Thursday, August 30, 2012

Review: Delusion in Death by J.D. Robb

Delusion in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, Book 35
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Genre: Futuristic/Mystery/Suspense Delusion in Death Cover
ISBN: 9780399158810
Release Date: September 11, 2012
Blue Ribbon Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Original Review Link
Book Purchase Link
J.D. Robb Reading Order

It’s an ordinary enough scenario; happy-hour at a downtown bar, where white collar workers meet and relax for an after-work drink. Then the bar’s patrons and staff start to get headaches…and something goes horribly wrong. Twelve minutes later, over eighty people are dead.

Lieutenant Eve Dallas thought she’d seen it all, but nothing could prepare her for the crime scene she steps into. The victims were all killed by each other and what few survivors there are all report massive delusions. It seems that everyone in the bar was exposed to a lethal cocktail of drugs designed to drive them to homicidal insanity. Eve and her team must discover who the killer is and fast, because the virus is airborne, and no one in New York is safe.

Eve, Roarke, their colleagues and loved ones face what is perhaps their most frightening case to date in DELUSION IN DEATH. Author J.D. Robb ups the tension in this engaging futuristic suspense by creating a terrorist threat that’s terrifying in its plausibility. I was practically on the edge of my seat as I read DELUSION IN DEATH, putting the pieces of the case together alongside Eve. I fear I cannot say too much about the case without spoiling the story. Suffice it to say this isn’t your average homicide, and the urgency with which Eve and her team work to catch the killer will have you reading late into the night.

In general, the IN DEATH books tend to fall into two categories; case-centric and character-centric. DELUSION IN DEATH is more of a case-centric story, but that doesn’t mean Ms. Robb skimps on character growth. Eve – and by extension, Roarke – hasn’t fully dealt with the aftermath of what happened in NEW YORK TO DALLAS. In DELUSION IN DEATH, she’s finally ready to face memories and emotions that she’s pushed to the back of her mind as best she could. The result is some heartbreaking, wonderful moments that show the progression of Eve’s character and how she and Roarke are growing as a couple.

DELUSION IN DEATH is the thirty-fifth book in the IN DEATH series, but, as always, Ms. Robb provides enough information for readers new to the series to follow along with ease. That being said, if you haven’t read any IN DEATH books before, the emotional impact of certain scenes involving the main characters might be lessened. And fair warning, DELUSION IN DEATH has major spoilers for NEW YORK TO DALLAS. Fans of the series, however, should be thrilled to revisit their favorite characters and what’s more, Ms. Robb shows us more of the IN DEATH world’s history. That’s right; DELUSION IN DEATH gives more detail about the Urban Wars than any IN DEATH story has so far. Having heard the Urban Wars referenced so often in the series, I was as fascinated by those bits of information as I was about the main case. All in all, I’d say DELUSION IN DEATH is a unique, evocative story that should not be missed!


Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here with permission from Romance Junkies.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday: Rogue Rider by Larissa Ione


Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights eagerly anticipated upcoming releases!

I absolutely love the Lords of Deliverance series, and even though I'm almost more excited about seeing Reaver and Harvester in Rogue Rider than I am the hero and heroine, I'm dying of curiosity to see if/how Larissa Ione will handle Reseph coming to terms with all that he did as Pestilence, the villain in the first three books. If you haven't read Eternal Rider, Immortal Rider, and Lethal Rider, I highly recommend doing so!

Rogue Rider Cover Title: Rogue Rider
Series: Lords of Deliverance, Book 4
Author: Larissa Ione
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Release Date: November 20, 2012
Larissa Ione Series Order

Book Description (from Goodreads):

The prophecies were there but no one listened. Until now. They are the Lords of Deliverance and they have the power to ward off Doomsday...or let it ride.

Jillian Cardiff came to this remote mountain town to forget the demon attack that almost killed her. Instead, she rescues - and falls for - a gorgeous stranger who has no memory of anything other than his name. Handsome, charming and protective, Reseph seems like the kind of man that Jillian can trust. But with hints of a troubling history of his own, he's also the kind of man that can be very dangerous...

Reseph may not know his background, or why he mysteriously appeared in Jillian's life, but he knows he wants to stay. Yet when Jillian's neighbours are killed and demon hunters arrive on the scene, Reseph fears that he's putting Jillian in danger. And once it's revealed that Reseph is also Pestilence, the Horseman responsible for ravaging the world with death and destruction, he and Jillian must face the greatest challenge of all: can they forget the horrors of a chilling past to save the future they both desire?

Review: Blame It on Texas by Christie Craig

Blame It on Texas by Christie Craig
Series: Hotter In Texas, Book 2
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary Romance Blame It on Texas Cover
ISBN: 9780446582834
Blue Ribbon Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Original Review Link
Book Purchase Link

Zoe Adams lives a quiet life, and she’s quite happy that way. At least, until she sees an episode of Unsolved Mystery Hunters that triggers childhood memories which don’t fit with what she knows about her life. Zoe’s quest to learn the truth sends her digging into the lives of one of Texas’s richest families…and puts her in the crosshairs of a hit man. Zoe knows she needs help, and who better to help her than former cop turned PI Tyler Lopez? With Tyler by her side, Zoe’s cold case is about to get red hot.

BLAME IT ON TEXAS has mystery, mayhem and more! Author Christie Craig continues to entertain with this second installment to her sensual HOTTER IN TEXAS series. Zoe and Tyler are two likeable protagonists who make a great pair. Just like Nikki and Dallas, the main couple from Ms. Craig’s first HOTTER IN TEXAS book, DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS, Zoe and Tyler are two people you’d want to be friends with, were they real.

However, while I liked Zoe, Tyler, their romance and the mystery plot, it was actually a secondary plotline that stole the show for me. A romance involving two single parents, Rick and Ellen, made me sigh with pleasure. The Rick and Ellen pairing was first hinted at in DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS and Ms. Craig has delivered one heck of a story with these two. I absolutely loved Rick and Ellen, to the point where I almost wish the main plot in BLAME IT ON TEXAS was their story.

BLAME IT ON TEXAS is a fast-paced, engaging story. I’ve been a fan of Ms. Craig’s ever since I picked up WEDDINGS CAN BE MURDER on a whim. I absolutely love Ms. Craig’s endearing characters and zany humor. If I had one complaint about BLAME IT ON TEXAS, it’d be that I felt it was missing Ms. Craig’s signature sparkle. There were elements of energy and effortless humor missing from Tyler and Zoe’s story that I’m used to seeing in Ms. Craig’s work. That being said, I enjoyed BLAME IT ON TEXAS, and I cannot wait to read TEXAS HOLD ‘EM.

Note 1: Ms. Craig’s first HOTTER IN TEXAS book, DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS, is soon to be re-issued as ONLY IN TEXAS.
Note 2: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here with permission from Romance Junkies.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday: The Perfect Hope by Nora Roberts


Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights eagerly anticipated upcoming releases!

Nora Roberts is my favorite author and I loved the first two Inn BoonsBoro books (The Next Always and The Last Boyfriend), so it's no surprise that I'm getting impatient for the release of the final Inn BoonsBoro book, The Perfect Hope. Since book 1, the tension between Ryder and Hope has had me eager to see the sparks fly in their story.

Title: The Perfect Hope
Series: Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy, Book 3
Author: Nora Roberts
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Release Date: November 6, 2012

Book Description (from Amazon.com):

Ryder is the hardest Montgomery brother to figure out—with a tough-as-nails outside and possibly nothing too soft underneath. He’s surly and unsociable, but when he straps on a tool belt, no woman can resist his sexy swagger. Except apparently Hope Beaumont, the innkeeper of his own Inn BoonsBoro...

As the former manager of a D.C. hotel, Hope is used to excitement and glamour, but that doesn’t mean she can’t appreciate the joys of small-town living. She’s where she wants to be—except for in her love life. Her only interaction with the opposite sex has been sparring with the infuriating Ryder, who always seems to get under her skin. Still, no one can deny the electricity that crackles between them…a spark that ignited with a New Year’s Eve kiss.

While the Inn is running smoothly, thanks to Hope’s experience and unerring instincts, her big-city past is about to make an unwelcome—and embarrassing—appearance. Seeing Hope vulnerable stirs up Ryder’s emotions and makes him realize that while Hope may not be perfect, she just might be perfect for him...

Tuesday in Review

It’s update time :)

Below are the newest reviews I’ve written on Joyfully Reviewed and Romance Junkies. The master list and categorical lists on the right-hand side are updated as well.

Reviews for upcoming/new releases:
- Feeling Hot (Out of Uniform, Book 7) by Elle Kennedy (available 8/21/12)

All other new reviews:
- Screw Santa (Who Needs Christmas?, Book 1) by Joyee Flynn
- Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood
- Biting Oz (Biting Love, Book 5) by Mary Hughes
- The Sure Thing by Claire Matthews
- Aflame in Camelot by Maria-Claire Payne

Upcoming reviews:
- The Curse (Belador, Book 3) by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love
- Good Cop, Bad Cop by Jenna Byrnes and Jude Mason
- Hex Appeal anthology
- Love is Murder anthology
- Riveted (Iron Seas, Book 3) by Meljean Brook
- Aloha Kaua by Jenna Byrnes
- Seven Nights in a Rogue’s Bed (Sons of Sin, Book 1) by Anna Campbell
- A Younger Man (Cabin Fever, Book 3) by Cameron Dane
- Elliot’s War by Kim Dare
- Trust, Love, Submit by Kim Dare
- How to Ravish a Rake (How to Series, Book 3) by Vicky Dreiling
- Soul Weaver by Hailey Edwards
- Some Like It Hot (Rising Star Chef, Book 2) by Louisa Edwards
- Hot Under Pressure (Rising Star Chef, Book 3) by Louisa Edwards
- A Very Personal Trainer by Justine Elyot
- A Beginner’s Guide to Rakes by Suzanne Enoch
- Trouble at the Wedding (Abandoned at the Altar, Book 3) by Laura Lee Guhrke
- Dearly, Beloved (Gone With the Respiration, Book 2) by Lia Habel
- Intimate Beings (The Being Trilogy, Book 2) by Jessica Inclan
- Straight Cowboy by Jan Irving
- After the Abduction (Swanlea Spinsters, Book 3) by Sabrina Jeffries
- ‘Twas the Night After Christmas (Hellions of Halstead Hall, Book 6) by Sabrina Jeffries
- If You Give a Girl a Viscount (Impossible Bachelors, Book 4) by Kieran Kramer
- Trouble in Texas (Deep in the Heart of Texas, Book 4) by Katie Lane
- Secret Light by Z.A. Maxfield
- Lyon’s Bride (The Chattan Curse, Book 1) by Cathy Maxwell
- The Scottish Witch (The Chattan Curse, Book 2) by Cathy Maxwell
- Blood Persuasion (Immortal Jane Austen, Book 2) by Janet Mullany
- Keeping Faith by Kris Norris
- Strangers in the Night by Brynn Paulin
- Raw Desire by Kate Pearce
- Alien Sex 102 by Allie Ritch
- Delusion in Death (In Death, Book 35) by J.D. Robb (review coming September 1st)
- Seducing Mr. Knightly (Writing Girls, Book 4) by Maya Rodale
- Meredith’s Awakening (Corporate Affairs, Book 2) by Sierra and V.J. Summers
- Daniel’s Surrender (Corporate Affairs, Book 3) by Sierra and V.J. Summers
- Primal Law (Alpha Pack, Book 1) by J.D. Tyler