Two weeks late, but you know, the holidays… Also, some front yard landscaping, and Aussie exchange student for eleven days, and final edits and publishing of The Uprising (which comes out on Tuesday!). Better late than never. Here are the books I read and reviewed in December, 2015.
Title: Gone Girl Author:Gillian Flynn Release Date: May 24, 2012 Publisher: Random House Audible Narrators: Julia Whelan andKirby Heyborne Length: 19 Hours 11 Minutes Genre: Contemporary Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Story Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Audio Production Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Audible | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Synopsis On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge.
Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?
Bottom Line Gone Girl is a disturbing tale, beautifully written, and the audiobook version is one of the best produced I’ve ever listened to.
Bad Romance A Stepbrother Novel by by Jen McLaughlin
Title: Bad Romance: A Stepbrother Novel Author:Jen McLauchlin Publisher:Loveswept Release Date:September 15, 2015 Pages: 242 Genre:New Adult Contemporary Romance Rating:4 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Synopsis In this explosive novel from New York Times bestselling author Jen McLaughlin, a good girl falls for the ultimate bad boy: her stepbrother. Perfect for fans of Sabrina Paige, Caitlin Daire, and Krista Lakes, Bad Romance proves that passion can be so wrong it’s right.
Seven years in the army will change a guy. But after a shoulder wound ends his career as a sniper, Jackson Worthington finds himself back home, fighting a battle that’s all too familiar: keeping his hands off Lily Hastings. She’s still her rich daddy’s little angel, innocent, impossibly lovely, as squeaky-clean as Jackson is dirty. And she’s still his stepsister—forbidden but not forgotten, not after the soul-melting kiss that got him kicked out of the house at eighteen. He couldn’t resist her then. How the hell can he resist her now?
Lily is about to marry a man she doesn’t love, and commit to a high-stress job she hates, all to please the father who controls every waking moment of her life. On top of everything, her teenage crush is back, with a sleek, chiseled body and a trace of the rebellious boy whose lips sealed her fate. Jackson’s timing couldn’t be worse . . . or better. Because Lily’s all grown up, too. She’s aching for another taste. And for the first time, she’s ready to be a bad girl.
Bottom Line Bad Romance is a page-turning romance about forbidden love and learning to live your own life.
Title: Royal Marriage Market Author: Heather Lyons Publisher: Cerulean Books Release Date: December 15, 2015 Pages: 335 Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | iBooks | Kobo
Synopsis Every decade, the world’s monarchs and their heirs secretly convene to discuss global politics and social issues—and arrange marriages between kingdoms. Elsa may be the Hereditary Princess of Vattenguldia, but she finds the entire situation archaic and unsavory. While she wants what’s best for her country, she isn’t about to jump into an unwanted relationship—let alone a marriage—with a virtual stranger. Of course, her feelings matter little to her parents, whose wheeling and dealings over trade pacts and alliances achieved at her expense begin the moment they set foot in California for the Summit. So when a blindingly handsome royal runs into her, she doesn’t hesitate to tell him there’s no way she’s marrying him.
Christian is all too happy to agree: no marriage. As the Hereditary Grand Duke of Aiboland, his main goal is to get through the summit without a bride being foisted on him. Which is why he suggests they help each other field potential intendeds. As Christian slowly gets to know Elsa, though, he realizes they have a lot more in common than just their feelings about the Royal Marriage Market. Only he can’t fall for her, because royal or not, they’re not meant for each other. Elsa and Christian will have to evaluate matters of the heart verses those of state and crown, and decide whether or not tradition trumps love.
Bottom Line Royal Marriage Market is a fun twist on the contemporary romance genre with plenty of chemistry and more than a few laughs.
Title: The Writer’s Idea Thesaurus: An Interactive Guide for Developing Ideas for Novels and Short Stories Author: Fred White Publisher: Writer’s Digest Books Publication Date: September 30, 2014 Pages: 320 Category: Writing Fiction Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon |Barnes & Noble
Synopsis Endless ideas at your fingertips, and at the turn of a page…
Need an idea for a short story or novel? Look no further than The Writer’s Idea Thesaurus. It’s far more than a collection of simple writing prompts. You’ll find a vast treasury of story ideas inside, organized by subject, theme, and situation categories, and listed alphabetically for easy reference. Author and award-winning writing instructor Fred White shows you how to build out and customize these ideas to create unique plots that reflect your personal storytelling sensibilities, making The Writer’s Idea Thesaurus an invaluable tool for generating creative ideas and vanquishing writer’s block—for good.
Inside you’ll find:
•2,000 unique and dynamic story ideas perfect for novels and short stories of any genre or writing style
•Twenty major idea categories, such as The Invasion of X, The Transformation of X into Y, Escape from X, The Curse of X, and more
•Multiple situations that further refine the major categories, such as The Creation of Artificial Life, The Descent Into Madness, Love in the Workplace, The Journey to a Forgotten Realm, and more
•Invaluable advice on how to customize each idea.
The Writer’s Idea Thesaurus is an interactive story generator that opens the door to thousands of new story arcs and plotlines.
Bottom Line The Writer’s Idea Thesaurus lives up to its name as a unique reference guide to aid writers in developing story ideas.
Title: Next Door to a Star Series: Star Series #1 Author:Krysten Lindsay Hagar Publisher: Limitless Publishing, LLC Release Date: September 1, 2015 Pages: 185 Genre:Young Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon International | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | BAM!
Synopsis Hadley Daniels is tired of feeling invisible. After Hadley’s best friend moves away and she gets on the bad side of some girls at school, she goes to spend the summer with her grandparents in the Lake Michigan resort town of Grand Haven. Her next door neighbor is none other than teen TV star Simone Hendrickson, who is everything Hadley longs to be—pretty, popular, and famous—and she’s thrilled when Simone treats her like a friend. Being popular is a lot harder than it looks.
It’s fun and flattering when Simone includes her in her circle, though Hadley is puzzled about why her new friend refuses to discuss her former Hollywood life. Caught up with Simone, Hadley finds herself ignoring her quiet, steadfast friend, Charlotte. To make things even more complicated, along comes Nick Jenkins… He’s sweet, good-looking, and Hadley can be herself around him without all the fake drama. However, the mean girls have other ideas and they fill Nick’s head with lies about Hadley, sending him running back to his ex-girlfriend and leaving Hadley heartbroken.
So when her parents decide to relocate to Grand Haven, Hadley hopes things will change when school starts…only to be disappointed once again. Cliques. Back-stabbing. Love gone bad. Is this really what it’s like to live…Next Door To A Star?
Bottom Line While Next Door to a Star moves slow at times, it’s filled with a colorful cast of young teens who think and act like the kids on the cusp of adulthood they are. .
Dog Collar Crime (Lucie Rizzo Mystery #1) by Adrienne Giordano
Synopsis Out of work and down on her luck, Lucie Rizzo is forced to do the one thing she’s long avoided—move home to her nutty, mob-infested family. A move that brings her back into the tempting arms of Frankie Falcone, the ex that never fails to make her heart sit up and beg.
When Lucie parlays her temporary dog-walking gig into a career making fancy dog accessories, Frankie becomes her number one supporter. Life starts to look like a walk in the park…until three of her bling-wearing clients are dogjacked.
Despite help from the on-again, off-again Mr. Fix-It in her life, Lucie is thrown into an investigation that’s more Goodfellas than good doggie. One that could shatter her new life and her second chance at love.
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My Review There was much to love about Dog Collar Crime. In many ways, it reminded me of a Stephanie Plum novel minus the incompetent protagonist and unrealistically stupid criminals. Lucie Rizzo is out of work and forced to move back home with her mom and brother. Born and raised a mob princess, Lucie longs to break free of her family chains and make her own way in the world. But after getting laid off, she’s right back in the middle of the family drama, including a father in prison. Her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Frankie, would do anything for her, except leave behind his own mob-connected family.
Lucie makes ends meet by walking dogs and making high-end pet accessories, while she waits and hopes a job in banking comes her way. But when the dogs she walks start being targeted by someone, Lucie begins to wonder if she’ll ever be able to escape that world.
Plot
The plot is a mystery with a strong dose of romance. Finding out who is targeting her dogs and why is the main plot, but her relationship with Frankie plays a larger role than in most other books of this genre. The pacing was slow more than a few times. There seemed to be a lot of time spent walking the dogs, which granted is Lucie’s job, but not much else happened. There also seemed to be some repeated elements. Instead of escalating early, the dognappings stayed sort of the same and the back-and-forth with Frankie felt too repetitive at times. But there’s light humor, plenty of chemistry between the characters, and a couple of twists that redeem the story.
Characters
The characters are by far the best part of the story. They’re fun, quirky, well-rounded, and believable. Lucie Rizzo’s desire to be anything but the daughter of a mobster is tangible and relatable, even if your dad isn’t a made man. Frankie is also sympathetic as the loyal son who has managed to break away from the crime family and flourish in a legitimate job. Even the gangster family members transcend stereotype and are well-developed and three-dimensional.
Ending I was expecting more from the ending. Although a mystery and not a thriller, overall the story lacked a real sense of peril for the characters. I never felt like any of their lives were truly in danger. The climax left me wondering what would happen to the characters’ relationships rather than if they would survive. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because I did care about all of them and wanted them to wind up happy.
What Didn’t Work for Me
1. The pacing. The story moved too slow for me at times. 2. Repetition. There were times I felt like we revisited the same issues over and over again, particularly when it came to Lucie’s feelings for, and issues with, Frankie.
What I Enjoyed About Dog Collar Crime 1. The characters. All of the characters were well developed, interesting, and avoided stereotypes. 2. Chemistry. There was instant chemistry between Lucie and Frankie, but also a great bromance between Frankie and Lucie’s brother, Joey, between Lucie and her brother, and between Lucie and her mom. These relationships all came across as lovingly authentic. 3. The mystery. The mystery of who was behind the dognappings was well plotted, and kept me guessing. 4. Ro. Best BFF ever. 5. Lucie’s mom. She was so beautifully flawed and yet I never doubted her love for her children.
Bottom Line Dog Collar Crime is a lighthearted mystery with compelling characters and a touch of humor.
Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Dog Collar Crime Series: Lucie Rizzo Mystery #1 Author: Adrienne Giordano Release Date: August 4, 2013 Pages: 256 Genre: Cozy Mystery/New Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
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Author Adrienne Giordano
About the Author USA Today bestselling author Adrienne Giordano writes romantic suspense and mystery.
She is a Jersey girl at heart, but now lives in the Midwest with her workaholic husband, sports obsessed son and Buddy the Wheaten Terrorist (Terrier).
She is a co-founder of Romance University blog and Lady Jane’s Salon-Naperville, a reading series dedicated to romantic fiction.
Synopsis On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary.
Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge.
Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior.
Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?
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My Review I got the unabridged version of this book from Audible. All 19 hours and 11 minutes worth. At times, I loved the story and took the long way to and from my destination, or lapped the block one more time to continue listening. Other times, I hated it, chose music over audiobooks for months at a time. It took me nearly ten months to finish it. What I can’t deny is that Gillian Flynn is a hell of a writer. The story is intriguing, captivating, unnerving. The audiobook production is among the best I’ve ever listened to, and I listen to a lot of audiobooks. The narrators are talented and brought the characters to life. And what characters they are. Complex, deep, fully three-dimensional, and unfortunately, utterly loathsome.
I absolutely salivated over the brilliant writing of Gillian Flynn, took notes, wished I could write like that. The story was engaging at times, difficult to read at others. The pacing was slow in spots, and those were the times I felt myself less inclined to listen for awhile. At other times, it was fast, riveting. At no point did I figure out what was going to happen next. The plot twists are inspired. So with all of this going for it, why couldn’t I give it five stars? The book left me unsettled, and not in the way a good thriller does. It left me feeling ambivalent toward all the characters, as in I don’t really care what happens to them. In some ways, I wish I’d never read about them. And the ending was flat, not living up to the expectations the author set with her amazing plotting throughout.
Plot
The plotting was fantastic. There were so many twists and turns and unexpected surprises. Gillian Flynn is a master of pre-shadowing. Everything that happens has a purpose that may not become clear until a long time later, but her method of storytelling ensures even the smallest detail is memorable.
Characters The characters are well developed, believable, stunningly crafted. Even the smallest character was thoroughly developed. I just didn’t care for any of them. Didn’t care what happened to them, and still don’t. But they will not soon be forgotten.
What Didn’t Work for Me 1. The ending. I absolutely despised how it just ended in a way that felt unfinished. Sometimes, I wonder if maybe it went on longer than necessary, other times, I think it stopped too soon. I just know it feels unfinished and not in a “sequel is coming” kind of way.
2. The characters. Man, I hate them all, with the exception of maybe Margo and Boney. I can’t deny the characters are three-dimensional and wholly realistic. The world is full of people who are difficult or impossible to like. But in the end, I had no one to root for in Gone Girl.
What I Enjoyed About Gone Girl
1. The writing. Flawless, beautiful prose underlies a dark mystery with contemptible characters.
2. The plot twists. There were so many of them and they were so perfectly woven in, they were nearly seamless.
3. The narration. Both voice actors were amazing. This is one of the best audiobook productions I’ve ever listened to.
4. The character development. Yes, I loathe them, but they are so well crafted, I have to remind myself they’re fictional.
5. Attention to detail. The vivid writing made the scenes come alive in my mind as I listened. In some ways, I feel as if I watched a movie.
Bottom Line Gone Girl is a disturbing tale, beautifully written, and the audiobook version is one of the best produced I’ve ever listened to.
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About the Audiobook
Title: Gone Girl Author: Gillian Flynn Release Date: May 24, 2012 Publisher: Random House Audible Narrators: Julia Whelan andKirby Heyborne Length: 19 Hours 11 Minutes Genre: Contemporary Mystery/Thriller/Suspense Story Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Audio Production Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Audible | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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Author Gillian Flynn
About the Author Gillian Flynn is an American author and television critic for Entertainment Weekly. She has so far written three novels, Sharp Objects, for which she won the 2007 Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for the best thriller; Dark Places; and her best-selling third novel Gone Girl.
Her book has received wide praise, including from authors such as Stephen King. The dark plot revolves around a serial killer in a Missouri town, and the reporter who has returned from Chicago to cover the event. Themes include dysfunctional families,violence and self-harm.
In 2007 the novel was shortlisted for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar for Best First Novel by an American Writer, Crime Writers’ Association Duncan Lawrie, CWA New Blood and Ian Fleming Steel Daggers, winning in the last two categories.
Flynn, who lives in Chicago, grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated at the University of Kansas, and qualified for a Master’s degree from Northwestern University.
October is by far my favorite month of the year. I love when the temperatures, sort of, sometimes, get cooler in San Diego, plus Halloween. But mostly it’s all about the pumpkin. Pumpkin spice lattes, This Pumpkin Walked into a Bar, pumpkin pasta, muffins, pie, and more. I also managed to do a little more reading this month than I did earlier in the summer. These are the books I reviewed in October:
Title: Mad Love 2 Series: Mad Love #2 Author: Colet ABedi Publisher: Bird Street Books Pages: 262 Category: New Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Synopsis Heartbroken by the handsome and enigmatic Clayton Astor Sinclair, Sophie Walker has put her whirlwind romance with him in the Maldives behind her and is determined to focus on her career as an artist.
But when her new job in the south of France turns out to be too good to be true, she can’t help but wonder if she is making a mistake. Their passion cannot be denied, but when Clayton shuts her out after a family tragedy, Sophie is determined to fight for what is right. She must defy all odds to find her own happily ever after.
This book is intended for mature audiences.
Bottom Line
A worthy follow-up to Mad Love, it’s intense, emotional, and delves deeper into the characters we’ve come to know. The jury is still out on whether or not I love them.
Title: Pepped Up Forever Series: Pepper Jones #5 Author: Ali Dean Release Date: October 1, 2015 Pages: 180 Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon
Synopsis This is the fifth and final book in the Pepper Jones series, and it’s one you don’t want to miss.
Pepper Jones is ready to start breaking some records. She’ll be a junior in college, and if she wants to run professionally when she graduates, it’s time to step things up a notch. This time around, she knows it won’t be accomplished by ramping up her training. While Pepper’s hoping for a race day breakthrough, she wonders if there’s a mental barrier holding her back, and if so, how is she supposed to confront it?
Meanwhile, Jace Wilder wants Pepper back any way he can have her, but he’s reluctant to bulldoze his way into her life having already crushed her once (okay, probably a few more times than that) before. More scenes from Jace’s point of view in the book shed a new perspective into the character Pepper fans love to hate, and hate to love, delving into those layers he’s only given glimpses of in the past.
The Brockton crew is growing up. Zoe and Wes. Jenny and Rollie. Lexi and Brax. Bunny and Wallace. Pepper and ??? It’s time to find out what Pepper’s happily ever after will be.
A brilliant civil lawyer, David Hennings has always been the outsider—at odds with his wealthy family, shunning relationships, defying convention as a sexy leather-jacketed biker. Which is why sculptor Amanda LeBlanc agrees to his request to reconstruct a skull from a cold case murder. The instant heat between them is scorching.
But once Amanda takes the job and gets too close to the rebellious attorney, her carefully balanced life is upended by a series of methodical attacks. Someone doesn’t want her to finish the job. Now David will risk everything not to lose the woman he unknowingly put in jeopardy.
Bottom Line The Rebel is a mystery wrapped in a romantic suspense with a big dose of fully-developed characters.
Title: How to Say I Love You Out Loud Author: Karole Cozzo Publisher: Swoon Reads Release Date: August 4, 2015 Pages: 240 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Synopsis When Jordyn Michaelson’s autistic brother joins her at her elite school, she’s determined not to let anyone know they’re related. Even if that means closing herself off to all her closest friends, including charming football stud Alex Colby.
But despite her best intentions, she just can’t shake the memory of kissing Alex last summer, and the desire to do it again.
Can Jordyn find the courage to tell Alex how she really feels—and the truth about her family—before he slips away forever?
Bottom Line How to Say I Love You Out Loud is an emotional look at finding your own words and the strength to say them out loud.
Title: How Fiction Works Author: Oakley Hall Publisher: Story Press Publication Date: January 5, 2001 Pages: 240 Category: Writing Fiction Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon |Barnes & Noble
Synopsis In How Fiction Works, Oakley Hall expands upon and broadens the instruction that made The Art and Craft of Novel Writing so successful.
This new book covers all forms and lengths of fiction, probes deeper into every topic, offers new examples and includes exercises and the end of every chapter. He explains the basic and finer points of the fiction-writing process from word choice and imagery to authority and viewpoint.
The book is divided into three sections, beginning with “The Basics.” In this section, Hall explores the micro elements of storytelling, such as details, word choice, images, symbol and metaphor. He then moves on! to “The Elements,” which covers the primary elements of fiction: point of view, characterization and plot. Citing numerous examples from classic and contemporary work, he shows readers how these elements function separately and in concert. Finally, the focus shifts to the specific types of fiction – short shorts, short stories, novellas, and novels – also known as “The Forms.” Each form presents a unique challenge to the writer, and Hall explains how to meet those challenges.
Beginning, as well as more advanced writers, will find much to like about this book.
Bottom Line How Fiction Works includes sound advice for fiction writers with illustrative examples. It’s definitely worth a read.
Title: The Book of Ivy Series: The Book of Ivy #1 Author: Amy Engel Publisher: Entangled Teen Release Date: November 11, 2014 Pages: 304 Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books│iTunes│Google Books
Bottom Line The Book of Ivy is a familiar dystopian tale with enough of its own uniqueness to set it apart from the rest.
Synopsis After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual.
This year, it is my turn.
My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power.
But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.
Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…
A brilliant civil lawyer, David Hennings has always been the outsider—at odds with his wealthy family, shunning relationships, defying convention as a sexy leather-jacketed biker. Which is why sculptor Amanda LeBlanc agrees to his request to reconstruct a skull from a cold case murder. The instant heat between them is scorching.
But once Amanda takes the job and gets too close to the rebellious attorney, her carefully balanced life is upended by a series of methodical attacks. Someone doesn’t want her to finish the job. Now David will risk everything not to lose the woman he unknowingly put in jeopardy.
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My Review I love a good mystery. Add romance and instant heat and I’m there. The Rebel pairs pragmatic artist, Amanda, with edgy civil lawyer, David. David comes from a family of lawyers, but he’s the only one to shy away from criminal law, so it’s ironic he’s the one his mother enlists to convince Amanda to reconstruct the identity of a woman only from her skull. Sparks fly upon their first meeting, but they dance around their attraction for more than half the book before anything happens. There was more than enough intrigue, and good juicy mystery, and lots of unresolved sexual tension to keep me invested.
The timeframe is short, so a lot is packed into several fast-paced days, including a red hot romance. Despite that, the pacing of the writing itself is steady rather than intense. It moves, but for me, never reached the I-can’t-put-it-down stage. Not to say that I didn’t find that I wasn’t interested in finishing it, only that I was okay to wait until morning to finish reading. It was a good solid story, though, with interesting characters and an intriguing plot.
Plot
On the surface, it seems the plot is the mystery of the skull found in the prologue, but it’s really the story of David and Amanda’s romance. They’re thrown together because of the mystery, and danger follows them as a result, driving conflict. The romance moves almost too quickly based on the compressed timeframe of only a few days, but in the span of the story itself, it unfolds slowly. But at no time did I doubt these two would end up together.
Characters
The characters are where this story really shines. Adrienne Giordano creates deep, layered characters who are exceedingly likeable as they spew witty banter. The family dynamics of David, his siblings, and his mother are as real as it gets and were at the root of some of the best scenes in the book.
Writing The author does a great job of setting the scene, getting us inside her character’s heads, and developing those characters. There were a few pacing issues, but nothing major. There was also a pretty good twist I didn’t see coming, even though it was excellently foreshadowed.
Ending Things wrapped up pretty much the way I expected in a satisfying conclusion.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About The Rebel: 1. The mystery. When a skull is found, the hunt is on for the identity it belongs to, putting everyone in danger.
2. The flirty banter between David and Amanda. Their attraction is instant and it shows.
3. Family dynamics. The sibling rivalry and revelry between David and his brother and sister is palpable.
4. The twist. I won’t give it away, but it was fun to not figure it out ahead of time.
5. Jenna. The smart, tough investigator is a solid supporting character and I’d love to read a whole book from her point of view. Think Kalinda from The Good Wife.
Bottom Line The Rebel is a mystery wrapped in a romantic suspense with a big dose of fully-developed characters.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: The Rebel Author: Adrienne Giordano Publisher: Harlequin Intrigue Release Date: October 1, 2015 Pages: 234 Genre: Romantic Suspense Rating: 4 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | GooglePlay | Harlequin
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Author Adrienne Giordano
About the Author USA Today bestselling author Adrienne Giordano writes romantic suspense and mystery.
She is a Jersey girl at heart, but now lives in the Midwest with her workaholic husband, sports obsessed son and Buddy the Wheaten Terrorist (Terrier).
She is a co-founder of Romance University blog and Lady Jane’s Salon-Naperville, a reading series dedicated to romantic fiction.
Synopsis Driving home from a bonfire party, eighteen-year-old John Hawk crashes, killing his girlfriend, Riley. Bullied and tormented at school, and crushed by his guilty conscience, John transfers to a school on the banks of the Mississippi River, where he attracts the eye of the principal’s daughter, Megan.
Though he’s reluctant, she convinces him to be her prom date. The morning after prom, Principal Jones reports Megan missing. Four days later, her body is recovered from the river, and John becomes the prime suspect in her death.
Charley Cotton, Megan’s best friend, knows that Megan had a secret, but she doesn’t trust John because of his past. John is desperate to avoid adding to the shame he carries for Riley’s death, though—it’s destroying his life.
With Charley’s help, he learns that others in Megan’s life had a motive to keep her quiet. But every effort they make to uncover the truth edges them closer to a desperate murderer with everything to lose.
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My Review After reading my first young adult mystery a few months ago, I’ve been hooked on the genre, trying to channel a little Veronica Mars, novel-style. The Weight of Guilt delivers. Told from dual points of view, Jon Ripslinger creates believable teen characters who are dealing with a lot. None of his characters have easy, carefree lives. John, one of his main characters, has had more crap in his short life than any kid should have to deal with. Even Charley, who has a decent home life, has to deal with the murder of her best, and really only true, friend.
When John moves to a small Mississippi River town after the death of his girlfriend, Megan, the daughter of the school principal, has her sights set on him. He’s good looking, mysterious, and will piss off her boyfriend, Cole, who she’s pretty much done with. Refusing to take no for an answer, she convinces John to escort her to prom. But when Megan disappears and her body is found four days later, John becomes the prime suspect. He and Charley team up to find out who really killed her, and friendship and maybe something a little more begins to blossom between them. But whoever killed Megan wants John dead, too, putting both of them in danger.
World Building
Small town America comes alive in Jon Ripslinger’s tale. The small tight-knit community, secrets, gossip, and lies all take a starring role.
Plot
The main plot is who killed Megan and it’s a solid teen mystery. Several subplots wind through, all of which include the potential other suspects, and a subtle romance between John and Charley, which is really well done.
Characters The strongest aspect is the character development. Each character is deep, layered, and complex, adding to the mystery. Even secondary and tertiary characters have depth and in some cases their own story arcs.
The Writing It took me a little bit to get into the story. It didn’t always read like young adult, but that isn’t a bad thing. There’s very little strong language, and a cast of young characters, but otherwise reads far more like an adult thriller or mystery. And I think that sets it apart from other books in the category. In a good way.
The Ending Although I kind of figured out who it was before the big reveal, the ending was still well done, and not predictable by any stretch.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About The Weight of Guilt 1. John Hawk. He’s a fascinating character that I could totally get behind from the opening pages.
2. Anne. John’s sister takes him in and worries about him the way a sister should.
3. Charley Cotton. She’s the plain girl, always in the shadow of her bright and shiny best friend, and yet she has no jealousy. She’s fiercely loyal, strong, independent, stubborn, and a complex, fascinating character.
4. The Police. All the detectives and police officers are well-developed. Although stereotypical at times, not in an over-the-top manner, more in a believable, gumshoe kind of way.
5. Megan. There was so much to like about our victim, I was sorry we didn’t get more time with her.
Bottom Line The Weight of Guilt is a strong young adult mystery with a side of romance that moves from the opening pages.
Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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About the Book Title: The Weight of Guilt Author: Jon Ripslinger Publisher: Red Adept Publishing, LLC Release Date: February 27, 2015 Pages: 242 Genre: Young Adult Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay
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Author Jon Ripslinger
About the Author After Jon Ripslinger retired as a public high school English teacher, he began a career as an author. He has published many young adult novels and truly enjoys writing books for teens. He has also published numerous short stories in Woman’s World magazine.
Jon and his wife, Collette live in Iowa. They are the proud grandparents of thirteen grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
When not working writing, Jon enjoys the outdoors, especially fishing. He waits patiently for the next “big one” to strike.
Synopsis My name is Reagan Wilcox: high school senior by day, kick-ass investigative journalist by night. I’ve always loved observing people—especially when they think no one is paying attention.I thought I was ready to cover any story. Work any angle.
Nothing could have prepared me for what happened that night. I wasn’t ready for what I saw. And I certainly wasn’t ready for him.
I always knew I’d write the headlines. Now, I just might become one.
My Review I was expecting a teen mystery when I picked this up, but what I got instead was a teen thriller with some elements of a mystery. It’s an intense, exciting, rollercoaster ride of action and emotion that was difficult to put down.
Reagan Wilcox likes to remain outside the limelight. She’s perfectly happy to sit back and observe unnoticed. Her dream of becoming an investigative reporter has her quietly looking for a story among her classmates. The odd behavior of the school’s star quarterback has her digging deeper. And what she finds just might get her killed.
The writing is strong, the characters interesting, and the story is riveting. While it was a bit slow to start, the story picked up quickly and took off at a manic pace, building to a nailbiting climax. This was a welcome change from the young adult novels I’ve been reading lately, and definitely one I’d recommend.
Plot
This is almost entirely plot driven, and it’s a heck of a plot. Sarah M. Ross keeps the story moving, doling out information to keep us hooked without overloading the story. We get the information we need as we needed it, and never before. If young adult thrillers is going to be a new thing, this is the blueprint for them. In the end, I felt as if there were still some unanswered questions, but the big issues were all wrapped up.
World Building The world building is subtle and sometimes stereotypical, but the author injects enough humor to poke fun at those stereotypes, that it works. Everything from the small town “everyone knows your business” to mob families is built organically, so it never feels like a caricature.
Characters None of the characters are particularly layered or deep, but I don’t think it’s necessary here. The characters are definitely fun and interesting, and drive the plot, which is what this story is all about. And the main character, Reagan, and her love interest, Marco, are infinitely likable. That’s all I really need in a book like this.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Never Gonna Tell 1. Reagan. Her tenacity is inspiring. I love how this girl who never walks away from a good story, is willing to risk her own life to save the lives of those she cares about.
2. Marco. He defies his family and risks his life for a girl he barely knows.
3. Charlie. He’s got issues up the wazoo, but the kid is as loyal as they come. Everyone should have a best friend like Charlie.
4. The pacing. After getting off to a bit of a slow start, it takes off and kept me on the edge of my seat for the remainder of the story.
5. The uncertainty. Because this book was anything but formulaic, there were no guarantees. No one was safe, which made the story that much more compelling.
Bottom Line Never Gonna Tell is a solid young adult thriller with lots of action, danger, and a sweet romance. I’d definitely read more by this author.
Disclaimer I was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
About the Book Title: Never Gonna Tell Author: Sarah M. Ross Release Date: March 17, 2015 Pages: 202 Category: Young Adult Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links:Goodreads | Amazon
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Author Sarah M. Ross
About the Author Sarah started her obsession with reading at an early age, often sneaking BabySitter Club and Nancy Drew books into math class. She would read any book she could get her hands on. Her love of reading quickly evolved into a love of writing and stories began to pour out of her.
She grew up in Pittsburgh, graduated from The University of Pittsburgh with a degree in English, and taught 8th graders to love reading as much as she does for several years. Sarah will always be a proud member of the Steelers’ Nation, but couldn’t take the cold and moved her frozen tush to Florida where she now lives with her family and two cats. You will find her now with her trusty Kindle in hand and toes in the sand!
Sarah’s debut novel, AWAKEN, released in January, 2012. Other novels include AVENGE, ATONE, ECHO OF AN EARTH ANGEL, and INHALE EXHALE.
Cleo has struggled to heal after her baby sister’s death, but the flashbacks to the accident won’t go away. With the move, she vows to keep her tragedy a secret and avoid pitying looks.
One Mystery
Something’s strange about the abandoned house across the street-flashes of light late at night and small flickers of movement that only someone looking for them would see.
Everyone says the house is deserted, but Cleo is sure it isn’t, and she’s sure whoever is inside is watching her.
Another Secret
In one night, Belleza’s life changes forever. So famous, her only choice is to hide her secret from the world so she can silence small town bigotry.
Then Cleo happens.
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My Review Sudden Secrets is a well-written, emotional tale of teen, Cleo, whose family has suffered the tragic loss of Aziza, her four-year-old sister. In an attempt to heal, they relocate to a small northern California town that has its own secrets. Cleo’s life is shattered not only by the loss of her sister, but also as the fracturing of her family in the aftermath. Her mom disappears into herself while her father disappears to Afghanistan on an archeological expedition. Even her grandfather withdraws, becoming a shell of his former self. And if that isn’t bad enough, Cleo blames herself for the accident that took her sister’s life.
Cleo’s mom sees the relocation as a chance to heal, Cleo sees it as an opportunity to start over, even if she’s not sure that can happen. Cleo runs to escape her pain and when she runs to the nearby high school and meets super-hot Ethan, things are looking up. At least until she meets Ethan’s equally hot girlfriend, Stacey.
Cleo manages to begin rebuilding her life, making friends with Stacey, Ethan, and eternally boisterous Rudy. When she notices some odd activity in the supposedly vacant house across the street, the four of them embark on solving the mystery that dates back more than five decades and may or may not involve a local hero.
Plot The plot is multi-pronged with the main plot centering on pain surrounding Cleo and her family, but a strong subplot is the mystery of Belleza and the house across the street. The romance is a minor subplot, which works fine in this case. My only real complaint with the plot is that the romance seems almost irrelevant to the story. It would have been nice if it was intertwined more, not necessarily a bigger part, just more of a factor.
World Building
What there is, is subtle, but the setting isn’t terribly important. It’s small town Northern California and the author does a good job of evoking that misty, foggy Bay Area atmosphere enough to set the scenes.
Characters
This is almost entirely a character-driven story and that’s where it really shines. Each character is well-developed, even the secondary and tertiary ones. They all have rich and deep back stories that fit the plot and are never extraneous nor feel forced upon us. We learn about the characters at exactly the right time, when the information is crucial to the story.
The character development is really well done, too. Everyone from Cleo to her family and Belleza across the street grow and develop through the story in very believable, authentic, organic ways.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Sudden Secrets
1. The Mystery. I love when an author can pique my interest, keep it, then let that interest bloom and grow by revealing bits and pieces of the secret. C. Lee McKenzie has done a masterful job of this in Sudden Secrets.
2. The Romance. No, it’s not the main plot or even a strong subplot, and I did mention that I wished it’d been more integral to the story, but what I enjoyed about it was that it was anything BUT formulaic.
3. Belleza. She’s complex, complicated, deep, emotional, loyal, mysterious, and one hundred percent awesome!
4. Cleo. She’s extremely likeable, even though she’s flawed. She does things that made me shake my head, but I always knew her heart was in the right place. She was a refreshing change from the typical young adult protagonist.
5. Rudy. There is something so infectious about him, that just reading about him made me smile.
Bottom Line Sudden Secrets is an intriguing story with complex characters that worm their way into your heart.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Sudden Secrets Author: C. Lee McKenzie Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Publisher: Evernight Teen Release Date: December 19, 2014 Pages: 201 Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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Author C. Lee McKenzie
About the Author In my other life–the one before I began writing for teens and younger readers–I was a teacher and administrator at California State University, San Jose. My field of Linguistics and Inter-cultural Communication has carried me to a lot of places in the world to explore different cultures and languages. I can say, “Where’s the toilet?” and “I’m lost!” in at least five languages and two dialects. Go ahead. Pat me on the back.
My idea of a perfect day is one or all of the following: starting a new novel, finishing writing a blockbuster novel, hiking on a misty morning trail in the Santa Cruz Mountains, saying Namaste after a great yoga practice, sipping a cappuccino topped at a bustling café, reading in front of a fire with snow outside, swimming in an ocean someplace.
I’ve just set out my perfect life. Day after day after day.
Two for the Dough (Stephanie Plum #2) by Janet Evanovich
Synopsis Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is still learning the ropes at her cousin Vinnie’s bail bond office, so when she sets out on the trail of Kenny Mancuso–a suspiciously wealthy, working class Trenton boy who has just shot his best friend–the stakes are higher than ever. That Mancuso is distantly related to vice cop Joe Morelli–who is trying to beat Stephanie to the punch–only makes the hunt more thrilling….
Taking pointers from her bounty hunter pal, Ranger, and using her pistol-packing Grandma Mazur as a decoy, Stephanie is soon closing in on her mark. But Morelli and his libido are worthy foes. And a more sinister kind of enemy has made his first move…and his next move might be Stephanie’s last.
My Review Two for the Dough is even more fun than it’s predecessor. Now that Stephanie has one mystery solved, she feels a little bit more confident about her job as a bounty hunter for her cousin Vinnie. Because the characters and circumstances are already established, this installment focuses more on the adventures surrounding Stephanie’s latest case.
There are more hijinks, goofiness, and laugh-out-loud moments, the best of which occurs when Stephanie invites coworker, Ranger, over for a family dinner and Grandma Mazur opens her mouth. I enjoyed watching Stephanie try and fail over and over, each time with hilarious results. Things are heating up with Joe Morelli, too, but these two still have a long way to go before they approach anything even close to resembling an adult relationship.
Plot
The plot centers around the mystery and finding Kenny Mancuso. But because this is Stephanie Plum, nothing is ever simple. Nothing goes according to plan and everyone and everything, including Stephanie’s own ineptitude, gets in the way. Throw in not one, but two hot guys, and this is a steamy, spirited page-turner that kept me laughing.
World Building
Once again, Evanovich’s depiction of Trenton, New Jersey comes alive with colorful characters and vivid locales in larger than life form. I have no doubt Stephanie’s version of bailbondsmanship isn’t quite the world that Dog the Bounty Hunter inhabits, but there’s just enough realism to keep it from being cartoonish.
Characters
It’s fun to see some actual character development in a light-hearted mystery like this. It’s not a lot. I mean, it’s not like Stephanie suddenly gets responsible and becomes a kick-butt bounty hunter, but there is some growth. Plus we get to see more of some of the more interesting characters, particularly Grandma Mazur. Even Ranger, as tight-lipped as he is, opens up a little this time around more.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed About Two for the Dough 1. Grandma Mazur. She’s a kick in the pants. You just never know what’s going to come out of her mouth next (and I’m not talking about her dentures.)
2. Stephorelli. Okay, it’s my own “ship” name, but it was either that or Morellanie. Whatever you call them, these two are either perfect for each other or will end up killing one another.
3. Ranger. His one word responses say more than a dozen words strung together. He is the epitome of cool.
4. Trenton, NJ. It might just be a town, but it is somehow also becomes a character in the story.
5. The bad guys. Because even they are about as competent at their badassery as Stephanie is at catching them.
Bottom Line Two for the Dough is a solid follow up in an entertaining, light-hearted mystery series, and it’s even funnier than its predecessor.
About the Book
Title: Two for the Dough Series: Stephanie Plum #2 Author: Janet Evanovich Release Date: July 15, 1999 Pages: 336 Category: Romance, Mystery, Chic-Lit Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Author Janet Evanovich
About the Author Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Lizzy and Diesel series, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and Trouble Maker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author, as well as the Fox and O’Hare series with co-author Lee Goldberg.
Synopsis Quinn is looking forward to her senior year at Poe University. She has big plans to hang out with her best friend, flirt with a certain boy genius, party at her favorite dive bar and figure out what she’s going to do after graduation with her not-so-useful art major. But that’s before she meets Luke, a hot townie who’s moved back home to help take care of his dying sister. And it’s before a weird epidemic sweeps across campus, mysteriously turning people’s eyes purple.
Is it an odd side effect from a new party drug?
Is it a rogue virus developed in a campus lab?
Is it the mark of the devil?
Soon the town starts blaming the university and the student religious group becomes frighteningly aggressive in their on-campus accusations. Quinn and Luke are caught in the middle—until a tragic accident forces Luke to reveal the one part of himself he’s kept carefully hidden. That he’s so much more than the happy-go-lucky boy next door Quinn had believed him to be isn’t a surprise…but this truth might be too dangerous for her to handle.
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My Review Although it starts off pretty slow, it picks up about halfway through and turns into a pretty good page-turning mystery. When Quinn’s roommate, Mandy, begins showing strange symptoms, not the least of which is lavender eyes, she finds herself embroiled in the mystery of the century. As more symptoms and victims pile up, the small town of Allen, Virginia finds itself at the center of a media and panic firestorm. Caitlin is torn between brainy Rashid, fellow student at Poe University, and towie, Luke. Each has something to offer, making her inability to choose somewhat understandable. But I had a hard time with understanding the way she bounced back and forth between them, sometimes hour-to-hour or even minute-to-minute.
Plot The plot centers around the mysterious illness plaguing Poe University students as it spreads from Caitlin’s roommate, Mandy, patient 0, to the broader Allen community. Numerous theories abound, including it being the work of the devil, a side-effect of a new club drug, or a manufactured virus. When another symptom appears to be miraculous healing in those with purple eyes, sick people from everywhere come to Allen hoping to catch the virus, and with it a cure for whatever ails them. The love-triangle subplot is almost thrown in as an afterthought. If you come for the romance, stay for the mystery, because that’s what really drives this story.
World Building
The author creates a believable world of small town paranoia and life for both locals and students when an exclusive university is the biggest thing around.
Characters
The cast is pretty large, but Caitlin is the main character. She’s not particularly likeable, but she does have her moments and by the end, I found myself rooting for her. Mandy is the most interesting character, with her tragic backstory and her love for a nerd when she could have almost any hot guy she wanted. Luke, one of Caitlin’s love interests, is more rounded and sympathetic than hot, brainy, Rashid. There’s also a whole host of colorful locals and college students to make a tapestry of characters that drives the plot.
Top Five Things I Enjoyed Heartsick
1. The Mystery. I love a good new adult romance wrapped up in a mystery. It might be my new favorite genre.
2. Luke. He’s totally badass with a nice soft underbelly and a big heart.
3. Danny. What’s not to like about the loveable Freshman?
4. Mandy. She’s feisty, spunky, and as loyal as they come. Sometimes I think she deserves a better BFF than Caitlin.
5. Allen, Virginia. This small town has heart and soul and perfectly encomasses a place where everyone knows your name and your business and aren’t afraid to tell you what they think you should do about your life.
Bottom Line Heartsick is a surprise hit. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it exceeded my nebulous expectations.
Disclaimer I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Book Title: Heartsick Author:Caitlin Sinead Release Date: February 16, 2014 Publisher: Carina Press Pages: 224
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 Links:Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
One for the Money (Stephanie Plum #1) by Janet Evanovich
Synopsis Welcome to Trenton, New Jersey, home to wiseguys, average Joes, and Stephanie Plum, who sports a big attitude and even bigger money problems (since losing her job as a lingerie buyer for a department store). Stephanie needs cash–fast–but times are tough, and soon she’s forced to turn to the last resort of the truly desperate: family.
Stephanie lands a gig at her sleazy cousin Vinnie’s bail bonding company. She’s got no experience. But that doesn’t matter. Neither does the fact that the bail jumper in question is local vice cop Joe Morelli.From the time he first looked up her dress to the time he first got into her pants to the time Steph hit him with her father’s Buick, M-o-r-e-l-l-i has spelled t-r-o-u-b-l-e. And now the hot guy is in hot water–wanted for murder.
Abject poverty is a great motivator for learning new skills, but being trained in the school of hard knocks by people like psycho prizefighter Benito Ramirez isn’t. Still, if Stephanie can nab Morelli in a week, she’ll make a cool ten grand. All she has to do is become an expert bounty hunter overnight–and keep herself from getting killed before she gets her man.
My Review I borrowed this book from my mom with no expectations and didn’t even know what it was about. I was immediately absorbed into Stephanie Plum’s wacky world and laughed out loud. The fictionalized version of Trenton, New Jersey Janet Evanovich created is full of quirky characters, colorful villains and some of the most bizarre crimes ever to inflict one small town.
Stephanie Plum, recently unemployed and desperate to not have to move home with her parents and grandmother, resorts to working for her cousin, Vinnie, a bail bondsman. After Stephanie basically blackmails him, Vinnie hires her to catch criminals who have skipped bail. She lives in a small apartment with her pet hamster, Rex, and drives a beat-up car, but it’s hers and she doesn’t want to give up her independence. And after meeting her family, I can see why. They’re loveable, but just a little too much to take for more than a few hours at a time.
Things get interesting when the one fugitive who can help her the most is ex-boyfriend and current vice cop, Joe Morelli. If she can bring him in, she’ll be set financially for a little bit anyway. Stephanie is helped along the way by super-hot professional bounty hunter, Ranger, and a smart-mouthed streetwalker named Lula. Although Joe doesn’t want to be found, Stephanie manages to bumble her way around, locating him, and mucking up his own investigation that he hopes will clear his name. Sparks fly between these two in true love-hate fashion.
Plot
There is a lot going on in One for the Money. Primarily, Stephanie needs to bring in Joe Morelli and collect her finder’s fee. But hunting him brings out several interesting subplots, including her hot and cold relationship with Joe, her ineptitude at tracing skips, the evil boxing champion Benito Ramirez who may or may not be involved in all of this, and a potential witness who could clear Joe, if he didn’t want Stephanie dead. Threading through it all is her crazy family and her slightly dysfunctional relationship with them.
Characters
No one writes snarky, quirky, and wacky characters quite like Janet Evanovich. Everyone from Stephanie right through to Grandma Mazur is a hoot. In fact, Grandma Mazur has some of the best lines in the book. There’s not a heck of a lot of character development because this is largely a plot-driven story, but there is some growth and better yet, room for lots more. Since this is just the first book in at least a 20+ book series, Janet Evanovich has left herself quite a bit to work with over the series.
Bottom Line One for the Money is a quick read, highly entertaining, and includes several really good twists I never saw coming. The laugh-out-loud dialogue will keep me coming back for more.
About the Book
Title: One for the Money Series: Stephanie Plum #1 Author: Janet Evanovich Pages: 334 Category: Romance, Mystery Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo
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Author Janet Evanovich
About the Author Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Lizzy and Diesel series, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and Trouble Maker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author, as well as the Fox and O’Hare series with co-author Lee Goldberg.
HER DARK PLACES (The Sutton Files #1) by Kelly Killarney
Synopsis ‘Veronica Mars’ meets ‘Felicity’ in this sexy, snarky, New Adult Romantic Suspense novel.
Jasmine “Jazz” Holloway gets more than she bargained for when she heads to Sutton College for her freshman year. A long-distance relationship with her high-school boyfriend is tough to maintain. Especially when Brennan, the cute boy down the hall, keeps flirting. And after someone starts threatening her roommate, Jazz enlists the help of Sean, a smokin’ hot upperclassman who runs a P.I. agency out of a darkened corner of the library.
Jazz has to fight her attraction to both guys as she works to uncover the stalker. But as the stakes rise and tension heightens, the hardest part for Jazz will be keeping herown secret…what she’s really doing at Sutton College. And that’s something no one can know.
My Review I didn’t want this book to end. Not after it kept me up, reading long after I should’ve turned off my iPad and gone to sleep. I solely blame the book and its author for the dark circles under my eyes. I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting this book to be what it was based on the title. But I learned a good lesson — not only should you not judge a book by its cover, but don’t even think about judging it by its title.
There is so much to love about this story. The characters, the plot, the phrasing, the way author strings those witty phrases together to keep me turning pages after I promised myself I’d put it down and do something else as soon as I got to the end of the chapter. Yeah, that never happened. About the only thing I can say that I didn’t like was the wrap-up. It jumped ahead too far. I would have liked to have experienced it more immediate, rather than through flashback, but it’s a minor complaint to an otherwise flawless story.
Plot Her Dark Places is a mystery, wrapped in a thriller, tied up with a messy romance that left me wanting more. I’m thrilled that this is only the first book in the Sutton Files, but promise me, Kelly Killarney, that there will be dozens more! So much is happening in this story from the main plot of who is stalking Jazz’s roommate, Audrey, to the dark secret that Jazz is hiding (I did figure this secret out pretty early on), to the potential love triangle, but it never felt like too much. It was the perfect blending of plot and subplots to keep me hooked in the most delightful sense of the word.
Characters Kelly Killarney’s characters shine. The main character, Jazz, is my kind of protagonist. She’s in your face, snarky, loyal, and often acts first without thinking. I adore her. Audrey is the roommate everyone would love to have. She’ s sweet, funny, pretty, and likes to party. Private investigator, Sean, is hotness personified with the attitude to match, and yet he’s got enough baggage that find yourself liking him in spit of yourself. And what can I say about Brennan? Except that he is the swooniest of swoonworthy boys. He is definitely in the top ten of my book boyfriends and might even be in the top five. If only real life generated such perfect boys.
Bottom Line If you like a page-turner with colorful, witty characters that you can’t help rooting for, a spine-tingling plot, and a heart-fluttering romance, pick up Her Dark Places today. TODAY people, today!
Title: Her Dark Places (The Sutton Files #1) Author: Kelly Killarney Pages: 175 Category: New Adult Romantic Suspense Links: Goodreads |Amazon| Barnes & Noble
