Jenn McKinlay – Death of a Mad Hatter

The second book in the Hat Shop Mystery series, published May 6, 2014.
Genre: cozy mystery
Cover: beautiful



ONE IN A MILLINER
Scarlett Parker and her British cousin, Vivian Tremont, are hard at work at Mim's Whims—their ladies' hat shop on London's chic Portobello Road—to create hats for an Alice in Wonderland themed afternoon tea, a fund-raiser for a local children's hospital. It seems like a wonderfully whimsical way to pass the hat, and Scarlett and Viv are delighted to outfit the Grisby family, the hosts who are hoping to raise enough money to name a new hospital wing after their patriarch.
Unfortunately, the Grisby heir will not live to see it—he's been poisoned. When traces of the poison are found on the hat Scarlett and Viv made for him, the police become curiouser and curiouser about their involvement. Now the ladies need to don their thinking caps and find the tea party crasher who's mad enough to kill at the drop of a hat…


Another review I had no inspiration for writing, and now three months have passed, and writing a good review is not going to happen anymore.

And I really did enjoy this book. I love the main characters, and their English banter. Scarlett and her cousin Vivian own a hat shop. Scarlett has only recently arrived from the States after a love affair went bad (and viral on the internet!) and she has taken over the business side of the shop, as Vivian is a wiz at making the most amazing hats.

When a rich client asks Vivian to design the hats for an Alice in Wonderland tea for herself and her family, Vivian accepts. Dotty Grisby is an old friend of their grandmother, and she keeps mistaking Vivian for her old friend. It means a lot of expensive hats in a short amount of time. Not all the family are nice though, especially the heir, George, is a nasty piece of work with the way he treats his young wife and Vivian. But there are also some younger cousins, who really seem to take a fancy to Vivian and Scarlett.

So when George is killed during the tea party, Scarlett will have to clear her name. Unfortunately, there are many suspects. And will they all just talk to her? His widow seems to want to confide in her, and other people warn her away from the case.

Like Harrison, their accountant. Or is he something more after all? Scarlett certainly is not happy when she finally finds out about his involvement in the business ...


It is a really good mystery, I could not figure it out on myself. There are some big surprises, and some really evil characters are revealed in the end. I did not see that coming at all. All the characters are really colourful and lifelike, and I enjoyed reading about them. I sure hope there will be more books in this series to come.

8 stars.

© 2014 Reviews by Aurian

Recommendations from Karin for October 2014.

In order to bring some more variety to my blog, I have asked some of my bookish friends to tell about the books they have in the past month, and to give us a recommendation. Today’s post is made by Karin from Austria.

Karin:

I have read 23 new books this month. Impressive, isn’t it? But it’s all due to the fact that I was really sick and it took me a long time to recover so that I found I had a lot of reading time at hand. And admittedly quite a few of the books were very short. One would better call them novellas. Anyway the ones I would recommend most are:

1. Lindsay Buroker – Torrent



2. Elizabeth Hunter – The Scribe



3. Elizabeth Hunter – The Singer



Lindsay Buroker – Torrent



When Delia chose to major in archaeology, she imagined herself as the female Indiana Jones of the Southwest. She didn't imagine herself crawling through abandoned mine shafts, scrounging for rusty pickaxes and gold pans to sell on auction sites, but Indiana Jones didn't have to make student loan payments.
Scouring the mountains of Arizona with Simon, her best friend and computer geek extraordinaire, Delia dreams of turning their scavenging enterprise into a legitimate business. More, she longs to earn the respect of peers who shun her for turning into a treasure hunter. What she doesn't dream of is stumbling across a decapitated body in an old mine near Prescott.
Something dangerous has come to the mountains, and a pair of Harley-riding strangers are the only ones who seem to have a clue. They speak a language Delia has never heard and carry mysterious artifacts she's never seen. Investigating these strangers might lead her to discoveries that change the face of archaeology forever... or it might lead her and her best friend into a deadly monster's lair.


Linday Buroker’s book is a YA novel I’m afraid to say. But I also have to say that I greatly enjoyed this adventurous ride. There is action (some of it a little ridiculous to tell the truth) on every other page. I got caught up in the adventures around these three young people, the aliens, who may be aliens or elves – the jury is still out on the verdict – from the first page. There is a follow – up called “Thorn Falls” and it was just as enjoyable. I find I’m eagerly waiting for the next instalment.

I also would like to recommend the two books by Elizabeth Hunter. She impressed me with the “Elemental World” books which I believe I have recommended already. Now these two books offer a completely new world, a unique sight of something other. The first book ends with a terrible cliff hanger, but I was able to purchase the second book immediately. It continues this story nicely and it doesn’t end on such a cliff hanger. But I also thought it was not really as good as the first one.
I think that sometimes happens when the first book in a new series really breaks the ground. You find that you need to know how the story continues and then you find out that you know this new world already and you would like a little more action, or you want to see more of beloved characters which the author neglects in the next book.

I bought a few Kindle collections of books for € 0,89 to € 0,99. Although this time I purchased some books which I actually did not finish, I still got some winners out of them. So I would like to bring your attention to such a compilation called “Nine by Night”. I did not like all nine books but for such a price one won’t complain if not every book is freaking good. I don’t know how many of you read electronic books but I found out that I enjoy these collections as once in a while I pick out a real winner.

So this is it for this month. I wish you all a happy reading time!


Aurian: Thanks for the recommendation Karin! You sure read a lot, I hope I will manage to get back up to speed soon myself. Collections are indeed a great and cheap way to discover many new authors, but I confess I still prefer to read my paper books.

© 2014 Reviews by Aurian

Jim Butcher – Academ’s Fury

The second book in the Codex Alera series, published July 5, 2005.
Genre: fantasy
Cover: good



In Furies of Calderon, bestselling author Jim Butcher introduced readers to a world where the forces of nature take physical form. But now, it is human nature that threatens to throw the realm into chaos...
For centuries, the people of Alera have harnessed the furies – elementals of earth, air, fire, water, wood, and metal – to protect their land from aggressors. But no fury can save them from the dangers they face within. A mysterious attack from across the sea has weakened the First Lord. Should he fall, a bloody civil war is inevitable. The responsibility of fending off assassination attempts and treachery within the First Lord’s circle of spies falls on Tavi, the one man with no fury to call ...


As soon as I finished writing my review of the first book, I stared this one. Two years have passed, and all their lives have changed. Bernard is now a Count, and the militairy leader of the region. His sister is the very first female Steadholder and a Citizen in her own right. And Tavi has gone to the Academy, to study how to be a Cursor. Amara and Bernard have fallen in love, and when duty allows it, they spend some time together.

But when Tavi and Kitai were in the Wax Forest, they awoke a big evil, and it is on the loose now, killing people and taking their bodies over, creating an army for its own purpose. It made me think of the Borg from Star Trek. They are so difficult to fight, and lots of people die.
Doroga and his tribe set out to find and kill them. They are the ancient evil that has almost killed all of their people three times before. When he does not succeed, and loses most of his tribe, he comes to Bernard to warn him and ask for his help. They will have to find and kill the Vord Queen before she spawns more Queens who will fly out in one week time.

When his aunt Isana finds out that Tavi might be in danger from one of those creatures, she leaves at once to warn the First Lord of this danger, see Tavi, and also get some help back home to fight those creatures before it is too late. But Isana herself is in danger as well. As the only female Steadholder, she has a great political importance. And with the First Lord in danger of being de-throned, being her ally or causing her death is of a great consequence to the High Lords of the Realm.
With the help of a female Cursor, who is one of the most famous Courtesans in the country, and a retired Knight, Isana tries to get a hold of the First Lord and of Tavi. Unsuccessfully. As time is short, she has no choice but to go into the lions den to seek other people’s help in gaining an audience with the First Lord.

Tavi is doing well in the Academy, as the First Lord’s protegée, and his personal page. But he has made a nasty enemy out of one of the other students. Benis hates him for being a freak, being without a fury himself. Luckily for Tavi he has some loyal friends as well, who are also studying to become a Cursor. But when the First Lord becomes comatose after overextending himself with furycrafting, it is up to Tavi to keep it all secret to avoid a civil war. The First Lord still has no heir after all.

And then there is the Ambassador of the Cane, an enemy of the Alerans. He sure tries to tell Tavi something important, not acting in character at all. And when Tavi doesn’t listen good enough, or act quickly enough, he makes sure that Tavi has no choice but to come after him.

And the biggest surprise for Tavi is Kitai. He doesn’t know it yet, but he bonded with her in the first book when he saved her life in the wax forest. And now he finds her in the city, when he tries to capture a notorious thief. This is a good thing, as he really needs her help getting his friend Max out of jail.


I loved this book. It is so full of action and danger, and then those creepy creatures, the Vord. Bernard and Amara lose so many of their people, fighting them. And Isana faces so many dangerous situations, and necessity forces her to make a deal with the devil himself to save her brother. I really felt for her, but she is such a strong woman.
My suspicions about Tavi’s heritage are stronger than ever, it is almost confirmed at this point. But he still has no magic of his own, no fury to call. So I wonder if that will ever happen.

I really enjoyed the parts with Tavi and his friends, and of course with Kitai. I love where their storyline is going. Bernard lost so many good people in the fight, some characters I really did not expect to, died. But thanks to the waterfuries, they are able to mend the most grievous of wounds, so other people miraculously survive.

The bad guy in the first book appears in this one as well, he is still dedicated to his cause, and to the Aquitaines, even though they disregard his personal safety by ordering him to the capital and the Citadel. I liked his conversation with Isana as well, after he has kidnapped her/saved her life.

I will read book 3 very soon. I do recommend this series.

9 stars.

© 2014 Reviews by Aurian

Jim Butcher – Furies of Calderon

The first book in the Codex Alera series, published October 5, 2004.
Genre: fantasy
Cover: amazing, love it



For a thousand years, the people of Alera have united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies – elementals of earth, air, fire, water, wood and metal. But in the remote Calderon Valley, the boy Tavi struggles with his lack of furycrafting. At fifteen, he has no wind fury to help him fly, no fire fury to light his lamps. Yet as the Alerans’ most savage enemy – the Marat horde – returns to the Valley, Tavi’s courage and resourcefulness will be a power greater than any fury, one that could turn the tides of war...


It’s been a while since I read some epic fantasy, but I was sucked into this world immediately, and I absolutely loved it. It has everything a good fantasy needs: intrigue to dethrone the king, treason, loyalty, war, fighting, magic (furies), a touch of romance, friendship, adventure, and some amazing main characters.

It has two main characters, whose adventures we follow and whose paths cross. Amara, a young Cursor, working for the First Lord in secret. Her mentor, Fidelias, has just betrayed her and his First Lord, but he believes to be working for the greater good, the prosperity of Alera. The First Lord is old and has no longer an heir, and his new wife does not seem to be getting with child. Before the country is torn apart by civil war, he will help put a new First Lord on the throne. Associating with the Marat horde to accomplish his goal, killing thousand of innocent citizens in the process, is a small price to pay in his opinion. But Amara does not agree with him, and she will do whatever is necessary to thwart his plans and save the First Lord. Escaping her capturers, Amara flees as far as her wind fury can take her, but Fidelias will not let her escape that easily. She knows too much of his plans, and too much of how he works. Amara is the best student he has ever had, and she just might foil up his plans. So with the help of the country’s best swordfighter Aldrick, and Odiana, a waterwitch, he sets out to Calderon Valley to meet with the Horde.

Meanwhile, Tavi is trying to find the missing sheep he did not bring in last evening, as he was busy picking rare flowers for a young maiden whose kiss made him forget his duty to his uncle. So now, instead of attending to some very important Hold matters, Bernard and Tavi are searching for the sheep. Tavi is mad at himself, his future hings on those sheep, as his uncle has promised to give him some if he performs his duties without fail. Tavi is the only furyless boy in the village, and he is bullied by the other boys because of that. But if he can sell those sheep, he will have enough money to attend the Academy in town, and learn a profession that does not require him having furyhelp.

But Bernard and Tavi don’t just find the missing sheep, they find something much more dangerous: a herdbane has killed some of the sheep. And where there is one, there is usually its mate, and of course one of the Marat. Together they manage to kill the herdbane before it kills Bernard, but Bernard is severely injured. With the help of his earth fury, they manage to get away, but the Marat is faster, and to draw attention away from his uncle, Tavi lures the warrior after him.

But night is falling, and the furystorm is just waiting to break loose. Dangerous furies are in the winds, and it will become freezingly cold. After escaping the Marat, Tavi will have to find shelter, and fast. But then he hears another voice calling for help and so he finds Amara.

And then there is an other evil man to deal with. Tavi’s aunt Isana finds out firsthand what her neighbour and his depraved son have been up to all those years, tormenting and abusing his slaves. But with some help from an unsuspected corner, Isana manages to escape, taking her fellow prisoner with her. It just shows that a common enemy makes strange allies in dangerous situations.


A very exciting story follows, where they have to reach the Garrison to warn about the upcoming Marat attack. Who will believe them, and who has already been bought by the traitors?
I was really captivated by this story, and I will dive into book 2 immediately. I sure have my suspicions about who Tavi really is though... Especially as Fade is revealed as not being an idiot after all ...
I would have like a little bit more information on how a young person acquires his of her furie or furies. And I did miss the part where Amara got rid of her slave collar that she wore as a disguise ...

I do recommend this series to everyone who loves fantasy and adventures. I enjoy Jim Butcher’s writing style, and it is very different from his Dresden File series.

8 stars.

© 2014 Reviews by Aurian

New additions to my addiction

My 17th new additions post for 2014.

From Bookdepository:
Yasmine Galenorn – Priestess Dreaming
Susan Wittig Albert – The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star
Erin McCarthy – Final Lap
Thea Harrison – Night’s Honor (I have already read Maia’s copy as I had forgotten to pre-order it myself)
Laura Childs – Gilt Trip
Alexis Morgan – Honor’s Price
Karen Hawkins – The Prince who loved me
Robin D. Owens – Ghost Layer
Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison – The Final Cut
Faith Hunter – Broken Soul
Bella Andre – The way you look tonight
Bella Andre – Kissing under the mistletoe

I think this list really showcases my wide taste in books. And I can’t wait to read them all.

Secondhand books:

John Grisham – Playing for Pizza

© 2014 Reviews by Aurian

Susannah Sandlin – Lovely, Dark and Deep

The first book in the Collectors series, published June 24, 2014.
Genre: romantic suspense
Cover: good



This book was first published as a Kindle Serial. Kindle Serials are stories published in episodes, with future episodes delivered at no additional cost.

From award-winning author Susannah Sandlin comes a heart-pounding romantic thriller that pits a quick-witted scientist and a scarred ex - combat diver against a ruthless billionaire treasure hunter with ties to the White House.

When biologist Gillian Campbell makes an offhand comment about a family curse during a TV interview, she has no idea what her words will set in motion. Within days, Gillian finds herself at the mercy of a member of the C7, a secretive international group of power brokers with a dangerous game: competing to find the world's most elusive treasures, no matter the cost, in money or in lives. To save her family, Gillian teams up with Shane Burke, a former elite diver who's lost his way, navigating the brutal "death coast" of the North Atlantic to find what the collector seeks: the legendary Ruby Cross of the Knights Templar, stolen by Gillian's ancestor and lost at sea four hundred years ago.


It has been three months since I read this book, and I still have not managed to write a review about it. And I am so very sorry that my addiction to Hay Day has kept me from writing a nice one, as I did enjoy this book a lot. I really look forward to reading book 2, as Susannah Sandlin has written a really bad bad guy, and I look forward to see him getting what he deserves eventually.
I really do love treasure hunt books, I used to devour Clive Cussler’s books, and I love Cherry Adair’s Cutter Cay series as well. So a new series in this genre is very welcome to me. Yes, I am also a big fan of Indiana Jones, there are many more books than movies about him and his adventures. I’ve read those in Dutch in my teens.

Gillian Campbell finds herself blackmailed into giving up her life, to go on a wild goose chase treasure hunt. What are the chances she can find the Templar’s Cross her ancestor supposedly stole 400 years ago? If she does not comply however, her little niece will be killed. As her only friend has been put in the hospital just to show her “they” mean business, she believes it. The worst part is, she has only one month to accomplish the hunt, and then she will die. And her loved ones with her.
Shane Burke is another victim of the blackmailer, and although he is promised a lot of money, turning it down is not an option. And so Shane, Gillian, and Shane’s friends embark on a treasure hunt, trying to find clues to where the ship has sunk in the North Atlantic, and getting experience in diving in those treacherous and cold waters. The pressure gets heavier and heavier when they don’t make progress fast enough to the likes of the bad guy. Friends get hurt and kidnapped, but Shane and Gillian are closing in on finding out who is behind this all. It has to be someone very high up to know so much and so fast ...


It took me a while to warm up to both Gillian and Shane. They have both had some traumatic events in their lives, and have closed down because of it. It made me understand them a bit more when it was explained. Though this book has been published as a serial novel, it is not riddled with cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. It is fast paced, a lot of things keep happening, things you really don’t see coming.

It takes a while for Gillian and Shane to trust each other with their stories. They are both closed people, but they are very much attracted to each other and living in close conditions on Shane’s boat, means they are spending a lot of time together. Of course Shane wants to leave Gillian behind if he gets the chance, but Gillian (and her dog) are smarter than that and hide away aboard. The dog doesn’t really like Shane and those scenes are fun. It is not a little dog either ...

I do like that Gillian is not a shrinking violet, she can certainly hold her own. She is a professional alligator wrestler, hunting dangerous animals, catching them, and either killing them or releasing them in the wild, far away from human villages. She is also a diver, and she is determined to help Shane with the work. She just is not accustomed to diving in the dark cold water of the North Atlantic. As a former marine diver, Shane has experience enough. He just has to deal with the ghosts of his past first.

There is of course a lot of action in this book, but there is also time for humor and some nice love scenes between Gillian and Shane. The ending was certainly surprising, I did enjoy that a lot. I look forward to book 2 in the series.

Suzanne Johnson/Susannah Sandlin is one of the very few authors whose books I buy in trade paperback, as I really do like her writing style. So far I have enjoyed three different series and some short stories by her. And of course she is a very nice and generous person who is fun to follow on Social Media and her own website / blog.

8 stars.

© 2014 Reviews by Aurian

Jocelynn Drake – Angel’s Ink

The first book in the Asylum Tales series, published October 16, 2012.
Genre: urban fantasy
Cover: nice, fitting the story



Buyer beware...

Looking for a tattoo - and maybe a little something extra: a burst of good luck, a dollop of true love, or even a hex on an ex? Head to the quiet and mysterious Gage, the best skin artist in town. Using his unique potions - a blend of extraordinary ingredients and special inks - to etch the right symbol, he can fulfill any heart's desire. But in a place like Low Town, where elves, faeries, trolls, werewolves, and vampires happily walk among humanity, everything has its price. No one knows that better than Gage. Turning his back on his own kind, he left the magical Ivory Tower where cruel witches and warlocks rule, a decision that cost him the right to practice magic. And if he disobeys, his punishment - execution - will be swift. Though he's tried to fly under the radar, Gage can't hide from powerful warlocks who want him dead-or the secrets of his own past. But with the help of his friends, Trixie, a gorgeous elf who hides her true identity, and a hulking troll named Bronx, Gage just might make it through this enchanted world alive.


I really enjoyed this book. It is a bit strange to read from a male point of view, especially during the love scene. Gage has a lot of bad luck in this book, everything he does leads to disaster, and when he tries to solve one problem, it leads to the next. Still, he keeps trying to put things to rights, and stay alive and protect his few friends. He has been in love with his assistant Trixie for a few years now, but he knows he has to keep his distance. Knowing he is a wizard will only endanger her from the Ivory Towers. His guardian Gideon will see to that. Or is Gideon having his own agenda here, and not so eager to have Gage brought before the Council to be executed for using magic other than self defense?

I love worlds inhabited by multiple species and lots of intrigue and bad guys, and the Asylum series sure has all that. It is original and fast paced and just fun to read. Using magic and magical items in tattoos to make them work is a nice concept. And it can go so very wrong ...

I like Gage, Trixie (who is Fae) and Bronx (who is a Troll) and I sure look forward to reading many more stories about them. There are a few books out now and several short stories and I will make sure to find them all.

8 stars.

© 2014 Reviews by Aurian