Tiaras & Texans By Laina Turner Narrated By Lee Ann Howlett

Tiaras & Texans

A Presley Thurman Mystery

By Laina Turner

Narrated By: Lee Ann Howlett

Presley wins a bet against her boyfriend allowing her to finally work for his security company. Though she starts the assignment especially excited knowing she will be good at this job she ends up annoyed when she finds out that the job in question is to protect beauty queens at a Texas pageant. Soon after beginning the job she and Cooper, her boyfriend and now boss, find that this will be more than just protecting the girls against childish pranks now they will have to find out who murdered one of the girls before it happens again.

I absolutely loved Lee Ann Howlett’s narration of this book. First off her characters where each distinct from the low timber of cooper to the high pitched whine of some of the beauty pageant contestants making the story come to life. What really made this an excellent performance though weren’t just the different voices of her characters but also the accents. I am a native Texan and so many times I come across audio books or even on television where an actor or narrator will butcher the accent but Lee Ann Howlett was spot on, I didn’t even cringe once. The story itself is a great cozy mystery, which is a subgenre of crime fiction where the sex and violence are downplayed or even portrayed humorously. (Thanks Wikipedia!)  Laina Turner did a wonderful job with the mystery aspect of the book not once did I suspect who had done it until the very end which is great! You can tell this is not the first book in the series but the fun of a cozy mystery is you don’t really have to start at the beginning this book is no exception Laina Turner makes sure you can keep up with the story from the very beginning. If you are a fan of cozy mysteries or even a beginner I definitely recommend this book, and be sure to check out the great audio book the narration makes it so much better.

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A Widow’s Guilty Secret By Marie Ferrarella Review

A Widow’s Guilty Secret

By Marie Ferrarella

★★

Suzie Burris is waiting for her husband to get home so she can ask for a divorce. Having agreed to have a child to try to connect with each other she is now the new mother of a two month old baby and has had enough of her philandering husband. As Suzie is anxiously waiting for her husband Detective Nick Jeffries shows up to inform her that her husband has been murdered.

I usually like what Harlequin releases, this is one of those instances where it was a miss for me. Granted Marie Ferrerella is a great author, she does a wonderful job in bringing her story fully to life. The problem is the story itself. First off you have a woman who has just given birth and whose husband has just been murdered but she is constantly taking off and leaving her two month old son with her sister. Then you take into account that this is a romance novel and she will inevitably fall in love with the detective, again I see what the author is trying to say that the marriage has been over for a while but her husband died what a few hours ago and she is falling for someone else? I think that if the author had switched Suzie and her sister Lori characters with each other she would have had a much better novel. The third problem I have follows the not so subtle:

**Spoiler Alert**

The absolutely biggest problem I had was when as you may have predicted her son and sister are kidnapped. And what does a grieving widow whose child is in danger do? You guessed it, have passionate sex with the man who is supposed to be working on her husband’s case.  Wait what?

**End Spoiler Alert**

Unfortunately I did not like this book which is rare from me as I said I usually like what Harlequin puts out there, this one was just too much. There’s drama then there is “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

Dominion by Scott M. Baker Review

Dominion

The Vampire Hunters Book Three

By Scott M. Baker

The Vampyrnomicon has finally been found and with it the origins of the vampires and with this Drake Matthews will be able to put an end to the vampire threat and once and for all rid the world of these monsters. Chiang Shih, the master of the vampires, is raising an army with her sights set on a vampire nation in Washington D.C. as the fight comes to a head, who will be the victor, the hunters or the hunted?

 

I thought that book two was really good this book puts it to shame; this is an amazing ending to a trilogy. From the beginning you are caught up into the story as once again the evil vampires are trying to take over the world and the Hunter are more determined than ever to put a stop to them. I absolutely loved how the relationships have evolved and with it will come the heartache of loss, as every war has its casualties. As we had in the second book which I really enjoyed is how the author also narrates the vampires’ side of the story. Though this book has many excellent qualities that are worth the read it also has a startling twist making this one of the best vampire books I have ever come across.

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Low Pressure By Sandra Brown Review

Low Pressure

By Sandra Brown

Bellamy Lyston Price never wanted to be associated with the bestseller that she wrote. She had written it for purely therapeutically reasons, but when it is found out that she is the author and the book is based on the murder of her sister when she was twelve years old she is thrown into the limelight. Now as she is going home a sleazy reporter implies that maybe the police convicted the wrong man and she along with her sister’s boyfriend of the time she was murdered collaborates to find out whether the cops had it right or worse, wrong.

Sandra Brown has created an interesting suspense novel full of twists and turns that will lead you deeper down the rabbit hole as it turns out that Bellamy’s sister, Susan, was not quite what Bellamy has remembered and is a much darker character than anyone would first imagine. Full of romance and murder I loved this book, though it is a romance it wasn’t “heavy” on the romance but leaned more towards the mystery side of the story which is a refreshing change. One of the things I found unique is that from the beginning you know who is after Bellamy and why, the fun part is there is more to the villain than first meets the eye as well as being remarkably crazy, but in the end Sandra Brown still has a few tricks up her sleeve to surprise you. All in all this is one heck of a thrill ride and certainly worth the read.

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Dreams and Nightmares By Ann Werner Review

Dreams and Nightmares

By Ann Werner

Decker Jones has just made it big; she is now a New York Times Bestselling Author. So what do you do to celebrate? You buy the house of your dreams and begin renovation, maybe have a date or two with a cute guy.

On the other end of the spectrum is Albert Crawford, career bank robber until it all comes to an end and he winds up behind bars for the rest of his life.

These two are on a collision course, and only one will be left alive.

Ok so I have to confess the title and the cover fooled me I thought this would be a paranormal book, man was I wrong. I really enjoyed the way that Ann Werner weaved the two stories together, two completely different lives and one epic ending. Though it is a bit predictable (well once you figure out it’s a suspense/thriller not a fantasy novel) it still manages to pull a few surprises out of the bag along the way. I wish there had been more to Decker’s relationship with the boy next door, due to the ending, other than that it’s a great read and fun till the end.

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Vamyrnomicon by Scott M. Baker Review

Vampyrnomicon

Vampire Hunters Book Two

By Scott M. Baker

The Vampyrnomicon is a book that can be used to either destroy vampires or mankind, thus begins the race between the vampire hunters and master vampire Chiang Shih and her coven. The vampire hunters seem to be in the lead as one of their own can access the diary pages within the Smithsonian Institute that will hold the key to where the final destination is, but the vampires have a few tricks of their own up their sleeve.

 

A briefer synopsis: action, action, action, sexual encounter, action, action, action, epic ending. Oh yeah it is that intense from the beginning the novel jumps into the fighting and who doesn’t love it when the vampires are bad guys again? There is no redemption for these blood-sucking fiends, from the first page they are the monsters that used to haunt peoples nightmares not the modern day “will you save me” kind. I haven’t had the opportunity to read the first book in the trilogy, but this is ok, the author may have started right up where he left off with the first one but you barely notice all that matters is that you know vampires are bad and vampire hunters are good, from there you are golden. Although the vampires are the bad guys in this book the author encompasses their side of the story into the main plot making it hard to dislike them until they kill someone else who was completely innocent. This is definitely a fun book worth the read, but be warned it is an adult book with highly adult situations.

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Vengeance of the Wolf By Solitaire Parke Review

Vengeance of the Wolf

By Solitaire Parke

Politicians are being murdered one by one in mysterious ways that cannot be natural, for instance the man whose heart has stopped that could have been explained as a heart attack except for the fact every bone in his body has been broken. Detective John Yardley, an FBI agent, and Frank Williams are determined to put a stop to these murders at any cost, but when the killer enters into a man’s dreams how will they ever find out who is responsible?

This is truly an original paranormal mystery, I had thought it would be scarier than it actually was but it leaned more towards the mystery side rather than the horror genre. All in all Solitaire Parke does a wonderful job bringing her scenes to life, drawing you into the nightmares of men and a bringing each instance to the forefront so vividly you will cringe. I just wish there had been more action, sometimes it can read rather slow but for the most part it is truly fascinating. With such a story line the novel is absolutely riveting; my favorite scene is when several vehicles run a woman over go around the block to do it again with the drivers having no control over themselves. I would give this one a try it may not be everyone’s cup of tea but it is so unique it is worth the read.

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Falling Immortality by Robert Downs Review

Falling Immortality:

Casey Holden, Private Investigator

By Robert Downs

Former cop Casey Holden now works as a PI in Virginia Beach where he makes his own hours and takes on only the cases he wants. When a gorgeous chain smoking woman walks through his door and requests that he solve a two year old murder Casey begins to dig. What he uncovers is buried under one lie after another; will he be able to solve a case that the police department wasn’t able to?

Casey Holden is a “Man’s Man” fast car and even faster women make up the extent of his personal life. With sarcasm and wit he manages to unravel a mystery that is sure to surprise the reader. I had a lot of fun reading this one, I am a girly girl but Casey Holden is one of those characters you can’t help but like. Add in the case that Holden is working on and the author has created a truly fun book full of scandalous behavior and not just by his clients. I truly hope that Robert Downs has more in store for Holden and his escapades. I hate comparing authors but the main character reminds me of the Iron Druid series. Maybe that is just part of the “MANfiction” the author warned me about but either way I Love It! 

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Night of the Chupacabra By Michael Hebler Review

Night of the Chupacabra

By Michael Hebler

Drake along with his wife and daughter has moved out west to begin a new life. They are a happy family he adores his wife and daughter as much as it is physically possible but one night a monster comes into their camp and ruins his life irrevocably, leading Drake on a search for his missing wife after he has been scarred beyond recognition. But soon he finds that the monster is still out there and thirsty for his blood.

 

I do not think I have come across another book like this one, not only is it a fun western but no other author has brought to life the mythological Chupacabra  in such a way. Michael Hebler has definitely stumbled onto a cast of characters and a villain so exceptional that this is a remarkable and fun horror novel. I am not a fan of westerns in any format, I find most of them boring at best, but the way the author blended a good old fashioned western with a monster that has haunted the west for ages is worth the read.

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The Price of Redemption By Gavin R. Dobson Review

The Price of Redemption

By Gavin R. Dobson

Appletree Capital Management of London has just been appointed by CSF, a large American financial group, to oversee their expansion to the international scale. Soon though things begin to become peculiar, and then deadly.

Ok so the good things first.. This novel is well written as well as it seems to be well researched (I am not a financial mogul so I cannot say one way or another as factual). It is a corporate espionage book full of the big bad big brother coming down on the independent London office trying to remain virtuous. Not a bad story line all in all, the problem I had was that it was muddled down with so many seemingly useless details I had a hard time making it through. For instance there were a good two pages where it was nothing but an itinerary; this does not make for exciting reading, though towards the end the story did pick up immensely. The other big problem I had was that the author tried to incorporate romance into the main story line. I repeat tried, it ended up falling flat, there was no real emotional connection written into that story line which is a shame considering it would have made the ending much more poignant.

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Necromancer By C. Bryan Brown Review

Necromancer

By C. Bryan Brown

Torrin McGlynne is what some might consider a “Dirty” cop, he steals from the drug dealers, murders, and thieves to secure his twin daughters future in the world. Soon Torrin finds himself in a world that is unlike his everyday normal existence when his investigation leads him straight into a magic wielding villain unlike any other.

The first half of this book starts off a bit differently than you would expect, the main character starts off by killing not only a drug dealer but his daughter who bears witness to his crimes. When I picked up this novel I thought it would be full of paranormal activity, but the magic is subtle until about sixty percent through the novel when the real fun begins. The one question that this novel left me with was, “Who are the good guys?” We start off with Torrin the one, who begins the novel by murdering a little girl, then you have the partner who seems to be the only upstanding person in this book and he soon becomes a victim to the ways of the magical world. I always thought a novel needed a hero and a villain but C. Bryan Brown managed to write an entire novel where you have no clue who to actually root for, it was interesting to read though it leaves you feeling a bit lackluster when you are done.

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Diary By Chuck Palahniuk Review

Diary

By Chuck Palahniuk

After Misty Wimot’s husband attempts suicide and ends up in a coma her mother in law suggest she keep a diary for him, writing down all of the mundane things she can think of so that when he wakes up he will know what he has missed. Misty’s diary is full of anger at her husband as she finds messages he has sealed away in houses all over the island they live on, but soon her diary takes a dark twist as the islanders push her to paint again and once she does she soon winds up regretting her decision.

This is the first novel by Chuck Palahniuk I have read so I didn’t know quite what to expect. I wouldn’t exactly classify this as a horror novel but it is twisted and demented that there cannot be another genre so fitting. The novel starts off sarcastic and mean but when your husband calls you a fat cow in messages he has left before he tries to kill himself, well needless to say you’d be pissed off too. When you hear about a woman who is surviving such an incident you would think there is no way I can understand how that character feels, but the author manages to bring each character to life so vividly you completely sympathize feeling each emotion she feels and wanting to play her drinking game right along with her. But the best part of the novel is the ending; with a spectacular twist that is sure to leave you going “What the heck?” this author definitely saved the best for last. I had thought I figured it out and then Chuck Palahniuk came out of left field with such an amazing twist I can’t wait to read more of his work.

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Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly Review

The Lincoln Lawyer

Mickey Haller Series Book One

By Michael Connelly

Mickey Haller is a criminal defense attorney whose client list ranges from bikers and prostitutes to drunk drivers and drug dealers. One day a bail bonds man who is “on his Christmas list” calls him up with what they call a franchise case, a person who can pay your high fees and a trial that will subsequently drag on, but when Haller takes on the case of the innocent rich kid supposedly attempting to murder a prostitute, he may get more than he had bargained for. What happens when the client in question turns out to be truly evil?

The main character is not your ordinary sleazy lawyer, but a man with two ex-wives whom are still a part of his life, a daughter, and compassion for the so called criminals he defends even if they are guilty. The way the author not only has his main character feel compassion for the criminals he defends but you soon find yourself having the same empathy. The main character seems to be rounded out by the cast of this novel, taking him from an almost despicable man to one whom you care for in the end. Not only does Michael Connelly do a brilliant job with his cast of characters but he also had a storyline so full of twists and drama that this is a remarkable read.

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Painted Black by Debra R. Borys

Painted Black

By Debra R. Borys

Jo Sullivan is a reporter for a Chicago newspaper, Winds of Change, one night she and her friend Keisha run into a young woman who is selling herself on the streets. Keisha knows this girl from her work with an outreach program, insisting she stop and talk to the girl; Jo goes along and soon becomes wrapped up in a strange tale. When Lexie disappears the reporter in Jo must find out what has happened, along the way she soon runs into Chris a street kid who is trying his best to rescue Lexie after he leaves her alone with a perverse mortuary attendant.  

This is such an interesting story, though this is not for everyone, there are moments when it is crass and takes an unforgiving look at life on the streets. That being said, this is a fantastic novel full of suspense and intrigue. Each character comes to life in these pages making it almost impossible to put it down for even a moment as you wonder what is going to happen to Chris and Jo. I think the author has come across an interesting setting for an entire series of novels featuring Jo and hopefully Chris as well, at least I hope so. The only thing I must say that it does need a bit of editing other than that the author has certainly struck gold with this novel.

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Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins Review

Catching Fire

The Hunger Games Book Two

By Suzanne Collins

Katniss has inadvertently started a revolution with the way she won the Hunger Games, bringing her to the forefront of President Snow’s attention. This year when the Hunger Games are announced it is on a “special occasion” and this year’s contestants will be chosen out of the winners of the previous Games. So once again Katniss is thrown into the arena to fight for her life and hopefully protect Peeta whom she has come to care for more than she realized.

This book was interesting but not as good as the beginning, the relationships that Katniss forms in this book are not as provoking as they were in the previous one though the author does introduce a myriad of characters who become unlikely allies who compromise an interesting outlook from the previous novel. The progression of the story was exciting and necessary, but hopefully Suzanna Collins can bring the lost romance back into the third book even though the progression between Peeta and Katniss is fun it was often times too subtle. I can’t wait to read Mockingjay the third and final book of the Hunger Games Trilogy to see what will happen next.

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Murder Most Frothy by Cleo Coyle Review

Murder Most Frothy

Coffeehouse Mystery Series Book Two

By Cleo Coyle

Clare Cosi lives for coffee, ever since she was a child, so it is no surprise that she is a highly successful New York barista. Her millionaire friend David has asked her down to the Hamptons for the summer to train his staff at his new restaurant with all expenses paid for her and her daughter it is an offer she cannot refuse, but during a Fourth of July party she is catering she stumbles upon the dead body of one of her employees she takes it upon herself to find out who killed this man and if their attempts weren’t actually meant for someone else.

This was a great cozy, the first book I have read from the Coffeehouse Mystery Series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book is witty and humorous fulfilling much of what I expect when I read a cozy mystery. The Author did a wonderful job in describing the coffee that even for someone like me, who doesn’t particularly like it; I wanted to taste the delectable creations that Cleo Coyle describes. The coffee isn’t the only thing that the author was able to create brilliantly; her scenes were able to draw you in so that you were able to fully take in what was happening, also the relationships that the author has created make you curious as to what has taken place in the past and what will become of the menagerie of characters. The mystery itself, though not intense since it is a cozy, will keep you guessing until the very last minute and the author does a remarkable job of tying up any “loose ends” that some mystery authors tend to overlook.

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Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer Review

Agnes and the Hitman

By Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

Cranky Agnes is a successful food writer and when a gun toting guy comes into her home after her dog her first call is Joey a former mobster and one of her best friends. Joey calls in his nephew, Shane who is a hitman, to come and protect Agnes afraid that the dognapper is only the beginning. Agnes not only has to contend with a dognapper but if she cannot pull off an upcoming wedding without a hitch she will lose her home and everything she thought she ever wanted. Agnes and Shane work together to pull off the wedding, stop the assassins who keep coming for Agnes and inevitably begin to have feelings for each other that will change their lives forever.

Agnes is not your ordinary damsel in distress, not only is she good with a frying pan in the kitchen but it seems to be her weapon of choice, making her truly an interesting character and when you add in Shane the hitman and a variety of eccentric side characters you have one heck of a funny and captivating novel. I have read several of Jennifer Crusie’s novels and I truly enjoy her writing and the stories she creates, they are light, fun and full of the warm and fuzzies, when you add in Bob Mayer to the equation, a former Green Beret and West Point graduate it adds a different perspective to the male character making him more realistic yet still a heartthrob. This is truly a fun book from two talented authors; if you are into contemporary romance I would recommend you give these two a try!

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Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

Sandman Slim

Sandman Slim Book One

By Richard Kadrey

What happens when your supposed friends sent you to Hell, and kills the woman you love? Well for James Stark he survives, returning to earth after eleven years of being a gladiator fighting many different kinds of monsters and fallen angels, and now he is set on revenge. Stark will hunt down each of the people responsible, but he soon realizes there is a lot to learn in this new world as well as a lot more to his little group of friends than just sending him to hell.

This was an amazing novel, Stark is snarky and so hostile, but after eleven years in hell I think I would be too. The story itself is intriguing the author blends snippets of the past into the current day story so you’re able to appreciate the magnitude of loss that Stark faces when Alice is murdered. The world Richard Kadrey creates for Stark is purely original, if you are a hard core Christian and cannot appreciate that this is a fictitious novel you may want to skip it, Stark is neither for Heaven, Hell, or any other creatures that lie waiting in the dark he is purely for himself and the revenge that motivates him. This is definitely a fun read, though I don’t know how the author will ever be able to top this one but I look forward to seeing him try.

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What Dies in Summer by Tom Wright Review

What Dies in Summer

By Tom Wright

Jim Beaudry is a teenage boy whose dreams are haunted by a young woman, a dead young woman. One day Jim and his cousin L.A. stumble upon the dead body of the girl that has been haunting Jim’s dreams she had been brutally raped and murdered. Over the course of one summer these teenagers who have been through so much in their short lives find out that there is more hell that they must eventually endure.

Tom Wright creates two characters whose lives are so troubled that you cannot help but feel for them and hope that they will be able to pull through this new situation and hopefully find a better life in the end. But this is not all, the author creates a world you can envision easily, his scenes are flawless in there execution pulling you into the moment and even though there is a touch of supernatural it is subtle making it all the more believable. I am not sure who I would recommend this book to, it is a brilliant blend of horror and mystery with touches of romance and young adult, and you will either love it or hate it. As for me I enjoyed it immensely.

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The Running Man by Stephen King Review

The Running Man

By Stephen King

Writing as Richard Bachman

In a time where poverty is the norm, Ben Richards is willing to forfeit his life to save his eighteen month old daughter who is dying of influenza. Richards is soon chosen for The Running Man, a reality TV show where everyone is hunting him for a prize. When nowhere is safe and you must survive to earn your prize what would you do to win?

I don’t remember watching this movie but I know if I were to ask my mother she would swear I have seen it, growing up with a Stephen King buff I probably have, but when I first started this book the first thing I thought was Jebus it’s the original Hunger Games, without children killing each other. Ben Richards is an average guy in hard times which makes him highly relatable, well unless you are a spoiled rich kid I guess, and he is just doing his best to support his family which adds into the story a sympathetic dimension. All in all it’s an interesting read; if you are a fan of the dystopian genre then you should definitely pick this one up if you haven’t read it already.

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