by: Rachel Caine

Number of pages: 320

Unknown (Outcast Season Book Two)
I love this book and love the series. My only “complaint” is the non-stop pace. I simply can’t catch my breath as I read these books.

A continuation or offshoot from the Weather Wardens series, the “un” books star ex-djinn, Cassiel, who was stripped of her almost god-like djinn powers to be a mere mortal. Well, that’s not completely correct. She has some powers, but they are dependent on the life energy gifted to her by a warden.

Not all wardens would be so gracious to give her power, but Luis Rocha does.

He also is helping her track down his missing niece, and uncovering the mysterious abductions of several children. All of these children are linked by one or both parents being a Weather Warden. The special powers they have from their parents’ is being used against the djinn, the humans, and the planet.

Non-stop mayhem, a slowly evolving mystery, a really complicated baddie, and potential romance makes this book a must read for weather warden-lovers.

Overall book rating: 8.75

by: Cherry Adair

Number of pages: 310

I liked the flawed characters of this book. Despite unbelievable scenarios, the pair of T-FLAC operators discover almost as much about themselves as they do each other. This makes for a wonderful pairing.

Fireworks and bombs, and ancient Egyptian digs combine with a fiery red-headed heroine, and her stoic, but sooo manly hero.

I’m not poking fun, the pair is wonderful despite the potential cliché.

Great book for action romance lovers.

Overall book rating: 7.75

by: Toni McGee Causey

Number of pages: 341

I don’t know how to rate the character believability for these books.

Bobby Faye is unlike any heroine you’ll ever find. She’s ballsy, yes, but a walking tornado. Mayhem and explosions follow her like baby ducks.
And the story, oh! Loved the twists, the triangles, the plot unveiling. This is an amazing action mystery with a touch of romance that rampages through the backwaters of Louisiana like alligators in April. (read book to understand reference) Bobby Faye has a limited amount of time to deliver her great-great-something-grandfather’s iron (yes, iron) tiara to a mobster who has kidnapped her no-account brother. But she loves her brother and would walk through swamps, salt mines, junkyards, exploding oil rigs, and even through the net of FBI and local police, to get it to him in time.
Add in gun-runners, a mysterious man who is in the “acquisition” business, bank robbers, and ex-boyfriends and you have one of the best books written. If you can keep up.

I love this stuff!

Overall book rating: 9.5

by Suzanne Brockmann

Go out and buy this book. Trust me. If you have followed the writer’s Troubleshooters, loved the prior books’ levels of tension, the multiple romantic story lines, and fell in love again and again with real (REAL) men with issues, these books are the Shit!

We follow the story of recently resurfaced Vinh Murphy as he seduces his long-time friend/buddy/introducer of his wife/friend/crush…whatever, it’s complicated when people don’t follow up on their feelings, Hannah. He’s still recovering from the death of his wife, she’s still recovering from the loss of her best friend and her second best friend’s breakdown (read as Angelina, Vinh’s dead wife, and Vinh.) It’s complicated.

BUT!!! that really isn’t the best part of the book.

No? you say… No.

Period. The best parts are the on-again-off-again trials of Decker/Sophia/David, Will-he-finally-marry-her Nash and fiance’, Tess who really deserves much better than Nash delivers…and BEST romance of the book….

Wait for it.

Crazy/Zany Izzy Zanella meets his match. Or meets his nemesis. Take your pick. Danny Gilman’s little sister, barely 18 and so full of “it” she makes Izzy jump through flaming hoops.

I couldn’t get over the perfection and the heartbreak this little side romance delivered. Read the book simply for this love story alone.

Writing: 10; characters: 9.5; plot: 10; conclusion: 10+ Total score: 9.9

by Ellen Byerrum

This fun …wait…FUN romp through the life and times of an investigative DC FASHION reporter is a unexpected diamond. The work is enjoyable and easy. The tension cute and unpretentious. The leading lady not a diva, and not angsty. The perfect blend of reality and mayhem.

Writing: 8, characters: 9.5; plot: 8.1; conclusion: 8.5 Please read… a 8.5!

by Shannon K. Butcher

Another installment of her thriller series, Shannon delivers a tightly woven and romantic, yet plausible story of intertwined pasts and a frightening present. Isabelle’s childhood is shadowing her present when her former foster siblings begin to commit suicide. But Isabelle knows that these are not suicides. She contacts her teenage crush and foster brother Grant Kent to help.

Grant is preparing for a life beyond the military as he leaves his career as a Delta Force Ranger for a private sector job. But first he must find out what has Isabelle so spooked.

Serial killers, violence, love…they are all intertwined in this excellent tale.

Writing: 8.3

by Lori Handeland

Elizabeth Phoenix used to be a police officer, but left because her “gift” of seeing things through touch caused the death of her partner. Now she is drawn into more intrigue as her foster mother is brutally murdered. And the main suspect is her ex-boyfriend and enigma, Jimmy Sanducci.

Drawn into an underworld of paranormal war, she must choose to follow her destiny and avenge her foster-mother’s death and pick up the mantle of leadership she left behind.

Grade: writing: 8.6

by Leslie Langtry

Part of a hilarious series including “‘Scuze Me While I Kill This Guy,” “Stand by Your Hitman” is a combination of madness, wanna be “Survivor” reality show, (Can you imagine what would happen if Canada tried to duplicate “Survivor” eh?) and the ongoing saga of Langtry’s eclectic first family of assassins, the Bombays.

Around since ancient Greece, when hell didn’t know the fury of a woman scorned, this matriarchial family of hitmen (excuse me, hitwomen…) is no Coreleone cliche’. No, think Keystone Cops, Bond style.

Hilarity and star-crossed love seeps through the zany adventures of Mississippi Bombay, mother of twin terrorists (oops!) teenage boys. Mississippi is the Bombays’ very own Q. Her mild-mannered days on her personal island are spent wrangling her active sons, doing laundry, and figuring out whether sticky wall-walkers could be used as a remote explosive device.

Interrupting her “hum-drum” life is her family’s “request” for her to take on a job. Apparently the reality TV craze is not immune from harboring the world’s most wanted terrorists. But the Bombays don’t know which contestant it is. Mississippi’s mission (should she survive it…) is to find out who the bad guy is, and eliminate him. Easy, right?

Enter Lex Danby.

…and two stowaways

…and a lecherous producer

…and a cast resembling Gilligan’s Island

Doh! 7.0

by Cherry Adair

Michael, former Navy seal, is on a personal quest. It is not sanctioned by anything other than this wounded man’s desire for revenge against the criminal who engineered the failure of his last mission.

In the midst of his plans falls the innocent daughter of his enemy, or is she that innocent? Can you see what’s coming? Of course. It’s a romance novel, for Pete’s sake. Revenge…Romance…they both begin with R.

There is plenty of action, mayhem and searingly heated scenes to warrant a read. 7.1

One of the best romance anthologies I’ve read lately. With heavy-hitting authors like E. C. Sheedy, this book is simply a must read.

Each short features the premise of “what would a gal do with a bad boy when stranded in the middle of nowhere?”

Anytime, Anywhere, by Shannon  Mc Kenna kicks off the tone and pace of the book with exciting plot, well thought out characters, and an excellent mix of emotionality and steamy sensuality. Robin and Jon are excellent childhood friends turned lovers.

After the Lovin’, by E. C. Sheedy is a well honed tale from a programmed plot.

Deal with the Devil, by Cate Noble is a desert island fantasy complete with millionaire yacht owners and sinister villains.

Read the first story last, it’s that good.