Coveted by Shawntelle Madison
The Lost Girls of Johnson's Bayou by Jana DeleonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
She was only six when she walked out of the swamp after the LeBlanc School for Girls caught on fire. Sixteen years after the terrifying night that stole her memory, a child's scream lures Ginny back into the woods…where a strong arm encircles her. The gun-wielding stranger is Paul Stanton, a cop-turned-P.I., who's come to Johnson's Bayou looking for answers of his own.
Paul has spent almost two decades searching for his missing sister and now, this Southern beauty could be the key to his quest. But someone would rather see Ginny dead than have her memories resurface. And although uncovering the dark secrets of the past could put them both at risk, it's a chance Paul's willing to take if it means finding his future…with Ginny.
I really enjoyed this story. The pacing is good, the characters are likable and believable, the suspense is...suspenseful (LOL) and the ending is very well done. Jana throws you a couple of red herrings to keep you on your toes, but in the end the girl gets the guy, which is what it's all about, am I right?
Dead Iron by Devon MonkThe old west during the age of steam. In this world people capable of creating both useful and decorative objects from gears, cogs, and wire are known as Devisers. In the east they are civilized and display their devices as the intricate works of art they are. In the west the rail is slowly creeping its way across the country, and the frontiersmen work and wait for the wonders of the east to arrive with the trains. This is a tale of true love and true evil. Of curses, murder, grief, and vengeance. Of greed, heroism, chaos, and hope. You will easily recognize many of the elements in Ms. Monk's story. The Rail Man, forging his way across the landscape, hurrying toward his ultimate goal, allowing no one to stand in his way. The Gunman, cursed to live alone and trying desperately to atone for his sins. The Beautiful Widow, thirsty for revenge following the death of her love. Devon has taken these iconic elements and re-imagined them into a wonderful steampunk saga filled with magic and curses, good and evil, horror and hope. If you like sweeping epic tales of struggle and triumph mixed with magic, mayhem, zombies, witches, and werewolves, you will definitely enjoy Devon Monk's highly imaginative "Dead Iron."
By Magic Alone by Tracy MadisonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Meet our heroine, Julia: owner of Introductions, a dating service. Julia’s two best friends are Kara and Leslie. And then there’s Verda, the owner of Magical Matchups, a rival dating service that is stealing Julia’s clients. What’s a savvy businesswoman to do? Send in spies, of course. BFF’s Kara and Leslie infiltrate Magical Matchups to see if they can figure out the secret of Verda’s success. Our story begins with the three friends meeting to discuss what the spies have uncovered. What they tell Julia sets off an inevitable series of events that will culminate into a very satisfactory ending and create a wonderful romance you will end up re-reading, I assure you. Toss in Verda’s handsome grandson Scott, and you really have something magical happening. Scott just happens to be Leslie’s ex-boyfriend – the One That Got Away. Leslie wants him back, but Verda is convinced that Julia and Scott are fated soul mates. Tension, misunderstandings, and mayhem ensues.
I really enjoyed this story. It’s the fourth book in Tracy Madison’s Magic series, but you really don’t have to have read the first three to enjoy this story. When you first meet Julia, she comes across as one of the most repressed characters you’ve ever read. And Scott! Well, he’s the quintessential jerk. I didn’t actually care for either of them at first, but the reasons behind their behaviour become clear quickly enough and you will warm up to (and start rooting for) both before long.
Of course, the most important character doesn’t show up until the middle of the book. One of Julia’s clients, Zita Hildebrandt, goes on a date set up by Julia. Her date is a pediatrician named Daryl. Daryl really likes Zita and thinks the date was fabulous, but Zita’s experience was quite different. However, being a lovely and fair-minded individual, Zita agrees to give Daryl another shot. On their second date, they each bring along a friend. As it turns out, Zita falls for Daryl’s friend Adam, and Daryl falls for Zita’s friend. So in the end, Zita gets her well-deserved Happy Ever After. How did I end up in this book, you ask? Well, I won a contest. But that certainly didn’t bias or prejudice me toward this book! Oh, no, not at all! This truly is an enjoyable read and I highly recommend it.
Tangled Threads by Jennifer EstepMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Fabulous! I have been loving this series, which has gotten progressively better with each new book. Gin has finally gotten over her feelings for Donovan and is focussing on her developing relationship with Owen. She keeps waiting for him to disapprove of her, and he doesn't, which she has a hard time believing. Meanwhile, her vendetta against Mab is heating up and Mab has called in a top level assassin called Elektra to squash the Spider for her. Elektra, as evidenced by her name, can kill using electricity. The creepy thing is, she really enjoys doing so, and takes great delight in frying her targets. It quickly becomes clear that the showdown between these two skilled assassins will be pretty spectacular. And you know there will have to be a showdown if Gin wants to protect her family and friends.
One issue Ms. Estep touches on in this book (and that I'm hoping will be a bigger part of future volumes) is that, as word of mouth spreads about the Spider fighting back against Mab and her minions, the general populace of Ashland is taking note. You can almost hear the rumblings in the background. Is there a revolution on the horizon? Is Bria set to be in the right place and time to clean out the corrupt police department? We already know that other criminal factions are circling in on Mab as the Spider exposes her weaknesses. Maybe the law-abiding citizens will rally now that they have a rallying point. And, if that does happen, will Donovan return? I can't wait for the next instalment and (maybe) find out! A mark of a good series, in my opinion, is that it makes me wonder and imagine what will happen next. That is something this series excels at. I highly recommend that you find out for yourself.
