Book Review - The Mummy Case (Voice of the Nile, No. One) by Dawn Stewardson

Book Description
Her voice...
...came from beyond the grave. When her ancient jewel-encrusted burial tomb vanished, a long-dead Egyptian princess spoke, demanding its return.

Her voice...
...was sensuous and held secrets of ages and was heard only by rookie investigator Marina Haine. Marina found the missing sarcophagus, but the mummy inside wasn't the princess--she was a modern, murdered woman.

Her voice...
...was not nearly as unnerving or mysterious as Revington York, Marina's raven-haired prime suspect.

Her voice...
...both warned of danger and sang of love. Marina had every reason to believe Rev would land behind bars--but the princess was planning a very different kind of future....

***

February 7

I read this years ago but didn't realize at the time that it was a duet and had a cliff-hanger ending, so I was left bereft. So being in an Egyptology kick lately, and now having the concluding book, I decided to give it a go while waiting for the third Amelia Peabody mystery to come in at the library (which is coincidentally called The Mummy Case).

While The Mummy Case as a whole is highly improbable, it has a certain charm and was a cute read. Even though it is a Harlequin book, I liked that it dealt less with the romance and more with the mystery, probably because it is part of a duo. I've read Dawn Stewardson books before and have been impressed with how well she can develop the plot and characters in so few pages. I look forward to reading the completion the Voice of the Nile. ;P

3.25 stars

Book Review - The Vision by Heather Graham

Book Description
The gift of sight comes at a dangerous price

When Deep Down Salvage begins the hunt for the Josephine Marie, it seems like any other dive . . . until Genevieve Wallace sees the vision of a dead woman in the water, her vacant eyes boring into Genevieve's very soul.

Terrified and confused by what she saw, Genevieve is haunted by the memory, but no one -- including her diving partner Thor Thompson -- believes her. When a dead woman washes up on shore, everyone assumes this is Genevieve's "vision," but Genevieve knows the truth: the dead woman is not the ghost she saw but another victim of the same brutal killer.

Sensing that the threat of death is coming closer, she and Thor are forced to acknowledge that some things can't be explained, but simply are. Somehow they have to link a violent past with a present-day mystery or risk losing themselves in an abyss of terror.

***

May 5

While at the beginning I wasn't too sure I would like Thor - he was too arrogant and jerky - and then I wasn't too sure about Gen - can you say prickly? - I ended up liking them and their story all the same. Actually the plot and mystery is what really kept me reading. I liked that it was harder to figure out whodunnit then the others in this 'series,' but I did have it narrowed down to two suspects and did pick the right one. Although I'm still not sure exactly why they did it, but then again, when you're a serial killer, do you really need a reason?

The only thing that really bothered me was everyone's outlook on Gen. She's a frickin' Mary-Sue when it goes to someone else's point-of-view or if they're talking about her when she's not around, and I really got sick of hearing how sensual she is, how perfect, how tall and slim, how her smile is perfect - gag me. When it was through her eyes, everything was fine and I liked her, but really, I can only take so much of hearing how perfect she is. At one point, a local musician said something to the affect that she's Key West's 'jewel' (or gem, something like that) and it was like come on, give me a break. Talk about overkill. There was nothing in the book to even get the impression that she's that well known about the island.

Anyways, aside from my rant, I liked it and thought that the mystery aspect was the best part of the book and it kept me guessing and hooked until the end.

4 stars

Book Review - Haunted by Heather Graham

Book Description
Love is everywhere. . .

When does a gift become a curse?

Matt Stone doesn't believe in ghosts. But there are those who are convinced his home, a historic Virginia estate that dates back to the Revolutionary War, is haunted. Pressured to get at the truth about some strange happenings at Melody House, he agrees to let Harrison Investigations explore the house. But he isn't ready for beautiful, intriguing Darcy Tremayne.

As a paranormal investigator, Darcy has learned to believe in the unbelievable. And she's given Matt fair warning: sometimes people don't like the skeletons she finds. She never dreamed that the warning would apply to herself. For she's about to discover that Melody House holds much more than a simple mystery form the distant past. What it holds is a very real and lethal danger, one that will cast her into a struggle against the worlds of both the living and the dead.

***

May 4

I picked up Haunted after I had finished The Seance, and I was unaware that they both feature Adam and Harrison Investigations. I'm all set to read The Vision that I just picked up from the library. Even though I've completely juggled around the order of when they were written, it's lucky for me that they are standalones. In the prologue it gave background information about Adam's son, Josh, who was mentioned just briefly in The Seance, and he plays a big part in this book, so I was happy to find out all that information before I get to next book that features Harrison Investigations.

Now to get to the main story in Haunted...
Even though with the way Darcy was written you would think she was a Mary-Sue, she wasn't and I liked her just fine. Now Matt on the other hand, well he was a jerk, plain and simple. I never could like him much and that detracted a lot from the book. It seems that Heather Graham must make the male lead a hard-core skeptic that just will not believe (until the end of course) in anything paranormal and thinks the female lead is crazy or delusional or something. It would be nice if it was reversed or if maybe, just maybe, the hero is open-minded enough to say, well maybe there is 'something' out there that cannot be proven. *gasp* Is that even possible? Can a hero ever truly be open-minded? Not in these books. He has to be so narrow-minded that his thought-blocks must fit neatly into their right-shaped holes (e.g. triangle block into triangle hole, etc.).

I really enjoyed the whole Darcy/Josh/Adam/Ghost hunting thing. I thought the author did a good job describing how Darcy went about finding out about the ghosts and that's what made this book good. I really did like Darcy a lot and she was a sympathetic character who stood up for herself and acted like an adult with poise and class (unlike some other character I could mention). The mystery did keep me guessing because I was never quite sure who the ghost was or what had happened, although I had narrowed down who was behind everything to two people, leaning more on the actual culprit (yay me!), for lack of suspects. So overall, the mystery was very good, though I wish Ms. Graham would bring in more people so it isn't as easy to figure out. All in all, not as good as The Seance, but a good and entertaining read.

3.5 stars

I forgot to mention that there were tons of editing problems, which seem to be a mainstay in H.G.'s books. Once Clint's name is changed to Cliff and Josh was referred to as Matt, plus numerous other things that cropped up everywhere.

Book Review - Hatfield and McCoy (Part of the Destined for Love Antholoy) by Heather Graham (Pozzessere)

Book Description
The search for a missing child brought psychic Julie Hatfield and FBI agent Robert McCoy together. But was the powerful, sensual attraction between them enough to stop their feuding and join them forever?

***

April 24

The first book, Hatfield and McCoy, by Heather Graham was a nice, fast-paced read. While Julie and McCoy's bickering might annoy some, I felt that there wasn't too much to irritate me. The story was interesting and just light enough that I had an easy time reading it, which is great since my concentration hasn't been the best lately.

4 stars

Book Review - The Seance by Heather Graham

Book Description
A chill falls over Christina Hardy's housewarming party when talk turns to a recent murder that has all the hallmarks of the so-called 'Interstate Killer' murders from fifteen years before. To lighten the mood, the guests drag out an old Ouija board for a little spooky fun—and that's when things become truly terrifying.

Summoned by the Ouija board, the restless spirit of Beau Kidd, the lead detective—and chief suspect—on the original case, seeks Christina's help: the latest killing isn't a copycat crime, and he wants his name cleared. Back in the real world, cop-turned-writer Jed Braden is skeptical of Christina's ghostly encounters, but his police sources confirm all the intimate details of the case—her otherworldly source is reliable, and the body count is growing. The spirits are right. The Interstate Killer is still out there, and Christina's life is hanging in the balance between this world and the next.

***

April 21

The Seance was one of those books that I just could not put down! Addictive, fast-paced, thrilling, and thoroughly fun, it had everything I wanted to read - mystery/suspense, romance, paranormal - and reminded me of R.L. Stine for adults. Of course it's not 'serious' fiction, who wants that when picking up a book that looks like this? It's fun brain candy, plain and simple, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I haven't had an easy time finding books to read because my concentration level has taken a nosedive, but this book had me hooked from the back synopsis - and kept me hooked throughout. Yes, there are some editing issues, coincidences, red-heads seem to be the main population, redundancies (e.g. victims are attractive red-heads, beautiful red-heads, gorgeous red-heads, and did I mention Christina's a beautiful, attractive, gorgeous red-head also? Argh, it was annoying! I got it the first time; I don't need it repeated ten million times.),and I figured out who was behind everything in the first-seventh of the book, and who could have used more of an explanation for the why at the end, but my problems are eclipsed by the engaging plot.

After Christina called Gen, I wondered if there was a previous book with her, Thor, and Adam, and there is called The Vision, and I've already ordered it from the library - I can't wait to read it! I'm thinking Heather Graham's romantic suspense novels might just be the key that'll keep me reading all the way to the end of a book, while keeping my attention along the way. :) So, overall, I liked the characters, the story was great, and even though it isn't even close to Hallowe'en, I would still recommend it for a thrilling good read.

5 stars

Book Review - Night's Edge Anthology

Book Description
Three new stories in one delicious volume of horror and romance

Her Best Enemy by USA TODAY bestselling author Maggie Shayne

Kiley Brigham refuses to believe there's a ghost in her house, but when an unseen hand leaves a bloody message on her bathroom mirror, she's forced to turn to local psychic Jack McCain. As the two work to uncover a long-buried secret, Kiley finds that she's haunted not by spirits, but by thoughts of Jack. . .

Someone Else's Shadow by Nebula Award-nominated author Barbara Hambly

Maddie Laveau worries about her young roommate, Tessa, when she stays late to practice ballet in the old Glendower Building. . .and when Tessa goes missing, Maddie enlists mysterious tenant Phil Anderson to help. But is Phil the white knight she needs, or the predator she fears?

Dancers in the Dark by Anthony Award-winning author Charlaine Harris

Layla Rue Le May is no ordinary dancer-her partner, Sean McClendon, is a three-hundred-year-old redheaded vampire. So when Layla Rue acquires a stalker, she's forced to face the music. . .and wonder if this will finally be her last dance.

***

April 1

I just finished Maggie Shayne's short story, Her Best Enemy, and enjoyed it a lot. Yes, the plot is rushed and I didn't believe they could love each other that soon at the end, but it was a really fun story! I would have liked it better if Ms. Shayne had left them just starting out in their promising relationship and not dropping the L-bomb at the end - it felt too forced and cheesy. But as I said before, it was very fun, and an easy and fast read too! :)
4/5 stars

Someone Else's Shadow was another very good story. I really liked Maddie, and while the love angle was again very fast, but at the end I appreciated that the author addresses how fast they fell in love. As with the first story, the ghost angle was creepy and made the whole atmosphere of the story come alive. The chemistry between Maddie and Phil was palpable and it did make me feel like they could in fact fall in love that fast. A great short story!
4.5/5 stars

Dancers in the Dark was yet another good tale in this anthology. Rue was a likable protagonist who had a horrible past, and while Sean could have been brought to life (ha!) more, he was still a good hero for her. The plot was well-done and I never got annoyed at Rue for feeling sorry for herself or anything, which can happen in stories similar to this. All-in-all it was a fascinating tale.
4/5 stars

Book Review - Shadows at Sunset by Anne Stuart

Book Description

House of Shadows

The house on Sunset Boulevard has witnessed everything: from the infamous murder-suicide of a '50s starlet and her lover, to the drug-fueled commune in the '60s, to the anguish of its present owner, Jilly Meyer, who is struggling to preserve the house and what's left of her wounded family.

Man of Shadows

Coltrane is a liar, a con man and a threat to everything Jilly holds dear. He is also her hated father's right-hand man, a gorgeous, loathsome snake who doesn't care whom he uses to get what he wants. And he's made it clear he wants Jilly. But the question is, what does he want her for?

Shadows at Sunset

Somehow Jilly has to stop Coltrane from destroying everything she cherishes. Including her own vulnerable heart. And the only way to do that is to uncover what Coltrane is really up to, and that could mean upsetting the explosive secrets of the past.

***

March 30

I picked this up looking for a romantic suspense novel, sadly it was lacking in both aspects. I did find it an entertaining book that was a nice, light escape, but I really was looking for more suspense. This was more light mystery, and even that was easy to figure out early on. I think Ms. Stuart took too much time in the beginning with Coltrane and Jilly, and I never felt they liked each other much, let alone loved each other by the end. I liked them well enough but wished for more romance with less arguing and lust. I never completely got the point of the ghosts but thought it was cute all the same. Too bad there wasn't another book with Rachel-Ann and Rico, that sounds like it would have made for a good book. As I said before, a nice and easy read, but nothing I'd remember too much down the road.

2.5/5 stars