Book Thoughts ~ What Doesn't Kill Her

What Doesn't Kill Her (Cape Charade #2)

by Christina Dodd
published by HQN
release date: January 29, 2019
genre: Adult, Mystery, Thriller

**Received an e-copy from NetGalley/publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (Goodreads): One secret, one nightmare, one lie. You guess which is which.
1. I have the scar of a gunshot on my forehead.
2. I have willfully misrepresented my identity to the US military.
3. I'm the new mother of a seven-year-old girl.
Kellen Adams suffers from a yearlong gap in her memory. A bullet to the brain will cause that. But she's discovering the truth, and what she learns changes her life, her confidence, her very self. She finds herself in the wilderness, on the run, unprepared, her enemies unknown--and she is carrying a priceless burden she must protect at all costs. The consequences of failure would break her. And Kellen Adams does not break.
What doesn't kill her...had better start running.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed most of this book so I'll talk about those things first. When this book starts Kellen is trying to figure out how to be a mom and not faring well. Hiding in bushes and feeling like a failure because she can not bond with her daughter Rae. Looking for a way out Kellen takes a job running an artifact up the mountain. Of course nothing works out. Terror and mayhem ensue. Kellen manages the job and gets every priceless thing up the mountain.
While I didn't have a problem with it, it was slightly jarring going from all of that to event planning at the winery. This was just as frantic and came with its own set of problems. It's also where we find out who is trying to kill Kellen and why. This is where my personal problem comes in. Even in a thriller I like to be able to try and figure things out. The answer made sense to Kellen's life but caught me off guard trying to figure out if I had ever heard of the person before.
Overall, even with not having a clue on who, I really enjoyed this book. Christina Dodd does a great job setting a scene and bringing the characters and dialogue to life. I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next with Kellen and her new found (refound) life.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ The Book Club Murders

The Book Club Murders (Oakwood Mystery #1)

by Leslie Nagel
published by Alibi
released: September 27, 2016
genre: Adult, Mystery, Cozy

**Received from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (Goodreads): In a charming cozy mystery series debut, Leslie Nagel’s irrepressible small-town heroine finds that her fellow mystery book club members may be taking their Agatha Christie a bit too literally—and murder a bit too lightly.

Charley Carpenter has poured heart and soul into her clothing store, Old Hat Vintage Fashions. She’ll do anything to make it a success—even join the stuffy Agathas Book Club in order to cultivate customers among Oakwood, Ohio’s wealthy elite.

Although mixing with the most influential women in town has its advantages, Charley finds the endless gossip a high price to pay. But after two women with close ties to the Agathas are brutally murdered, everyone falls under threat—and suspicion. When key evidence indicates that both murders are the work of the same hand, Charley realizes that the killer has arranged each corpse in perfect imitation of crime scenes from the Club’s murder mystery reading list. She uses her membership in the Club to convince Detective Marcus Trenault to use her as an inside informant. Not that he could stop her anyway.

Intelligent, fearless, and every bit as stubborn as Marc is, Charley soon learns the Agathas aren’t the only ones with secrets to protect. Passions explode as she and Marc must race against time to prevent another murder. And if Charley’s not careful, she may find herself becoming the killer’s next plot twist.

My Thoughts: There are two reasons this went down to 3.5 stars. First, I felt lost right from the start. I had to look up the book to make sure it was the first in the series. It felt like I should already know who all the characters were. Especially the members of the Agathas. It could just be me but I had trouble trying to keep them all straight and since they were all very much involved in the murders and the resulting mystery surrounding them, it was confusing.
The second was the ending. This is more of a personal thing but it felt more like an ending for either a stand alone or the last book in a series not the first. After one too many twists, the author made sure to give the characters all HEAs and tell you where they all were as one would if closing out a series. There was nothing there that would lead to book two or make you even feel that there was going to be a book two. If this had been a stand alone I would have been more than okay with this and it wouldn't have bothered me as much.
Fortunately, I really enjoyed the middle 75% of the book. I really liked Charley and her group of friends, Frankie, Dimitri, and Lawrence made this book. Following along as Charley and Frankie (very much against Marc's wishes) tried to solve who would want to kill their "friends". This is the part where not being sure which Agatha was which played a part. I ended up just enjoying the story despite not always knowing who was who.
Overall, while I enjoyed most of the book there were just too many things that added up and made me lower the rating on this one. I did like the main characters and the author's writing style and can see myself giving the second book in this series a try.

Rating: 3.5

Arc Review ~ An Untimely Frost

An Untimely Frost (Lilly Long #1)

by Penny Richards
published by Kensington
expected release date: July 26, 2016
genre: Adult, Mystery, Historical Fiction

**Received e-galley from netGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Summary (Goodreads): In 1881 Chicago, the idea of a female detective is virtually unheard of. But when famed crime buster Allan Pinkerton opens his agency's doors to a handful of women, one intrepid actress with her own troubled past is driven to defy convention and take on a new and dangerous role. . .

Since the age of eleven, when her mother was murdered, the life of the theater is all Lilly Long has known. Now twenty-two, she has blossomed into an accomplished Shakespearean actress. But after her innocence--and her savings--are taken from her by a seductive scoundrel, Lilly vows to leave the stage, enter the real world, and save others from a similar fate. Following in the footsteps of the country's first female detective, Lilly persuades Allan Pinkerton to take her on.

Lilly's acting skills are a perfect fit for her real-life role as a Pinkerton operative. But her first case is a baptism by fire as she is sent to the small town of Vandalia to solve the mystery of a pastor who disappeared with his family--and the church's funds. When Lilly arrives, she finds the mere mention of the reverend's name provokes enmity or suspicious silence. Shadowed by a second Pinkerton agent with an agenda of his own, Lilly begins to uncover Vandalia's sordid secrets. But she'll have to deliver the performance of a lifetime to survive the final act of this drama.

My Thoughts: This is our introduction to Lilly Long. The newest agent for the famous Pinkerton Agency. Lilly decides to pursue this job after her husband's true nature is thrown in her face.  Using her acting skills, she convinces (sorta) the Pinkerton brothers that she is the one they want.
The first assignment in Vandalia is not as easy as it would appear. Stories about a pastor with ulterior motives, missing money, and a haunted house greet Lilly once she arrives in town. I liked Lilly's ability to kept moving forward with her inquiries not matter how off putting the locals are. This did lead to some rather uncomfortable situations where Lilly ended up needing rescuing, usually by the mysterious boxer that Lilly keeps running into.
There were enough surprises and twists to keep you reading to find out what was going to happen next. Added into the mix is Lilly's memories of her mother's murder that tied in to the current story while also setting up for future books. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more.

Rating: 4 

Book Review (Arc) ~ Warren the 13th and The All Seeing Eye

Warren the 13th and The All Seeing Eye

by Tania del Rio
Illustrated by Will Staehle
published by Quirk Books
expected release date: November 24, 2015
genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mystery,

**received from publisher/netgalley in exchange for honest review.

Summary (Goodreads): Meet Warren the 13th, a cursed 12-year-old Victorian bellhop who’s terribly unlucky . . . yet perpetually optimistic, hard-working, and curious. Orphan Warren’s pride and joy is his family’s hotel, but he’s been miserable ever since his evil Aunt Anaconda took over the management. Anaconda believes a mysterious treasure known as the All-Seeing Eye is hidden somewhere on the grounds, and she’ll do anything to find it. If Warren wants to preserve his family’s legacy, he’ll need to find the treasure first—if the hotel’s many strange and wacky guests don’t beat him to it! This middle-grade adventure features gorgeous two-color illustrations on every page and a lavish two-column Victorian design that will pull young readers into a spooky and delightful mystery.

My Thoughts: I wanted to read this for two reasons. The first cover (here) caught my attention when I was scrolling through netgalley. The final cover and illustrations the author posted made me want it even more. The second reason is my son. He is not a fan of fiction books, reads mostly non-fiction, and I am always looking for stuff for him to read that will make his teachers happy. This is one I will be getting for him when it comes out.
Warren comes from a long line of Warrens, all eventually become owners/managers of the hotel. Unfortunately, our Warren receives the hotel before he is old enough to run it, leaving him and it in the care of his aunt and uncle. The uncle is lazy and spends all his time eating and sleeping and the aunt is evil, always coming up with new ways to torture/discipline Warren.
Anaconda fills the classic villain role well. She is evil, greedy, and will do anything to get what she wants. Power, power and more power. With the help of her sisters (and several others) they manage to tear apart the hotel looking for the Eye, all under the nose of the oblivious uncle.
There were many twists and turn along with all of Warrens ups and downs throughout the book. Warren, while not your typical leading character, is still great and you cannot help but root for him. There are many surprises and great side characters, meaning there is something for everyone.
As I said, I'll definitely be getting this for my son and personally, I'm most looking forward to seeing the final illustrations.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ India Black and the Widow of Windsor

India Black and The Widow of Windsor (Madam of Espionage #2)

by Carol K Carr
published by Berkley Prime Crime
genre: Adult, Historical, Mystery

Summary (Goodreads): Black is back! Her Majesty's favorite spy is off to Scotland in this new adventure to ensure the Queen doesn't end up getting killed.

When Queen Victoria attends a séance, the spirit of her departed husband, Prince Albert, insists she spend Christmas at their Scottish home in Balmoral. Prime Minister Disraeli suspects the Scottish nationalists plan to assassinate the Queen-and sends the ever resourceful India and the handsome British spy, French, to the Scottish highlands.

French will take the high road, looking for a traitor among the guests-and India will take the low road, disguised as a servant in case an assassin is hiding among the household staff. India is certain that someone at Balmoral is determined to make this Her Majesty's last Christmas...

My Thought: There were a few problems with the first book but I decided to give this one a chance. I liked this one much more. It might have been because this was filled with more court intrigue rather than just political ones.
India is no longer happy just being the owner of a brothel. She is ready for an adventure and Dizzy and French pull her into another one. This time they are trying to find out who is trying to assassinate the Queen while she is taking holiday in Scotland.
While French covers the royal court, India is stuck as a lady maid to a Marchioness ( I messed up this title every time I read it). The Marchioness might have been my favorite side character. Her need to stick any powder close by up her nose created some very interesting situations. She was also one of the smarter members of the court, figuring out what was going on before anyone else.
Overall, this had everything I was looking for in this cross genre. Scandalous rendezvous, randy royal princes, servant gossip, and of course some really bad (and one good) assassination attempts on the Queen. I'm looking forward to seeing how much trouble India, French, and Vincent can get into next.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ India Black

India Black (Madame of Espionage Mysteries #1)

by Carol K. Carr
published by Berkley Trade
genre: Adult, Mystery, Historical Fiction,

Summary (Goodreads): When Sir Archibald Latham of the War Office dies from a heart attack while visiting her brothel, Madam India Black is unexpectedly thrust into a deadly game between Russian and British agents who are seeking the military secrets Latham carried.

Blackmailed into recovering the missing documents by the British spy known as French, India finds herself dodging Russian agents-and the attraction she starts to feel for the handsome conspirator.

My Thoughts: This was a nice mix of two genres that I wish I read more of. I enjoy both mysteries and historicals but am picky about what I read in each.
India was a humorous, straight forward lead. Whether talking about her running of Lotus House or trying to recover a case that seemed to be important to a lot of people, she had something to say even when it would be better if she didn't.
I wanted to like the team up of French, India and Vincent more but at times it seemed disjointed. We are lead to believe that there could be some type of attraction between India and French but most of the time they seemed to be occupying the same space  but not aware of each other. There was more interaction/affection from French towards Vincent (not in a bad way) than towards India. They also seemed to have the tools and abilities to end this chase much sooner but when they were in the moment they seemed to forget about their guns, swords, etc.
Overall, even with some of the problems it was a good introduction to a series. There was plenty of action and enough twists and humor to keep me entertained throughout. I am looking forward to reading more about India and how much trouble she can get into with help of French and Vincent.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ New York to Dallas

New York to Dallas (In Death #33)

by J.D. Robb
published by Berkley
genre: Adult, Sci-Fi, Cop Drama, Mystery

Summary (Goodreads): The number-one New York Times-bestselling author J. D. Robb presents an intense and terrifying new case for New York homicide cop Eve Dallas, one that will take her all the way to the city that gave her her name-and plunge her into the nightmares of her childhood.

When a monster named Isaac McQueen-taken down by Eve back in her uniform days-escapes from Rikers, he has two things in mind. One is to pick up where he left off, abducting young victims and leaving them scarred in both mind and body. The other is to get revenge on the woman who stopped him all those years ago.

My Thoughts: There was a lot going on in this one. At one point it was too much.
The story starting out with Peabody and Eve getting medals for the work they had done in bringing down the dirty cops was a nice way of closing off that story. Before we can get there Eve gets a message, n the form of a hostage situation, that a serial pedophile/kidnapper that she put away when she was a rookie has escaped. It's very clear from the beginning that his focus is more on Eve than on getting back into things.
This has not stopped him from going back to his old ways, he's just not as good at it. Not only is Dallas where Eve is from it is also where two of McQueen's victims are from. The emotional trauma that surrounds Eve and the city of Dallas has been a running story line throughout this series. Add in what McQueen is and where he has decided to set up shop and it all comes back up again.
The only thing that didn't work for me was the twist with McQueen's partner. It was just too much. The reveal felt like a throw away. With everything else that was happening this story didn't need it. It seemed as if the author was closing off some loose ends so she wouldn't be asked about them anymore. It was just off for me.
Overall, I liked the book even though a lot of it was old stories putting themselves in the forefront again. The relationship between Eve and Roarke took some hits but managed to right itself with the help of some old friends. I did miss the usual team. While the Dallas people were fine it didn't have the same feel as the group you're used to. Almost caught up with this series and still enjoying it.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ What's a Witch to Do

What's a Witch to Do (A midnight Magic Mystery #1)

by Jennifer Harlow
published by Midnight Ink
genre: Adult, Romance, Mystery (Cozy), Supernatural

Summary (Goodreads): High Priestess might sound like an ’80s hair band, but its Mona McGregor’s life. She runs the Midnight Magic shop in Goodnight, Virginia, and leads a large coven. She’s also raising two nieces and hasn’t been with a man for fifteen years…until a handsome doctor takes an interest in her. But Mona’s life really heats up when Adam Blue, a sexy werewolf, arrives at her door. Adam informs her that someone wants her dead and he is there to protect her. Hell’s bells! When a demon begins stalking her, Mona has to suspect her coven members, and even her family.

With two handsome men and a determined demon after her, Mona teams up with Adam to find out who really wants her dead . . . and who really wants her.

My Thoughts: While this looks and reads more like a cozy mystery, I would definitely label it more under romance. The mystery was there but the "will she ever find love" question was the bigger story line. Since there were plenty of supes in this story it did not bother me that it was a romance.
I liked Mona for the most part. I almost quit the book at one point because the author kept using the term moron but spelling it mo-ron. I was glad when she stopped. Mona flipped a lot between being this strong, high-priestess type character and a whiny why me type. This doesn't sound good but it fit with the character and the situation/town she lived in.
The mystery part of the story was obvious and used more as a reason to throw Mona and Adam together. Even when they "caught" the person responsible you knew it wasn't done.
Overall, I was more interested in the setting and overall supernatural groups than Mona/Adam's HEA. The story of Mona's sister and her 2 nieces is probably what I want to know the most about. Also, the FREAKs. Since there is a series featuring them (F.R.E.A.K.S. squad investigations) I may check it out before reading the second in this series.

Rating: 3.5

Book Review ~ Treachery in Death

Treachery in Death (In Death #32)

by J.D. Robb
published by Putnam
genre: Adult, futuristic crime drama, Mystery

Summary (Goodreads): Detective Eve Dallas and her partner, Peabody, are following up on a senseless crime—an elderly grocery owner killed by three stoned punks for nothing more than kicks and snacks. This is Peabody's first case as primary detective—good thing she learned from the master.

But Peabody soon stumbles upon a trickier situation. After a hard workout, she's all alone in the locker room when the gym door clatters open; and-while hiding inside a shower stall trying not to make a sound—she overhears two fellow officers, Garnet and Oberman, arguing. It doesn't take long to realize they're both crooked—guilty not just of corruption but of murder. Now Peabody, Eve, and Eve's husband, Roarke, are trying to get the hard evidence they need to bring the dirty cops down—knowing all the while that the two are willing to kill to keep their secret.

My Thoughts: I'm always amazed by how much I still enjoy this series. Once I start reading I cannot put it down until I find out all the answers. This book fell right into that same line, started reading and couldn't go to bed until it was finished.
I've always liked Peabody and this story just bumped it up a notch. I liked seeing her come into her own. Taking lead on her first murder case. Seeing her bounce ideas off Eve and figure out how best to move forward and eventually solve the case. Then the real story starts.
Watching Eve go toe to toe with another seemingly strong female character was great to read. The contrasts between not only the two characters (Eve and Renee Oberman) but also they're squads was glaringly obvious. I had never thought how Eve's small office was a point of pride to her and her squad until this book. Also, the way that Oberman was trying to get to the top seat but Eve was the one that knew how to play the politics of that seat.
Overall, this was one of my favorite story lines.  I liked Peabody getting more face time and more responsibility to go along with her title. I also liked how Eve had her working to get a fallen cops name cleared in order to help her move on from the shower room experience. I know eventually this series will end but I'll keep reading until that time.

Rating: 4

Mystery Review ~ Mayhem at the Orient Express

Mayhem at the Orient Express (League of Literary Ladies #1)

by Kylie Logan
published by Berkley
genre: Adult, Mystery, Cozy

Summary (Goodreads): At a local Chinese restaurant, it's the owner who gets taken out...

Most folks aren't forced by court order to attend a library-book discussion group, but that’s just what happens to B and B proprietor and ex-Manhattanite Bea Cartwright, hippy cat lover Chandra Morrisey, and winery owner Kate Wilder after a small-town magistrate has had enough of their squabbling. South Bass, an island on Lake Erie, is home to an idyllic summer resort, but these three ladies keep disturbing the peace.

The initial book choice is Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, and that sets their mouths to watering. The Orient Express is the island’s newest Chinese restaurant. They might not agree about much, but the ladies all love the orange chicken on the menu. But their meal is spoiled when the restaurant’s owner, Peter Chan, has the bad fortune of getting murdered. Now, with Christie as their inspiration, the League of Literary Ladies has a real mystery to solve…if they can somehow catch a killer without killing each other first.

My Thoughts: I always forget how much I enjoy mysteries (or cozies) until I pick one up. I don't know if it's the covers that make me pause or something else but I should read more.
With the premise of a judge ordering people to form a book club as punishment I had to give this one a try. The four ladies in the book club are very different and their personalities just clash. It's not really explained but it sounded as if this was not the first time they had been in court complaining about what the others were doing to annoy them. Bea was the hardest to read for me, her personality didn't seem to be as defined as the others. Chandra was all over the place and trying to cleanse everything and Kate was the uptight rich girl type.
I liked the integration from Murder on the Orient Express and how the author made the case the ladies were trying to solve run parallel to the book. Considering the winter we had reading about everyone getting snowed in with no power was very easy to relate to. Since Bea's inn was the only place with a generator, it put all the main characters under one roof.
I'm not sure if I missed something or just did not have the correct mindset at the time but the twist with who the guilty party was was a surprise to me. It's always nice when that happens. Other than trying to force some romance into the story, I was happy with this book and will have an easier time picking up book two.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ Palace of Spies

Palace of Spies (Palace of Spies #1)

by Sarah Zettel
published by HMH Books
genre: YA, Historical Fiction, Mystery/Spy

Summary (Goodreads): A warning to all young ladies of delicate breeding who wish to embark upon lives of adventure: Don't.

Sixteen-year-old Peggy is a well-bred orphan who is coerced into posing as a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. Life is grand, until Peggy starts to suspect that the girl she's impersonating might have been murdered. Unless Peggy can discover the truth, she might be doomed to the same terrible fate. But in a court of shadows and intrigue, anyone could be a spy—perhaps even the handsome young artist with whom Peggy is falling in love...

History and mystery spark in this effervescent series debut.

My Thoughts: This was a hard book to write a review for. I really liked this book but thought there were many things wrong with it. I kept putting it down and it took me a lot longer to read than usual. Even though I put it down, something made me keep picking it back up.
I liked Peggy, she was stronger and more independent than you would think of a girl in this time period. All this was needed once she was working for the three and ended up at court. Everybody at court was a very different type of the lady in waiting. You had the smart, the pretty, the manipulative, and the airhead. All together they worked and made for an interesting read.
Two things that bothered me. One, there was a sexual assault early in the book and it bothered me the way it was handled and everybody including the person assaulted moved on by the next chapter and it wasn't really mentioned again. Two, the story of the girl that Peggy was taking over for. It just seemed to keep going around and around. Every time someone said something the whole story would change. I was happy with what seemed to be the final story, it just took too long to get there.
Overall, there were problems with the story but I still enjoyed reading it. I'm looking forward to how the author handles what they are wanting Peggy to do next.

Rating: 3.5

Book Review ~ Kindred in Death

Kindred in Death (In Death #29)

by J.D. Robb
published by Berkley
genre: Adult, Romance, Crime, Sci-Fi, Mystery

Summary (Goodreads): When the newly promoted captain of the NYPSD and his wife return a day early from their vacation, they were looking forward to spending time with their bright and vivacious sixteen-year-old daughter who had stayed behind.

Not even their worst nightmares could have prepared them for the crime scene that awaited them instead. Brutally murdered in her bedroom, Deena's body showed signs of trauma that horrified even the toughest of cops; including our own Lieutenant Eve Dallas, who was specifically requested by the captain to investigate.

When the evidence starts to pile up, Dallas and her team think they are about to arrest their perpetrator; little do they know yet that someone has gone to great lengths to tease and taunt them by using a variety of identities. Overconfidence can lead to careless mistakes. But for Dallas, one mistake might be all she needs to bring justice

My Thoughts: Even 30 books in I still enjoy this series. There have been some misses along the way but not this one. It had everything I love when I'm reading a good mystery/crime drama book.
All the main characters were back doing what they do best. Dallas is kick-ass Lieutenant brought in to lead a case that hits a little to close to home for all involved. Not only does Dallas relate to it personally, Peabody and several others knew the victim.
The bad guy's reasoning behind the crime was convoluted and it was easy to believe that he was brainwashed along the way to think the way he does. Even with the bumps along the way (wouldn't be a story without them), I was satisfied with how this case came to an end.
I also liked the happy note that this story ended with, another wedding of a couple we have seen grow from the beginning. It's always nice to see these characters have some happy moments.

Rating: 5

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Hostage (Bishop/Special Crimes Unit #14)

by Kay Hooper
published by Berkley
expected release date: November 26, 2103

Summary (Goodreads):Haven operative Luther Brinkman has been sent into the wilderness of the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee to locate escaped felon Cole Jacoby, a mentally unstable bank robber. Supposedly, Jacoby hid more than ten million dollars from his last heist before he was captured—and rather mysteriously escaped federal custody. And once Brinkman finds Jacoby, the agent is left severely wounded, with no way to convey his location to Haven.

Callie Davis, an agent with the FBI’s Special Crimes Unit, has been in the area for some time, due to the foresight of her boss and unit chief, Noah Bishop. But when she finds the wounded Brinkman, her rescue mission turns into a deadly game of cat and mouse.

What neither Luther nor Callie know is that their quarry is far more than an escaped bank robber. And that in hunting him, they will find themselves being hunted by him, and will discover him to be the worst monster either of them has ever known.

**I'm behind in this series but I love the mix of crime/mystery novel and the supernatural.

Book Review ~ Omens

Omens (Cainsville #1)

by Kelley Armstrong
published by Dutton
genre: Adult, Supernatural, Paranormal, Mystery

Summary:  Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.

My Thoughts: This was a nice change of pace from what I've been reading lately and really enjoyable.
It kind of reminded me of why I enjoy JD Robb's In Death series. Where that is murder mystery mixed with futuristic sci fi, this is more mystery mixed with the supernatural.
That being said, my favorite character was the town of Cainsville itself. While both Olivia and Gabriel had a lot of promise as lead characters in the series they didn't fully grab my interest. I was more taken in by the setting and the story. From the Elders to the gargoyles, the cat and the return of the ravens I just wanted more of the  town. We don't really get specifics on the Elders they are just mentioned a few times., but at the end of the book they are the ones I want to keep reading about. I also enjoyed the different omens that Olivia can see, when others can't, that provide clues or guidance for what's about to come.
Trying to force a romance into this story was what knocked this book down for me. Just for one book I would have liked to see the author just let them be friends. It felt forced and I didn't really care for them together (nothing actually happens, it's just strongly hinted and can see more coming in future books). Olivia supposedly was just about to get married and yet by the end of the book (which doesn't cover a long time period) she's already having feeling for Gabriel. All the while protesting that she is not going to be the one to try to change him from the one night stand guy he is. It just didn't work for me, others won't have a problem with it.
Overall, this was very much story driven for me and the ending with The Hunt on the way and killer from this story screaming that he works for the Huntsman had me ready for the second book. I'm also interested in Olivia's dad and finding out who committed all the other murders not just the one solved in this book.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ Changes

Changes (The Dresden Files #12)
by Jim Butcher
published by Roc
genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy, Mystery

Summary (Goodreads): Long ago, Susan Rodriguez was Harry Dresden's lover-until she was attacked by his enemies, leaving her torn between her own humanity and the bloodlust of the vampiric Red Court. Susan then disappeared to South America, where she could fight both her savage gift and those who cursed her with it.

Now Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court, has discovered a secret Susan has long kept, and she plans to use it-against Harry. To prevail this time, he may have no choice but to embrace the raging fury of his own untapped dark power. Because Harry's not fighting to save the world...

He's fighting to save his child.

My Thoughts: I'll start by saying, I waited to read this until book 13 was out. All the review from when this came out were talking about the cliffhanger ending and I did not want to have to wait. I'll be reading Side Jobs this month and then Ghost Story next month. A much better wait time.
This is one of my favorite series. When I started reading I looked at DH and said "I forgot how much I enjoy reading these books".  I don't think I can give it a bigger endorsement than that, but I'll try.
The action begins pretty much from the start. We find out that Dresden's daughter (which he did not know about) has been kidnapped, which brings Susan and her little minion back into the picture. I've always been a Murphy fan so I did not care for Susan much. I didn't hate her as a character she just was not my favorite.
Harry seems to get on board with this pretty quick (which was necessary) and starts looking for help. Arianna, deranged princess, of the Red Court is also in town under the guise of a truce with the White Council. She also has her fingers in other pies, including the IA of the police dept. which limits what help is coming from that corner.
Overall there were a lot of revelations and monumental decisions made throughout this book. It lived up to its title. From Harry's choice to get more power to Susan's ultimate choice to end the threat to her daughter, it cannot help but impact the series going forward.
The cliffhanger...I was so worried about it going in that by the time it happened my only thought was "Harry can get out of this". Of course it won't be that easy and it is another change to the norm but I'm very interested to see how Mr Butcher continues on.

Rating: 4  

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Perfect Scoundrels (Heist Society #3)
by Ally Carter
published by Hyperion Books
expected release date: February 5, 2013
genre: YA, Contemporary, Mystery

Summary (Goodreads): Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of lovable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it’s that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting-or stealing-whatever they want.

No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale’s family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother’s billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there’s no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won’t let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother’s will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company’s fortune. So instead of being the heir-this time, Hale might be the mark.

Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she’s willing to save her boyfriend’s company if it means losing the boy.

**This is one of the few contemporary YA series that I will take the time to read. I've enjoyed the first two and cannot wait to read this one.