The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick – Review

Tags

5 stars, Amanda Quick, Book Review, historical mystery, romance

Review by Riley

About The Girl Who Knew Too Much

When Hollywood moguls and stars want privacy, they head to an idyllic small town on the coast, where the exclusive Burning Cove Hotel caters to their every need. It’s where reporter Irene Glasson finds herself staring down at a beautiful actress at the bottom of a pool…

The dead woman had a red-hot secret about up-and-coming leading man Nick Tremayne, a scoop that Irene couldn’t resist—especially since she’s just a rookie at a third-rate gossip rag. But now Irene’s investigation into the drowning threatens to tear down the wall of illusion that is so deftly built around the famous actor, and there are powerful men willing to do anything to protect their investment.

Seeking the truth, Irene finds herself drawn to a master of deception. Oliver Ward was once a world-famous magician—until he was mysteriously injured during his last performance. Now the owner of the Burning Cove Hotel, he can’t let scandal threaten his livelihood, even if it means trusting Irene, a woman who seems to have appeared in Los Angeles out of nowhere four months ago…

With Oliver’s help, Irene soon learns that the glamorous paradise of Burning Cove hides dark and dangerous secrets. And that the past—always just out of sight—could drag them both under…

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Review of the Girl Who Knew Too Much

Fans of historical mystery will appreciate the 1930’s Hollywood area setting that author Amanda Quick has created for her latest mystery, The Girl Who Knew Too Much. Like the 1956 movie with a similar title (The Man Who Knew Too Much), the protagonist, Irene Glasson, makes a discovery that a certain criminal element will do anything to keep secret.

Well, she was not actually Irene Glasson when she first made that discovery. But after running and changing her name, Irene is trying to settle into a new life in California. Here’s a question for you: Why would a woman who is hiding take a job as a Hollywood gossip reporter? A potentially highly visible job? Too make the story more interesting I’m sure. But it tends to put Irene in the position of learning even more secrets.

Following a story leads Irene to…..a dead body. And then another. Irene is threatened more than once.  But with what happened in her former life plus the Hollywood murders, there are many suspects. One of them is creepy.  Really creepy.

There is a hero that can’t run, but is quite dashing all the same. Former magician Oliver Ward knows a thing or two about distraction and will use his expertise to help Irene with her investigation. He is honorable and quite the gentleman. Oliver and Irene make an unlikely couple, but the chemistry is evident.

Irene is the heroine that can’t keep her nose out of other people’s business. Okay, to be fair, she was trying to get justice for her friend. But she keeps getting into some kind of trouble or other. The best part is that the reader does not always know the source of Irene’s trouble. This keeps things interesting and prevents one from figuring out the answers before Irene and Oliver solve the mystery.  That’s a good thing!

I really enjoyed this book. If you enjoy mystery and romance and an American show biz historical setting appeals, I recommend The Girl Who Knew Too Much.

An ARC was provided by Berkley Publishing so that I could bring you this honest review.

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Twice Tethered by Sabine Priestley – Review

Tags

5 stars, flying, romance, Sabine Priestley, series, urban fantasy, wings

Review by Riley

Note:  if, you want to learn more about Twice Tethered, you might want to check out Sabine Priestley’s guest post about her new series Tethered Wings, which includes an excerpt from Twice Tethered.

About Twice Tethered

In a country called Vega, winged sensari and humans live and work together for the first time.

Priya Desai wanted nothing more than to launch her career at Genetic Realms engineering, but one night with CEO Morgan Steele changed everything, including her humanity.

Morgan is duty bound to help Priya through the transformation–an intensely physical process which brings both pain and pleasure.

As his enemies fight to destroy his company, and political tensions rise, the two must find the truth: Did someone engineer the transformation in her, or did he really tether twice?

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Review of Twice Tethered

My first thought after finishing Twice Tethered – Wow! Second thought – I am glad book two will be out soon! Sabine Priestley, author of the Alien Attachments series I so enjoyed, introduces her new urban fantasy series featuring a world where humans and winged humanoids (sensari) live together in harmony and in enmity.

While some sensari look at all people and see equals and friends, a large contingent of sensari insist on the old ways. Humans are no different, demonstrating both extremes of the tolerance scale. Vega is the newly formed nation that welcomes both sensari from Mandori and humans from Anarica. While it seems, at first, to be a rather simplistic political structure, the actual complexity of the situation is revealed bit by bit in this first book in the series.

It is the conflict between the narrow-minded of the world and the good people of Vega that makes me appreciate this book and, indeed, will keep drawing me back to the series. Ms. Priestley has created characters to complement both sides of the conflict, good and bad, that should also endure through the series.

Main characters Priya Desai and Morgan Steele are the romantic story. The beginning of Twice Tethered depicts the attraction between the two that is immediate and profound. And confusing to both characters, but more so to Morgan. Having been tethered once before, after the death of his wife, Morgan was sure the attraction to Priya was only physical. Don’t you love it when life surprises you! When Priya’s transformation is triggered after a night with Morgan, his reaction was just what it should be in his situation. Even if it was not at all what you would want it to be.

Morgan’s enemies, who are also the enemies of his company Genetic Realms engineering, and of Vega, will use Priya to create an international scandal. But it was not just a scandal. There was a mystery to be solved. What exactly happened to Priya? Could her change have been engineered? And if so, what will the implications be?

While the international situation unfolds, Priya and Morgan must work out their own complicated predicament. A little humor, a lot of drama and a generous dose of sexual tension make their romance compelling and something to cheer for.

Secondary characters Senior VP Christopher Gotti, Security expert Tara Newton and Vega President Damon Forester all have crucial roles. Tara often supplies a bit of levity to the situation, but can get down and serious when needed. Christopher and Damon – well, they are powerful heroic men that can fly. Do I need to say anything else?

This world reminded me a bit of another author’s fantasy series that features dragon/human hybrids called Morgans. Is it a coincidence that the main character’s name is Morgan? I think not. In fact, Ms. Priestley does credit her friend, author Juliette Cross’ Night Wing books, for inspiring the Tethered Wings series.  I am certainly glad Ms. Priestley read those books!

I love the thought of being able to fly, so winged characters are naturally appealing. Twice Tethered draws on that fantasy and enhances it in an intriguing, intricate world full of amazing, complex characters. I found a new series that I am going to have to read!

The author provided a copy of her book so that I could bring you this honest review.

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(Only $.99 now!  The price goes up after the release date.)

Cypher by Christina Westcott – Review

Tags

5 stars, artificial intelligence, cats, Christina Westcott, cybernetics, favorite, scifi, scifi romance, series

Review by Riley

For part of this week, we will have a theme.  I call it I’ve Got You Under My Skin.  If you are familiar with the old jazz song, perhaps you will think about the verse as you read these posts.

Today, we have a review of Christina Westcott’s Cypher.  Tomorrow Viola Carr will be here to talk about her fascinating character from The Dastardly Miss Lizzie.  Then I hope you will return on Thursday for a very special guest post from Christina Westcott.

 

About Cypher

A murderous computer program has attacked her cyborg partner’s body and mind, turning him into a super assassin who is driven to destroy everything she’s vowed to protect.

In a high-stakes game of cat and gerbat, Kimber FitzWarren faces her deadliest challenge yet, an assassin with all the skills and knowledge of her partner Wolf Youngblood, but controlled by the mind of a killer. Fitz must find a way to protect her Emperor while keeping her adversary alive until she can free her partner from the program’s influence.

A prisoner in the dark labyrinth of his own mind, Wolf struggles to regain control of his body, concocting a plan to use the killer as a Trojan Horse to lead him to his attacker. In the meantime, he can only watch as a helpless passenger as the assassin plots to kill all the people he loves.

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Review of Cypher

“Oh shit, we are so screwed.”

Said Jumper.  Jumper is a cat. Well, he is a bit more advanced than the typical house cats many of us serve in our own homes. But, you know, still a cat. Cats are easy going. Seemingly lazy. Sleep a lot. And assume we humans will take care of them. So when Jumper is concerned, there is likely to be a crisis brewing.

He is not wrong. Did you read the book blurb? I did, and still, when Wolf-who-is-not-Wolf makes his first appearance, “Oh shit”, was exactly my reaction. Me and a telepathic cat think alike.

Before the story gets to that point, there is a little setup. First of all, the Dragon Emperor has a new face. One that Kimber is willing to follow. As Ari Ranashov’s chief of security, Kimber FitzWarren has her job cut out for her. Constant vigilance is required. That is where her cyber-enhancements come in handy.  And the alien symbiont that heals pretty much any injury is good to have too. Both features have become vital tools in her risky occupation.  Kimber is one cool security chief.

You get a sense that the threat of trouble is ever present. Wolf Youngblood, as the emperor’s military Triumvir is also concerned with security. Between Kimber and Wolf, all threats must be dealt with.

But this time, the threat is Wolf himself. And the nasty bit of bad guy that messed with Wolf. Janos Tritico, who first appeared in A Hero for The Empire, is back and is pulling more strings, causing more problems and just generally, making a huge nuisance of himself. And where Tritico goes, so do the Tzraka, the nasty giant bugs. The bugs are still a bit of a mystery, but every little bit one learns about them causes a shiver. I don’t think they are good for humanity.

The best part of Cypher is the character of Wolf-who-is-not-Wolf. Wolf is a complex character before the addition of what is basically an AI in his body. I find the relationship between the two intelligences to be fascinating. Wolf’s struggle with his body hijacker consumes a large part of the plot and is at the same time an engrossing study of two characters.

The relationship between Kimber and Wolf is intense. If you’ve read A Hero for the Empire, you are aware of everything these two went through to get to the point they are now. Very much in love, each devoted to the other. So when Wolf-who-is-not-Wolf showed up it was a real heartbreaker for Kimber. I truly felt the difficulty that Kimber experienced doing her job, tracking down her love, while all the time, there is a possibility she will have to hurt him or worse. This bit made my eyes water:

“Fitz slid down the slippery tiles into a tight ball of misery. The warm water running down her face disguised her tears. In the short time she’d known Wolf, she’d cried more than the rest of her life combined, because now she had something precious to lose.”

“Oh shit, we are so screwed.” I know, I already quoted Jumper, but I get such a kick out of that line, because it is coming from a cat.  I love Jumper and his ability to state the obvious. His observations and telepathic comments (hence the italics) are always entertaining.

“….when the Emperor says she’s bringing her cat, all a ship’s captain can say about it is ‘What kind of food does she like?’ You’re along to accompany Faydra.” “Guess that makes me the Emperor’s cat’s consort, huh?” He stood and stretched. “I could get used to being a kept cat.” ”

Jumper is not really a kept cat. He really earns his keep. He is Kimber’s eyes, ears, and intuition in dicey situations. His ability to communicate telepathically is ever so handy.  Jumper is one cool cat, hence his affiliation with a cool security chief.

There was a lot of tea with cream and sugar in this book. It happens to be favorite morning beverage, so I am very pleased to know that tea, cream and sugar are easily obtained in the futuristic world of the Late Scyran Empire. There are just enough earthisms in the story to make it accessible but not too many.  The futuristic homeworld of the empire is majestic and gritty – the perfect backdrop for this story.

Like A Hero for the Empire, Cypher begins with a Late Scyran Empire definition:

“Cypher. (Late Scyran Empire— 532 to 893 ER) (1) n. A secret way of writing; a code (2) n. A person of no importance, especially one who does the bidding of another and seems to have no will of their own. (3) v. Military. To erase all records of an individual, rendering them nonexistent.”

These definitions are stage-setters and should not be passed over.  Which definition applies in his book? Hmm.  That is for you to determine.

I think Cypher is even better than A Hero for the Empire, which I loved (review here). The characters are complex and the plot is rich with galactic possibilities. There is non-stop scifi action, gut-wrenching emotion and plenty of twists and turns in the plot. While it is a continuation of book 1 in The Dragon’s Bidding series, Cypher is a stand-alone story. Cypher is a new book for my favorites shelf. I. Love. This. Series!

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I’ve Got You Under My Skin

I’ve got you under my skin.
I’ve got you deep in the heart of me.
So deep in my heart that you’re really a part of me.
I’ve got you under my skin.
I’d tried so not to give in.
I said to myself: this affair never will go so well.
But why should I try to resist when, baby, I know so well
I’ve got you under my skin?