A Gaggle of Book Reviews

Have you ever read any books in the Urban Fantasy genre? Some mystery fans may be leery of reading paranormals or vampire books. However, there are some very intense mysteries published that are also paranormal/urban fantasy/vampire books as well. A Rush of Wings, by Adrian Phoenix is one of those hybrids, containing an intensely suspenseful mystery, vampires, as well as a touch of romance.

Unlike many urban fantasy novels, in A Rush of Wings, the world at large is not knowledgeable about vampires and other paranormal beings. With this one difference, the storyline’s very realistic feel becomes even more intense. FBI agent Heather Wallace is tracking the Cross Country Killer (CCK) when she arrives in New Orleans to see if a recent murder fits the CCK profile. Heather’s investigation brings her to the club next to where the body was dumped, Club Hell, owned by a mysterious young man named Dante. The elusive Dante is a member of the band Inferno, but doesn’t grant interviews or photographs, and mysteriously appears to have no last name, birth date, or social security number; the only links to his past are the 60 foster homes he lived in before reaching maturity. At first, Dante’s friends block Heather from meeting him, but soon she is conversing with the Cajun sweet-talker.

Heather quickly comes to the conclusion that Dante isn’t the CCK, but why are the most recent murders focused on his club, and why is the FBI trying to pull her away from New Orleans when that’s where she’s finding clues? Dante’s looks and personality pull people to him, his attachment to his friends and his compassion are just as close to the surface as his universal sex appeal. As A Rush of Wings continues we meet fallen angels, more of the Nightkind (aka vampires, who do not need to kill to feed, but can kill during feeding), and learn more about Dante and his headaches caused by his missing memories of the past. There are so many layers to each person, Heather is much more than an agent, Dante is much more than a vampire, and each layer is uncovered as the book takes flight.

While we are pulled into the lives of Heather and Dante, we also meet a mix of police officers, FBI agents, killers, and Nightkind. Adrian Phoenix has done a wonderful job with the characters. A Rush of Wings has a large cast, but it isn’t unwieldy, and the author’s talent for creating fleshed out characters makes it easier for the reader to remember everyone. There are also sub-plots mixed in with the murder mystery, everything is intertwined, and the suspense builds as we learn a tidbit here and a tidbit there.

At the beginning of A Rush of Wings, I was a little confused, as Adrian Phoenix drops us right into the lives of Heather and Dante, without much of an introduction to their worlds. However, I quickly started to piece things together, and I was learning about the characters, their worlds, and the mystery of the killings all at once. Many authors have used New Orleans as a setting for their vampire novels, so it has a familiar feel, but with a unique twist; the Cajun French interspersed with the English reinforces that connection. This is a book that keeps you anxious to turn the next page, and even when you know who the killer is, you are so fascinated learn why that you can’t put it down until the last words are read. Add in the growing relationship between Dante and Heather, and you really want to see what’s on the next page! A Rush of Wings is a book that is both plot and character driven, and with great characters and an incredibly intense plot, it’s a compelling read that deserves more attention!

If you enjoy murder mysteries, suspense, urban fantasy, and/or great vampire novels, you’ll really enjoy A Rush of Wings. Urban fantasy is rarely stocked on your library shelves, though, so if you want to try before you buy, you can read chapter one at the author’s website. Get ready to be carried away by the story, it will take you on quite an intense ride. After you’ve let A Rush of Wings fly you to another world, you’ll be eagerly anticipating the January ‘09 sequel, In the Blood!

This book was received from the publisher for review

Some authors use the same main character for all the books in a series. Other authors use one book’s minor character as the next book’s main character. It’s rare, though, to find a series where the first two books focus on the same character, yet the third book makes main characters out of people who were on the sidelines. Michelle Rowen manages that feat in her newly released book in the Immortality Bites series, Lady & the Vamp, which follows her hits Bitten & Smitten and Fanged & Fabulous.

Rowen’s vampires are brooding, romantic kind who do not need to kill to feed, and most of them live off donated blood, without much need for biting. Their feeding style makes these handsome vampires all the more appealing, especially as we start to enter tick season (ticks, the repulsive blood suckers). In Bitten & Smitten and Fanged & Fabulous, Rowen’s novels focused on new vampire Sarah Dearly, who was torn romantically between former vampire hunter turned vamp Michael Quinn and the mysterious 600+ year old vampire Thierry. When that situation was resolved in the end of Fanged & Fabulous, I wondered what would happen in the series - books that follow happy endings are often dull or create unnecessary strife between the couple for plot development. How many times do we really need to see the same two characters breaking up and getting back together? Now that Quinn is out of that romantic triangle, he is open pickings for being a main character, and for a woman who is ok with dating vampires who carry excess baggage.

In Lady & the Vamp, readers who are not already familiar with the emotionally tormented Quinn are brought up to date efficiently. Rowen fills them in on his history being raised as a vampire hunter, and now a new, reluctant vampire, as well as his relationship availability status. Quinn takes the “reluctant vamp” label to new levels - he’s out of town, so he doesn’t know where the closest vampire bar is located. Since he’s never bitten anyone and wants to keep it that way, he starts to become the first vampire anorexic I’ve ever seen! Fans will also remember Janie Parker as the bodyguard/assassin from Fanged & Fabulous, and the woman who grew up with a crush on Quinn. Rowen switches perspectives between Janie and Quinn, so we are quickly up-to-date on their lives without fans feeling overwhelmed by too many details.

When Janie and Quinn are brought together in Lady & the Vamp, they both search for a mysterious hidden object called the “Eye”, though for different purposes. Legend says that the Eye can be used once every thousand years to fulfill a wish, but there are mysteries in how to find it and how to properly use it. Quinn is wish for return to humanity, desperate to stop being a vampire. Janie, however, is tracking the Eye as a job for her boss, who requires contracts be signed in blood. Real blood, with very few out-clauses. As they search for the Eye, the stories of other characters from the Immortality Bites series are brought up to date, and we meet new characters and new life-and-death challenges. Quinn and Janie are vibrant characters who could’ve easily stolen the spotlight in the earlier books, so it isn’t hard for the reader to quickly become enamored of them, and eager to know what happens next. Even during suspenseful, mysterious segments of the book, Rowen’s humor shines through and some of the tension is eased.

If you loved Bitten & Smitten and Fanged & Fabulous, you will not be disappointed with Lady & the Vamp. Rowen has a great touch with her characters, both the major and minor characters are well-developed, with plenty of personality and quirks. Additionally, the storyline has plenty of twists and turns that squiggle into an unexpected direction. While we know in advance about the romantic ending, the how, why, and when is a surprise, as is uncovering the other relationships along the way. Lady & the Vamp far exceeded my expectations, and I had a very hard time putting it down in order to make dinner!

You’ll definitely want to pick up Lady & the Vamp, it’s a great read for “spring” that is masquerading as winter, and also for the beach when the snow melts! If you like romance, chick lit, paranormals, or a bit of suspense, you should definitely give the Immortality Bites series by Michelle Rowen a try! Grab the great vampire novels Bitten & Smitten and Fanged & Fabulous in addition to the new Lady & the Vamp!

Notorious is Michele Martinez’s newest suspense mystery novel. An intense mix of thriller, suspense, legal mystery, and some sexy bits, Notorious is a novel you should only pick up if you don’t have any pressing engagements. I recommend a nice cup of tea, a cozy chair, a fleece blanket, and a dog to warm your toes while you read about federal prosecutor Melanie Vargus’s latest case.

Whether you’re a long-time fan or a newcomer to Martinez’s writing, Notorious pull you into the plot within moments. I haven’t (yet) read the earlier books, and yet I felt completely caught up on the life of prosecutor Melanie Vargus and the threads that intertwine her with the other characters. Personally and professionally, Melanie has a lot going on in this novel. She’s working a very high profile case, the opposing counsel is a man she’s long admired and considered dating, there are links to drug lords and terrorism in her case, she’s still trying to get over her last relationship, and she’s trying to find more time in her schedule for her 2 year old daughter.

While the plot is what engages everyone in a mystery, sometimes with a large cast you can get lost, confused which character did what. In Notorious, Martinez has created a large cast, but she has written each character with depth and skill, so their personalities shine through quickly. Martinez uses the third person to help us get a feeling for each character, and get a peek into their minds. While that perspective can be used to keep the reader at a distance, in this case it makes us care for each character, and see why some of them have taken wrong turns. Martinez has an incredible skill for character, I felt as if I had known all of her charactes for years as soon as I “met” them. I’m now impatient to read their extended backstories in the other novels.

Have you started to feel that some of your former favorite mystery authors aren’t writing as well as they used to? Or perhaps you just need a fresh take on female characters and crime? If you’ve been disappointed recently by another mystery, don’t worry about this one. The pace of Notorious is fast, filled with drama in the courtroom, out-of-court investigations, and you’re on the edge of your seat, wracking your brain to try to figure out who dunnit and how they did it. Martinez weaves suspicion between several characters, with red herrings and coincidences conspiring to keep the reader guessing. She plays fair, though, there are dots you can check back on, no deus ex machina plot resolutions here! I will be reading Michele Martinez’s earlier novels as soon as I can, she has created plots and characters in Notorious that blew me away.

I’ve been chatting up Notorious to everyone I see since I read it, but I’m totally serious that if you haven’t read any of Michele Martinez’s novels, you’re missing out. If you’re familiar with her work, why haven’t you picked up her newest release? Go grab it now! While I strongly recommend checking out Notorious, you don’t have to take my word for it that Notorious is going to pull you in quickly; read the first two chapters of Notorious and see for yourself!

This book was received from the publisher for review

Staked is the debut novel from author J. F. Lewis, and it’s a very different vampire novel than what I have been reading. The story centers around Eric, a relatively young yet incredibly powerful vampire, who has some major problems with memory loss and anger management; blackouts are never a good thing! Eric isn’t a dark, brooding, sexy, romantic hero, this is a guy’s guy vampire; a vampire who owns a strip club. While I love the romantic hero vampires, it’s refreshing to see a vampire with an attitude problem.

Eric has what most guys would consider a dream job - running a strip club, with human girlfriends whenever he needs them. As a bonus, he has plenty of money, so he doesn’t need to worry about the success of his business. In Staked’s vampire world, vampires don’t need to kill when they feed, but sometimes it happens; since Void City is run by vamps, you’re just charged a fee for body removal. By running a strip club, Eric also has a large number of potential “donors” available every day. Even though he’s a “guy’s guy vampire”, Eric still reigned in the interest of this female reader, plus, part of Staked is told through the voice of Tabitha, Eric’s current girlfriend, so there’s more than one side to the story.

While Eric wants to just drink some blood and enjoy himself, he ends up with one problem after another. In Void City, there’s a grudge between vampires and werewolves, and when Eric gets into a fit of rage and kills a werewolf in self-defense, he ends up the target of every werewolf in the area. When Eric has to fight, it’s quickly made clear that he’s an uber-vamp, one who can keep bouncing back from anything and everything, killing any enemy in his path. Meanwhile, Eric’s got more problems than just his anger-management, he just “changed” Tabitha, and he’s not all that happy about it. His pre-vampire fiancée is still refusing to become a vampire or return to fiancée status, choosing to age alone, and there are all kinds of love triangles happening, some of which are pretty volatile. What will happen when Tabitha finds out Eric’s been sleeping with Rachel, her younger sister?

The characters in Staked are unique enough to grab my attention, even after innumerable hours reading vampire novels. Eric definitely fits into the “anti-hero” category, with major issues including rage-blackouts, relationship problems, and massive memory gaps. Tabitha is Eric’s current girlfriend/new vampire, and she is having a bit of buyer’s remorse; while she is in love with Eric, his assistant Talbot sure is hot… Eric’s friend Roger has known him as long as he’s been undead, but something feels a bit “off” about him. And, why on earth has Marilyn, who was Eric’s fiancée at the time of his death, stayed with him for 40 years, now managing the strip club? There are a lot of nooks and crannies in every character, stones that need to be overturned, though we might not always like what’s lurking underneath. Staked’s unique characters will pull you in, and since there’s an equally unique plot, you won’t be able to put it down.

Once you get caught up in the world of Staked, you’re stuck in its thrall. There’s enough violence and death to keep the novel going, but not so much that you can’t read it before bed. Staked walks a great balance with the suspense and gore, keeping the reader wanting to know the answer to the mysteries, but not completely grossed out; it’s a balance that one rarely sees in first novels. At the end of Staked, I couldn’t quite accept it was over, I needed just a few more pages! I’m hoping that the sequel, Revamped will be published relatively soon, I’m looking forward to more from Jeremy Lewis!
We definitely recommend Staked to men and women - it’s a great take on the vampire anti-hero! If you need a break from romantic vampire tales, pick this one up now.

This book was received from the publisher for review

Carpool Diem is a new book by Nancy Star. Star has taken the theme of soccer moms and the actual sport of soccer and taken it to another level, creating characters that will make you laugh, because it’s all just so true. If you’ve spent any time around youth soccer, you must take a look at this book, it was written for you!

Our main character in Carpool Diem is Annie, a high powered executive who travels for work, as does her husband Tim, who is also very busy and traveling a lot for work. Their nanny Hildy takes care of their 12 year old daughter Charlotte, and Annie is starting to realize that Hildy knows far more about what Charlotte is doing and more about everything in general. It’s right around the time that this realization is setting in that Annie is fired, and turns into a stay-at-home-mom slash consultant. Once she’s home, Annie realizes even more how out of it she’s been, when she meets her “new” neighbor, a woman who has lived in the house next door for two years.

Soon Annie has taken charge of their household as only someone who has focused on reorganization can do, with her work hard/play hard credo. After a career of doing and getting only the best, Annie is trying to put that philosophy to work for her at-home life, starting with getting Charlotte onto the Power, the super-duper-A+ travel soccer team. Coach Winslow West is the coach of the Power, and his over-the-top email missives to the team are interspersed in Carpool Diem with chapters focused on Annie, Tim, and Charlotte’s storyline. Winslow’s emails are a sight to behold, filled with new rules and exclamation points!

Nancy Star has really written perfect characters for Carpool Diem. I’ve been the parent who hopes for rain to cancel soccer practice, and reading about Winslow West’s “you only leave the field if lightning has touched the ground” rule made me laugh out loud; there are plenty of other lines just as funny, too. Annie pushes herself, Tim, and Charlotte hard, wanting everyone to do their best and be “winners”. At some points in the story, readers may want to slap Annie, but we all know she has to calm down at some point. Right? Star has also gotten the fun nuances of twelve-year-old girls, too: the perfect mix of sullen, giggly, and needy.

The characters are socca-riffic, and they pull along a great storyline. I was surprised at which underdogs I started to root for - frequently it was characters I had disliked at first. The plot really sweeps you through the book, it’ll keep you from putting it down, reading it in your warm car while your kids play soccer in 28 degree weather.

If you’re an at-home mom who has ever watched the uber-successful moms, and wished they could spend a day in the trenches, Carpool Diem is a must read! If you’ve ever wanted to thwack the soccer coach who goes way overboard about team rules, parent attendance (or absence), and being a socca-starter, you shouldn’t miss Carpool Diem. Between the over-the-top characters and the storyline that always has a surprise, Carpool Diem is a book you should definitely pick up. Put it in your socca-bag!

This book was received from the publisher for review

Where the Heart Leads: From the Casebook of Barnaby Adair is the newest historical mystery/romance from bestselling author Stephanie Laurens. If you love a good Regency romance, you’ll adore this novel. If you have never read a romance, but like a good historical fiction novel, or a good historical mystery, you will be surprised by how much you like this book.

I was raised by English majors. I don’t think I met anyone who read romances until I was in my mid-thirties. My family talked about reading “popcorn books”, (aka books that aren’t classified as literary fiction), but they were talking about anything on the bestseller list, people read popular mysteries, or occasionally sci fi/fantasy, but not romances. When I started reading chick lit, and then paranormals, I thought there was a big difference between those and romances. There really isn’t much of a difference at all, and I’m annoyed with myself for dismissing an entire branch of fiction because of this attitude! The storyline, character development, and rich background research in Where the Heart Leads leads to an enchanting story, one that is of higher quality than a lot of “quality” literature.

Where the Heart Leads follows the life of Barnaby Adair, the third son of an earl, through his fourth mystery in Lonndon during the 1830s. Adair works in conjunction with a policeman at Scotland Yard named Stokes. (If you’re up on your good mysteries, think Lord Peter and Parker about 90 years earlier.) Penelope is the sister of a Viscount, and has used her place in society to help others, specifically by running the Foundling House, which helps teaches orphans from the East End skills to help them gain legal employment when they are older. Recently, however, 4 boys have disappeared after the death of their guardian, and before someone from the Foundling House could arrive to pick them up. Penelope is worried about the 4 boys, and convinces Adair to help her find the boys and protect the next East End boys who become orphaned from the same fate.

Laurens writes with such detail that we can almost smell the world of the ton and the opposing world of the East End. The clothes and foods are likewise beautifully detailed, and combined with the depth of character truly pulls you into the story so you can’t put down Where the Heart Leads. Barnaby Adair is a confirmed bachelor - no wife would be happy with him performing his investigations assisting Stokes and the police. Penelope is likewise determined not to marry, as she is insistent that her duty is to the children of the Foundling House, and no husband would agree with her level of involvement there. The two are drawn together in the investigation, and in Penelope’s search for a passionate affair without any strings attached. As they investigate, Scotland Yard officer Stokes and popular milliner Griselda, who grew up in the East End. The two couples work together and with both the local “rozzers” (police) and the East Enders to locate the boys, make them safe, and thwart a burglary scheme.

If you’ve never tried a Regency romance, you will be swept away by Where the Heart Leads! If you are already a romance lover, don’t wait to pick this up, you’ll love it! If you’re a mystery lover, you’ll really enjoy the class struggles and the unique methods of investigation in the 1830s. Stephanie Laurens has created fabulous characters and a world that is lively and fun. I’m looking forward to checking out her other novels, too.

This book was received from the publisher for review

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming is the newest novel by bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson. A mix of mystery, parenting, paranormal, and the drama of family dysfunction, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming will quickly pull you under its spell. Jackson pulls on her own southern heritage to create a realistic-feeling impoverished rural Alabama town, and then she pulls on her life in the suburbs of Atlanta to create the contrasting perfect suburban neighborhood. The characters that spring from those contrasting towns are also drawn from people the author has observed, and they have an authentic feel.

When we first meet Laurel, the main character of The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, she is living a quiet life as a mother and fabric artist in the suburb of Victorianna, far from her mother’s impoverished roots. Laura had grown up with ghosts at her childhood home and in her mother’s rural hometown of DeLop, she had never seen any ghosts in Victorianna. Or, she hadn’t seen any ghosts until she was awoken by the ghost of her daughter’s best friend, who leads her to her body floating, floating in Laurel’s pool.

Laurel’s family is quickly pulled into the mystery of 13 year old Molly’s death; the police are questioning 13-year-old Shelby, Laurel is having problems trying to rescue Molly, and husband David has called in Laurel’s mother for assistance. The formerly peaceful home is filled with tension: Laurel’s worries about what she might have seen the night Molly died, Shelby’s silence, the presence of a teenage guest from DeLop, marital tension between David and Laurel, and then the intensity of emotions that comes when Laurel brings her sister Thalia home. The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, pulls you into the characters’ emotions, and you won’t want to stop reading.

Each of the characters in The Girl Who Stopped Swimming jumps off the page, with incredible depth of emotions and personality. Laurel and Dave’s characters go far beyond the meek suburban wife and stereotypical computer geek that one sees at first glance, with hidden depths that we see deepen during the course of the novel. Creating 12-13 year old kids is hard, but Jackson pulls of Shelby and her DeLop friend Bet; they aren’t perky and chatty, they are quiet and somewhat sullen, and thereby real.

Even the towns in The Girl Who Stopped Swimming are filled with personality, with none of the cardboard stereotypes that would have been easy to write. Jackson has based the fictional town of DeLop on a former mining town, and has based Victorianna on the prosperous suburbs around Atlanta. With both the towns and the people, there is enough reality to make them ring true, but enough fiction that Jackson can manipulate them to comply with her storyline.

With The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, Jackson has written a book that will capture your attention, a book where you can identify with something from all of the characters, and a book that will fully engage you in the joy of a good novel. I was stuck in Boston’s North Station for an hour after missing a train, but I was thrilled to have a (relatively) quiet place to read The Girl Who Stopped Swimming! This book can balance family drama, mystery, ghosts, and unique characters with a plot that doesn’t stop moving. You will be pulled into the story, and maybe it will make you happy you missed your train! The Girl Who Stopped Swimming is a great pick - grab a copy and check it out for yourself and then read Joshilyn Jackson’s other books: Between, Georgia and Gods in Alabama!