Great beginning for a fun, smart new series
596006
FICTION
Melissa Lenhardt
Stillwater: A Jack McBride Mystery
Skyhorse Publishing
Hardcover, 978-1-63450-226-9 (also available in ebook and aduiobook formats), 288 pgs., $24.99
November 15, 2015

Jack McBrides wife, Julie, has up and disappeared, abandoning McBride and their son, Ethan (the proof they had once been in love and happy would walk in the room, ear buds in, the musty, sour smell of puberty following him like the contrail of a jet.). Needing a fresh start, McBride has left his position with the Dallas FBI office and moved to the sleepy East Texas town of Stillwater with thirteen-year-old Ethan, to accept a position as chief of police. Stillwater has a freakishly low crime rate until McBride arrives to encounter murder, a fifty-year-old cold case, blackmail, rumors of the previous chiefs long-standing corruption, racketeering  and thats just the first week.

The first volume of Melissa Lenhardts planned mystery series starring Jack McBride, Stillwater does a terrific job of introducing her characters and setting the stage. With an admirable economy of well-chosen words and precise details, Lenhardt skillfully infuses the town of Stillwater with atmosphere and her characters with personality and complex backstories. In particular, Lenhardt writes funny, intelligent, independent women. Ellie Martin, a native of Stillwater and once bittentwice shy, is much more than McBrides love interest.

Stillwater turns noir when McBride comes face to face with Buck Pollard, the previous chief, in a convenience store, the atmosphere so strained that you can hear the proverbial dropping pin. An avalanche of new ice fell in the icemaker. The coffee pot clicked off. Strains of country music, tinny and flat, floated from a radio on the counter behind the clerk. Breakfast taquitos and hot dogs rolled in their warmer.

Lenhardt displays comedic chops with a running joke involving McBrides footwear (city boy with fancy shoes), and when a cop wants to interview a witness in the local nursing home, a caretaker tells him that trying to understand Mrs. Dodsworth is all stream of conscious type stuff. Like reading Faulkner. Its not easy to understand. Lenhardt also has a good ear for dialogue and a deft touch with the difficult relationship between McBride and Ethan.

Ethan sat up and plastered on a smile. My day was great, Dad! Half the school hated me because Im your son. The other half tried to be my best friend because Im new and apparently have hair like some vampire dude.

If it makes you feel any better, some old man at the gas station made fun of my shoes.

Inspired plotting, fast pacing, sly foreshadowing, and a steady serving of plot twists keeps you turning pages. With shades of Walking Tall (1973), long-held secrets surface and reveal the tangled motivations, intertwined lives, and political machinations of a small-town fiefdom. As McBrides personal and career fears converge, Lenhardt expertly sets the hook for the next installment. I hope she writes quickly.

Originally published in Lone Star Literary Life.
954634
If you're a Bartleby and James Adventures fan, you'll love this new series.  It takes place in the same world and time as the Bartleby and James Adventures and share a main character (Bartleby).  Aldora Fiske is quite the English Gentlewoman, out to make the world safe.  She's smart, resourceful, brave and willing to make and follow through on the hard decisions.

The story is well-paced, action-filled and the dialog is very well done.  I'm really looking forward to new stories about Aldora Fiske.

Get the book, put your feet up and be transported to a world that might have been.
548844
Elise is the smart and sassy friend from the first book in this new series, and she's even smarter and sassier here.  She's an investigative reporter currently working the celebrity circuit for an online tabloid, and her assignment is the very private, almost reclusive Keith Perkins.  She follows him while he's running errands, giving her enough of a hint of a secret to run with an article that shakes up his world and threatens to reveal his most precious secret.  Hoping to control the narrative, Keith agrees to a series of authorized interviews, and that's where the fun really begins.

Elise and Keith share a wonderfully passionate chemistry, and their time together allows them to more fully explore their attraction.  As the romance blossoms, so does the intrigue and suspense, especially when outside forces threaten their tranquility.  Keith's natural dominance is like catnip for Elise, who finds having everything just may cost more than she is prepared to sacrifice.

This is an intelligent look at the public life and obligations of a celebrity, the war between their personal privacy and the public's desire to know every intimate detail of the lives of the artists they admire.  The story is well-written on all fronts.  The abundant steamy scenes are just as integral to the story as the interview and publicity scenes, each one showing the heart of the characters as they work towards their HEA.  I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
1437111
Fast, fun introduction to a new series.  Lexi Blake/Sophie Oak are must buys for me.  The "smack down " between Ally & Elise and commentary are great.  The testosterone overloads are also enjoyable.

"Relationships, like anything in life, require more than luck, more than simply love. They require two people who honestly want to be together, who are willing to work through the issues that will inevitably try to keep them apart. Its not easy to take two independent beings and form a really workable couple.

I will re-read this story and always look forward to, pre-order when possible, new works by this author.
1333619
The Homecoming Masquerade is a promising series beginning that left me wanting more. I'm a big fan of the vampire and paranormal genre, and Masquerade provides a much-needed departure from what has become a typical formula. I enjoyed how the action played out with the backstory, an interplay that added depth to both the arc and the characters. One of the things I appreciate most is that the dialogue isn't whiny and obnoxiously self-centered like some of the more popular competing titles. The dry humor and sometimes biting sarcasm appealed to me much more than the nobody-understands-me and sexy-vampires-put-the-fun-in-dysfunctional claptrap that's everywhere.  This is a smart, snappy book. The cast of characters is varied, with different personality and wit and direction for each. The author weaves enough reality with fiction that the world envisioned here is disturbingly within reach. There's real promise here as the characters continue to develop in the installment. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book to see what happens next!
1206056
Enjoyed a great start to a new series. The characters wer fun. There was action and adventure; so definitely more going on than just the couple getting together, and it was a complete book. It did set itself up for the series without ending on a cliffhanger (no one likes the cliffhanger ending; let's be honest). I like Dannika Dark and also the Bewitched and Bewildered series, and this one had elements I liked as well. Oh, and the sex scenes were steamy!
4137417
What a great beginning to a "new world." The humor in this new series is wonderful. The dialogue between Kabril and Sachin with Rayna observing was so amusing that it brought a chuckle out loud. The suspense and surprise with Rayna's kidnapping just added more delight to the story. I can't wait to see more of this great storytelling when I read about Sachin's romance. I wonder if he follows he own advice? A great short read with light sex.
4872793
At A Glance
This was a great start to a hopefully great series. The concept was pretty interesting and draws you in right away.

The Good
The beginning was like a punch in the face, but with a velvet glove. It was shocking but oh so stimulating. The story really caught my attention. All the aspects came together to make one hell of a concept: curing vampirism, a school for training gods and guardian angels, and even supernatural high school drama.

I really liked Ruby in the beginning. Her past is pretty dark but she handles things pretty well. She comes off as vulnerable but tough at the same time. She sticks up for herself and her friends against bullies which I respected. She's also very witty and made me laugh, even during the dark times.

Eli was also a cool character. The whole forbidden love between him and Ruby gave spice to story. I actually liked how serious he was. With Ruby being a little immature, they balanced each other out well.

Ruby's stepfather, the vampire after her, was truly evil and made a great villain. I loved the mystery behind who was helping him and how the whole situation played out.

The Bad
I found it hard to like Ruby sometimes based on her decision making. People try to kill her or use her big secret as a bargaining chip and she's mad for a hot minute then forgives them. Yeah, well, no wonder bad things happened to you, Ruby, you let your guard down around devious people. Smarten up!

Some of the characters felt flat to me, and there could have been a lot more world building. I wanted to know more about what kinds of powers the supernatural beings had.

The Snuggly
Though Eli was a bit stiff for my taste, I thought he and Ruby made a great couple. They each have so much passion. But, OMG, the ending. So sad. Yes, there is a cliffhanger.

Just kissing and touching as far as the snuggly goes.

Final Thoughts
This book is not perfect, but it's a very enjoyable read. Though the characters could use some work, I think the premise will keep most people reading. Very recommended.

Quotes
"Brilliance is impossible without a touch of insanity."

"Sometimes, I have to look twice at you just to see if you're actually real. That much beauty is dangerous."

So you're a guardian angel?"
"Yes."
"Where are your wings?" I wondered aloud, as I often did.
Eli laughed. "I assume you expect angel wings to be big and white and feathery."
"Well...yes."
"No, they aren't like in books at all...Our wings aren't physical. They are a mass of energy, in the shape of wings, yes, but not really."
"Wow, what a rip off."

*Free book from author for honest review*
1556039
This was a fun story, with a unique world and an interesting set of characters. While not overtly steampunk, it did have elements of tech-blended-with-magic, and some gadgets that might have been too far-fetched in a purely fantasy setting.

Julia is a great heroine  shes strong and street-smart, but still believably 16. She doubts herself and sometimes makes poor choices, but has the self-awareness necessary to realize when she has made a mistake, and the courage to set it right. I cant wait for the next installment of this new series.

Age recommendation  while Julie is only 16, she does have a lover. There is nothing explicit, however, and I think the book would be fine for mature younger teens.

NOTE: I was provided with a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
1903131
This is a wonderful beginning from a fresh new author. The description is crisp and rich, the dialogue is engaging, and the characters are real and complex. I find myself wondering what will happen next, and so I must read on. I'm looking forward to reading more about Kat and Wing and all their friends and enemies and lovers (oo-la-la)! Bring it on Spike!
3057532
This was a good start to Eve Langlais' Freakn' Shifters series. The story had a great mix of comedic dialog, fun characters, romance, and just a tiny bit of suspense to help pull everything together. Naomi is so set against marrying, dating, just about anything with another shifter and she is very vocal about it. So when she finds out that she's found her mate in not one, but two, aggressive shifters she is set to change her fate. They, or course, have something much different (and far more fun) in mind and go about trying to woo her (yes, woo her - in their own words).

Naomi was a fun character. I loved her tough exterior hiding a woman looking for tender loving underneath. Unfortunately, she was also a bit annoying after awhile and I sort of wanted to slap her. Her constant complaining about violence (while dishing out some good shots of her own) was cut at first, but by the time I had heard about it over and over again it got a bit old. I know you don't like violence and you think you're super tough - I want to see something new now. She did change a lot throughout the story and a dynamic character is always loved though. You could say I had a love-hate relationship with her. That in and and of itself is hard to write.

Ethan and Javier handled her brilliantly though. Their scheme of giving her everything she says she wants (unless mamma wolf said otherwise) was the perfect way to handle this rough and tumble wolf of theirs. They were also incredibly different from each other. While both had a tender side and rough side, the way they showed these sides was great. Each showing a caring and protective nature, while still staying very unique themselves.

The story throws in a bit of excitement with a small mystery that helped to draw all the small bits and pieces together and show Naomi that she could love and trust her two mates to take care of her the way she wanted.
1251401
Great debut for this new series, is a book that is fascinating in its cover and inside its pages. I'm just learning the amazing world of scrapbooking and I love each object of DIY. I have really appreciated the helpful advice that are at the end.
Cora is trying to rebuild her life in Indigo Gap after a very difficult period. She is a craft blogger and has decided to open a craft retreat in Kildare, her Victorian house. To help her in this new business there is her friend Jane, she is very good at working the vessels but has a large stain in her past: she tried to kill her abusive husband. When the librarian is found dead unfortunately Jane is the prime suspect because of his past and also are found her fingerprints. Her position worsens when the victim's husband is found dead, he was very violent and Cora  will have to work hard to exonerate her friend.
The small town of Indigo Gap seems very comfortable and cozy and the author has described so well Kildare house that I really want to participate in a craft retreat.
The characters are realistic, believable and colorful with great artistic talents: I like that there are different arts DIY involved.
Really well written, flowing, fast-paced with several twists that made this book enjoyable and unpredictable until the end. There is suspense, humor and even a bit of romance: a cozy mystery really intriguing and interesting.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my fair and honest review.
2857678
Mission: Improper is a fantastic start to a new spin off series by Bec McMaster, London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracy. Steam/industrial Victorian London, three years after the revolution.  Blue bloods, verwulfens, mechs, and humans are adjusting to a new way of life. And now the work of the revolution is at stake. People are missing, secret societies, and reformation to return to the old ways, things are getting messy. And only one discreet team has the authority to figure out who or what is behind these calculated attacks.

With the characters returning from the London Steampunk series, Caleb Byrnesstoic Nighthawk and Ingrid Millerfeisty verwulfen take center stage.  Struggling to find a health balance in their otherwise unstable relationship are put to the test and challenged until the very end.  But some things are worth fighting for

Both Byrnes and Miller are paired up together, along with Charlie, Ava, Gemma, and Kincade, under the ever watchful eye of the Duke of Malloryn.  It seems not all of society is happy in the post-revolution era ruled by the Queen, especially specific members of the Echelon.  With a mystery to solve and feelings to define, Mission: Improper dives into the undergrounds of London.

Readers be warned, I suggest the best way to approach this series is to start off with the London Steampunk series, as it will provide the background to fully understand what is happening.  I recommend this book for all those who enjoy a good mystery paranormal romance with a splash of steampunk. Mission: Improper was provided by the author for an honest review. 4.5/5
1533827
AudioBook Review:
Stars:  Overall: 4 Narration: 5 Story: 4

The second in The Magic & Mixology Mystery series from Gina LaManna is the first Ive read in this series, and believe me, there was plenty to keep me guessing.  Already a fan of LaMannas snarky, sarcastic and cleverly plotted mysteries, this was  a fun opportunity to get into a new book.  Lily is learning to mix potions, and her mentor is more than a bit demanding. But when her spellbook disappears and Gus goes looking, shes completely left to her own devices to find the missing ingredient that her cousin Poppy needs.  When you add in another cousin trying to pass his rangers test, and Ranger X makes her heart go pitter-pat, there are plenty of distractions to Lilys time.

Oh I liked Lily very much: she was determined to find the answers she needed, even when everything (and that is almost literal) is conspiring against her.  Fun, funny and quite able to find the humor in almost every situation, the threats were dire, but she never lost her focus, even as the distractions did seem to increase.  And to top it all off  the forest is loaded with Fae with attitude, and strangely cloaked men are wandering everywhere and leaving people vaguely unsettled.  Fast-paced, twisty and full of surprises, the fun never ends in this.

Narration for this book is provided by Wendy Tremont King, and as with every title Ive listened to that shes narrated, each character is unique and distinct, easily distinguished from the others and even provides a touch of foreshadowing of intentions in the voice. Evil characters feel grimy and a bit off, while the emotional influences on others (confusion, anger, happiness) are palpable and clearly add to the listen.

Id suggest that you start with the first in this series  and give it a listen. You won't go wrong with this fun, witchy-enhanced mystery.

I received an AudioBook copy of the title from Tantor Audio for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
3001610
LOTS of tags on this one! I just have to say WOW, what a fun start to a new series. Ms. McClain didn't bombard us with world building; the information about Bastian's realm, and the others, flowed naturally.

Acasia was a hoot. She shows up drunk for the claiming and once chosen and in Bastian's tower, she throws up on his talons. Then threatens to do it again. I would have liked hearing that dragon laugh. He's a dragon shifter.
I'd also like to fly with him.

The four remaining male dragons have been cursed by Hera because of one dragon's act. They are called to the claiming once every one hundred years. They choose a bride, fall in love with her, and then she dies at the end of her life-span. They are always heart-broken. They are cursed to go through this cycle until they find their one true mate. Makes for some sad moments as they remember their loves.

There is a loophole, and Acasia just might be it.

I was confused at one point. Bastian takes Acasia to the Earth Realm. They are met by Dmitri, a vampire. There are shifters, too. Once I realized that these characters are all from The Fang Chronicles, it made more sense.

One hopes that Ms. McClain is well into writing the next book in the series, as this was loads of reading fun.

I give this one a 4.5 BOOKMARK rating!

Thank you, NetGalley and D'Elen McClain, for the opportunity to read Dragons Don't Cry

[...]
180592
What a great beginning for a new series.  I loved the protagonist! She is a wonderfully and realistically drawn woman facing middle age.  Her backstory was skillfully and surprisingly revealed. Interesting to see how she develops.  I howled and winched at one of the secondary character's reliance on the word "like".  It is  pet peeve, ironic since I work on a college campus. Glad to read a kindred spirit who winces as well.  The murder was creatively solved and was happy that one of the more despicable characters got his comeuppance even though he wasn't the killer.  Highly recommend and look forward to reading the second book.  Hope it is released soon!
3935520
I am a huge fan of Jim Butcher, both his Wizard Dresden series and the Codex Alera series, so I was really excited that he was creating a new world with steam punk flavor. The Aeronaught's Windlass is a great start to a new world, with the science/magic of the ether power source, talking cats (who will remind you of the Malks in Dresden) and feisty female leads, plus the hero with understated commitment to his own brand of ethics. The only thing that drove me crazy - and this smoothed out once he got to the thrilling "naval" battles was his attempt to create a british colonial vibe through the constant use of "rather" and "quite" to simulate aristocratic, formal speech. I love Butcher's writing, but nobody should do without a line editor. Without being snide, I'd suggest a course of Georgette Heyer Regency romances, to see how period dialogue is really done. (And they happen to be wonderful fun, if you like that kind of thing.) In sum, good start, and I fully expect that as the series grows and deepens the subsequent books will be great.