Cathy Reviews: A Trio of Mysteries

My mother in law Cathy is back today with some mini reviews from her very favorite genre: mystery!

ALL THE LITTLE LIARS
Aurora Teagarden #9
Charlaine Harris
Cozy Mystery
240 pages
Minotaur Books
Available Now
Source: Bought

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
My reading weakness is mysteries – all mysteries. I use them as a palette cleanser between my book club books which tend to be heavier reads. I love the set formula of the mystery, and most often I choose ones that have a strong woman as the main crime solver. I received several new mysteries at BEA and they were all great reads. I thought I would share them with you.
 
All the Little Liars is the newest Aurora Teagarden mystery by Charlaine Harris. This is a cozy mystery series. Aurora is a librarian that has a knack for getting caught up in murders. This time her brother is missing along with several other teens from town. I love this format because Aurora rushes reckless into danger in the effort to solve the crime. This book lives up to its title, you never know who is telling the truth!

Goodreads • Amazon

STALKING JACK THE RIPPER
Kerri Maniscalco
YA Mystery/Historical
336 pages
Jimmy Patterson
Available September 20th
Source: BEA

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco was one my wish list for BEA. The unsolved murders by Jack the Ripper have been the source for many a mystery. Ms. Maniscalco has a fresh new take on the mystery in her first YA novel. Audrey Rose resists her Victorian role in life by secretly working for her uncle doing forensic autopsies. She is smart and headstrong in an era where girls should look pretty and think only of marriage. Through her involvement with her uncle, Audrey Rose becomes obsessed with finding the Ripper. This leads her into many dangerous situations and conclusions that could wreck her world. And like any good YA novel there is a hint at a budding romance.  This is a page turner and needs to be added to your reading list.

Goodreads • Amazon

 

DON'T YOU CRY
Mary Kubica
Mystery/Thriller
320 pages
MIRA
Available Now
Source: BEA

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica is a must-read. There are certain authors I always look to see if they have a new release, and ever since I was first introduced to Ms. Kubica at BEA several years ago, she is at the top of the list. I was very happy to see this book this year. Ms. Kubica's books are  psychological thrillers. She knows how to extend the suspense and we just hold our breath throughout the entire book. In this book, we learn all about the main character from two different viewpoints, neither of which is the main character's voice. The mystery is revealed and unfolds all around Esther. Ms. Kubica truly understands how the mind works and how we can get carried away in our own imagination. This makes is hard to tell what is real and what is imagined. This story keeps you guessing until the very end. I couldn't put it down.

Goodreads • Amazon

Cathy Reviews: Terminated + Possession

I'm excited today to welcome back yet again my fabulous mother in law Cathy to share with us her thoughts on a couple more of the books she so graciously agreed to read and review for the blog (even though these are both later books in series she's never read). As always, a huge thank you to her for sharing in this blogging experience with me!

TERMINATED
Revivalist #3
Rachel Caine
Urban Fantasy
304 pages
Roc/Penguin
Available now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Already addicted to the pharmaceutical drug that keeps her body from decomposing, Bryn has to stop a secretive group of rich and powerful investors from eliminating the existing Returné addicts altogether. To ensure their plan to launch a new, military-grade strain of nanotech, the investors’ undead assassin—who just happens to be the ex-wife of Bryn’s lover Patrick—is on the hunt for anyone that stands in their way.

And while Bryn’s allies aren’t about to go down without a fight, the secret she’s been keeping threatens to put those closest to her in even more danger. Poised to become a monster that her own side—and her own lover—will have to trap and kill, Bryn needs to find the cure to have any hope of preserving the lives of her friends, and her own dwindling humanity…

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Terminated is the third book in the Revivalist Series, but I have not read the previous two books. If you want a deeper understanding of how the characters came to be in their current circumstances, I'd recommend starting with the first novel, though I will say Ms. Caine does a good job catching us up on the plot even while dropping us into the middle of the continuing saga.
 
Bryn is ex-military, part of an experiment that turned her into "Dead Girl Walking"(her words). She is basically an engineered zombie. This is not usually a genre I read because of all the eating people and things, but Bryn has a lot of heart. She realizes that her humanity is slowly waning, so she and her friends try to find the cure that will stop this from happening to others. 

Ms. Caine has well-developed characters and you can feel their angst as they try to make some moral and ethical decisions. The way in which the characters are written is almost enough make you forget they are zombies and concentrate solely on the storyline.
 

This book has something for everyone: Villains, spies, lots of action and even some romance. While I was reading, I could picture this story as blockbuster action movie as it has all the elements needed for the big screen. I don't want to give anything away but in the end, there are tough decisions, sacrifices and a small twist. Everything you need to keep you turning the pages and leaving you a little sad when the story is over.
 
Rating: 3.5/5

POSSESSION
Greywalker #8
Kat Richardson
Urban Fantasy
368 pages
Available now
Roc/Penguin
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
When a comatose woman suddenly wakes up and starts painting scenes she’s never witnessed, with a skill she’s never had, medical science has no explanation. As more bizarre phenomena manifest, even her doctors start to wonder if the woman may be possessed. Frustrated and frightened, the patient’s sister reluctantly turns to Greywalker Harper Blaine to discover who—or what—is occupying her sister’s body.

As Harper digs into the case of apparent possession, she discovers other patients struck with the same mystifying afflictions and a disturbing connection to one of the most gruesome stories in Washington’s history…

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Possession is part of the well-established Greywalker series which follows Blaine Harper, a private investigator, as she travels between the normal and the paranormal worlds. This is a stand-alone case, but Ms. Richardson does make the (logical) assumption that we've read the other books in the series and are completely up to date on the characters and backstory. I have to admit this is the first book in the series that I've read, so I naturally felt there could have been a few more details earlier in the story to help me connect sooner.
 
Ms. Richardson does have great character development though, not with just the main characters but also with the many quirky acquaintances she introduces us to who are highly amusing. She also has clearly done in-depth research into the Seattle area, making me want to pack up and visit as soon as possible (except for the weather!). Ms. Richardson's plotline is well-developed and rooted in some true and haunting Seattle mysteries. She had me looking up these murders and murderers online.
 
This book has ghosts, mystery, spies and yes, romance. Because it's a continuing series though, there is a plot thread that is left hanging so as to carry on to the next book. I would recommend at least reading the first book, which I intend to do, to get a fuller picture of how Blaine started on this career path.

Rating: 3.5/5
 
* I found a common thread between these two books. Both had strong and compelling heroines who both just happen to have died and been brought back. Though "dead" they both maintained their humanity and were trying to help those around them, and I really enjoyed that about both books. Hopefully you will enjoy these women as well.
 

 These books were sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my (or in this case, Cathy's) honest opinion.

Mini Reviews: Keeping Her + I Dream of Danger

KEEPING HER
Losing It #1.5
Cora Carmack
Contemporary New Adult
Novella
William Morrow/HarperCollins
Available August 13th
Source: eARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Garrick Taylor and Bliss Edwards managed to find their happily-ever-after despite a rather . . . ahem . . . complicated start. By comparison, meeting the parents should be an absolute breeze, right?

But from the moment the pair lands in London, new snags just keep cropping up: a disapproving mother-in-law-to-be, more than one (mostly) minor mishap, and the realization that perhaps they aren't quite as ready for their future as they thought.

As it turns out, the only thing harder than finding love is keeping it.

MY THOUGHTS
Keeping Her is an absolute treat for fans of Cora Carmack in general and original couple Garrick and Bliss in particular, giving us a look behind the curtain of happily ever after as the two of them find themselves taking the first tentative steps outside their shiny new romance bubble and into the complicated reality of navigating a partnership rather than a sole proprietorship. Because this novella is furthering the story of an already established couple, no lead in or build up is necessary, instead we get the pleasure of diving right into the thick of things, tension between Bliss and Garrick sparking and flaring as their individual insecurities are thrust into the limelight and put on display for the most critical of audiences: Garrick’s parents.

What’s so beautiful about Garrick and Bliss’s relationship though is their ability to communicate; neither of them the type of people to keep things bottled up inside until they poison what they have via emotional suppression, rather they both always step forward when something is bothering them and opt to share the burden between them. They aren't without flaws of course and their love isn’t magically perfect after the events of Losing It, but there’s never a moment where we question the rightness of the two of them together, their trust that the other person won’t let them fall wrapping their relationship in steel bands we know will never break no matter how much ammunition is fired in their direction. Cora Carmack has yet to disappoint me, and Keeping Her comes with my highest recommendation for Garrick and Bliss lovers everywhere.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Cora:

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon

I  DREAM OF DANGER

Ghost Ops #2

Lisa Marie Rice

Adult Romantic Suspense

304 pages

Available now

William Morrow/HarperCollins

Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)

In the second book of Lisa Marie Rice's thrilling Ghost Ops series, the Haven team is faced with a new addition to their secret society-and a threat capable of destroying everything they hold dear.

When Nick Ross disappears from Elle Thomason's life, she is certain she'll never see the man she loves again—except in her dreams.

Ten years later, as a respected researcher breaking new ground in psychic phenomena, she sends a desperate call for Nick's help. One by one, her colleagues have started disappearing . . . and Elle knows she's next. An elite soldier, Nick never meant to hurt Elle, duty kept him away—and then she vanished. Now troubled by unusually vivid, disturbing dreams of Elle in danger, Nick will rescue the only woman he's ever wanted and bring her back with him to Haven. Though powerful men are after Elle and her special abilities, Nick will die before leaving her side again.

MY THOUGHTS

I Dream of Danger is the type of romance that must be entered into with a sense of preparedness, fully expecting to embrace some familiar romance novel cliches like a hyper-sexualized covert ops soldier and a frighteningly naïve virgin whose body simply won't respond to anyone other than him. The physical aspect of their relationship happens quickly in this second installment of the Ghost Ops series, and while the speed with which they end up in bed isn't all that bothersome given Elle has loved Nick her entire life, their first sexual encounter reads a bit clinical, leaving us slightly uncomfortable as Nick introduces Elle to all the pleasures her body is capable of experiencing. Luckily, their later intimacies are more sensual, though they of course remain over the top and earth-shattering with absolutely no room in the moment of passion for safety or pregnancy concerns.

In addition to the extensive sexual exaggeration, the main mystery element involving Elle's missing coworkers is wrapped up rather quickly at the end, some interesting aspects regarding Elle's ability to astrally project not explored as thoroughly as we might have hoped going in, and we're left with one major plot point unresolved as we're presumably setup for the romantic pairing of book three. Despite its flaws however, there is still an addictive quality to I Dream of Danger, and the quicker we accept the romantic embellishments the more fun we have reading this story. By the end, we can't help but want to continue on and see what becomes of the next member of the Ghost Ops team and the woman who's clearly caught his attention, willing to dive back into this world just as soon as we're in the mood for the stretching of romantic believability and physical prowess once again.

Rating: 3/5
 

Find Lisa:

Website • Blog • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon 

These books were sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

• • • • • • • • • •

CRAVE TWITTER CHAT

Romance is obviously the theme of the day on the blog, so in keeping with it I wanted to mention that I will be co-hosting a Twitter chat with new adult and adult romance author Monica Murphy today from 3pm-4pm EST. I'm hugely excited for the first book of her new Billionaire Bachelors Club series, Crave, which released this week from Avon, and I hope some of you will join me this afternoon to ask Monica all about it (look for #crave, @sprntrlsnark, @avonbooks and @MsMonicaMurphy). We'll also be choosing one person at random to receive a printed copy of the book, so please drop in to say hi!

Cathy Reviews: Written in Red + London Falling

I'm pleased today to welcome my wonderful mother in law Cathy back to the blog to share with us her thoughts on a couple books she was nice enough to take off my plate and read in my stead. As always, a huge thank you to her for sharing in this blogging experience with me!

WRITTEN IN RED
The Others #1
Anne Bishop
Adult Urban Fantasy
433 pages
NAL
Available now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
As a cassandra sangue, or blood prophet, Meg Corbyn can see the future when her skin is cut—a gift that feels more like a curse. Meg’s Controller keeps her enslaved so he can have full access to her visions. But when she escapes, the only safe place Meg can hide is at the Lakeside Courtyard—a business district operated by the Others.

Shape-shifter Simon Wolfgard is reluctant to hire the stranger who inquires about the Human Liaison job. First, he senses she’s keeping a secret, and second, she doesn’t smell like human prey. Yet a stronger instinct propels him to give Meg the job. And when he learns the truth about Meg and that she’s wanted by the government, he’ll have to decide if she’s worth the fight between humans and the Others that will surely follow.

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
In Written In Red, Ms. Bishop gives us an Earth we could imagine really existing. We first see all the characters in human form, but sense something very different about them. A different energy, animalistic in its undercurrents. We find out that in this world the Others, who have most of the controlling power, are something more. They are shapeshifters, vampires, and elementals, all coexisting with humans though on very shaky terms. These characters are so cleverly written. Ms. Bishop does a wonderful job maintaining the threatening nature of the Others while adding a humorous edge to their animalistic forms. For instance, Jenni, a member of the Crow clan, has a hard time putting change in the bookstore cash register because it's just so shiny.

In this first installment, Meg appears in the part of town designated to the Others even though she's human. We can tell she has a secret and that she's terrified, but yet she's willing to venture into a part of town that's dangerous to her. I won't go into depth on this because I don't want to spoil anything and Ms. Bishop thoroughly entangles us in a spiderweb of mystery. Meg is a very endearing character, not only do the Others come to protect her and take her under their care, but some of the human detectives feel the need to watch out for her as well. She's like the eye of a storm, existing in the middle while everything else spins around her.
 
This book has great story and character development. Even though this is urban fantasy, the characters are so well developed that you have a connection to them that draws you into the story. The line between good and evil is blurred, just like in real life. And there are lots of twists.
 
This book truly has something for everyone. There is mystery, tension between the Others and the humans, lots of paranormal cleverness and maybe a budding romance. I really enjoyed this book and the best part is this is the first book in a series, so I get more of these characters to whom I've become so attached.

Rating: 4.5/5

LONDON FALLING
Paul Cornell
Adult Urban Fantasy/Mystery
402 pages
Tor
Available now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Amazon)

Police officers Quill, Costain, Sefton, and Ross know the worst of London—or they think they do. While investigating a mobster's mysterious death, they come into contact with a strange artifact and accidentally develop the Sight. Suddenly they can see the true evil haunting London’s streets.

Armed with police instincts and procedures, the four officers take on the otherworldly creatures secretly prowling London. Football lore and the tragic history of a Tudor queen become entwined in their pursuit of an age-old witch with a penchant for child sacrifice. But when London’s monsters become aware of their meddling, the officers must decide what they are willing to sacrifice to clean up their city.

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
London Falling is an urban fantasy that reminded me very much of a Stephen King novel. Everyone in this book is going about their daily lives while only a very select few can see the true dangers that surround them. This story takes place in London and teams up four detectives to solve the mysterious deaths of soccer players. At least that's what the general public thinks. What is really happening involves black magic and witches. There are touches of humor in the book – they name their case Operation Toto, referencing the Wizard of Oz since they are chasing a witch – but for the most part, this is a dark story with some gruesome murders.

Mr. Cornell does a very good job in developing his detectives' characters, and throughout the book their layers are slowly peeled away, allowing us to become even more invested and attached to them. They start out as a mismatched group we think has nothing in common, and we simply can't figure out why they were chosen to see this mystical underworld. As they investigate these murders and stop questioning their "powers" however, it truly becomes a detective novel and we anxiously wait to see how it will be solved. We also learn why these four have been chosen to become a unit.
 
At the start of the book, I was a little confused because it seemed to start in the middle of the action without much of a lead-in. And since it's set in London, some of the terms were unfamiliar. Now, if I was the type of reader who immediately turns to the back of the book (you know who you are Jenny!), I would have seen the glossary there and that would've been helpful. I'm glad that I kept reading though because Mr. Cornell has written a very good detective story with fantastical elements.
 
The plot line is resolved for the most part in this book, but it does leave us with some questions which I'm hoping means Mr. Cornell is hard at work writing book two. I would like to see more of our English detectives and whatever creepy things live in London again.

Rating: 4/5

 These books were sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my (or in this case, Cathy's) honest opinion.

A Harper Halloween

It's almost time for Halloween! While I've never been big on dressing up myself, I love seeing how creative the neighborhood kids get with their costumes, and this year will be only the second year since the husband and I bought our house six years ago that we've been present for trick or treating. This makes us sound like terrible people, I know, so let me explain. We have two dogs. Two absurdly active, ridiculously adorable–and also slightly insane boxers–who absolutely lose their minds when the doorbell rings at our house. This makes Halloween a stressful time for all parties, so we typically head over to my in-laws where, for some inexplicable reason, the doorbell doesn't bother them nearly as much. I've learned not to ask questions when it comes to our dogs:) So, in conclusion, we're giving Halloween another try this year. Wish us luck!

To help celebrate Halloween, HarperCollins has some outstanding children's, middle grade, and young adult books available, and I wanted to highlight some of them for you to help usher in Halloween week. Assisting me in this endeavor is my amazing mom Pam, (YEAH MOM!) who is making her blogging debut with a few mini reviews of some Harper children's books she read and then gifted to my 3 year-old niece Julianna to help build up her library.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS

JUST SAY BOO

by Susan Hood

Illustrated by Jed Henry

MOM'S THOUGHTS

A wonderful hard cover book that acquaints young children with Halloween and the beloved tradition of going door-to-door calling out “Trick or Treat” or “BOO!” The author presents a variety of “what may happen” situations and then helpful “what to do” solutions that may occur on Halloween night to give confidence to even the littlest Trick or Treater.  Enhancing the cute and cleverly written situations are full-page watercolor illustrations that are simply stated and absolutely beautiful! The book is a delight for adults to read aloud, allowing them to interact with the children. It’s destined to be a Halloween favorite!

Rating: 4/5

IT'S PUMPKIN DAY, MOUSE!

by Laura Numeroff

Illustrated by Felicia Bond

MOM'S THOUGHTS

An adorable board book that is a perfect fit for the very young and preschool child. The author devotes each page to a charming mouse, who decorates one of his seven pumpkins with a face that expresses an emotion. A child not old enough to read can explore how they feel as well as learn to recognize how someone else feels by gazing on the faces of each large pumpkin. The colorful and simply drawn illustrations also help introduce children to the concept of numbers and counting. The author has created a fun and delightful book that will be viewed again and again!

Rating: 3.5/5

MIA: TIME TO TRICK OR TREAT!

By Robin Farley

Pictures by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov

MOM'S THOUGHTS

Toddlers learn how Mia and her friends find a way to compromise so everyone enjoys a night of trick or treating in costumes they all had a hand in designing. The book also comes with stickers a child can use to help create new costumes, just like the characters in the story do. The storyline wanders a bit, and some concepts (such as tie-dying) might not be understood, but the watercolor and pencil illustrations as well as the animal characters in the story will likely appeal to little ones. They will also have loads of fun with the stickers!

Rating: 3.5/5

MIDDLE GRADE

   

CORALINE

By Neil Gaiman

Illustrations by Dave McKean

From Amazon:

"Coraline discovered the door a little while after they moved into the house. . . ."

When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvelous.

But there's another mother there, and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. 
They want to change her and never let her go.

Coraline will have to fight with all her wit and courage if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life.

ALWAYS OCTOBER

by Bruce Coville

From Goodreads:

No doubt about it, little brothers can be monsters. When sixth grader Jake Doolittle finds a baby on the doorstep and his mother decides to keep it, those words are more than just an expression. Instead, they perfectly describe the way his new little brother, LD, sprouts pointy ears, thick fur, and "fangs" in moonlight.

Not only is LD a monster. . . . "other" monsters have plans for him. But together with his friend "Weird Lily" Carker, Jake isn't about to let anything happen to the baby. The little guy is still his brother, even if it turns out that LD may be the key to saving the world--or destroying it.

Soon Jake and Lily are on a perilous quest through Always October, a world populated with monsters ranging from the venomous to the ridiculous. Master of comic suspense Bruce Coville presents a tale of ominous dangers and hairbreadth escapes, of the conflict between forces of dark and light, and of the lengths to which one boy will go to save his brother--monster or not.

MORE MIDDLE GRADE READS

Gravediggers: Mountain of Bones by Christopher Krovatin

The Whispering House by Rebecca Wade

Scary School: Monsters on the March by Derek the Ghost; Illustrations by Scott M. Fischer

YOUNG ADULT

SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY

By Susan Dennard

From Goodreads:

The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…

Eleanor Fitt has a lot to worry about. Her brother has gone missing, her family has fallen on hard times, and her mother is determined to marry her off to any rich young man who walks by. But this is nothing compared to what she’s just read in the newspaper—

The Dead are rising in Philadelphia.

And then, in a frightening attack, a zombie delivers a letter to Eleanor…from her brother.

Whoever is controlling the Dead army has taken her brother as well. If Eleanor is going to find him, she’ll have to venture into the lab of the notorious Spirit-Hunters, who protect the city from supernatural forces. But as Eleanor spends more time with the Spirit-Hunters, including their maddeningly stubborn yet handsome inventor, Daniel, the situation becomes dire. And now, not only is her reputation on the line, but her very life may hang in the balance.

* I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though zombies are typically not my thing. You can read my full review HERE.

DARK EDEN

By Patrick Carman

From Goodreads:

Fifteen-year-old Will Besting is sent by his doctor to Fort Eden, an institution meant to help patients suffering from crippling phobias. Once there, Will and six other teenagers take turns in mysterious fear chambers and confront their worst nightmares—with the help of the group facilitator, Rainsford, an enigmatic guide. When the patients emerge from the chamber, they feel emboldened by the previous night's experiences. But each person soon discovers strange, unexplained aches and pains...

What is really happening to the seven teens trapped in this dark Eden?

*This was a hugely surprising read for me. I had no idea what to expect and it absolutely blew me away. You can read my full review HERE.

TEN

By Gretchen McNeil

From Goodreads:

It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—an exclusive house party on Henry Island. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their reasons for being there (which involve T.J., the school’s most eligible bachelor) and look forward to three glorious days of boys, booze and fun-filled luxury.

But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.

Suddenly people are dying, and with a storm raging, the teens are cut off from the outside world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn’t scheduled to return for two days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

MORE YOUNG ADULT READS

The Turning by Francine Prose
Don't Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon
Dark Eden: Eve of Destruction by Patrick Carman

Also, if you haven't seen it yet, be sure and check out the cover reveal for Sweet Peril, the sequel to Sweet Evil, which went up on the blog yesterday. Sweet Evil isn't so much a Halloween read, but I'm including it in this post because Kaidan is scarily sexy (see how I tied this bit in? Well done me.) and it's possible I'm a tiny bit excited for this next book:)

Mini Reviews: Fair Coin, Thief's Covenant, and Range of Ghosts

Hey Everyone!

Well, I'm still without power. It sucks. Luckily for me, I have pretty fantastic in-laws and they have ever-so kindly let me and Kevin, as well as our dogs, move in with them temporarily even though they already have my brother-in-law and his wife living with them while they're building a house. Win. 

So, I'm back online and back to the blog, and today the fun with my in-laws continues as I have my mother-in-law Cathy back to give us her thoughts on some recent reads!

FAIR COIN

E.C. Myers

Paranormal Young Adult

250 pages

Pyr

Available Now

Received from publisher for review

CATHY'S SUMMARY

Ephraim arrives home to find his mom has attempted suicide. He finds out that his mother believes that Ephraim has been killed. As he goes through his mother's purse he finds the belongings of the dead boy, who could have passed for his twin. Among the boy's possessions, is a coin. The coin begins to grant Ephraim wishes, but there are side effects with each wish and he feels the need to make a correction which leads to another wish. This is where the journey begins and Ephraim has a mystery to solve. He has quite an adventure as he tries to improve his life but sees how it changes the lives of others, not always in the best way. It's a wild and twisting journey that is decided by the flip of a coin.

CATHY'S THOUGHTS

This is a very interesting book. It's a cross between magical thinking and sci-fi. It is a well written story that grabs your attention and keeps it throughout the entire book. The only stumble was that Mr. Myers tried too hard to explain the scientific reasons for why things were occurring instead of allowing his readers to just believe and accept the storyline. He developed great characters that you either grew to care about or hate. There were several lessons in the book such as being happy with what you have and not wishing your life away, all of which were delivered in a subtle manner.

Rating: 4/5

THIEF'S COVENANT

Ari Marmell

Young Adult/Fantasy

273 pages

Pyr

Available Now

Received from publisher for review

CATHY'S SUMMARY

This is a fantasy adventure that blends mythology with the allure of courtly times. Widdershins/ Adrienne is a young girl that grew up in the streets of Davillon. She learned to live by her wits. For a brief time she was taken in and learned the life of the aristocracy. This lasts only a few years until a mass murder occurs and she is the prime suspect. She is forced to return to the streets and becomes a master thief. She finds herself in a continuing spiral of misfortunes that never seem to end. With the aid of her own personal god, Olgun, she fights all the odds and tries to save her friends and herself.

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
I enjoyed this book once I read several chapters. There are too many date changes at first that make the story confusing until you have a better picture of the characters. Mr. Marmell did a good job with character development and with weaving an adventure that draws you in. Because you come to care for Widdershins, you experience vast emotions as she tries to save herself only to have forces work against her to make a happy ending seem impossible. This book has a little of everything: fantasy, love story, conspiracy, and revenge – all the things that make for a great read. This is the first in the series and you will want to find out what Widdershins next adventure will be.

Rating: 4/5

RANGE OF GHOSTS

Elizabeth Bear

Fantasy

336 pages

Tor

Available Now

Received from publisher for review

CATHY'S SUMMARY

In this fantasy adventure, Temur is the sole survivor of a battle to overthrow his family's kingdom. He begins his journey to safety and along the way meets Edena. Because Temur is in line for the throne, his opponent kidnaps Edena in an effort to use her as bait to kill Temur. On his way to rescue Edena, he bands together with a very unusual assortment of companions: a wizard, a monk, a pregnant princess, and a Cho-tse (a talking upright tiger). They have many obstacles to overcome and just when the end is in sight and you want to know the conclusion, Ms. Bear leaves you hanging and you find out what happens to our unusual group in the next book.

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Ms. Bear tells quite a story and has developed an elaborate fantasy world and I almost missed it. I was not going to finish this book. At the start of the book, there are so many strange names and places that it's difficult to follow the story. If there would have been a glossary to refer to, it would have helped tremendously. I am glad that I finished it because she has layered characters that you grow to care for and want to find out where their journey leads them. By the end, you are definitely left hanging and want to read the next book.

Rating: 3.5/5