Tag Archives: Barb.’s Reviews

A Grave Robbery by Deanna Raybourn – a Review

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A Grave Robbery by Deanna Raybourn – a Review

 

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Description:
Lord Rosemorran has purchased a wax figure of a beautiful reclining woman and asks Stoker to incorporate a clockwork mechanism to give the Rosemorran Collection its own Sleeping Beauty in the style of Madame Tussaud’s. But when Stoker goes to cut the mannequin open to insert the mechanism, he makes a gruesome discovery: this is no wax figure. The mannequin is the beautifully preserved body of a young woman who was once very much alive. But who would do such a dreadful thing, and why?

Sleuthing out the answer to this question sets Veronica and Stoker on their wildest adventure yet. From the underground laboratories of scientists experimenting with electricity to resurrect the dead in the vein of Frankenstein to the traveling show where Stoker once toured as an attraction, the gaslit atmosphere of London in October is the perfect setting for this investigation into the unknown. Through it all, the intrepid pair is always one step behind the latest villain—a man who has killed once and will stop at nothing to recover the body of the woman he loved. Will they unmask him in time to save his next victim? Or will they become the latest figures to be immortalized in his collection of horrors?

 

 

Review:

A Grave Robbery by Deanna Raybourn is the 9th book in her Veronica Speedwell Mystery series. We get to see Veronica and Stoker at the start, as they both worked for Lord Rosemorran’s helping restore his many collections for future display.  It was nice to see both Veronica and Stoker settling into their affectionate relationship, as they are both clever, witty and always challenging each other.  Veronica Speedwell is a lepidopterist, a woman who is ahead of her time, and Stoker is a scientist and adventurer. They make a terrific team.

Lord Rosemorran lets them know that he has acquired a new purchase, which would be a birthday present for his young daughter; it was a wax figure of Sleeping Beauty, similar to Madame Tussaud’s. He wanted Stoker to add a mechanism to make the figure look alive.  When Stoker goes to cut the mannequin open, to his shock he discovers it was not wax, but a preserved young lady.  Unable to let this go unpunished, both Veronica and Stoker set out to solve this crime. They try to learn how long this body was deceased, and they call their friends, JJ (journalist) and Mornaday (detective) to help search the newspaper and police archives for missing young ladies.

Veronica and Stoker follow a trail that led them first to a circus, to get some answers, but JJ was able to find a girl who drowned 15 years ago, which will lead them to Plumfield’s mortuary to track down who the girl was.  The new Plumfield owner was able to find some papers, and he will be one of the new characters that help Victoria and Stoker; as well as Spyridon, who helped Stoker hide the body.  They were all very good characters, and fun.

What follows is wild adventure that will eventually lead them to a dangerous killer. The mystery was very compelling, as well as a number of twists as we reach the climax.  Veronica and Stoker, as well as JJ and Mornaday will plan a trap to catch the true killer, putting some of them in danger. I really enjoyed both Veronica and Stoker, as they were lots of fun, and romantic. A Grave Robbery was very well written by Deanna Raybourn. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Codename Firefly by C.J. Daugherty – a Review

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Codename Firefly by C.J. Daugherty – a Review

 

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Description:
Assassins are hunting the daughter of the Prime Minister… How long will she hide before it’s time to fight back? Gray Langtry is on the run. As the only child of the British Prime Minister, Gray’s life has been in turmoil ever since her mother was chosen to lead the country. Both she and her mother are targets of a Russian assassination plot. And what’s worse, members of her mother’s own cabinet are involved. A team of bodyguards never leaves her side. The press attention is relentless. And then there are the death threats. Now, after an attempt on Gray’s life, she has been moved to an elite boarding school in the British countryside. Shielded by high walls and locked gates, Gray finally feels safe, but the plotters are still hunting, and soon they will find her. Gray’s personal bodyguard, Julia, and the school’s young headmistress are determined to protect her. They both know how dangerous things are. The assassins searching for Gray are highly trained. And when they arrive they will aim to kill. Dylan, a mysterious American student, seems to know more than he should – but he’s always there when Gray needs him. Can she trust him? Can she trust anyone? As winter closes in and darkness falls, Gray will have to think fast. The hunters are coming.

 

 

Review:

Codename Firefly by C.J. Daugherty is the 2nd book in her Number 10 series, which is a spin off of her Night School series.  I did not realize this was the 2nd book in this series, but was happy that this read very well without having read the first book.  Gray Langtry, our heroine, is the daughter of the British Prime Minster, and her life, as well as her mother’s is in danger, as they are targets of assassination plots by a terrorist organization.

Gray survived previous attempts on her life (first book), and now is sent with her bodyguard, Julia to an elite boarding school that is known for their security (Cimmeria Academy). Besides Julia, the school has other bodyguards, with high walls, gates and cameras, which gives the vibe that Gray, and many school mates (political families) are very safe.  Allie (heroine from Night School) is now the headmistress, and she is determined to protect Gray and the other students. Allie and Julia do not get along at first, since they knew each other in the previous books, but when things get dangerous, everyone must work together to protect Gray, against the attacks.

What follows is an exciting, fast paced, action packed thriller, with Gray’s life constantly in danger.  I loved Julia, as she was a terrific bodyguard, as well as many of those who came to help (from Night School), Allie, Chase, Zoe, Cameron, etc.   I really did enjoy Gray’s interaction with other students, especially those who were in similar situations, but not currently targeted, like Gray.  I also liked Dylan, who was American, and seemed to stick closely to Gray, with both feeling an immediate attraction. I look forward to their romance heating up in future books.

Codename Firefly was very well written by C.J. Daugherty, and exciting and tense from start to finish, with a few twists along the way.  To tell too much more would be spoilers, and I think you should read it from the beginning.  Codename Firefly had me on the edge of my seat often, as it was a captivating adventure, especially with the constant attacks and lives on the line.  I suggest you read this Codename Firefly. I for one will look into reading more from C.J. Daugherty.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for review

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Survive the Night by Riley Sager – a Review

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Survive the Night by Riley Sager – a Review

 

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Description:
It’s November 1991. George H. W. Bush is in the White House, Nirvana’s in the tape deck, and movie-obsessed college student Charlie Jordan is in a car with a man who might be a serial killer.

Josh Baxter, the man behind the wheel, is a virtual stranger to Charlie. They met at the campus ride board, each looking to share the long drive home to Ohio. Both have good reasons for wanting to get away. For Charlie, it’s guilt and grief over the murder of her best friend, who became the third victim of the man known as the Campus Killer. For Josh, it’s to help care for his sick father. Or so he says. Like the Hitchcock heroine she’s named after, Charlie has her doubts. There’s something suspicious about Josh, from the holes in his story about his father to how he doesn’t seem to want Charlie to see inside the car’s trunk. As they travel an empty highway in the dead of night, an increasingly worried Charlie begins to think she’s sharing a car with the Campus Killer. Is Josh truly dangerous? Or is Charlie’s suspicion merely a figment of her movie-fueled imagination?

What follows is a game of cat-and-mouse played out on night-shrouded roads and in neon-lit parking lots, during an age when the only call for help can be made on a pay phone and in a place where there’s nowhere to run. In order to win, Charlie must do one thing—survive the night.

 

 

Review:

Survive the Night by Riley Sager is another one of his excellent standalone psychological thrillers, which I have read and enjoyed.  It amazes me how Sager continues to give us ultra-exciting and tense, edge of your seat stories that have us holding our breath all the way.

Charlie Jordan, our heroine, decides to leave her campus and go home to her grandmother, as she is still grieving over the loss of her friend, Maddy who was murdered months ago by the Campus Killer.  Charlie meets Josh Baxter, who offers her a ride to her hometown, and needing a ride, she accepts.  Charlie leaves her boyfriend, Rob, explaining that she may not come back, depending if she still has her nightmare dreams.  She is a loner, day dreamer, introvert and is movie expert. Charlie has suffered with what the doctor says are hallucinations since her parents were killed in a car crash; which she often finds herself in movie scenes that look real.

Josh is a janitor for the school, and is heading home to care for his sick father.  They begin their travel at night, and for a while the ride is fun, as they play 20 questions to learn about themselves. After a bit, Josh begins to notice how Charlie seems to be distanced, like in another world, at times. When he stops to pick up coffee and food, Charlie notices some strange things like a driver’s license with a different name, and his address was not where they were heading.  She begins to suspect that maybe she is riding with the Campus Killer; she needs to keep herself alert and find a way to get away, especially trying to force her movie visions not to takeover. Somehow, she needs to survive the night.

I do not want to tell too much, as it would be spoilers, as there are so many twists along the way, I could not put the book down. Charlie suspicions grow and when they stop at a diner, she is desperate to find a way to escape, and calls her boyfriend Rob, who calls the police.  The waitress in the diner befriends her, and tries to help; but Charlie needs to keep Josh from hurting anyone. Survive the Night was an intense nonstop thriller, that changed the game so often, throwing me for a loop, with shocking revelations.

What follows is an intense, action packed, exciting, edge of your seat scary thriller that a had a number of twists along the way, keeping us engrossed to the very end.  Riley Sager once again gives us another fantastic story that was so very well written.  With so many surprising twists throughout, you really need to read Survive the Night from start to finish.  If you enjoy thrillers, suspense, and mystery, look no further than reading anything by Riley Sager.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Ruff and Tumble by Lucy Gilmore – a Review

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Ruff and Tumble by Lucy Gilmore – a Review

 

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Description:
As a production assistant for the Puppy Cup, Hailey Lincoln knows all things puppies and football. So when Seattle Lumberjacks star quarterback Cole Bennett asks for PR help, she agrees. She’s not swayed by Cole’s good looks or stellar career, but by the puppies they can help. Okay, maybe she’s swayed just a tiny bit by his good looks.

Winning at puppy football, however, is only the start. If she really wants to win—the game, the man, and the warm, welcoming family he takes for granted—she needs to pull out all the stops. And Cole, who’s spent his entire life playing a game, has to realize that losing at football isn’t nearly as catastrophic as losing the woman he loves

 

 

Review:

Ruff and Tumble by Lucy Gilmore is another one of her fun cute romances, featuring wonderful adorable dogs, not to mention some hunks along the way. Hailey Lincoln, our heroine, is a production assistant who runs the annual Puppy Cup, which coincides with official pro football cup.  While in the planning stages with her co-worker, Penny, Hailey is shocked to see Cole Bennett (our hero & gorgeous hunk), the Seattle Lumberjacks star quarterback, walking into to her office.

Cole is determined to win this year’s Puppy Cup to help break their football team’s cursed luck, and he knows that the woman standing in front of him is undefeated for a few years; neither have met, though that is about to change. Hailey is not swayed by Cole’s charm, but agrees to work with him to help him select dogs for his team; Hailey only cares about making sure all the cute puppies get adopted.  When Cole tries to use his charm, which never fails, she tells him all the things he does wrong on the football field.  Though he is shocked how much she knows, he laughs and follows her to the elevator, with the pregnant dog she is taking care of; but to their dismay the elevator breaks, leaving them stuck and the dog is about to give birth to puppies.   It was a funny and cute.

What follows is a sweet romance that develops between Cole and Hailey, and the fun with all the puppies was adorable.  I got a kick out of Hailey getting Cole to take care of Phillip (a dog that was suffering anxiety), as well as getting another dog set up with Cole’s football friend.  As their relationship grows, Hailey (who has no family) gets to meet Cole’s wonderful family, and they welcome her with open arms. They all enjoy Hailey easily setting in, especially since she has an uncanny ability to see what the players are doing wrong.  Football is the major importance for the family, with Cole worried that his family will be upset, as his shoulder injury is not healing the way it should. 

Ruff and Tumble was a fun sweet heartwarming romance with a couple that sizzled, but I totally adored how Hailey took care of the dogs/puppies, which was so much fun.  Lucy Gilmore gave us some great secondary characters, besides Hailey and Cole; such as Penny, Regina, Garrett and Cole’s family.  Ruff and Tumble was so very well written by Lucy Gilmore. If you love puppies, and a sweet romance, you should read this enjoyable story.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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