Author Archives: karenjvjohnson

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Return of the Assassin

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Return of the Assassin
(All The King’s Men #5)
by Donya Lynne

This is the story of Malek and Gina.
This was one of the more densely packed books of the series, with the introduction of new characters and new plot lines. I was immediately pulled into the story partially because I had liked the characters from earlier books and partially because the story was a little darker than usual. The characters are so compelling and real for me as I read that I cannot stop even when I should because I need to follow where they are going.

Malek did not expect or want to ever find another mate after the death of Carmen centuries ago, but in walks Gina and he is immediately bonded to her. Gina was also mated once before and her mate Armand was a sadistic male who abused and broke her down so that she no longer fully trusts there are good males out there. The fates bring together these two lost and broken souls to heal each other, but first they have to get past all the baggage from their respective pasts.

Gina has tried to stay away from Malek and Chicago but when she blows an assassination of Dacian vampires it becomes a matter of survival. She and Trevor are being hunted and she decides to head to Chicago to stop Micah from emailing her and hopefully throw off the Dacian’s for a while. Bishop is still plotting even after losing his lab and best lab rat. The Dacian vampires decide to kill two birds with one stone since they are in Chicago and make a run on King Bain and the throne, and get Gina and Trevor.

There are a lot of emotional moments while reading this book and while a lot center around Malek and Gina, there are other characters who bring on a big emotional feeling. I will say that I actually cried at a few points, which made my son uncomfortable, but I told him that this is what you want from a good book. Something that makes you such a part of it that you cannot help but participate in whatever is happening. This can be read as a standalone, but I would recommend you start from the top and get here. Recommended to everyone!

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“That’s Trevor. And he was about to tell us how it is he hitched a ride back here with Gina.” Micah settled into his chair, leaned back, and steepled his fingers in front of his chest. “And I’m practically creaming myself to hear this story.” “Look, it’s my—” Gina’s voice cut off when Micah’s hand jutted out, palm toward her. “No, I want to hear from Trevor,” Micah said, keeping his eyes on the strange male. “What brings you to my world, Trev. You don’t mind if I call you Trev, do you?” “What if I do?” “I’d tell you to get over it.” “Are you always like this?” “Only to my friends.” The two locked gazes for several seconds until Trevor chuckled and looked away. “I’m not sure whether I like you or hate your guts.” Micah grinned. “I get that a lot.”
― Donya Lynne, Return of the Assassin

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Hell Divers

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Hell Divers
(Hell Divers #1)
by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

The first star is just because it is written by Nick Smith and I have a real penchant for his work. I have pretty much liked everything he has done so far and he did not let me down here. This is something I have never seen before and I have read a lot of science fiction and apocalyptic stories over the years. Nick has a great imagination when it comes to the creation of the creatures that are going to be inhabiting his world, and because I could actually visualize them I give even more points, because they are terrifying. I was not so sure about 250 years of what sounds like nuclear winter but I will defer to the science as written. The characters were introduced and gone in the blink of an eye and so most did not have a chance to be very fleshed out, but those who remained at least have room to grow.

Xavier Rodriguez is a Hell Diver who has managed to outlive most of those who decide to do the job. He has managed to survive 96 jumps when the life expectancy is a measly 15 jumps. X, as he is known to friends, is the leader of Team Raptor which happens to have 2 other veteran divers. X lives and works on the Hive, one of two remaining airships riding the currents and storms above a blighted world not fit for human habitation. His job and that of the other Hell Divers is to drop down to that uninviting land and make sure that the Hive continues to fly so that the last of humanity can survive.

When a distress call comes from the Ares, the other airship, Captain Maria Ash has no choice but to go to their rescue. But is she putting her ship in danger for nothing?

While I really did like the story of the divers I was less thrilled with the side story of what was going on aboard the ship itself. With the divers you had action, danger, sacrifice, and heroics of all types. With the passengers you had whining and ungratefulness, though maybe that was intentional. This is about an apocalypse that has left the world dead, class wars, family ties, survival, courage, and a lot more. This made me feel something for them all as they pushed to keep going and survive one more day. Was not happy with the end, but that was personal.

Anyone who likes stories of the apocalypse will love this. Highly recommend!

My rating: 4.75 of 5 stars

“We dive so humanity survives.”

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Last Writes

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Last Writes
(Ghostwriter Mystery #3)
by C.A. Larmer

This was another good mystery but I had an idea of who the killer was before the end of the first chapter. It was still extremely well written and may not be so obvious to others.

Roxy’s manager has one of his old clients turn up dead and though it is originally thought to be a suicide it soon is being looked at as murder because of another of his clients. David Lone is a client of Oliver who has done very well for himself with both a best seller and movie deal. While Roxy is still angry with Max she starts to have feelings for David, mainly because of his fascination with death and success. Bad Roxy, being so shallow.

But the real problem is that after the first death more occur and it starts to look like poor Oliver is the prime suspect in all of the deaths. Roxy does not need to be asked, though she is, to help her old friend find a way out of his predicament. She does not believe he is guilty even though suspicion has fallen squarely on his shoulders.

Definitely worth reading!

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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A Plot To Die For

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A Plot to Die For
(Ghostwriter Mystery #2)
by C.A. Larmer

I really like these mysteries because they make me work to figure out who the culprit is going to be in the end. I think because I read the fourth book in the series first I was expecting a lot more from this one when I decided to go back to the beginning and it is not bad at all. The writing is clear and gives me a complete sense of what is happening around the characters and therefore me. The language engages and pulls you in even though the slang a lot of the time is Aussie in nature. The characters are all fun with interesting quirks and idiosyncrasies that make them more or less endearing to the reader.

Roxy is invited to Dormay Island by Abigail Lilton, owner and operator of an exclusive resort who has shunned all publicity in the past. But now Abi has decided to write her biography and wants Roxy to ghost write it for her. It is the off-season and Roxy is a little surprised but pleased that she gets to do this book in such an exotic location. The only really bothering Roxy is the fact that she has not heard from Max, even though she is the one who blew him off.

Then the worst happens and Abigail is murdered with suspicion falling on all those in residence at the resort during this time. The local law officer comes to investigate but the daughter of the victim asks that Roxy help in the investigation because she believes the constable will favor the locals if they are involved and so wants an outsider to help. Roxy does her thing as usual and finds much more than a simple murder or murderer for her trouble.

Another great story with a great mystery and some good motives by all of the suspects involved. Definitely recommend.

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

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Chasing Werewolves

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Chasing Werewolves

by Leigh Jones

I liked the ideas behind the story and I enjoyed the story itself for the most part. This is an under short story so you expect that a lot goes unsaid, but because of that fact you have to make sure that the structure is totally coherent. There were quite a few sentences that I could not decipher and so had no idea what it was supposed to mean. The characters were bare bones but I got an idea of who they were and maybe who they would become.

Gretchen is a quiet woman leading a relatively quiet life when she becomes the object of a werewolves attention. Her life is going to change in ways she never expected.

Worth reading.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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Vampire Sunrise

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Vampire Sunrise

by Tori Drake

This is a short story but it did not pull me in right away, I was not happy with the characters and the story itself was not very coherent to me. There were a lot of grammatical issues that made me stumble as I was reading and so took away some from the action. When I say action I do not mean anything very exciting but it is the vampire feeding. The concept was kind of interesting which is why I got the book, but the execution just left me less than enthusiastic, not to mention the fact that the blurb was different from what actually was going on.

Derek is not really a people person though he goes out to a bar regularly so he is not alone, then goes into a corner. He basically watches people and spots a woman that he finds fascinating one night and decides to follow her. When he discovers something sinister about her he brings his girlfriend into it and tries to distance himself. But it is to late for that and he finds out the hard way that stalking has consequences.

Not really my cuppa but someone else may like it.

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

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The Thousand Dollar Tan Line

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The Thousand-Dollar Tan Line
(Veronica Mars #1)
by Rob Thomas,
Jennifer Graham
, Kristen Bell (Narrator)

I am a Marshmallow! That just has to be said, I watched the series and actually loved it because even though I was older than the title character I could still identify wit her. I loved her because she was strong and no matter what happened she was always ready to help someone.

This story takes place after the events in the movie which wrapped up the series. There are some new characters right along side those characters that have come to be so loved from the show. Veronica has moved back to Neptune because she cannot give up being who she truly is, a private detective, even though her father thinks she should. She is also back because of Logan who she is involved with again. The town has become more corrupt in the time she has been away and nothing seems to be able to be done about it.

The business association in Neptune come looking for Keith to handle a case they do think Sheriff Lamb can handle on his own. A girl has gone missing and instead of trying to find her the Sheriff has been caught in sound bites that make it sound like he cannot be bothered. Because Keith is not available they are willing to give Veronica a chance since they know her reputation for solving cases. During this case Veronica also runs into her mother who has a step daughter who has also gone missing and she wants Veronica to help find her.

This was a really great story that had a mystery that was excellent. If you liked the show you have to read this, but better yet listen because it is narrated by Kristen Bell and it is like have Veronica reading you one of her case files. She is phenomenal when it comes to characterizations of the other cast members, including the men. Enjoy this!

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Abducted

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Abducted
(Alien Mate Index #1)
by Evangeline Anderson

This was a fantastic start to a new series which is going to take you on a journey with new alien life that is closely related to our own. I have been reading this author since I found Claimed for free on Amazon and as I branch out to other works find that she can do no wrong for me. I love her vision of the alien hunks who have a soft spot for earth women and the worlds that she has populated our galaxy with. The best part is that it is not set in some distant future but is still within a time frame that is more or less contemporary.

Sarden de’Lagorn has come to the newly opened station circling Earth looking to find a female for trade. The Commercians have recently started cataloging the women available on the planet for their Alien Mate Index and he is the first customer. Zoe is having a very bad day, her crazy boss has thrown a stapler at her head and she is in the women’s room talking to her best friends on the phone when her life takes a turn she could not see coming.

Zoe finds herself naked and looking up at a man/male who looks a lot like the devil and being told that she has been bought and will never see Earth again. This does not sit well with her and she starts to plot her escape as soon as the shock wears off.

The story is told from multiple points of view which means you get a full view of everything that happens. There are some great pop culture references regarding movies and TV series. The characters have complex personalities which helps to draw you in. The new aliens are different from a lot that have been seen in the past. The world’s visited are familiar and yet still alien in how things are done and the ways that it looks.

If you liked the Brides of the Kindred then I do believe that this will be to your liking. If you have never read the Kindred than you cannot go wrong with trying out this series, it will make you want more. I highly recommend this series!

** Listened to the audible book this second time and enjoyed it but there were a few things that made it kind of annoying for me. This is read by Mackenzie Cartwright who I thought did a wonderful job of bringing both the male and female characters to life when she read specifically from Zoe’s viewpoint and William Martin who I found to be not so animated or diverse in his voicing of Sarden’s sections because he came off as reading in a monotone. Still think it is definitely worth taking time out for.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“And the ‘lock’ they put around your planet is what I believe you Earthlings refer to as an ‘ozone layer,’” said the proper butler voice, which seemed to be coming from the golden dragonfly. “Now that much of it has been removed and your planet has begun to heat, outside investors are free to harvest Earth’s females. Females such as yourself, who are most valuable because they have not bred with any of the other peoples of the known universe. This is why we dub you ‘Pure Ones’—because you have only the pure blood of the Ancient Ones running through your veins.”

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Midnight Rising

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Midnight Rising
(Midnight Breed #4)
by Lara Adrian (Goodreads Author)

This is finally Rio’s story. Rio was betrayed by the one person he would never see it coming from and it left him completely devastated. I was feeling so much for Rio from the time he got injured and all through his rehab that I was so happy to see him seeming to come out of his funk.

This is another great entry in the saga of the Breed Warriors and the mates who find them when they need them most. The story takes up a short time after the end of Midnight Awakening and continues in a way that makes it perfectly clear what is happening. The language is just what is expected from the varied characters as they have been introduced. The story is told from multiple points of view allowing you to get the full picture without wondering how the information came to be. Most of the characters are already well established with personalities that let you know who they are right away. The new characters also come out of the gate with full blown personalities which make it easy to see who they are and what they will be to the overall story line.

Rio stays in Prague after the other Breed Warriors return to Boston telling them he will destroy the cave which had been used as a stasis chamber. But months later and it still stands and he has become to weak to do anything. Dylan is on vacation with friends of her mother when she sees the ghost of a woman who leads her to Rio and asks for her help to save him. A new villain rises to take the place of the one thwarted and he has plans that will devastate not only the world of the Breed but that of the humans who have no idea what lies just outside their safe world.

There is some good action scenes along with a romance that is hard fought to exist.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

He had let Eva down and he knew it. But she had paid him back in spades. Her betrayal had rattled him on a soul-deep level. It had made him question everything, including why the hell he should be taking up precious space in this world.

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Midnight Awakening

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Midnight Awakening
(Midnight Breed #3)
by Lara Adrian





I do have a thing for the tortured soul warrior/alpha male. They make me feel so much more for them because they have endured so much and keep going on whatever mission they have to keep them sane. Tegan is the warrior who is being highlighted here and he has had a half life for a very long time. I knew there was something tragic in his past but finding out made me like him even more. He was completely true to what you would expect from someone who had been hurt so badly.

The characters are perfectly drawn and easily related to. The story while extreme in many ways could be about anyone who had a tragedy in their past that defined how they reacted to others in the future. I liked everything about this because I really felt for both Tegan and Elise who were two people who were doing their best to cope with a bad situation which had been thrust upon them. There was no lag in this but a steady buildup to a finale that was both anticipated and surprising.

When Elise lost her husband she was devastated but able to go on because she had her son, but with the loss of her son she feels there is nothing left to truly live for. Elise leaves the Darkhaven she has always called home and moves out into the world to take revenge on those who helped take her son from her. Tegan lost his mate over 500 years ago and has not allowed himself to feel for another female since that time. He is dedicated to protecting the Breed from the Rogue threat but does not believe he deserves to have a mate because he was not able to protect his first one. When he finds out what Elise is doing he wants to keep her safe even though she seems fully capable of taking care of herself.

This had some great action along with some very tender scenes between two very different and yet similar people. Breed warriors make great mates! I would highly recommend this!

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I want to hold you while you drink from me. I want to feel you bite into me.” Touching her, he felt her uncertainty. “I’ve never done it that way before.” “Good,” he said, entirely too pleased to hear it. “I’ve never asked anyone to do it that way before. So, will you, Elise?” She frowned, but her eyes were rooted on his throat. “I don’t want to hurt you…” He chuckled, adoring her all the more for her concern. “Come here,” he said, wrapping his hand around her nape and guiding her down to the exposed column of his neck. “Sink your teeth into me, Elise. Take your fill.”