Book Review: Unsuspecting Target (Hard Core Justice #5) by Juno Rushdan

 

Title: Unsuspecting Target (Hard Core Justice #5) 

Author:  Juno Rushdan 

Stars:

Review:

The best part about Harlequin Intrigue books is that readers can pick them up and finish them in a few short days or hours.  The story are fast pace, easy to follow and the characters have enough information to keep readers finishing the book and every once in a while a pops out and readers might find themselves looking for more from this author.
This author is almost there but the story as a few editing issues and possible redundant moments in the story.

The female lead is likeable and the story has a same old feel but the author added a little extra that will hook readers. The bad guys are really bad and the good guys walk the gray line.

Thank you to Harlequin Intrigue for a advance copy of Juno Rushdan Unsuspecting Target.

Synopsis:

Ten years ago, Jagger Carr saved Wendy Haas’s life. Circumstances pulled them apart soon after, but when an assassin targets her at a Manhattan charity gala, Wendy has no choice but to trust Jagger, who’s now deep undercover. Not even their warring feelings can stop desire from reigniting. But the vengeful cartel gunning for them could destroy any hope for a second chance.

ebook, 256 pages

Expected publication: May 25th 2021 by Harlequin Intrigue

About The Author:

Juno Rushdan is a veteran US Air Force intelligence officer and the award-winning author of romantic thrillers. Her books are action-packed, nail-biting page-turners with twists you won’t see coming. Critics from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, BookPage and Library Journal have called her work “heart-pounding James Bond-ian adventure”, “fast-paced”, “gripping”, “a thrill ride” that “will captivate lovers of romantic thrillers.” She is married to her own military hero and is privileged to have two rambunctious kids and a spoiled rescue dog.

Book Review: Darkness Betrayed (Guardians of Eternity #17) by Alexandra Ivy

 

Title: Darkness Betrayed (Guardians of Eternity #17)

Author: Alexandra Ivy

Stars: 4 1\2

Review:

Alexandra Ivy is a can't miss author!!

Its no secret I am a fan of Alexandra Ivy.  It has mainly been her Romantic Suspense series and this is the 3rd book in her Guardians of Eternity series I have read. This book fits into the the paranormal romance series which can be read as a stand alone or part of the 17 book series.  (Side note it is fun to see the author change in writing only become better and better with each book!)

Who would guess the one person you would like you should hate you can't.  The author shows the evolution of change in the different characters and looking for redemption but scared.  The author creates this amazing world that readers will be pulled into with characters and romance that is hot, action that is perfect blend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Lyrical Press publisher for the  advance copy of Alexandra Ivy Darkness Betrayed 

Synopsis:

Once, Brigette was the conduit through which the ultimate evil reached Earth. Now she’s just a lonely Were isolated in an Irish cottage, cut off from her animal and humanity alike. When a band of rebels approach her to take down the king of the vampires, she knows denying them means certain death—but even if she warns the king, he may not listen to the likes of her.

From the moment Xi slips into Brigette’s bedroom to escort her to his king, he sees the heartbreak that hides behind her guilt. The elusive vampire has fought for centuries to master his own regrets, and his word will convince the king to value hers. Neither can escape the attraction between them, even as partners on an undercover mission. But there’s no room for pleasure when their work might redeem her to the Guardians completely—or send them to the death they’ve evaded for so long . 

Kindle Edition, 208 pages

Expected publication: May 25th 2021 by Lyrical Press

About The Author:

I'm not exactly sure when I fell in love with books. Probably on my mother's knee listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me. I do remember that I was barely old enough to cross the street by myself when I discovered the delights of the local library. Could anything be more wonderful than spending summer days surrounded by stacks of Nancy Drew mysteries? Over the years I fell in love with Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few. I read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays. In fact, I read anything I could get my hands on.

Years later (no, I'm not admitting how many) I'm still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy. For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!

I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.

Book Review: How To Be A Badass Vigilante: Book One (How To Be A Badass Vigilante #1) by Michael Anderle

 

Title:  How To Be A Badass Vigilante: Book One (How To Be A Badass Vigilante #1) 

Author: Michael Anderle

Stars: 2 1\2

Review:

I haven't read anything by Michael Anderle and I can't say I am going to go searching for anymore of the author books. Its not that the book wasn't good it was boring either.  The book lacked the creativity I had expect when it came to the title How to Be a Bass Vigilante.  Readers get action and the supernatural story line it just lacks the punch needed to make this reader want to read more by this author.  Several characters ruin the story while others have no point in the story.  At time readers might find themselves skipping pages to get back to the main story or what readers hope is the main story.

This book is one of the reason I stay away from paranormal stories. They do not fill a void in the world of story telling. The story is just there.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of Michael Anderle How to Be a Badass Vigilante.

Synopsis:

Virtutis gloria merces

Translation: Glory is the reward of valor.
When given power, what would you be willing to sacrifice for the greater good?
Fed up with playing the normal game, recent university graduate, ex-cum laude, ex-soccer star, ex-popular and mostly broke Kera MacDonagh changed her life when she read ‘How to be a Badass Witch’ and shockingly, the spells worked.
She barely made it out of the first few weeks of on-the-job training before her powers got her in trouble.
Hunted as a magical vigilante, the Kims sacrificed to keep her safe. 
Kera hunts criminals in the darkness of LA, but will she be able to hide the signature of her powers, too? 
Having made the decision to come clean with a boyfriend, she must now live with the results. 
With everything happening, Kera is balancing her sanity as well. Will magic be enough to help her come out on top? 
Of course, she hopes. Because the other way lies madness. 
Go up and click ‘Read for Free’ or ‘Buy Now’ and find out just what trouble a young vigilante can get into when magic is real.

Kindle Edition, 265 pages

Published February 10th 2021

About The Author:

Michael Anderle (ok, weird talking about myself in the 3rd person) (1967-Hopefully a long time from NOW) was born in Houston, Tx. A very curious child, he got into trouble - a lot. What to do with an inquisitive mind when he was grounded? Read!

Ok, done with all of that 3rd person stuff.

In the first 20 years, I mostly read Science Fiction and Fantasy. In the last 10 years I have enjoyed Urban Fantasy and Military Fiction. With this background, I've been blessed with creating The Kurtherian Gambit series, a well-selling, and fan loved, collection of stories.

The fans have propelled these stories beyond my wildest imagination and they should get all of the credit for sharing with friends, family and occasionally the random person on the street. They are fantastic!

Book Review: Called into Action by Paris Wynters

Title: Called into Action 

Author: Paris Wynters 

Stars: 4

Review:

This is a slow burn romance and most of what is described in the synopsis doesn't really happen until late into the book. 

The story is written well enough just like the romance it is a slow story but when the action happens it is quickly and wish the author had a better balance between the fast action pace and the slow more getting to know you stage in the story telling.

All in all the romance isn't steamy but just the right amount of romance to leave readers satisficed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Carina Press for the advance copy of Paris Wynters Called to Action

Synopsis:

Penelope Ramos has dreamed of being a K-9 search-and-rescue handler since she was a little girl. Armed with a quick mind and her German shepherd, Havoc, she rides into Maple Falls, Vermont, determined to get her certification. She isn’t expecting the gruff, unreadable park ranger assigned to evaluate her skills.

Park ranger Jay Gosling is a pro. It’s clear to him that neither Penelope nor her unpredictable canine has what it takes…although his boss feels otherwise. Whatever. Jay will never have to work with them and he has half a mind to escort them both right out of town. But when a young boy goes missing, he doesn’t have that luxury.

Working side by side tests their tentative peace, but Jay and Penelope are together on one thing: they’ll both do whatever it takes to find the missing child—before it’s too late.

Paperback, 368 pages

Expected publication: May 25th 2021 by Carina Press

About The Author:

Paris Wynters is an adult romance author repped by Tricia Skinner at Fuse Literary. She lives on Long Island (in New York) with her family, which include a son who plays travel hockey and two psychotic working dogs. Paris is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago.


Paris and her son are nationally certified Search and Rescue personnel (she is a canine handler). She is a huge supporter of the military/veteran community. When not writing, Paris enjoys playing XBOX (she is a huge HALO fanatic), watching hockey (Go Oilers), and trying new things like flying planes and taking trapeze classes.

Book Review: The Perfect Monster Paperback by W. Lawrence Nash

 

Title: The Perfect Monster Paperback

Author: W. Lawrence Nash

Stars: 2

Review:

As a reader I am not sure what to make of this book.  The author wrote a prologue explaining that while the characters and events have never happened yet the technology is real and other are possible in the near future.  While he said the book was written in 2015 its had to imagine he didn't update the book to fit with the current historical pandemic we are living in.

Each Chapter has a title some have dates and some do not which can confuse for readers who are new to W. Lawrence Nash.  There is a large cast of characters to keep track of even with the main characters leading the story. 

The story is almost a little to political and almost feels as if he wrote his thoughts and review on the pandemic in a fiction story from different countries point of review.

The story falls flat in many different ways with unnecessary dialogue, too many characters not needed, characters that come into the picture and never return.  

The author uses beliefs to drive a story with what feels like very little research done.

Thank you to the Netgalley for a copy of W. Lawrence Nash The Perfect Monster.

Synopsis:

Claire Watchorn and Jack Trenchart dive into the pressurized safe room, as the Biohazard warning siren screams in their ears. The quest to uncover the perpetrators of the global contagion is proving impossible and now the plague spreads to London. Unknown to Jack and Claire, six great nations, China, the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Canada and Russia are fomenting the terror. Unknown to the six great nations, their deranged virologist, Roger Sloane, is in thrall to two autonomous and self-rewriting computer programs dubbed ‘The Boys’, who have other plans for humanity. The hopes for Jack and Claire fade as they race to intercept the final devastation planned by Roger Sloane and his soulless masters. Jack and Claire hold the survival of mankind in their hands. But they may be too late.

About The Author: 

https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AW.+Lawrence+Nash&s=relevancerank&text=W.+Lawrence+Nash&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1