Anne Bishop - Marked in Flesh

The fourth book in the Others series, published March 8, 2016.
Genre: urban fantasy
Cover: fits the series



The dynamic between humans and Others has changed. Some, like wolf shifter Simon Wolfgard and blood prophet Meg Corbyn, see the closer companionship as beneficial - both personally and practically. But not everyone is convinced. A group of radical humans is seeking to usurp land through a series of violent attacks on the Others. They don't realize that there are older, more dangerous forces than shifters and vampires protecting the land-and those forces are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect what is theirs.


My most anticipated read of 2016, that is for sure. And perhaps I expected too much of it, because although I thoroughly enjoyed it (it kept me up until 3 a.m., not smart on a Wednesday), I kept expecting more. More danger, excitement, retaliation by the Elders. But the book did tug on my emotions big time, and I really liked meeting new people, both Intuit and Shifters and Elementals.

I liked the progress with the blood prophets, and that Meg learns something else besides cutting herself for prophecies. I like Hope a lot.

And in my opinion, it did not need that last chapter.

10 stars.

© 2016 Reviews by Aurian

Hamilton Crane - Miss Seeton Paints the Town

A book in the Miss Seeton series, published August 1, 1991.
Genre: cozy mystery
Cover: nice, though Miss Seeton would never dress like that.



Miss Seeton's rather unusual drawings for the Best Kept Village Competition may hold vital clues to a recent series of fires. At least, that's what Scotland Yard believes. And when two corpses turn up-and someone sets Miss Seeton's cottage ablaze-the whole town is burning with curiosity. Will Miss Seeton clear the air of smoke-filled suspicion?


Vandalism and arson are the main ingredients in this case, and when the arsonist thinks Miss Seeton is on to him, he decides to make her and her lovely cottage his next target … But no one gets away with that as Miss Seeton has a whole legion of guardian angels to keep her safe, this time in the form of her journalist friend Mel.
Inspector Brinton of Ashford is convinced his Choppers are behind it, and borrows an undercover agent from the next county, exchanging Foxton with him. But not evidence is unveiled, other than the vandalism they are so proud of.

7 stars.

© 2016 Reviews by Aurian

Hamilton Crane - Miss Seeton Cracks the Case

A book in the Miss Seeton series, published April 1, 1991.
Genre: cozy mystery
Cover: nice



It was the perfect day for a coach tour until a band of thugs blocked the road and robbed the passengers. It's a tough case to solve, but luckily the intrepid Miss Seeton, a retired art teacher, and a passenger on the ill-fated tour, steps in with her sketches of the bandits. But when she returns to her tranquil village, she brings trouble along. Now suspicion, malice and murder are right in her backyard.

I am so happy this third author took the series over, she has totally captured the characters the first author created, and has given me back my reading pleasure.

Two groups of thugs are praying on the citizens of England. One is helping elderly people and their groceries to get home safely, and when offered some refreshment as thank you, they drug them and rob them. Another group is robbing tour busses. And it so happens, "the Nuts" are in one of those, and they are pretty miffed at not being allowed to talk to the press about their experiences, and get their names in the paper.
When people start dying, the cases land in the lap of Inspector Delphick, and again he relies on Miss Seeton and her drawings to find the clues he needs. Or will she solve the case without him again, and will he only be needed to clean up the mess?

Loved it, old but still so good!

8 stars.

© 2016 Reviews by Aurian

New books to look forward to for April 2016

This is the list of new releases for the month of April 2016 I am looking forward to:

Alexis Morgan - Always for you: Jack - Sergeant Joe's Boy 1
Amanda Quick - Till Death do us part HC
Christine Feehan - Fire Bound - Sisters of the Heart 5
Duffy Brown - Braking for Bodies - Cycle Path Mystery 2
Ellery Adams - Breach of Crust - Charmed pie shoppe mystery 5
Faith Hunter - Shadow rites - Jane Yellowrock 10
J.R. Ward - The Beast - BDB 14 HC
Jennifer Ashley - White Tiger - Shifters Unbound 8
Jennifer Estep - Bright Blaze of Magic - Black Blade 3 1
Joanne Fluke - Eyes
Kate Collins - Moss Hysteria - Flower Shop Mystery 18
Nora Roberts - The obsession HC
Sally MacKenzie - How to manage a marquess - Spinster house 2
Sherrilyn Kenyon - Invision - Chronicles of Nick 7 HC
Sherrilyn Kenyon - Instinct - Chronicles of Nick 6 PB
Stephanie Laurens - A buccaneer at heart - Adventurers Quartet 2 PB
Susan Wittig Albert - Blood Orange - China Bayles 24 HC
Susan Wittig Albert - Bittersweet - China Bayles 23 PB
Alyssa Day - Private Eye -Tiger's Eye Mystery 2 Kindle
Kim Harrison - The Drafter - Peri Reed Chronicles 1
Susannah Sandlin - Wild Man's Curse - Wilds of the Bayou 1

I have read a total of 19 books and 3 novella's this month, which is amazing if you know how many hours I spend on the day job.

Did I match my reading solutions for last month? Nope, I came close but failed on the historical romance challenge, perhaps because the previous one disappointed me so much.

I have read 5 cozy mysteries:

Julie Hyzy - Foreign Eclairs
Hamilton Crane - 4 x Miss Seeton

6 books longer than 1 year on my shelf:

Jim Butcher - First Lord's Fury
T.A. Pratt - Blood Engines
Anne McCaffrey - Crystal Singer trilogy, re-reads
Jennifer Estep - Kiss of Frost, re-read

no historical romances.

2 Nora Roberts books:
Nora Robers - The Liar (very predictable)
J.D. Robb - Midnight in Death (re-read)

© 2016 Reviews by Aurian

Anthology - Down the Rabbit Hole

A collection of stories by Mary Blayney, Elaine Fox, Mary Kay McComas, J D Robb and R C Ryan, published September 29, 2015.
Genre: short stories, Alice in Wonderland based.
Cover: nice



Some of your favourite "New York Times" bestselling authors present five all-new stories told through the looking glass including a new Eve Dallas novella! "You re late for a very important date..." Enter a wonderland of mesmerizing tales. It's a place that s neither here nor there, where things are never quite as they seem. Inspired by Lewis Carroll s whimsical masterpiece, ranging from the impossible to the mad to the curiouser, these stories will have you absolutely off your head. Don't be afraid to follow them DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE".


I have read the J.D. Robb story as soon as the book landed on my doormat, and I loved it. Really crazy characters in this story, and Eve cracked the case admirably.

The other stories took me a lot longer to read and I still don't understand why I did that. They are just weird, and I don't do weird. The only one I liked a bit was the last one, by R.C. Ryan, and still the heroine was doing something really stupid, going after her hero in her nightgown and without shoes in the Highlands. Really? Why not dress for the weather and the terrain first?

So, 9 stars for the JD Robb story, and 5 stars out of 10 for the rest.



The J.D. Robb Story:

© 2016 Reviews by Aurian

Ilona Andrews - Magic Shifts

The eighth book in the Kate Daniels series, published August 4, 2015.
Genre: urban fantasy
Cover: good.



After breaking from life with the Pack, mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate - former Beast Lord Curran Lennart - are adjusting to a very different pace. While they're thrilled to escape all the infighting, Kate and Curran know that separating from the Pack completely is a process that will take time.
But when they learn that their friend Eduardo has gone missing, Kate and Curran shift their focus to investigate his disappearance. As they dig further into the merc's business, they discover that the Mercenary Guild has gone to hell and that Eduardo's recent assignments are connected in the most sinister way…
An ancient enemy has arisen, and Kate and Curran are the only ones who can stop it - before it takes their city apart piece by piece.


I've been looking forward to reading this one impatiently, so when the paperback finally released I snatched it up as soon as it fell on my doormat. I enjoyed the story, the different dynamics now Kate doesn't have to live according to Pack protocol anymore. And of course, their friends don't leave them alone. It was fun to see how they accomplished that!
And a very surprising twist in this book as well, the link between ghouls and djinns and what they are capable of. Lots of action and fighting and scary creatures, and a little bit of time for Kate and Curran to enjoy living together. I enjoyed watching Julie in this book, and can't wait to find out more about her future. And I am very disappointed in Saiman, I wonder how Kate will take that. Her father surprises me, and her I think. So far, I think he is genuine in wanting to be part of her life, but going about it all wrong. Still, dinner together was fun.

Recommended series!

10 stars.

© 2016 Reviews by Aurian

Yasmine Galenorn - Darkness Raging

Book 18 in the Otherworld / Sisters of the Moon series, published February 2, 2016.
Genre: urban fantasy
Cover: good



We're the D'Artigo sisters: savvy half-humans, half-Fae ex-operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. My sister Camille is a wicked-good witch. Delilah is a two-faced werecat and a Death Maiden. And me? I'm Menolly, a vampire married to a gorgeous werepuma. As the war in OtherWorld arrives, Blood Wyne, Queen of the Vampires, summons me. Apparently, my position as Roman's consort entails more than I imagined …
As the Demon Lord Shadow Wing creates his own sinister version of the Keraastar Knights - the guardians of the spirit seals - to destroy the portals and free himself from the Sub Realms, his ally, the necromancer Telazhar, leads an assault from Otherworld into the streets of Seattle. And my sisters and I are caught dead center.
Then, on the eve of war, my wife Nerissa is captured. The enemy demands we surrender the rest of the spirit seals, or they are going to kill her. I will do anything to save her. Even if it means leading an army of vampires into the very depths of the Subterranean Realms…


I loved this book a lot! Perhaps because her publisher has pulled the plug on this series has made the storyline run faster again, and I loved it. And although Yasmine was prepared to go the self publishing road with this series, I am very happy that another publisher has stepped in. I do hope they will continue the look of this series, especially the spine, as it looks gorgeous on my shelves.

As stated, a good series, lot of action and progress on the story arc that started in book one. And in their personal lives lots of upheaval as well. I can't wait to find out what happens next, especially with Camille. They dealt a few huge blows to Shadow Wing and allies are now fighting alongside them, and that makes a big difference. Love it.

10 stars.

© 2016 Reviews by Aurian