Audible review ~ In the Darkness ~ Mike Omer

In the Darkness by Mike Omer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second installment in the Zoe Bentley series and it left me wondering when we would get the next one! I did this one as an audio book from audible and I am now at least over the badly done Boston accent.

Summary:
A forensic psychologist fights a mental war against two serial killers in this disturbing thriller from Mike Omer, Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestselling author of A Killer’s Mind.

An online video of a girl clawing at the ceiling of her own grave could be the worst thing FBI forensic psychologist Zoe Bentley has ever seen. Perhaps even more disturbing is the implication of the video’s title: “Experiment Number One.”

Zoe and her partner, Special Agent Tatum Gray, work as fast as they can to find the monster behind the shocking video, but soon another one shows up online, and another girl turns up dead. Meanwhile, a different murderer is on Zoe’s mind. Rod Glover has been tormenting her since childhood, and his latest attack is a threatening photo of himself with Zoe’s sister. As Glover’s threats creep toward action, Zoe’s torn between family and duty.

Zoe must think fast to prevent another murder. With her own family’s safety on the line, Zoe feels she’s never been in more danger. And while she’s always known her job could send her to an early grave, she always assumed she’d be dead first

My Take:
I enjoyed this one even more than the first. I love Tatum's grandfather! He is hysterical. I think his character really humanizes the story. He also adds a break to some of the more intense portions of the novel. And there are plenty of those. This was a couldn't stop listening kind of story. The summary gives away some of whats going to happen but even so the story was still intense.With a few hold your breathe moments thrown in there.
In answer to my own earlier question the next book in this series will be  available to purchase from Amazon on June 23rd. I've decided this time I will do the paperback since the Boston accent is really hard to listen to. I'm not sure why people think it needs to be so thick. Having grown up right outside of Boston I promise you we don't sound like that. Anyways you can bet I'm going to pre-order the paperback this week!

Magic Binds ~ Ilona Andrews

Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was glad to get caught up with this series. I've been so busy that I haven't had a chance to keep up with all of my favorite series. I have not kept up with the side stories or the Curran POV books so I may have to revisit those after the series is finished.

Summary:
Mercenary Kate Daniels knows all too well that magic in post-Shift Atlanta is a dangerous business. But nothing she’s faced could have prepared her for this…

Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship official. But there are some steep obstacles standing in the way of their walk to the altar…

Kate’s father, Roland, has kidnapped the demigod Saiman and is slowly bleeding him dry in his never-ending bid for power. A Witch Oracle has predicted that if Kate marries the man she loves, Atlanta will burn and she will lose him forever. And the only person Kate can ask for help is long dead.

The odds are impossible. The future is grim. But Kate Daniels has never been one to play by the rules…


My Take:
This one did not disappoint. Kate was as a** kicking as usual. Even as she is trying to become a little more "normal". Of course calm does not last long in Atlanta and the former Beast Lord probably wouldn't be too happy with no minions to oversee. Fast paced and intense. The authors explore the relationship between Kate and her Dad which I for one have been waiting to learn more about. We revisit some characters we haven't heard from in a bit. Theres also some new and interesting magic. Gotta love the magic. Add into that some excellent shifters and you've got yourself a novel you will want to read till its done, no matter what time it is. It looks like this series is going to come to an Epic and interesting end. Now on to Magic Triumphs!

Avenging Adam ~ Jodi Burnett

Avenging Adam by Jodi Burnett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lately I've been bouncing between FBI dramas and Urban Fantasy. I received this ARC to read and give an honest review.

Summary:
While hiking in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, FBI Special Agent Kendra Dean and her K9 partner, Baxter, stumble upon a dead body stashed in the woods. The discovery changes both of their lives forever.

Special Agent Rick Sanchez hunts a serial murderer who is targeting women on a multi-state killing spree. Kendra Dean, an agent Rick met on a joint mission six months ago, has found the most recent victim. Rick and Kendra once shared a tempting chemistry but time and miles made their spark a distant memory.

Now, thrust together to solve a deadly case, Rick and Kendra rekindle their attraction only to find their personal demons are even greater obstacles than their geography. It’s hard for Kendra to see around the chip she carries on her shoulder as she works to prove herself in a man’s world. Rick harbors a debilitating guilt over a past failure that holds his heart prisoner and he’s terrified to love again.

The serial killer sets his sights on Kendra. With her life in the balance, she and Rick must deal with their issues. Will they be able to admit their feelings and embrace their growing intimacy before it’s too late?


My Take:

This is the first in a new series by Jodi Burnett. I think if you like Lisa Jackson novels you will enjoy this novel. An interesting balance between romance and murder. There is a definite emotional connection between the two main characters and enough of storyline to keep the reader invested in it.
There is also the serial killer to contend with. The creepy factor is definitely high with this guy. Religious serial killers always give me the creeps. It could be because the first serial killer movie I ever watched was Seven. Or maybe its just too many episodes of Criminal Minds.
I think the author did a good job working between the chemistry of the main characters and the primary story line. Overall it was a good read and easy to get through. I will be on the look out for the next one.

5 star ~ TV Show Review ~ Containment

Well here we are, everyone enjoying some time at home. What better time to check out a few new shows on Netflix? This weeks pick was Containment which originally aired on the CW in 2015. Of course with whats going on in the world its made its way to the top of the recommendation list.

What its about:

Based on a Belgian TV show named Cordon Containment follows a deadly virus outbreak in Atlanta. At first it seems like things will be contained but it doesn't take long to figure out everything has gotten out of hand.

My thoughts:

I enjoyed this show. The acting was solid and believable. There were a few predictable moments but the emotion always felt real. There was plenty of suspense and not a ton of gore, thankfully. I won't lie, there were some tearjerking moments as well. If your looking for happily ever after this is not the show for you.

Chain of Gold ~Cassandra Clare

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm not sure where to start. Currently I am non-weight bearing de to a severely broken ankle so when I realized that Cassandra Clare had a new book out I was ecstatic! Over the past year I have done a fair amount of audio books but I knew this one had to be done old school. Thanks to Amazon it landed at my door just a day or two after publication.

Summary:
Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague.

James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love.

My Take:

Having been a fan of this series for many years I was excited to see that this next trilogy is going to follow the children of two of my favorite characters, Tessa and Will. For fans of the Infernal Devicesit is great to "see" some of our favorite characters again. I also loved having Magnus brought in as well. He really links all of the series together in such an interesting way.
At the heart of this story is teenagers moving into adult hood. In their world of demon hunting and political intrigue there is still the same core issues we all go through. Love and loss, betrayal and forgiveness, growing up to see that are parents aren't perfect.
The characters were all interesting and had depth. A few of the plot points were a little predictable but overall this novel had some great storytelling that leaves the reader wishing it was 2021 already.

Audible review ~ Body of Proof

Body Of Proof by Darrell Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary: A woman disappeared. A man was convicted. Case closed?

Body of Proof, a true crime podcast, examines the many unanswered questions surrounding the disappearance and death of Suzanne Pilley in Edinburgh in 2010 and the subsequent conviction of David Gilroy. Journalists and TV producers Darrell Brown and Sophie Ellis spent two years investigating the case and spoke exclusively to David Gilroy, who was convicted of murdering Suzanne Pilley and disposing of her body. Sentenced to life in a Scottish prison, Gilroy maintains his innocence. Although police believe they have the right man, key components of the prosecution’s case are missing: there is no body of the victim, no witnesses to the crime, and no physical evidence (no DNA, CCTV video, or murder weapon).
My Take :
This was more of an Audible Drama than a book. Recorded in similar fashion to a true crime TV show you'd see on BBC. I found the whole story just a little crazy. Maybe its because I'm from the US. Or maybe I have more faith in our justice system than I thought. Either way its pretty interesting to me that they could convict someone of murder with no blood, forensic evidence or body. Essentially they have some circumstantial evidence and a guy no body likes. I found it so interesting I recommended it to a few friends so we could discuss our takes on the case. If you want a real life head scratcher this is a good one.
As for my own opinion After all of the evidence I feel like he did do it. But not at all the way the prosecution said he did. I think as a juror I would have had to vote not guilty just because the complete lack if evidence leaves too much reasonable doubt. This is one of those things that we will hopefully hear an answer to years later.
There is actually a large amount of internet web pages devoted to the case so you can look up the info for yourself if your interested.

A Killer's Mind ~ Mike Omer

A Killer's Mind by Mike Omer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I picked this novel up because of my current obsession with Criminal Minds. I tend to bounce between crime serials and fantasy novels. Since my schedule has been pretty hectic I got it as an Audible Audio book.

Summary:
Three Chicago women have been found strangled, embalmed, and posed as if still alive. Doubting the findings of the local PD’s profiler, The FBI calls on forensic psychologist Zoe Bentley to investigate.

Zoe quickly gets off on the wrong foot with her new partner, Special Agent Tatum Gray. Zoe’s a hunter, intense and focused; Tatum’s a smug maverick with little respect for the rules. Together, they must descend into a serial killer’s psyche and untangle his twisted fantasies, or more women will die. But when the contents of three inconspicuous envelopes reveal a chilling connection to gruesome murders from Zoe’s childhood, suddenly the hunter becomes the hunted.


My Take:
Since it was an audio book I may have a slightly different take on the novel. I do feel like audio books make editing errors and overuses of phrases jump out more than if you are reading the words yourself. The biggest hold out I had was that the reader has a really horrible fake Boston accent. It was so disturbing at one point I almost gave up completely.
The story is what kept me going. I found the characters interesting. Especially Tatums grandfather and their pretty wacky relationship. I do feel like you generate a general level of concern for the characters. The case is interesting, if not a little bit disturbing. I'm not sure how much of the police work is true to real life but it seemed pretty similar to the way things are handled in similar FBI based novels. Overall I liked it but I recommend you read it yourself and skip the audio book if you are from the Boston area.

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The Witcher ~Andrzej Sapkowski

The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I won't lie, I'm not a big video game fan. When I heard the tittle The Witcher thats what came to mind. So this year when Netflix made it into a show I really didn't have much interest. After the recommendation of many friends I decided to give it a try. Then after the first episode I realized it was actually based on a book series! Count me intrigued. So I picked up the first installment and I loved it.


Summary:
Geralt of Rivia is a witcher. A cunning sorcerer. A merciless assassin. And a cold-blooded killer. His sole purpose: to destroy the monsters that plague the world. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil and not everything fair is good... and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.

A collection of short stories introducing Geralt of Rivia, to be followed by the first novel in the actual series, The Blood of Elves. Note that, while The Last Wish was published after The Sword of Destiny, the stories contained in The Last Wish take place first chronologically, and many of the individual stories were published before The Sword of Destiny

My Take:

This is definitely what I would consider high fantasy. I do think watching the show helped set the stage in my mind a little bit. You have to keep in mind that the novels are translated to English from Polish. Due to that fact a few of the names seem questionable. I also found it hard to find the correct order to read the books in. According to google The Last Wish was first so thats where I started.

In case the 5 star review didn't tell you I really enjoyed this book. I loved the way the author incorporated old fairy tales into the story line. Fractured fairy tales have always had a special place in my heart and this collection had quite a few. My favorite was the Witcher version of Beauty and the Beast.

I'm excited to get started on the next book!

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Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven ~ Bella Forrest (book 1)

Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven by Bella Forrest
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Coming straight from reading the Harry Potter series with my son honestly anything else seems sub standard. That being said I kept getting facebook ads for this series so I figured I'd give it a try.



Summary:
When a rogue 19-year-old witch is recruited to help guard an ancient magical Bestiary, a breath-stealing journey begins...
Being an empath has its advantages. 

Harley Merlin can sense people’s emotions, among other things. It’s how she snagged her first job pinpointing cheaters at a casino.

But she has no clue where she got these freakish powers because she spent her childhood jumping from home to home in the foster system, and her father left her with nothing more than a cryptic note.

Then she crosses paths with a terrifyingly real monster. Which is when a mysterious and annoyingly arrogant young warlock named Wade Crowley steps in, introducing her to a hidden world of beasts, magicals, and covens riddled with secrets—as well as clues about her murky past.

My Take:

Overall I really enjoyed the world and the story line. There were a few unpredictable twists and turns that made it really stand out. My only big hold out going to 5 stars was the fact that the author seems to revisit the fact the main character is a foster kid over an over again. It is a plot point that is important to Harley's overall character but I think the author over emphasized it.  Also there are some other little moments where you get that feeling like its the first book in a series. A little over explaining here and there. If you can get past those little road bumps this is a good first installment.
The magic is interesting and there is definitely enough mystery to make you want to pick up the next book. I get that the Harry Potter similarities are there. Everyone living together and competing against other covens. The big bad who is of course fixated on the main character. Anyone who reads urban fantasy will tell you that this is not an uncommon theme across the board. Its really what the author does with it that makes the difference. In this case I felt there was enough originality to make this a good series.

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