Read & Have Opinions On:
Cambio Springs Series by Elizabeth Hunter
In a town populated by shape shifters, tradition and loyalty hold the community together, but when change comes from the outside, secrets are revealed, friendship is tested, and more than a few claws come out.
Cambio Springs is the new paranormal romance series from the author of the best-selling Elemental Mysteries series, Elizabeth Hunter.
My Thoughts: So after picking up Shifting Dreams I pretty much just kept reading until there weren't any more, lol, and I think this is another series I'd classify as fine. They're not the best paranormal romances I've ever read, though admittedly the genre has some steep competition, but I finished them. I liked them. I recommended them to a friend again as a fine series that at the very least were good at passing the time. I'm a little worried all that makes me sound like a really bitchy or judgemental reader, and I guess if I'm taking the time to write book reviews that wouldn't be completely off the base to think, but there's nothing wrong with this series. It just didn't grab me enough to be super passionate now that I'm taking about it on the back end - they felt familiar is maybe the best way to describe it. Cambio Springs isn't breaking any new ground in the genre, but sometimes I just want a fine book to be fine, and Hunter accomplishes that.
Dead Eye by Alyssa Day
Tess Callahan, who owns half a pawn shop in the strangest town in Florida, didn't expect Jack to show up and be so very enticing. And exciting. And annoyingly over-protective. But when yet another dead body shows up on her doorstep, it's time to take action. And if she has to team up with a sexy tiger shape-shifter to do it, well, that's just a bonus.
My Thoughts: There are some strong Charlaine Harris vibes from this series, but in the end I'm not mad a it. Though I'm a bit embarrassed it took almost a full book for me to remember that I'd actually read a few of Day's Atlantean series books way back in the beginning. It was this book that kicked me off into a mystery/suspense tangent in my usually romance-centric world, because while the hint of romance is here, it's not actually developed. Still, between Jack and Tess there's some satisfying adventure, periled loved ones, and a happy-as-could-be-expected ending. I've read books one, two, and the prequel, so I can't wait for three to come out!
Louisiana Longshot by Jana Deleon (FREE)
CIA assassin Fortune Redding is about to undertake her most difficult mission ever—in Sinful, Louisiana. With a leak at the CIA and a price placed on her head by one of the world's largest arms dealers, Fortune has to go off-grid, but she never expected to be this far out of her element. Posing as a former beauty queen turned librarian in a small bayou town seems worse than death to Fortune, but she's determined to fly below the radar until her boss finds the leak and puts the arms dealer out of play. Unfortunately, she hasn't even unpacked a suitcase before her newly inherited dog digs up a human bone in her backyard.
Thrust into the middle of a bayou murder mystery, Fortune teams up with a couple of seemingly sweet old ladies whose looks completely belie their hold on the little town. To top things off, the handsome local deputy is asking her too many questions. If she's not careful, this investigation might blow her cover and get her killed. Armed with her considerable skills and a group of elderly ladies the locals dub The Geritol Mafia, Fortune has no choice but to solve the murder before it's too late.
My Thoughts: In continuing the mystery genre word vomit train, I'm really enjoying Jana DeLeon's voice. In the Miss Fortune series she's combined some of my favorite elements: small towns, kick butt women characters, alpha-but-not-asshole lawmen, and not totally obvious mysteries. Each book that I've read in the series so far has been fun and engaging, while not tipping over the edge into saccharine. The bad guys get it, sometimes good guys get hurt along the way, but good does prevail and with hints of romance here and there to keep the other part of my reading heart involved, I say this book is good for pretty much anyone!
I'm Looking Forward To:
Well, it turns out that things are a little quiet on the homefront friends. The new and upcoming are like, month and MONTHS away, so they're not even very real on my radar yet. Rather than throw a few of those in here, I'm just going to leave it empty and we'll see what pops up.
Post a Comment