story though and filled the pages with suspense.

One of my favorite parts of this book besides the mystery itself was the relationship that began to develop between Jamie and the military commander Barrett.  These two worked really well together and I found it refreshing how trust came slowly between them.  I am looking forward to reading future books and hopefully seeing their relationship develop even more!  Another thing that really worked well for me in this book was the way the author incorporated the military into the storyline.  I learned a bunch of different things in regards to everyday military life that I had never known while reading this book.  The author's obvious love and respect for the armed forces was very evident within the pages of this novel.  I really enjoyed all of these different aspects and felt that it added to the storyline.  The mystery was also very well done with multiple angles all coming together at the end.  I had guessed only one portion of it but even then the ending was able to give me a few more surprises! 

Overall, I am sure that you can tell how much I enjoyed this book.  The mystery was both fast-paced and intense which is definitely the mark of a good book.  I'm hoping to see the romance developed more in future books and am eager to read more in this series.  All very good things!  I can easily recommend this book to other mystery fans!  Recommended!

Bottom Line:  An intense read that had me flying through the pages!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher as part of a TLC book tour.  Thoughts are my own!

Better Homes and Hauntings by Molly Harper (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"When Nina Linden is hired to landscape a private island off the New England coast, she sees it as her chance to rebuild her failing business after being cheated by her unscrupulous ex. She never expects that her new client, software mogul Deacon Whitney, would see more in her than just a talented gardener. Deacon has paid top dollar to the crews he’s hired to renovate the desolate Whitney estate—he had to, because the bumps, thumps, and unexplained sightings of ghostly figures in nineteenth-century dress are driving workers away faster than he can say “Boo.”

But Nina shows no signs of being scared away, even as she experiences some unnerving apparitions herself. And as the two of them work closely together to restore the mansion’s faded glory, Deacon realizes that he’s found someone who doesn’t seem to like his fortune more than himself—while Nina may have finally found the one man she can trust with her bruised and battered heart.

But something on the island doesn’t believe in true love…and if Nina and Deacon can’t figure out how to put these angry spirits to rest, their own love doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance."

My Thoughts:

I'm having a hard time writing up my thoughts on this one as I enjoyed it....but.  There were a few things that kept me from fully connecting to this book which is why it only ended up being a good read for me rather than great.  Let's start off with everything I enjoyed though, shall we?  First of all this book was way spookier than I expected.  Set on a remote island believed to be haunted, the author did an amazing job of really creating this eerie setting where it felt like something evil was just lurking around the corner.  And there were some really spooky moments throughout the book that really reinforced this!  My favorite thing about this book though was all the references to Scooby Doo that the author threw in here and there.  I adored that cartoon as a kid and still love watching old episodes with my kids.  So fun and a pleasure to find another Scooby Doo fan!  The mystery portion of this book was done really well and had me guessing for the majority of the book.  I had a few parts of the book figured out but it wasn't until the very end that I realized that I was right.  This book was a fast, easy read that kept my attention throughout.  Overall, I really enjoyed it.

The issues that I had with it though really had to do with the relationship that developed between Nina and Deacon.  It felt like they just came together all too easily and I never really connected to their relationship.  While I absolutely adored all of the other relationships in this book between the characters, this one just fell short for me.  Maybe because I went into this book expecting more of a focus on the romance than what there really was.  For me, this felt more like a mystery with a romance thrown in.  I liked both Nina and Deacon's characters, liked that they found each other, but overall their chemistry just fell a bit flat for me.  

When all was said and done, I did really enjoy this book even if I had a few issues with it.  It was a fun read, and I was left ready to read more by this author.  I am curious to see if this author has any more books with scary settings as she did that portion of this book extremely well!  Plus, any author that uses Scooby Doo references is an author that I will be reading more of!  Recommended but as a mystery rather than romance!

Bottom Line:  A fun and creepy read but one that didn't quite knock my socks off.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book for review thanks to the publisher.  Thoughts are my own! 

A Share in Death and All Shall Be Well by Deborah Crombie (thoughts)

Starting a new mystery series, A Share in Death begins when Duncan Kincaid goes on vacation but finds himself caught up in a murder investigation.  Superintendent for the Scotland Yard, Kincaid is a trained investigator that just cannot let this unexplained death go unanswered when a body is found at the house where he is vacationing.  As the only suspects are the other guests staying at the timeshare house, he soon finds many more questions than answers.  It will be up to his persistence and investigative skills to find out who the killer is in their midst.

I absolutely adored this book for so many reasons which means that I have found yet another new mystery series to follow this year.  Very reminiscent of some of my favorite Agatha Christie novels, I loved how the author led me to suspect everyone and anyone.  This was a true whodunnit in the best sense!  I will admit that I pretty much suspected all of the guests at one point or another (except the children of course) and didn't figure out the real killer until the very end.  It was one of those mysteries that just sucks you in and pulls you along for the ride.  I loved it!  I loved the questioning atmosphere the author created, the way that I was constantly looking for clues, and all of the different layers that turned this book from a good one into a great read!  I knew instantly after finishing this book, that I was in for a real treat with this series, and that I would be reading more soon. 

Overall, it is books like this that are why I read (and am such a mystery fan!).  I really loved this one and thought that it was a great beginning to this series.  I'm just wondering why it took me so long to try it!  I have many more books to look forward to which makes it all better.  Highly recommended but especially to those other mystery lovers!

All Shall Be Well is the second book and begins with the death of Duncan Kincaid's neighbor Jasmine Dent.  Jasmine was terminally ill so her passing isn't unexpected but it does raise a few questions for Kincaid's inquisitive mind.  Especially when a close acquaintance of Jasmine reveals that the dead woman had considered self termination.  Duncan finds that he can't let the questions he has rest and begins to investigate.  He soon finds that the woman he thought he knew so well had many more secrets than he could have ever expected.

This book was completely different than the previous one but it worked really well for me.  In this novel the question for the majority of the book is if Jasmine's death was actually a murder or suicide.  The author yet again does an amazing job of casting suspicion on all of the characters (besides Kincaid of course).  I basically fell for it all as I never really suspected the actual killer until the end of the book.  Again!  That hardly ever happens but made for such a pleasant change of pace.  This author is two for two when it comes to me not figuring out the killer's identity.  What I really liked about this book though was the interactions between Kincaid and Sergeant Gemma James who is Kincaid's assistant.  They work really well together and it is enjoyable to "watch" them as the investigation progresses.  There is a chemistry there that makes me wonder if in the future we might see them delve into a different kind of relationship.  I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens in the next book. 

Overall, this was just as good of a read as the first book and has cemented my love for this mystery series.  It is almost difficult for me to share my thoughts on these books as all I want to say are things like" READ THEM NOW!" Ha!  But seriously, this author has moved on to my must read list and I've only read two of her books so that should tell you something.  Yet again, highly recommended to mystery fans!

Final thoughts for these two book basically adds up to more gushing and praise so I will leave it at that.  For those of you that have already found this author's books, are there other similar authors that I should be reading?  I am acutely aware that I have been missing out until now by not giving this author a try sooner.  What other mystery authors can't be missed?  Do share!

Pies and Prejudice by Ellery Adams (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"When the going gets tough, Ella Mae LaFaye bakes pies. So when she catches her husband cheating in New York, she heads back home to Havenwood, Georgia, where she can drown her sorrows in fresh fruit filling and flakey crust. But her pies aren't just delicious. They're having magical effects on the people who eat them--and the public is hungry for more.

Discovering her hidden talent for enchantment, Ella Mae makes her own wish come true by opening the Charmed Pie Shoppe. But with her old nemesis Loralyn Gaynor making trouble, and her old crush Hugh Dylan making nice, she has more than pie on her plate. and when Loralyn's fiancé is found dead--killed with Ella Mae's rolling pin--it'll take all her sweet magic to clear her name."

My Thoughts:

This was a fun beginning to a new cozy mystery series with a hint of the paranormal sprinkled in.  In this book, Ella Mae moves back home from the city after catching her husband cheating on her.  She realizes that now is the time to learn to do things for herself which leads to pursing her own bakery.  Unfortunately, she also finds herself mixed up in quite a mess when she gets caught up in a murder investigation as the prime suspect.  This was one of those fun, easy reads that I just adore.  I found myself caught within the pages rooting for Ella Mae as she works to start a new beginning for herself.  The book was a tad predictable (and many times cozies are) but it really didn't detract from my overall reading experience.  I just went with the flow of the book; constantly waiting to see what would happen next and how Ella Mae would handle whatever it was. 

This was a fun book as the idea of Ella Mae infusing feelings or emotions into her baking was a unique idea.  And I say fun as the results that came from people eating her baked goods and experiencing those latent emotions was quite funny to read about.  I figured out parts of the mystery about halfway thru the book, but really the author did a great job of still pulling off a surprising ending.  The only thing that left me wanting was Ella Mae's "new love interest".  I felt that her instant attraction to her old crush Hugh Dylan was really lacking in the chemistry department.  Instead, I am hoping that in future books we see more of a different character that she dated for investigation purposes.  They seemed a much better match in my opinion!

Overall, this was a solid beginning to this cozy series.  It wasn't perfect but it was a fun read that made me laugh out loud a few times.  I'm now eager to continue on with the second book to see what kind of troubles Ella Mae can get caught up in next.  Books like this are why I love cozy mysteries.  They are the perfect reads for a cold winter day!  Recommended!

Bottom Line:  A fun read and an author that I plan on reading more of!

Disclosure:  Checked out from my local library.  Thoughts are my own!

Sad confession:  I have never read Austen's Pride and Prejudice so I have no idea if the author based parts of this book on this classic novel or just used the title to play off of.  I can tell you that it didn't effect my reading experience whatsoever.  Shame on me for not reading more classics!   

Blood Harvest by S.J. Bolton (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Now you see her

Gillian is haunted by the disappearance of her little girl two years ago. A devastating fire burned down their home, but she remains convinced her daughter survived.

Now you don't

Ten year old Tom lived by a neglected church. Is he the only one who sees the strange, solitary child playing there? And what is she trying to tell him?

Now you run

There's a new vicar in town - Harry. But menacing events suggest he isn't welcome. What terrible secret is this town hiding?"

My Thoughts:

I am completely convinced that this author can do no wrong in my eyes.  Easily, this will one of the best thrillers that I have read in 2014, and I am always sad to think that not enough readers have found the amazingness that is this author and her books.  I shall just continue to spread the love myself, shall I?  

In this book we are introduced to a young boy named Tom and his family, who have recently moved to a secluded village near the moors.  Tom is struggling with his new home though as he is having a hard time making friends and keeps having strange occurrences happen to him.  He soon becomes convinced that someone is watching him and his family....but it isn't until some of the town's ugly history is revealed that the reader realizes how much danger he just might be in.  And by then you will be beyond well and truly hooked!  This is not a small book by any means but I managed to fly through the pages.  I kept telling myself just a little further which turned into chapters (and then huge chunks of the book).  I couldn't put it down!  I needed to know what was going to happen to Tom and his family which made it even harder to stop reading.  Although this book is a standalone, it did feature Evi Oliver who also shows up in the Lacey Bolton series.  I loved how she managed to connect the books without really making it an issue for those readers who have only read one or the other. I wonder if her other standalone books connect characters at any point as well.  It will be interesting to find out!  

This book was an intense thriller and had such a great setting for the storyline.  I loved the sense of isolation that came from the village.  It made this a much creepier read for me!  Add to that an old church graveyard, the moors surrounding the village, and a secretive community of villagers, and you had a gothic novel in the making.  Love!  These are pretty much all of my favorite things rolled into one when I want a spooky read!  The overall storyline was filled with suspense and kept me reading late into the night.  And the ending didn't disappoint whatsoever!  I will admit to picking up on pieces of it but not enough to really ruin the surprise of the ending.  In fact, I was reading so fast by the end that I had to back up and reread to make sure that I didn't miss anything. 

If you can't tell by all my gushing this was an amazingly good read for me that will easily be on my top reads list for 2014.  At this point, I already know that I will read everything/anything that this author has written.  I'm just taking my time on them so I have books to look forward to!  If you are a fan of mysteries, suspense, or thrillers, then I cannot recommend this author and her books enough!  Highly, highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  This gothic tale kept me reading late into the night!  One of my favorite books of the year!

Disclosure:  Checked out from my local library.  Thoughts are my own!

Midnight by Ellen Conner (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Three years of wandering the postapocalyptic wasteland has stripped Dr. Chris Welsh of hope. A harrowing loss drove him from his home, and he hasn't stopped moving-until he encounters Valle de Bravo, a haven of civilization amid the chaos of the Change. Soldiers take their orders from Rosa Cortez-the iron hand within a velvet glove. The last thing Rosa needs is a feral loner upsetting the town's tentative balance. However, for the good of her people, she lets Chris stay, and as bloodthirsty raiders strike again and again, Chris and Rosa battle hellhounds and dust pirates while also fighting desperate attraction. To save them, love must overcome the pain of the past-and build a future in this brutal Dark Age..."

My Thoughts:

Last year the first book in this apocalyptic trilogy was on my top ten reads for the year (or was that two years ago? I can't remember...).  Anyways, the point I was trying to make is that I went into reading this book with high hopes because I loved Nightfall so much!  This book turned out to be just as fast-paced and intense as I had hoped even if it didn't quite match the love that I felt for Nightfall!

From the very beginning I found that I had a hard time putting this book down.  I was just that hooked into the storyline almost instantaneously!  This book focuses on Chris, a secondary character from the previous book, who is trying to deal with everything that he has been through since the world changed.  I really liked that this second book was focused on his character as things hadn't ended the best for him in the previous story.  I was looking forward to him getting a chance at finding happiness while also learning more about his character.  The authors of this book did a great job of allowing for me to connect not only with Chris but also with Rosa even though they were both closed off individuals who didn't like to share their feelings.  It made it that much better in my opinion when they came together at certain points in the book.  I loved it!  This book focused less on how the world had changed and more on how people were coping with these changes.  I found this worked really well for me as I liked seeing how people were dealing with the aftermath of everything that had happened in book one.  This book highlighted the struggles that the town and people faced on a daily basis just trying to survive.  It made the book that much more intense!  But really, the romance that develops between Rosa and Chris is what really made this book such an enjoyable read.  I loved watching them try to figure out whether they could trust one another.  Overall, I just really liked their characters which meant that I spent the majority of the book hoping they would find their happy ending.

Because I have enjoyed both books in this trilogy, I now have really high expectations for the final book.  I'm also sad because I don't want to see this trilogy end as I love how intense these books are!  Combine that with romance and you have a winning combination in my opinion!  This book was a really great follow-up to Nightfall, and also helped to cement my need for more books just like this.  Well, maybe not exactly like this, but I am definitely going to be on the lookout for similar sounding reads!  I would recommend these books easily but start with the first book as it is a must in my opinion.  A reader could start here with this second book but they would definitely be missing out when it comes to details on the world that the authors have created.  Recommended, recommended, recommended!!

Bottom Line:  A trilogy that I just can't seem to get enough of!  I need more books like this in my life!

Disclosure:  Checked out from my local library.  Thoughts are my own :)

Has anyone read these books yet?  Can you recommend to me other romantic suspense books that might be similar?  I'm open to any and all suggestions!!

And if you are interested my thoughts on Nightfall are here.

The Butcher by Jennifer Hillier (thoughts)

The Butcher is one of the darkest thrillers that I have read this year by far.  This book isn't for the squeamish but it is definitely one of those books that a reader will find hard to put down!  Both creepy and dark are both words that I could use to describe this book that summarize it easily.  Because of this, it took me awhile to really get into this book.  When I did though, I was well and truly hooked.

Told from multiple viewpoints, the storyline revolves around "The Butcher", a well known serial killer that terrorized women in the Seattle area until he was killed by the police.  Edward Shank (also known as The Chief) was the person responsible for bringing this horrific killer to justice.  As The Chief moves into retirement, his grandson Matt is in the spotlight thanks to his restaurant and possible new television deal on the food network.  Matt grew up looking up to the Chief in every way possible but now with his own fame growing, he begins to realize that there are many truths that he has never known.  And when it seems like The Butcher is making a comeback from beyond the grave, it will affect everyone that Matt knows or cares for.

It is almost difficult for me to write my thoughts on this one because how can you say that you enjoyed a book that was this twisted?  I really struggled with it at the beginning because of this, and also because I struggled with Matt's character.  He isn't one of those characters that is easy to like and because of this I wasn't ever sure that I was going to care what happened to him.  I stuck with the book though because I was just so, so curious.  I gave a very brief summary that hopefully doesn't give many details away but it is those details that caused me to finally be hooked.  I had to know what was going to happen.  I finally started to connect to Sam (Matt's sorta girlfriend) as a character and by then I knew that I couldn't set this book down.  I had to see how it was all going to end!  The author does a great job with the atmosphere within this book.  I constantly felt like I was waiting....almost dreading seeing what was going to happen next.  It was such a creepy feeling!  It is really hard to describe my overall feelings because of how dark the storyline was.  While not always an easy read, it was certainly a book that kept me turning the pages.  I liked the ending especially because it all went down like I hoped that it would.  Is that vague enough for all of you?  Ha!  This is one of those books that I will not be forgetting about any time soon!

Overall, I liked this one enough to recommend it but I don't think that this is a book that everyone will enjoy.  Me?  I am definitely willing to read more by this author!  I just will make sure that I am in the mood for a darker read in case all of her books are this creepy (and I'm guessing they are from the titles).  Fans of dark thrillers will definitely want to give this one a try!  So recommended but with a few warnings/hesitations.

Bottom Line:  A disturbing book but one that I just could not put down!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher.  Thoughts are my own!

For those of you that have read this one, what did you think?  I found this book reminded me of Gillian Flynn a bit thanks to how it made me feel while reading.  I wasn't always comfortable reading this book but I also couldn't quite stop reading.  I'm looking forward to hearing what other readers thought!

The Night Visitor by Dianne Emley (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Gorgeous and successful, Rory Langtry seemed to have it all. Daughter of a movie star and sister of a supermodel, Rory was engaged to sexy artist, Junior Lara. But her bright future went dark one terrible, bloody night that left her sister dead and the accused murderer—Junior—in an extended coma.

Now, five years later, Rory appears to have put the past behind her. She has a wonderful new fiancé and heads a successful cosmetics company. Yet dark secrets threaten. Across town, Junior lies close to death but before he departs he seeks to clear his name."

My Thoughts:

 The Night Visitor was a unique read that had me spellbound by the end.  An unusual mystery thanks to the paranormal elements, I found myself eagerly reading this book to see how it would all play out.  Rory finds herself in quite the mess.  She is having visions that don't seem to be her own that all relate to her sister's murder.  Her ex-fiancee is believed to have been responsible for Anya's death, but since that night he has been in a coma which means he can't tell anyone what happened.  The entire book is focused on Rory finding out what really happened on that night so many years ago.  

This book was an interesting read for me because I was never sure how it would all work out.  The idea of Rory experiencing visions thanks to a connection with Junior was a bit out there if I am being honest.  The author really followed through with it though and because of this "connection" Rory struggles with her sanity at times.  That made sense to me even if I wasn't sure how it would all work out.  It is also one of the factors that made me not want to stop reading by the end.  I think that readers need to go with the flow when it comes to this book.  At first I struggled with the plausibility of it all and really disliked the paranormal elements.  Finally I decided to set those feelings aside, and just experience the book.  And I really ended up enjoying it!  The mystery portion of this book was done quite well.  I never really saw the end coming at all.  I had an idea as to parts of what must have happened on that evening so long ago but it turns out I was completely wrong.  There was only one portion of the book that I figured out (and really it was such a tiny part of the overall story).  I really appreciated that this book kept me guessing throughout!  When I finished reading this book I was glad that I had allowed myself to be pulled into this book because it was worth it.  Definitely a very unique read!

Overall, this book was a good read and one that I enjoyed.  It wasn't perfect but it was engaging and has me thinking that I will be watching for more by this author.  I think that mystery fans will enjoy this one.  Just be warned that if you don't care for paranormal elements than this might not be the book for you.  If you don't mind them, let the author take you on a ride that will keep you guessing.  It was worth it!  Recommended!

Bottom Line:  An interesting mystery that kept me guessing!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley as part of a TLC blog tour.  Sorry that I missed my date and am posting this so late!  Thoughts are my own!

 

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (thoughts)

The Cuckoo's Calling is one of those mysteries that slowly draws you into its' pages.  I found myself caught up within the mystery quite easily which meant that I had a hard time setting this chunkster down.  My wrists were sore from holding the book by the end but it was definitely worth it.  I think that the question that is present throughout most of the book of whether a murder has really taken place or not made this book that much better for me.  Because it really always isn't as cut and dry as some books make it, and this questioning atmosphere really added to the suspense in my opinion.  Let me explain with a give you a quick summary before I go any further.

In this book, Cormoran Strike has basically hit rock bottom.  He is in a great deal of debt, doesn't have any clients but one, and is now living out of his office thanks to breaking up with his long time girlfriend/fiancee.  Enter John Bristow who comes to Strike looking for him to investigate the death of his sister, a famous model that is believed to have jumped to her death.  John refuses to admit to the possibility that this troubled woman might have committed suicide but instead insists that it must have been murder.  Against Strike's better intentions, he agrees to look into Lula Landry's death for Bristow.  Strike begins to find more questions than answers even though almost everyone that he meets believes that she killed herself.  Will Strike be able to figure out the truth behind this tragedy?

This book was on my radar even before I heard that J.K. Rowling had written it.  Then I heard that Rowling was using a pseudonym and Galbraith was really her...and you get the picture here, right?  Instantly this book skyrocketed to my TBR list just because.  Where it just sat because sometimes when you love an author's books so much you begin to wait for that one book that is going to break the spell.  Or at least I do that which is a really bad habit.  Although this book was completely different from the Harry Potter series in every way possible, it was such a good book that manages to stand on its' own merit quite well.  I found myself immersed in this book in the best possible way.  It made me realize (yet again) that I just do not read enough chunky books.  As an avid reader sometimes I find that I stay away from these longer reads just because I don't want to commit to them.  It is definitely my loss because books like this are why I should be reading longer books!  Galbraith's attention to details builds the atmosphere and storyline in a way that just draws the reader in.  I loved that I was constantly trying to figure out if a murder had really happened or not.  Comoran doesn't give a lot away in regards to his emotions and it helped to really keep me guessing.  Did he think that John Bristow was just in denial or did he really think that somebody had committed cold blooded murder?  I spent half of the book just trying to figure out the answer to that exact question. 

While the book slowly swept me into it, it was the characters that really made this book a great read.  I loved Comoran's character from almost the very beginning of this book.  He is just such a great character- unapologetic, imperfect, and yet someone that you are almost instantly drawn to.  I felt like he was a real person by the end of the book.  The storyline took its' time building up but really managed to blow me away at the end.  I mean, what?!?!  I totally didn't figure out any part of the ending whatsoever.  And that is all I'm going to tell you so that I don't spoil anything.  This was a great beginning to a new mystery series that I cannot wait to read more of!  Bring on more Comoran Strike!

Overall, this is very likely going on my top reads list for the year!  I just really enjoyed my entire reading experience and was sad to see the book end.  The only bright spot is knowing that the second book has already released so that I don't have a long wait for book two.  I'm eager to see what other kinds of trouble that Comoran can get himself into.  This mystery series is a long ways away from my Harry Potter addiction but the best part is that I can love them both for their differences.  Besides, it makes me wonder what else J.K. Rowling can possibly have in store for us readers....the possibilities are endless and super exciting!  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A mystery series that became an instant favorite!

Disclosure:  I checked this book out from the library...I want it for my own shelves though!

Dark Skye by Kresley Cole (thoughts)

I'm going to start my review on this book with my final thoughts:  I absolutely don't read enough paranormal romance!  And this book made me wonder why as I just gobbled it up!  This book was one of those perfect reads where you read it at exactly the right time.  I had been in the mood for a good romance (but haven't read that many this year so far) and liked the sound of this one.  Two families that hate each other with an intense history of violence?  A hero and heroine who once shared a secret relationship when they were younger but now cannot stand one another?  Yes please!  I knew that this was going to be my kind of romance and it certainly was!

In this book, Melanthe and Thronos had a secret friendship when they were very young.  A violent past though tore their relationship apart and caused them both to hate the other in every way possible.  The fact that Thronos knows that Melanthe is his fated mate means that he cannot leave her alone even if he hates her for all that she has done to him.  Melanthe's childhood experiences have caused her to despise all Vrekeners but especially her ex-childhood friend Thronos.  When they are thrown together and forced to survive in different worlds, they will begin to rediscover some of their past history finding that everything that they both believed in might not be the truth.  Will love find a way to reunite them??? 

Okay so I've got to admit that I was easily rooting for these two from the very beginning of this book.  I am such a sucker for a romance where the hero/heroine hate each other.  I love the slow build up to where that hate turns to passion.  I especially like when they resist each other for some time....it comes across more believable then when one just rolls over and falls madly in love for no reason.  Give me a book like this anytime and I will be hooked!  I thought the author did a really great job of setting all of these different obstacles between them especially with their shared history.  I also appreciated that their relationship slowly began to build and simmer.  It made it that much more steamier when it finally happened in my opinion :)  And this was definitely one of those books that I couldn't set down.  I found myself skimming at times just so that I could see what was going to happen next.  Then I would go back and reread just to make sure that I hadn't missed anything.  This is my first book by this author which means that I started yet again in the middle of a long standing series.  It didn't matter in the slightest.  I really appreciated that this book felt like a stand-alone novel even though now I know I have lots of good books to look forward to!  My only complaint with this book is in regards to the ending.  I feel like it wrapped up a little too fast and left more open than I would have liked.  Does this mean that we will have another book featuring Thronos and Lanthe?  I don't know but I do know that I would really like it if we did.  Overall though, even though I was left wanting more it didn't really detract from my reading experience all that much. 

This book has me eager to start at the beginning of this fourteen plus book series!  If they are all this good then I will certainly be in for a treat.  I really loved this book!  The connection between Thronos and Lanthe was something that I couldn't get enough of.  The best thing about finally trying this author's books though is just knowing that I have so many more to look forward to.  I can't wait!  And like I said before, I'm eager to try some new paranormal romance series out just to see what else I have been missing.  What other paranormal romance series are out there that you can't get enough of??  Please share as I need more books like this in my life!  Highly recommended but especially to romance fans and fans of the paranormal. 

Bottom Line:  A slow building romance led up to a GREAT read for me!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher.  Thoughts are my own!

Remains of Innocence by J.A. Jance (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Sheriff Joanna Brady must solve two perplexing cases that may be tied together in New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance’s thrilling tale of suspense that brings to life Arizona’s Cochise County and the desert Southwest in all its beauty and mystery.

An old woman, a hoarder, is dying of emphysema in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. In cleaning out her house, her daughter, Liza Machett, discovers a fortune in hundred dollar bills hidden in the tall stacks of books and magazines that crowd every corner.

Tracing the money’s origins will take Liza on a journey that will end in Cochise County, where Sheriff Joanna Brady is embroiled in a personal mystery of her own. A man she considers a family friend is found dead at the bottom of a hole in a limestone cavern near Bisbee. And now there is the mystery of Liza and the money. Are the two disparate cases connected? It’s up to Joanna to find out" 

My Thoughts:

Remains of Innocence is one of those books that captured my interest based off of the synopsis alone.  The idea of finding hidden money had me instantly intrigued so that I just couldn't wait to figure out where it had all come from.  It was just that easy for me to fall into the pages of this book.  I feel like this has been the year of mystery reading for me, and books like this are what keep me coming back for more.  Although I haven't read the previous books in this series, I never felt like that detracted from my reading experience.  Instead, the author took the time to really allow for me to get to know these characters.  What made this book so great for me was the details.  The author used all of these different details to really build up two different storylines in a way that allowed for them to come together at the end perfectly.  Joanna has two separate investigations that she is focusing all of her efforts on, and the author does a great job of showing her struggle to balance them both equally.  Because we were able to see the investigation from the very beginning, it almost felt like I was a part of it.  The author did an amazing job of adding some unexpected twists and turns that kept me glued to the pages.  The ending itself was very well done as it managed to tie everything up but in a realistic manner (considering there was so much going on I was quite impressed).

This isn't a fast paced book per say but instead it is one of those books that slowly builds until you just can't put it down.  The intensity came from not only the twists and turns but also from the way that I was drawn into this book.  Partly this came from how easily I connected to the characters.  And partly it was the fact that I just felt immersed in the investigation thanks to the author's writing style.  It is what turned this book into a great read for me compared to just good or average.  I can't wait to read more from this author!

Overall, I am very excited to have found a new to me mystery author with so many books to look forward to.  I loved both the setting and the characters that are a part of this series so I know that I will be visiting them with again in future reads.  This books reminds me a bit of Still Life by Louise Penny as they both have such a strong focus on characters which I love.  This book is easily one that I would recommend but especially to other mystery fans!  Recommended!

Bottom Line:  A book that built up slowly to a page turning finish!  I couldn't get enough!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a Partners in Crime book tour.  Thoughts are my own!

 

 

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts (thoughts)

Iona Sheehan comes to Ireland looking for both family and something more.  She has lived her life up until now feeling vaguely dissatisfied as if she was missing out on something important.  It isn't until she meets her cousins Branna and Connor O' Dwyer that she realizes the missing piece might by her heritage and recently discovered powers.  It will be up to Iona though to really find herself and let her powers as a witch awaken before she comes to battle a centuries old evil named Cabhan.  Because if she isn't able to do this, it may destroy her new found love and family.

As soon as I heard that Nora Roberts was coming out with a new paranormal trilogy, I wanted to read it.  Simple as that to be honest.  I loved her Key trilogy and Three Sisters trilogy enough that I have read them multiple times each.  And although I hate to make comparisons, this first book was very reminiscent at times of some of those books.  For me, I went into this book expecting something similar because what she writes works.  I literally gobbled up all of those other books in a matter of days.  Couldn't get enough.  This one was good but not as good as those other two trilogies and I'm not honestly sure what the difference was.  I think for me it was a slight lack of connection to both of the characters.  I am huge on connecting with a book and for me this is why I liked but didn't love this one. 

Iona comes into the book looking for family as her own family never really cared for her the way that she needed them to.  She doesn't realize it but she is looking for love.  Enter Boyle, her new gruff boss that doesn't really share his feelings with anyone.  From those descriptions, you would think that their chemistry would really click but for me it just didn't quite do it.  I wanted to see them get over all of their emotional obstacles to find a happy ever after, but I wasn't connected enough to the story to really want it.  It is hard to explain other than that.  This book sets everything up perfectly for what is to come in the next two books but it didn't do it in a way that left me emotionally invested.  I just needed a little bit more to make this book a great read.  All of that being said, I did find this one to be a page turner.  The storyline may be a bit similar to others that she has written but it was different enough that I was intrigued.  I really liked both of her cousin's characters.  I'm eager to see if I click with their stories more than I did with this one.  And I have to reiterate that I liked this book.  I just feel like I expected a bit more and was  harder on it since I have loved some of her other books so much.

Overall, this was a good beginning to a new trilogy even if I had a few issues connecting to the characters.  I have high hopes that I will enjoy the next two books even more as they will be focusing on her cousins Branna and Connor.  It was an easy book to sink into and I found myself flying through the pages.  I just wanted a bit more so maybe I will get that with the next book.  Recommended but with a few hesitations as there are other of her books that are better and I enjoyed more (if interested definitely try the Three Sisters and Key trilogies). 

Bottom Line:  A good read but one that just left me on the edge of finding it to be a great read.

Disclosure:  I checked this one out from my local library.  Thoughts are my own.

River Road by Jayne Ann Krentz (thoughts)

River Road was one of those books that I wanted to read almost as soon as I heard about it.  I am a sucker for a good romantic suspense but I will admit that I don't read enough from this genre.  I enjoyed this book enough as I was reading it, but didn't end up really loving it.  For me it ended up being one of those books that you can describe as good but not great. 

In River Road, Lucy Sheridan is returning to her aunt's home for the first time in years due to her aunt's death.  Although she spent many summers with her aunt, the last time that she visited Lucy found herself in over her head at a teenage party.  She was sent back home and never ended up returning to Summer River.  Until now.  Unfortunately, it seems that all of those ghosts from the past are determined to resurface thanks to her aunt's will leaving Lucy everything.  Lucy soon finds herself in danger and turns to Mason Fletcher (her former crush/protector from the past).  Will Mason be able to protect Lucy yet again?  Or will the past come back to haunt her?

This book was easy to sink into from the very beginning.  I found myself steadily pulled into the mystery of Lucy's aunt's death but especially pulled into the mystery of what happened the night that Lucy left Summer River.  I was curious from the very beginning and couldn't help but try to figure out who the killer might be.  That being said, even though this book was able to draw me into it, I never was able to connect to the characters like I usually do.  I liked Mason and Lucy, was hoping to see them end up together, but wasn't really pulling for them.  I don't know what it is but I just found myself very disconnected from the book as a whole.  I'm not even sure that I can explain why.  It just felt a bit formulaic and there was nothing that really hooked me in completely.  I wanted to like this book more than I did.  And I did like it to a certain extent but there was just something that held me back.  I wish I could explain more but it is hard to describe other than I found it to be predictable.  Sometimes predicable is completely okay if you are fully invested in the characters but this time I wasn't. 

One of the things that I really did enjoy about this book was the ending.  Like I mentioned earlier, I instantly started off trying to figure out who the killer was on my own.  Happily enough, I was completely wrong and this author threw me for a complete loop by the end.  In fact this book would have been great rather than just good, if I had connected more based off of this ending.  That is how surprised I was!

Overall, I liked it but didn't love it.  That is the easiest way to explain my reading experience with this book.  I will be open to reading more by this author (I actually already have more of her books on my shelves) but this just wasn't quite the book for me.  I think that fans of Sandra Brown and Nora Roberts will enjoy this book as there are some similarities in their writing styles.  For me, I would recommend it but with a few hesitations.  Maybe check it out from the library like I did?

Bottom Line:  A book that I just couldn't quite connect to but with a really great ending.  Is that confusing enough for you?

Disclosure:  I checked this book out from my local library.  Thoughts are my own.

Fans of this author:  Please tell me which books of hers are MUST reads!  She is a very prolific author and I would love to know which of her books are your favorites.  I feel like she is an author that I will enjoy, I just need to find the right book of hers (and there are so many to choose from).

Dirty Magic by Jaye Wells (thoughts)

Dirty Magic was one of those books that I wanted to read purely because I have adored this author's books before.  New urban fantasy series?  Sign me up!  It also didn't hurt that this book has a gorgeous cover which made me want to read it even more.  Happily enough, this was a great beginning to a gritty new urban fantasy series and I want more!

In this book, magic isn't always a good thing and potions brewed are very similar to drugs.  Kate is a cop trying to rid the streets of these dirty potions when she gets pulled into a case that is bigger than she expects.  Now she has a new team to work with and a chance to really make a difference.  Everything seems to be working in her favor until the investigation she is working on shows her that you can never really leave the past behind you.  It will be up to Kate to try and figure out who is behind this newest dirty potion before it hurts those that she loves most.

I will fully admit that I went into this book with high expectations.  I love, love, love her Sabina Kane series so I expected this book to be good.  What I didn't expect was how different this book would be from her other series.  I loved it!  This book had a dark, intense feel to it that I couldn't get enough of.  I'm watching Breaking Bad right now and I couldn't help but compare the two.  Dirty Magic is similar to the show but with potions/magic instead of drugs.  They both have similar vibes where you aren't sure that everything is going to end well.  I found that this feeling really made the intensity level of the story go up a notch.  This isn't a pretty world that Wells has created but it is one that I couldn't get enough of.  I found myself swept away in Kate's world watching as she tried to balance her two lives.  The life of a cop committed to taking down the bad guys who were creating and distributing these potions, and the life of a caregiver as she tries to take care of her brother and make a better life for him.  These two different paths pulled at her constantly in different directions but the author managed to connect the storylines in a way that knocked me off my feet.  By that time I wasn't putting the book down for anything!  I should have known that there were some surprises in store.  I loved that there was a really solid ending to this book even though it is the beginning to a series.  There are questions left unanswered but the author left them open just enough to make me want to read the second book sooner rather than later.  In other words, no cliff hanger ending that makes me want to scream.  I was happy about that!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book just as I hoped that I would.  This author has a knack for creating worlds that I can't get enough of.  I'm super excited that the second book will be releasing soon as I don't want to have to wait long to see what happens to Kate next.  The dark atmosphere of this book kept me reading long after I should have gone to bed.  It all comes down to this: this is exactly how I like my urban fantasy-  gritty, compelling, and unique!  Books like this are what keep me coming back for more.  Highly recommended but especially to other urban fantasy fans!

Bottom Line:  A fascinating beginning to this new series....I can't wait for more!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book for review thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.  Thoughts are my own.

All Day and a Night by Alafair Burke (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"A murder case with ties to a convicted serial killer leads a young defense lawyer and an NYPD homicide detective into parallel investigations with explosive and deadly results in this superb mystery."

My Thoughts:

I need to stop reading series books out of order.  That being said I really enjoyed this book despite the fact that I yet again started at the end of a series.  In this book Ellie Hatcher and her partner JJ Rogan are drawn into a cold case that is being re-investigated thanks to the recent murder of a therapist.  Neither of them want to take the case on as they both know that they will also be investigating their own peers who originally worked the case.  And it doesn't take long before they have more questions than answers....which is when the real fun begins!

This book was intense and easy to fall into.  Even though I didn't know the character's histories from previous books, I found myself drawn down into their world almost instantaneously.  Burke always seems to write these twisty, fast paced reads and this book was no exception.  Every time that I thought that I knew what was going on something happened to make me question everything once again.  I love that!  Another thing that I really enjoyed about this book is that the author takes two storylines and brings them together.  They are both related to the recent murder but one is about what happened during the original investigation and the other one is what is happening now.  She easily intertwines it all together in a way that makes the suspense level go up a notch.  I had a hard time putting this book down because of it!  All of this should show you how much I enjoyed this book.  That being said it had a bit of a weird ending.  I wasn't sure how I felt about it to be honest.  It wasn't bad....it just didn't feel quite right.  I don't know that I can really explain it without giving away major spoilers so I will leave it at that.  

 Overall, I really enjoyed this book!  I'm eager to start at the beginning of this series so that I can see how these characters have grown.  Alafair Burke is becoming one of my go-to authors when it comes to thrillers thanks to her two stand alone books and now this one.  I'm becoming a pretty big fan!  I didn't have any issues reading this series out of order but I am betting that my reading experience would have been even better if I had read the earlier books.  Easily recommended!  

Bottom Line:  A book that takes a closed murder case and turns it into so much more!

Disclosure:  I  received a copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher.  Thoughts are my own.

The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"When she’s not digging up bones or other ancient objects, quirky, tart-tongued archaeologist Ruth Galloway lives happily alone in a remote area called Saltmarsh near Norfolk, land that was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants - not quite earth, not quite sea.

When a child’s bones are found on a desolate beach nearby, Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson calls Galloway for help. Nelson thinks he has found the remains of Lucy Downey, a little girl who went missing ten years ago. Since her disappearance he has been receiving bizarre letters about her, letters with references to ritual and sacrifice."

My Thoughts:

I waited entirely too long to finally give this series a try!  This book is one of the reasons that I have been reading so many mysteries this year.  (This and finding the Amelia Peabody series again of course!)  I really enjoyed this book for a variety of reasons but the main one was Ruth.  I'm finding that I am drawn to mysteries with strong female lead characters.  Ruth just comes across as such an independent woman but she is written in a way that makes her easy to identify with.  I really liked that about her!  In fact, there was just something about her character that I really liked. 

In this book, Ruth finds herself caught up in the mystery of a missing girl.  The little girl has been missing for years but some bones found near where Ruth lives are thought to possibly be the young girl's.  From there, Ruth becomes drawn into the mystery of what happened all those years ago.  The mystery in this book is quite intriguing.  I found myself wrapped up in trying to figure out what happened to little Lucy.  The questions were all there.  Could Lucy possibly still be alive?  Were the bones found hers?  I was completely caught up in the mystery which meant that I flew through the pages of this book.  This was one of those reads where you just had to see how it was all going to end.  I'll admit that I guessed part of the mystery but happily enough I was never sure until the very end that I was right.

The setting of the story was one of my favorite things about this book.  The author managed to make me feel like I was there on the salt marshes with Ruth.  I loved the desolate feeling that she created...it permeated the pages of this book and gave it a darker touch.  I also really enjoyed learning more about archeology thanks to Ruth's profession.  The author included little details throughout the book that just gave the reader a taste of history.  It really made this book so much more enjoyable in my opinion.  The ending of this book was very intense!  There was a certain point where I just could not put this book down.  And then the author did the unexpected but I won't give that away.  Just know that I set this book down VERY excited to read the second one.

Overall, I loved this one and am so glad that I finally gave this series a try!  The mystery was great but the best parts of the book for me were the main character and setting.  I'm eager to continue on with this series but especially after the author left off with such a surprising ending.  I need more books like this (and series) in my reading life!  I would highly, highly recommend this book to my mystery loving friends!  As for me, I'm off to get my hands on book two :)

Bottom Line:  A thrilling beginning to this mystery series and a book that I couldn't get enough of!

Disclosure:  Checked out from my local library. 

Summoning the Night by Jenn Bennett (thoughts)

Give a brief summary of the book (minor spoilers from book one):

In this book Arcadia Bell is just starting to settle down after all of the craziness that happened in Kindling the Moon.  She is spending lots of time with her boyfriend Lon and his son Jude.  And she is learning to start to deal with her new "moon child" powers that she has just recently discovered.  Unfortunately, Cady finds herself caught in the search for a mysterious kidnapper who is kidnapping children.  The missing kids are all children of member's of the Hellfire Club.  The kidnappings are reminiscent of a past set of kidnappings that happened more than thirty years ago.  It will be up to Lon and Cady to figure out what is going on before the next child disappears forever.

Likes?

Summoning the Night was a really solid follow up to Kindling the Moon, and I have to say that I adored it even more than the first book.  There is just something about this series that I can't get enough of.  I find myself instantly drawn into the books and that is exactly what happened as I read this one.  One of the reasons that I like this series so much is that I really enjoy all of the characters.  Arcadia isn't your typical heroine as she just seems so down to earth.  I love the growing relationship that she is developing with Lon and his son Jude.  It all just seems so normal and not exactly what I've come to expect with urban fantasy series.  I mean a series where one of the main characters has a kid?  And the kid actually plays a pretty important role?  I love it!  This book continued to show more of Cady's powers as they begin to grow and she learns a bit more about them.  I like that she really doesn't know anything about what it means for her to be the "moon child", and  I think that we will learn more in future books.  It gives me a sense of anticipation, and I will admit that I am anxious to read the next book!  This book was just as action packed as the first one.  I had a really hard time setting it down, and flew thru the pages.  Overall this book was just really, really good! 

Dislikes?

There is only one complaint I have and that is there was one small storyline that was left unfinished.  I would have liked to see it resolved but maybe it will be in future books.  I won't say more because I don't want to spoil it for anyone.  Honestly, there really isn't anything negative to say about this book.  This is such a great series!

Additional Thoughts?

This is a must read series for fans of urban fantasy in my opinion!  This book had everything I look for including great characters, lots of twists and turns, and a mystery that kept me guessing until the last page.  I'm eager to see what this author comes up with next!  And what kind of trouble Arcadia finds herself in next of course!  This series has really kick-started my current urban fantasy addiction once again.  There needs to be more characters like Cady out there in the book world.  I would definitely recommend this one but start with the first book Kindling the Moon.

Bottom Line: A series that isn't to be missed!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher.  Thoughts are my own!

Here are my thoughts on Kindling the Moon if you are interested.

Under a Silent Moon by Elizabeth Haynes (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Two women share one fate.

A suspected murder at an English Farm. A reported suicide at a local quarry.

Can DCI Louisa Smith and her team gather the evidence and discover a link between them, a link which sealed their fate one cold night, Under a Silent Moon?"

My Thoughts:

Under a Silent Moon starts a new mystery series that didn't disappoint.  Filled with extras or "source material" the book is one of those crime puzzlers that just won't let you go.  I guessed parts of the mystery early on but it was more the how of it that really kept me guessing.  I wanted to know how it was all going to come together.  And I should admit that I wanted to know that I was right.  The book follows DCI Louisa Smith as she leads a homicide murder investigation.  We get the chance to see the evidence as the police come across it.  We also are given the chance to see the inner workings of the investigation which was really fun for me to read about.  I really enjoyed all of this.  It almost makes you feel as you are part of the investigation.  

This book is also told from multiple viewpoints which worked surprisingly well.  I don't always care for when books switch back and forth but the author did a nice job of making it feel almost necessary.  This way we were able to see different character's motivations and thoughts that helped to contribute to pieces of the mystery.  I just really liked the multiple ways that this author pulled me in as a reader so that I didn't want to set the book down.  I flew through the pages of this one and it definitely kept my interest throughout.  I'm eager to see Louisa in action again as hopefully this is just the beginning of her murder investigations.  The tone of this book was darker than I expected it to be but I liked that.  The author isn't afraid to take chances with her storylines and I really appreciate that.  This was just a really solid start to this new mystery series.

Overall, I really ended up enjoying this one, and am looking forward to more by this author!   I am especially looking forward to reading more in this series.  I'm just going to hate the wait till the next one is released.  I feel like the author was able to convey her knowledge of police investigations into this book in a way that really enhanced the story.  I hope that the author continues to let the reader feel like that they are part of the investigation because that was my favorite part of the book.  Highly recommended but especially to fans of mystery and police procedurals.

Bottom Line:  A great beginning to this thrilling mystery series!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book for review thanks to the publisher.  The thoughts are my own.

 

Crocodile on the Sandbank and The Curse of the Pharoahs by Elizabeth Peters (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Amelia Peabody, indomitable Victorian, embarks for Egypt armed with confidence, journal, and umbrella. Enroute to Cairo, she rescues dainty Evelyn, abandoned by her lover. They sail up the Nile to the archeological dig of the Emerson brothers - irascible but dashing Radcliffe and amiable Walter. A lively mummy, visitations, accidents, kidnap attempt - evil is afoot."

My Thoughts:

This is one of the best mystery series that I have started in a really long time!  I actually read this book about 4 or 5 years ago and then never continued on with the series.  Reading it a second time was like reading it for the first since I basically didn't remember much about it.  When I finished I was left wondering why I had never continued on with this series!  This book is just so good!

I adored this book for so many reasons but the main one was Amelia Peabody!  Amelia is one of those characters that you instantly like and laugh at in equal measure.  She has this dry sense of humor that had me cracking up.  And the situations that she gets herself into.  Priceless!  One of the best parts of this book were the interactions between Amelia and Radcliffe.  I instantly adored them both, and I loved how they annoyed each other.  This book was just a pleasure to read!  The mystery was fun, the pages flew by, and I found myself not ready to leave Egypt by the time this book ended.  

Books like this are why I read!  It is as simple as that.  This book had some suspense and tense moments but it really was just a fun read.  I cannot tell you how many times I found myself laughing out loud.  It was like an adventure/mystery/romance all rolled into one!  I loved it!  I found myself enchanted by the main characters and eager to continue on with the series.  This mystery series has skyrocketed as one of my favorites just from this reread.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A must read for mystery fans!

Summary from Goodreads:

"Victorian Amelia Peabody continues to journal her Egypt adventures, toddler Ramses left in England. Husband Radcliffe Emerson's old friend Lady Baskerville fears a curse killed her husband Sir Henry, and soon engages the attentions of American Cyrus. The will funds continued excavation. But a lady dressed in white floats, flutters, spreads fear, and more death."

My Thoughts:

My love for this series has been cemented with this second book.  Was it as good as the first book?  Honestly, I don't think that it was but I still enjoyed it so much!  I still found myself grinning at Amelia's antics.  I especially love how she always manages to get herself caught up in these crazy situations that make me laugh out loud.  It makes these books so much fun to read!

I guessed the identity of the killer in this book early on but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book.  Instead, I just found myself curious to see how it would all play out.  And I will admit that there were parts of the ending that still managed to catch me by surprise.  I can already tell that this is a series that I will read for the characters over the mysteries....just because I love the characters so much!  I love the relationship that has developed between Amelia and Radcliffe.  I pretty much just loved it all.  Oh yes, but how could I forget to talk about the setting of the book??  Having this series basically set in Egypt is also so interesting and fun because it makes me want to study Egyptian history.  I remember some of it from my history classes in school but reading these books make me want to go back and learn more.  It is obvious that the author has a deep love for Egypt, and its' history and that just makes these books that much better in my opinion!  I'm hooked!

Overall, this was a great follow-up to the first book in this series.  I've become a huge fan thanks to these two books and plan to read book three soon!  This is honestly one of the best mystery series that I have started in a long time.  It's kind of exciting!  Books like these make you want to read more...make me want to read the series back to back which is something I never do anymore.  I should though!  Highly, highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  Just as fun as the first book!  And a new favorite series of mine!

Disclosure-  I purchased both of these books from my local used bookstore.  They were well worth it!  And happily I have passed both of them on to my Mom (she loved them too) and now they will go on to my sister.  How fun is that?!?