Review: Fated by Benedict Jacka

 

Fated (Alex Verus #1) by Benedict Jacka

Publication Date: February 28th 2012 by Tantor Audio & Ace

Pages: 302

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 33min

Narrator: Gildart Jackson

Source: Library Lend

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I’ve been wanting to start the Alex Verus series for a long time, and it did not disappoint!

 

Alex Verus is a magic mage who can see into the future, see how different choices will play out, but being burnt by other dark, and mercenary mages has made him cautious.

 

Alex keeps to himself, under the radar of the magic Council and other mages, but he becomes much sought after when different factions need his help to open a powerful relic. Not a safe situation at all!

 

Loved Fated! It was a rich, interesting world created, yet the worldbuilding is worked in so that it didn’t drag the pace down. I’m a sucker for the underdog kind of character, and Alex fits that to a T. He has powers, yes, but it’s through his cleverness and learned experience that he prevails. I love his moral compass and the friends that he’s come to care for: Luna, Arachne, and Starbreeze. I already have my hold in for the next book!

 

This was the first time listening to Gildart Jackson and I enjoyed his performance of all voices! 

5 Stars

Book Description:

Enter a “gorgeously realized world”* and meet a mage destined for greatness in the first novel in the national bestselling Alex Verus series.

Alex is part of a world hidden in plain sight, running a magic shop in London that caters to clientele who can do much more than pull rabbits out of hats. And while Alex’s own powers aren’t as showy as some mages, he does have the advantage of foreseeing the possible future—allowing him to pull off operations that have a million to one chance of success.
 
But when Alex is approached by multiple factions seeking his skills to crack open a relic from a long-ago mage war, he knows that whatever’s inside must be beyond powerful. And thanks to his abilities, Alex can predict that by taking the job, his odds of survival are about to go from slim to none....

Review: Lightening in Her Hands by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

 

Lightning in Her Hands (Wild Magic #2) by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Publication Date: October 15th 2024 by Berkley 

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

In the last book Teal was kind of a jerk, so I was wondering if I’d grow to like her, however it quickly becomes apparent that her actions came from a place of hurt. Now, Teal is on a mission of self-improvement, trying to be a better person, think of others, and right the wrongs of her past. I really started to like Teal as she made positive strides.

 

One of the wrongs was hurting her best friend, Carter. It’s clear from the beginning that there were deeper feelings between Carter and Teal, more than just friends. Unrequited love on Carter’s part, and Teal reluctantly acknowledging her attraction.

 

There was a lot going on with Teal dealing with feelings of abandonment from her mother (a real piece of work!) a woman who took a piece of Teal’s power over weather when she left, making it hard for Teal to control her gift. She also felt abandoned by her older sister, Sage and still feels guilty about her sister, Sky.  Add to that Teal’s dealing with the aftereffects of being in an abusive relationship that put a dent in her self-esteem.

 

Lightning in Her Hands was a chemistry filled romance, but it was also a story of healing, and wonderful sisterly bonds. I also enjoyed Teal’s rude and feisty grandmother and her Aunt Nadia. They all supported Teal in her journey in their own way.  While this is a separate romance, I still think it’s best to read the previous book as you get Teal and the sister’s history.

4 Stars

Book Description:

Gifted—or cursed—with the power to influence the weather, one woman must embrace her wild heart in the next electric romance from the author of Witch of Wild Things.

Teal Flores is desperate for two things—control over her gift of weather, and a date to her ex’s wedding. The first isn’t possible until she finds her long-lost mother, but the second has a very handsome last-ditch solution: Carter Velasquez.

Carter needs Teal too. His chance at receiving an inheritance is dependent on him being married by age thirty (blame his traditional Cuban grandmother), so who better to pose as his wife than Teal? But fake marriage and cohabitation prove tricky when mutual attraction charges the atmosphere—quite literally for Teal, whose volatile emotions cause lightning strikes.

Together, Teal and Carter embark on a quest to find her mother and the answers she’s searching for. But along the way, they’ll discover something even better: a love that can weather any storm.

Audiobook Review: The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave

 

The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave

Publication Date: September 17th 2024 by Simon & Schuster Audio

Pages: 298

Audio Book Length: 7hrs 48min

Narrator: Julia Whelan

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm |  Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The Night We Lost Him was more fiction with a bit of mystery, but engrossing even so.

 

I don’t get why Liam and Corey just didn’t get together years earlier. What was stopping them? Not anything that was explained properly, in my opinion. The chapters set in the past were my least favorite part of the story. I was more invested in Nora and her brother Sam’s present-day mission to discover what actually happened to their father the night of his death. Both are at a crossroads personally and I enjoyed them connecting over their shared grief and sorting out their futures together.

 

There is one twist that caught me off guard, and I had to re-listen to the spot just to make sure I was hearing right before it all came together.

 

I did enjoy the sound of all the places, décor and aesthetics mentioned. From Santa Ynez/Central Coast California to the neighborhoods in New York. What Sam’s girlfriend wanted to do to that gorgeous Brownstone was a crime!

 

Julia Whelan’s excellent audio performance enhanced my enjoyment for sure!  

4 Stars

Book Description:

Estranged siblings discover their father has been keeping a secret for over fifty years, one that may have been fatal...

Liam Noone was many things to many people. To the public, he was an exacting, self-
made hotel magnate fleeing his past. To his three ex-wives, he was a loving albeit distant family man who kept his finances flush and his families carefully separated. To Nora, he was a father who often loved her from afar – notably a cliffside cottage perched on the California coast from which he fell to his death.   

The authorities rule the death accidental, but Nora and her estranged brother Sam have other ideas. As Nora and Sam form an uneasy alliance to unravel the mystery, they start putting together the pieces of their father’s past—and uncover a family secret that changes everything.

With Laura Dave’s trademark combination of soulful suspense and evocative family drama, The Night We Lost Him is a riveting page-turner with a heartbreaking final twist you’ll never see coming.

Sunday Post #269

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Got home from Montana last Sunday and didn't rest until I unpacked and got the laundry going, which is my usual routine when I come home from a trip unless it's super late. I got my flu shot yesterday. My arm was sore all night and I went to bed at 9pm because I was so tired.

I don't think I've mentioned, but we we've been feeding three stray/feral cats that've been hanging around our house since the spring. There was a small gray tabby. She ended up having two kittens we didn't know about until they were maybe 2 months old. We just knew momma cat was super hungry all the time. Well, the three (mom and her two babies) have pretty much become our cats. The mom is still super skittish, but the babies, which I figure are about six months now, are a lot more friendly, playful and super cute!  It's a boy and girl, which I've named Smokey and Starla:

Starla with brother on the side

Smokey & Starla playing, as usual

I was able to finally pet Smokey this morning, which is progress! I need to be able to catch them, take them to the vet to get their shots, and get them spayed and neutered. Peanut's not too pleased with them. He used to chase them off and got into a scuffle with the mom cat a couple of months ago, but he's getting used to them. We'll see what happens. 

It was cold and rained the first part of the week and it even dropped to 32 degrees Thursday night! And the frost got several of my zinnias.

 

Picked a bunch of zinnias before the frost

It warmed up to high 70s today and it's supposed to stay that way for a while. 

Read:

(Click on cover for Goodreads link)

One Little Mistake by Lucinda Berry-2 Stars

An Instruction in Shadow by Benedict Jacka-4.5 Stars

The Specimen by Jaima Fixsen-5 Stars

One Little Mistake was a short story/novella included with the Audible membership that I downloaded a while back and never got to. An okay story with a disappointing ending. An Instruction in Shadow was excellent and left me wanting the next story asap! The Specimen was really good! Historical mystery/thriller with a bit of paranormal to it.

Received:

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Blackstone Publishing!

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3 Book Giveaway! Romance, Fantasy, YA Thriller

 Happy Saturday! I'm getting ready to plant a bunch of bulbs, but before I did that I wanted to post this 3 Book Giveaway:

Cold Curses (Heirs of Chicagoland #5) by Chloe Neill-Paperback

Under the Surface by Diana Urban-Hardcover

Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe

The Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: An Instruction in Shadow by Benedict Jacka

 

An Instruction in Shadow (Inheritance of Magic #2) by Benedict Jacka

Publication Date: October 15th 2024 by Ace

Pages: 336

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Librofm | Audible | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Stephen Oakwood had been training with his father in the art of drucrafting (sort of magic) until his father went missing.  Stephen didn’t know there was a whole world of drucrafters, with a hierarchy, politics, and grabs for more power. He learned the hard way, through his conniving family, House Ashford, in the last book.

 

Now, Stephen has a bit more information, a lot more sigls for defense and offense, and a way to make money. Now that he has a few things sorted, Stephen is determined to find his father. However, things go bad in the job department. Stephen narrowly fends off a few attacks. Byron from the mysterious “Winged” claims he can find Stephen’s father and will give him the information if Stephen joins. Also, Stephen meets with his mother for the first time to get answers. Can’t say I like that woman.

 

Stephen has landed in a dangerous world, and for good reason, he’s suspicious of everyone. Thankfully, he has a few in his corner, like his friend, Colin, and his trusty super cat, Hobbs! Omg! I love Hobbs! I laughed my head off in one scene with him!

 

An Instruction in Shadow was a riveting second installment! The world created is original and interesting, with information weaved in a way that informs without interrupting the pace. I’m eager for the next book since this one left off in a to-be-continued situation! 

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

The ultra-rich control magic—the same way they control everything else—but Stephen Oakwood may just beat them at their own game in this exhilarating contemporary fantasy from the author of the Alex Verus novels. 

Stephen Oakwood has emerged victorious against the schemes of his aristocratic family. Now he finally has the opportunity to do what he’s been wanting to do for a long track down his father.  But doing so won’t be easy. Stephen’s not so isolated any more, but the contacts he’s making in the magical world—everyone from the corporation he works for to the mother he’s just beginning to reconnect with—all have agendas of their own. And now a new group is emerging from the shadows, calling themselves the Winged. Their leader, the mysterious Byron, promises that he can show Stephen how to find his father...but he wants something in return.Following that trail will throw Stephen into greater danger than he’s ever faced before. To survive, he’ll need to use all of his tricks and sigls, and pick up some new ones. Only then will he be able to prevail against his enemies...and find out who’s really pulling the strings.

Review: The Specimen by Jaima Fixsen

 

The Specimen by Jaima Fixsen

Publication Date: October 15th 2024 by Poisoned Pen Press & Recorded Books

Pages: 416

Audio Book Length: 13hrs 3min

Narrator: Cathleen McCarron

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

It’s 1826 in Edinburgh, Scotland when Isobel’s seven-year-old son, Thomas, goes missing. She’s wild with grief and hounds the police daily, but there’s not sign of him anywhere. Months later, Isobel, at the urging of friends, is attending a museum of morbid curiosities when she starts to hear the beating of Thomas’ heart!

 

The Specimen was suspenseful and had me on the edge of my seat as Isobel searches for the truth and stumbles on a way to do it that puts her in danger! I was rooting for her as she uncovered the details and looked for a way to serve up justice! There’s a splash of spine-tingling supernatural here, too!

 

The writing was rich and vivid without sacrificing pace! Don’t miss reading the author’s note at the end which gives a bit of the history of the true story The Specimen was based on and how she came up with the story!

 

I alternately read and listened to The Specimen. The audio was fantastic! Cathleen McCarron’s Scottish accent was wonderful to listen to and there were pronunciations I wouldn’t have got right otherwise. She seamlessly performed both male and female voices. Loved!

5 Stars

Book Description:

Walk carefully, lest you become a part of Dr. Burnett's collection…

1826. Isobel Tait finds herself, by chance, staring at a tiny human heart floating in a jar. It should be of little consequence; Dr. Burnett is renowned for his collection of oddities and medical specimens, and this, a juvenile heart with a damaged mitral valve, is not the strangest thing on display. Except that the condition is rare, and that Isobel's young son, who has been missing for months, suffered from the ailment.

A phantom pulse beats in Isobel's ears. She knows something here isn't right.

Missing persons cases are all too common in Edinburgh, where people simply vanish like mist. But Burnett is obsessed with his specimens – how far would he go to acquire a new one? Determined to investigate, Isobel joins his staff as the keeper of his collection. What she'll unearth, though, is far worse than any of her nightmares…

Based on true crimes, The Specimen is a mesmerizing story about one woman's search for truth and vengeance in the darkest of places—where the deadliest secrets lie hidden in plain sight, on a freshly dusted shelf.

Sunday Post #268

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Instead of heading to Texas on Thursday we met our daughter in Montana. The fall colors are so gorgeous out here! We head home tomorrow (Sunday). It's been a busy week.

Montana Fall

Read:

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman: 4 Stars

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak: 3.5 Stars

The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose: 4 Stars

Identity Unknown by Patricia Cornwell: 4 Stars

Received:

Thank you to Berkley and Pamela Dorman Books (see below).

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Audiobook Review: The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak

 

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak

Publication Date: October 8th 2024 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 11hrs 14min

Narrator: John Pirhalla

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm |  Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

From the surface it seems like Frank’s daughter, Maggie, is marrying into a fairytale. Her fiancé, Aiden Gardner, is the son of a famous billionaire, and she says she’s in love, but as the date grows closer Frank the more things unsettle him. Frank finds out something troubling about Aiden’s recent dating past.  Maggie brushes things off. Things get stranger when Frank gets to Osprey Cove, a sprawling forest estate with cabins and a private lake. The luxuries are astounding, and the security raises questions. Not even his sister Tammy and her foster daughter, Abigail, who’ve tagged along, can put him at ease.

 

Told in first person from Frank’s perspective, you feel a growing unease as Maggie’s nuptials draw close, but at every turn there’s a convenient explanation. Maggie doesn’t seem keen to make time for her father. I was not thrilled with a lot of the characters.

 

The Last One at the Wedding was entertaining and held my attention, but it was an odd mystery. Reactions didn’t make sense to me. There’s a surprise twist that turned everything around.  The story makes you question: what would you do to protect your child? It seems Frank would do a lot.

 

I listened to an audio copy, and I thought John Pirhalla captured Frank’s everyday guy, protective dad persona wonderfully, but he did a great job with all the characters male and female and a variety of accents. He definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the story!

3.5 Stars

Book Description:

From the bestselling author of Hidden Pictures comes a breathtaking work of suspense about a father trying to save his daughter from a life-altering decision that will put everything he loves on the line.

Frank Szatowski is shocked when his daughter, Maggie, calls him for the first time in three years. He was convinced that their estrangement would become permanent. He’s even more surprised when she invites him to her upcoming wedding in New Hampshire. Frank is ecstatic, and determined to finally make things right.

He arrives to find that the wedding is at a private estate—very secluded, very luxurious, very much out of his league. It seems that Maggie failed to mention that she’s marrying Aidan Gardner, the son of a famous tech billionaire. Feeling desperately out of place, Frank focuses on reconnecting with Maggie and getting to know her new family. But it’s difficult: Aidan is withdrawn and evasive; Maggie doesn’t seem to have time for him; and he finds that the locals are disturbingly hostile to the Gardners. Frank needs to know more about this family his daughter is marrying into, but if he pushes too hard, he could lose Maggie forever.

An edge-of-your-seat thriller that delves deep into the heart of one family, The Last One at the Wedding is a work of brilliant suspense from a true modern master.

Audiobook Review: Identity Unknown by Patricia Cornwell

 

Identity Unknown (Kay Scarpetta #28) by Patricia Cornwell

Publication Date: October 8th 2024 by Hachette Audio

Pages: 400

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 12min

Narrator: January LaVoy

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm |  Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Dr. Kay Scarpetta is in the middle of a harrowing autopsy, one of a young girl who was reportedly playing with her father’s gun when it went off killing her. However, Kay’s findings raise suspicions. Unfortunately, the parents are wealthy and well-connected and kicking up quite a fuss.

 

As if that’s not enough, Kay is urgently called in to investigate the death of someone close to her with Marino assisting. The case is brutal and unusual and sparks the attention of many in the intelligence community. Kay’s Secret Service niece Lucy and her FBI husband, Benton, are involved in the investigation, as well.

 

Marino was over the top in this installment, his gruff, argumentative side out on full display, especially because it was fueled by jealousy. Kay’s sister, as usual, was self-absorbed and I still can’t believe she married Marino! It’s hot mess.

 

I’ve been loving this reboot of the Dr. Kay Scarpetta series! I appreciate her calm, logical approach to cases, and her personal life and relationships are engrossing! This death hit close to her heart, and she struggled with her emotions. The cases were filled with cutting edge technology, interesting locations, and sinister real-life implications. Riveting from beginning to end!  

 

The audio version was fantastic! January LaVoy’s narration is always a treat! Her calm, rich voice portrayed Kay perfectly! All characters were performed uniquely and distinctly. She definitely enhanced my enjoyment of the story! 

4 Stars

Book Description:

Autopsies can reveal the secrets of the dead.

And this victim is sending Scarpetta a message…

Summoned to an unnerving, abandoned theme park to retrieve a body, Dr Kay Scarpetta is devastated to learn that the victim is a man she once loved. While teaching in Rome during the early days of her career, Scarpetta had an intense love affair with Sal Giordano that led to a lifelong friendship.

The murder scene is bizarre, with a crop circle of petals around the body, and Giordano’s skin is strangely red. Scarpetta’s niece Lucy believes he was dropped from an unidentified flying craft. Scarpetta knows an autopsy can reveal the dead’s secrets, but she is shocked to find her friend seems to have deliberately left her a clue.

As the investigators are torn between suspicions of otherworldly forces, and of Giordano himself, Scarpetta detects an explanation closer to home that, in her mind, is far more evil . . .

Sunday Post #267

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Can't believe it's October already! Also can't believe it when we are still having 90+ degree weather here! We've been stuck in a heat wave, but thankfully the 90 degrees isn't as bad as summer 90 degrees! It's fall! Summer you need to move on! It's supposed to cool off next week. We head out to Austin, TX on Thursday.

My heart goes out to everyone affected by Hurricane Helene! The pictures are shocking! 

Because I'm trying to use the apples on our trees I tried a recipe for Apple Caramel Coffee Jam. I canned four pints today. I'm not sure how I feel about the taste yet. I think I should've made the coffee less strong. I might try apple chutney next. I've never eaten apple chutney. Thoughts?

Read:

(Click on cover for Goodreads link)

The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan: 4 Stars

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz: 5 Stars

I'll Be Waiting by Kelley Armstrong: 4 Stars

Received:

Thank you to Minotaur Books, Berkley and Recorded Books!

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