Review and Giveaway: The Begonia Bribe

The Begonia Bribe (Garden Society Mystery series - Book 2) by Alyse Carlson

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304
ISBN-10: 0425251624
ISBN-13: 978-0425251621

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Alyse Carlson (Hart Johnson) on the WEB: Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the Series:

The Azalea Assault (2012), The Begonia Bribe (2013)

Coverart: Click on the image for a larger, clearer photo of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from The Begonia Bribe, courtesy of Amazon

Synopsis:

Roanoke, Virginia, is home ot some of the country's most exquisite gardens, and it's Camellia Harris's job to promote them. But when a pint-sized beauty contest comes to town, someone decides to deliver a final judgement...

A beauty pageant for little girls - the Little Miss Begonia Pageant - is holding its event in Elmwood Park, one of Roanoke's loveliest. Camellia is called in to help deal with the botanical details, the cute contestants, and their catty mothers. She soon realizes that the drama onstage is nothing compared to the judges' row. There's jealousy, betrayal, and a love triangle involving local newsman - and known lothario - Telly Stevens. And a mysterious saboteur is trying to stop the pageant from happening at all.

But the drama turns deadly when Stevens is murdered, poisoned by some sort of plant. With a full flower bed of potential suspects, Cam needs to dig through the evidence to uproot a killer with a lethal green thumb.

Thoughts:

Alyse Carlson delights readers with the second book in  her Garden Society mystery series, The Begonia Bribe. Carlson takes an approach to cozy writing that readers seem to gravitate too. She gives them lots of great clues for solving the mystery while also divulging extra secrets along the way. Carlson's novels are entertaining for both mystery fans and gardeners alike. Her descriptions of the city of Roanoke and it's citizens are also captivating. A great second effort!

One of the things that struck me as interesting in Carlson's first novel in this series was the way her characters seem to leap off the page. Carlson has a knack for writing engaging dialogue that allows the reader to really get to know the people they are reading about. Roanoke has always been a fascinating city to me because of its long and mysterious history. I thought it was a great idea for Carlson to set her series in this wonderful city and to make it's inhabitants become real.

Cam is such a wonderful heroine. Every once in a while Carlson is able to slip in some dry wit and humor. I love the fact that Cam has a sense of humor and can even laugh at herself. She is very determined and can't seem to stay out of trouble, my kind of girl. LOL! She is also an avid gardener. I can't say that I always have the best of luck, but I am truly a garden enthusiast and loved the idea for this series and this character from the start.

The mystery aspect of this book was not only intriguing but cute. Little girls and pageants and beautiful gardens seemed to be a perfect fit for this mystery. With shows like Toddlers and Tiara's being so popular and seeing how catty those moms are and how the judges make their decisions on who wins made this mystery seem all the more plausible. This is something that could actually happen. It's that scary!

I liked the fact that Carlson didn't make this one too easy. Sometimes I figure them out pretty quickly given the sheer amount of cozies I read. But every once in a while I get stumped and when I do, I know that's a good mystery. This one had me racking my brain right up until end. Every time I thought I had it... not quite. It was a great read and I think readers will find this book and series, very entertaining.

The Begonia Bribe is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Hart Johnson:  aspiring author of main stream suspense, some adult some YA... This is my dark face, seeking to do really rotten things to my characters for your reading pleasure (using the fictional drama to keep me from stirring up the real kind).  I've written nine suspense novels and two mysteries under this dark cloud and it is still my hope these will be published and make me rich enough to at least quit my day job.  The first of these to break out (see Kahlotus Disposal Site, below) is being queried; the rest are in various stages of editing.

Alyse Carlson:  This is my pen name for my Cozy Mystery contract with Berkley Prime Crime.  The series has a gardening theme and takes place in Roanoke, Virginia, starring 30-something public relations guru Cam Harris, her crazy friends and family, and her eccentric colleagues at the Roanoke Garden Society.  The first one came out June 5, 2012 and was selected one of Suspense Magazines best Cozies of 2012, the second is scheduled for May 7, 2013, and the third, Chrysanthemum Campaign, has been handed in. Publication date TBD. (We will see if they offer me more:  Friends have worked up titles through the whole alphabet)

[and on this front, I'm the anomaly who got her book contract (sort of) via blog: look under the tag 'contract' if you want THAT story]

Alyse is delightedly represented by Ellen Pepus of the Signature Literary Agency for Cozy Mystery and Hart is querying for her darker stuff. 

The Watery Tart:  Alternately rules the world from a small tropical island, performs lingerie training on very bad boys, and tries to tempt all of you into playing just a little bit harder--perhaps even joining the Naked World Domination movement.  My online persona is rarely serious and a little outrageous, but tries very hard to walk the PG line with her antics.  It's my goal to help you lighten up and laugh--not to offend you.

The person behind all these faces has a day job doing academic research related to health disparities at a ginormous Midwest University.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of The Begonia Bribe by Alyse Carlson.

~You must be a GFC follower or Email subscriber to participate.
~US addresses only (publisher request)
~The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, June 4th.

1. Please leave a comment on this post in appreciation to the author.
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review: Jack Absolute

Jack Absolute by C.C. Humphreys

Publication Date: May 7, 2013 (Reprint)
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Landmark
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 288
ISBN-10: 140228070X
ISBN-13: 978-1402280702

(Received for an honest review from Sourcebooks Landmark)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

C.C. Humphreys on the WEB: Webpage, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Excerpt from Jack Absolute, courtesy of Amazon (This is from the original version, not the reprint.)

Synopsis:

JACK ABSOLUTE RETURNS TO AMERICA!

Yes, he’s back. What the Good Book Guide in the UK called: ‘The finest series of historical novels since Patrick O’Brian’ is published in the USA on May 7th.

Meet the real Jack Absolute – not the comic captain from Sheridan’s play ‘The Rivals’. Meet the Redcoat. The Mohawk. The Lover. The Spy.

OPENING LINE:

“The snow lay deep on Hounslow Heath and the light was fading fast.”

“An absolute delight! Swashbuckling adventure, eighteenth-century wit, hugely entertaining plots, and one of the most appealing military gentlemen ever to wear a sword.” Diana Gabaldon – Author of the Outlander and Lord John Grey series.

It's 1777 when Captain Jack Absolute becomes a sensation throughout London. This news comes as a shock to the real Jack Absolute when he arrives in England after four months at sea. But there's little time for outrage before he finds himself dueling for his life. Right when he thinks he's finally won, he is forced to flee London by the quickest means possible, becoming a spy in the American Revolution. From the streets of London, to the pivotal battle of Saratoga, to a hunt for a double agent in Philadelphia, this novel marks the exhilarating beginning of an epic historical series and a character you won't soon forget.

Thoughts:

C.C. Humphreys takes a character he once played on the stage and brings him to vivid life in his novel, Jack Absolute. Readers who love an exciting and daring story, with swashbuckling action and a main character that that is both lover and rogue will find this book irresistible. Humphreys writes with a flair for the dramatic and a great sense of adventure. Readers will find it hard to put this novel down until the last page has been read!

This book is all about the characters. In fact it's really all about the main character, Jack Absolute. Jack has been called the 007 of the 1700's with good reason. Humphreys based this character on a role he once played on stage in a play called, "The Rivals" by Richard Sheridan. He enjoyed playing the character so much that when the opportunity afforded itself in his writing career, he brought Jack back! Jack Absolute is one of those larger-than-life characters that readers will fall in love with instantly. He isn't perfect and gets himself into some desperate situations which makes him all the more entertaining. From London to America Jack Absolute's adventures will thrill readers who like their novels fast paced and full of energy. An unforgettable character, fuels this book and the subsequent series set during the American Revolution.

Humphreys attention to detail is unparalleled in today's historical fiction novels. Down to the smallest of things, the author endeavors to be true to the time period and to the historical accuracy that is expected in good historical fiction. Jack becomes everything from an impersonated soldier to a spy during this novel that is for all intents and purposes a wonderful adventure story. Humphreys excels at both character development and advancing the plot. His story certainly doesn't drag. Jack is a captivating character that readers won't soon forget.

An exhilarating beginning to the Jack Absolute series! Jack Absolute is currently the only novel that is available in the US, but with it's success I am sure the other novels in the series will follow. If you are looking for a book that is thrilling and full of adventure, this is definitely a good historical fiction choice.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

C.C. Humphreys is a novelist, fight choreographer, and actor who played Jack Absolute in The Rivals for a six-month run in London in the mid - 1980's. When he became a full-time writer a decade ago, he decided to transform his leading man into a title character. Humphreys has written seven historical novels including, The French Executioner, which was runner-up for the CWA Steel Dagger for Thrillers in 2002. The Jack Absolute series will feature three books: Jack Absolute, The Blooding of Jack Absolute, and Absolute Honour. 

Guest Post & Giveaway: Jack Absolute

Jack Absoute by C.C. Humphreys

Please join me today in welcoming author and actor C.C. Humphreys to Debbie's Book Bag. C.C. is here promoting the reprint edition of his historical fiction novel, Jack Absolute based on a character that he has also been privileged to play on the stage. My review of this book will post later today. See giveaway details at the end of the post for a chance to win a copy of Jack Absolute.


Many people who know me know me through my acting. Even though I do less of it these days – historical fiction writing being somewhat all-consuming (and which can be done wearing holed sweaters and a scraggly beard!) – I still consider myself an actor even if I call myself an ‘author-actor’ these days rather than an ‘actor-author’ as before.
My acting life has affected my writing so directly – in my heightened dialogue, my intensely dramatic situations. Most people who read me, the first thing they usually say is: ‘I can see the movie!’ (To which I usually reply: ‘I hope you do!’). But there’s probably no better example of direct affect than with my novel, ‘Jack Absolute’…
… because I stole the character from a play I was in!
Now before you all yell ‘Plagiarist!’ at me, let me explain. Yes, I took the name – from the 18th century comedy ‘The Rivals’. Yes, I borrowed certain aspects of the character created by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in the 1770’s. But here’s my defense  It was my interpretation I stole, my performance of the role that shines through in all I subsequently wrote.
I LOVED being Jack Absolute. It was one of perhaps half a dozen roles in my 35 year career so far that I feel I truly, completely nailed. And I felt that if Sheridan was looking down he would say: ‘Yes! That’s right, me boy! Let me buy you a pint!’ I played him as a rogue, a conspirator, gallant, self confident – and a fool for love. I so enjoyed seeing his brilliant schemes fail, his thrashing around, his eventual success. I was in a great company with a great director and we made people laugh the length and breadth of England for six months. And when it was over I missed him terribly.
Then, fifteen years later, I became an author and, after my first two novels, found a way to be Jack once again. For when my publishers asked me what I wanted to write for them next, I found myself saying: ‘I want to write about Jack Absolute.’ ‘Who’s he,’ they inquired  And since I knew he couldn't simply be the roguish lover I played, knew he had to do something, I had an answer ready. ‘He’s the Double-O-Seven of the 1770’s.’
They loved that. Three novels later, with more planned, I still do. And if I’ve added to my original conception of Jack a whole string of other passions – swordplay, theater, Mohawks, battles on sea and land, among them -why not? He’s still a fool for love and, I think, a grand fellow to spend time with. I am so thrilled he’s loose in America again. For then, in a way, so am I! 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Jack Absolute by C.C. Humphreys.

~You must be a GFC follower or Email subscriber to participate.
~US addresses only
~The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, June 3rd.

1. Please leave a comment in appreciation to the author on this post.
2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review and Giveaway: Killer in Crinolines

Killer in Crinolines (Consignment  Shop Mystery - Book 2) by Duffy Brown

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 0425252159
ISBN-13: 978-0425252154

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Duffy Brown on the WEB: Webpage, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the Series: 

Iced Chiffon (2012), Killer in Crinolines (2013)

Coverart: Click on the image for a larger, clearer photo of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from Killer in Crinolines courtesy of Amazon

Synopsis:

It’s August in Savannah, Georgia—hardly the season for a traditional Southern wedding with hoopskirts and crinolines. One could die from the heat—or from a cake knife in the back...

Reagan Summerside should be devoting all her energy to her consignment shop the Prissy Fox. But when her dear friend Chantilly Parker is arrested for murder, Reagan vows to clear her name. The victim is Simon Ambrose, who’s found lying in his own wedding cake with a knife in his back.

Chantilly has motive (Simon broke her heart to marry wealthy Waynetta Waverly) and opportunity (crashing the wedding in her UPS delivery truck). And she has cake on her face, and the stolen bridesmaid dress the killer wore is in her truck. But Chantilly would never wear crinoline to kill a man!

With the help of her flamboyant auntie, KiKi, and vexing but attractive attorney Walker Boone, Reagan is determined to save her friend—before she’s forced to turn in her brown uniform for an orange jumpsuit…

Thoughts:

Duffy Brown's second book in her consignment shop mystery series, will have readers ready to go out and find some bargains. Killer in Crinolines is a fast-paced cozy with lots of twists and turns. Brown has a knack for writing dialogue and readers will find themselves so engrossed in the story, it's hard to concentrate on anything else. Brown's fun loving characters are up in arms when the groom is found face-down in the wedding cake. It's up to Reagan and the gang to prove that her best friend, isn't the killer. And it's up to readers to figure out the clues as they read along.

Duffy Brown's first book in the series, Iced Chiffon was a nice change of pace from the typical cozy fare. Brown was able to establish the series and introduce the characters while still staying true to the mystery. Her follow-up novel, Killer in Crinolines, further develops the characters and their relationships. Readers who loved Reagan's spunk and determination in the first one, will find her just as spontaneous and feisty in the latest installment. Aunt Kiki once again helps Reagan put it all together and her relationship with Walker Boone flourishes a little more. Readers are waiting with baited breath to see when Brown allows these two characters to go beyond friendship, maybe in book three?...

This one is set in Savannah, Georgia. The heart of the South. It is filled with all the typical hospitality and southern charm you would expect from a cozy set in this area, but it also packs a kooky punch. A lot of the characters are a little off beat. They aren't your typical southern ladies, drinking sweet tea and gossiping  These ladies are tough nuts. They are peering over hedges and searching the linen closets, LOL. My kind of chicks! Reagan and Aunt Kiki will really hit the spot for readers who are looking for eccentric characters who don't fit the regular cozy mold. 

The mystery aspect of the story was interesting and a lot of fun to try to figure out. The wayward groom had a lot of enemies and that provided readers with a plethora of suspects and motives to choose from. Brown excels at putting in a red herring now and then that will make the reader sure they have it figured out until she pulls the rug out from under them. I loved the way Brown incorporated her clues into the story. In some cozies the clues lead the story, but in this one it was more like, the clues were just stumbled upon, more realistic and better thought out.

A great second book to this eclectic series. Brown has another riveting mystery on her hands.

Killer in Crinolines is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Duffy Brown loves anything with a mystery. While other girls dreamed of dating Brad Pitt, Duffy longed to take Sherlock Holmes to the prom. She has two cats, Spooky and Dr. Watson, and works at a consignment shop when she’s not busy conjuring up whodunit stories.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Killer in Crinolines by Duffy Brown.

~You must be a GFC follower or Email subscriber to participate.

~US addresses only (publisher request)

~The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST May 31st.

1. Please leave a comment in appreciation to the author on this post.

2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review and Giveaway: The Cat, the Mill and the Murder

The Cat, the Mill and the Murder (Cats in Trouble Mystery - Book 5) by Leann Sweeney

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Obsidian Mystery
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 0451415418
ISBN-13: 978-0451415417

(Received for an honest review from Obsidian)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Leann Sweeney on the WEB: Webpage, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the Series:

The Cat, the Quilt and the Corpse (2009), The Cat, the Professor and the Poison (2010), The Cat, the Lady and the Liar (2011), The Cat, the Wife and the Weapon (2012), The Cat, the Mill and the Murder (2013)

Coverart: Click on the image for a larger, clearer photo of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from The Cat, the Mill and the Murder courtesy of Amazon

Synopsis:

When cat lover and quilter Jillian Hart volunteers to help a local animal shelter relocate a colony of feral cats living in an abandoned textile mill, she never expects to find a woman living there, too. Jeannie went missing from Mercy, South Carolina, a decade ago, after her own daughter's disappearance.

Jeannie refuses to leave the mill or abandon Boots, her cat who died years ago. After all, she and Boots feel the need to protect the premises from creepers" who come in the night. After Jeannie is hurt in an accident and is taken away, those who've come to town to help repurpose the mill uncover a terrible discovery.. As the wheels start turning in Jillian's mind, a mysterious new feline friend aids in her quest to unearth a long-kept and dark secret.

Thoughts:

Leann Sweeney continues her much loved Cats in Trouble series with the fifth book, The Cat, the Mill and the Murder. Readers will find a cleverly plotted mystery, as well as, lots of interesting tidbits about felines and the mill towns of South Carolina. Sweeney's obvious love of cats spills onto every page of this book. She couples it with Southern charm and curiosity, making this a book readers won't soon forget. Murder has once again come to Mercy!

Leann Sweeney has a knack for writing about cats. It is apparent that Sweeney must have cats of her own and has done a great deal of research about felines. Her descriptions about the differences between strays and feral cats was really interesting. I think readers will easily pick up on the fact that Sweeney is attempting to give her readers as much information and knowledge about cats as she is about the mystery  in the book. I liked all the tidbits of information about cats. Personally I am a dog person, but I find the feline aspect of this series a lot of fun to read about and I have learned a lot about the furry critters in the process.

Sweeney once again brings back old the tried and true characters readers have come to know from the series and added a few new faces. Heroine, Jillian Hart is just as curious and as kind-hearted as ever in this installment in the series. She imagines all kinds of horrors as she begins to help relocate a group of feral cats, but things aren't quite what they seem. One of the things that always draws me in about Jillian is her capacity to be open minded and expect the unexpected, the hallmark of a good amateur sleuth. I look forward to see what kind of hot water she gets into next.

The hometown charm of this book and series is exceptional. Readers will love Mercy, South Carolina and wish they could live there too. The townspeople are not only interesting but realistic. Real people with real problems. The homeless woman in this story lost her daughter and in turn her grasp on reality. It is as if each story that Sweeney writes in this series shows a different side of life and how people cope with things, whether its in a small town or a large one. I think readers will appreciate that Sweeney isn't making this kind of reading so much an escape, as a journey.

Sweeney once again gives readers just what they are looking for. A satisfying mystery that keeps them guessing, a lot of great feline intervention, including a ghost cat, and great cast of characters to bring it all to life.

The Cat, the Mill and the Murder is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Leann Sweeney was born and raised in Niagara Falls and educated at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Lemoyne College in Syracuse, NY. She also has a degree from the University of Houston in behavioral science and worked for many years in psychiatry and as a school nurse; she now writes full time.

She began crafting fiction in 1980, fulfilling her lifelong dream. After perfecting her skills with classes and a small fortune in writing books, she joined MWA and Sisters in Crime. Now she’s the creator of two NAL/Obsidian mystery series: The Yellow Rose Mysteries and the Cats in Trouble Mysteries. The Cat, The Quilt and The Corpse, first in the Cats in Trouble Mysteries was the #1 bestseller on the Independent Mystery Bookseller’s List when it debuted and made several top twenty lists for 2009 at bookstores across the country. Since then, The Cat, The Lady and The Liar and The Cat, The Wife and The Weapon climbed all the way to the NY Times bestseller list for mass market paperbacks.

Leann is married with two fabulous grown children, a wonderful son-in-law and a beautiful daughter-in-law–not to mention three amazing granddaughters: Maddison Grace (Maddie), Morgan Elizabeth and Meika Elise. She lived in Texas from 1974 to 2012 and now lives in South Carolina with husband Mike, her two cats Wexford and Marlowe, and Rosie–the smart, retrieving, golf-ball chasing, busy-busy-busy mini-labradoodle.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of The Cat, the Mill and the Murder to one lucky winner from Debbie's Book Bag.

~You must be a GFC follower or email subscriber to participate.

~US addresses only (publisher request)

~The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST May 30th.

1. Please leave a comment on this post in appreciation to the author.

2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review: Fall of Night

Fall of Night (The Morganville Vampires - Book 14) by Rachel Caine

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: NAL Hardcover
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 352 pages
ISBN-10: 045141425X
ISBN-13: 978-0451414250

(Received for an honest review from NAL hardcover)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Rachel Caine on the WEB: Webpage, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the Series: Glass Houses (2006), Dead Girl's Dance (2007), Midnight Alley (2007), Feast of Fools (2008), Lord of Misrule (2008), Carpe Corpus (2009), Fade Out, (2009), Kiss of Death (2010), Ghost Town (2010), Bite Club (2011), Last Breath (2011), Black Dawn (2012), Bitter Blood (2012), Fall of Night (2013)

Coverart: Click on the image for a larger, clearer photo of the books in this series.

Excerpt from Fall of Night courtesy of Rachel Caine's webpage

Synopsis:

For years, the human and vampire residents of Morganville, Texas, have managed to co-exist in peace. But now that the threat to the vampires has been defeated, the human residents are learning that the gravest danger they face is the enemy within…

Thanks to the eradication of the parasitic creatures known as the draug, the vampires of Morganville have been freed of their usual constraints. With the vampires indulging their every whim, the town’s human population is determined to hold on to their lives by taking up arms. But college student Claire Danvers isn’t about to take sides, considering she has ties to both the humans and the vampires.

To make matters worse, a television show comes to Morganville looking for ghosts, just as vampire and human politics collide. Now, Claire and her friends have to figure out how to keep the peace without ending up on the nightly news…or worse.

Thoughts:

Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampire series is a staple when it comes to paranormal young adult fiction. Caine's 14th book in the series, Fall of Night takes the action outside of it's normal realm and possibly takes the series in a new direction as well. Caine is known for her extreme plot twists and this book is no exception to the rule. Readers will be on the edge of their seats wondering what will happen next as Caine deftly weaves a story that will leave them feeling sated and excited at the same time.

Rachel Caine has long been a favorite of mine. I don't review a lot of Young Adult fiction, because most of the publishers I work with are in different areas, but when I do review YA books, I try to pick the best of the class so to speak and the Morganville Vampire series certainly fits the bill. Fall of Night is one of those novels that changes the tone of a series. Readers have come to love Morganville, Texas, the town, the people, just the overall atmosphere of what could be considered a small town vampire community. But in this book, the action isn't taking place in our beloved Morganville.

Claire has been accepted to MIT and when she goes off the school the small town feel of Morganville is left behind. Some readers will like the change of pace, others will probably not be too happy about it. But I think it's often needed in a long lived series. Sometimes you gotta shake things up a little bit and I believe that was Caine's intention. It certainly changes the whole attitude of the book. It could be a new direction entirely for the series. Considering this is the 14th book, maybe that's a good thing. We'll have to wait and see.

Once again Caine has written a novel that is complex and thrilling and has all the suspense of a good mystery combined with all the paranormal characters readers are expecting. But with Caine, you just never know what you're gonna get. Her plot twists are legendary and Fall of Night has some unexpected ups and downs that I would have never dreamed up. I'm glad that's why we have authors like Rachel Caine. Readers will be blown away by the action and the adventure in this novel, but also by the sultriness and the nuances that Caine weaves into the story. She is an author that is so good and making the little things noticable, the way one character looks at another or the background sounds. She makes the story come alive.

This is a series and a book that I would recommend to any person who enjoys YA fiction. Caine is definitely a powerhouse when it comes to this kind of writing. You can't go wrong with a book from any of the series' she has given her name to. Fall of Night is a great addition to the series.

Fall of Night is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Rachel Caine is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the Weather Warden series, the Outcast Season series, the Revivalist series, and the Morganville Vampires series. She was born at White Sands Missile Range, which people who know her say explains a lot. She has been an accountant, a professional musician, an insurance investigator, and, until recently, carried on a secret identity in the corporate world as a communications executive. She and her husband, fantasy artist R. Cat Conrad, live in Texas with their iguana, Popeye.

Review: Undone

Undone (The Amoveo Legend - Book 4) by Sara Humphreys

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Casablanca
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 288 pages
ISBN-10: 1402258526
ISBN-13: 978-1402258527

(Received for an honest review from Sourcebooks Casablanca)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Sara Humphreys on the WEB: Webpage, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the Series:

Unleashed (2011), Untouched (2012), Untamed (2012), Undone (2013)

Coverart: Click on the image for a larger, clearer photo of the books in this series.

Excerpt from Undone, courtesy of Barnes & Noble.

Synopsis:

She's Far From Human...

With her secret race of shapeshifteres embroiled in civil war, all Marianna Coltari wants is to stay far from controversy. Even so, when her overprotective brother insists on hiring his human friend Pete as her bodyguard, Marianna is furious.

Does She Dare to Love One?

Like most retired cops, Pete Castro resents his new job as a bodyguard. It's even worse because he'll be babysitting a party girl like Marianna. But that's before he meets her for the first time and discovers his instincts on red alert. Would he kill to protect her?

Thoughts:

Sara Humphreys once again has readers hanging on for dear life as her fourth book in the Amoveo Legend series takes off. Undone is paranormal romance at it's best, with a unique viewpoint, an incredibly complex world and plenty of passion. Readers of this series will find the latest addition full of surprises and new readers will want to run out and get all the other books in the series, it's just that good!

This particular series has been a favorite of mine since it's inception. Humphreys has taken shapeshifting in a wonderful direction. She didn't just stick with the typical wolf shifters in this series, but created several different clans of shifters, everything from bear to raven shifters and all things in between. I loved the world building in not only this book but the entire series and how Humphreys is able to weave the back story so effortlessly into whatever is going on in the current novel.

The premise of the series and especially in Undone is based on the civil war erupting among the Amoveo people. There are purists who believe that Amoveo's should remain pure and only mate with other Amoveo and others who have human ancestry or choose humans as mates. Humphreys is able to make the conflict a big part of the story, but it is secondary to the main conflict of each novel, a part of it, yet not the only part. It's very skillfully done.

The entire book is very unique in it's approach to dealing with the conflict and those who are caught up in it. As a reader I felt like this particular book in the series is a real turning point. The characters are making choices that are perhaps unexpected but will make a lasting change in the direction of the series. Humphreys is steering by a slightly different star in this one and it's make for a really exciting ride.

The characters as always are very authentic and real. The personal issues they are facing are easy to identify with and readers will easily become invested in the relationship between the heroine and the hero. Sometimes I like stories where it is easy to see who are the good guys and who are the bad guys and sometimes I like it when the lines blur a little bit. This book keeps you guessing about a lot of things. The suspense is just as potent as the romance and I think that's what keeps readers coming back for more.

As far as heat goes. Readers may need a glass of cold iced-tea or a fan. Humphreys doesn't hold back where the romance is concerned and that's fine by me. It is sensual, yet thrilling. These are passionate characters and their passion spills over in every aspect of the story. I think readers will find the erotic parts of the novel very enjoyable to read. 

A great addition to any already spectacular series!

Undone is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Sara has been a lover of both the paranormal and romance novels for years. Her sci-fi/fantasy/romance obsession began years ago with the TV Series STAR TREK and an enormous crush on Captain Kirk. That sci-fi obsession soon evolved into the love of all types of fantasy/paranormal; vampires, ghosts, werewolves, and of course shape shifters. 

Sara is married to her college sweetheart, Will. They live in Bronxville, New York with their 4 boys and 2 insanely loud dogs. Life is busy but never dull.