Review: Sleeping with Fear (Bishop/Special Crimes Unit, #9) by Kay Hooper

Sleeping with Fear by Kay Hooper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sleeping with Fear, (Bishop/Special Crimes Unit #9) by Kay Hooper is really a page turner!!

First line in the book…………

Even before she opened her eyes, Riley Crane was aware of two things. Her pounding head, and the smell of blood.

And from then onwards…I was totally hooked!!!

Riley Crane, member of FBI SCU unit of psychics and an expert on occult rituals is working undercover in Opal Island investigating rumors of occult activity in that area.

She wakes up one morning having no memory of the last three weeks in her life. She also discovers that she has lost her psychic powers, something that worries not only her but Noah Bishop, her boss.

As her memories slowly begin to surface, she discovers that she has been having an affair with the local DA, Ash Prescott.
She will have to trust her instincts about who she can trust as she tries to solve the mystery in Opal, a small coastal island of the coast of Georgia.

It soon becomes apparent that someone with evil psychic powers is trying to take control of her own powers.

As Riley tries to find the cause of her problem and the strange happenings in the small town, she will have use all her power to overcome the malevolence of a remorseless and ruthless killer bent on revenge and killing Riley and Ash, who have a connection to the killer.

I adored Riley. Kick-ass, fearless and cute and cool under fire.

Riley and Ash’s romance was believable and I liked their connection and their chemistry. I thought they were perfect for each other.

The revelation of the villain at the end blew me away. I had no idea that would be the killer and the reason for the killings.

Suspense…mystery…..unexpected twists…..romance….love….engaging characters….leaving you wanting more!!!!

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Review: Blood Kiss (Black Dagger Legacy, #1) by J.R. Ward (Goodreads Author)

Blood Kiss by J.R. Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I’m thrilled and excited…………The Black Dagger Brotherhood world is back!!!!!
Thank you…..
Since the 1st book I read in your incredibly amazing BDB Series…..I have been hooked, addicted, obsessed, possessed, passionate…damn…..there are not enough words to describe how much I feel about the world and characters that you have created…………..you now have a fan in me for life…..

Why did I ever doubt that you would be able to continue that BDB magic?

Okay, let me just write down my thoughts and feelings about Blood Kiss, the 1st book in the Black Dagger Legacy Series, the spinoff of the original BDB Series.

I’m not going into the storyline here….by now, all the BDB fans and others know it….so, let’s get to what I loved about the story.

What a brilliant move! Not only do we connect with the brothers and their shellans that we have come to adore – bonus…. but we are now introduced to the new warrior recruits wanting to join the BIG TEAM!!!

And even when we have glimpses of past favorites, the storyline is told by only 4 different POV’s……..Craeg & Paradise (new recruits) and Butch and Marissa!! The focus is on these two couples which is really great….giving the readers an in depth look into these characters and their relationships.

The first couple….Craeg and Paradise, were really sweet and endearing. Paradise, glymera royalty, daughter of Wrath’s First Advisor and Craeg, a commoner. When the two meet during their training, more than sparks fly. Both feel a deep connection with each other and Craeg tries to fight his feelings for her because he believes he’s not good enough for someone like her. But Paradise wants more from the life that has been mapped out for her….

The more Craeg fights the feelings he has for Paradise, the more she pushes him…..I loved that their relationship wasn’t one of those insta-love things…..it grew with time and with both struggling to overcome the obstacles that faced them….

I adored Paradise…never mind that I thought her name was a bit “naff”…..she had strength and determination to do something worthwhile with her life, she had focus, and she was caring and looked out for the underdog. I loved her grit, willpower and her purpose to wanting something more than just being a spoilt and cosseted member of the glymera.
And the fact that she was not afraid to kick Craeg’s butt…….when he continued with his “I’m not good enough for you” shit….you go girl!!

I liked these two as a couple. I found them very engaging and endearing…..although…yes, there is one of those…..I wanted a bit more zing, more heat when they gave in to those emotions…you know what I mean….okay, the encounters were a bit….let’s just said…I wanted to feel the HEAT we have become familiar with of the BDB couples. Nevertheless, I enjoyed their moments together….

Now, onto Butch and Marissa…….
Butch is still a lovable character…still loves his designer wardrobe, which he doesn’t mind sharing with Craeg, who doesn’t have a wardrobe at all!!! He still kicks ass. He continues his connection and funny interaction with Vishous and he’s still totally over everything in love with his princess…Marissa. He still sees her as this Madonna…..in that high pedestal.
Their relationship is still strong but there are a few cracks that show up here. Their love for each other is really beautiful….


Marissa has truly grown and become a really strong person. She wants Butch to see the real her instead of the person he’s placed on a pedestal. I grew to love her even more….how she dealt with her estranged brother, Havers, how she dealt with the death of an unknown woman in the Safe House and how she’s coming out of her repressed shell….

My all time favorite scene in this book………the girls night….what a time the shellans had together watching…..yes, wait for it…MAGIC MIKE XX3

And the guys waiting outside the room……..discussing what the girls were doing? I was rolling on the floor…laughing my head off….

Oh, that’s Butch chasing Marissa after the movie!!!!
Loved the 1st training exercise that the brothers devised for the new recruits!!! Whew….action, unexpected surprises…..totally wicked….and of course Lassiter had a part in it too…

I love this angel!!! Please can we get his story SOON?????

The mystery serial killer subplot??? Yeah….a bit weak!!!! That’s probably the only “peeve” I have!!!

I so liked this book…….and I can’t wait for some more!!!

SOON!!!!!

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Review: The Liar by Nora Roberts (Goodreads Author)

The Liar by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3,5 stars

I have been a fan of Nora Roberts since the first Mills & Boon’s book I read in the 80’s. She’s become my favorite romance author of all time and I actually have one bookcase, filled with over 200 NR books, in my bedroom “dedicated” to her. I have reread a lot of her books over and over again. What makes her books so special and unforgettable for me? The portrayal of her characters – they’re genuine, relatable and real life. Her female characters are independent, smart, and brave with an inner strength and at the same time have a soft and caring side as well. Her heroes are 100% real men. Sexy, protective, alpha but not in an overbearing and beyond controlling way, making them totally believable. The dialogue sparkles like diamonds.

Many of her books are set in small and often remote towns, and vividly described that you can see the pictures in your head.
To be honest, I have been slightly disappointed with some of her latest books, The Collector, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... and Blood Magick https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... . So, I was really looking forward to her latest release, The Liar.

A short summary of the story plot. After the mysterious death of her husband, Shelby Foxworth discovers that she had been living a life filled with lies and deceit with a man who had been a liar and a cheat. Left with a huge amount of debt and alone with her little daughter, all her illusions shattered, she decides to return to her hometown and family and start a new life. But it’s not that easy to let go of your pass and she will need strength and courage to keep her daughter and family safe from the people who believe she knows more about her deceased husband’s affairs than she thinks.

Well, this book is certainly not one of my favorites. It was enjoyable but somehow just okay….no WOW factor for me! It could have been a WOW one, but there were a few things that missed the mark for me.

So, let me begin with the things I most enjoyed in this very sweet and cute love story with a bit of suspense thrown in that leaves you with a warm feeling as you turn the last page.

THE SETTING

Nora Roberts is the best at creating a small town setting and she does it incredibly well in this story that brings Rendezvous Ridge and its location, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee’s, to life.

You immediately have a picture in your head of a slow-paced, friendly town, where everyone knows everyone’s business and secrets, the everyday life of the community and their interaction with each other.
The writing is smooth and makes for easy reading.

THE MAIN CHARACTERS

SHELBY

What I liked about her was, that despite finding herself in a situation that would break most people, she pulls herself together and deals with it as best she can. She has an inner strength that surfaces again, after years of having her confidence and self-worth destroyed by her now dead husband. She has resilience and determination to turn her life around and make things work for her and her daughter.

She’s cautious and doesn’t do things rashly and without thought. She has her heart in the right place. The real Shelby is back. Loving, caring, talented and getting her confidence back. And even if she does “waffle” a bit sometimes and goes on and on about things….well, that’s her character!!

GRIFFIN LOTT

What’s not to love about this man!!!! He’s sexy, lovable, caring, and thoughtful and has a great swagger!!! And he’s totally determined that Shelby is the one for him. He never deviates from that thought……and no, he doesn’t go all uber alpha on her….he slowly breaks down her resistance in the most endearing and cute way. And, wait….he’s the perfect gentleman to boot….oh, and he has a home that I so would love to live in….together with him, naturally!!! And did I mention that he’s amazing with kids? His interaction with Callie, Shelby’s daughter is joyful and sweet and fabulous.

THE ROMANCE
Sweet and romantic. Not over steamy exactly. Although there are one or two scenes that were pretty hot…specially the one where Griffin seduces Shelby on the porch of his house!!! Sexy!!!

The development of their relationship was done really well…slowly growing from friendship to love made it more real and believable instead of it being an insta-love one.

“He’d said he was in love with her. And that just filled her up and emptied her out again. It made her want to shake, it made her want to weep. It made her want to hold onto him as if her life depended on it.”

SECONDARY CHARACTERS

I loved the characters in the story. Shelby’s family and how close they are with each other. Their love and support for one another. The local folks….the women who work with Shelby’s grandmother, Shelby’s best friend and her boyfriend, Matt…… endearing, relateable, lovable, funny and quirky………can I just say that my vote is……….

Callie………the most adorable, cute and delightful child. Yes, my heart melted for her…..open and enchanting…

And the two women I adored……Shelby’s mother and grandmother, Viola. Please, I want to be adopted by these two!!! The love between the three women is incredible and their interaction is the funniest and fabulous. The talk and situations that happen in Viola’s Day Spa had me smiling a lot. And when Shelby’s mother gives her a condom just before leaving home to spend the night with Griff was hilarious. This is so true!!!!!

Why 3,5 stars and not 4 stars?

Hell, this was a long book!!! TMI!!! Too many pages of long descriptions of places, every little detail about the homes, the streets, the people………and I was a tad annoyed a few times when Shelby kept repeating to each person she sees about what she feels, and wants to do…blah blah blah!!!

Some parts were slow and dragged a bit.

The ending was very predictable! I kept waiting for the pop-up revelation, that I had a good idea of what it would be.

The bad guys were a bit OTT!!! They and their actions didn’t feel real to me.

The ending seemed rushed – it was over so fast…..everything resolved and rub your hands together….because….yes, of course there’s a happy ending!!! This is Nora Roberts….This is romance!

Okay, that’s me and my thoughts and feelings about The Liar. Now, I’m off to sleep and to dream about Rendezvous Ridge and my new friends….


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Review: Devious by Lisa Jackson (Goodreads Author)

Devious by Lisa Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another chilling and terrifying read by Lisa Jackson.

Devious, the 7th book in her New Orleans Series, features once again, one of my favorite detectives, Reuben Montoya and his partner, Rick Bentz.

The story opens with the grisly and horrifying murder in a chapel, of a novice nun from St. Marguerite’s Convent. When Montoya and Bentz arrive at the crime scene, they discover that the murdered nun, Sister Camille, is not an unknown victim. Montoya had dated her during high school. There’s an added coincidence when Sister Lucia, who discover the body, had been Montoya’s brother’s girlfriend a few years ago. And even the person suspected of the murder, Father Frank O’Toole, had also been a school mate.

Valerie Renard, Camille’s sister is battling with her own problems and trying to deal with her soon to be ex-husband, who makes an unexpected appearance at her place on the night of her sister’s murder.

When more nuns from the convent are killed, Val begins to feel that these murders are connected St Elsinore Orphanage, where she and her sister had lived before being adopted when they were young children. The orphanage has closed and is on the verge of being torn down to make place for a new business.

As Montoya and Bentz search into the history of St Marguerites, they begin to think that the convent and especially the Mother Superior are keeping some very dark and disturbing and even terrifying secrets, which are connected to the orphanage.

The killer is sadistic and won’t stop killing until everyone connected to the orphanage is tortured and killed.

The settings of the convent and the orphanage are depict in such vividness……the convent with dark secrets where nothing seems to be what we think…the dark menace, their occupants and how one never knows the truth about them….

As Montoya and Brentz unravel the clues left behind by the killer, Val makes a decision one night to return to the shut orphanage in the hope of finding the truth about her and her sister’s adoption. Let me tell you that the scene where she’s taken, the basement of the orphanage, gave me the absolute creeps.

I was literally shaking and my heart was pumping like crazy…..the cat and mouse game between Val and the killer at the end was shocking and brutal.

Brilliantly written, a well-crafted and intricate plot, tension filled suspense and mystery, plots and twists that leave you guessing until the very end.

I love this series and hopefully we will get more of Montoya and Bentz soon.

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Review: Absolute Fear (New Orleans, #4) by Lisa Jackson (Goodreads Author)

Absolute Fear by Lisa Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Absolute Fear, the 4th book in Lisa Jackson’s New Orleans Series, is a nail biting, terrifying, suspense filled story that leaves you shocked, surprised and chilled to the bone.

As with the previous book, Shiver, its set in New Orleans with Our Lady of Virtues, the abandoned mental asylum, playing an integral part in the story.

Eve Renner has suffered from amnesia since the night she found her friend murdered and the attempt on her life. She has a vague recollection of seeing her boyfriend at the place of the murder and believes he may be the killer.

Cole Dennis, sexy, smooth and successful attorney loses everything in his life when he’s arrested on suspicion for the murder and attempted murder. Released after not enough evidence to charge him, he’s not only almost destitute but more than angry towards Eve. Despite being advised by his lawyer to keep away from her, he decides that he needs to find out who set him up. Adding to his problems, after receiving a call from her father, he arrives at his house and discovers that he has been murdered in the same way as Eve’s friend was. A message written in blood slit throat and a number tattooed on his body.

Eve feels unsure about Cole being the killer and as they slowly begin to trust each other again, the killer strikes again, in the same way as the others before.

Everything that’s happening seems to point to Eve’s father, who had been the head psychiatrist at Our Lady of Virtues mental hospital and the doctor in charge of Faith Chastain, who had committed suicide 20 years ago.
Eve has recollections of the times she spent at the asylum as a child. She had seen and heard about the horrors that went on for a very long time.

She realizes that if she wants to get her life back, she will have to return to that dark and lonely and abandoned place, where she will find the answers to the dim memories she has and the secrets and the rumors of the horrors that took place there. The one scene where Eve enters the asylum was pretty freaky. I could almost taste her fear, feel the sense of evil and horror of the place…..

Detective Montoya and his partner, Rick Bentz, are racing against time in trying to unravel the killer’s puzzling clues before he kills again. The stakes increase when they discover that the ritualistic murders are linked to both Eve and Montoya’s now fiancé, Abby Chastain and that everything leads to Faith Chastain and Eve’s father.

A calculating, evil and twisted killer labeled by the press as The Reviver, he’s bent on revenge and killing the person/s responsible for what happened to him many years ago. He’s determined to pay them pay for their sins.

What amazed me was that until the very end I had no clue who the killer and what the reason behind the murders
was. When everything is revealed……wow, I was more than shocked!!!!
But wait, not everything is revealed at the end of this book…….there’s so much more than what I thought I had finally being given the answers to all those questions….which tells me that more revelations about the Our Lady of Virtues mental hospital are still to come

Another intricate and engrossing story by Lisa Jackson.

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Review: Shiver (New Orleans #3) by Lisa Jackson (Goodreads Author)

Shiver by Lisa Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Shiver by Lisa Jackson is the 3rd novel in her New Orleans Series featuring Detectives Reuben Montoya and Rick Bentz.

Terrifying and shiveringly and grippingly suspense!! Edge-of-your-seat roller coaster ride.

Reuben Montoya, the sexy and brooding detective that we met in the previous 2 books is faced with a series of murders, where the victims are killed in pairs and placed in a staged and grisly scene. At first, there seems to be no connection between the victims and no apparent motive. But when Montoya questions Abby Chastain, the ex-wife of one of the first victims, Luke Gierman, he has a feeling that there is a lot more about the case than she’s telling him. When the killings continue and escalate, he discovers that there is something about the victims and the crimes that have a connection to her.

Abby Chastain is determined to get her life back together. After a bitter divorce she has decided to leave New Orleans behind her. She’s also having to get closure on her mother’s mysterious suicide 20 years ago, which she had witnessed at the asylum where her mother had been placed. She has been haunted by her death and some of her memories of that terrible and tragic part of her life are slowly surfacing. She decides to return to the place of her mother’s suicide, Our Lady of Virtues Mental Hospital, now an abandoned and decaying building, soon to be demolished. Perhaps there’s something there that will spark her memories.

The setting of the old and derelict mental hospital was scary, dark and daunting. The vivid imagery of the place is beyond creepy!!!!

The scene where Abby finally faces the killer is so terrifying and chilling that I had Goosebumps…….the evil, cunning, sick and remorseless murderer gave me the chills.

I enjoyed the connection between Montoya and Abby but I would have liked a bit more romance.

The author has devised a superb plot full of unexpected and surprising twists, clever misleads and mysterious characters.
A story of the abuse and unethical practices to the mental patients, the clandestine behavior and how the nuns turned a blind eye to what was going on in the asylum such as rape, torture and even murder just to keep their secrets.

The ending is left with a kind of a cliffhanger, which will be revealed in the next book.

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