chez_jae

Blood on the Bayou by Stacey Jay

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


View all my reviews

Finally finished reading my “spare” book last night. It was Blood on the Bayou by Stacey Jay, and it’s the second in the “Annabelle Lee” series of urban fantasy. I did read the first in the series, but it’s been forever ago. The main character is Annabelle, who works for an organization that attempts to contain a scourge of mutated fairies.

Thanks to an attack by fairies and the interference of a cabal of mysterious, invisible magic workers, Annabelle has learned that she, too, can now perform feats of magic. The newfound ability would be more helpful if she knew how to wield it, and if it didn’t come with strings attached. She’s also in the midst of trying to figure out her personal life. Annabelle knows her boyfriend, Cane, loves her, but she’s not sure she wants to drag him down with her extra baggage. Enter Hitch, her ex-boyfriend, who is convinced the FBI is running an illegal lab in the bayou—a lab he’s been tabbed to destroy if he doesn’t want his wife and unborn baby to die. Annabelle is running herself ragged trying to gather intel, avoid the Big Man, keep Cane and Hitch away from one another, and, oh yeah, juggle her attraction to Tucker, one of the Invisibles.

I didn’t remember much of the original book, although it came back to me as I read. I enjoy urban fantasy with snarky, sarcastic heroines, but this particular one did nothing for me. Not only is Annabelle a functioning alcoholic, but the author turned her into a complete Mary Sue. Cane loves her, Hitch says he never stopped loving her, and now Tucker has the hots for her, as well. It was really too much. I’m not saying it wasn’t realistic, but I, personally, did not like it. Narrative could have been smoother, and I was as confused as Annabelle when it came to who she could trust and who was only using her. Worst of all, she wasn’t very nice to her cat.

Favorite lines:
♦ Does an invisible man count as a man? If a penis you can’t see falls in the forest is it really a penis at all?
♦ Not the master of my own destiny, not even the master of my own cat.
♦ I don’t have time for bullshit. Even sweet-smelling bullshit.
♦ “Can you even take a shit without the Big Man leaning over the toilet telling you it’s coming out okay?”
♦ I’m already seeing my life flash before my eyes; I don’t need to see it flashing before anyone else’s.

I didn’t particularly like this book, and there wasn’t much resolution at the end. I'm giving it two stars. I would have given it three, but I'm knocking one off for Annabelle's shoddy treatment of her cat.

Death in a Budapest Butterfly by Julia Buckley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


View all my reviews

I finished reading Death in a Budapest Butterfly last night. It’s book 1 in author Julia Buckley’s “Hungarian Tea House” series of cozy mysteries. The main character is Hana Keller, who run’s Maggie’s Tea House with her Hungarian mother and grandmother.

Hana and her family have made a success of their business, which features European-style high teas. At one such event, a guest is poisoned, putting the tea house’s reputation on the line. Worse, the poison was delivered via Hana’s most prized teacup, a valuable Anna Weatherly butterfly cup. Not only do the police claim it as evidence, but they set about questioning the guests, along with Hana, her mother, and her grandmother. It’s Hana’s grandmother, Juliana, who is renowned for her ability to read tea leaves and tell the guests their fortunes. Hana is eager to see the case resolved. She asks questions and relates what she learns to Detective Wolf, who’s in charge of the investigation. When danger comes to her family, Hana is even more determined to bring the killer to justice.

This was a compelling read. I’m not familiar with Hungarian culture, so it was interesting to learn about it, along with Detective Wolf. Hana is somber and serious, but fiercely devoted to her family. I enjoyed her interactions with her brother’s girlfriend, Margie, who’s introverted to the point of agoraphobia. All of the characterizations were superb, and the plot moved at a steady pace, making sense as events unfolded along the way.

Favorite lines:
♦ I had developed an interest in all things tea, especially teacups, which to me were like jewels, tiny treasures, and individual pieces of art.
♦ “I don’t really need a man, but if I run across a great one I’ll give him a try.”
♦ “There’s not a lot of crime at tea parties, as a rule.”
♦ “Your cats look like executioners.”
♦ “Can you really picture one of these old ladies committing murder?” // “Of course I can. They’re a scary batch of Old County women, full of superstition and paprika-scented resentment.”
♦ “You’ve known this guy for like twenty minutes, and you’ve already connected romantically and had a fight?”
♦ “The police just have to solve a mystery, like Nancy Drew or the Scooby-Doo gang or something.”

Evocative and engrossing, five stars.

( Trope Test )

Christmas in Camelot by Brenda Jernigan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


View all my reviews

There's been a dearth of reading this month, but this evening I finished Christmas in Camelot by Brenda K Jernigan. It's historical romance with a dash of fantasy. Main characters are Lady Noelle and Sir Nicholas.

Noelle has been spurning suitors ever since Merlin himself told her she'd marry her one true love, but when her oldest brother gets exasperated and promises her to Sir Gavin, Noelle is set to be wed on Christmas Day at Camelot castle. Nicholas has no use for love. He enjoys women and leaves them, but when he meets Noelle, he can't help but be drawn to the headstrong beauty. Too bad she has been promised to another. However, Christmas is just around the corner, bringing miracles of its own.

The story was charming enough. Noelle got herself into enough scrapes, most of which Nicholas had to save her from. The setting was lovely, and characters were portrayed well. What I found disappointing, however, is that the villain of the piece escaped without any justice being meted out. I'm vindictive by nature, and I dislike seeing someone get off scot free like that. Hmpf.

Favorite lines:
♦ "The concern was not so much for me but for the inconvenience of the fight."
♦ "When one will sacrifice his happiness for another, then I know of no truer love."

Ye olde breath line: Noelle realized she'd been holding her breath, which she promptly let out.

A decent enough story, fitting for the season. Four stars.

Kiss of a Dark Moon by Sharie Kohler

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



View all my reviews

Once the house was cleaned, I finished reading Kiss of a Dark Moon by Sharie Kohler. It's the second in her "Moon Chasers" series of paranormal misogyny romance. Main characters are rogue lycan hunter Kit March and European hunter Rafe Santiago.

Kit became a hunter after her parents were killed in a lycan attack. Her very existence flies in the face of all the rules, as women are not allowed to be hunters. For some asinine reason. Whatever. Hunting doesn't lend itself to any kind of a personal life, so Kit has resigned herself to life alone. When she encounters hunter Rafe, she begins to question a life of hunting and loneliness.

Rafe has been called in from Europe to help eradicate not just lycans in the US, but rogue hunters as well. For some asinine reason. Whatever. On top of his list are Gideon March and his sister, Kit. When he encounters Kit, however, Rafe is struck by her alluring combination of toughness and vulnerability. He finds it difficult to focus on his mission while fighting his attraction to the feisty rogue hunter.

This was 352 pages of garbage disguised as romance. So when Kit and Rafe first encounter one another, he has to step in and save her from a lycan attack. Never mind she's been doing just fine by herself until that exact moment. From there, Rafe threatens to kill Kit, abducts her, roughs her up, sexually assaults her and, when she's nearly killed by another hunter, he changes her into the same sort of half-breed lycan that he is. Yes, the author waited until over halfway through this hot mess to reveal that Rafe was a dovenatu and that his true goal all along was to save Kit. Um, what? Gee, dumbass, just think of how things might have gone if you'd told her that UP FRONT instead of letting her believe you were the enemy. Kit, of course, tries to escape at every opportunity, which really just pisses Rafe off, leading him to force himself on her to impress upon her the error of her ways. Be still my heart. And my stomach, because I nearly lost my lunch on more than one occasion reading this. Anyway, the book was basically a series of Kit making a run for it, Rafe tracking her down just in time to save her from the nasties so he could sex her up...lather, rinse, repeat. When Rafe finally decides that maybe, just maybe, he should let her go, Kit leaves and immediately misses him. Because he's handsome. And the nookie was good. Apparently the woman lets her cooter do the thinking for her. You know what? It's the 21st century. Can we PLEASE stop writing male leads as horrid and abusive while the female lead swoons over the abuse because he's so handsome? Blech.

To top off this manure pile, so many things were never explained. Why was Rafe's unit, EFLA, so hell-bent on killing off rogue hunters? Maybe they get lucky and kill a few lycans before getting killed themselves. Who cares? Just how prevalent are lycans? It seemed like the entire world is teeming with them, but if that was the case, wouldn't the mere mortals have noticed by now how many people are disappearing? What do lycans do when they're not out raping and murdering? One would presume they'd have to hold down jobs and maintain some sort of civility, but the author would have us believe they're nothing but ravening monsters. Things need to make sense.

Favorite line: "I'm a monster, right? A soulless demon. You've said as much."
She forgot all about that quickly enough, didn't she? Stupid slut.

This wasn't a romance, it was Stockholm Syndrome. And it was awful. One star, given with the utmost reluctance.

Midsummer Lightning by Kate Ivers

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This evening I finished reading my "spare" book: Midsummer Lightning by Kate Ivers. It's a contemporary romance, and the main characters are Kelly Sullivan and Conor O'Meara.

American Kelly Sullivan works for a high-powered hotel conglomerate, and she's on track to be named VP. If she can clinch the sale of Whitlock Castle in County Cork, Ireland, the promotion is as good as hers. Kelly arrives in Ireland, intent on her job. However, the more time she spends at Whitlock Castle, the more she falls in love with the enchanting old edifice. There's also the handsome owner, Conor, to contend with. Soon, Kelly is remembering how she used to enjoy the more hands-on job of running a hotel and wishing she didn't have to return to her stressful job in Chicago. When she learns her boss wants to gut the castle and turn it and the grounds into a medieval theme park, Kelly will have her work cut out for her to save Whitlock, her job, and her sanity.

I seldom read contemporary romance any longer, but this was a delightful story. Characters were portrayed well, from Kelly and Conor to Conor's aunts, his father, and even his ex-girlfriend. There were several odious characters introduced, from Kelly's smarmy boss to her chief rival, and even her snooty parents. The plot was a tad on the choppy side; it would have benefitted from smoother transitions between chapters. What I found most disappointing is that all along you could see that Kelly was going to give up her high-powered job in Chicago to be with her love in Ireland. Very romantic and Hallmark-y, yeah? But, it seems that the plots of far too many books (and Hallmark movies!) employ that same trope: career-oriented city girl comes to small village, falls in love with a local, and gives up everything for him--her career, her life in the city, her dreams. Can't the country boy give up his life and join her in the city, instead? Meh. One other thing that disappointed me was the slapdash ending. It came across as if the author was tired of the story and just rushed the last part. The final line in the book was utterly inane.

Favorite line: Her heart had recognized this place at once.

What to score this? I'd like to give it 3.5 stars. It was better than average, but the ending really soured me. I'll be generous and bump the score up to a four.

How to Run with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I finished my "spare" book last night. It was How to Run with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper. This is the third book in her "Naked Werewolf" series of paranormal romance. Main characters were Tina (nka Anna) and Caleb.

On the run from an abusive, stalking husband, Anna has moved to Alaska to work as a doctor at a clinic that cares for werewolves. When she is notified that Glenn is closing in on her again, she flees Grundy and ends up at a small hotel far away. There, she witnesses a shooting and sees her car get totaled. Anna grabs the victim and his truck and gets out of Dodge. When her "patient" displays remarkable healing abilities, Anna guesses he's a werewolf. She also learns that Caleb is a bounty hunter who occasionally takes some less savory (ie illegal) cases. Anna isn't sure she can trust him, but right now he's the only option she has until she can get a new identity. Spending time together, however, brings the two of them closer together. That is, until Anna has reason to question whether Caleb is keeping her close for altruistic reasons or because he's been hired to find her.

This was mostly humorous, light-hearted fun, although Anna's stress levels and fear kept it from being too fluffy. I appreciated that Caleb gave her space when she needed it. I also enjoyed it when Anna helped Caleb in her own fashion. The inevitable confrontation with Glenn was distressing to read.

Favorite lines:
♦ "Who are you?" // "Anne McCaffrey," I blurted out, hoping the he didn't spend a lot of time reading carefully crafted science-fiction.
♦ "I think you'll find that you are not, in fact, the boss of me. Now, let go of my arm, or I reintroduce you to Mr Slappy."
♦ Werewolves hit a lot of different points on the spectrum between "awesome guy who is occasionally an apex predator" and "furry Lord Voldemort".
♦ This was the brilliant distraction you came up with? I seethed at my cerebral cortex. How did you get me through medical school?
♦ "What are you running from?" // "Columbia House Music Club," I said, recovering my snarkiness quickly. "Oh, sure, they say they'll sell you six CDs for a penny, but they'll hunt you down like the hounds of hell if you miss the payments." // "Stop kidding around." // "I'm not. A Wilson Phillips CD ruined my life."
♦ "I stopped speaking to a friend for a month when she suggested Love, Actually was a better Christmas movie than Die Hard."
♦ "Quests for evil rings rarely turn out well. Too many potential Gollum issues."
♦ "I don't know a lot of doctors who engage in fistfights at stripper bars."
♦ While female weres could throw down with the best of them, they tended to be a bit more crafty and manipulative. They were more likely to use sex appeal or casseroles to get what they wanted.

"Breath" line:
I was able to release a breath I didn't even know I'd been holding.

Amusing fun for the most part--four stars.

Flipped for Murder by Maddie Day

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I knocked off the rest of my 'spare' book last night. It was Flipped for Murder by Maddie Day, and it's the first in her "Country Store" series of cozy mysteries. I'd read another book in the series previously, but nothing was spoiled. The main character is Roberta "Robbie" Jordan.

Looking for a new start, Robbie buys a rundown country store in the small Indiana town of South Lick. There, she puts her culinary and carpentry skills to good use, renovating the space and opening a diner called Pans 'n Pancakes. Her opening day is a success and things are going well, until the mayor's harpy of an assistant is found murdered with one of Robbie's cheese biscuits in her mouth. Robbie had several run-ins with Stella while trying to get permits, but she didn't even know where the woman lived, let alone went to her house and killed her. Robbie has always had a keen mind for puzzles, and she uses her reasoning in an attempt to work out who not only killed Stella, but also tried to frame her for the crime.

This was a fun story. I like Robbie as a character. I didn't get as much of a handle on other characters, but that should change as the series progresses. The plot made sense, and it included Robbie engaged in plenty of activities other than simply sleuthing.

Favorite lines:
♦ "Hold on a chicken-picking minute."
♦ "That one donated his brain to science before he was done with it. He'd lose a debate with a doorknob."
♦ "You do crosswords in pen?" Doesn't everybody? LOL!
♦ If his drawl were any slower, it'd end up in the next century.

Fun book, and the author dropped a subtle clue that clued me into the murderer. Woo! Four stars.

( Trope Test )

A Dark and Stormy Murder by Julia Buckley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



I finished my "spare" book this evening. It was A Dark and Stormy Murder by Julia Buckley, and it's the first in her "Writer's Apprentice" series of cozy mysteries. The main character is aspiring author, Lena London.

Lena can't believe her good fortune when she lands a job as an assistant to her favorite author, Camilla Graham. It was Camilla who inspired Lena to become a writer, and now she's working with her on a new, romantic suspense novel. Lena is living in Camilla's beautiful Victorian home in idyllic Blue Lake, Indiana. Best of all, she's getting paid for this gig. Not everything is perfect, however. Lena soon finds herself the subject of town gossip after she befriends a local recluse, Sam West. Sam is under suspicion for murdering his wife, but no body has ever been found. Instead, it's Lena who finds a body on the lakeshore in front of Camilla's house. Now the two women are drawn into a mystery that seems to center on Camilla's house and a secret it may be harboring.

This was certainly gripping. In fact, there were times I eschewed my regular reading material because I was engrossed in this book. It had an almost Gothic feel to it, aided by the excerpts from Camilla's new book that prefaced each chapter. Lena was convinced that Sam was innocent of any wrongdoing where his wife was concerned, and it was interesting to see her dig into that mystery as well as the current mystery surrounding Camilla's house and the murder. Characters were portrayed wonderfully, from Lena and Camilla to handyman Bob Dawkins and his horrible son. LOL! I was utterly entertained by that: 'Bob Dawkins and his horrible son'. When Lena asked Camilla what was so horrible about him, all Camilla could tell her is that everyone in town referred to them that way: Bob Dawkins and his horrible son. What a hoot! I was not so entertained by the introduction of two potential romantic interests for Lena: both Sam and Detective Doug Heller. I am weary of the 'romantic interest is in law enforcement' trope when it comes to cozy mysteries, but I prefer Doug for Lena over Sam.

Favorite lines:
♦ Something about fall air always speaks to my soul.
♦ Nothing bonds two people so well as loving the same books.
♦ "I refuse to be self-conscious. I'm going to eat this whole giant waffle in front of you."
♦ No cat had ever lain awake worrying over some external drama.

Marvelous book, five stars.

( Trope Test )

Carved in Stone by Vickie Taylor

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I finally conquered my "spare" book last night. *wipes brow* It was Carved in Stone by Vickie Taylor, and it's the first in her series of paranormal romances called "Les Gargouillen". The main characters are Interpol agent Rachel Vandemere and disgraced gargoyle guardian Nathan Cross.

As a young child, Rachel witnesses her parents' murder by a monster. Ever since, she's been searching for monsters in an effort to prove she's not crazy. While chasing after an international assassin, Rachel encounters Nathan Cross at the same time she hears the same eerie whistle she recalled from her childhood. Convinced that she's on the right track to prove monsters exist, she devotes her time to running down the young man from the scene.

Although Nathan has been excommunicated from Les Gargouillen, he doesn't want Rachel to learn their secret. He accompanies her on her search as he attempts to steer her off the track. Along the way, he is drawn to Rachel's beauty and her determined spirit. When Von, the young gargoyle, brings danger to the entire congregation of Les Gargouillen, Rachel and Nathan must join forces to avert a tragedy.

Ugh. The synopsis should have read: 'Dark, brooding he-man meets naive blonde damsel in distress and they fall in love in a matter of days.' Boooooring. I can understand why Nathan was desperate to keep his kind secret from Rachel; that made sense. What I really disliked is that, once again, an author crafts a female lead who's supposed to be tough and competent (Interpol agent, ffs!) but who constantly needs the dark, brooding male lead to swoop in and save her. If you wanted her to be a helpless twit, then don't give her a badge and a gun! I expected better from Rachel. The entire storyline of Von and (human) Jenny was so Romeo and Juliet that I wanted to head desk. He's 18, and she's 17, but they're in loooooooooooooove. The ick factor was strong in this one.

Favorite line: "You wouldn't know the hots if your feet were on fire."

Reading this was more of a chore than anything. I have at least one more book in the series, and it's getting donated along with this one. Giving it a score of three. It was well written; I simply didn't care for it.

Wild & Hexy by Vicki Lewis Thompson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Took awhile, but I finally finished reading Wild & Hexy by Vicki Lewis Thompson. It's part of her "Hex" series of paranormal romances. Main characters are Annie Winston and Jeremy Dunstan, along with witch Dorcas and her husband, wizard Ambrose.

Annie left her home in Big Knob IN to follow her journalism dreams to Chicago. However, she's back home for her sister's wedding. Annie is unhappy about the weight she's gained since her divorce, and she's not too keen on her matron of honor dress, either. Jeremy has been half in love with Annie since school, but he never had the courage to ask her out. Now that she's back, and available, he longs to approach her. Dorcas and Ambrose are professional match-makers, and they use a bit of magic to boost Jeremy's confidence in hopes he can win Annie over. Annie is flattered by the attention and her own, newfound attraction to Jeremy, but when she learns the unlikely truth, can she be certain she fell in love with the real Jeremy?

This was a cute, lively story filled with magic and humor. Dorcas and Ambrose's main assignment in Big Knob is to rehab the young dragon, George, who lives in the forest, but they can't resist nudging soulmates to one another. There's also a lake monster, named Dee Dee, and it's her presence that both intrigues Annie and makes her question everything. Characterizations were well-done, and the plot was interesting.

Favorite line: "I just wanted you to know the good news about the great penis caper."

I'm not so into paranormal romance as I once was, but this was good enough to earn 4 stars.