Fair Game

Review:

Something is wrong with Charles. Anna is the only one to see it. She tries to intervene on his behalf, only to be dismissed. It isn't until she bring it up with another werewolf, that Bran decides to have Charles do other things too. This leads them to Boston. They go to consult with the FBI. There is a serial killer targeting supernaturals.
I both enjoyed this and found it frustrating. One was Charles attitude towards Anna by not TALKING to her. Anna is kidnapped and needs to be rescued. However, Charles does learn. And I think, if given a chance, maybe Anna could have saved herself (and yes, I know that's a lot of wishful thinking- but she didn't give up and would have gone down fighting).
I really enjoyed the mystery regarding the serial killer and figuring out the who-is-it. I didn't see THAT ENDING coming. Holy shit! That will (I would think) play into the next book (in the timeline it is a Mercy book). I need to read the synopsis to find out.....

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1567529/fair-game

Viable Threat

Review:

eARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing and NetGalley
Available May 22nd

Ava Lloyd, a microbiologist with the CDC, is tasked with trying to find the source and cause of a deadly outbreak. River, a Special Forces soldier, is tasked to help protect her. They have to dodge anything and everything.
I liked the pacing. The majority of the book (about 90%) occurs over 28 hour time span. It's just jam packed with action, no one gets a break. I really got the sense of racing against the clock. There are a few sexy times during the first 28 hours, but it felt realistic to the situation and didn't make me roll my eyes (you know those romantic suspense books where the sexy times happen while bullets are flying...not here). They fall for each other quickly, but their circumstances are rather unusual too.
I also liked the medical knowledge that went with writing about an outbreak. Very nice!
The villain is kinda decent (but can be guessed at fairly easily). I did like that religion was not a motive behind the attacks (and not mentioned at all that I remember). There are open ended questions/plot lines that may pick up in book 2 (if there is a book 2). I happen to have the first book in this author's another series (Deadly Strain) that I got on sale. I will have to bump that one up (currently buried in Mt TBR).

****eARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing and NetGalley
Out May 22nd

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1566738/viable-threat

Lord Dashwood Missed Out

Review:

This was short and sweet. I liked that he couldn't forget her and is supportive of her desire to continue writing. Looking forward to Charlotte's story (it's about time!).

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1565810/lord-dashwood-missed-out

Desire Untamed

Review:

I'm torn on my rating for this one, so I settled on the rating after I wrote this.
Kara was raised human. She is the Feral Warrior's Radiant, unbeknownst to her. Lyon (yes, that's his name and it is a literal name too) has "finding" ability and is the one tasked to hunt her down. So, he kidnaps her, from the only home she's known, and takes her to the Warriors home. This will come as a huge surprise: they are both hot for each other. I know, I was so surprised too!
Fun fact time! Lyon heals injuries........with his tongue. Here's a another fun fact: A lick magically heals.......and causes orgasms. At inappropriate times. Sometimes with an audience.
I didn't like how Lyon kidnapped Kara. He didn't tell her what she needed to know. Any choice was taken away from her. I didn't like the Pairing (it's capitalized in the book)- again choice taken away and put in the hands of something mystical (and therefore always right). Any power Kara had was taken away, she was treated as property.
There are (only) 2 other main (being generous) female characters in this book. One, Pink, is a servant who cooks and cleans for the 9 grown men. The other, who is nameless because I don't want to be too spoilery, existed for competition, to be a bitch, and was the (powerful) villain.
And what is up with the names? We are talking Kougar, Wulfe, Paenther, Tighe, Vhyper. Jag, Lyon, and Foxx aren't bad compared to these. (IMO). Then there is the Daemons and Satanan (evil ones).
Despite it all, I kept reading. I waffled between a 1 or 2 stars. So, this is 1.5*
The rest of this series? Hell nope!

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1565269/desire-untamed

Daysider

Review:

Okay, were to start? This was a somewhat interesting dystopian, vampire story. Damon, is a Daysider, a not-quite vampire nor human that needs blood to survive and can go out in the sun. He works for the vampires. Alexia is a Dhampir, half human and half vampire. Some need blood to survive, others don't. She works for the humans.
Not cut and dry, unbeknownst to either of them, they were part of an experiment. They fall in lust, not quite trusting the other. For the length, there was just too much going on, many characters, and multiple different names for the same thing. (The vampires called themselves Opir, the humans called them Nightsiders and on it went).

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1562638/daysider

Always on My Mind

Review:

Leah and Jack, best friends since childhood, both are interested in more. Both have hangups from childhood. Leah much more so than Jack. Suffice to say, her father was a major asshole. Jack's mother was in treatment for cancer, so to help her feel better, Leah told a little fib. What ensues next is a nice friends to lovers story.
I liked seeing some secondary characters. Lucille and the Seniors are a hoot. Secondary storyline about an arsonist added (very) minor suspense to the story.
Ben's story is next and he is funny in this one.

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1562589/always-on-my-mind

The Geomancer

Review:

I really liked the original trilogy.   So, I picked this up.  I liked the world; vampires are evil parasites in this one.  Adele and Gareth both continue to be unique characters.  Adele, the Empress, had the power to harm vampires.  Gareth, her lover and a vampire, was different.  This picks up after the events of the last book.  The vampires have been defeated....or have they?

The Witchfinder, the new Big Bad, is introduced.  He has found a way to help and protect the vampires from Adele.  He is powerful (shocker, right?).  What follows is an adventure. Adele and Gareth travel to France, Tibet.  They meet up with previous and new secondary characters.  I think what frustrated me was, this wasn't that different from the previous trilogy.  Adele and Gareth have the some Issues in this book.  I don't think their relationship developed that much.  Blah, blah, blah.  I just didn't care about these characters like I used to.  

Luckily, the original trilogy kicks ass and stands on it's own just fine.  Without this one.  

(And yes, I looked back at my reviews (or book thoughts) and noted some loose ends at the end of book 3- it's been long enough and I don't remember what they were anymore. But I do remember being happy and satisfied).

 

For Booklikes-opoly Railroad #14- overseas travel, 329 pages= $3

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1562316/the-geomancer

Hunter's Moon

Review:

Interesting concept. Sue wants to die, so she hires Tony, an assassin to off her. Told in first person, Tony's POV, also different. What came next was also interesting.
At first I wondered why Sue was a well known face, didn't have to wait long, it's found out in chapter 2. I was a little disappointed in both Sue and Tony. Neither are that sympathetic or likeable. Sue was such a pushover and doormat. Instead of contemplating suicide, there were so many other ways to get away from her dreadful family! Tony is unapologetic for what he does for a living.
What worked for me is the support each gave the other and acceptance for who they were, without changing. I liked that Sue went into therapy. For 2 characters that I didn't like at first, I liked them both by the end and was entertained by their journey.
The "Sazi" are brought up in the last part of the book, could have used more info about them. Good start to a new series. (That's been out for awhile now, but new to me).

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1561076/hunter-s-moon

Mixed Signals

Review:

Maggie gets her turn. She was 16 or so in the first 2 books. Typical, bratty teen in those books IMO.
Fast forward 4 years and Maggie is going off on her own for an education. It was nice Maggie got her story. She left home, found love, saved the world, and returned home. I liked the epilogue, she's going to continue to do good things. (Not to mention no longer the bratty person she was).

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1560344/mixed-signals