Book Review: Tuesday's Child by Dale Mayer

Tuesday's Child by Dale Mayer

Discription from Amazon: What she doesn’t want...is exactly what he needs.

Shunned and ridiculed all her life for something she can’t control, Samantha Blair hides her psychic abilities and lives on the fringes of society. Against her will, however, she’s tapped into a killer—or rather, his victims. Each woman’s murder, blow-by-blow, ravages her mind until their death releases her back to her body. Sam knows she must go to the authorities, but will the rugged, no-nonsense detective in charge of tracking down the killer believe her?

Detective Brandt Sutherland only trusts hard evidence, yet Sam’s visions offer clues he needs to catch a killer. The more he learns about her incredible abilities, however, the clearer it becomes that Sam’s visions have put her in the killer’s line of fire. Now Brandt must save her from something he cannot see or understand…and risk losing his heart in the process.

As danger and desire collide, passion raises the stakes in a game Sam and Brandt don’t dare lose.
My Thoughts:
Samantha's character grabbed me from the beginning.  Struggling with her psychic abilities, not just mentally, but physically as each victim's wounds manifest on her own body.  She fears that the next attack will lead to her death as well.  She would do anything to help, and when Detective Sutherland finds out about her abilities a deep secret from her past rears its ugly head. 

Detective Sutherland finds Samantha's ability both a god-send and a problem.  While he truly believes in psychic abilities, he knows how the public will react if they ever found out that she was helping to solve a serial murder.  As the case escalates, and more deaths are uncovered, Sutherland finds himself drawn in an entirely new way to Samantha.  He only hopes that he can help her gain some control over her ability before its too late.

The story unfolds quickly and I was caught up in wanting to find out what Samantha was going to do right away.  I wasn't nearly as fond of Sutherland.  he seemed to be a bit of a stereotype police officer, with the exception of believing in psychics.  He was quite the "macho man" and it grated on me a bit at times. 

As one of Dale Mayer's first forays into the genre, it was very good story.  I have read a few of Mayer's other books (reviews coming shortly), and I see only good and better things to come.

Book Review: In the Forests of the Night by Kersten Hamilton

In the Forests of the Night: The Goblin Wars, Book Two by Kersten Hamilton - The Goblin Wars Book Two

About the book:

The battle against goblinkind continues . . . but which side will Teagan be on?

Teagan, Finn, and Aiden have made it out of Mag Mell alive, but the Dark Man’s forces are hot on their heels. Back in Chicago, Tea’s goblin cousins show up at her school, sure she will come back to Mag Mell, as goblin blood is never passive once awoken. Soon she will belong to Fear Doirich and join them. In the meantime, they are happy to entertain themselves by trying to seduce, kidnap, or kill Tea’s family and friends. Tea knows she doesn’t have much time left, and she refuses to leave Finn or her family to be tortured and killed. A wild Stormrider, born to rule and reign, is growing stronger inside her. But as long as she can hold on, she’s still Teagan Wylltson, who plans to be a veterinarian and who heals the sick and hurting. The disease that’s destroying her—that’s destroying them all—has a name: Fear Doirich. And Teagan Wylltson is not going to let him win.

My thoughts (may be spoilers if you have not read book one - I try to keep them to a minimum)
Teagan, Finn, and Aiden have made it back to our world and out of Mag Mell - along with some friends and with some knowledge of Teagan's past that they all could have done without.  The Dark Man is still on her trail, but is trying to be more persuasive, by trying to go after Teagan's friends and family.  When the group finds themselves back in Mag Mell on a search to stop the growing goblin inside of her.

While I enjoyed returning to Teagan's world again, I had a much harder time following this story than the first.  There were more "main" characters, and they each had their own agenda.  On the other hand, they each brought out a little more of the old mythology which I absolutely loved.  This book seemed to fall into the trap that many second books in a series seem to do - it was more of a wrapping up of loose ends and setting the stage for more than a story that I could really get into.  I'm hoping there's a third book still.  I love Teagan, and all her family and friends, there just need to be a little less going on in the background.

3/5

The Last Awakening by Rachel Firasek - Curse of the Phoenix Book 2

About the book:
For three hundred years, Arabella’s life has been one meaningless death after another. In a cruel twist of fate, Osiris gifts the phoenix her mortality and long-gone voodoo magic with a warning that she must save her next soul within a week without using magic, or she’ll lose her power forever.

Ex-soldier Greyson Meadows desperately wants to be freed from the nightmares and guilt that haunt him. Confronted by a waif of a woman who forces him to face the truth about his past, he runs fast and hard, fighting the need to prove himself worthy despite his perceived failures.

When Ari becomes the target of her own magical blunder, the weak will find strength and the strong will fall. One will have to give up everything so the other can have peace, but will love’s magic withstand the loss?           

My Thoughts:
The thing I like most about this series is that even though the stories are short, they jump right into the action and carry you along right until the very end.  Arabella is a fiesty voodoo priestess, or at least she was.  Something went wrong with a spell one day and she ended up serving as one of Osiris's phoenixes until she learns her lesson.  While serving as a phoenix may sound glamorous, it's actually quite the opposite.  Having to die over and over again in the place of others wears thin quickly.  Then one day Ari saves Greyson and everything changes.  Ari is willing to risk her soul to try and help him fight his inner demons (which are pretty nasty), but she is only given a week to do it.

Now, Greyson is ex-military, and has carried around guilt from his time in the service for years.  When Ari shows up and tries to show him that he has nothing to be guilty about, he runs the opposite way at first, not realizing just how much he needs her.  As Ari tries to help Greyson, she realizes that she needs his help as well, and fast.  Osiris has given her a time frame to save Greyson and it's quickly approaching when she finds out that everything she knew about her past was wrong.  Facing this will push both of them to their emotional limits.

I really liked Ari in the first book of the series, The Last Rising, and was excited to see her starring in her own.  I've become attached to the characters and I really hope to see a third book come out.

3/5

Book Review: The Last Rising by Rachel Firasek

The Last Rising (Curse of the Phoenix, Book One) by Rachel Firasek

About the book:  After paying two millennia’s penance to Osiris, world-weary Phoenix Ice has had enough. Saving souls without any hope for her own redemption isn’t how she imagined spending eternity. Fed up, she decides her next death will be her last. But when she sacrifices her own life for a sexy Texan in a catastrophic plane crash, she has no idea the consequences will be so great…or that she’ll end up back in his life for her next assignment.

Now that Turner Alcott has survived the worst, finding a wife and mother for his son matters more than ever before. When the mysterious Ice comes into his life, Turner knows she’s the one—but love is the last thing Ice wants. If he wants to win her heart, Turner must teach Ice how to forgive herself, and prove that love is the ultimate sacrifice.


My Thoughts:  This book was a great quick read.  Ice has been doing penance for Osiris for two millennia for a crime that she doesn't understand, and she's getting really sick and tired of it.  Her last trip ended in a fiery plane crash after saving a man named Turner, and to her amazement her next assignment puts her right back into Turner's life.  Ice is determined not to let Turner into her heart, but finds it becomes harder and harder to deny their attraction is just physical.  Turner is determined to prove to Ice that he is the right guy for her.

The characters had a surprising amount of growth and development for such a short book, and it was great to watch has Ice and Turner each taught the other important lessons on life and love.  The book ends with quite a twist that I had no idea was coming and set me up to read the next book, The Last Awakening.

3/5

Better Off Dead - Pump Up Your Book Tours

About the book:

They say dead men tell no tales, but that’s just because they’ve never worked as a Grim Reaper.
Grim Reapers are real. They are governed by the Council of Reapers. Reapers are responsible for the capture and containment of dead souls that refuse to or cannot move on to the afterlife.
Lori Standford’s mother died six months ago. Now she’s back, haunting Lori out of her home. Lori turns to her close friend, Emma Grym, mother of Thane and Mort Grym, for help.
Now Thane and Mort find themselves embroiled in a mystery of dead men that stretches all the way to the top.

Jason Krumbine is the author behind the pulse pounding, wisecracking Alex Cheradon Series, the dead soul hunting Grym Brothers Series (including Two and a Half Dead Men, The Dead Couple and Better Off Dead), and the tongue-in-cheek paranormal romance “A Graveyard Romance.”
You can visit his website at www.jasonkrumbine.com or visit him at Twitter at www.twitter.com/jasonkrumbine and Facebook at www.facebook.com/jmkwriter.
You can also email him at onestrayword@gmail.com.







My Review:

Mort and Thane have a rather unusual case this time.  It isn't an official reaping, but rather a favor to a friend of their's mother.  Lori's mother died six months ago and for some reason seems to have not moved on.  Now, there's no reason for her to  not move on, and it should be a fairly easy reaping.  But of course nothing goes as planned.  It would appear that Lori's mother may have had some very serious unresolved issues...or that perhaps something is not quite right.

The best mystery of the series so far, this one involves family, friends, and poltergiests.  As Mort and Thane argue their way through things while still trying to find out what happened to their father.  The brothers are starting to make some progress that is quite surprising (I won't give it away).  This was my favorite of the series so far.

Giveaways, Contests & Prizes!

Join Jason Krumbine at the Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat / Book Giveaway Party on Friday, November 18 starting at 8 p.m. eastern!

Jason will be giving away three e-copies of his books in The Grym Brothers Series! You could win a copy of Two and a Half Dead, The Dead Couple and Better Off Dead simply by attending the chat and asking Jason a question. All there is to it!

For details on chat, visit the official chat page for the November authors at Pump Up Your Book Live!

The Grym Brothers Series Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

Tuesday, November 1

Guest blogging at The Book Faery Reviews

Wednesday, November 2

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Thursday, November 3

Guest blogging at Bookin’ It Up

Friday, November 4

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Monday, November 7

The Dead Couple Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Tuesday, November 8

Guest blogging at Mad Moose Mama

Wednesday, November 9

Better Off Dead Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Thursday, November 10

The Dead Couple Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, November 11

Guest blogging at Curling Up By the Fire

Monday, November 14

Book reviewed at Curing Up By the Fire

Tuesday, November 15

Interviewed at Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews

Thursday, November 17

Better Off Dead Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, November 18

Chat with Jason at Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat/Book Giveaway Party!

Monday, November 21

Guest blogging at Carol’s Notebook

Tuesday, November 22

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at Carol’s Notebook

Wednesday, November 23

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at From the TBR Pile

The Dead Couple by Jason Krumbine - Pump Up Your Book Tour

The Dead Couple by Jason Krumbine


About the book:

Jack and Cindy were a happily married couple. She was an elementary school teacher. He was an aspiring children’s book author. They had the perfect life together, until the day they decided to kill themselves.
Suicides, by their very nature, tend to head directly into the afterlife.
Jack and Cindy’s souls never arrived.
Grim Reapers are real. They are governed by the Council of Reapers. Reapers are responsible for the capture and containment of dead souls that refuse to or cannot move on to the afterlife.
Thane and Mort Grym are two such reapers.

My Review:
Thane and Mort, the Grym brothers and Grim Reapers for souls that did not find their way to the afterlife, have a new assignment.  There are two souls that should have crossed easily, but for some reason they didn't.  Jack and Cindy are happily married, but something pushed them over the edge and they became suicides.  Now usually suicides are the easy one, they wanted to die and move on, but something didn't seem to work that way in this case.  Meanwhile, Thane and Mort are still trying to find time to figure out what happened to their father who disappeared two years ago and figure out what the new Grim Reaping company that just moved into time is really up to. 

Not quite as entertaining as the first in the seris, The Dead Couple still had my attention throughout the entire story.  Mort and Thane are still at the brotherly bickering and both still have their bad habits.  Thane is constantly trying to do the good deeds and help the lost souls really find peace, but it only seems to get them into more trouble.  And with Mort's love life and gambling debts thrown into the  mix there's a lot going on.  Somehow, they manage to handle it all and still keep on track trying to find the souls of Jack and Cindy. 

Jason Krumbine is the author behind the pulse pounding, wisecracking Alex Cheradon Series, the dead soul hunting Grym Brothers Series (including Two and a Half Dead Men, The Dead Couple and Better Off Dead), and the tongue-in-cheek paranormal romance “A Graveyard Romance.”
You can visit his website at www.jasonkrumbine.com or visit him at Twitter at www.twitter.com/jasonkrumbine and Facebook at www.facebook.com/jmkwriter.
You can also email him at onestrayword@gmail.com

Giveaways, Contests & Prizes!

Join Jason Krumbine at the Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat / Book Giveaway Party on Friday, November 18 starting at 8 p.m. eastern!

Jason will be giving away three e-copies of his books in The Grym Brothers Series! You could win a copy of Two and a Half Dead, The Dead Couple and Better Off Dead simply by attending the chat and asking Jason a question. All there is to it!

For details on chat, visit the official chat page for the November authors at Pump Up Your Book Live!

The Grym Brothers Series Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

Tuesday, November 1

Guest blogging at The Book Faery Reviews

Wednesday, November 2

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Thursday, November 3

Guest blogging at Bookin’ It Up

Friday, November 4

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Monday, November 7

The Dead Couple Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Tuesday, November 8

Guest blogging at Mad Moose Mama

Wednesday, November 9

Better Off Dead Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Thursday, November 10

The Dead Couple Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, November 11

Guest blogging at Curling Up By the Fire

Monday, November 14

Book reviewed at Curing Up By the Fire

Tuesday, November 15

Interviewed at Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews

Thursday, November 17

Better Off Dead Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, November 18

Chat with Jason at Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat/Book Giveaway Party!

Monday, November 21

Guest blogging at Carol’s Notebook

Tuesday, November 22

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at Carol’s Notebook

Wednesday, November 23

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at From the TBR Pile

Two and a Half Dead men - Pump Up Your Book Tours

Two and a Half Dead Men by Jason Krumbine

About the book:
People die every day. But not all of the souls can or want to move onto the afterlife.
That’s where the brothers Thane and Mort Grym come in.
Thane and Mort are bounty hunters for dead souls. They inherited the job from their father and they’re two of the best in town.
But when there’s a double homicide at the Kirkland Motel the Grym brothers end up with more than they bargained for. In a world without vampires, zombies or the undead, one of their bounties might not be as dead as he’s supposed to be.

My Review:
First off I have to say that I absolutely loved Thane and Mort.  As lead characters and brothers, their interactions steal the show and kept me wanting to see what they were going to find themselves into next.  In the first book of this series we are introduced to the Grym brothers and learn a little about their odd occupation, Grim Reapers.  They are issued bounties on souls that are lost or have refused to move on to the Afterlife.  This time they are given a rather unique request.  Not only have two souls not shown up when they should have, but there is another person out there that should be dead, but might not be.  Well, I don't want to give too much away so I'll leave you hanging on that one.  To throw even more twists into the story, the two souls that were sent to find seem to have disappeared and the brothers won't get paid until they are found.

A very clever mix of humor and supernatural I flew through this book in one day, one sitting, without even realizing how long I had been reading.  The story is interesting and involving enough to draw you in, but light and easy to read at the same time.  As supporting characters come and go throughout the book, they only make the brothers more interesting.  A fantastic start to a series and I'm very glad that I have the chance to review the second book for you next week on Nov 7, as part of this great tour.

Giveaways, Contests & Prizes!

 

Join Jason Krumbine at the Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat / Book Giveaway Party on Friday, November 18 starting at 8 p.m. eastern!

Jason will be giving away three e-copies of his books in The Grym Brothers Series!  You could win a copy of Two and a Half Dead, The Dead Couple and Better Off Dead simply by attending the  chat and asking Jason a question.  All there is to it!

For details on chat, visit the official chat page for the November authors at Pump Up Your Book Live!

The Grym Brothers Series Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

 

Tuesday, November 1

Guest blogging at The Book Faery Reviews

Wednesday, November 2

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Thursday, November 3

Guest blogging at Bookin’ It Up

Friday, November 4

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Monday, November 7

The Dead Couple Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Tuesday, November 8

Guest blogging at Mad Moose Mama

Wednesday, November 9

Better Off Dead Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Thursday, November 10

The Dead Couple Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, November 11

Guest blogging at Curling Up By the Fire

Monday, November 14

Book reviewed at Curing Up By the Fire

Tuesday, November 15

Interviewed at Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews

Thursday, November 17

Better Off Dead Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, November 18

Chat with Jason at Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat/Book Giveaway Party!

Monday, November 21

Guest blogging at Carol’s Notebook

Tuesday, November 22

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at Carol’s Notebook

Wednesday, November 23

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at From the TBR Pile