The Boneyard by Michelle Gagnon

Title: The Boneyard

Author: Michelle Gagnon

Series: Kelly Jones (Book #2)

Previous in Series: The Tunnels

Next in series: The Gatekeeper

My Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis: Following the discovery of a mass grave, FBI Agent Kelly Jones is on the trail of two separate killers and at the same time must cope with jurisdictional issues, rival police officers and a suspicious cover-up. To top it all off, she is in a race against time to save the life of the latest victim.

Review: Following my enjoyment of the first book in the series, I had built up certain expectations with regard to this installment but was severely disappointed. The plot fails to live up to its potential and there is one thread that remains unresolved at the rather lackadaisical conclusion.

The character development is virtually non-existent, aside from Jack and Kelly, who have gone from mere acquaintances to a fully-fledged couple with absolutely no buildup of their relationship, the other characters are completely one dimensional. The identity of the primary killer is obvious from the very beginning due to an insufficient suspect pool and an excessive number of details provided regarding his personal life. Moreover, there is no explanation for the motivation behind his crimes.

The writing flows smoothly but lacks the background detail and descriptions that made the first book so engrossing. Hopefully the next one will be better.

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Kiss of Crimson by Lara Adrian

Title: Kiss of Crimson
Author: Lara Adrian
Series: The Midnight Breed (book #2)
Previous in series: Kiss of Midnight
Next in series: Midnight Awakening

My rating: 5 Stars

Synopsis: Veterinarian Tess Culver finds herself immersed in a secret world following a brief yet vivid encounter with the badly injured Dante, one of the vampire warriors locked in a fierce struggle against the rogue element of his race. The two soon find themselves bonded together by blood and passion and must work together to thwart the enemies in their midst.

Review: I was hesitant to continue with the series but am really glad that I stuck with it as Kiss of Crimson is a definite improvement on the first book. Adrian’s characterization has improved greatly. Tess is an amazing heroine whose heartbreaking back story draws you in and Dante’s love for her is just awe inspiring – I particularly enjoyed the small twist regarding the connection between Dante’s special power and his relationship with Tess (you’ll just have to read it to see). For once, the sex scenes contribute to rather than detract from the emotional intimacy between the characters. I also enjoyed the subtle hints at stories to come, especially Tegan and Elise, and Rio whose condition is so distressful.

The plot line continues from the previous book but adds an extra dimension by including characters from the civilian vampire world and an issue that relates to the vampire society as a whole. My one small quibble is with the villain in the book who is not all that menacing and is actually quite pathetic.

In sum, every new detail added in this book helped me to become more immersed in the world Adrian has created. I will definitely be continuing with the series.

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Book Trailer Thursday (5): Savage Nature

Book Trailer Thursday is hosted on The Quill Cafe blog. 

My trailer this week is for the latest book in Christine Feehan's Leopard series entitled Savage Nature.

I haven't read any of the books in this series but I have heard good things about the author and the series so I decided to look for one of her book trailers and came across this one. It has a sultry and mysterious atmosphere that pulled me in and now I am off to Goodreads to look up the series and probably add it to my TBR.

Let me know what you think of the trailer and/or the books.

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Extreme Exposure by Pamela Clare

Title: Extreme Exposure

Author: Pamela Clare

Series: I-Team

Next in series: Hard Evidence

My rating: 3 Stars

Synopsis: Kara McMillan is an investigative journalist juggling her career with being a single mother and beginning a spicy relationship with sexy State Senator, Reece Sheridan. Kara soon finds herself embroiled in the story of the century when a whistle blower comes to her with evidence of environmental pollution, corrupt politicians, murder and conspiracy. Soon, the death threats begin and Kara must learn quickly who she can trust before she ends up dead.

Review: A good plot premise that is quite different from the usual romantic suspense fare and made me think of the movie Erin Brockovich. However, the tense situations seem contrived and I rarely found myself holding my breath in anticipation (one particularly intense scene does come to mind). The red herrings are also way too obvious, which makes it very easy to follow the clues to the identity of the secret conspirator.

The characters are intelligent and well developed – I especially enjoyed their witty dialogue. Nevertheless, I found the hero to be too perfect and the recurring descriptions of his sexiness, emotions, inner thoughts and culinary abilities become tedious. Moreover, his absolute perfection overshadows his connection to the heroine, and their relationship, although sweet and romantic, lacks that extra emotional pull that would make it completely captivating. The heroine is spunky, opinionated and easy to like but she does certain things that are inconsistent with her characterization.

Overall, this is a well-written and worthwhile read but it did not leave me with that satisfied feeling. I have heard good things about the next book in the series so have decided to give it another chance.

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Assassin's Honor by Monica Burns

Title: Assassin’s Honor

Author: Monica Burns

Series: The Order of the Sicari (Book #1)

Next in series: Assassin’s Heart

My rating: 4.5 Stars

Synopsis: Emma Zale is an archeologist with the uncanny ability to "see" the past upon touching ancient relics. Now she is in danger as two separate secret societies are under the mistaken impression that she is in possession of an ancient artifact. In order to survive, she must rely on a deadly assassin who is as much a danger to her heart as a threat to her life.

Review: This is a tremendously entertaining book. The plot revolving around archeological findings and secret societies is excellent. It would have been even better with additional detail in this area but hopefully it will be forthcoming in the next book – gives readers something to look forward to.

The characterization is brilliant as Ares and Emma’s backgrounds and motivations come to life on the pages. Emma’s sarcasm and stubbornness may be off putting to some readers but I found it very much in line with her personality and past experience. The supporting characters are just as well developed, especially Lysander, the tortured hero who will appear in the next book. I am just dying to find out about his past relationship with Phaedra.

The amalgamation of the historical, paranormal and contemporary elements is fluid and contributes to the unique sub-culture within the book. The language and dialogue are intelligent and witty, and I enjoyed the inclusion of words in Latin and Italian (don't worry, their meaning is quite clear from the text and there is always Google Translate). This element adds authenticity to the world Burns has created. My one small nitpick, however, is with the writing style as some of the descriptions of the characters internal thoughts are repetitive.

Overall, a definite must read for lovers of romance of any kind.  

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