Paige Donovan is an ambitious college graduate who aspires to reach the top of the corporate ladder. She’s climbing fast when given the promotion of a lifetime at a prestigious fashion magazine in New York City. Her bright future comes to an unexpected halt after news of her father’s death. She inherits his old cabin in the Colorado Rockies, and just when she thinks her luck couldn’t get any worse, she has a car accident in the mountains and awakens in the small, remote community of Black River.
Soon, she’s engulfed in the mystical world of Varulv—wolves descended from 13th century Scandinavia and blessed by Norse gods with the ability to appear human. Paige is desperate to return home, but never expects to fall for her rescuer, Riley Gray, a charming young werewolf from England who offers her an alternate future with his pack.
Now, she must choose between the career she’s always wanted and the love she’s always dreamed.
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I did actually think that the premise for this book started out quite well. I had a lot of sympathy for Paige’s character as a child and it was sweet to see her trying to make friends with a puppy… even if I did feel that her thought processes made her come across as a bit too adult at that point. It was also good to see her brief interaction with the boy and it would have been good to see them able to interact a bit more before Paige’s parents took her away.
Unfortunately, after the intriguing dream, I felt that the plot of the book went downhill considerably. I wasn’t given much of an opportunity to get to know the secondary characters… and when Paige’s father died, I wasn’t able to see any of her relationship with him. There was too much telling rather than showing going on.
I thought that Paige’s relationship with Riley was a particularly dangerous, emotionally manipulative one. It would have been good if it had been portrayed as that… but I felt that Paige spent a lot of the book as a weak character who let everyone else walk all over her. Even when she had problems with the way things were run, she didn’t seem to care beyond making a token protest… and her final decision towards the end of the book didn’t seem to be about her choosing the best path; rather that she took the easy way out.
I felt it could have been really interesting to see Paige challenging archaic stereotypes in a wolf pack that treats females as less than males, but there was a dangerous sexist undertone to most of the book that I felt was accepted even by the supposedly strong female characters. Very few of the secondary characters were expanded upon and those who were seemed to change personality at the drop of a hat.
I found it very hard to take the romance seriously. By the end of the book, I actually knew very little about Paige or Riley and I felt there was some quite juvenile language used at times. I was disappointed that the romance didn’t feel real… even though I was intrigued by the Norse mythology surrounding the changing of the wolves.
For those of you thinking of reading this… there are elements of bestiality in this. While those might have been handled well… I couldn’t stop cringing whenever it was mentioned.
Due to a massive slew of problems with the romance and the characters, I strongly suspect I won’t be reading any more books that might be in the series… which is a real shame, since the premise held a lot of promise for a potentially unique take on the werewolf myth.
April Bostic is a New Jersey-based, Adult Romance author who enjoys unleashing her creativity and letting her imagination run wild. Her love of romance books inspired her to become not just a reader, but also a writer. In December 2008, she self-published her first novel, a contemporary romance with a supernatural twist entitled “A Rose to the Fallen”.
Her first short story, “Right Here, Right Now”, released in January 2012, is an erotic romance with a dash of S&M. The following year, she released two more short stories: a romantic urban fantasy inspired by the Greek myth of Eros and Psyche entitled “Eros, My Love”, and a sexy romantic comedy entitled “Love Addiction”.
After five years, she released her second novel, “The Howling Heart” in August 2013, a paranormal romance that delves into the mystical world of werewolves and Norse gods. To end her busiest year in publishing, April also released her fourth short story in December 2013, a historical paranormal romance entitled “A Dark Scandal”.
I felt feverish, and I couldn’t move. I tried to open my eyes, but something heavy weighed on my eyelids.
Although I couldn’t see or move, I heard voices around me. The first one was female, and she had an English accent like Sheriff Gray. “She’s still got a fever.”
Then, I heard a male voice. “What if she doesn’t wake up?” He had the same accent, but he wasn’t the sheriff.
At that moment, I realized they were talking about me. “Don’t worry…she will.”
“It’s my fault. Dad’s going to bloody kill me.”
“It’s not your fault. Stop saying that. She’llbe okay, and Dad will understand.”
“I shouldn’t have brought her here.“
“You did the right thing by bringing her here. I can take care of her.“
There was a momentary pause. “What if she finds out?”
“That’s for Dad to decide.”
The voices faded in and out. Sleep bore down on me, but the last words I heard from the man stuck in my head. “I’ll watch over her.”
A severely dry mouth and splitting headache interrupted my peaceful sleep. I couldn’t hear the two voices, but I heard breathing in my left ear like someone was sleeping next to me. I tried to open my eyes so that I could ask them for water and medicine for my headache. The weight on my eyes was gone, so I tried to open them, but they felt sticky this time. I struggled to peel them open, blinking rapidly to loosen my eyelashes.
When I finally opened my eyes, they felt swollen. The pain in my head spread throughout my entire body. Dim light surrounded me in this strange room. I lay on a bed and looked up at the ceiling. I tried to speak, but my throat was dry. Only a quiet wheeze escaped. A low groan followed as my headache pounded against my temples. I still felt hot and sweaty. Layers of blankets covered me, and I wanted to yank them off. When I touched my abdomen, I wore nothing but my bra and panties.
My eyes darted around the unfamiliar room. On the wall, I noticed a shadow of something next to me. What the hell is that? I turned my head and saw a candle in the window, but what cast the shadow scared me to death. A large, white wolf lay on the floor beside me. There was no mistaking it for a dog. The bed was low to the floor, and its head was close to mine. I opened my mouth wide, prepared to scream, but wheezes and weak gasps escaped, instead. I thrashed my head against the pillow, as if the motions would turn up the volume in my voice. Finally, a shriek pushed through my sandpaper throat. It was a high-pitched squeal at first, but then, it burst forth and filled the room. I sat up quickly. Aching pain tore through my body, and I heard my bones crack.
The wolf awoke with a start. It jerked its head up, and glowing, yellow eyes blinked until they settled on me. I shrank away from it, nearly falling off the bed, screaming until I went hoarse and gasped for breath. The wolf stood on all fours, its size definitely that of a Great Dane. Our gazes locked for a brief moment before the animal ran out the room. I sat against the headboard, clutching the blankets against my chest. I was alone and terrified. Within seconds, tears trickled down my cheeks.
I particularly enjoyed reading this book, since I’d wanted to see more of Bucky as the Winter Soldier. I did find myself getting annoyed on Steve’s behalf when it transpired that Bucky’s survival was kept from him, though… and I couldn’t really see the point in keeping it a secret from the rest of the Avengers, since they all knew Bucky and probably wouldn’t have turned him in if they’d known that he’d survived.
It was interesting to see that Bucky’s past as the Winter Soldier came back and to get glimpses of the men he trained and the kind of relationships he had with them. I would have liked to see more of the history and motivations of his fellow soldiers… especially Dmitri, who I found the most interesting. Arkady gave me the creeps and I really didn’t like Leo’s character. I disliked him even more by the end of the selection of comics.
I especially liked seeing Natasha and Bucky together. I liked the easy camaraderie between them and it was good to see how they fought together… but also to see their history in the Red Room. I would have liked a bit more detail of how Natasha had defected… but it was good to see the romance between her and Bucky, especially considering their feelings didn’t actually get in the way of them both doing their job.
I liked being able to see Nick Fury appear in this collection, even though I did find it a bit annoying that he made the decision to keep Bucky’s survival a secret from Steve. I would have liked to see a bit more of his interactions with Bucky and Natasha… since I found myself caring about Sitwell more through the course of the comics.
I thought it was really good to see Natasha have to experience being brainwashed, but I would have liked to see a bit more of the aftermath of everything that had happened to her. It was pretty awful to see Bucky had to return to his Winter Soldier mentality… especially considering he ended up hurting his allies. I definitely agreed with Logan about how stupid Bucky’s actions were.
I would like to see more of Bucky and Natasha in future comics and it would be good to see if they could come back from the massive setback their relationship has taken… since the comics did end on something of a cliffhanger.
Although this movie wasn’t one I was desperate to watch, the trailer was intriguing enough to make me decide to watch it when I had today free.
I found this movie quite tense to watch. Both Mason and Briar were characters who I found easy to like and empathise with. While Briar clearly had a lot of problems, I did feel that he grew a bit during the course of the movie.
It was really interesting to see how Mason’s pick-pocketing worked and I found it easy to see the world in the same way he did, such as when he was watching the crowds of people and seeing the opportunities to steal.
I did feel a lot of sympathy for Zoe, even though I thought that her choosing to bomb even an empty building was an awful choice for her to make. It was good to see parts of the movie focus on her as well as Mason and Briar.
There was a lot of good action in this and I felt that there was also a lot going on. While it was very much an action-adventure film, I liked that it focused as much on the characters… but I would have liked to know a bit more detail about Mason’s history and what his motivations were.
I did see a few of the surprises coming, but I was on the edge of my seat for most of the movie.I was drawn really easily into the plot and it was good to see some of the relationships between the secondary characters during the course of this movie.
I thought it was interesting to see how everything escalated out of control, though I wasn’t sure exactly how intelligent the villains actually were. There was at least some expansion on motivations for some of the characters, though.
While watching this a second time probably won’t add much, I enjoyed seeing the interactions between Mason and Briar and I especially liked the ending. I probably would watch it again at some point in the future, though I probably wouldn’t buy it full price on DVD.
I did, in fact, see the midnight showing of this movie. The buildup to seeing it was exciting, but I was also a bit apprehensive, having a fairly good idea of how the plot would go from reading the comics.
I liked that the movie went straight into the action and that I had the chance to see the Avengers working as a team. At the same time, I could understand both sides of the issue. What was kind of disappointing was that the movie seemed to be very much about Bucky… and not about the Superhero Registration Act. So although the action wasn’t quite as dark as in the comics, Steve’s point of view didn’t come across quite as valid in the movie.
Having seen them in the comics, I was particularly interested in seeing Wanda and Vision. I thought that their interactions were sweet and Wanda especially was sympathetic, considering that even her fellow Avengers referred to her as a weapon. While her powers were dangerous, I wouldn’t have said they were any more dangerous than the other abilities… and even though there was destruction caused by the team right at the start, it was difficult to say that they would have made things worse.
There was more humour than I was expecting there to be, considering the plot. I especially liked seeing Spider-Man in this movie, though considering the comics, I would have preferred seeing a slightly older version of him, since he isn’t perpetually a teenager. I also enjoyed seeing the Black Panther, though I would have liked a bit more detail about the culture he was from. It was also interesting to see how he fought on Tony’s side, but had his own reasons for doing so.
I enjoyed seeing Scott Lang put in an appearance and I would have liked to see him interacting a bit more with some of the others… though he had several amusing exchanges with Steve and with Tony.
This movie was really good to watch and I found I was drawn into the plot really easily. I would recommend watching it… but it isn’t a standalone movie and there are a lot of characters/sub plots you need to have a passing familiarity with.
My dreams were simple. College, a career, and let’s see what happens from there. But things don’t always go according to plan.
My name is Ari Worthington and I’ve had a very eventful week. A life-changing week. The kind of week that would make the average person whimper.
It started when my ex-boyfriend Luke accosted me in the woods.
How badly was I injured? Not a scratch. And Luke? Not so lucky. Nope, I whupped him good. It surprised the heck out of me. And it probably surprised him, too—once he woke up.
And then I met Davin. Handsome, witty, amazing Davin. Perfect in every way, unless you think being an alien, from a planet called Olympus, might be a liability.
When it comes to being a husband and wife (or wife and husband) writing team, there are advantages, or benefits. Chief among them is that you get to practice the love scenes. He writes, she steers, and…well, it’s fun. He is a software designer and she is a doctor of education. AJ and CS Sparber live in the lovely town of Hudson, Ohio, with their son Ryan, their daughter Melanie, and the spirit of an Aussie shepherd named Hunter.
I don’t want to be alone in the guest suite. It’s not that I’m afraid. I just want Davin close to me. I need the comfort only he can provide.
“I’d rather not sleep alone tonight.”
“Ari, your mother—I promised her.”
“I don’t intend for us to do anything that would cause that promise to be broken. Please?”
He moves to my side and places his hand on my shoulder. “Are you sure?”
I stand up and wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m very sure,” I whisper, speaking directly to his heart. “I want you near me.”
“I know you do. But…”
“No buts,” I say softly. “I’m an angel. And I happen to be in love with you.”
He looks startled. He looks as if he wants to speak, but he can’t find his voice.
“Do you not want me to love you, Davin?”
He arches his brow and stares.
I’m getting worried. Did I just make a complete fool of myself? “Davin?”
His poise seems to return and he smiles. “It happened the night we slept on your sofa—”
“What? What happened?” Did I miss something? Something important?
His smile widens and lights up his eyes. They’re sparkling like jewels.
“I fell in love with you that night.”
My heart flutters and I feel warm all over. “You did?”
He nods slowly. “I did.”
“You didn’t tell me.”
“I wasn’t sure how you felt. Love between two angels is a very powerful force. It is…”
“Forever,” I say, completing his thought. “Are you afraid I don’t understand that? Do you think my human side makes me prone to frivolous fits of infatuation? Because if you do, please allow me to set you straight.” I take a long breath and gaze into his eyes. “I am in love with you, there will never be anyone else, and that’s all there is to it.”
He shakes his head and chuckles.
“What?”
“This is why I love you.”
“It is? What is?”
“I believe the term is moxie. You are bold and fearless. You are spunky.”
“You love me because I’m spunky?”
“Well, that…and because you are kind, and selfless, and brilliant, and very beautiful?”
“You think I’m all that?”
He loses his voice again and just stares.
“Davin?”
“Come here, my Padawan.”
Before I can respond, he laces his fingers through my hair and pulls me tight to his chest. “You are the most extraordinary angel ever born and I…I am the most fortunate.”
He kisses the top of my head, as he whispers, “Forever and never ending.”
His words and his touch make me shudder with ecstasy. “Kiss me, Davin. Kiss me like your life depends on it.”
“It does,” he says, as he captures my upper lip softly between his teeth.
Our kiss deepens and I smile inside, because I realize that each kiss we share seems to be better than the ones before, and we have eons of time and kisses to look forward to.
Seventeen-year-old Hope Nicholas is done running. Apollo’s curse has ruled her entire life, limiting her choices and robbing her of the things that matter most. But she refuses to live in fear any longer. In fact, she’s ready to do whatever it takes to break the god’s power over her existence.
When the goddess Artemis instructs Hope to impersonate a demigod and infiltrate a conservatory to get access to the Olympian library, she doesn’t hesitate. As she sees it, there’s nothing left to lose.
But once inside, Hope discovers the only way to get what she needs is to work with her sworn enemies. As the lines between demigod and monster are crossed again and again, Hope has to dig deep for the courage to accept her fate or fight for the freedom to save herself.
Demigods and Monsters is the second book in the Sphinx series.
Review
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I can’t really give this book any more than 3 stars. I liked Hope well enough, even though I was irritated by the constant references to how beautiful she was. Since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it seemed to be a lazy form of description.
It was interesting to see glimpses of the other gods and I found it intriguing that there seemed to be so much cover-up about some of the gods having had children. I was a bit confused about why Hope was so insistent that Hera had to have had an affair, though.
I thought it was interesting to learn about the historical demigods, though that knowledge just made it even more confusing in regards to the world itself. It seemed more like modern day Earth than the previous book had been, but considering the primary religion/s seemed to focus on the ancient Greek gods, how would a historical figure like Hitler have fit in?
One interesting aspect was the stance on monsters. I would have liked to see Hope act more strongly on what she believed and actually involved herself more with the other characters.
I was a bit disappointed that most of the demigods seemed to come across as cardboard cutouts, falling on one side or the other on whether they liked Hope or hated her… or were obsessed with her. Apollo’s sons, in particular, were nearly impossible to differentiate from each other. I couldn’t have named all four of them five minutes after finishing this book.
To be honest… the love triangle was so cliched, I was rolling my eyes when Xan was first introduced. I saw where it was going immediately… but it wasn’t helped by Hope’s hypocritical behaviour. She wasn’t loyal. She didn’t stick to her guns. By about halfway through the book, I’d forgotten what she was there for.
Xan was an interesting character, but the potential conflict between him, his cousin and Priska fell flat.
I felt there was a lot of potential in this book, but it wasn’t as good as it could have been. Hope’s character was fairly bland and I found quite a bit of this book boring to read. While there were some intriguing moments, the creepy scene with Apollo at the end strongly reminded me of why I don’t read immortal/teenager romances.
Raye Wagner grew up in an urban fantasy just outside of Seattle, Washington. As the second of eight children, she was surrounded by monsters, demons, and her sometimes mortal parents. She read heaps of fantasy while locked away in the upstairs room of the family cottage.
Raye studied the art of medicine long before she had an interest in the Gods on Mount Olympus.
One sunny afternoon, the history of Apollo’s ancient curse and the myth of the Sphinx dropped into her consciousness, and she’s been scribbling and typing stories in her spare time ever since.
Raye writes young adult fiction for teens and adults.
Buy Links: Curse of the Sphinx (book 1): AMAZON Demigods and Monsters (book 2): AMAZON Origin of the Sphinx: (prequel novella): AMAZON
Hope went into the sparse guest room and closed the door behind her. She let out a long, slow exhale and leaned against the door.
“How long have you been at the conservatory?”
Hope yelped. Turning around, she noticed Athan sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Sorry.” He was quickly at her side. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Then what the Hades are you doing in my room with the light off?” Hope flicked the light on and glared at him.
“Right.” He took a step back. “Sorry. I wanted to talk to you, and you left abruptly.”
Hope clenched her teeth. “Oh. Well then, it’s all okay. Come on in.” Sarcasm dripped with the words. “What do you need to say?”
Athan frowned. “What’s with the hostility? Did I do something to you?”
She sputtered in her attempt to say anything, but words formed and disappeared before she could get them out. Finally, she said, “I trusted you.” She knew she was being irrational, but all the pent-up emotion erupted, blasting into the air between them. “I don’t even know what to believe anymore.”
Athan reached his hand out to touch her face, but something in her expression made him hesitate before contact. He dropped his hand to his side. “I never lied to you, Hope.”
Blurb: Kathleen Baker fled Riverbend, TN in the middle of the night to escape her mafia, drug running husband. She also left behind the man she loved. Now, ten years later, Kathleen returns to Riverbend, the one place she’d ever felt at home. After a letter arrives, Kathleen realizes her husband is still alive. With her past now in the present, Kathleen’s future is in jeopardy.
Colum Harrow kicked his nephew out of his home so that he’d move on with his life and stop moping around the house over a lost love. Unfortunately, he was unable to follow his own advice, and has lived in isolation for years with the guilt he had failed to protect the woman he loved from an abusive husband. Now, she returns to his hometown to see the birth of her granddaughter, and he must face his failures and the woman who owns his heart.
Interview
What originally inspired you to get into writing?
When my boys were born we discovered they had some unique learning needs, so I had to stay home to tutor and take care of them. Unfortunately, I needed more mental stimulation. I struggled with the housewife choice after working in corporate America. One day, my husband handed me a laptop and told me to, “write the damn book.” J I’d been talking about it for years, but too scared to try due to my own learning disability.
Where did the idea for In All My Years come from?
The series Riverbend evolved from my USA Today bestselling series, Sweetwater County. I wanted to write something that offered readers a chance to see their favorite characters in cameo roles, so I came up with a town less than an hour away from Creekside.
In All My years are secondary characters from book II, Kate and Colum. They’ve been separated by a decade of lies, and now they have a second chance at love.
Was there any particular character that you liked or felt able to relate to?
I find that I relate to all my characters in some way. Anna for her ambition. Liam for his integrity. Colum for his devotion and loyalty. Kate for her survivor mentality. I think that’s what speaks to readers. They enjoy each of the characters for their unique, but realistic strengths and flaws.
Was there any particular character that you disliked?
No. Well, of course the villain is always someone I love to hate. Don’t we all. 😉
Were there any scenes in particular that were particularly challenging or easy to write?
Yes. For some reason this series took on a more romantic suspense quality. It’s still sweet contemporary romance, but with a little edge. I found some of the suspense scenes challenging since they require just the right amount of clues without giving away the ending.
Have any of your characters been inspired by real people?
I’m writing a character now that is based somewhat on a real person. Helen Simpson won a walk on character role in one of my books. Of course, only small traits are used. The story is complete fiction.
Are there any particular authors or books that have inspired you?
Yes, I’m an avid reader. From Edgar Allen Poe to Francine Rivers. From Suzanne Collins to Sylvia Day. There are too many to name!
Do you have any advice/pearls of wisdom for budding writers?
Be willing to work harder than you’ve ever worked in your life. Do not listen to negativity, concentrate on craft and writing the best story you can.
Ciara Knight writes with a ‘Little Edge and a Lot of Heart’ with her contemporary and paranormal romance books. Her most recent #1 Amazon bestselling series, Sweetwater County, has topped the charts and received acclaimed reviews. Her international best-seller, Pendulum scored 4 stars from RT Book Reviews, accolades from InD’Tale Magazine and Night Owl Top Pick. Her young adult paranormal series, Battle for Souls, received 5 stars from Paranormal Romance Guild and Night Owl’s Top Pick, among other praises.
Elle knew that unraveling the secrets on Acryen would be difficult, but she didn’t know that it would be deadly. She knew this from the scars on her body and the heat in her eyes.
Three months have passed and what was meant to be an easy journey across the ocean has turned perilous as she’s come to realize that they’ve boarded the wrong ship—a slaver’s ship run by a cunning and devious man known only as Captain Red. Elle can’t help but find herself drawn to him and repelled at the same time. Yet, when a powerful hurricane hits the ship and Elle’s life is in danger, Peter’s hidden powers awaken, and now, they’re in trouble. The stakes are much higher than before, and Elle’s afraid that the only way out is with blood.
Elle must find the necklace awaiting in Gyoar before an elf meets her end, a quaid falls prey, a mother commits treason, and a king masks his mistake.
But above all, she must find it before her fate is sealed in ashes.
Because where hope lies, fire breathes.
Yasmin Fazli was born and raised in Southern California, changing schools her whole life. Now, she is an undergraduate college student studying biology to satisfy her love for the sciences. Yet, another part of her started to show more and more: her love for writing. She often dreams of mystical places and the perfect bad boy/prince charming who will come sweep her away. Until those happen, she continues to write away, living her fantasies through typed words with all kinds of sweets in one hand and a cup of chai tea in the other hopeful that one day her words could inspire even just one person.
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Julia Wright doesn’t understand her friends’ obsession
with boys. She proudly maintains her composure no matter who is in her
presence – though some annoying and rude boys still manage to grate her
last nerve. Then she is blackmailed into being the manager of the men’s
swim team, and finds herself face to face with the worst of them all.Team Captain Vander Thelxinoe is the typical self-assured jock. He has the
ability to change people’s minds at will, only his charms don’t work on
Julia. Now he’s anxious to figure out why, and the closer he tries to get,
the more desperate she is to stay away – especially when he somehow
awakens a side of her she never knew existed.
Their unexpected friendship puts Julia in the middle of a quest she
doesn’t quite understand. As her familiar world begins to unravel around
her, Julia must partner with the one person who knows how to push her
buttons – and, in doing so, discovers the unbelievable truth about who she
really is.
Can Julia and Vander survive the trial set before them, or will they face
the extreme consequences of failure?
As a substitute teacher, Jolene spends her days in high school classrooms harvesting material for her Young Adult novels. She also uses it as an outlet for fangirling by showing upcoming book-to-movie trailers at the end of class, or discussing vital issues like whether Katniss should have picked Gale or Peeta.She is committed to helping Special Education teenagers become independent adults and helping them find a way to focus on the positive especially when life gets hard. At home, Jolene loves to cuddle with her husband, two kids, and three cats—sometimes all at once—while reading Young Adult books or repeatedly watching movies based on them.
I study his profile. His chiseled jaw and dark, floppy hair are like something out of a magazine advertisement. His eyes, too—they aren’t dark to match his hair, like mine—they are parts of green and blue, much like the painting of the sea in the other room.
“Who painted that piece above the couch in there?”
He shrugs, not answering me in any concrete way. Then he shifts his weight from one foot to the other and his awkwardness makes it clear to me.
“You did it, didn’t you? You’re a painter.”
He shrugs again. I hop down from my stool to go take another look at the painting. The artist must have signed it, and I will get my answer that way.
I go down the hall, past the bathroom, the stairs, and the front door until I’m standing in the parlor, looking at Vander, who is blocking the painting from my view. He must have gone through the dining room next to the kitchen to end up in here before me. He’s staring at me and chewing on his lip while flexing and balling his hands. He’s more nervous than I have ever seen him—not before a swim meet, not in class when he didn’t know an answer, not when he told me how he felt in the bathroom a little bit ago. This is where his heart lies, in this painting of this island.
I try to look around him, and he leans over.
“Don’t.” He is stern, but gentle. He clears his throat. “Please don’t touch it. You will want to, but don’t.”
He’s right. I do want to touch it; I want to climb inside of it. I’m seeing it, and somehow it’s seeing me, and it’s making me feel pulled apart. I want to dive into the waters, to swim to that far-off land, and I also want to turn the boat around and sail as far and as quickly as I can in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, the light from the sun is dimming, laughing at me for thinking I can have any control here.
I want in!
Vander grabs both of my arms, which are currently outstretched toward the painting. My knees are on the seat of the couch, and I don’t even remember moving forward. His voice startles me. “You can’t.”
I blink hard and turn to look him fully in the face. “I can’t what?”
“You can’t go there, and you can’t go away from there. It’s just a painting.” Was I talking out loud, or can he read my mind? How does he know what I was thinking? I let him lead me through the dining room, back into the kitchen, where the timer is going off. I shake my head to let loose the feelings that painting stirred in me.
“It’s more than that, and you know it. How?” I don’t even have to finish the sentence. He knows exactly what I’m asking.
Welcome to another exciting tour with Novel Publicity. Today, I’m excited to share with you, my review of Last Light, by CJ Lyons! Also, make sure you check out the rafflecopter, because Novel Publicity & CJ are giving away scented candles, signed hardbacks. . . AND a KINDLE PAPERWHITE! a Rafflecopter giveaway
My Review
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
While not completely familiar with the characters in this book, I did find this really easy to read… though I felt that quite a few of the secondary characters weren’t given much in the way of depth.
The very first scene did a really good job of establishing tension, but as the book went on, I felt it became more disjointed when it came to switching between POV characters.
I liked Lucy’s character, but I felt that her wounded leg didn’t really slow her down all that much. Especially towards the end of the book, I would have liked to see her having to struggle a bit more.
I liked being able to learn bits and pieces of TK’s past as the book progressed, though I felt there were some elements of allowing the other characters to make her into a big deal. I felt that the knowledge of how she won her medal didn’t actually add anything to the story… and although she was capable and a strong character, I felt she made a lot of mistakes that I thought she wouldn’t have done so with the history and experience she probably had.
I would have liked to see more of the other characters involved in the plot. I didn’t get the chance to get to know them and I thought they could have played a bigger part than they actually did.
I did think this book was much shorter than I was expecting it to be. I did figure out who the murderer was very quickly and I felt that, although there was some tension, it didn’t really carry all the way through the book. It would have been good to see more of the minor characters in the small town… and to see more variety in what people thought of the auctions, especially considering the legal grey area.
It was good to see Alan with Drew and I felt a lot of sympathy for Alan’s character. I liked seeing him interacting with Lucy and TK… and it was also good to see Lucy calling her husband and getting advice from him, although I would have liked to see more of her interactions with her daughter.
I’d probably be interested in reading more books in this series in the future… hopefully with more development of secondary characters.
About the Books
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author CJ Lyons. For fans of Lisa Gardner, Tami Hoag, and Jeffery Deaver: “Everything a great thriller should be–action packed, authentic, and intense.” ~#1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child
After leaving the FBI, life should be easy, right? Wrong–not if you’re Lucy Guardino.
Lucy has always seen herself as a normal Pittsburgh soccer mom who happened to have a job chasing the worst of the worst. But after a violent predator targets her family and she’s injured, Lucy sacrifices her career with the FBI in order to keep her family safe.
What is she now that she’s no longer a FBI Special Agent? she wonders as she begins her new job with the Beacon Group, a private consulting firm that specializes in cold cases and bringing justice to forgotten victims.Lucy fears she’s traded being a kick-ass law enforcement officer for being a civilian mother hen shepherding a team of amateurs.
What is she now that she’s no longer a FBI Special Agent? she wonders as she begins her new job with the Beacon Group, a private consulting firm that specializes in cold cases and bringing justice to forgotten victims.Lucy fears she’s traded being a kick-ass law enforcement officer for being a civilian mother hen shepherding a team of amateurs.
Her fears appear justified when she’s partnered with TK O’Connor, a former Marine MP struggling with her transition to life back home, and sent to rural Texas to investigate a case that’s more than cold, it’s already been closed with the killers behind bars for the past twenty-nine years.
But…who really killed Lily Martin, her infant daughter, and husband? Why was an entire family targeted for annihilation?
What price will Lucy pay when she fights to expose a truth people will kill to keep buried?
LAST LIGHT is the seventh Lucy Guardino novel, but they can be read out of order. If you enjoy captivating suspense, intelligent storytelling,strong and vulnerable characters, and a freight-train pace, then you’ll love this adrenaline rush of a heart-pounding thriller.
Join the millions of readers who’ve fallen for CJ’s Thrillers with Heart and grab your copy of LAST LIGHT today!
Pediatric ER doctor turned New York Times bestselling thriller writer CJ Lyons has been a storyteller all her life—something that landed her in many time-outs as a kid. She writes her Thrillers with Heart for the same reason that she became a doctor: because she believes we all have the power to change our world.
In the ER she witnessed many acts of courage by her patients and their families, learning that heroes truly are born every day. When not writing, she can be found walking the beaches near her Lowcountry home, listening to the voices in her head and plotting new and devious ways to create mayhem for her characters.
Ink of Blood 