J. D. Barker: The Fifth to Die

In the next in the 4MK series and the Cat and Mouse game is at an all time High but Who is Who?

Sam Porter is steal reeling from letting Bishop get away but he knows that it will only be a matter of time before he catches up to him. He knows that Bishop is invested in him as well, so there is no tearing them apart. But now Porter has a new case, another girl found, but this one under the ice and wearing the clothes of a newly missing girl. Everyone is saying this is 4MK but Porter is not sure, it lack's Bishop's style. As Porter tries to focus on the new case, 4MK continues to call to him, his need to investigate it is something that he cannot control and this need will put not only Porter in danger, but so many more as well.

Wow, how does Barker follow up an amazing book of The Fourth Monkey, by writing another twisty murder mystery thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. This book is almost as good as the first and while we the reader may know who the bad guy is for quite a bit of the story (something I am not a fan of), the web that Barker weaves in this book is just amazing. From present to the past, you never know where Barker is going to take you as a reader and what little breadcrumbs of information he is going to leave you with to put it all together. I learned from the first book in this series not to trust anything or anyone but yet some how Barker was still able to surprise me along the way.

I enjoyed that Barker did not make this book all about 4MK. Like the book is about 4MK but at the same time not about him as well. There will always be other cases for the police to work and though Bishop is someone they want to catch with no new leads, they have to let the FBI do their job in that. Speaking of FBI I liked the addition of Poole in this book, it allowed the team to focus on the new case of the girls, but still allow the reader to know about the search for 4MK, especially since Porter got a lot less chapter time in this book. And man the choices Porter makes in this book are crazy and I cant wait to see how it plays out in book 3.

I liked that we got more chapters from Nash and Clair in this book. Both of them are solid detectives and have different ways of working thought the information and evidence in front of them. I like that not all of the detectives think the same.

I don't know how you could read this book and not NEED to pick up the third with the ending here, talk about a cliff hanger. This book is in a way a typical second book in a trilogy not all questions will be answered, there will even be new questions, not everything is wrapped up in a nice bow and I love that we get more Bishop, more Porter and his team in a third book.

If you are looking for a mystery, thriller series that will have you turning the pages and desperate for the next book, then this is the series to pick up. Cant wait to read the next one. 

Enjoy!!!

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K.A. Linde: The Wren in the Holly Library

In the first of a series, K. A. Linde, she shows what happens when the Monsters emerge:

Thirteen years ago, the monsters emerged and magic seemed to enter the world and changed everything. Kierse's world went into darkness and almost everything she had to live for was destroyed. Kierse has had to take to stealing to survive and she has become known for being able to get anything. When her latest jobs ends with her being forced into a monster's lair, she could be jeopardizing everything not just for herself but the treaty between humans and monsters. But Graves, the monster, recognizes that there is more the Kierse that even she knows and now she's locked into a dangerous bargain that there may be no escape from.

I'm a sucker for a heist book, and that was one of the main reasons that I was drawn to read this book. This book was good. I wasn't sure for probably the first third of this book. I found it slow and I wasn't sure where Linde was going to take it. I did find that the farther I got into the book it did grow on me and I think this was due to the fact that I began to get more invested into the characters. I wanted to know how far they would push not only themselves but each other for what they wanted to achieve.

I enjoyed that this book focused more on Celtic lore and folklore for the basis of the magic in this book. This is one that I have not read about before, however, after all the hints that Graves gives to Kierse I found the twist pretty predictable part of the way through the book. I also liked how this Lore played into the mafia/mob aspect that the book has.

As i write this I am trying to remember what the characters were like and all i remember is he is a moody MMC and she is a feisty FMC with a horrible past (though I wish the book was darker than it was) and while I liked her in the book and her loyalty to her friends, there was nothing really that stood out about either of the characters. 

I think one of the things i disliked about this book is that I think that Linde could have done more. More to separate herself from the other, and now oversaturated market of Romantsy. There are some typical themes that we see in these books and this one it no exception, especially the whole she has magic she doesn't know about, but he's the one to discover it for her and now she is the only one with this ability that can achieve this goal. It has been done time and time again and while I appreciate the magic that Linde gave Wren I just didn't like how it played out. 

This book was a good read that was able to keep me entertained. Is it one of my favourite fantasy reads this year, No, but I do plan on picking up the second book in the series to see where Linde takes it.

Enjoy!!!

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Katherine Center: The Love Haters

Katherine Center is back, with two people who are not looking for love, in fact they hate it:

Katie is a video photographer and she has been given a job that is supposed to not only save her job but secure it. Now the job does come with some risks, she is shooting the promo for the Coast Guard and will need to fly in a helicopter over water, and here is the biggie, Katie cannot swim. But she cannot tell her boss that she cannot swim or else she will lose her job. Once Katie arrives at Key West, she meets the man she will be interviewing, Hutch, and he is perfect, but he is not too happy to see her, he was expecting someone else, his brother. Now Katie not only has to navigate swimming lessons but the more she gets to know Hutch the more she wants to be entangled with him but there is one problem Katie has sworn off love (her last relationship made her hate herself) and Hutch is a known Love Hater.

I always seem to find one of Center's books right at the right time for me and that means her books just  hit right. This was true with with book, I felt invested in the two main characters right from the beginning and loved the banter and awkward situations that they find themselves in over and over again,. The first time with Katie needing Hutch to take splinters out of her ass, i laughed so hard and felt her embarrassment as well. i find that Katherine's writing is not only charming but witty at the same time and just an all around fun read, especially when i need a pick me up.

I find that in the books that past few books that Center has been writing, she has taken on some medical or metal health aspect to her characters and I am for that. You can tell that Katie struggles with what she looks like and her image and while this is a main aspect of the story, I did feel like there were times where Center underplayed what Katie was struggling with. I think that if Hutch wasn't portrayed as perfect all the time, maybe this would have give Katie more to open up to him. I felt like it was a very brief moment in the book and it should be more. I would also like to have Center write a book that is Dual POV or even just a few chapters from the man's POV, I think this would be a new interesting take for her books.

George Bailey is a stand out character in this book. All books need a George Bailey in them.

I loved all the information about the Coast Guard. I feel like you can tell that center did her research about certain aspects, that I found that I gained some knowledge as well from reading this book. That would be one tough job.

I like that Center does not feel the need to add spice in her books to help sell the story. Do I mind if there is Spice in books, nope, but I don't want it to feel forced in any way, which it does in some books.

This was another fun read by Center and it makes me smile just even thinking about this book and some of the events that happen. I cant wait to see what Center comes out with next.

Enjoy!!!!

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Tee Harlowe: Potions & Prejudice

In the first in a series, Tee Harlowe brings a bit of magic into this retelling:

Elspeth Moonflower and her family have been on the run for years. They cannot stay in one place too long less people discover that her and her sisters do not have any magic, an aspect that can get them banned from their world. When their wagon breaks down one night, they are forced to to stay in the village of Thistlegrove until their wagon can be fixed. Elspeth does not trust people and does not want to linger in the town longer than needed, but they also need to make funds in order to pay to get the wagon fixed. On a chance meeting with a Warlock, Draven, Elspeth reaffirms that she will never based upon how he was treating a fellow witch. But Drave and his friend, are important figures in Thistlegrove and for the sake of her family she will try to play nice with him, but the lines between love and hate are ever thin.

This is the first book that I have read by Harlowe and it is a cute read  that is very much a palate cleanser for me, after reading the darker side of things. This book is very character driven and I wish there was more to the plot than just trying to stay on the move for Elspeth and her family. The world building is interesting, they are in a world separate that sounds medieval (one of my favourites for fantasy books) but they are aware of the human world that sounds modern as there are talk about celebrity and stardom so I do wonder how they are able to keep they two separate.

I liked Elspeth as a main character and her willingness to do whatever she can to keep her family safe is admirable however, you can tell she takes this a bit too far at times. I also enjoyed the banted between Elspeth and Draven, how after only a few moments they are at each other throats. Actually the Banter is probably my favourite part of the book, as well as Draven's little sister giving him a heart attack every other page. I think that Harlowe did really great job at building their relationship through out the book.

I found that it got spicy out of no where and I do not think that Spice was really needed in the story as we watched Elspeth and Draven relationship develop. I mean i wont complain about spice being in a story but i want it to come about naturally and not feel forced into a scene just to have it. And this is what it felt like in this book that Harlowe thought that the book needed Spice, when really it didn't. The story would have been the same with out it.

This is one to pick up if you are looking for a quick cozy fantasy read where the stakes are not too high. I'll check out another book by Harlow when I need something in that genre.

Enjoy!!!

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