Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 333 - Marry Me by Sundown by Johanna Lindsey, Kill the Queen byJennifer Estep

Marry Me by Sundown by Johanna Lindsey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Part of the Callahan-Warren series Marry Me by Sundown pits Morgan Callahan against Violet Mitchell. The set up is both interesting and fun. We have the city girl against the western man. Add-on a missing amount of money, a loan coming due, and a kidnapping and you have the making of a interesting story. A nice addition to the series.

Pilar Witherspoon does a nice job on the voices in the audio book.


Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jennifer Estep has come up with a new winner in Kill the Queen. Lady Everleigh becomes Evie when she escapes a great danger. I loved the characters and the action. Evie has to accept that she is much stronger than she thinks. That journey takes her to new places with new supportive friends. The story starts as she watches as someone kill the queen, she then has to kill the new queen and knows that there will always be someone who wants to kill the queen. Everything comes in a circle as the book comes to a nice conclusion and is set up for the next book in the series.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 257 - Venom in the Veins by Jennifer Estep

Venom in the Veins by Jennifer Estep
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This takes Gin and friends into a difficult and dangerous situation. The past is coming back to haunt Gin and along the way her friends find themselves in great danger. There is unexpected help and a big surprise from Gin's past. I though this was one of the best Elemental Assassin books ever. It had a great conclusion and a set up for the next book in the series. Sometimes finding out about the past just leads to more trouble.


Destiny of Dragons by Jack Campbell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kira and Jason are once again at the center of the action and danger. Some of that danger is from outside but some in from Kira as she tries to come to grips with having both mage and Mechanic. The action is non-stop and the tension builds as Kira tries to force Jason away to save him. This is a great ending to a fun series. While it seems that all major problems have been solved there is a opening for the two to have further adventures. I hope that I will join them in a new adventure and get to visit Dematr again. The voices in the audio book were very well done adding to the enjoyment of the series.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 90 - Wanted and Wired by Vivien Jackson, Snared by Jennifer Estep, Echoes in Death by J.D. Robb

Wanted and Wired by Vivien Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first in a new paranormal series Wanted and Wired spends its time developing the world and the characters. It starts with a job gone bad and moves on to developing the two main characters. Heron is a post human which means he is wired and part machine. Mari is his partner and is different from what she seems. While the job gone bad puts both in the crosshairs of some very bad people Jackson uses that to build and develop the world Heron and Mari live in. At the same time we get to know more and more about Heron and Mari and how they react to the danger they are in. This is book one and a lot is left up in the air. I did enjoy seeing the world through Heron and Mari eyes and look forward to the next book in the series.


Snared by Jennifer Estep
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gin has been through a lot and in book 16 she goes through even more while trying to find and rescue a friends sister. While that is the focus of the action the flashbacks that Gin has change her focus. She is still going after the Circle but now she has some additional information that leaves her wondering about one of her main opponents. Estep has stepped up the action and the mystery and set Gin on a path that has some different elements including help from an unexpected source. There is still a lot that Gin needs to know before she succeeds in her quest to bring down the Circle. As usual there is a great cast of characters who help keep the story moving. A very interesting addition to the series.

Echoes in Death by J.D. Robb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In this latest book Eve Dallas faces a situation that closely echoes something that happened in her past. While chasing the person responsible she has to face her past again. She does get her man and in a surprise at the end helps someone face what they did. Both are stronger at the end. We do get to see more of Roarke and how he and Eve are doing after several years of marriage. I liked this story and thought it was one of the better in the series.

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Book Beginnings and The Friday 56 -December 2, 2016

I'm linking up with Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings and Freda's Voice for Page 56. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Pick the closest book on your book stack and join the fun.

The Beginning:

"My wedding day. It was supposed to be the happiest day of my life."

Page 56:

"Humm, looks like you're in luck, Sister Carmen. The Southside crew has a shipment coming in tomorrow night."

From Karma Girl by Jennifer Estep. I love Estep's Spider series so when I saw her name on the book I picked it up. This is one of her earlier books and a series I had not heard of before I found this book at my library's used book story. I haven't started it so don't know how good or bad it is. I did find that there are other books in the series.

I need to stay out of bookstores. I just can't seem to resist buying more and more books.

Short and Sweet Book Reviews #47 - City on Edge by Stefanie Pintoff, Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale, Unraveled by Jennifer Estep

City on Edge by Stefanie Pintoff
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had a hard time caring about any of the characters in City on Edge. I loved the blurb. A FBI team made up of criminals sounded really good. What kept me form caring was the fact that they never seemed to be a team and they sure did not care for each other. The plot was well developed and the writing was good. It should have been a page turner but it was not. It started off very slow as each character was introduced and a profile was part of each introduction. Then the story line developed. This is book two in the series and I wondered if I would have been more invested in the characters if I had read book one.



Everything We Keep by Kerry Lonsdale
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is not your run of the mill romance.  It is one that is truly full of surprises. Aimee Tierney has to come terms with the loss of the man she loves not once but twice. At the same time her career has to take a new route and a new man comes into her live. Everything We Keep has great writing, a fully developed plot that kept me guessing and some interesting well-developed characters. I really recommend this one for all the twists and turns it takes. Look for another surprise at the end. I wonder if it is a teaser for a story featuring a character in Everything We Keep


Unraveled by Jennifer Estep
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In Bitter Bite Gin Blanco found that she had a new enemy; at least a new to her enemy but one that has been around since she was a child. In Unraveled Estep fleshes out that enemy when she sends Gin and friends on a vacation to the theme park Finnegan Lane, her foster brother, inherits. By the end of the book Gin has a whole new set of enemies to find and fight. Unraveled is a great set up for the next series of Elemental Assassin books. Instead of same old, same old that often happens in a long series there is a new and interesting enemy for Gin and friends

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews #20 – Unwanted by Jennifer Estep, Dark Run by Mike Brooks, Forces From Beyond by Simon R. Green

Unwanted (Elemental Assassin #14.5) by Jennifer Estep

Paranormal Novella

While this is part of the Elemental Assassin series it is told from Finnegan Lane’s point of view.  In the last book Finn royally messed up.  Now he is having to pay the price.  The people he works with want nothing to do with him and he knows that he deserved how he is being treated.  His reaction is what makes this such a nice story.  Instead of crawling into a hole and pulling it closed he works help someone he hurt.

Dark Run (Keiko #1) by Mike Brooks

Science Fiction/Space Opera

On the space ship Keiko your past does not matter until suddenly it does.  Captain Ichabod Drift’s past comes to haunt him and leads to a job he really does not want.  The back-story and world building are very well done.  There is action, tension and a lot of danger both before and after they make a dark run to deliver a cargo to Earth.  A fun story and a great set up for a series.  While we know Drift’s past there are others on the ship whose past is still a mystery.

Forces From Beyond (A Ghost Finders Novel) by Simon R. Green

Paranormal

I have listened on CD to JC, Kim Happy and Melody through all of their adventures. I did the same with Forces from Beyond.  I did not realize that this was their last adventure but I have to say it was a very good one.  The Flesh Undying has been an enemy for a long time and now it is time to send it back where it came from.  Other old enemies also show up to make trouble.  While there is danger there is also humor to go with it.  I loved the ending.  It was just right for all four of the main characters.

Spider's Trap (Elemental Assassins #13) by Jennifer Estep

Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

From Goodreads:

The next thrilling book in Jennifer Estep’s New York Times and USA Today bestselling Elemental Assassin series—“an extraordinary series… One of the most intriguing heroines in the genre” (Romantic Times Book Reviews).

Keep your friends close but your enemies within stabbing distance.

One important lesson I’ve learned in the assassination business is that to be the best you have to roll with the punches. Now that I’m queen of Ashland’s underworld—by default, not by choice—a lot more punches are being thrown my way. But I suppose that’s the price of victory for taking down some of the underworld’s top dogs. Good thing I have my Ice and Stone magic to help me survive my volatile new position. Just when I think things are finally settling down, someone tries to murder me during a hush-hush underworld meeting. But the real surprise is how strangely familiar my shadowy assailant seems to be.

My job is to maintain order among killers, crooks, and thieves, and soon I’m embroiled in a bloody game where the ability to keep secrets could be the greatest superpower of all. My enemies have all sharpened their knives and laid their traps, waiting for me to fall. But this Spider weaves her own webs of death…

Gin has a new job and it is one she does not really want.  That is what she gets for taking down the leaders of the underworld.  Now she is the head.  When some one tries to blow up Philip’s boat with Gin on it she thinks they are after her.  Turns out she is wrong.

Once again the past comes into the present.  This time it is an event from her very early days – one that she has forgotten.  It is not Gin they want but someone else who was there that day.

You can expect a lot of violence in the Elemental Assassin books and Spider’s Trap is no exception.  Once again it looks like Gin will lose but at the last minute she prevails.  Before that happens she almost loses someone that is very important to her. 

All of the events in Spider’s Trap work toward Gin accepting that she is the underworld boss.   It also adds a new characters to the series.  

There is a big bomb shell at the end.  It seems there are still more secrets that are going to come out.  Danger to Gin and friends is not over by a long shot.  That hint at the end left me ready for the next book in the series.

Pocket Books published Spider’s Trap by Jennifer Estep in 2015.

I received an ARC of Spider’s Trap from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Book Beginnings and The Friday 56

I'm linking up with Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings and Freda's Voice for Page 56. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Pick the closest book on your book stack and join the fun.

The Beginning:

"I really want to stab someone right now."

The Friday 56 (33% on my Kindle)

"Feeling more frustrated than ever before, I trudged upstairs, took a long, hot shower, and went to bed."

From Spider's Trap by Jennifer Estep. The latest book in the Elemental Assassin Series. It looks like a good addition to the series.

Cold Burn of Magic (Black Blade #1) by Jennifer Estep

YA Paranormal

From Goodreads:

There Be Monsters Here. . .
It's not as great as you'd think, living in a tourist town that's known as "the most magical place in America." Same boring high school, just twice as many monsters under the bridges and rival Families killing each other for power. 
 
I try to keep out of it. I've got my mom's bloodiron sword and my slightly illegal home in the basement of the municipal library. And a couple of Talents I try to keep quiet, including very light fingers and a way with a lock pick.

But then some nasty characters bring their Family feud into my friend's pawn shop, and I have to make a call--get involved, or watch a cute guy die because I didn't. I guess I made the wrong choice, because now I'm stuck putting everything on the line for Devon Sinclair. My mom was murdered because of the Families, and it looks like I'm going to end up just like her. .

World Building:  As the book started I expected it to be set in a magical middle ages kingdom.  That changed after a few pages.  This is set in the US with everything just like today except for the magic, monsters, and town that does not exist.  The first few chapters lay out the description of the town and the rules for the monsters and the magic.  It flows without really slowing out the story.

Plot:  It was familiar.  The girl from the streets who has to protect the son of one of the main families in the town.  It is well written and easy to read and the even though it followed a familiar theme it was a satisfying read.

Characters:  I found it easy to get into the head of the characters.  Some were very well developed and some were more of a sketch than a person.  Even so all worked well in the context of the story.

Writing:  The story was well-written and again very easy to read.  The world building, plot and characters development allowed the reader to enjoy the story without anything pulling you out of the book.

All in all this is a good start to a new YA series and I will be looking for the next book in the series.  While one problem is solved there is a much bigger problem for future books.

Kensington published A Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep in 2015.

I received an ARC of A Cold Burn of Magic from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Stacking The Shelves - March 7, 2015

Books Stacked on My Shelves

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books I added to my shelves this week. They may it be physical or virtual. I include books I buy in a physical store or online, books I borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  Follow the link to see what others have on their shelves. 

This week two of the books I had a hold on at my local library came in.  Jayne Ann Krentz's latest Trust No One and Tasha Alexander's latest Lady Emily Mystery The Counterfeit Heiress both arrived and were available for check out.  Now they are waiting for me to finish my current book and dive into both of these.

When I checked Netgalley this week I found a whole group that I wanted to read and review.  I had my review list down and now it has 8 new titles.  Most are Science Fiction or Paranormal, two of my favorite reading groups.

The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier Leviathan by Jack Campbell

Omega by SM Reine

Angles of Attack by Marko Kloos

Alien Separation by Gini Koch

Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep

King of Thieves by Evan Currie

The Alchemist’s Daughter by Mary Lawrence

Betrayed by Your Kiss by Laura Landon

Black Widow (Elemental Assassin #12) by Jennifer Estep

Paranormal Mystery

From Goodreads:

There’s nothing worse than a cruel, cunning enemy with time to kill—and my murder to plan.

With wicked Fire elemental Mab Monroe long gone, you’d think I could finally catch a break. But someone’s always trying to take me down, either as Gin Blanco or my assassin alter-ago. Now along comes the Spider’s new arch-nemesis, the mysteriously named M. M. Monroe, who is gleefully working overtime to trap me in a sticky web of deceit.

The thing is, I’m not the only target. I can see through the tangled threads enough to know that every bit of bad luck my friends have been having lately is no accident—and that each unfortunate “coincidence” is just one more arrow drawing ever closer to hitting the real bulls-eye. Though new to Ashland, this M. M. Monroe is no stranger to irony, trying to get me, an assassin, framed for murder. Yet, as my enemy’s master plan is slowly revealed, I have a sinking feeling that it will take more than my powerful Ice and Stone magic to stop my whole life from going up in flames.

When Mab’s daughter showed up in the last book I stated that I hoped that the next books would not be a repeat with the daughter instead of Mab as the next villain.  Well I got my wish.    This was not a repeat of previous books.  Gin takes care of M. M. Monroe before the book is over and the plot is one we have not seen before.  

I loved how Gin was slowly being suckered.  M. M. Monroe worked very hard to get Gin into a trap she could not survive.  Of course we all know Gin had maneuvers of her own going. Monroe goes after Gin’s friends first. Then springs the trap on Gin and it looks like she will lose everything that is important in her life. Seeing how everything works out in the end makes for another interesting adventure for Gin and friends.

Pocket Books published Black Widow by Jennifer Estep in 2014.

I received a free ARC of Black Widow from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Stacking the Shelves, September 13, 2014

Books Stacked on My Shelves

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books I added to my shelves this week. They may it be physical or virtual. I include books I buy in a physical store or online, books I borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  Follow the link to see what others have on their 

shelves.

I went a little crazy with the review copies this week. I just had my list down to a very manageable few then this long list became available.  I guess a very manageable group just is not for me.

Deadly Obsession by Maggie Shayne

Call of the Dragon by Euanne Adams

A Hero for the Empire by Christina Westcott

Black Widow by Jennifer Estep

Generation 19 by Keri Arthur

Penumbra by Keri Arthur

Rock Courtship by Nalini Singh

Christmas at Seashell Cottage by Donna Alward

A Little Christmas Jingle by Michele Dunaway

Christmas Brides by Suzanne Enoch, Alexandra Hawkins, Elizabeth Essex, Valerie Bowman

The Governess Club: Sara by Ellie MacDonald

Poison Promise (Elemental Assassin #11) by Jennifer Estep

Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

From Goodreads:

In book eleven of her New York Times bestselling Elemental Assassin series, author Jennifer Estep continues “one of the best urban fantasy series going on the market” (Fresh Fiction).

Gin Blanco is hard-nosed, sexy, and lethal. Nicknamed “The Spider,” she’s a stone elemental assassin who brings her unique mix of magic and tact to every assignment, no matter the target.

There’s a new drug on the streets of Ashland, and its name “Burn” sums up the potent effect it has on its users. When one of her restaurant employees is threatened by dealers of the drug, Gin steps in to set things straight.

This time Gin Blanco goes up against the drug lord of Ashland.  She thinks that she made the choice to take him on but when all is said and done she finds she has been manipulated.  By who?  A new version of  an old enemy.

I felt like Gin as the book ended.  I was really let down.  The battle was exciting, Gin had a fight for her life and in the end she found that she set up a bigger enemy.  While I liked the story I did wonder if we were about to go back to the beginning and see a replay of the first few books.  I guess I will find out when book 12 comes out.

Pocket Books published Poison Promise by Jennifer Estep in 2014.

I received an ARC of Poison Promise from Netgalley.

Stacking the Shelves, June 14, 2014

Books Stacked on My Shelves

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books I added to my shelves this week. They may it be physical or virtual. I include books I buy in a physical store or online, books I borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  Follow the link to see what others have on their 

shelves.

Purchased:  

Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues by Diana Rowland

White Trash Zombie Apocalypse by Diana Rowland

For Review:

Poison Promise by Jennifer Estep

How the Scoundrel Seduces by Sabrina Jeffries

Trial by Fire by Charles E. Gannon

Wood Sprites by Wen Spencer

Heroes Are My Weakness Susan Elizabeth Phillips

The Spider (Elemental Assassin #10) by Jennifer Estep

Paranormal

From Goodreads:

The tenth book in the bestselling and “outstanding” (Romantic Times) Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series finally reveals for the first time the origins of Gin Blanco’s career as the deadliest of assassins.

For the first time, the origins of Gin Blanco’s career as the deadly assassin “the Spider” are revealed in full. In a story that pre-dates the other nine books in the series, Gin Blanco goes through her paces to become the most feared assassin in the Ashland.

About this time last year I read the first book in the Elemental Assassin’s series and inhaled the next 7 in very short order.  # 9 came out shortly after and I immediately read that one too.  For some reason I had The Spider on my TBR pile for several weeks before picking it up to read.  I think maybe I was worried that this would be one that I did not like.  I do like it but with some reservations.

This story is set in the past, long before the events in the previous books.  For the first time we see Fletcher alive and working.  Gin and Finn are getting over sibling rivalry and working out their relationship.  Gin takes a job Fletcher has questions about and the story unfolds from there.

You might think starting here with a prequel would be the best way to get into the series but I do think you need some back-story before you read The Spider.  Hints are dropped into the story but you will miss some of the small things if this is your first book in the series.

Some of those include the introduction of characters that will play an important part in the series.  They are just side characters here and without the knowledge gained from the first 9 books you will not see how important they will become.  Even Owen has a bit part here.

For me the story divided into two parts:

Part one is a train wreck waiting to happen.  You can see it from Gin’s actions.  She thinks she knows it all and it is a set up for part two.  I really did not enjoy that part.  In fact I almost skimmed thought it because I could see what was about to happen.  I read really fast get to part two.

Part two was where all the action happened.  Gin realizes that she was set up and takes revenge.  Here Gin really comes into her own as an assassin.  She learns and uses what she learns about herself to really fully grow into The Spider.

While this is listed as telling the origins of Gin Blanco’s career what it really tells is the job that happens after she had started her career.  It tell a lot about how she accepts jobs in the future and shows that she is more than her job makes her.

The Spider is not my favorite book in the series but it does play an important part in the series.  If you have started this series The Spider is an important book to read.  If you have not started the series you have 10 books ready to read.

Pocket Books published The Spider by Jennifer Estep in 2014.