Sunday, January 18, 2015

Vacant (Mindspace Investigations #4) by Alex Hughes

Science Fiction/Urban Fantasy

From Goodreads:

Nothing ruins a romantic evening like a brawl with lowlifes—especially when one of them later turns up dead and my date, Detective Isabella Cherabino, is the #1 suspect. My history with the Atlanta PD on both sides of the law makes me an unreliable witness, so while Cherabino is suspended, I’m paying my bills by taking an FBI gig.

I’ve been hired to play telepathic bodyguard for Tommy, the ten-year-old son of a superior court judge in Savannah presiding over the murder trial of a mob-connected mogul. After an attempt on the kid’s life, the Feds believe he’s been targeted by the businessman’s “associates.”

Turns out, Tommy’s a nascent telepath, so I’m trying to help him get a handle on his Ability. But it doesn’t take a mind reader to see that there’s something going on with this kid’s parents that’s stressing him out more than a death threat…

I like this series and the interaction between Adam Ward and Isabella Cherabino keeps the series going.  This time though Adam and Isabella are not together for most of the story.  There are two parts to this story.  The main story is about Adam and how he handles a new job away from Atlanta.  The other story is in the backgound .  Cherabino is under fire and Alan cannot be there to help her.

Hughes uses the story to add more detail to the world of Mindspace Investigations.  Vacant is more of a side story.  It adds a lot to the series but most of the action is there to set the stage for the next chapter in the lives of Adam and Cherabino.

While Vacant could stand alone I recommend reading the other novels in the series first.


Roc published Vacant by Alex Hughes in 2014.

Friday, January 16, 2015

Book Beginnings and The Friday 56 - January 16, 2015

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:

"Michael Enzo is an author who, according to his records has written over one hundred and eight self-help book (although only fifty four can directly attributed using the names of mover stars, politicians, and business leaders to sell these books."

Page 56:

"Things change. Responsibility has a way of destroying you."

From Confessions of a Self-Help Writer by Benjamin W. Dehaven.

This is a book I won several months ago. While it sounds like non-fiction it is not. Haven't read it yet.

I am still suffering from the flu that turned into something else and I'm only posting when I feel like it. I have been able to read these last few days so am bringing down my TBR pile.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

I Have The Flu

If you follow me and wonder where I am.  I have the flu.  I also had the flu shot.  It is not fun and I have not felt like doing anything even reading.  Hope I will be back soon.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Stacking the Shelves - January 3, 2015


Books Stacked on My Shelves

I only got one book this week.  My Real Children by Jo Walton is
our Science Fiction Book Club book for January.  It was my pick.  I have seen a lot about Walton but never read one of her books.  I got it as an eBook but have not gotten very far on it.  I had to flu shot this year but just my luck - I have the flu.  They did keep saying it did not cover all types this year and I am proof of that.  Hopefully I will feel better soon and want to do more reading.

Friday, January 2, 2015

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:


"When Alex Benedict graduated high school, his uncle Gabe, the only parent he'd ever known, provided the ultimate gift: a flight to Earth, the home world, the place where everything had started."

Page 56:

"Whether Kolchevsky was going up or coming down, this would have been a difficult patch of ground to navigate. He had apparently staggered off into the shrubbery and collapsed."

From Coming Home by Jack McDevitt. This is the latest book in the Alex Benedict series. I have followed Alex and his adventures from book one. Coming Home is book #7. These can be read as a stand-alone so if you are a SciFi fan pick this one up.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

The Assassin’s Salvation (Mandrake Company #3) by Ruby Lionsdrake

Science Fiction Romance

From Goodreads:

When Jamie Flipkens signed on as a pilot and engineer for a small medical research company, she never expected to end up on a mercenary ship full of hulking soldiers who want to make her their latest conquest. The captain has been good to her--it doesn't hurt that he's her boss's new beau--but she's on the verge of quitting when a strange man shows up at her shuttle door.

Sergei Zharkov claims to be an old friend of the captain's. He neglects to mention that he's also an assassin, a dangerous man who even the hardened mercenaries avoid. Jamie should avoid him, too, but she's drawn to the charm that sometimes escapes from beneath his grim facade. She finds herself wanting to give him a reason to smile--and maybe a little more than that.

The problem? There's a fresh bounty on the captain's head, and it's possible Sergei is there to collect it.

Jamie Flipkens is one of the original characters featured in Mercenary Instincts.  She is a great pilot and engineer but is uncomfortable around men and as part of the Mandrake Company there are a lot of men around.

I loved the beginning of The Assassin’s Salvation.  Jamie is outside of the pink shuttle (yes, it is pink!  Read Mercenary Instincts to see why.) when Sergei Zharkov shows up.  The pink shuttle is not what he expected as his ride up to the ship.  Neither is Jamie.  What Jamie loves is how Sergei treats her from the beginning.  There is none of the lust and suggestive behavior she has been getting from the other mercenaries on the ship.  That is the beginning of their relationship.

Sergei has to prove that he is the Captains friend and that leads both he and Jamie into danger.  The romance takes time to develop and is wrapped into the story line as the two work together.

Like the previous two books The Assassin’s Salvation is a well written SFR story with interesting world building and character development.  The story line does build on things that happened in the two previous books but it can stand along.  Again I recommend reading Mercenary Instincts and Trial and Temptation first for maximum enjoyment.  The Assassin's Salvation is a great addition to the Mandrake Company series.


Amazon Digital Service publishedThe Assassin’s Salvation by Ruby Lionsdrake in 2014.