Someone's Watching - Potts, Sharon

Someone's Watching is a murder mystery about spring break. Perfect timing. If your kids or grandkids are going to Florida, wait until they get back before reading this!



Kate Brooks and her friend Joanne Sparks decided to do something a little more daring on spring break than drink, throw up, and get sunburned. Turns out it was more dangerous than they thought. When the two teenagers go missing, Kate's sister Robbie is enlisted by their father to help find Kate. Of course, before Robbie's father showed up, Robbie never knew she had a sister. A good convoluted murder mystery. Highly recommended.

Demonglass - Hawkins, Rachel

Demonglass is the second book in the Hex Hall series. Another cliff hanger, only this one is really hanging. I have to get that third book!



Sophie is spending the summer in England with her father, who's the head of the Prodigium council. They're living outside London at the Prodigium council headquarters in Thorne Abbey. Sophie is in for a surprise when she finds out who else is staying at Thorne Abbey, and once again her life is in danger. This time from a direction she never expected. Very highly recommended.

Hex Hall - Hawkins, Rachel

Hex Hall is book one in a series. When I finished it last night I started the second, and had to pay for it. Enough said.



Sophie Mercer has magical powers. This makes her a member of the Prodigium. She got her powers from her Dad, whom she's never met. When she finally crosses the line with her magic one too many times she's sentenced to the magical reform school for Prodigium kids, Hecate Hall. The witches, fairies, shape shifters, and other kids who live there know it a Hex Hall. Sophie doesn't fit in right away because she's never met any other Prodigium members. What Sophie doesn't know about herself is going to come as quite a shock, and a dangerous one. Perfect for teens and maybe a little younger. Very highly recommended.

Last Breath - Prescott, Michael

Last Breath is a murder mystery that kept me reading way past bedtime. This is another 99 cent gem.



C.J. Osborn is a seasoned L.A. cop. She's still haunted by an event that took place when she was 10 years old, but she combats her fear by facing the danger her job entails every day. Then somebody targets C.J. for death and the danger is coming from a whole new direction. Prescott never fails to please. This book is no exception. Very highly recommended.

Bubba and the Dead Woman - Bevill, C.L.

Bubba and the Dead Woman is a surprising book. It's a murder mystery that never takes itself too seriously. Think of Bubba as a kind of Texas redneck Stephanie Plum. If you don't know who Stephanie is you probably don't read. The best part is, this book is free for the kindle and the nook.



Bubba Snoddy is having a bad day. He's the just the mechanic, but he's the only person left to work Bufford's Gas and Groceries on a lonely Thursday night. If figuring out the cash register and the hot dog machine weren't enough trouble, when he gets home the next morning there's a dead woman in the weeds beside his house. Bubba is the number one suspect and he's got to fight to find out who really done it. Great book, and did I mention it's free! Very highly recommended.

The Awakened: Book Three - Tesar, Jason

The Awakened: Book Three is the last book in the series, kind of. I'm not going to spoil it for you, but there has to be more. In the words of Peggy Lee, "Is that all there is?"



Kael comes back, from what seemed a life ending injury, to help the empire in their struggle against the ancient demon that thinks of itself as a god. Great book and great, ending but it's not the end. There are little hints about Kael's father Adair, who seems to have been sucked into a time warp and brought to the present time. Nothing in that thread of the story is resolved however. In the end... Well read it! Very highly recommend.

Hostile Witness - Forster, Rebecca

Hostile Witness is a great legal thriller. If you like novels about the law by the likes of Grisham and Connelly, you'll never regret reading this book. And it's free!



Josie Baylor-Bates is a relatively young lawyer who has purposely ducked out of the limelight. The last big case she won was three years ago, and it was a disaster. Now an old friend drops by to ask Josie to defend her daughter. Against her better judgement Josie takes the case, and it looks like a train wreck is heading down the tracks again. Amazing writing that I couldn't put down. Very highly recommended.

From the Ashes - Burns, Jeremy

From the Ashes was a free Friday nook book. If you're into conspiracy theories you'll love this story.



Jon Rickner's life is turned upside down when his brother Michael commits suicide. But Jon and his brother's fiancée Mara discover it wasn't suicide. They begin a search to find what Michael was working on that could make him a target for assassination. What they find is a conspiracy that's been covering up a disastrous decision the government made since before WWII. The question is, can they expose the truth before they become the next victims of this coverup. Highly recommended.

I really liked this book. However, once in a while I come across a good story that is buried in way too many words. This is one of the rare occasions when I wish I'd read the Reader's Digest Condensed version. The author clearly suffers from logorrhea.

The Grail Conspiracy - Sholes, Lynn & Moore, Joe

The Grail Conspiracy is a new twist on the search for the holy grail. In this book it's been found. It's how it's being used that's interesting.



Cotton Stone is a reporter, and a good one, but she's something else she's not even aware of. When Cotton stumbles into an archeological dig in Iraq, she comes into possession of a strange artifact. She has no idea how this simple wooden box will change her life. She's drawn into a conspiracy of world wide proportions. If she survives she could be the key to it all. Highly recommended.

Hearts at Stake - Harvey, Alyxandra

Hearts at Stake was a free Friday nook book. Every Friday Barnes & Noble has a nook book that's free for anyone to download. Even if you don't have a nook you can run the nook app on your computer or android device and take advantage of this free offer. Just check in on Fridays at The NOOK Blog.



Solange Drake is the first female vampire born in hundreds of years. That's turning out to be something of a problem. Solange turns 16 in a few days and she is the object of interest for a great many male vampires. She's also a major problem to the current de facto vampire Queen. Salonge and her best friend Lucky are in for some major trouble as this story closes in on that 16th birthday.

This is definitely a young adult book. I enjoyed it, but it's not a challenging read. The author's continued change of first person narrative between Solange and Lucky was distracting most of the time and didn't add anything to the story. The story was also cluttered with too many factions feuding and fighting with each other. On the whole I'd recommend it for young adults.

Graceling - Cashore, Kristin

Graceling is an amazing novel. It's 99 cents. It's clearly priced to introduce you to a new author, but it's an introduction I'm very grateful for. If you like fantasy kingdoms, where good an evil are championed by heroes with powers that defy explanation, you'll love this book. This is a young adult book and I'd recommend it to my older grandkids.



Katsa is a Graceling. Her special power, or grace, is fighting and killing. Katsa's grace first appeared when she was a young girl and killed an older cousin who made her feel threatened. Her uncle, the king of Middluns, has honed her to be his enforcer ever since. She's the greatest fighter in the Seven Kingdoms. But Katsa also heads the Council, a group dedicated to providing justice for the people of the Seven Kingdoms. Katsa's mission to rescue the kidnapped father of the Lienid king turns into a much bigger challenge than expected. One that could decide the future of the whole Seven Kingdoms. This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Very highly recommended.

The Golden Acorn - Cooper, Catherine

The Golden Acorn is the first book in The Adventures of Jack Brenin series. I've already ordered the second because I have to know what happens next. This is a great book to share with your kids, or in my case grandkids. And it's free!



Jack Brenin was shipped off to his Grandfather's in England when his Mother passed away. He's sure he'll be bored to tears until he's hit in the back of the head with a golden acorn. That's when his adventures begin. Talking birds, rats, bats, dragons, and all manner of magical creatures populate this story. To make it more interesting, Jack learns he has to fly. A delightful read. Very highly recommended.

Weaving Destiny - Ching, G. P.

Weaving Destiny is the second book in The Soulkeepers Series. This time around the focus is on Malini instead of Jacob. More action and suspense. This is a great series.



Malini figures out what her power is in this book. She goes from the group hanger on to the most powerful soulkeeper of all. But someone has to make the ultimate sacrifice to keep the town of Paris Illinois safe. I couldn't put this one down. Now I have to wait for the next book in the series to come out. Very highly recommended.

The Awakened: Book Two - Tesar, Jason

The Awakened: Book Two is the second book in the series. The Awakened: Book One was free, but I had to pay to read the second book, and gladly did so. This series is the kind you have a love/hate relationship with. You love the book and can't seem to put it down, but you hate it when a book keeps you up past 2:00 in the morning when you know you have to get up the next day.



Kael survived the cliff at the end of book one and is now a man who's coming back to his birth place. But the Bastul he was taken from as a child is not the city he finds when he returns. The empire is being assailed from all directions by barbarians. He joins with a band of soldiers fighting to survive and eventually travels to the capital city of Orud where he meets the cause of all the kingdoms strife. His mother and sister, and his old mentor are all eventually in Orud. The threads of the story begin to draw together but there's still another book before the final conclusion. Very highly recommended.

The Detachment - Eisler, Barry

The Detachment is a novel about political intrigue, where assassins are the tools of the trade. This book was 99 cents. An amazing bargain.



John Rain is trying to live an unobtrusive peaceful life in Tokyo, and retire from his life as a government assassin. But he's being watched, and that means his old life is coming to find him. Someone is about to make him and offer he can't refuse and drag him into a race to save lives and maybe the US constitution. I will be reading more John Rain novels. Very highly recommended.

Too Close to Home - Eason, Lynette

Too Close to Home is a murder mystery with a distinct Christian message. This book was free when I downloaded it. The pace is fast and the suspense is palpable. A good read.



Connor Wolfe is a homicide detective working a case with missing teens who are turning up dead. Samantha Cash is an FBI special agent who's specialty is computers. When Connor's missing teens appear to have met their kidnapper online, Samantha is called in to track the killer. Plenty of action and a truly evil villain make this a real page turner. Highly recommended.

Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun (An Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery) [Kindle Edition] Lois Winston (Author)

Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun is a murder mystery with some interesting differences. Billed as an Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery, little recipes for craft projects appear in the text from time to time. This was another free book. It's worth the read.



Anastasia Pollack is the crafts editor for a women's magazine. Her life has been hit by a series of disasters, including her husband dying at a casino in Las Vegas when he was supposed to be on a business trip. Then Anastasia's glue gun is used to murder the fashion editor, who everyone hates, in Anastasia's office. At this point Anastasia decides to turn amateur sleuth. This is a fun story with some serious moments of danger and suspense, but mostly a hilarious misadventure. Highly recommended.

The Awakened: Book One - Tesar, Jason

The Awakened: Book One is the first in a series. This is another free book and it's a great book at any price. Most of the free books I've read are part of a series or trilogy, and the first book is free to suck you in. That's fair. I've read a few free books now that I will eventually get back to and read rest of the series. This book ends on a literal cliff hanger and I'm not sure I can wait. It's that good.



Adair is the governor of Bastul. He leaves to meet with an informant and never returns. Adair's son Kael is at odds with the new governor and is sentenced to death. Kael's mentor and tutor Saba is kidnapped and carried off to a far land. Kael's mother Maeryn is left with no husband and no son and a cruel new governor who has inherited her along with his new job.

There is some present time action that's not put into context in this first book, but most of the story takes place in the ancient Orudan Empire. This is a threaded story with suspense, mystery, and action on almost every page. I'll be reading The Awakened book two and three. I guess Tesar used all his imagination on the story with none left for titles :) Very highly recommended.

Messages - Hileman, John Michael

Messages is a thriller about a terrorist plot against America. This book kept me reading way past bedtime. It was free when I downloaded it and it's still free.



David Chance works at a Boston TV studio as an intern. For some reason he begins to see messages in all the words that surround him. Words from a billboard, a newspaper, someone's t-shirt, or a flyer in a window form messages that tell him what's going to happen in the future. Where do the words come from and what is he supposed to do with the messages? They save his life and the life of his neighbor. Can they save the president of the United States and Boston from a terrorist plot? There's a religious flavor to this novel but no proselytizing. I've added Hileman to my list of authors to watch for. Highly recommended.

The Soulkeepers - Ching, G. P.

The Soulkeepers is the first book in the Soulkeepers series. It was free when I downloaded it. It's now 99 cents. Still a bargain.



Jacob Lau is 15 and he's just lost him Mom. Literally lost her. His Dad was killed in Afghanistan, so he's forced to move from his home in Hawaii to the little town of Paris Illinois, to live with his uncle's family. A family he never even knew he had before losing his mother. The mystery surrounding Jacob grows as he learns who and what he is. This is a book I had a hard time putting down. I'll continue this series, even if I have to pay. If you're turned off by books with some biblical themes you shouldn't be. This book is well worth the read. Very highly recommended.

Telesa - The Covenant Keeper - Young, Lani Wendt

Telesa - The Covenant Keeper is another book I got for free. Keep your eyes open. This book is now $5 so you have to be alert. But it's well worth the price. I'll be looking for the next one in this series when it comes out.



Leila Folger is an orphan. Her mother died in a hurricane when she was a baby and her father died a few months ago. She's 18 now, and despite her father's wishes and her grandmother's orders, she's going to visit Samoa. Her parents met there and she was born there. She wants to connect to her roots. She's in for quite a shock when she finds how deep her roots run. This is a great story with mystery, teen romance, and some pretty intense action. No sex, no swearing, great for teens. Highly recommended.

Dead Angler - Houston, Victoria

Dead Angler is a murder mystery set in the north woods of Wisconsin. When I got the book it was free. It's not anymore, but still less than $7 at the time I write this. I'm glad I got this book because I would have missed an excellent story if I hadn't. Houston is an author who will go on my list.



Paul Osborne is a retired dentist and fisherman. He makes an appointment to get some help with his fly fishing and finds out his instructor is the chief of police and a woman. The adventure starts when he falls over a dead body in the stream they're fishing. The rest is fishing, murder, and mystery. This is a great who done it. Very highly recommended.

Shakedown - Goldman, Joel

Shakedown is a murder mystery, but the title isn't about extortion. It's about an unplanned career change. I really like this story, and it's free too.



Jack Davis is an FBI agent with a marriage that's dissolved, a daughter who is walking on the edge, and the shakes. He's doing his best to handle all three when a drug dealer he's pursuing is one victim in a mass murder and his shakes turn into a quake. Jack is suspended, but with the help of a jury consultant he's finds interesting in many ways, he may be able to clear this case before his career is shaken apart. This is as great mystery. Why pay for Connelly, Patterson, or Deaver when Goldman is free and just as good. Very highly recommended.

Legon Awakening - Taylor, Nicholas

Legon Awakening is book one in the Legon Series. This is a fantasy alternate reality novel with some interesting twists. Did you ever want to be a dragon? The best part is this book was free.



Legon and his sister Sasha have always had a unique special bond. He's her strength and she's his pathway to peace and calm. They had no idea how special the bond was until Legon awakened to his destiny. Elves and humans are battling the Iumenta for the rule of their world. There are a few spelling and grammar problems with this book. Maybe I read too many facebook posts, where there appear to be no rules, but I didn't find these small errors detracting from my enjoyment of the story. Highly recommended.

Kiss Me, Kill Me - Anthology

Kiss Me, Kill Me is an anthology of supernatural "romance" stories, but some have more romance than others. The authors are H.P. Mallory, Zoe Winters, Susan Bischoff, Lori Brighton, M.T. Murphy, Kait Nolan, Toni LoTempio, Daniel Arenson, and Stacey Wallace Benefiel. I like anthologies because they introduce me to new authors and their writing. I've discovered some great story tellers with this kind of book.



Impulse Control by Bischoff was a standout. If you have special powers should you control them or should the government control you? I'll be looking for some full length novels by Bischoff.

Murphy's A Fairytale Ending was brutal. He pulls no punches and his characters revel in their evil nature. An interesting twist. I want more.

If You Leave by Benefiel is another unique outlook on the supernatural. If you don't "go to the light" can you still love the living? I'll look for more by Benefiel too.

The other stories in the anthology were also good. Give it a try and pick your favorites. Highly recommended.

Free Apps, Free Books - they're out there

I just spent about 40 minutes on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble web sites downloading free books for my kindle/nook/android. In those 40 minutes I found seven books for the kindle and six for the nook that are free, and look like they'll be great reads. Keep checking here and I'll let you know what I think of 'em.



The point is, if you want to read with a computer or other eReader device, you can read for free. Other than a library, you can't beat that, and you can check books out of the library for the kindle and the nook as well. It depends on the library so check yours to be sure.



I have an android tablet that lets me use the free kindle app and nook app to read books. I also have the same free kindle and nook apps for my PC. You can even get the kindle and nook apps for most smart phones, although my old eyes wouldn't last long on a screen that small. So you don't need to invest in a dedicated eReader to take advantage of these free books. However, I've had a kindle for years now and love it. I won't go back to paper if given a choice.



So, if you want to start reading for free, the apps and the books are out there. When I review a book it's always available for the kindle and usually for the nook. It's easy to check. And if they're free I'll note that in the review. Let one of your New Year's resolutions be to read more and read free.

Skipped Parts - Sandlin, Tim

Skipped Parts is a novel about teenagers and their quest to understand sex. At first this didn't seem like a book I'd enjoy. It had good reviews, and was cheap, so I gave it a try. By the time I finished I was sorry it ended.



The year is 1963. Sam Callahan and his Mom Lydia have been exiled from South Carolina to Wyoming by Sam's overbearing judgmental grandfather. Sam almost immediately makes an enemy of the only other smart kid in his seventh grade class, Maurey Pierce. But they have too much in common to be enemies for long. Their love of books and curiosity about the "missing parts" leads to some interesting experiments and a predictable outcome. That's the only thing predictable in this novel. You're kept guessing right to the end. This is a great story told in an amazing voice. Very highly recommended.

The Tehran Initiative - Rosenberg, Joel C.

The Tehran Initiative is the sequel to The Twelfth Imam. I read The Twelfth Imam thinking the ending stunk because it just ran off a cliff. Turns out this book explains the cliff, and it's an excellent explanation.



David Shirazi, CIA agent, starts out right where he left off in The Twelfth Imam, in a desperate attempt to avert nuclear disaster in the middle east. There's another heavy dose of action and political intrigue in this sequel. The world is on the brink. Can David get the information the CIA needs to avert disaster? It's hard to put down. And there is more to come. At least this time I know to look for another novel. Thanks Rita for the Christmas present. Highly recommended.

A Dozen Deadly Roses - Bennett, Kathy

A Dozen Deadly Roses is another 99 cent bargain. This is a great mystery written from a veteran cop's perspective.



Officer Jade Donovan is a five year veteran with the LA police department. When this novel gets started, she finds her self assigned as the training office to a rookie named Mac Stryker. The same Mac Stryker who used to be her training officer when she was a rookie. The fact that he resigned in disgrace back then makes their working together awkward at best, and neither is happy with the assignment. A fact that the police LT who made the assignment, is well aware of. The fact that someone is stalking Jade, and she can't trust anyone in or out of the department, adds to the tension in this fast paced thriller. I would have preferred that the issue of the father of Jade's son didn't drag out so long, but I really enjoyed the book and I'll look for more from Bennett. Highly recommended.

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward - Lovecraft, H.P.

This story is from The Essential H.P. Lovecraft Collection. The Case of Charles Dexter Ward is about a young man who delved too far into his ancestor's past and paid a frightful price.



Charles Ward was an inquisitive young man. In his research of his family and home town of Providence RI, he found allusions to an infamous ancestor Joseph Curwen. This ancestor's traces had been systematically erased from the public record. Charles should have left well enough alone. Lots of twists in a story written in 1927. Highly recommended.

The Desert Waits - Black, J. Carson

The Desert Waits is a 99 cent book that's worth much more than I paid. This is a good murder mystery with some interesting twists.



Alex gets a message from her old friend Caroline to come to the desert because she's needed. When Alex gets there she finds her friend in a strange mood and threatened by a stalker. Then Caroline is killed and the mystery deepens. This story has some great descriptions of the desert and the animals who inhabit it, in addition to plenty of murders and bad guys. Highly recommended.

The Litigators - Grisham, John

The Litigators is the story of a young lawyer who decides the rat race of a big law firm is not what he wants, after an awe inspiring panic attack and drinking binge. When his head clears he finds he's landed at a small boutique law firm. Boutique being a euphamism for ambulance chasers.



David Zinc is doing drudge work, that pays an amazing amount, at a very prestigious law firm. One morning he find himself panicked at the thought of going back to work. His ensuing flight finds him at the law firm of Finley & Figg, two ambulance chasers who are barely scraping by and looking for the big case that will make them rich. Finley & Figg think they have their big case with a drug that may cause heart attacks or strokes. It turns out they've taken on more than they can handle. Another great Grisham novel. Very highly recommended.

A Killing Tide - Alderman, P.J.

A Killing Tide is a murder mystery with a romantic twist. At $2.99 this book is a real bargain.



Kaz Jorgensen came back to the town of Astoria, on the Columbia river, because she got a call that her brother needed her help. Their family fishing business isn't the only thing having problems. When one of their boats burns and a body is found on board, the new fire chief takes an interest in Kaz. That interest starts as suspicion and changes to something else. There's plenty of action and intrigue. I good mystery to keep you reading past bedtime. Highly recommended.

Death By Sarcasm - Amore, Dani

Death By Sarcasm works on many levels. It's a great detective story, it's got more one-liners than Henny Youngman, and it has a protagonist who does more shooting than Dirty Harry. It's another 99 cent winner.



Mary Cooper is a P.I. stranded in a family of comedians. She couldn't give a straight answer with a gun to her head, and she proves that more than once in this book. When her uncle is murdered behind a comedy club Mary's determined to track down the killer. The question is, will she find the killer before the killer finds her? Very highly recommended.

Wish List - Locke, John Locke

Wish List is a Donovan Creed Novel. Creed gets a call for help from an old friend's brother. Creed comes to the rescue, but sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.



Buddy Pancake and his drinking buddies found a site on the web where they could make four wishes. They discovered you should be careful what you wish for. Creed comes to the rescue in is typical amoral train wreck style. Very highly recommended.

The Call of Cthulhu - Lovecraft, H.P.

This story is from The Essential H.P. Lovecraft Collection. The Call of Cthulhu is about a young man who's come to understand that ignorance is bliss. What he's learned has him scared for his life and his sanity.



Professor George Angell died suddenly from a fall, and his great nephew, Francis Thurston, begins to think it was not an accident. While going through his great uncle's papers Thurston is fascinated by, and begins to investigate, an evil looking statue that was inspired by a dream. What Thurston eventually uncovers is something he wishes he'd never brought to light. Reading Lovecraft after dark can be hazardous to peaceful slumber. Highly recommended.

A Wild Light - Liu, Marjorie M.

A Wild Light is the third Hunter Kiss novel. It's been a while since I've become entangled in a Hunter Kiss book. Too long. I recommend reading them in order. And don't miss the short stories that crop up in anthologies and other works.



Maxine wakes up from her birthday party covered in blood, and laying next to her grandfather's dead body. This novel starts out at a fast run and never slows down. Fighting zombies and demons is bread and butter to Maxine and her boys, and they have plenty of fighting to do in this book. The veil is open and somebody's going to have to close it or humanity will pay in rivers of blood. Very highly recommended.

Dark That Day, After All - McIntyre, Jason

Dark That Day, After All is a short story taken from the anthology Black Light of Day. It was free. That's something I find very appealing in any kindle fare.



Two old men sit on a bench where they can get a good view of the first solar eclipse in decades. Where have their paths crossed before? How will they cross today? This is a chilling little tale to whet your appetite for more. I believe I'll try the anthology. Highly recommended.

At the Mountains of Madness - Lovecraft, H. P.

This novel is from The Essential H.P. Lovecraft Collection. This collection contains 20 of Lovecraft's works and I intend to review them separately. They're all out of copyright and are available free somewhere. I first read many of these in high school, decades ago. I got this 99 cent collection to make it simpler to reread some books that kept me awake long after I finished reading, listening for something to go bump in the night.



This story has been credited with the inspiration for the movie The Thing. The narrator is the leader of a scientific expedition to the antarctic. The scientists who survived discovered things that were so horrific they didn't report them initially. Now a second expedition is being formed, and in order to avoid a terrible catastrophe the narrator is describing the expedition's findings in more chilling detail. The language is out of date, but the story is timeless. Highly recommended.

The Summoning - Armstrong, Kelley

The Summoning is the first book in the Darkest Powers series. I really like Kelley Armstrong's books and this is no exception. This is young adult fiction and would be appropriate for my grandkids, and probably yours.



Chloe is 15 years old, and a freshman in high school. Suddenly she starts to see dead people. When she panics while in school she's sent to Lyle House, a group home for troubled teens. But is it a home for troubled teens or something more sinister? Is Chloe troubled or does she have special abilities that someone wants to harness? This story has a definite cliff hanger. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Very highly recommended.

Chasing the Night - Johansen, Iris

Chasing the Night is an Eve Duncan novel. For those who've never read a book in this thread, Eve Duncan is a gifted forensic sculpture. She can take an old skull and put a face on it like nobody else. Her skills are put to the test in this story. You don't have to read Eve Duncan books in order but they're all good.



Eve is surprised to find a woman in her house. A woman who wants Eve's help to find her missing son. By the time this puzzle reaches it's conclusion there will be kidnapping, death, and mass destruction. The question is, can Eve and her friends keep that destruction from spreading to multiple American cities. There's a definite cliff hanger here, but the this story does conclude. Now I have to read the next one. Very highly recommended.

Emmett & Gentry - Locke, John

Emmett & Gentry is the third novel in the Emmett Love western series. You need to read these books in order, but it's definitely worth it. This series contains some examples of 99 cent wild west good reading.



Emmett has escaped the army railroad gang and heads back to Dodge to find Gentry. He's got to get rid of his leg irons, fend off civil war widows looking for a new man, and find his Gentry. It's not going to be easy, but with some help from Rose he should manage. Very highly recommended.

The Mill River Recluse - Chan, Darcie

The Mill River Recluse is the most enjoyable story I've read this year, and I've read plenty. This book is truly a 99 cent marvel.



The Mill River Recluse is a story about Mary McAllister. Mary suffered a horrific event as a young girl. That event influenced Mary's entire life. While she became reclusive, she never lost her humanity or her capacity for love. The way Mary's life affected the lives of everyone in the town of Mill River Vermont makes an amazing story. Anger, anxiety, joy, and profound sadness are just some of the emotions Chan's novel evoked. This tale brought tears to my eyes from happiness and grief. An amazing book. Very highly recommended.

The Player of Games - Banks, Iain M.

The Player of Games is a book that takes place in the distant future when mankind has spread out to fill the galaxy with what's known as The Culture. If you like science fiction you should love Banks vision of it.



Jernau Gurgeh is the arguably The Culture's greatest game player. The alien empire of Azad is ruled by the winner of a game called Azad. Will Gurgeh give up his decadent life in The Culture to play the game of Azad? With a little nudge he might, and the result could be an adventure he'd never imagine. Very highly recommended.

Victory of Eagles - Novik, Naomi

Victory of Eagles is a Temeraire novel. Temeraire is a dragon in Her Majesty's Service, in an alternate history where dragons are just another weapon in the arsenal of most large nations. This is book five in the series. They should be read in order to be appreciated.



Temeraire and Captain Laurence have been convicted of treason and separated. Captain Laurence is imprisoned on a ship and Temeraire is exiled to the breeding grounds. When Napoleon manages to cross the channel and threatens London, Temeraire and her captain are freed to help in the fight to save England. This is another story, set in a pre-industrial age, when the world is threatened by war and dragons can be the difference between defeat and victory. Another hard to put down tale. Highly recommended.

Succubus Dreams - Mead, Richelle

Succubus Dreams is the third Georgina Kincaid book. Georgina is doing her best to be good when her job is to be bad. She is a succubus after all.



Every time Georgina feeds on the energy of another person she dreams it away that night. It's a problem she can't figure out. To make things more interesting a new succubus is in town and Georgina is the designated succubus mentor. Throw in a bunch of angels on a secret mission, boyfriend problems, and Christmas just around the corner. Something is going to have to give. Very highly recommended.

Three Ways to Die - Goldberg, Lee

Three Ways to Die is a trio of stories about dying. This book makes me think I have to read more stories by Goldberg. These are great.



Jack Webb's Star is about a man who goes to great lengths to please a woman. It's not enough and somebody dies.

Bumsickle is a little murder mystery that takes some infidelity to solve.

Remaindered is about missing the one little thing that eventually catches up to you.

These are all clever and compelling stories. I'll be looking for more books by Goldberg. This collection is very highly recommended.

To Kill A Warlock - Mallory, H.P.

To Kill A Warlock is the first book in the Dulcie O'Neil Series. Dulcie is a fairy working for the A.N.C (Association for Netherworld Creatures) as a Regulator. Dulcie is kind of a Netherworld cop, but when this story starts she's a seven foot tall monster who resembles a gigantic booger. A warlock has hexed her good. Another 99 cent winner.



Dulcie is the best regulator working out of the Splendor California office. She'd rather be a novelist, and she's working on it, but crime doesn't stop just because she wants to be writing. When the warlock who hexed her turns up dead, and a particularly gruesome dead, she's on the case and a suspect at the same time. This book just gets more interesting as it goes along. It's a good relatively light-hearted romp with demons, vampires, gremlins, hobgoblins, elves, and even a loki. It continually entertains. Highly recommended.