BOOK REVIEW: Dangerous Melody (Treasure Seekers #2) by Dana Mentink

Dangerous Melody (Treasure Seekers #2)

by Dana Mentink (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 224 pages

Published October 30th 2012 by Love Inspired (first published January 1st 2012)

Goodreads synopsis:

Stephanie Gage's father has been kidnapped—by a dangerous man who wants to make a trade. Her beloved dad for a multimillion-dollar family heirloom that's gone missing. Either Stephanie finds the valuable violin or her father dies. But to track it down, she must rely on Tate Fuego—the man who broke her heart years ago. Stephanie knows that Tate's reasons for helping have nothing to do with her.And that the handsome demolitions expert knows more about destroying things than saving lives. But trusting Tate is all that stands between Stephanie and a madman's ultimate revenge.

4.5 Stars

I bought this book for my Kindle not long after I read Lost Legacy. I find Dana’s books well written and fast-paced. As soon as you start reading the story just grabs you and you don’t want to put the book down.

Stephanie Gage is forced to seek out an old violin when her former employer, who has developed an obsession with her, kidnaps her father and puts her brother into the hospital. He has been manipulating her so that she might someday come to love him.

Her former flame, Tate Fuego is also after this same man. His sister is in love with him and trying to prove herself by finding this violin before Stephanie does. Tate has a problem with prescription drugs that he is overcoming daily but Stephanie doesn’t want to give him the time of day for fear she might get her heart hurt in the process. Stephanie is forced to let Tate help her in the search for the violin. Of course, she is not happy she has to deal with Tate along with all the stress of her father’s kidnapping.

I think it was the complexity of the plot, the momentum of the storytelling and the fantastic writing that really made this book shine. I would definitely recommend it to anyone.

I paid for this book with my own money.

BOOK REVIEW: Empty Nest: A Birds of a Feather Mystery (A Birds of a Feather Mystery #2) By Marty Wingate

Empty Nest: A Birds of a Feather Mystery (A Birds of a Feather Mystery #2)

by Marty Wingate (Goodreads Author)

Kindle Edition, 284 pages

Published December 1st 2015 by Alibi

Goodreads synopsis:

If you love M. C. Beaton or Susan Wittig Albert, don’t miss the charming Birds of a Feather series from bestselling author Marty Wingate! In Empty Nest, Julia Lanchester’s life is interrupted by a murder most foul—and a killer who’s watching her like a hawk.

    Manager of a tourist center in a quaint British village, Julia Lanchester finds herself with more ideas than time. Her boss is the Earl Fotheringill himself, but apart from him, she doesn’t mix well with the aristocracy. Unfortunately, toxic mold forces her from her cottage and into one of the earl’s countless spare rooms at the Hall. She tries to get a handle on her overload of work, while she finds herself arguing with dinner guests, chaffing at the sudden interest the earl’s son has in running the estate, and missing her new beau, Michael Sedgwick.

   Her life goes from bad to sinister when Julia discovers poisoned sparrowhawks on the expansive estate grounds. And soon after, she finds one of the Hall’s visitors murdered—felled by the same poison. While simultaneously both spooked and angry, she still can’t keep herself from snooping, and dragging Michael along into her investigation. But will she find the culprit before her own wings are clipped?

***

4 stars

This was an interesting concept for a cozy mystery. I don’t think I had seen other series where they were really interested in birds and had so much knowledge about them. That sets this mystery apart from others. Marty Wingate is famous for her Potting Shed Mystery series and now she is venturing into the area off birds and all things fowl (fowl as in mysterious and alluring).This is book two in a series and I just picked up book one on my Kindle. It is called The Rhyme of the Magpie.

Julia Lanchester is having her house cleaned out due to a mold infestation and the Earl of Fatheringill has asked her to stay at the estate. She soon discovers some dead sparrow hawks and then not long later, a friend of the Earl’s son is found dead after a fire on the estate. 

So, Julia, being the nosy sort (aren’t all cozy heroines just a bit on the extra curious side?) has to investigate and find out all she can. I don’t want to give too much away since following along with the story is the best part of a cozy mystery. Let’s just say that I enjoyed the data between Garrett, Julia and Michael as well as the addition of Linus (Earl of Fatheringill). All the characters were well-crafted and easy to relate to. I did not have a problem at all keeping straight in my mind who was who. 

Better put the tea kettle on. This little village mystery is sure going to satisfy.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

BOOK REVIEW: A Premonition of Murder (Dream Club Mystery #3) by Mary Kennedy

A Premonition of Murder (Dream Club Mystery #3)

by Mary Kennedy (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 304 pages

Published June 7th 2016 by Berkley

Goodreads Synopsis:

An elderly Southern heiress’s nightmare becomes a real case of murder in the latest Dream Club Mystery from the national bestselling author of Dream a Little Scream.

When Abigail Marchand, Savannah’s famously reclusive heiress, invites the Dream Club ladies to lunch at her Beaux Reeves mansion, Taylor and Ali hope for an invitation to join the distinguished Magnolia Society. But Abigail has a more pressing concern: a recent dream that seems to foretell her death.

Taylor reassures Abigail that there are many ways to interpret a dream, but at the next meeting of the Dream Club, their discussion is cut short by a call from Detective Sam Stiles. She's at Abigail's mansion, where the elderly woman appears to have been pushed to her death down a flight of stairs. Now Taylor, Ali, and the Dream Club need to catch a killer before someone else is laid to rest.

Kindle version sells for $7.99

4 Stars

My Take...

This is a new book series for me that is set around the world of dreams. And that is totally in my wheelhouse considering how much I dream and how epic all my dreams are. So, needless to say, I truly enjoyed delving into the Dreaming Club conceived of in this book.

Here is the plot: Rich lady has a dream that foretells her death and the dream club tell her that dreams are usually symbolic … but not in this case. The rich lady dies the next day.

Cue the spooky music. Something devilish is afoot.

This book was filled with twists and turns that led our heroines into murky corners and stuck inside tunnels hoping they wouldn’t die like the rich lady had. Abigail, aforementioned rich lady, made Ali and Taylor in charge of cataloguing her earthly goods once she was dead, which was pretty funny considering she had only met the lady the day before her death. But that is just a little niggle that didn’t quite make sense to me but the rest of the book was beyond stellar. 

I truly enjoyed this cozy novel. It packed a great punch and I will definitely be checking out more books by Mary Kennedy.

This is book three in a series and of course, like I normally do, I started with book three and have yet to read the first two books in the series. But be sure that I will definitely be checking out these novels. 

The heroines have a cool business in town called the Olde But Goodie Store/Cafe. They have all kinds of vintage stuff including food and old candies. I found the concept of that pretty interesting and always looked forward to when the scene were set in the business.

The ARC I received had a lot of extra numbers and such that curt off words and made reading this galley a challenge but I did not lessen my enjoyment of it.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I thank I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this title.

BOOK REVIEW: A Covert Affair (Deadlly Ops #5) by Katie Reus

A Covert Affair (Deadly Ops #5)

by Katie Reus (Goodreads Author)

Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages

Published March 1st 2016 by Signet

Goodreads synopsis: After being wounded in action, NSA agent Nathan Ortiz comes home to Miami, eager to return to duty. But he doesn't expect his newest mission to lead him straight to the one woman he loved, lost, and has never gotten over.

   A beautiful, successful restaurateur, Amelia Rios enjoys giving back to her community, especially to struggling women. Then a woman she recently hired stops showing up for work, and, unfortunately, she isn’t the first to go missing.

   Soon Amelia finds herself thrust into a shadowy, dark world, working side by side with Nathan, the only man she’s ever loved. They must confront old feelings as they battle a ruthless enemy preying on the poor and weak. The heat simmering between Nathan and Amelia could mean a second chance for them—but first they have to survive.

***

4 Stars

Nathan Ortiz  has been working undercover with an alias for so long that he had forgotten how odd it would be for someone he knew from his old life to see him play acting as someone else. Of course, the one person he ran into isn't just anyone from his past. Ameila Rios is the one he could never forget, the one that haunted his dreams for years. Now she was smack dab in the middle of his current assignment. I found this book to be an easy read, was easy to get into and the text flowed well.

Every book I have read to this point by author Katie Reus has been excellent and of the highest quality. The characters are well-rounded, easy to follow and learn to love. I sometimes wish I could see some of them more often in other books. But I am appeased they will make cameo appearances in other Deadly Ops books in this wonderful series. 

There was quite a bit of sizzle in the romantic scenes and if I am honest, maybe a bit too much at times, for my taste but that did not take away from the awesome-ness of the book. The rest was just the right mix of action and mystery. If you love a good spy book but want a bit more behind the scenes action concerning their lives, then this is for you.  I will definitely be picking up the other books in this series right away.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank the publisher, author and Net Galley for allowing me to read this title.

Book Review: Curse Breakers by Denise Grover Swank

The Curse Breakers (Curse Keepers #2)

by Denise Grover Swank (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 394 pages

Published April 29th 2014 by 47North (first published April 8th 2014)

Goodreads synopsis: For more than four hundred years, the Curse Keepers guarded the barrier between the human and spirit realms. All that changed the day Ellie Lancaster met Collin Dailey. Prophecy demanded they defend the world from evil?even as it ignited a passion that threatened to consume them both.

Now Ellie faces a frightening new life, abandoned by the man she loves and tormented by malevolent spirits unleashing their vengeance upon the earth. Her only shot at protecting humanity?and herself?from the demon scourge is to claim the mark of the god Ahone as her own. Finding it means trusting Dr. David Preston, a handsome professor of Native American studies whose skepticism is surpassed only by his attraction to Ellie. Together they must finish what the Curse Keepers began, defying the forces of darkness to face hell on earth?and unlock the truth of Ellie's destiny.

My Thoughts: 4 Stars

I was a fan of book one in the series, Curse Keepers, so I knew I would enjoy a follow up book, but sometimes the sex scenes were just much too steamy. The author did manage to jam-pack the novel with a ton of native American history. It was no different with book two. Lots of history and steamy scenes. I could have done with a lot less steamy and more action. I know not everyone thinks along those lines. 

I found the character of Collin wishy-washy. In book one he was a strong guy walking around with purpose. In book two he was hiding out most of the time and waffled between saying he was protecting Ellie but going out of the way to keep her from the truth. Sometimes things just didn't make sense, but such is how it goes in real life, huh?

Now that the gate is open and the gods have escaped, Evie needs to find a way to trap them all again. The mark Collin put on her back in book one is fading and she must choose sides in this war of good verses evil before her current protection runs out. During her quest to find the truth and any details about the curse, she comes across Dr. David Preston, a British professor of Native American studies who at first blows off Evie's concerns. Then when he shows up to study the reappeared Roanoke Colony, David is drawn to Ellie. Ellie finally decides to trust someone and spills the truth to him.

If you are looking for an exciting read that packs a lot of history into the mix, then this book is for you.

I received this book as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this title.

BOOK REVIEW: Murder at the Bake Off by Zanna Mackenzie

Murder At The Bake Off: A Romantic Comedy Culinary Cozy Mystery (Celebrity Mysteries Book 3)

by Zanna Mackenzie (Goodreads Author)

Kindle Edition, 192 pages

Published March 28th 2016

Goodreads synopsis: A romantic comedy baking celebrity mystery... 

Lizzie Carter would love nothing more than to enter and win the Grand Bake-Off competition at this year’s Delamere Baking Festival, setting her on the way towards fulfilling her secret and special quest, but there’s just one problem—she’s a mediocre baker at best. 

   If that wasn’t enough of a challenge, this year’s celebrity judge, Cherry Bakewell, is found dead with a poisoned cupcake in her hand before the festival even kicks off. Even worse, Lizzie’s fiancé Jack, a private investigator and appointed security consultant for the festival, was the one who found Cherry dead, and the police are treating him as a suspect. 

   As if her life wasn’t crazy enough before, juggling two jobs and organising her wedding, now Lizzie, determined to clear Jack’s name, has to add tracking down a murderer to her To-Do list, as well. 

   Will the police haul Jack in for further questioning, leaving Lizzie to tackle the case all on her own? Can she hunt down the real murderer before they strike again? Should Lizzie just ditch her ridiculous baking dreams right now before her dreadful cakes become the laughing stock of the festival? 

4 Stars

Lizzie Carter dreams one day of being a good cook and baking her and Jack's wedding cake. But first she needs to do one important thing... learn how to cook. The Delamere Baking Festival Grand Bake-off has Lizzie wondering if she was up to such a challenge. Jack Mathis ends up getting the job as security for the bake-off but when he ends up finding the dead body of famous celebrity baker Cherry Bakewell, he becomes suspect number one.

Lizzie ends up juggling two jobs and now wants to help clear Jack's name on top of her growing stack of things to do. Her to-do list is getting longer and longer by the minute.

I thought this was a good representation of what Zanna Mackenzie does best, plotting out a great story. It kept me interested throughout even though I did not have a lot of time to devote to reading it due to my busy schedule. Thank goodness for lunch time cram sessions to get my Zanna Mackenzie fix.

The first book in the celebrity crimes mystery series featured a lot more of her fiancee Jack Mathis and I think I would have liked to see a bit more of him in this book. Due to the fact that he was the main suspect, he wasn't actually on the canvas of the novel as much and did a lot of things "off camera.

If you love a good cozy mystery, you won't be disappointed in Zanna Mackenzie's Celebrity Mystery series. Also check out her wildly popular Amber Reed Celebrity Crimes mysteries as well. 

I received this book as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from the author and I thank her for allowing me to read this novel in return for an honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: Holiday Heist by Zanna Mackenzie

Holiday Heist (A Celebrity Mystery #1.5)

by Zanna Mackenzie (Goodreads Author)

Kindle Edition, 70 pages

Published November 9th 2015

Goodreads synopsis: It’s Christmas Eve and Lizzie Carter’s been engaged for the grand total of one hour when her private investigator fiancé Jack announces he has a confession to make - their holiday season plans need to be put on hold so that Jack can take on a new case! 

A priceless necklace has been stolen from the hotel bedroom of a movie star actress and the woman in question insists Jack’s the man to track it down and bring it back safely. 

Lizzie decides to turn amateur sleuth and tag along to help Jack out – two heads have got to be better than one, right? Plus, she can’t miss out on a chance to get inside the fabulously exclusive Roseby Hotel and admire their amazing festive decorations. 

Can they solve the mystery, catch the thief who masterminded the holiday heist, return the necklace to its rightful owner, and still get to celebrate Christmas Day as planned? 

The Celebrity Mystery series and the Amber Reed Mystery series combine amateur sleuths, secret agents, celebrities, romance, comedy and adventure into fun cozy mysteries. 

Download your copy of Holiday Heist today and find out who stole the necklace… 

Holiday Heist is a 15,000 word festive novella, PLUS an extract from Murder On The Menu, another Celebrity Mystery adventure with Lizzie and Jack. 

4 Stars

Jack Mathis, former celebrity crimes investigation agent, has decided to hang his shingle out as an independent contractor. And due to his former line of work, he knows a lot of big wigs in the Hollywood crown. So, it could come as no surprise when Actress Arabella Saunders wants Jack to find her priceless necklace, an irreplaceable family heirloom. Main character Lizzie Carter, of course, is starstruck and wants to be a part of the investigation. 

I thought this novella had some good bones and a great twist but I think it could have used a bit of bulking up. Things were resolved a bit too quickly for my taste. But all in all Zanna Mackenzie gave us a choice piece to add to our digital library. Definitely check this one out if you are looking for a quick read. 

I paid for this book with my own money.