BOOK REVIEW: The Silenced (Krewe of Hunters #15) by Heather Graham

The Silenced (Krewe of Hunters #15)

by Heather Graham (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 352 pages

Published June 30th 2015 by Mira

Goodreads synopsis:

Where is Lara Mayhew? 

Lara, a congressman's media assistant, suddenly quits her job—and disappears on the way to her Washington, DC, apartment. 

   Novice FBI agent Meg Murray, a childhood friend of Lara's, gets a message from her that same night, a message that says she's disillusioned and "going home." To Richmond, Virginia. Meg discovers that she never got there. And bodies fitting Lara's description are showing up in nearby rivers… Could she be the victim of a serial killer? 

   Meg is assigned to work with special agent Matt Bosworth, a hard-nosed pro in the FBI's unit of paranormal investigators—the Krewe of Hunters. They trace the route Meg and Lara took more than once in the past, visiting battlefields and graveyards from Harpers Ferry to Gettysburg. Places where the dead share their secrets with those who can hear… As Meg and Matt pursue the possibility of a serial killer, they find themselves in the middle of a political conspiracy. Is there a connection? And who—besides each other—can they trust?

***

4 Stars

I have been reading this series out of order…. gee, I’ll bet you’re surprised by that, huh? LOL. But the good thing about reading the Krewe series in this way is knowing that each book is a stand alone and you don’t need to read a previous book to get you up on what’s going on in the series as a whole. I love it when authors are so cognizant of that fact.

This book just pulls you into the action right from the get-go. I had been reading other books at the same time as this one but because of the exciting pace and thoroughly enjoyable storyline, I stuck with this book until the end. Heather Graham is great at pulling us into the storyline and never letting go of us.

I am a little gleeful that I figured out who dun it… at least mostly figured it out. But the ending was still a surprise worth discovering.

I gave this book four stars because I was taken by surprise by the first love scene. It sort of snuck up on me and I was left wondering where the build-up to it was?… Had I missed reading something important that would let me know these two were thinking of hitting the hay together?

Besides that this read was a great roller-coaster of a book that I think every Heather Graham fan has come to expect. I look forward to reading more in this Krewe series.

I bought this book with my own money

BOOK REVIEW: Diary of an Asset by Stasha Eriksen

Diary of an Asset: Memoirs of a Psychic Spy

by Stasha Eriksen

Kindle Edition, 109 pages

Published May 25th 2016

Goodreads synopsis:

My name is Sophia Snow. 

I am the product of a government experiment. 

My role in this project falls under several titles: 

asset, psychic spy, remote viewer and sleeper agent. 

There are countless others comparable to myself. 

An energy shift occurred inside of us in 2012, and we are now 

coming forward to share our stories. 

We are coming to the conclusion that "We" outnumber "Them" 

in population; although I am afraid it is a close call. 

I believe that we are even stronger than them, 

upon activation of our divine purpose. 

The time has come for us to discuss the missions the 

government wanted us to forget, the experiments they have 

conducted through our genetics and DNA, and the truth about 

how long this has been going on. 

I cannot speak for the other assets at this time, 

but I will begin with my story. 

Take an inside look into my personal diary. 

The events unfold through an accidental recollection that 

I had been used as a psychic spy for numerous years. 

One important thing you must keep in mind before reading my diary 

is that I never consciously chose to be part of this experiment… 

They selected me from birth. 

XO Sophia Snow

5 Stars !!!

Stasha Eriksen is a personal friend of mine and I was happy to review this book for her.

Sophia Snow has awakened to what seems a whole new world. She begins to see things other people don’t notice and this leads her on a grand journey into discovering her purpose.

She knows she was used by the government to gain intel into this whole spiritual awakening business but Sophia takes her life into her own hands and begins to figure out what is really going on in this thing we call life.

There was a great deal of research that went into creating this book and that is one of Stasha’s fortes. I really enjoyed the diary aspect of this book and it gives us a greater insight into the character in this format.

Please check this lovely book out, but be warned, there will be a cliffhanger at the end that ensures that there will be a book two… I hope.

I received this book from the author to review. I thank Stasha for allowing me to read her first novel.

BOOK REVIEW: Out of Practice by Phoebe Fox

Out of Practice (Breakup Doctor #4)

by Phoebe Fox (Goodreads Author)

ebook, 274 pages

Expected publication: October 18th 2016 by Henery Press

Goodreads synopsis:

When your relationship is on life support, the Breakup Doctor is on call. 

   There’s no shortage of broken hearts in Breakup Doctor Brook Ogden’s successful breakup counseling practice—if love is a battlefield, then Brook is the cavalry. Luckily her own love life is in full recovery: after a long, tortuous road, she and Ben Garrett are finally headed down the aisle. 

   But when a local TV personality—and former frenemy—invites Brook onto her show, she’s blindsided live on the air when the interview turns into an act of long-delayed revenge meant to publicly humiliate her. Brook’s an expert at getting back on your feet when life knocks you down, but as the blows keep piling on—with a betrayal she never saw coming and a family crisis that threatens to pull the foundation out from under her—her confidence starts slinking away. With her clients dropping her faster than a one-night stand, suddenly the Breakup Doctor’s career is in critical care. 

   Brimming with both the sublime and ridiculous aspects of love—romantic and otherwise—Out of Practice is a funny and heartwarming tale about loss, grief, and failure that will resonate with all who have loved, lost…and dared to love again.

5 Stars !!!

Yes, I gave the rare rating of 5 stars to this lovely book. It is the conclusion of the 

Breakup Doctor series and I am so glad I did not realize it was the finale going in. This book brought out so many emotions in me. And I think that is what is great about Phoebe Fox’s writing. She makes you feel things even when you think you are numb inside.

The story starts with the discovery that Brook’s father has passed away. And I was like…. WHAT?! I was sad that we did not get to go through that with Brook but i know that would make it all the more heart-wrenching.

An old high school colleague tricks Brook and blasts her on her morning television show in order to gain some payback for something Brook never actually did to her. I thought that was a bit stinky and hoped she and this frenemy would work things out with her in the end, but alas… I will leave you to discover the rest.

Brook finally has Ben in her life but it is a series of ups and downs that I think anyone can relate to. I was a blubbering mess reading this book. I even discovered that my own pain was played out in this book and I felt a bit of peace knowing how Brook would have handled advising me during an old heartbreak that never had a chance to find closure.

This was definitely one excellent book. I give it my highest recommendation. Definitely check out the entire Breakup Doctor series. You won’t be disappoiinted.

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

BOOK REVIEW: Heart Conditions (The Breakup Doctor #3) by Phoebe Fox

Heart Conditions (The Breakup Doctor #3)

by Phoebe Fox (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, first, 278 pages

Published February 9th 2016 by Henery Press

Goodreads synopsis:

Breakup Doctor Brook Ogden has spent the last year sifting through the fallout from the disastrous decision that led to her unconscious uncoupling with boyfriend Ben Garrett. Despite advising her clients you can’t be friends with an ex, she and Ben have somehow begun to stitch together a friendship—one Brook hopes is slowly turning into more. That is, until Ben introduces his new girlfriend, Perfect Pamela, a paragon of womanly virtues who is everything Brook is not. 

   While Brook navigates her newly volatile emotional life, an unwelcome surprise shows up on her doorstep: the ex-fiancé who broke her heart two years ago—one month before their wedding. Between her ex’s desire to rekindle their attachment, her best friend Sasha’s unexpected crisis, and her own unsquelchable feelings for Ben, Brook finds herself questioning the personal progress she’s made in the last two years—and threatened with the highest-stakes Breakup Doctor failures she’s ever faced.

*****

5 Stars

Phoebe Fox did it to me again. I can’t read one of her books without breaking into a few bouts of ugly crying. It is so easy to connect with her main character, Brook that you forget that this whole scenario isn’t real; it’s only fictional. I slyly look around seeing if anyone is noticing my tears and if I might have to explain my sudden emotional-ness. I get the big lump in my throat too. The whole shebang. I walk around saying to myself, “breathe, breathe.”

The book starts out with Ben dating a new lady, the prefect woman, Pam. And Brook can’t hate her because she is just… perfect. Of course, that makes any scenes with Ben all the more awkward since she starts taking care of Ben’s dog, Jake, when he is working.

Then enter Michael. Yes, that Michael. The one who broke her heart and didn’t even make it to the cake tasting during the process of their wedding plans. But Michael has shed his late night musician vibe and is now touting himself as Brook’s new promotional expert. First agenda … making Brook not go to one of her radio show appearances. I must not know how to play “the game” because this part of the book just gave me the willies. I am one of those people pleaser types and not doing my job to the best of my ability would make me break out into hives.

I don’t want to giveaway too much but it soon becomes a battle of Brook’s emotions… Ben or Michael? Who will she give her heart to? Or will she walk away alone again?

The entire mix is disrupted by her best friend, Sacha (her brother, Stu’s, girlfriend), acting all sorts of weird and keeping secrets from her. Then Stu starts acting weird too and now Brook is determined to discover the cause of it all. And everything she tries backfires to the point that Brook wonders if she and Sacha will remain friends at all.

All in all, this was one amazing roller-coaster of a book that I definitely recommend to anyone. Check it out. It is book 3 in the Breakup Doctor series. Book 4 will be out soon called Out of Practice.

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

BOOK REVIEW: A Geek Girl's Guide to Arsenic (Geek Girl Mysteries #2) by Julie Anne Lindsey

A Geek Girl's Guide to Arsenic (Geek Girl Mysteries #2)

by Julie Anne Lindsey (Goodreads Author)

ebook

Published March 6th 2016 by Carina Press

Goodreads synopsis:

It's been three months since Jake Archer rolled into town, accused Mia Connors of murder and stole her heart. She hasn't heard from him since. So when a man collapses at the fall Renaissance Faire, she's surprised to see the US marshal arrive on scene. And shocked when he points the finger at her—again. Mia would sooner be able to resurrect the poor fellow than poison him.

   Jake Archer's career has been rising fast, but it's about to come to a crashing halt. The Ren-Faire victim was in protective custody—Jake's custody—and they were painfully close to nabbing a major crime boss. If Jake doesn't solve the murder soon, he'll be fetching donuts instead of protecting his nation. A difficult enough task without the alluring Mia Connors in the way.

   Working with Jake to catch the killer might push Mia into crazy-cat-lady territory. But with a murderer on the loose—and Mia's reputation on the line—they'll have to work fast to find the killer before the killer finds them.

4.5 Stars

I knocked off half a star on this second Geek Girl offering because I felt like the story got a bit slow and confused at about the 3/4th point through the book. I am not saying it was bad, not by any stretch but it dragged and I felt like other people who weren’t as invested as I was wouldn’t stick around the discover the exciting conclusion.

I liked how the author played fair and did introduce us to the ultimate villain of the piece early on. A lot of authors keep that hidden and I usually feel a bit agrivated when i don’t have the opportunity to guess whodunit along with the main character.

This story is still amazing and I still marvel at Jake and how blind he can be to his own feelings. But I guess the back and the forth of will they or won’t they get together is sort of what keeps the story exciting. I don’t want the Moonlighting effect to be cast on my new favorite couple.

This is a definite keeper. You should go out and buy this one quick. And don’t forget to read book one: The Geek Girl’s Guide to Murder. (I gave it 5 stars and my best new series rating)

I am excited about this series and I look forward to book three: Geek Girl’s Guide to Justice.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the author, Julie Anne Lindsey and the publisher Carina Press for allowing me to read this fantastic title.

BOOK REVIEW: Geek Girl's Guide to Murder by Julie Anne Lindsey

A Geek Girl's Guide to Murder (Geek Girl Mysteries #1)

by Julie Anne Lindsey (Goodreads Author)

ebook

Published August 31st 2015 by Carina Press

Goodreads synopsis:

IT manager Mia Connors is up to her tortoiseshell glasses in technical drama when a glitch in the Horseshoe Falls email system disrupts security and sends errant messages to residents of the gated community. The snafu’s timing couldn’t be worse—Renaissance Faire season is in full swing and Mia’s family’s business relies on her presence.

   Mia doesn’t have time to hunt down a computer hacker. Her best friend has disappeared, and she finds another of her friends murdered—in her office. When the hunky new head of Horseshoe Falls security identifies Mia as the prime suspect, her anxiety level registers on the Richter scale.

   Eager to clear her name, Mia moves into action to locate her missing buddy and find out who killed their friend. But her quick tongue gets her into trouble with more than the new head of security. When Mia begins receiving threats, the killer makes it clear that he's closer than she’d ever imagined

5 STARS - A MUST READ SERIES!

IT Manager, Mia Connors is the Horseshoe Falls it girl. She dresses in costume even on a normal day and love the vintage, steampunk look. So, it is easy to say, she is not your everyday ordinary gal. Her family owns a beauty company that is targeted for the Renaissance Faire crowd. And she is the face of the company. Everything about Mia is just uber cool.

Mia’s coolness is tested when one of her best friends is found dead in her office and her other friend, Nate has disappeared. Ever Jake Archer, new temporary security head. He is a sort of by-the-book type of guy and he thinks he has found a prime suspect in Mia. 

The timing for all this nonsense is not good because the Renaissance Faire season is in full swing. And this is the best time for her family to make money on her Grandmother’s beauty products.

Then Mia decides to investigate the death of her friend and try and locate Nate but she keeps bumping into the new security dude who seems to be everywhere. And strangely enough the homicide detective on the case is Jake Archer’s brother, Dan. Things that make you go, HUM.

Meanwhile, in her favorite virtual game, Reign, her uber enemy Punisher is raining holy heck on her kingdom. Then when the threats get personal, Mia begins to suspect that her online rival might want her out of the picture permanently.

This is my favorite new series of the year. Book two is called Geek Girl’s Guide to Arsenic. I am halfway through and it is just as awesome as this one. Book three is coming out soon called Geek Girl’s Guide to Justice. I am sure that will be a winner as well. Definitely check out this series.

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

BOOK REVIEW: Psychic Intelligence by Linda & Terry Jamison

Psychic Intelligence: Tune In and Discover the Power of Your Intuition

by Terry Jamison, Linda Jamison

Hardcover, 240 pages

Published June 21st 2011 by Grand Central Life & Style (first published January 1st 2011)

Goodreads synopsis:

The Psychic Twins have amazed audiences all over the world with their eerie predictions that have proven to be true, including the events of 9/11, the Times Square Terrorist incident, natural disasters and more. They've also worked with countless clients who report that their predictions later came to be true. Although the Twins have an undeniable gift in this area, we all have psychic capabilities-- and in this book they show you how to strengthen your own, look into your future, and change your destiny. 

     In PSYCHIC INTELLIGENCE, Terry and Linda Jamison explain, step-by-step, how to dissolve the blocks that can prevent you from using and trusting your own intuition. By exploring what they call the Four Clairs: clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, and claircognizance, you will be able to tap into these feelings and in turn:

--Create strong and worthwhile relationships, including finding true love

--Attract wealth and abundance

-Know when to make a career change, and what the new path should be

--Experience vibrant health

--Discover your authentic self and life's purpose

     Now, at a time of real economic and social uncertainty, when hope is needed and so many are feeling confused and fearful,PSYCHIC INTELLIGENCE will show readers that we all have the power to tap into and control our own destiny.

4 Stars

The Psychic Twins, Terri andLinda Jamison have predicted all sorts of events and this book shows you how to access your own abilities. They say everyone has them. They say you can do it too.

There are a lot of places where you should stop and do the experiments and see how it all works for yourself and I know that I should go back and reread sections in order to familiar myself with the process. They give a lot of good tips and if you are interested in growing your psychic abilities you can’t go wrong by getting tips straight from those who are in the know.

Definitely check this one out if you are big on spirituality and want to grow your own intuition.

This book took me a long time to read because I bought it from the Mac ebook store and I barely use my book app on my iPod Touch anymore. I know, bad me.

I paid for this book with my own money.