Category Archives: Reviews

Review: Chain Reaction

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Chain Reaction
Chain Reaction by T. C. Archer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Before I filed the report, I had a call to make to Dunning Asylum for the mentally insane and tell them to reserve a room for me.

Detective Jordan Pierce, former Chicago PD, hasn’t felt the same since he was attacked in an alley months ago. No longer able to stay awake in the daylight, he has strange abilities that he can’t explain. While trying to balance finding his attacker and his job as a security officer at the University of Chicago, he gets caught up in a murder investigation and finds out he’s not the only one able to do strange things.

Set during the Manhattan Project time of WW2, the book is full of tidbits of history incorporated into the paranormal story. Pierce’s “powers” and nature are slowly learned, though fairly easy to guess, as if the reader is learning about this side of the world with Pierce. The suspense/detective angle was done well, keeping readers on the edge of their seat for what would happen next. The side characters help solidify the world, revealing themselves through Pierce’s interaction with them.

There were several pieces of the story, though minor, that were not resolved, such as Andy’s role in all of this. Also, as this was the introduction to the Phantom League, there was a lot of hinting about other people with other powers that didn’t necessarily show up in the book, leaving readers to wonder about the “others” alongside Pierce.

Full of action, thrills, and potential, Chain Reaction drags readers into a world and time they only thought they knew.

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Review: No Good Deed

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No Good Deed
No Good Deed by Bill Blais
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m the lady who saved you and I’m coming with you, whether you like it or not.

Kelly was just your average wife and mother of twins, recently downsized from her job and questioning how her family is going to make ends meet – her loving husband has MS and the cost of their medical bills is staggering. When she witnesses what she thinks is a man getting brutalized by a police officer, her luck and instincts lead her to discover a whole different side of the world where demons walk the street and magic is alive.

Kelly is thrust into working for a group of demon hunters out of desperation, all the while questioning her sanity and her ability to do this job, which got a tad repetitive. The emphasized difference between her home life and her new job tended to slow down the story, since the narration was done with minute details that sometimes weren’t needed.

That said, the story moved along fairly quickly in other parts, with the demon hunting fast-paced and action-packed. As Kelly gets to know “the team,” she finds it’s pretty much like other places she’s worked – some folks like you, some folks don’t, and all you can do is your best. Armed with the latest in demon-hunting weaponry – pepper spray – Kelly and the team take a job that causes a run-in with the incubus Umber very late in the story. While this is the first in the series, Umber’s inclusion near the end of the book seemed almost too late to be introducing a character that is supposed to be a mainstay in the series and leaves the reader with a lot of questions about where this is leading.

Full of doubt yet still willing to meet a challenge, No Good Deed’s Kelly shows that you don’t have to be a kick-butt model to make a difference, but you should always think things through for yourself.

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Review: The Macabre Masterpiece: Poems of Horror and Gore

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The Macabre Masterpiece: Poems of Horror and Gore
The Macabre Masterpiece: Poems of Horror and Gore by Justin Bienvenue
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Let the red run slowly into the stream
In this river your hands will not be washed clean
Guilt will arise and your skin will stain
Plain and drained to the vein from those you’ve slain

The Macabre Masterpiece is a collection of short poems with a Gothic feel to them, mainly due to the subject matter – blood, vampires, and the like. It attempted to shed new light on this subject matter, using poetry as the medium.

There were various rhyming patterns utilized, and many of the rhymes sounded forced, as if the sentence was purposely convoluted to ensure the rhyme happened at the end of the line. Also of note, there was little to no punctuation, creating a run-on of words with no pauses for breath indicated.

While the blurb promised in-dept poems, most of them were very superficial and could have been giving more depth – more gore, more horror – instead of just simply describing the subject. There was no “showing,” simply “telling” the reader – sometimes in creative ways – how blood looks or how death is.

Quick horror poems portraying vampires, murderers, and blood, The Macabre Masterpiece takes a light-to-the-night and the creatures crawling there, but leaves the reader with only a Dr. Seuss headache.

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Review: Shield

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Shield
Shield by J.C. Andrijeski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The world is insane in a way. All of us are insane.

Coming to terms with being the Bridge isn’t easy, especially when your husband won’t tell you all the rules – and keeps getting separated from you. As Allie tries to come to terms with both her new role as the Bridge and her feelings for Revik, she also must stop a war – if she can. Amidst all of this tension, the boy appears, claiming Allie belongs to him.

Continuing where Rook left off, the tension between Allie and Revik is hyped up in this book, a factor of how the Seer marriage works. And just as they get together to figure their feelings out, they are ripped apart once again. Allie does manage to learn more about being a Seer and a Bridge – both the “easy” way and the “hard” way. Along the way, Allie discovers the boy, and her world is shaken with her understanding of who he is.

Fast-paced, action-filled, and full of emotional rides, Shield is a worthy sequel to the Allie’s War series. Once again Andrijeski pulls you into the Seer’s world, twists your emotions on edge, and holds you there until the very end, leaving you with a shock strong enough to have you picking up the next book.

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Review: Orlind

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Orlind
Orlind by Charlotte E. English
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

‘You can change them,’ he said in reply. ‘But you can also change yourself.’

War has come to the Seven Realms, yet almost as suddenly as the draykon force appears, it vanishes. Convinced this is somehow the work of Krays, Eva sets off to infiltrate Krays’s library, leaving Llandry (and the other draykon on their side) to defend her home.

Picking up where Lokant left off, with the war still raging and secrets still being discovered. Llandry and her draykon friends must find a way to battle the draykoni force. Meanwhile, Eva and Tren find what seems to be the root of the war between the libraries – Orlind.

The characters, wonderfully developed throughout the entire trilogy, continue to grow and change as they learn more about themselves, their past, and their abilities. The scenery is once again well described, and the romance in this book has increased as both Tren and Pensould pursue their respective ladies, and though subtle most of the time, it is quite entertaining at points.

A wonderful conclusion to the Draykon series, Orlind ties up loose ends while leaving the world of the Seven Realms open for exploration, which hopefully will spawn more books in this world.

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Review: Lokant

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Lokant
Lokant by Charlotte E. English
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Llandry was learning that when two stubborn old men were placed into the same room together, their individual stubbornness not only doubled but increased tenfold

Draykon once again fly the skies of the Seven Realms. War is building. Llandry is being chased by a white-haired sorcerer while Eva is trying to find out how her own heritage ties into who the Lokants are and what they want. Will there be peace again in the Seven Realms, or will warring factions destroy what was once these quiet lands?

Picking up where the first book left off, Lokant dives right back into the thick of things. The characters are given no time for reprieve, forced to set off almost at once to answer questions burning in their own minds. Llandry now has to figure out not just her new form, but also Pensould – the awoken Draykon that proclaims her his mate. Eva and Tren’s relationship also comes to a test as Eva’s wedding approaches but she finds her heart not in it. All the while, war is building between rival Lokants with the Draykon picking sides – and the humans are caught in between.

The details of the world are just as vivid as the first book, masterfully woven together to create a real sense of the different places the characters travel. The magic is evolving, changing as the characters learn to interact with it in ways they hadn’t thought of before, yet it is still as integral to their beings as it was before.

Riveting and full of new (and old) characters to love, Lokant keeps the action, mysteries and even a bit of romance building until the very end.

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Review: Second Time Around

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Second Time Around
Second Time Around by H.A. Caine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The more he thought about it, the more he was certain Matthew had no idea he was a guy.

Jamie is finally going to open his own bakery, and his roommate, John, throws him a party to celebrate. There he meets Matthew, the hot co-owner of the Home Improvement store on the same block as Jamie’s bakery. But since Jamie prefers to wear female clothes, he’s not so sure Matthew knows he’s a guy.

This short story is all about second chances, being true to yourself, and following your dreams. Jamie has a strong sense of character and knows what he wants out of life – even if he goes against the grain, he’s true to himself. While part of the plot seemed a little cliche, it had a slight twist that did work out for Jamie.

Second Time Around is a quick read with a feel-good ending, leaving the short and sweet romance blossoming.

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Review: One Bite To Passion

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One Bite To Passion
One Bite To Passion by MaryLynn Bast
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You’re a beautiful women Paige, remember that and don’t let anyone make you feel any different.

Paige is on a business trip to Japan when she meets Casey, a young man taken with her at the first glance. Though married, Casey makes her feel in ways her husband never has, and she ends up having a wild night of passion with him. But when her husband, Dalton, shows up and proves that her recent dreams are, in fact, true, Paige will have to decide which man is worth standing up for and giving herself to forever.

In this sexually charged story, Paige is an older, self-conscious women stuck in her marriage for the sake of her children. The range of emotion Paige displays – doubt, for Casey is younger than her; passion; fear; betrayal – is very realistic, lending credence to her depth of character. Though the introduction of the vampires seemed a little forced, the paranormal aspect of this book was a slight twist different than other vampire books, which made it interesting to read about.

Not for the easily embarrassed but for those who love a good explicit story, One Bite To Passion fills the pages with lust and charged tension and finds an unique way for everyone to be ‘happily ever after.’

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Review: Bedtime Stories for Dogs and Bedtime Stories for Cats

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Bedtime Stories for Dogs and Bedtime Stories for Cats
Bedtime Stories for Dogs and Bedtime Stories for Cats by Amy Neftzger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In heaven, cats swim in a warm pool of cream that never goes cold or sour.

These same jobs we perform here on earth will also exist in heaven, but in much greater magnitude and importance because our performances will have eternal consequences.

From creation to heaven, squirrels to bunnies, cats and dogs have their own unique tales of how things work in the world and what their place is in it. Bringing order to chaos and protection from evil are very important jobs that our canine and feline friends partake in every day to make the world a better place for us humans.

Containing short stories, poems, and essays, the tales set up as intended to be read to your pet. There are tales of horror, of adventure, and of joy to explain some of our pet’s behaviors. There are also tales that have a counterpart in the opposite section (a dog perspective and a cat perspective).

A cute collection of dog- and cat-friendly stories, Bedtime Stories for Dogs and Bedtime Stories for Cats offers a unique take on pet behavior while giving them folk tale-type legends fit for any pet lover’s to share with their pets while curled up together for bed – or any other time.

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Review: Purgatory

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Purgatory
Purgatory by Tomás Eloy Martínez
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I woke up, it occurred to me that the most unbearable loneliness is not being able to be alone.

Emilia has spent the last 30 years of her life looking for her husband, Simón, who had disappeared while on a trip to map obscure Argentinean country. When she finds him, he is exactly the same as the day he vanished, yet she is changed – older, more worn – and she questions if he would still love her, and if she’s in her right mind.

Do not be fooled – this isn’t your paranormal ghost story. The ghost portrayed here is one on of the thousands of “subversives” that the government swept under the rug – torturing, killing, and executing them. But Emilia had never given up hope that she would see her Simón again, though whether he was able to stitch together a new map back to her or if he is in her head is left unclear.

Inserting himself (or the fictional “author” of the piece), Martínez’s statements about the Argentinean government and the country’s inability to integrate its past with its present is sharply contrasted and interwoven with a love story that spans several decades. Slow – ponderous – at times, Purgatory takes the life of Emilia and what ‘has been’ and weaves in here thoughts of ‘what might have been’ to complete a complicated picture of not only one women, but also her family and government and country, into a political statement and a love story bound together like lines on a map where only Martínez’s knows the key.

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