Protect the Prince (Crown of Shards series #2) by Jennifer Estep

Protect the Prince (Crown of Shards, #2) 
by 

Jennifer Estep (Goodreads Author)

Rachel V.'s review

Jan 15, 2019  ·  edit

it was amazing

As much as I liked Kill the Queen, the first book in the Crown of Shards, I ended up liking Protect the Prince even more. Everleigh is now the Queen and along with the title comes a lot of responsibilities. There is an assasination attempt at the beginning of the book but Everleigh doesn’t let a little attempted assasination hold her back. When she starts trying to form alliances she goes to visit the king of the kingdom of Andvaria who happens to be Sullivan’s father. The king’s son was killed at Seven Spire when the royal massacre took place in Kill the Queen and they hold Everleigh particially responsible for it even though it had nothing to do with her. She finds herself being pushed into an arranged marriage with the king’s elder son (Sullivan’s half Brother) and trying to defend herself from more assassins and even the Andavarian Royal guard. She also finds out that Sullivan has an old flame and they are wanting to rekindle the old feelings. Everleigh has a lot on her plate with assassination attempts, getting out of an arranged marriage without putting her kingdom in danger, facing her feelings for Sullivan, figuring out what is going on with her powers, and learning what it takes to be the Winter Queen. I loved being reintroduced to Gemma, the King’s granddaughter and little girl who had escaped from the Royal massacre at Seven Spire in Kill the Queen. She now has a friend/pet named Grimley who is very special and they instantly became my favorite characters.
I love how Jennifer Estep describes the clothing, the castles, the jewels, and even the weapons so that it makes it easier for me to “see” them. As usual, I can’t wait for the next one in this series.

Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird

Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen 
by 

Sarah Bird (Goodreads Author)

 

Rachel V.'s review
Three Stars

May 20, 2018  ·  edit

liked it

The historical fiction version of the story of Cathy Williams (William Cathay), descended from an African Queen and growing up listening to stories of her warrior queen grandmother Cathy goes from being a slave, to being contraband and a cook in the Civil War, to pretending to be a man and enlisting in the US Calvary as a Buffalo Soldier. Her story is one of horrible cruelty and the danger of being discovered, raped, and killed a constant. I enjoyed the book the most when she was a cook and on campaign in the Civil War because there was a lot going on and it was exciting. I think I expected more about the Buffalo Soldiers since they were in most of the military campaigns and 23 Buffalo Soldiers received the Medal of Honor during the Indian Wars. Her time was mostly building barracks, cleaning latrines, cooking, and trying to figure out how to use the bathroom and bathe without being discovered. About halfway through the story turned into more of a romance with a twist. I’m glad I read it and I think most people will enjoy it, it just wasn’t what I was expecting.

I received an eARC from Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review

Hightail It To Kinsey Falls (Kinsey Falls #1) by Gayle Leeson

Hightail It to Kinsey Falls (Kinsey Falls, #1) 
by 

Gayle Leeson

 

Rachel V.'s review
Five Stars

May 20, 2018  ·  edit

it was amazing

Very fun enjoyable book, perfect for a light beach read. It all takes place in a small community where they’ve turned an old mall into small apartments for seniors and young professionals. When one of the seniors finds a baby opossum and takes it to the pet shop for advice on what to do she meets a charming young man who she thinks would be perfect for her shy nervous granddaughter. While finding an animal rehab and saving the opossum she decides to also do a little matchmaking. Contemporary light romance in a small community setting. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to book two.

I reviewed an eARC of the book from Netgalley and Grace Abraham publishing for an honest review.

Dark Queen, (Jane Yellowrock #12) by Faith Hunter

Dark Queen (Jane Yellowrock, #12) 
by 

Faith Hunter (Goodreads Author)

 

Rachel V.'s review

May 06, 2018  ·  edit

5 stars

it was amazing

I finished the book days ago but just couldn’t do a review because I hadn’t come down from the “book high” yet. Like most Jane books it’s starts out with action when Jane answers the door and doesn’t really let up till the end. The last few books have lemd up to this point in the story and this battle and sometimes you get so anxious and there’s such a buildup for something like this that you get disappointed, this is not the case here. As usual Jane gets deeper and deeper into Vamp politics and violence all so she can protect her chosen family and this time it’s harder than ever. With betrayal around every corner Jane has to fight not just the enemy she knows but also ones that can’t be seen, and others that are in that basement. This book had so many emotions, love, excitement, anger, and it really passes it on to the reader. There were several times when I was so tense and worried about the outcome that my stomach actually hurt. There’s several twists, turns, and surprises, a real rollercoaster ride, and like Game of Thrones, nobody is safe. The cliffhangers (yes, cliffhangers, plural) will leave you dying for the next book just like it did me. I wish this series could go on for many more years, it never gets old and it always leaves me waiting on the next one. Oh, and of course there’s more Bruiser. I never forget Bruiser.

Venom In the Veins, (Elemental Assassin #17) by Jennifer Estep

Venom in the Veins (Elemental Assassin, #17) 
by 

Jennifer Estep (Goodreads Author)

 

Rachel V.'s review

Apr 30, 2018  ·  edit

5 Stars

it was amazing

 read April 29, 2018 to April 30, 2018.

Another great book in the series. When Gin saves Finn’s boss and friend from being kidnapped or killed everybody but Gin thinks it was just an attempted mugging and that she’s just being paranoid. Sometimes it pays to be paranoid. After doing some digging she discovers that it all links back to the Circle, the criminal organization that she’s been tracking through several books in the series. There’s also a link to her past, the past of the Spider assassin, so not only will she have to deal with what she set in motion many years ago, she’ll have to keep her friends safe from a human hunting vampire out for revenge and a meal. Lots of action fighting in this one. I really enjoyed reading it and can’t wait for more as Gin gets closer and closer to the truth about the Circle and how it connects to her family.

Flame In the Dark (Soulwood #3) by Faith Hunter

Flame in the Dark (Soulwood, #3) 
by Faith Hunter (Goodreads Author) 

Rachel V.'s review 

Sep 13, 2017  ·  edit

it was amazing

Five Stars

Nell is back with Psyled Unit 18 and a new case. Somebody is trying to kill a Tennessee Senator and it's up to Nell and the team to find out who or what is doing it and stop them. Nell is getting stronger with her power and she's learning to control it better but her personal life is getting more complicated. She's learning to stand strong and to go against church teachings by standing up for herself and being heard. She has to made the decision to either step back to some Church ways or move forward to something new. There's a lot of action, danger, and just a touch of romance in this one and I really enjoyed it. Nell is really become her own person. Being from East Tennessee I loved that the setting is Knoxville TN and it made me want to drive the 2 hours to get there just to see if I could see Nell and say howdy. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series.

I was given an eARC from Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.

The Koryo Escort: A Lawson Vampire Mission, by Jon F. Merz

Rachel V.'s review

May 08, 2017  ·  edit

it was amazing

Five Stars

As with all the Lawson Vampire books this one was exciting and it was so hard to stop reading it to do life things. Talya is back and I just love her. She's smart, tough, and a perfect match for Lawson. When Lawson decides to help her out with one of her missions he finds himself sneaking into North Korea, not a place anybody wants to be sneaking in to. Talya is bringing out a defector with knowledge of North Korea's nuclear program and Lawson ends up finding a Vampire who also needs to escape. What follows is a lot of tense action in a place that's been in the news a lot lately. One of my favorite things about Lawson is his open mindedness, whether it's his gay friends and coworkers, his transgender hacker friend, or the way he respects prostitues, he always sees all people as just people and it's my favorite thing about him. Another favorite thing is that he treats Talya as an equal. He loves her and will help her with anything but he sees her and treats her as an equal even though he's a tough macho type and that's a nice thing to read. I just can't get enough if this series.

I was given an advanced Reader's copy of this ebook by the author for an honest review.

Cold Reign, Jane Yellowrock #11 by Faith Hunter

Cold Reign (Jane Yellowrock #11) 
by Faith Hunter (Goodreads Author) 

Rachel V.'s review 

May 02, 2017  ·  edit

it was amazing

Five stars

I don't know how an author can write 11 books in a series and still make it exciting, fresh, and interesting, but Faith Hunter does it every time. This is another great Jane Yellowrock book. When the crazy revenant Vampires start rising and killing people Jane and the Youngers go after them. They are very old and extremely hard to kill but they are just a distraction from the real threat which is the European Vampires that are sneaking into the city under Leo's nose. Jane and family have their hands full soon with some dangerous adversaries. Lots of action, family time, and a little romance with Bruiser. I've loved Bruiser from the very beginning and the thing I love the most is that he lets Jane be Jane and he trusts her to take care of herself. I can't wait for the next book.

I received this ebook as an advanced Reader's copy through the publisher and Netgalley for an honest review.

The Cairo Connection: A Lawson Vampire Mission by Jon F. Merz

The Cairo Connection: A Lawson Vampire Mission (The Lawson Vampire Series) 
by Jon F. Merz

Rachel V.'s review 

edit

it was amazing

Five Stars

I love this entire series, it never disappoints and always leaves me wanting the next one. Lawson is a Vampire Assassin who works for the council tracking down and killing any Vampire that could potentially expose Vampires to humans. In this adventure Lawson and Zero, Lawson's friend and former trainer goes to Egypt to find a rogue Vampire who is helping terrorist and is a threat to the Vampires. They suspect he's been getting help from someone on the council and they plan to stop him and find the traitor. Lots of action and excitement. One of my favorite series.

The Fixer (Lawson #1) by Jon F. Merz

The Fixer (Lawson the Fixer #1) 
by Jon F. Merz (Goodreads Author) 

Rachel V.'s review

Mar 16, 2017  ·  edit

Five Stars

it was amazing

I can't believe it's been 15 years since the Fixer first released. I had just started reading ebooks on my netbook (yeah, that was before all the ereaders and tablets were everywhere) and I came across a free book called Dead Drop. I like action books so I read more about it to see if I would be interested. I read it was about a Vampire Assassin who was also a ninja. I thought, ah come on, really, all that in one person? This has to be a joke or something horribly cheesy. I put off reading it for a few days but then kept coming back to it. I finally thought, ok, I'm going to try it, if it's no good I'm not out any money. So I was maybe two pages in when I realized that it was not cheesy or silly but that it was a full on action adventure story. That's when I first fell in love with this Vampire, Assassin, ninja, named Lawson and I haven't stopped loving him since. He's a fixer, an assassin who works for the Vampire Council. It's his job to make sure that Vampires are not exposed to humans so if a Vampire is causing trouble and drawing attention it's up to him to put a stop to it and he goes all over the world to do it. I read everything Lawson as soon as it's released. I love the action, the guns, the military type stories, his tough as nails girlfriend, the stories with his friends who have become his family, his sense of fairness, equality, his toughness, and just everything about him. This is one of my all time favorite series and Im so glad that I chanced upon it and I appreciate Jon F. Merz for giving me such great stories.

Snared ( Elemental Assassin, #16) by Jennifer Estep

Snared (Elemental Assassin, #16) 
by Jennifer Estep (Goodreads Author) 

Rachel V.'s review

Mar 16, 2017  ·  edit

Five Stars

it was amazing

In Snared Gin is asked to help a friend find her missing sister. It puts Gin on a collision course with a serial killer but also with members of the Circle, the organization that she's been after for the last couple of books. You're kept on the edge of your seat as Gin races to save the kidnapped woman before she meets the same deadly fate as the previous victims. This book being about a serial killer is much darker than normal but I also think it's one of my favorites. Just when you think it's only about a serial killer case you find out there's more to it than you thought. Will Gin save the day or will she just get Snared by a ruthless killer? Jennifer Estep always leaves me wanting more so that I cant wait for the next book as soon as I finish the one I'm reading.
I received this as an Advanced Reader's ecopy through Netgalley and the publishers for an honest review.

Silence Fallen (Mercy Thompson, # 10) by Patricia Briggs

Silence Fallen (Mercy Thompson, #10) 
by Patricia Briggs 

Rachel V.'s review edit


Five Stars

iwas amazing

There are only a few series that can go on this long, still be interesting and make you immediately want the next one and this is one of those series. When Mercy gets kidnapped by a very bad scary Vampire the hunt is immediately on to find her. Adam is barely in control of his wolf who wants to kill everybody and everything to get to Mercy. Mercy is alone and scared but it's Mercy so she can take care of herself but also sometimes get herself into even more trouble. The only thing I didn't like about this one was that Mercy was written weaker than she normally is but I think it was done on purpose just to remind us that her greatest strength and power is the love, loyalty, and friendship that she cultivates just by being who she is. The timeline is different in this as some things are happening at the same time so you have to pay attention to that and you're told where in the timeline it is at the beginning of each chapter. Another good book in the series. I enjoyed it a lot and of course can't wait for the next one.

I was given an advanced ecopy through Netgalley and the publishers for an honest review.

Wild for Horses

Wild for Horses: Posters & Collectible Cards Featuring 50 Amazing Horses 
by Editors Of Storey Publishing 

Rachel V.'s review

Mar 06, 2017  ·  edit

it was amazing

Five stars

Great book for kids who love horses. Tidbits throughout the book with trivia and information about horses. It tells about the different breeds and shows the difference between show horses, draft horses, wild horses, and even Shetland ponies. The best part about it is it full of gorgeous horse pictures. I got the ebook so I didn't get to look at the collectible cards but the posters look amazing. This is a book that any horses loving kid is going to go wild over.

I received an advanced Reader's copy of the book through Netgalley and the publishers for an honest review.

The Horse Lovers Encyclopedia

Rachel V.'s review 

Mar 06, 2017  ·  edit

it was amazing

Nice encyclopedia of horses. It covers everything from grooming methods to different breeds, to the right kind of hitch to pull a horse trailer. Nicely put together with color photographs and illustrations. Any horse owner or just fan of horses will want this as a reference.
I received an advanced ecopy of the book through Netgalley and the publishers for an honest review.

Silence of the Jams (Down South Cafe Mystery) by Gayle Leeson

Silence of the Jams (Down South Café Mystery #2) 
by Gayle Leeson 

Rachel V.'s review

Mar 06, 2017  ·  edit

it was amazing

Five Stars

  When the most hated man in town drops over dead in the middle of eating a meal at the Down South Cafe, owner Amy Flowers finds herself being a possible murder suspect again. After finding out that the victim kept folders with all the secrets on everyone in town the suspect list keeps getting longer and longer. Add to that a relative with addiction problems shows up in town causing drama for Amy's family. As in the first one there's good food, a murder mystery, a little romance, family, and a lot of fun. I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advanced Reader's copy for an honest review.