Firstborn

Series: Descendants of the House of Bathory #2

Publisher: Howard Books

Release Date: May 2, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

The sequel to The Progeny, my top pick for last year, had big shoes to fill, luckily it did not disappoint.

After Audra Ellison went to extreme measures to erase her past from her memory, she has now come face-to-face with what she tried so hard to forget. These secrets she was willing to die to protect are now what make her more vulnerable than ever to both the Historian and traitors within their midst. All her efforts to protect those she cares about seem to be falling short. The man she loves, Luka, has fallen into the hands of the Historian and she is in a race to meet the demands to save his life. Her powers are growing but also take a toll on her physically and emotionally. With the help of her friends and unexpected allies, Audra risks everything in order to save them all and stop a four-hundred-year-old war between progeny and scion. Just when things look their worst, Audra feels she is in over her head and isn’t sure if she can be the answer they are all looking for.

Fans of Tosca Lee’s The Progeny have been anxiously awaiting the sequel, Firstborn. I have now read The Progeny three times; I had to reread it before starting Firstborn to make sure I remembered everything correctly and it was just as good as the first time. With a book that good, it is hard for a sequel to live up to the hype. Luckily Firstborn does not disappoint. There is just as much suspense and tension as the first book and the ending was even more than I expected. Audra goes through so much in a very short period of time when all things are considered. She doesn’t know if she has the strength to be what everyone needs her to be and if she is strong enough or what will she be like when it is all said and done. One of the ways I determine a book is outstanding is if when I am reading it I see it playing out in my mind as a movie. That can happen with a lot of books but the movie in my head isn’t always the best. Firstborn would be a blockbuster that doesn’t let up. In a way, I wish this wouldn’t be the last book for the series, it’s so good that two installments just don’t feel like enough. But on the other hand, if it were to be spread out over a few more novels, it would have made the story less enjoyable by having fluff and too much unneeded story. Tosca Lee is the kind of author that everyone needs to read, either these books or one of her other works. There is something for everyone out there. Firstborn is a book I will be recommending to everyone that enjoys a heart-pounding suspense ride that will take you to another world away from any troubles you might be having. I know it is still early in the year, (at least for me reading this in February), but I am going to go ahead and name this my top pick of the year. It will be hard for anything to top this.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

A Welcome Murder

A Welcome Murder Author: Robin Yocum

Publisher: Seventh Street Books

Release Date: April 4, 2017

Rating: 3 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Several viewpoints makes an intriguing tale, but this won’t be at the top of my list of best reads

Johnny Earl was at the height of his life. He had everything going for him, until it all fell apart. He had a promising baseball career that ended with an injury, which led to him selling cocaine. It didn’t take long for him to end up in prison for seven years. Prison is just another obstacle for him to overcome. Once out, his only goal is to retrieve the drug money he stashed before being arrested and leave town. Before he is even able to start getting his things together, he is picked up for questioning in the murder of the FBI informant who sent him away. To top matters off, his former cellmate shows up in town wanting Johnny’s money to use to fund an Aryan nation group. Johnny is stuck between a rock and a hard place and it might just be a jam he can get out of.

Let me break this one down into the good and the bad. The good would have to be the storyline. The murder mystery was interesting and with the dialogue between the viewpoints it made it even more interesting to see who was involved and how. The bad is that about does it for the good. Even though the story was interesting, I couldn’t get into it as much as I would have liked because of all the harsh language and sex. That might not bother some people but for me it was far too much. The book is short and I did get through it quickly but I still can’t say it is one I enjoyed much or can recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Horse’s Arse

Horses arse Author: Laura Gascoigne

Publisher: Clink Street Publishing

Release Date: April 4, 2017

Rating: 2.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

An intriguing tale of lost art and thief’s afoot with disastrous plans.

Patrick Phelan lives in North London and has always hoped to make it big as an artist. Instead he has settled for running art classes for amateurs in a shed behind his home. He has spent his life working on a series of canvases of The Seven Seals. Marty, his son, has always been up to no good. So when he comes to Phelan with an offer to make copies of paintings of modern masters, he is hesitant but reluctantly agrees for the money. The deal quickly turns into more than they could have planned for with fraud, kidnapping, murder and even the mafia involved.

I wanted to like this one, I really did. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. When you first pick up the book, it looks to be a very quick read with just barely over two hundred pages. It quickly became apparent that it wasn’t going to be quick, I slogged through the pages but nothing got me interested. Part of the problem for me was the lack of dialogue that kept the story from flowing. There was a little bit here and there but not enough to keep the pages turning. The narrative was overwhelming with not having enough to satisfy readers. The premise is one that I think will interest art history enthusiast, but others will have a hard time getting into the story and sticking with it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Almost Missed You

Almost Missed You Author: Jessica Strawser

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Release Date: March 28, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A wonderful debut novel that will leave the reader guessing at every turn and wondering if we ever really know the people we have in our lives.

Violet and Finn’s relationship has been one people talk about as the couple that was meant to be. They came to be together by not one, but several coincidences. A chance meeting on a beach, another with a note on a website to find each other again, and friends that connect them as well. Three years into their marriage Violet thinks things are perfect. They have a little boy named Bear, whom they both love and are all going on a family vacation back to the beach. One afternoon as she is relaxing on the beach, Finn offers to take Bear back to the hotel for his nap so she can relax. As the afternoon wears on, she packs her things and heads back to the room to find it empty, no Finn, no Bear. All of the boy’s things are gone, it’s like they were never there to begin with. Violet finds herself living her worst nightmare and starts to wonder if she ever really knew the man she married.

Caitlin and Finn have been best friends for years. When he takes off with Bear it is Caitlin he runs to for help, demanding she help hide them or he will reveal a secret that could destroy her family. Caitlin is faced with a difficult decision, help her longest, closest friend to protect her secret, or do what she knows deep down is the right thing to do.

This story is told from alternating viewpoints of Violet, Finn and Caitlin and back and forth from present to past. It is rare that an author can pull something like that off, but Jessica Strawser did an outstanding job with Almost Missed You. For a debut novel, this was outstanding. Rarely have I read a book that made this kind of emotional connection, was a thrilling page turner, and made me think so hard about the possibility of this actually happening in my own life or the lives of people I know. It was incredibly easy to see the depth of love all of these characters had for their children and also the hard choices they were facing with each step they took. Violet lived every mother’s worst fear, losing a child, and more astounding to someone they thought they could trust. Finn was the epitome of someone in need of help dealing with pent up issues keeping him from moving forward with his life. And Caitlin is stuck in the middle. She knows about Finn’s past and doesn’t want to betray him in any way but can’t stand to see Violet hurting. I think the reason this story worked so well was the fact it was told from so many different viewpoints. We got to see more of what was happening compared to if it was just from one character’s viewpoint.

I love finding new authors that I will want to stick with for years to come and I am happy to say I think I found one in Strawser. I recommend this book to all those that enjoy a good mystery that is tight with emotional connections that will keep you turning the pages well past bedtime.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Kingdom of Oceana

Oceana Author: Mitchell Charles

Publisher: Butterhorse Media

Release Date: November 27, 2015

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A beautiful tale set on a beautiful island that makes for a fun and exciting read.

Sixteen-year-old Prince Ailani has always been in his brother’s shadow and feels that he is where he is destined to be. They live on the island of Hawaii, where there is adventure, surfing, shark taming, fire walking, and even a thousand-year-old curse that they are about to unleash on their paradise. The boys discover an ancient tiki mask at a forbidden burial ground. Then without knowing it, they set about a chain of events that will send the islands of Oceana out of control. Prince Ailani must get in touch with his inner strength, and his ancestral spirit animal in order to overcome the obstacles they are about to face.

It pains me to say that I have had this on the shelf for a while and just now picked it up. This was a fun adventure that is rich in history and full of fun. Mitchell Charles did a great job of creating a wonderful tale showing sibling rivalry at its most intense, magic, love and so much more. While reading, I felt like I was on the islands, and wished I was there experiencing the beauty. That’s the great thing about a well written book, it can transport you to a magical place you might never be able go to in real life. The mythical elements were fun to read. I particularly enjoyed the playful banter between Ailani and the Kahula. It had just enough humor to keep me smiling but not so much that it took away from the suspense and mystery of the story.

Since I have finished I keep looking and hoping for a second book to come out and continue the story, fingers crossed it will still happen. I think this could be considered a great YA read, especially with the length, not too long to intimidate younger readers but enough to fully flesh out the story. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy a good thrill set in a beautiful and magical place.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

If I’m Found

If I'm Found Author: Terri Blackstock

Series: If I Run #2

Publisher: Zondervan

Release Date: March 21, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

The second book in the series but might just be Blackstock’s best book yet. A tight, suspenseful story that will leave you begging for more.

Casey Cox is on the run for a murder she didn’t commit. She has just gotten away again from the man tasked to bring her in, PI Dylan Roberts. He had her in his grasp but let her go. She has been emailing him, insisting her innocence and he is starting to believe her. He still isn’t sure he can trust her but each day a new piece of evidence turns up making her seem more believable than those after her. Casey is trying to gather evidence about the murder she is accused of and others, exposing deep corruption within the department that is trying to frame her. During her search, she also uncovers evidence of a child being abused and a man on the verge of suicide. Even though she knows she should focus on staying safe and clearing her own name, she can’t help trying to help others, even if she ends up found in the process and killed before she would make it to jail.

I have been a fan of Terri Blackstock for a long time and must say this might be her best book. It is hard for a second book in a series to be that good, a lot of times it is just filler for what is coming in the third (and usually final) in the series. I would advise reading the first in the series, just to have the background necessary to understand what the characters are going through. The tension was at a whole new level for Blackstock making this the best I have read by her. Casey and Dylan both have problems that make them flawed characters that we can relate to and want to root for. We might not all be running from a murder we didn’t commit or have PTSD, but we all have problems. At times the problems Casey finds herself in might seem a little hard to believe, but the way it is all set up with Casey being a people person and getting involved in others’ lives when she should be keeping to herself makes it easy to see how she could wind up in the situations she does. With all the close calls that Casey finds herself in, I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t put the book down. It is only March but I have no doubt this will be in my top ten for the year. I recommend this book to everyone that enjoys a good suspense thriller that is clean, without unnecessary crude language or sex scenes throughout.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Roanoke Girls

The Roanoke Girls Author: Amy Engel

Publisher: Crown

Release Date: March 7, 2017

Rating: 3 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Disturbing and creepy. That’s all I’m saying.

Lane Roanoke is fifteen years old and her mom has just committed suicide, which is really not surprising to her as she has been threatening it for most of her life. What is surprising is that her mom’s parents want Lane to come live with them in Kansas, which is vastly different than New York City. Once she gets there, she is greeted by her cousin Allegra and they become like sisters, even look like sisters too. Her grandparents are filthy rich from oil and she becomes one of the Roanoke girls, which pretty much gets you whatever you want. However, one day she discovers the secret that drives all Roanoke girls either to run or to die. She runs away and never looks back.

Eleven years later, Allegra has gone missing and Lane is called back to Roanoke. Even though time has passed, it feels the same as soon as she pulls up. Everyone she left is still there and her messed up family is still the same. But with Allegra gone, sights are now set on Lane to take her place as the next Roanoke girl.

This book was very disturbing and creepy too. I can’t delve too much into it because it would give away the context to the readers, but needless to say, this is not what I was expecting in some big Kansas farmhouse. Still gives me the heebie jeebies. One point that I do have to make is that I can tell this author has written YA novels previously. The flow and characterizations still tended to show up as YA, which I actually like. However, what I don’t like is when there is a great YA author that decides to go into mainstream adult fiction and it reads like a YA novel with lots of profanity and sex, which is a bit of the case here. I’ve seen this happen with lots of great authors in the YA genre. I like the YA better because it is usually cleaner. I understand that this book had to have sex since that is the pretense of the whole things, but the profanity could have been cut way back. This is why I only recommend this book to mature older readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Murder is no Accident

Murder is no accident Author: A. H. Gabhart

Series: Hidden Springs Mysteries #3

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: March 14, 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Another cozy mystery in The Hidden Springs series that is sure to be a hit.

Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane gets another call he doesn’t want to hear, there has been another body found in Hidden Springs. A 911 call came in saying someone is dead at a Victorian mansion in town. Maggie Greene is in high school and helps her mother keep the mansion clean, and sometimes goes to the tower to write, which is where she is when she finds the body and calls 911. Michael assumes the death is a tragic accident until there is another body found in the house. Then Maggie receives threatening phone calls telling her to stay quiet about what she might know. Michael now feels more pressure than ever to find the killer and solve his biggest mystery yet.

The Hidden Springs Mysteries are becoming some of my favorites. These are the types of books you can just sit down and read and enjoy without worrying about language or a boring story. I love the way these stories keep the reader entertained and wanting more throughout the entire book. It has been awhile since I have read the first two in the series but this might be the best one yet in my opinion. I really liked the relationships and interactions between Michael, Alex, Maggie, and Anthony. Each one had its own special dynamic that worked well. I also really enjoyed the mystery in the mansion with the murder from the past and present and how things related. I don’t have much negative to say about the story because there wasn’t much I didn’t like. This is just a nice cozy mystery that I think most everyone who picks it up will enjoy. I recommend this to readers of all ages that enjoy a good clean page-turner that will keep you smiling and guessing till the end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

As Red As Blood

as red as blood Author: Salla Simukka

Series: Lumikki Andersson #1

Publisher: Crown for Young Readers

Release Date: January 17, 2017

Rating: 3 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

This book had such potential to shine like the fairy tales it eludes, but for me it fell flat.

Lumikki Andersson likes to keep to herself and out of the business of others. Even though she is only sixteen she is living by herself and going to a charter school for the gifted. It is an ideal situation after the problems she had at her old school with some not so nice girls that attended the school. Trying to stay out of others business usually works well for her, until she stumbles upon thousands of washed Euro notes hanging in the school’s darkroom and three of her classmates acting very suspiciously. It doesn’t take long for Lumikki to become completely involved in the center of the problem these three have found themselves in. They all end up going against a drug lord, Polar Bear, and many others that end up hunting them for what they have and know. Lumikki is now in a race to stay alive and uncover the truth to try and save them all.

When I first heard about As Red as Blood I thought it sounded like a very intriguing read, especially for a YA, which are some of my favorites. I’m not sure if it is the fact that it was translated from Finnish or maybe just the story itself, but it didn’t live up to my expectations. One of my biggest pet peeves is a book marketed to young adults that has vulgar language. I’m not naive, I know that is how many kids speak but I still don’t like seeing it in books for this audience. I also felt like the story didn’t really get going until it was almost over. The best part of the book for me was the last twenty-five pages or so. Finding out more about the main character should have come earlier to help make the connection and establish a better relationship. I still think some of it could have been lost in the translation and don’t want to fault the author too much on that part. The two female leads really had good potential and I think there is further development to explore there, I just don’t feel compelled to explore it personally.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Murder on the Moor

murder-at-the-moor Author: Julianna Deering

Series: A Drew Farthering Mystery #5

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: January 31, 2017

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Another murder, another mystery, and Drew and Madeline are back to solve it!

As Drew and Madeline Fathering get ready for another typical night, the phone suddenly rings with a request to speak with Drew. One of Drew’s old schoolmates, Beaky Bloodworth, is calling with a request for his help. He has read about Drew’s amateur sleuthing in the newspapers and wants his help to investigate some matters going on up in Yorkshire at his newly inherited lodge. As it turns out, the local vicar has been recently murdered and no one can figure out why or who would do it. Beaky’s recently wedded wife, Sabrina, is now hearing things in the lodge and getting rather scared about it. Drew and Madeline consent to coming to help, but may be stepping off into more than what they expect. Soon after arriving, they begin meeting many of the residents around the small town as well as the neighbors, who had bad blood with Beaky’s uncle. There is also a gamekeeper on the property who could give Don Juan a run for his money. Add a local poacher that lives on the moor and there are more than enough suspects as to who would want to run Beaky and Sabrina off the moor. But why kill the vicar? Then when another murder takes place, it has connections to both Sabrina and Beaky’s uncles. Can Drew and Madeline solve it before they become the next victims?

Julianna Deering writes such fun loving mysteries. I love reading these stories and have been so happy that the common characters always return for each new installment. I thought I was going to be a little disappointed that Nick Dennison wasn’t going to be in this one, but then he showed up at just the right time, as usual. However, after five mysteries, I’m beginning to find that I’m a pretty good sleuth right alongside Drew and Madeline. I actually had this one figured out pretty well into it. Well, I should say I knew who-did-it, but not actually who it was. I should have though, so she still has that on me.

I also love the way that we’ve seen Drew grow spiritually throughout the books. He has really gotten some depth to his character. And the witty banter between himself and Nick is always there. Not as much in this particular book, but I still love it. I recommend the entire series, but this one is still a good stand alone as well. No matter the age, pick up one of these and give it a try!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.