Short and Sweet Book Reviews #247 - Outbreak by Melissa F. Olson, Odysseus Ascendant by Evan Currie

Outbreak by Melissa F. Olson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have really liked Melissa Olson's other series so I decided to give this one a try. While I found the characters interesting I did not really bond with them. There was non-stop action and the world that everything took place in was different and fit the story line. The story seemed to pick up right after the second book and as I had not read either of the pervious books it did take me some time to realize what was going on. For me just an OK series. I think it would have been better if I had read the previous books. This was not a good stand-alone.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.


Odysseus Ascendant by Evan Currie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Evan Currie writes really kick ass science fiction. He has not let up on the action, danger and tension in Odysseus Ascendant. I enjoyed the book even though I have not read all the book in the Odyssey One series. I knew I had missed the action from some of the previous books but it was still an easy story to get into. While the danger is countered the big problem is still roaming the galaxy so look for more action and adventure in future books.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews #191- Shadow Hunt by Melissa F. Olson, Outpost by W. Michael Gear

Shadow Hunt by Melissa F. Olson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I first met Scarlett Bernard in Dead Spots and have followed her every since. This is book three is the second trilogy and the story just keeps getting better. Molly and Jesse are back and important characters in this story. The big surprise is something that Scarlett never expected. That surprise drives this plot and causes no end of trouble. When Scarlett unexpectedly leaves town an old enemy arrives and starts to take revenge. This is a fast paced story that ends with a new relationship between Scarlett and Jesse. About time is all I can say. This does end the Disrupted Magic trilogy but I hope that we will see more of Scarlett and the world she lives in.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.


Outpost by W. Michael Gear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Outpost has a very complex story line filled with interesting characters living on a very dangerous world. The viewpoint moves around from character to character often letting the reader know facts that are not shared with other characters. I loved Talina Perez. She is a embodiment of what it takes to live on Donovan. She is strong knows how to survive on this very dangerous planet. Donovan itself is a important character in the story. It is Earth like but filled with some very dangerous native life. The fact that supply ships have not been arriving as expected has changed the people and the life style on the planet. Great world building, interesting backstory and a multifaceted plot line make this a story hard to put down. Many things are left up in the air but everything is in place for the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

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Short and Sweet Book Reviews #73 - Dawn Study by Maria V. Snyder, Close to Home by Lily Everett, Midnight Curse by Melissa F. Olson

Dawn Study by Maria V. Snyder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Yelena and Valek are still in danger and it just keeps getting worse and worse. This is the final book in the Soulfinders trilogy and a lot is wrapped up by the end of the book. All of the side characters play an important part in the story line. Some are out looking for information about the plants that are producing elements that affect people while others are in the cities gathering information. There are so many highs and lows in the book the review would be pages long to list them all. Just be aware that things often look very grim until the very end. I was a little disappointed by the ending. I felt it was a little anti-climatic but it worked. It was the reason for a four rating instead of a five. I received a free copy of Dawn Study in return for an honest review.


Close to Home by Lily Everett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tessa and John did not have much of a marriage so while John was working undercover Tessa went off to discover who she really was and she started a divorce proceeding thinking she would free John. Turns out John did not want to be free. This was a lot about learning about yourself and trusting your partner. Both Tessa and John had a lot to overcome and had to discover who the other really was. A nice romance with several premises that are unusual in romance stories. Both were wonderful characters who pulled at my heart strings and had me pulling for them from the very first page of the book. This was not my first visit to Sanctuary Island and it was good to be back. The next book is out soon and it was easy to see who the next two to find an HEA will be. I received a free copy of Close to Home in return for an honest review.

Midnight Curse by Melissa F. Olson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It was great visiting with Scarlett, Molly, and Jesse again. What is even better is the fact that this is book one in a new series featuring Scarlett and her null power. This is a spin off from a previous series but it has enough information about the world where Scarlett lives to keep you from feeling lost. Molly is at the center of the mystery in Midnight Curse but Scarlett and Jesse are the two who have to work hard to keep things from going out of control. The story moves at at good pace. The side characters add to the story line. There is a satisfying ending with the hook for the next phase in Scarlett, Molly and Jesse's life.

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Boundary Lines by Melissa F. Olson

Urban Fantasy

From Goodreads:

Fitting into the Old World isn’t going very well for Boulder boundary witch Allison “Lex” Luther: she may have earned a place in a vampire’s service, but now it seems as if every supernatural creature in town has found a reason to hate her. And when Lex and her partner are assigned to investigate the suspicious disappearance of two vampires during the night of the full moon, they find themselves with more questions than answers.

Was it murder…or mutiny?

The crusade for answers will lead Lex all over the Colorado Old World, from a prison cell for a broken werewolf to a haunted Denver brothel. And when Lex determines the responsible party, the hunt is just beginning: something has been awakened in Boulder, something as old and powerful as it is terrifying. Only the woman with death in her blood can stop what’s coming.

Boundary Lines, book two in the Boundary Magic series, continues to keep the story exciting and interesting.  Allison “Lex” Luther has pledged her service to the vampires in order to keep her niece safe and it is making some people very unhappy.

Something has strengthens magic in Boulder.  According to a pack between groups there should be no werewolves in Colorado so why are they here.   Lex is caught between vampires, witches and werewolves as she works to find a solution that keeps war from breaking out and keeps her niece safe.

Boundary Lines continues the character development and world building started in Boundary Crossed (see my review here).  The plot is complex and comes to a very satisfying conclusion.  I am looking forward to book three in the series.

47North published Boundary Lines by Melissa F. Olson in 2015.

I received an ARC of Boundary Lines from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Boundary Crossed by Melissa F. Olson

Urban Fantasy

From Goodreads:

After her twin sister’s brutal murder, former US Army Sergeant Allison “Lex” Luther vowed to protect her niece, Charlie. So when two vampires try to kidnap the baby, it quickly turns into a fight to the death—Lex’s death, that is.

She wakes up to two shocking discoveries: she has miraculously survived the fight, and baby Charlie is a “null,” gifted with the ability to weaken supernatural forces...and a target for creatures who want to control that power. Determined to guarantee her niece’s safety, Lex makes a deal with the local vampires. She sets out with the mysterious—and undead—“fixer” Quinn to track down whoever’s responsible for the kidnapping, sharpening her newfound magic skills along the way. But the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous her powers become.

Boundary Crossed is a dark, thrilling journey into a world where the line between living and dead isn’t nearly as solid as it appears.

I read Melisa Olson’s Dead Spots several years ago and really enjoyed it.  47North offered me a free copy of Boundary Crossed at World Con this year and I quickly accepted. 

Boundary Crossed is a spin off from the Scarlett Bernard series but it does stand on its own.  There are a few characters that are in both series but for the most part the are just mentioned as part of the story line.

Allison “Lex” Luther is something of a lost soul.  She is just passing time until her niece is kidnapped.  That event starts the world building in the novel.  As Lex learns about a secret world that is all around her we do too.  The world is revealed through actions and through the introduction of new characters.  Olson does a great job of moving the plot, discovering the back-story and developing the characters while holding the readers attention.

Lex was my favorite character.   She starts out very lost.  As the story progresses she becomes stronger and stronger.  She loves her family and does what is needed to keep them safe.  I am looking forward to seeing what happened to Lex and the other characters in the next book.

47North published Boundary Crossed by Melissa F. Olson in 2015.

Stacking the Shelves - October 24, 2015

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 only got two new books this week and both are for review. 

Boundary Lines by Melissa F. Olson - This is book two in a new series.  I got a signed copy of book one, Boundary Crossed, at World Con when I went to the 47North party.




Reunion at Cardwell Ranch by B.J. Daniels - I am hooked on her books and love how characters show up more than once in books in her series.

 

Trail of Dead by Melissa E. Olson

Paranormal Mystery/Romance

From Goodreads:

"As a null, Scarlett Bernard possesses a rare ability to counteract the supernatural by instantly neutralizing spells and magical forces. For years she has used her gift to scrub crime scenes of any magical traces, helping the powerful paranormal communities of Los Angeles stay hidden. But after LAPD detective Jesse Cruz discovered Scarlett’s secret, he made a bargain with her: solve a particularly grisly murder case, and he would stay silent about the city’s unearthly underworld.
Now two dead witches are found a few days before Christmas, and Scarlett is once again strong-armed into assisting the investigation. She soon finds a connection between the murders and her own former mentor, Olivia, a null who mysteriously turned into a vampire and who harbors her own sinister agenda. Now Scarlett must revisit her painful past to find Olivia—unless the blood-drenched present claims her life first."

Trail of Dead is the second Scarlett Bernard Novel.  I read and reviewed the first novel, Dead Spots, in October of 2012.

Sometimes a second book is a let down.  That is not true of Trail of Dead.  If anything it is even better that Dead Spots.  One of the things that struck me this time was how two different authors can take the same premise and write books that are completely different.  In the Alexia Tarabotti novels by Gail Carriger Alexia can negate supernatural powers or when near vampires and werewolves they become normal humans.  Scarlett does the same but the stories and characters are completely different.  The fact that it took me two books to even make the comparison is proof of that.

The world building was done in Dead Spots.  The main characters are the same. Jesse, Scarlett and Eli are all part of the story but the focus has moved from Jesse and Eli to Scarlett.  Trail of Dead builds from the foundation laid in Dead Spots.  Again the writing is excellent, the plot well developed, the characters well drawn and tension builds to a satisfying conclusion.  Again, there were some unexpected twists and turns.  This book was based on a problem character from book one.  That character is now gone.  Trail of Dead could be the last Scarlett Bernard Novel but I am hoping that I saw a small set up for the next book.  I will certainly be on the look out and hoping that the series will continue.

Trail of Dead is scheduled for publication June 4, 2013.  I received an advanced reader’s copy review copy of Trail of Dead from Amazon Vine.  You should pre-order your copy now.  At 3.99 for the Kindle edition it is a bargain.

47 North will publish Trail of Dead by Melissa F. Olson in 2013.

Dead Spots by Melissa F. Olson

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Paranormal

Dead Spots is a very good first book and another one I had doubts about until I started reading.  47 North is the publisher and this is another of Amazon’s publishing companies.  I have had mixed results with their books but this one is first rate.

Here is a summary:

A woman with the ability to counteract magic is in a race against time--and the supernatural underworld--to catch a killer before another body drops.

Scarlett Bernard knows about personal space: step within ten feet of her, and any supernatural spells or demonic forces are instantly defused--vampires and werewolves become human again, and witches can't get out so much as a "hocus pocus." This special skill makes her a null and very valuable to Los Angeles's three most powerful magical communities, who utilize her ability to scrub crime scenes clean of all traces of the paranormal to keep humanity, and the LAPD, in the dark.

But one night Scarlett's late arrival to a grisly murder scene reveals her agenda and ends with LAPD's Jesse Cruz tracking her down to strike a deal: he'll keep quiet about the undead underworld if she helps solve the case. Their pact doesn't sit well with Dash, the city's chief bloodsucker, who fears his whole vampire empire is at stake. And when clues start to point to Scarlett, it'll take more than her unique powers to catch the real killer and clear her name.

Here is my opinion on different parts of the book.

Plot:  This is an intricate and complex plot.  It kept me guessing until the very end.  Expect to be surprised.  It even set up the next book in the series in a the context of everything that happened in Dead Spots

World building:  I really liked how the author handled building this world.  Information arrived just when you needed it and in a way that fit into the plot.  I never felt like anything was just dropped in.  Things were revealed in ways that fit and were a part of the story.  This is a paranormal world and it was explained in a logical and believable manner.

Back-story:  There had to be a lot of back-story included in the world building.  There was just enough to allow me to know the what and why of things.  Again it was a part of the story and did not intrude on story flow.

Characters:  There were really three main characters; Scarlett, Jesse and Eli.  Scarlett is the main character.  She is very well-drawn and comes from a difficult back ground, is likeable, and seems to be drifting through life.  Eli is just loveable.  He cares for Scarlett even though she thinks he is just using her.  Jesse on the other hand is the very clean all American type.  There is a slight triangle here.  There are a number of important side characters.  Each had just the right amount of development to fit in the story. 

Writing:  I was really impressed with the writing.  Everything was laid out in a logical manner.  I did not see one place where things did not flow smoothly.  Characters, back-story, world building, tension and plotting all meshed into a smooth whole. 

Tension:  There was plenty of tension in this story.  Scarlett blamed herself of a lot of things in the past causing her a lot of internal tension.  There was the murder and the deadline for solving that ramped up the external tension.  There was the tension between the characters that added to that external tension.  All in all a satisfactory balance between external and internal factors moving the story.

I do not hesitate to recommend this book to anyone who loves paranormal books. Dead Spots is a well- written book that tells an excellent story.

47 North published Dead Spots by Melissa F. Olson in 2012.