Genre – Page 2 – The Spine View

Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher

There is not much better than a good romance except maybe one involving a witch and Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher was filled with all the witchy goodness I could want. The second book in the Supernatural Singles series, this book was funny, flirty, and oh so good.

Rose is one of the Maxwell triplet witches. She was trained to be the next Prima on the Council until recently when she stepped down. Now trying to find a new life for herself, she runs afoul of Damian Adams, a sexy half-demon veterinarian, when she attempts to steal a horse she thinks is being abused. Her punishment? Community service hours at the aforementioned vet’s animal rescue.

Soon sparks are flying between these two and they agree to be F-buddies. Yeap, friends-with-benefits, no strings attached and no commitment because the hunky half demon vet has been hexed by his Ex. But, as we all know, the heart wants what the heart wants.

This book has a solid plot with a few twists that keep my interest. So good, it only took me a couple of days to read this one. I loved the banter between the two main characters and Rose’s names for Damian, like Mr. McGrumpy Pants, had me laughing out loud. As an animal lover, the fact that part of the story involved animals was an unforeseen bonus.

The character development was solid and I loved learning more about Rose and getting enough of Damian’s history that I understood his actions and why he was a grumpasaurs. Even the minor characters, such as Damian’s brother Julius, were well thought out and added to the story.

The only negative thing is, I have to wait to read the next book! I hope the author does not make me wait long. This was delicious and I need more soon!

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good romance with a bit more edge to it and it works well as a stand-alone. Also a great choice for that summer vacation reading list.

I received a free copy, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.

The Minister’s Wife by John Anthony Miller

I was first drawn to The Minister’s Wife, by John Anthony Miller, because I was intrigued by the idea of a woman spy during the Revolutionary War. I love books that highlight strong women in unusual circumstances and this book delivered. I need more books like this!

Abigail, the minister’s wife, has just returned to Philadelphia from New York with her new husband. She comes home to find, in her absence, the city has been captured by the English and the redcoats are everywhere she looks.

However, some things have not changed. Ian Blaine, her former lover, still lives in the city and when he is accused of being a traitor to the crown old feelings begin to rise in her. Though he is able to prove he is innocence, the English are watching him closely, especially the English Commander Duncan.

Soon it becomes obvious that Ian still loves Abigail and he just can’t stay away from her. As Abigail is pulled into the web of patriot spies, there are lies and deceit that abound that will threaten both her and Ian.

This story is full of twists and turns you will not see coming. The plot is fast paced and the suspense was almost unbearable at times. I was on the edge of my seat with worry about Ian and Abigail being caught. They took far too many chances, in my opinion, and it made my heart skip a beat every time they took an unnecessary risk. Then the dramatic ending just sealed my love of this story.

Not only did I got caught up in the drama of the story early on, but it was also the character of Abigail that made me really love this book. She was so brave. She knew she was taking big risks; yet, she found the courage to do what she thought was right.

The type of suspense, and the characters, in this book are what I feel makes a good story great. Perfect book for fans of Historical Thrillers. I also think it will appeal to those Romance readers who enjoy a story that is not all fluff and has a bit of bite to it.

I received a free copy in exchange for by honest review.

To Each This World by Julie E. Czerneda

To Each This World is a hard Sci-Fi novel. A great story filled with political intrigue, mystery, adventure and imaginative world building. A great find and glad I read it.

The main character Henry, is the Arbiter, the most important individual on New World. His main responsibility is being the go between Humans and the Alien species called the Kmet. Humans have entered into a pact or Duality, as it is called, between the two species.

The Kmet have given some technology to humans and the use of Portals that allow space ships to transit long distances in the blink of an eye. However, everything could be in jeopardy when a probe reaches New Earth with a message that a seed ship, sent centuries earlier, has arrived at its destinations and the humans there are prospering.

The Kmet on the Portal is beside itself. It insists that the other humans be rounded up and returned to New Earth before the Divider finds them and destroys them. As the Arbiter, Henry must assist with this task. Yet, he has many questions, and foremost is who is the Divider and why are they dangerous.

This book is one of the most original I have read in a while. I loved that the author presented Aliens as Alien. Nothing like humans and hard to understand, not only in speech but in motive. It felt plausible and the pacing was perfect. Yet, in the end it was the characters and the world building that made it such a good book.

There is just one negative for me, the writing style, which made the story hard to follow at times. I also struggled at first to get invested in the story. However, the characters of Henry and Killian were just so well developed and I fell in love with them and it made it up for so much.

Despite my one grip, if you are a Sci-Fi fan and like a more traditional story then this is a book for you. It is well worth being at the top of your TBR list.

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

A Crime Through Time by John Anthony Miller

A Crime Through Time reads like a cold case murder mystery. The story line bounces between the mid-19^th century and the 1950s in Normandy. If not for the setting, this plot could have been something straight out of the crime drama 48 Hours. A totally engrossing read.

In the past, an artist’s model was murdered not far from the studio of Jean-Pierre, a French painter known for his use of light. Then an attempt is made on the life of Elsie Lyon, the wife of a wealthy and ruthless Paris businessman, while she was leaving the same studio after a portrait sitting with the artist.

In the present (1956 Normandy, France) Zelie Girard has just inherited a house with 3 cottages, two of which are rented, from her mother-in-law, along with a mountain of debt. Not sure what she is going to do, Zelie starts to go through her late mother-in-law’s things. In the attic she finds a series of paintings that could be valuable. Her interest is peaked and she sets out to discover more about the paintings and the artist. What she uncovers is much more than she bargained for.

This book is highly atmospheric because the author did an outstanding job with the descriptive prose. The attention to the details of the settings made it easy for me visualize each scene. It is one of the reasons I was deeply invested with the outcome.

Another aspect of this book that had me captivated were the great characters. Some of them I loved and some I loved hating. The characters were definitely fully developed and I had no problem understanding their actions and motivations from the prickly and arrogant detective to the young postwar widow. In addition, the cast was varied and this added a richness to the story.

The pacing was good and the clues where doled out slowly as the story unfolds. Despite the clues, I never figured out who the murderer was. I thought I was paying attention. However, I was totally surprised in the end. The ending was not as all what I expected and yet it felt right.

A Crime Through Time is perfect for fans of cozy mysteries and lovers of historical fiction. It would also make a great book club selection. Highly recommend that you put this on your TBR list.

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen

Violet made of Thorns is full of suspense, dark prophecy, and court intrigue with a serving of enemies-to-lovers on the side. There is also plenty of magic in this story and prophesies that spell doom. If you like your fairy tales on the darker side, this is the book for you.

Violet is a young Seer working for the King. She is one of only a few in the world and her talents are highly sought after. However, she didn’t receive proper instruction on the use of her gifts and though the visions and dreams are easy enough, there are other things her magic is capable of that she has yet to discover. Of course, there are people who wish to exploit her youth and lack of knowledge.

The King being one of those that will use her for his own ends. He frequently asks Violet to lie about what she sees or does not see. The latest lie is about Prince Cyrus’s upcoming engagement, even though he has yet to secure a bride.

Also, there is a dark prophecy surrounding Prince Cyrus. The prophecy Violet has, or says she has, could have dire consequences for both herself and the realm. Ultimately, the choices she and Cyrus make will determine the fate of everyone.

There was a lot of tension between Violet and Cyrus. I get the resentment that the Prince felt toward Violet. He cared about her but didn’t like her being a tool for his father to use as he desired. I felt that resentment was a little misplaced. However, it did allow for the tension between them and this enhanced the plot.

What I didn’t get was the hot to cold thing that was going on between the two. One minute they were making out and the next the claws were out. This part of the story felt like it needed further polish. In addition, I would have loved just a little more character development for Cyrus. His character was not as rounded as Violet.

The plot was interesting and it moved nicely along. Though, I was not a fan of the ending. It was a bit rushed and left too much unanswered for me. Yeah, I get that it is the first book in a series. Even taking this into account, the ending was not as organic as it could have been. In short, I wanted a bit more of an ending. One more chapter would have been nice.

Despite the few minor complains I had, I liked this story a lot. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing what will happen next. If you enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale, this book should be on your TBR list.

I received a free copy, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

This book was a joy to read. The prose was hauntingly eloquent. At its heart, this is a coming-of-age story that will touch you in unexpected ways. Hands down the best book I read so far this year.

For a brief period of time, in their grade school years, Sam and Sadie are best friends. They connect over their love of video games and then have a falling out. Years later, a chance meeting when they are in college reunites them. They, along with Sam’s college roommate, form a software company and a friendship that will be the most rewarding thing and the most hurtful thing in their entire lives.

It has been a long time since a book touched me this deeply. I felt like I was peeling away layer upon layer of text to reach the core of these characters that I fell in love with. This is not one of those books that you can read quickly and then jump right into the next. Definitely no fluff here. The story is subtle and yet also complex. It is life and the characters felt as real as any I have ever encountered.

This is the perfect book for fans of A Gentleman in Moscow and A Man Called Ove. I have already recommended this one to my friends and a highly recommend it to you!

I received a free copy from the published, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Captive Wilderness by J. E. McDonald

I should have had this book read, and the review written, several months ago. I am trying not to beat myself up because life does sometimes get in the way. The simple fact is the book is so good, I wished I had read it sooner. I ended up reading it in just two sittings. It is everything I love in a paranormal romance and has two great characters that are meant for each other even if they don’t know it yet.

Brooke and her sister are both Bobcat shifter. They have been kidnapped by unknown people, a collar placed on them that they can’t remove, and they can no longer shift into their animal form. When they both regain consciousness, they are on a cargo plane headed to an unknown destination.

While Brooke manages to get free and parashoots to safely, she is forced to leave her sister behind. Landing in a remote wilderness, Brooke stumbles across a primitive cabin that is inhabited by Kane, a mute bear shifter. Brooke wants nothing more than to leave and find out where her sister was taken and rescue her. However, without the ability to shift, she will never be able to survive in the wild in her human form. The only way out is the next supply plane, which will not arrive for another two weeks.

It will be a long two weeks before she can start looking for her sister. Unfortunately, her abductors are not about to lose their prize. Will the growing connection between her and Kane end up being a good thing or a determent to them both?

I enjoyed the plot, nothing overly new, but there were a few new ways of looking at shifters that I thought brought some new life to the plot. I especially liked the setting and the descriptive prose that I felt was better than most books in this genre. In addition, the character development was really good. I especially liked that we got a fair amount of backstory on both Kane and Brooke. I really connected with the characters and wanted everything to work in their favor.

I know this type of book is fluff; but it is great fluff. Highly entertaining! If you love paranormal romance with a good side of steaminess, this is the book to read.

I received a free copy, via Library Thing’s early reviewer program, in exchange for my honest review.

The Transfer Problem by Adam Saint

This book was a pleasant surprise. I have read numerous Sci-Fi books that use the same troupe and this one was surprising original. A rich and compelling story that had me hooked from the beginning.

Ethan is highly intelligent and he works for a bank looking for trends in the financial markets that can be exploited for profit. He has a chance encounter with Anna, a research scientist, that shares his interests, is brilliant, and not surprising he falls in love.

Anna is researching methods that will enable a mind to be uploaded to a computer. She has developed a way to transfer a brain; however, the mind is destroyed in the process. Hence, the transfer problem. She wants to do some testing and needs a powerful computer. She enlists Ethan to help her access the bank’s massive computing power. The results are spectacular. Too good actually.

The world’s financial systems are in chaos as a result of the experiment. Ethan is on the run from the government and he soon discovers that his brother, Robert, is behind all this. He must find Robert and unravel the mystery of Anna if everything is going to be returned to normal.

I thought the plot was inventive and the pacing was good. In addition, there were so many little things that happened and details given that enriched this story. I enjoyed the complexity and did not find it was, in any way, off-putting. It was obvious that the author had a deep understanding of the technology involved and he was able to make me understand without being so technical that I got lost.

The best thing about this book are the characters, especially Ethan. The character development was slow and methodical. There was a lot going on and the author slowly peeled away the layers to reveal a character that I become deeply invested in.

Thoroughly enjoyable and I loved how the story unfolded so organically. It is not only fast paced but well crafted. If you are a fan of thrillers, be sure you read this one.

I received a free electronic copy in exchange for my honest review.

Upgrade by Blake Crouch

I can describe this book in one word, fantastic! Crouch has hit it out of the ballpark again with his latest book, Upgrade. He never fails to surprise with his imaginative and realistic plots. To me, this book is what makes me want to read Science Fiction.

Unbeknownst to the main character, Logan Ramsey, he has received an upgrade. In short, his genome has been re-sequenced. Not only have errors been erased in his genes, they have been improved. His mind is sharper. He finds he can recall things from his childhood like they happened yesterday. His comprehension is now off the charts. What he struggled to understand before now seems so simple. But that is not all, his physical attributes are vastly improved. He is faster, stronger and heals quicker. However, is this necessarily a good thing for the entire population?

In order to avoid any spoilers, I am not going to say anything further. I will tell you that the pacing of this book was more like a thriller and I was on the edge of my seat for most of the time. It is a compelling story, filled with thought provoking ideas and a perfect blend of science and fiction.

The character of Logan was so well thought-out and perfectly executed. Crouch does know how to put you inside the head of a character so that you understand their problems and feel their emotions as if they were your own. It left me wondering what choices I would have made if I had been in Logan’s shoes. I love books in which I connect with the MC and I question myself in the process.

Crouch explored a lot of interesting ideas in this book. I especially liked that he asked the reader, is intelligence better than compassion? Also, can we lose our humanity if we become too smart? Because of these issues, and others, he raises, this is the perfect book for a Sci-Fi book club. There are a lot of interesting avenues to explore within the pages and you could talk for hours about some of them.

However, this is a great book for people who are not necessarily Sci-Fi fans because the science in this is not in your face. This is one of the most thought-provoking books I have read this year. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fast-paced book that also speaks to your heart.

I received a free copy, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.

The Drop by John Anthony Miller

Set in Havana, Cuba just prior to Castro, this suspense/thriller The Drop, by John Anthony Miller, is a wild ride full of surprises. Written with great prose and meticulous attention to detail in both setting and characters, makes it a real winner.

A very interesting and diverse set of characters in The Drop. First there is, Jimmy Foster who is the uber wealthy Wall Street guy. He is married to, Darlene, who is gorgeous and a gold digger. He loves Havana, and he and Darlene come often to enjoy the sun, pool, music and sometimes the casinos in the city. They have everything going for them and should be the perfect couple. Yet some people are never satisfied, and the grass is always seems greener on the other side. So when Jimmy is kidnapped, she is not overly distraught.

There is another beautiful woman involved in this story, Ariana. She and her family where once wealthy until it was all taken away by Batista. Now she is out for revenge. However, revenge costs money, lots of money. Steal from the mob… no problem. Kidnaping, well maybe not so good.
Especially, when a wife has everything to gain from a missing husband and everything to lose if he is found.

Lastly there is the private detective, Harry, that has a mysterious air about him. Is he in Havana on behalf of a jealous husband or is there something else going on? He is definitely in the all the right places at the right times and seems better prepared than the police to find Jimmy.

So many little twists and subtle hints of what is to come as the story progresses. However, as I have mentioned in the past, I hate spoilers. Instead, I am leaving with this vague overview and hope that I have given you enough to peak your interest.

I loved the setting of this book; because, I am starting to feel worn out on historical books set either during WWI or WWII and this book felt like a breath of fresh air. Also, I am highly appreciative that the author took great care in the scene descriptions. It enhanced the story and allowed me to place myself in the characters’ shoes.

The characters were well done and there was a lot of subtly in their actions. I didn’t always understand their actions and that made the book more interesting. However, it all comes together neatly in the end and I got why the characters did what they did.

I can’t fail to mention just how good the plot was. There was a twist at the end that I never saw coming. Even after several days to noodle on the ending, I am still left shaking my head. It was alluded to; however, I never put two and two together, which is unusual for me. Well done!

This book had everything going for it and Miller has become one of my favorite authors. If you are looking for a historical fiction story in an unusual setting and a twisty plot, then this the book for you. I highly recommend you read it.

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.