Down Among the Dead Men by Claire Baxter

As with most of the books I've been reading lately, this was a new author to me. The story was set in Australia which was interesting to me. I've read several books by Australian authors, and I always enjoy the unique phrases and the descriptions of the landscape and way of life in that country. The opal mines featured in this story were definitely not familiar at all to anything I've seen here in the US.

The story begins with Caitlyn leaving home to search for her long absent father. She ends up stranded in his small isolated home town and waylaid by several surprises. As the full extent of her father's criminal and negligent activities come to light in his absence, the danger to Caitlyn begins.

Dale is an almost single father who has left his career as a lawyer to hide out in the small town and work as an opal cutter. He and Caitlyn meet, and he offers his help in locating her father. The attraction between the couple is not immediate but rather develops over time. They tend to take one step forward then one step backwards, leaving their relationship in limbo. Dale seems to act impulsively romantic after dangerous situations but later regret it.

This was a sweet little romantic mystery with a touch of suspense. It was also very clean with only a few chaste kisses, a nice afternoon read.

Thanks go out to Net Galley for providing me with a copy of this book for fair review.

The Hexed by Heather Graham

Okay, so I looked this author up when I finished the book since I was unfamiliar with her work. I found 12 previous books in this particular series. I was actually surprised because this book did not give me the feeling of being lost in a series where I needed tons of prior knowledge. I appreciated that fact.

I knew going into this story that it would have some paranormal aspects, but I wasn't sure how they would play out. Turns out it is based around a covert FBI group called the Krewe of Hunters ( named after New Orleans parade krewes). The Krewe is made up of people with various paranormal abilities which they use to solve crimes. In this case, the crime is a murder with a matching case over a decade old. The murders seem to be linked to the Salem witch trials and our two main characters.

Our hero, Rocky, and heroine, Devin, meet accidentally over the third dead body. Devin's knowledge of the town history and her newly discovered paranormal abilities end up pulling her into the case. The two of them work with other members of the krewe and local police to track down the killer. They are obviously attracted to each other, but are fairly slow acting on it. Rocky tends to be cautious and protective. Devin is very loyal, persistent, and optimistic. They make a good team and receive the approval of Devin's ghostly aunt who plays a big part in the story.

If you like police/FBI procedural type novels, you will likely enjoy this book. It gives a lot of details regarding the leg work the police and krewe go through while hunting the killer. Ghostly Auntie Mina is a nice addition, as are the other ghosts who help out during the investigation. The plot was interesting and kept me guessing until the last moment. There were so many possible suspects. I kept bouncing back and forth between who I thought was the most likely culprit only to find myself completely fooled. That doesn't happen often, but I enjoy it when it does. I liked the characters and the premise of the book and enjoyed my fictional time spent in Salem.

Maverick Sheriff by Delores Fossen

Maverick Sheriff will not be released until August nineteenth, but thanks to Net Galley, I was able to read an advance copy. I was unfamiliar with this author and excited about trying the book. It is the start of a new series, and judging by the the characters in this book, it is shaping up to be a good one.

The focal characters in this story are Cooper, Jessa, and Liam. Cooper is the sheriff, Jessa is the ADA and Liam is her adopted two year old son.  Jessa and Cooper have an antagonistic relationship because Jessa is bringing charges against Cooper's estranged mother for a long ago murder. When Jessa's son is injured and in need of a rare blood type for transfusion, Cooper is the only nearby match who can donate in time.  When Cooper learns Liam is adopted and looks similar to his infant son whom he believed drowned years before, he becomes suspicious and begins trying to prove a connection. This prompts Jessa to begin researching Liam's adoption. The initiation of these investigations stirs up tons of trouble.

Jessa and Cooper remain at odds with each other but occasionally end up spontaneously giving in to the attraction between them. Neither is willing to trust the other. As the investigations continue, danger begins to escalate. The suspects are many, and motives are plentiful. Cooper and his family unite with Jessa to keep Liam safe. Unfortunately, things don't work out like they planned, but Cooper and Jessa do discover deeper feelings for each other.

In the end, they both give everything to save Liam and give themselves a chance at being a family.

I really enjoyed the book and liked the characters, especially Cooper's brothers who will hopefully get stories of their own.

Sweet Burn by Anne Marsh

I have to say I really loved this book. Anne Marsh was a new author to me. This was not the first book in this series, but when Net Galley offered me a copy to review, I decided to try it anyway. I'm really glad I did. Even though there were obviously some recurring characters from previous books, I had no trouble getting right into this story.

Right from the beginning it was obvious Mimi saw herself as the town's good time bad girl and made sure everyone knew she lived up to the reputation. Mack is the classic good guy. He is former military and currently a smoke jumper. When Mack's teammate who happens to be Mimi's former lover gets married, Mack and Mimi hook up for an agreed upon one night stand. That one night stand ends up completely complicating things in Mimi's good time no commitments world. Mack is head over heels immediately and sets out to pursue his own personal party girl.

Mimi has lived a hard life and uses her persona to cover up hurts from the past and protect herself from allowing hurts in the future. She can't risk letting Mack get too her. In the meantime, a problem from Mimi's past arrives in town just as the fire season heats up. Mimi and Mack end up having to face several dangers from both situations and find themselves pulled closer and closer to each other.  Super sexy Mack never gives up and never accepts no for an answer.

I ended up loving the town and the secondary characters. I totally feel the need to go back and check out the previous books to get their stories.

Her Last Whisper by Karen Robards

Having never read this author before, I was unsure what to expect...especially since the story involved a ghost. While I do read some paranormal fiction, I usually avoid ghost stories. I won't be avoiding ghost stories any longer. Even though this book is the third in this series, and I haven't read the other two, I was totally sucked in from the very first page!  I didn't feel lost and was easily able to get up to speed on the storyline and characters.

About that ghost, Michael was unbelievably sexy and one of the most appealing heroes I've read in a long time. He had that alpha personality but with a great sarcastic sense of humor. I loved the passion and connection between Michael and Charlie. Charlie was totally in love with him, but she fought it throughout the book until the end. Tony was also a great leading man. He was in charge but always kind and dependable. He would not be a bad choice for Charlie if she weren't so in love with a ghost.

This story had plenty of suspense and creepy occurrences as the team races to save their teammate's sister. The secondary characters were interesting and likable.The plot was very believable in a paranormal sort of way. I totally loved it and stayed up late to finish it the same day I started it. I will absolutely be reading more of this series, especially after that sneaky ending which left me dying for another.

You should absolutely check out this series. I received an advance copy of this book from Net Galley, so since it doesn't release until August, you have time to get caught up and ready for this installment.

When Day Breaks by Maya Banks

I'm giving this book four stars because I love this series so much, however, I considered three stars. I was really looking forward to Swanny's story, but this one disappointed me. While I liked Eden, she was just a bit too perfect for real life. The story was just too mushy lovey dovey for me. The suspense was lacking a bit, just quick accounts with very little detail or depth. I found myself wanting to skim through the repetitive back and forth I'm not good enough for you, no, I'm not good enough for you, you're so beautiful, no, you're so beautiful gushing. There was also a lot a repetitive information regarding how the KGI family took Swanny in. I get that each book needs a bit of a recap for readers new to the series, but recap once then leave it alone.

I read this series because I love suspense, and thus far, the series has been all I could ever ask for. I just wanted more from this book. I wanted a well developed villain rather than some weird amateur who shows up out of the blue at the end. I wanted some conflict besides all the constant insecurities over appearances. I wanted less sex and more plot.

I won't say don't buy this book, because this is a series after all, and you don't want to get behind. There are so many other great characters in these books just waiting for their own story. One of the most redeeming qualities of this book for me was getting to know more about Sky and Edge. Sky was amazing in this story, and I loved her. Hancock also pops back up in his usual not quite good not quite bad way and brings a little excitement. Obviously, you will have to make your own opinions about this book, but as for me...awesome series, but absolutely least favorite book.

Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare

Since this was my first experience with this author, I really wasn't sure what to expect. The blurb on Amazon listed it as an I-Team novel. The I-Team turned out to be the investigative team at a major newspaper. I can't say I've read many stories set in a newspaper atmosphere except the Avery Shaw series which revolves around a small town newspaper.

Starting out, I wasn't sure I would like the story. The sample I downloaded was full of crude sexual conversations which made me fear the book was simply erotica masquerading as suspense, which is totally not up my alley. I had been searching for something interesting to read for a while and decided I was tired of looking and ready to be reading, so I downloaded the book and have it a try. While it did end up having fairly frequent sex scenes and slightly crude sexual language, I wouldn't term it erotica. It did have a very good plot which kept my interest.

Kara is a reporter who will do anything for her story. Reece is actually an honest senator ( remember, this is fiction, and honest politicians can exist in make believe).  These two dance around each other for a while with Reece becoming immediately serious and Kara holding herself back in all ways but physically. As the investigation into a cement company polluting the environment takes as turn toward dangerous, Reece tries to conduct his own investigation and ends up causing himself a lot of trouble. In the end, the passion burns very hot, the danger and suspense were very believable, and Kara and Reece end up saving each other and blowing the investigation wide open.

There were a few peripheral characters who were interesting, such as Kara's new age loving mom and her adorable son. Kara also had several friends in the news room who I'm guessing will show up in future novels. While this was a little more sex than I wanted and was certainly not what I would consider a favorite, it was well written and a good solid suspense.

Favorite love triangle suspense series!!!

• I don't know about you guys, but I totally love a good triangle series with a dark bad boy and a smoking hot good guy. I have several favorite series that fit this description. My ultimate favorite series ever for all time is the Kathleen Turner series by Tiffany Snow. The final installment comes out in August, and I can't wait to get into Kade's head! I could probably be labeled as obsessed with this series; it is that good. Several other favorites also come to mind...

The Rose Gardner series by Denise Grover Swank (dying to get my hands on my preordered copy of the newest book in this series on Tuesday)

The Heller series and the Little Town series by J.D. Nixon ( both of these have new installments scheduled for this year)

The Lexi Graves series by Camilla Chafer

The Lexi Carmichael series by Julie Moffett

The Addison Holmes series by Liliana Hart

The Avery Shaw series by Amanda M. Lee

The Everly Gray series by L.J. Charles

The Nadia Wolfe and the Mars Cannon series by Nicolette Pierce

The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich

The Brandy Alexander series by Shelly Fredman

These are just a few of my favorites. I'm always looking for more. If you've read and loved any of these series, leave a comment. If you have a series to recommend, I'd totally love to hear it. Happy reading!

Top Secret Twenty-one by Janet Evanovich

So, Stephanie and Lula are up to their usual hijinx and falling into trouble. This time, Stephanie ends up spending more time with Briggs and Ranger than Lula. Ranger ends up showing a bit of a softer side where Stephanie is concerned and even admits to a few feelings for her. He still has his moratorium on a long term relationship though, so Stephanie is officially with Morelli and refraining from allowing herself between the sheets with Ranger. In the end, Morelli plays only a small role in this story, and Stephanie ends up saving the day with a little help from Ranger. 

While I did laugh out loud a few times, I have to admit I didn't find this story as funny as some of the others in the series. I am still a totally devoted Stephanie Plum fan though. Personally, I am totally addicted to Ranger and am waiting for the day when he finally realizes he can't let Morelli have Stephanie permanently and admits how he really feels. Bring on more Ranger!

Wild on You by Tina Wainscott

I enjoyed this first book in a new series. I have never read this author before, but saw this book in my Amazon recommendations. I tend to enjoy private security type suspense novels, so it is really no surprise that I enjoyed this one. The characters were interesting. Chase Justiss is very secretive but comes across as a nice guy with a sense of humor. Risk is amusing and has enough confidence to say everything that pops into his mind. Addie is a bit immature at the beginning, taking big risks and pursuing her cause with the single minded determination of the young, but she grows throughout the story and realizes she can have a life and a cause at the same time.

The relationship between Risk and Addie develops quickly and while passionate, it also has a humorous side. The threat against Addie is vague at first but becomes increasingly more dangerous. In the end, it takes a little extra he series lp from the Justiss Alliance to take out the villain once and for all. I am definitely curious about the other books in this series.

Wedding at Caldwell Ranch by B.J. Daniels

I have been a fan of B.J. Daniels for several years. Although I have not read any of her other Cardwell family books, I have read many of her earlier works. When Net Galley offered the opportunity to read this story before it's release, I jumped at the chance knowing it would be good. I was not disappointed.

I was completely drawn into the story and found the characters easy to connect with. Allie has lost her husband, and that might not be a bad thing. The problem is that she might be losing her mind and has no family to help her. She fears her sanity is failing and her daughter, Nat, might be taken from her. In the midst of all this, she attempts to reopen her wedding planning business and has to deal with possible sabotage.

Jackson Cardwell enters at the height of the trouble. At a time when even Allie doubts herself, Jackson believes in her and begins collecting the evidence to prove it to her and everyone else. Their is not a flaming sizzling passion but rather a slow burn. When they do finally come together, it is with fears and regrets after.

The danger to Allie continues to escalate throughout the story as do Allie and Jackson's feelings for each other. Suspects abound as do motives, but I was never completely sure who the ultimate villain was until the end. I really enjoyed the story and now feel like I need to check out the other books in this series.

I'll Find You

This was my first experience reading anything by Nancy Bush. Since I am always searching for quality suspense authors, I was hopeful that I would like this story. Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed. The story was interesting, the characters were well developed, and I really had no idea who the ultimate killer was until the very end.

I really liked Callie. She thought she was sort of broken, but her character was very strong and self sacrificing throughout the book. West certainly came on strong at the beginning of the book, definitely not how you expect a hero to act. The two of them danced around their suspicions of each other for a while, but once they started working together things moved quickly.

The author gave glimpses into the psyche of almost every character by changing perspectives frequently. Sometimes I am frustrated when authors use this technique and the writing feels disjointed. I didn't feel that way with this story. I liked being in the killer's head and trying to search out the little clues of his/her identity. There were certainly several twisted characters to keep readers guessing between.  The plot held a few convoluted and interconnected events which led to a multilayered conclusion. Although I would have liked Callie to have been more firm with her late husband's brother and sister, I did enjoy the reversal of fortunes for Callie and West in the end. Overall, it was a good suspense which kept me guessing.

Thanks go out to Net Galley for giving me copy of this book to review.

Blood Orchids

I just finished Blood Orchids by Toby Neal. It is the first book in the Lei Crime series.  While it turned out to be a bit more police procedural than suspense, it still had a strong suspense element in the form of a stalker. Lei is our protagonist. She is a native of Hawaii but has spent much of her life on the mainland due to some very traumatic childhood issues.

The book is set in Hawaii and is full of vivid descriptions of the islands. Many of the characters lapse into pidgin ( a native dialect) at times including Lei. I really liked reading the interesting phrasing. Since the author grew up in Hawaii, she really gives the story an authentic feel.

The plot of the story revolves around Lei's quest to solve the rape and murder of two young girls. In the meantime, she is also dealing with a stalker who may or may not be connected, psychological issues from her past, and the romantic interest of 3 different men...one of whom may be her stalker. The story keeps our heroine busy and avoids lag time or useless details. Lei is a really interesting character. On the outside, she is tough and more than confident in her ability to do her job as a policewoman well. The inside, however, is a completely different story. She doubts herself and her value as a person and as a friend or relationship partner. She uses many coping mechanisms, some healthy, some not, in order to deal with these fears and insecurities but still manages to struggle at times.

Overall, the story contains a lot of procedural information regarding the police activity, some graphic descriptions of rape and murder, creepy introspection by the killer, and the beginnings of what seems to be Lei's first love interest. I really enjoyed the book ( especially Lei's mandatory counseling sessions) Since I grabbed the first three books in this series when they were kindle freebies, I'm excited to already have the next book available to start today.

Taken by Tuesday

As a member of Net Galley, I occasionally get to read books before they are released. Such is the case with Taken by Tuesday  by Catherine Bybee. Nice, right? I also am not required by Net Galley to write a positive review or any review at all for that matter. Hence, I only review what I truly like. Even so, for the sake of integrity, I still denote both here and on Amazon reviews written from Net Galley reads.

Taken by Tuesday was written by a new author to me. It is also not the first book in its series, but I had no trouble reading it as a standalone. To start with the only complaints I had regarding this book, I really never got how the title actually related to the story, and the cover ( while cute) really didn't exemplify the content of the book in my opinion. Otherwise, I have nothing negative to say. I really enjoyed this story and was pleasantly surprised to find way more suspense than the cover would indicate. Judy, a spunky independent recent college graduate, finds herself the object of a violent stalker. In a harrowing attack and its aftermath, Judy loses much of her confidence along with her independence. Stepping to the plate to offer protection is Rick. He is a former marine turned security specialist who works for Judy's famous brother. Rick has known Judy for a while and has been attracted to her for longer than she knows.

From a psychology perspective, I thought the author was spot on in how she portrayed the characters' emotions, especially Judy's post traumatic issues. The creepy descriptions of the villian's thoughts and motivations also read very realistically. The couple's chemistry was wonderfully flirty and consistent.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and found myself hooked on even the peripheral characters. Driven by my need to know how some of the characters met and how other characters might connect in the future, I suppose I will now need to read the rest of the books in this series. Hopefully they will be just as interesting and suspenseful as this one.

If you love a dark suspense that totally sucks you in and messes with your emotions, I have just the series...The King Trilogy by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff. The first two books are already out with the final book set to release toward the end of this year. Obviously, since this is a series, it follows the main characters throughout each book with lots of cliffhangers, danger, and confounding mysteries. The characters are great. The sexiness factor is off the charts, and the storyline will constantly have you questioning everything you think you've figured out about what's really going on. I'm totally hooked!  Check out the links to my reviews, and definitely check out these books!!!


http://smile.amazon.com/review/R1O7V18P3PHIUV/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

http://smile.amazon.com/review/R3RM1SLOAJ8YQS/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

Happy reading!

The beginning...

Okay, so here I am. I'm officially a blogger...sort of. Can you call yourself a blogger when this is your first post? Hmmmmm.... In any case, I plan to give this a valiant effort. Why? The answer is simple...I love to talk about books!!!  Mainly, I really love to talk about suspense books. Unfortunately, I find myself completely alone in that endeavor save for one lone friend who happily borrows all the books I shove her way.  That is just not enough for me. Sometimes I really feel like books are the only salvation for my sanity :-) Shouldn't I share that sanity with others?

Maybe your life isn't so crazy as mine. I spend the majority of my time homeschooling my 4 kids, coping with all the crazy aspects of parenting teenagers, being a caregiver for my dad who's suffering from Alzheimer's, teaching substance abuse prevention classes, and trying to find some "alone" time with my sexy but workaholic hubby. As my life gets busier and busier, my books keep me grounded and sane. Talking about my books totally brightens my day! I started writing reviews on Amazon about a year ago, but it doesn't really give me that discussion I crave (although those little helpful votes are kind of fun).  So, what is there to do but try blogging?

I'm a very fast reader, so I expect I will be posting reviews and comments quite frequently. Maybe some of you will check out the books and reply back with your own thoughts. I can't wait!!!