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Book Review: Semi-Charmed, by Isabel Jordan

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I picked up a freebie copy of Isabel Jordan‘s Semi-Charmed about this time last year.
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She’s infamous.
He’s legendary.
Together, they’ll be epic…or a complete train wreck. It could go either way, really…

Psychic and paranormal PI Harper Hall isn’t that surprised when her business partner skips town. She never really trusted the jerk anyway.

But if Harper wants to consult for the police on a high-profile case, she’ll need a new partner– preferably one with some supernatural talents of his own.

Noah Riddick, a slayer left jobless when vampires went public and earned human rights, is perfect for the gig. Too bad he’s grumpy, anti-social, and completely resistant to the idea of working with her.

Riddick’s dark secrets and shady past forced him into exile from human society–an exile he was comfortable with until gorgeous and exasperating Harper waltzed into his life. Now, all too aware of how unlifelike his life has been, he realizes partnering with her might be the best thing that could ever happen to him…even though it might be the worst for her.

Fighting vampires, making immortal enemies, staging daring rescues…it’s all in a day’s work. But falling in love? Well…that’s a little trickier. Even for the Semi-Charmed Harper Hall.

I enjoyed the heck out of this. The world is interesting, being 5 years after vampires have come out to the public and involving characters who had previously been part of the (now disbanded) secret organization to hunt them. Those characters are likable, each in their own way. Harper is snarky and feels genuine, and Riddick is dark and broody but not in an alpha a-hole way. The plot ticks along nicely, so I was entertained. I didn’t even mind the pop-culture references, which oftentimes make me gnash my teeth. (Pop culture references aren’t endearing if you’re not up to date on pop culture, just saying.)

I did think Riddick’s insta-love needed an explanation, Mischa and Hunter’s subplot (with a POV) felt out of place, and some of the characters were a little cliched. But all in all, I’d be happy to read another book in the series (and by the author more generally).

Funny side note: For the longest time, I looked at this cover wondering what a pick axe had to do with the plot. I finally figured out that it is a cross-bow and things made a lot more sense. LOL

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Review: Semi-Charmed by Isabel Jordan

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Book Review: Grave Stakes, by Grave Grahme

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I recently picked up a freebie copy of Grave Grahme‘s Grave Stakes on Amazon.
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BRITT
I thought I’d seen everything.

A decade as a cop tends to make anyone cynical. Even a cop with great instincts.

Until I follow those instincts one night, and get my throat torn out.

That’s a new one.

Odder still, I wake up in the ER with no trace of the lethal injury. Don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled to be alive, but my memory is blank.

I’m going to find out what happened.

pnrI followed a man that night. I have a feeling he has answers.

Finding him might kill me.

ETIENNE
I was the king of the city. Untouchable.

Until a hired assassin tried to kill me.

My saving grace? A police officer caused a distraction allowing me to dispatch the assassin.

My mistake? Saving that police office. A woman who haunts me with the sweetness of her taste.

Someone is power-hungry enough to try to make me permanently dead. I need an expert to help uncover the source of the threat.

And I know just where to find a detective.

Whether she wants to help or not.

my review

Meh. This was a fine read. I didn’t hate it. It didn’t light me up, either, though. I really liked that the heroine is older. I don’t think an exact age is ever given. But, she has some grey in her hair and has been in her job long enough to be the mentor instead of the mentee. I liked the archetypes that the men are filling. I liked the snarky tone, and the writing is pretty clean and easy to read.

But I also don’t feel like the book lived up to its own potential. The villain is paper thin and dispatched with no fanfare (super anticlimactic). I did not feel any connection between the romantic leads. The lust is instant and baseless. So, I can’t even say I felt the erotic chemistry.

There’s also a trigger warning for SA. So, I’m not complaining about that. But I also always grave stakes photoassess if an SA is actually integral to a plot or if an author could have skipped it without changing the story any. And that is 100% the case here. It just wasn’t needed.

All in all, I’d be willing to read the next series. In fact, I’d like to. This one kind of felt like an extended prologue more than anything else. But alas, it isn’t out yet, and I’ll probably have forgotten about it by the time it is.

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Book Review: Finding Friday, by Quell T. Fox

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I picked up an Amazon freebie copy of Quell T. Fox‘s Finding Friday.
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Cheating boyfriend. Check.
Broken down car. Check.
Crappy motel. Check.
Hot guys that want me to go on a road trip with them. Quadruple check.

I’ve never had much in my life, always been at the bottom of the barrel. I’m used to it. I get by with my looks and bubbly personality. I thought my life was going good, until I caught my boyfriend in bed with another girl. It was like a damn train wreck, ya know? I wanted to look away but I couldn’t stop watching.

Gross.

Things only start to look up when I decide- probably against better judgement- to join four random guys on a road trip. But not just any guys…hot guys. Like, really hot guys. Their annual vacation, my getaway from reality. Couldn’t be worse than what I’ve already been through…could it? I mean, what could go wrong on a road trip with four hot men?

The guys- Maddox, Lenny, Callan & Alec.
They’ve spent countless years searching, falling apart to almost nothing. None of them have much left to give, until they hit one lucky town. Friday is who they’ve been looking for, but how do they tell her? How do they tell her what they are…what she is?

my review

Meh, I read this first book in The Road to Truth series to see if I was interested in the series. (I also have the omnibus.) I’m stopping here, though. I wanted to like this, and part of me wants to continue. But I realize it’s just the sunk cost fallacy rather than any actual enjoyment or connection or even curiosity about what happens.

I’ve finished this book and feel as if the plot has made no progress. I don’t know the characters at all, though I dislike some of them intensely. I have no understanding of the world or species particulars. Plus, the whole thing is in first person present tense, which means it is almost all dialogue and internal monologues. There is simply no subtlety or nuance to the writing.

All in all, as much as I hate abandoning anything partially completed (especially ending on a cliffhanger), I can’t take a further 5 books. I’m stopping here.

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