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Bluegrass State of Mind by Kathleen Brooks

Bluegrass State of Mind by Kathleen Brooks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such an enjoyable break from some of the heavier stuff I have been reading. I love all that crazy, heavy reading but sometimes it’s good to settle into light-hearted romance.

Kathleen Brooks’ Bluegrass State of Mind was just the book I needed. It is full of endearing characters in a ‘Mayberry’ type small town who seem to embrace you as they embrace the main character, McKenna.

McKenna and her friend Danielle witness a crime perpetrated by McKenna’s boyfriend and the law partners from her prestigious firm in New York. The group also contained a high-powered Senator and McKenna knew their only hope of survival was to split up and disappear.

McKenna ends up applying for the Assistant DA position in the small town of Keeneston hoping to use an old friend from her childhood as a way in.

The important things about this story are how it made me feel. I loved the town and it’s citizens. I felt the author truly knew these people and they were not one-dimensional characters. The romance between McKenna and Will are secondary for me but still well written and important to the story. The added suspense of McKenna’s past gave the over all plotline flavor.

I am not a huge Romance reader these days but I am thankful Kathleen Brooks asked for the review. I am happily adding the rest of the series to my TBR shelf and will continue to follow Ms. Brooks future works.

I recommend this book highly to all lovers of Romance and those that need to change it up from their typical reading preferences.

Here is the book summary: McKenna Mason, a New York City attorney with a love of all things Prada, is on the run from a group of powerful, dangerous men. McKenna turns to a teenage crush, Will Ashton, for help in starting a new life in beautiful horse country. She finds that Will is now a handsome, successful race horse farm owner. As the old flame is ignited, complications are aplenty in the form of a nasty ex-wife, an ex-boyfriend intent on killing her, and a feisty race horse who refuses to race without a kiss. Can Will and McKenna cross the finish line together, and more importantly, alive?

This is the first book in the Bluegrass Series by Kathleen Brooks. The second book, Risky Shot, is due out by the end of July. The third book, Dead Heat, is due out mid-Fall.

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Posted by novelopinion on November 27, 2011 in Romance

Tags: review, Romance

ARC Twisted Vengeance by Jeff Bennington

10 Oct

4 Stars!

Another great Thriller from Jeff Bennington!

The first book I read from Jeff was Reunion and It is one of my favorites. I love his type of scary! Paranormal, evil, invisible and uncontrollable. Twisted Vengeance does not disappoint!

Here is the book summary: Detective Rick Burns’ life is falling apart. His four-year old son is dead, his brother butchered, he’s in love with the one woman he can’t have and he’s investigating a slew of unsolved murders of violent, domestic abusers.

When a mysterious boy enters his life, things only get worse.

The boy knows the victims. He knows about Rick’s fears. And he knows about Debil, the serial killer with a lust for death.

Determined to help the detective find the perpetrator, the boy ushers Rick into a nightmarish chase where reality and the supernatural are blurred, nearly costing him his life, his love, and his reputation in a storm of domestic vengeance that is so twisted you won’t be able to stop reading until you discover the awful truth.

Twisted Vengeance opens in the midst of an investigation in to some very horrific murders. Detective Rick Burns is already on the case and called in to the newest crime scene.

There is no tough-cop morgue humor going on here. This murder is heinous and all investigators on scene are having a hell of a time coping. Especially Rick.

Rick has seen and experienced a lot of tragedy in his life. From witnessing the death of his mother as a toddler, losing a child and the loss of a brother whom he looked up to he has seen it all. Or so he thought. He considers his brother to have been an excellent detective and struggles with comparing himself to his brothers image.

When a young boy mysteriously shows up and starts leading Rick to new crime scenes, he starts to question his own sanity.

I have to say again, I really like Jeff’s idea of scary. It suits me. Nothing is more frightening than an evil you can’t explain. Serial killers and monsters, while intrinsically unexplainable, can be categorized and usually killed. You can’t kill a force of evil. *shudder* And while, in movies, you can get a Priest or a scientist or the Ghost Busters to save your butt, Jeff doesn’t provide that kind of warm and fuzzy fix in his stories. I’m glad because it takes an awful lot to creep me out.

The so-called ‘victims’ at the crime scene are abusers and leave no room for sympathy but an officer of the law must remain impartial and even though you want to tell Rick to stop wandering off alone following a creepy kid to God knows where, you can’t and therefore you are stuck along for the ride.

Twisted Vengeance will be ready for release soon and I highly recommend it. Nothing says Halloween like a good scarin’ and Jeff Bennington will bring it!

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Posted by novelopinion on October 10, 2011 in ARC, Horror, Look at this!, Review, Thriller

Tags: Horror, review, Thriller

Matanzas Bay (A Quint Mitchell Mystery) by Parker Francis

17 Sep

Matanzas Bay by Parker Francis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Parker Francis is a smooth operator, so is his new fictional P.I., Quint Mitchell!
Now when I say smooth, I’m not referring to the nature of a ‘Ladies Man’ although Quint Mitchell is one hot detective and I know Parker Francis AKA Victor DiGenti is pretty smokin’ himself. The writing style Parker Francis uses is smooth. He and his character Quint Mitchell guided me into a clever mystery and before I knew it, I was immersed in the story and environment. I could not put this down.

Here is the book summary:When PI Quint Mitchell volunteered to help with an archaeological survey in St. Augustine, he didn’t count on digging up a murder victim. In the nation’s oldest city, Mitchell discovers links to ancient sins, comes face to face with his own past, and unleashes powerful forces that will do anything to keep their secrets—even if it means taking his life. In this award-winning debut mystery, author Parker Francis taps into an undercurrent of violence hidden behind the sleepy façade of the historic town. When Mitchell’s friend, the City Archaeologist, is charged with a brutal murder, he must find the true killer while fighting inner demons and the corrosive residue of racial violence dating back to the Civil Rights Movement. As he learns, St. Augustine was birthed in blood—Matanzas means “place of slaughter” in Spanish—and violence is never far from the surface.

Quint Mitchell is a complex character without trying too hard. Mr.Francis crafts his past and likable personality as smoothly as he crafted this book. I truly liked Quint and easily empathized with him as he struggles with his tragic past and faces danger as he tries to clear his friend of murder. The supporting characters were interesting and believable. The environment is rich as Francis describes the historical city of St. Augustine. All this contributed to a pleasurable read and I cannot recommend this story loudly enough to mystery lovers. I look forward to the next Quint Mitchell Mystery and, (hopefully), the many that follow!

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Posted by novelopinion on September 17, 2011 in Crime Drama, Look at this!, Mystery, Review

Tags: Detective, Murder, Mystery, review

First Chosen (Tears of Rage) by M. Todd Gallowglas

04 Sep

First Chosen by M. Todd Gallowglas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.75 Stars!

OK, I probably need to explain the 3.75 star rating. It’s an odd number, true, but although I thoroughly enjoyed this story there was something nagging at me while I read it. I finally figured out as I finished and my problem was I wanted a little more. A little more background into the hierarchy of gods, a little more depth into the characters and a little more World-building.
Having said that, this novel did not disappoint me at all. I felt the premise was unique, the battles and type of magic used are very entertaining and I wanted more. Epic Fantasy of any kind should leave the reader wanting more, that is what defines them as Epic.

Here is the book summary: <i. FIRST CHOSEN is the story of Julianna, a noble from the conquered kingdom of Koma. In her moment of greatest need, she frees an ancient god, Grandfather Shadow, from his thousand-year prison. He names her his high priest and to lead his people to greatness once again. Her greatest obstacle: it is a capital crime for any of her people to worship one of the five ancient gods. While evading Inquisitors of All Father Sun and the followers of the god of death, Julianna must learn to use the vast power that Grandfather Shadow has given her in order to survive long enough to unite Grandfather Shadow's fractured people.

And so begins, TEARS OF RAGE a dark, epic fantasy about the power of faith and belief, where even though the gods can inspire these qualities in mortals, it is those same mortals that truly control the religions that form from any god’s divine inspiration. It is also a swashbuckling tale of political intrigue where men scheme against each other and the gods, and how friendship, loyalty, and faith can help people persevere through the darkest times.

M. Todd Gallowglas has an epically great story at his fingertips. I will read the second installment of First Chosen and I promise that most of you will love this fresh Fantasy. Those of us that read a lot of Epic Fantasy may want more as I described previous, but will still enjoy this novel as I did.

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Posted by novelopinion on September 4, 2011 in Action/Adventure, Fantasy, Review

Tags: Fantasy, review

Crude Sunlight by Philip Tucker

02 Sep

Crude Sunlight by Philip Tucker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not only has Philip Tucker created an atmosphere of fear in this novel, he also highlights the weakness of human self interest and the damage it can do to the people around you.

Here is the book summary: Down in the depths below Buffalo’s abandoned State Insane Asylum the shadows writhe and wait, hungry for a new cycle of revenge and despair.

Into their web of madness disappears Henry, forcing his older brother to begin a search that will lead Thomas into the darkest corners of his soul.

For the dangers that lurk in the interstices of Buffalo’s haunted heart care not for flesh but for the substance of the spirit, the resilience of the mind and the strength of one’s will to survive.

And Thomas, fleeing as he is his own troubled life, soon finds his very sense of self under attack.

Accompanied by Julia, his younger brother’s tormented ex-girlfriend, Thomas forces himself to walk the same downward spiral that claimed Henry.

But the hunger that Henry awoke has broken stronger men than Thomas, shattered their minds and consumed them whole in the darkness. What hope does Thomas have in the face of such ravening despair?

CRUDE SUNLIGHT is a tale of modern psychological horror that will appeal to fans of SILENT HILL, THE RING and Shirley Jackson. Complete at 85,000 words (about 350 pages), CRUDE SUNLIGHT will haunt you long after the final page has been turned.

Crude Sunlight appears, at first, a story of a haunted insane asylum and I expected people to get killed off one by one until the hero finds his brother and they ride off into the proverbial sunset.
By the way, that would have been fine with me because I love scary, gory horror but Philip Tucker went deeper.
The building with the creepy sounds and sights is NOT the focus of the story. Thomas is. His lack of prior involvement in his younger brothers life causes him to wait months before making an effort to find Henry. Assuming Henry is off partying it up or what have you, Thomas is in for a surprise when he stumbles onto the knowledge of what Henry was doing in the days preceding his disappearance.
Julia, Henry’s ex-girlfriend seems indifferent to Thomas and his belated quest to find his brother but Mr. Tucker gives us a glimpse of Julia’s soul which suggests differently. It is also disturbing.
The antipathy in Thomas’s life has put his marriage in jeopardy and the search for Henry starts out as an excuse to get outta town and avoid his own problems.
He ropes his best friend into helping him, when he knows things could tun out bad, but is not overly worried at involving him.
When things do get wildly out of hand, Thomas has to re-think his true purpose and decide exactly how much he cares for friends and family and what he is willing to do for them.

Do not mistake the character work I am describing as a complete picture of Crude Sunlight. It is a real and clever part of the story Philip Tucker has crafted but beware, this story is gonna scare the crap out of you. Philip Tucker doesn’t create monsters you can kill or control or reason with. The evil that Thomas has to face will make the hair on your arms stand up.
This story has all the makings of a great Horror read with a dash of Speculative Fiction and human psychology thrown in to make things a little more real. I loved it and I am positive fans of this genre will too!

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