Posted in Book Reviews

Book Review by D.S. Williams

140089Dead Over Heels by Charlaine Harris

Synopsis:

Part-time librarian Aurora ‘Roe’ Teagarden lands smack in the middle of a baffling murder case in the fifth murder mystery from #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris
Roe never liked Detective Sergeant Jack Burns, but she never wanted to see him dead – especially dropped from a plane right into her own front yard. Luckily, even Lawrenceton, Georgia’s finest, know that Roe couldn’t possibly be in two places at once, so her name is crossed off the suspect list.
But then other strange things happen around Roe, ranging from peculiar (her irascible cat turns up wearing a pink ribbon) to violent (her assistant at the library is attacked) to potentially deadly (her ex-lover is stabbed). Clearly there is a personal message in this madness that Roe must decipher – before it is too late . . .

D.S. Williams Review:

This would be my least favourite of the Aurora Teagarden books, mainly because there doesn’t seem to be a legitimate reason for the characters doing what they do in this one. There’s lots of unrequited love/ex-lovers changing their minds/unexplained infatuations going on which frankly, at certain times in the book didn’t seem to make sense. And given that the vast majority of these situations revolve around our heroine, a bookish, wavy-haired, glasses-wearing married librarian – it just seemed a little odd to me.
Having said that, there was plenty of mystery going on, it just didn’t seem like really brilliant mystery in comparison with previous books in the series. I almost felt as if in this one, Ms. Harris was ‘phoning it in’ – making the plot suit where she wanted it to end up, and to hell with how that worked out on paper. Despite that, it was just strong enough to keep me invested in the characters, and wanting to find out who the culprit was in the murders.

3 stars

Posted in Book Reviews

A Book Review

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Real Murders

by Charlaine Harris

Synopsis:

Lawrenceton, Georgia, may be a growing suburb of Atlanta, but it’s still a small town at heart. Librarian Aurora ‘Roe’ Teagarden grew up there and knows more than enough about her fellow townsfolk, including which ones share her interest in the darker side of human nature . . .

With those fellow crime buffs, Roe belongs to a club called Real Murders, which meets once a month to analyze famous cases. It’s a harmless pastime – until the night she finds a member dead, killed in a manner that eerily resembles the crime the club was about to discuss.

As other brutal “copycat” killings follow, Roe will have to uncover the person behind the terrifying game, one that casts all the members of Real Murders, herself included, as prime suspects-or potential victims .

D.S. Williams Review:

I read these books a few years ago, and recently purchased them (in the omnibus edition) to reread. I will point out that unfortunately, my ebook was missing Chapter 15 of this first book in the series (I buy via Amazon but read with the Moon Reader app.).
Having said that, the story was as good as I remember, and I warmed quickly to the main character, Aurora Teagarden and the collection of characters who create the story with her. Ms Harris writes in first person, which I enjoy, and I found that the facets of Aurora’s personality were brought to life beautifully. The characters in these books are not the cardboard cutouts that are found in so many novels nowadays – in this case, the characters have flaws, idiosyncrasies and curious quirks to their personalities which make them three-dimensional and entertaining.
Aurora Teagarden has plenty of quirks of her own, but like most of us, she’d just trying to get through life one day at a time. With an interest in historic murders, Aurora is part of a local group named ‘Real Murders’ – a group with it’s own cast of quirky characters.
When those characters start turning up dead – their deaths styled to recreate famous murders from the past, Aurora starts to wonder if she’ll be a victim next – or get the blame for the murders.
The story moves along at a good pace, is thoroughly enjoyable, and an easy read. Aurora is easy to like, and her trials and tribulations were enough to keep me reading to the very end. Highly recommended.

4 stars

Posted in D.S. Williams Worlds, Ramblings

Finding Inspiration…

As a writer, finding inspiration can come in many shapes and forms.  For myself, it’s usually in the form of photographs, images which evoke a visceral response and spark the voices in my head.

Ghost town

These photos, of Bodie, California are those type of images for me.  Looking at those old, ramshackle buildings from a bygone era, still upright and standing despite the passing of decades evoke such emotional responses I can’t help but find myself trying to find a way of getting them into a new story.

Bodie (/ˈboʊdiː/ BOH-dee) is a ghost town in the Bodie Hills east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Mono County, California, United States, about 75 miles (121 km) southeast of Lake Tahoe. It became a boom town in 1876 and following years, after the discovery of a profitable line of gold, and suddenly attracted several thousand residents. It is located 12 mi (19 km) east-southeast of Bridgeport,[5] at an elevation of 8379 feet (2554 m).[1] The U.S. Department of the Interior recognizes the designated Bodie Historic District as a National Historic Landmark.

Also registered as a California Historical Landmark,[2] the ghost town officially was established as Bodie State Historic Park in 1962. It receives about 200,000 visitors yearly.[6] Since 2012, Bodie has been administered by the Bodie Foundation, which uses the tagline Protecting Bodie’s Future by Preserving Its Past.

(Courtesy of the Wikipedia website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodie,_California )

There’s something special about these buildings, as though their inhabitants and their memories are still making their presence known, even now in modern times.  I’ve never visited Bodie myself, but it’s certainly one of the places on my bucket list of things to see.

Old cars

What about you?  What strikes a flame to the wick of your imagination?

Posted in Blog Tours

Loyal & True by Laura Strickland

LOYAL & TRUE

Hearts of Caledonia, Book 1

by Laura Strickland

Genre: Historical Fantasy Romance

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

In defiance of her father, Caledonian tribeswoman Barta leads a daring raid against invading enemy warriors. But the fight goes badly, and her beloved war hound, Loyal, is killed. Unable to imagine existing without her dearest companion, she nevertheless must return home and accept blame for her terrible blunder.

For the first time in his life, Loyal is unable to rise and follow his mistress. When he appeals to the Goddess for mercy, she grants him leave to return on one condition: it must be in the form of a man. And only if Barta recognizes him for who he truly is will he be permitted to stay.

Loyal never suspects that, as a man, his connection with Barta will deepen, becoming passionate enough to transcend nearly any change. Will Barta recognize him before he’s lost to her forever?

Continue reading “Loyal & True by Laura Strickland”

Posted in Book Reviews, The World of Books

Book Review: Burned by A. Blythe

51VqVlnsXhLBurned by A. Blythe

Synopsis:

Life is good for globe-trotting supernatural agent Alyse Winters until she finds herself on the wrong end of a burn notice. Cuffed and cut off from her magic, Alyse is dumped in Philadelphia where her past is only too eager to catch up with her. Add a few supernatural murders to the mix with Alyse as the prime suspect and she’s ready to do anything to get her powers back…if she can survive being human long enough to clear her name.

D.S. Williams Review:

This is the first book I’ve read by A. Blythe, and I enjoyed it very much. The main character was a kick ass, gung-ho heroine, who finds herself in an extremely difficult position when her magical powers are snuffed out for some as yet unknown reason. This is the makings of the start of a series, in which A. Blythe has created some genuinely interesting characters, and in the main protagonist’s situation, some unique issue for her to overcome. I thoroughly enjoyed the storytelling, and A. Blythe’s first person writing style with a touch of snark was most entertaining. There were a couple of points during the story where I felt some pieces of information were being repeated unnecessarily, and where the pacing felt a little bit off, but it wasn’t enough to detract from the reading experience. I will definitely move onto the second book in the Magic Bullet series. Highly recommended.

4 stars

Posted in Blog Tours

Sirens and Scales Boxed Set

SIRENS & SCALES

Genre: Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance

From the darkest skies to the deepest seas, dive into a breathtaking collision of mermaids, dragons, sirens, and more in SIRENS & SCALES, a unique Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Collection!

Your travels through these stories of dazzling ocean tides and the dizzying reaches of the heavens will leave you breathless. Join dragon shifters and mer-creatures for an experience of salty seafaring adventures and magnificent airborne enterprises where sky meets sea, love meets its match, and imagination has no end.

With 26 full-length stories of enchanting fiction, you’ll learn the secrets of Atlantis, soar to uncharted peaks, and discover creatures of wing and fin and those who love them.

Ready to set sail and catch the tide before your chance for adventure is lost forever? Then order this collection of BRAND NEW and EXCLUSIVE material from your favorite USA Today and award-winning authors before it’s gone for good!

Continue reading “Sirens and Scales Boxed Set”

Posted in Blog Tours

Love Garage by Liz Crowe

LOVE GARAGE

The Love Brothers, Book 1

by Liz Crowe

Genre: Contemporary Family Saga Romantic Comedy

MESSAGE FROM LIZ: This series is chock full of humor and heat … and REAL LIFE. It truly is not a typical, fantasy, fairy-tale romance but to me, that makes the HEAs that much sweeter. Please do NOT go into any Liz Crowe reading experience seeking billionaires, rescue-able heroines or cookie-cutter characters. These books are not for everyone but if you really groove on realistic situations, people behaving badly at times, and being redeemed by the love of family, friends, and spouses this IS the series for you!

Tired of Cookie Cutter Fiction?

Meet The Love Brothers!

WARNING: Do NOT read if you prefer your romance predictable and/or conventional.

Love Garage is open for business! In Book 1 of this compelling family saga-style romance series meet the Love family and see how oldest brother Antony deals with getting his girlfriend stolen by the baby brother Aiden. Hint: Not very well.

Set in horse country near Lexington, Kentucky, The Love Brothers Series is a saga of family devotion that runs as wide and deep as the Ohio River–except on Sundays when brothers Antony, Kieran, Dominic and Aiden work out their frustrations on the basketball court, Love brother style.

The Love Brothers: A family saga with humor, heat and heart…Not to mention beer, bourbon and basketball.

Meet the family:

  • Antony: The Big Brother
  • Kieran: The Athlete
  • Dominic: The Bad Boy
  • Aiden: The Baby
  • Angelique: The Sister

Continue reading “Love Garage by Liz Crowe”

Posted in Blog Tours

Gray’s Promise by Anni Fife

GRAY’S PROMISE

A King Security Novel, Book 2

by Anni Fife

Genre: Steamy Romantic Suspense

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Zoey Morgan seems to have it all as a successful surgeon in Boston. However, perfection lies only on the surface. Plagued by nightmares and amnesia from a tragedy that ripped her family from her fourteen years ago, she finds the courage to reach out to the only man who can make her feel safe. She’s buried the memory of their love, but her heart—and her body—responds to the ex-marine in ways that are all too familiar.

Grayson “Gray” Walker’s heart shattered when Zoey chose another man over him. Since then, he’s built an impenetrable wall around his emotions. But from the moment she implodes back into his life, her vulnerability breaches his defenses. His skills as an elite member of the King Security team cannot shield him from the devastation of learning he might have left Zoey high and dry when she needed him most. Now, Gray must navigate the tripwire of helping her heal while protecting himself from being hurt again.

As the embers of their potent love reignite, an old threat awakens, leading to greater danger than ever before.

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Posted in Blog Tours

Playing it Cool by Zoë Mullins

PLAYING IT COOL

A Men of Steele Novella

by Zoë Mullins

Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance

Publication: January 9, 2018

When Spencer’s old college roommate offers him a job at Steele Construction, he doesn’t hesitate. Not only does he get to be closer to his sister and her family, he may finally have the chance to repair the rift between himself and his parents.

His parents live only three hours away but it may as well be on Mars as a blizzard moving up the coast has him seeking refuge at The Red Gate Inn. Spencer prides himself on playing it cool, but something about the raven-haired innkeeper has him overheated.

As a single working mom, Gina didn’t get much time to herself. With her mom and daughter off to Florida for a week, and the inn she owns closed for the holidays, she is looking forward to some me time. Then it started to snow. In good conscience she couldn’t turn away her brother’s newest employee when he needed shelter from the storm, but her guest has her feeling anything but professional.

It may be cold outside but things are heating up at the Inn.

Continue reading “Playing it Cool by Zoë Mullins”

Posted in Blog Tours

Wild Whispers by Ryan Jo Summers

WILD WHISPERS

by Ryan Jo Summers

Genre: Romantic Mystical Mystery with horse racing element

Set against the exciting backdrop in the chase for the Triple Crown and filled with mystical surprises. Season is not a witch, but she can make a horse run and Ty’s heart race.

Season Moriarty is part fey and part druid. She can see the future and alter it. She welds control over the natural elements of earth, wind, fire, and water as well as manipulating life and death. She is an accomplished racehorse trainer, able to get any horse to run like the wind. Now Season has landed the dream job that will test all of her skills and abilities.

Ty Masters runs his horse racing business with an iron fist. No one dares to question him. He hires Season based on her reputation. Then they meet. Immediately, she questions him, challenges him, infuriates him, intrigues him, captivates him, and even intimidates him. Then she spellbinds him. But can she make a Triple Crown winner out of his willful colt?

Mysterious threats to Ty’s racehorses bring him and Season together in a race against the clock. As the stakes for the Triple Crown rise, and the mystery of who wants to destroy Ty deepens, so does the undeniable interest and fiery sparks between them.

Continue reading “Wild Whispers by Ryan Jo Summers”