Author Archives: karenjvjohnson

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Every Witch Way But Wicked

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every witch way but wicked

Every Witch Way But Wicked (A Stacy Justice Mystery #1.75 (Tale of Two Witches)

This was one of the better anthologies I have read. There was not one story that I did not enjoy and want to continue with. It was very cohesive in its theme, which was Halloween and witches, by having some of the best authors writing about the subject. There were several authors whom I already read such as Rose Pressey, Debora Geary, and Camilla Chafer. Then there are the authors I have never read before but will definitely be reading in the future.

Though every story shared a theme each one was quite unique in its delivery and tone. There were stories which were lighthearted in tone, such as “Cats and Dogs” by J.L. Bryan the story of a woman who is having trouble with a dog who is not ill but seems to be sad. Her neighbor gives her cookies and instructs her eat one a day to give her insight into what is wrong with her pet. Before she has a chance to eat them however her pets get into them with the most spectacular effect ever.

Then you have stories which are a little darker like “The Hazards of Desire” by Wren Emerson about a town of witches. In Desire all the women are witches and the men are bargaining chips. Zelda was once the first daughter and leader of the Coven, but now she is just a broken old woman treated as a pariah amongst the town people. She tells a tale to a young second daughter about true love in Desire and what happens when people have powers like they do. A cautionary tale of dark desires, love, and obsession.

There is something here for everyone. Enjoy a short tale from your favorites and find someone new to follow. You cannot go wrong this book.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I guess he was good-looking if you liked tall, dark, and handsome with a body that would make women unable to form complete sentences in his presence.
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Malice In Wonderland

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Malice In Wonderland (Dulcie O’Neil #5)

Overall I liked the story. There were just some things that I did not particularly agree with. For one thing our main girl does not seem to have really grown in all this time, she wants things to be all cut and died when they are not. I expected quite a bit more action from this book as well since the last one ended on such a dramatic note and it was kind of humdrum with no real action and a lot of obvious plot twists, at least to me. It’s worth the read but don’t expect much.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
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Devious Magic

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devious magic

Devious magic (Stella Mayweather #3)

When I first started this series I was not so sure about it, but as I have continued it has managed to pull me in and make me really like it. The characters are fleshing out and becoming more real but the situations can sometimes seem a bit stretched as far as where they are. The aspects of magic they play with are good and creative since you do not see anything like it in anything else. The story does not grab you right out the gate but slowly reels you in which gives you a chance to see where it will be taking you.

Stella has settled into her new home and is sharing it with some of her friends for a while. Things seem to have calmed down and while she wants to move forward she still looks back at her childhood with feelings of regret and longing. Because she has become a bit lax she is not prepared when an old foe surfaces and throws her life into chaos. The Brotherhood has not forgotten about the one that got away and want her back in England by any means necessary.

When Annalise is kidnapped and taken to England as a lure Stella will follow to save her friend. But she finds there is more than she could have ever thought possible.

There is some romance, some violence, and some nice people.

 

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

“Did you just call my girlfriend a slut?” asked Evan slowly. I could see a glow lighting his hands, not fire but something else, something almost imperceptible. Clearly, Daniel hadn’t thought to protect the house from a daemon; he probably didn’t even know they existed. “Slut. Slut. Slut,” repeated Nameless, cackling, proving just how stupid he really was.

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Starhawk

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starhawk

Starhawk (The Academy #7)

While I have loved riding with the Academy for years now, this was not my favorite adventure to date. This is a prequel which is about Priscilla ‘Hutch’ Hutchins and her first adventure after getting her pilots license and a job. It also is about the development of the Academy as an institution and the Wheel as the space port it needed to become in the future. These were the events that made her who she would later become, but it was not an easy read. The writing is fantastic as always and the characters are well developed and feel like friends more than just words on a page. The galaxy is vivid and I can see the relics left behind in my minds eye with no problem. It just did not have the same feel to it that I am used to having.

Priscilla’s training flight is not as uneventful as most usually are and she and Jake find themselves in the middle of a rescue. The rescue has to occur because of a radical who has placed a bomb on another ship which has blown up. There is a movement that feels the death of every life form on a planet in order to terraform is not acceptable and this is their way of protesting.

The theme throughout is about these individuals who are willing to do anything, including kill in order to save life on a far away planet while sacrificing human life. Priscilla makes a few flights but nothing very note worthy happens. I;m glad I read it because it is part of the story, but I just cannot totally recommend it except to those who have read the previous books.

 

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

When finally they got through, the first thing Priscilla saw was Josh, floating a foot or two above the deck, his wrist tied to a frame. They tried to revive him, although Priscilla thought it was probably a cruel thing to do. If they succeeded, he would only feel that he had to go through it again.

 

 

 

 

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Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

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pandpandz

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies #1)

I am going to be completely honest here. I have never read Jane Austen and never had the least inclination to read any of the great women authors of the Victorian era. The only thing that got me to read this  was the fact that there were zombies involved and I wanted to see how that played out against this purported great piece of literature. OK, going to admit I kind of liked the story, but still have to say that the zombies made it more interesting than the mating habits of the rich and annoying. I liked the characters and how they interacted with each other and their environment so not bad at all. The illustrations throughout the novel also give it an extra appeal.

Mr. Bennet wants to see his daughters survive the dreadfulls who have invaded their country and so teaches them to fight with sword, musket, and hand. Their mother on the other hand only wishes for them to be married to a rich man and to stop all their unladylike activities. Elizabeth and Jane are the eldest of five girls and the most dedicated to serving King and country through their efforts as warriors against the undead scourge. The three younger girls tend to be more like their mother, though they can at least protect themselves. When eligible young men come to their part of the world Mrs. Bennet starts to scheme to marry them off.

Anyone who has read Pride and Prejudice knows the story and so it is not needed to really go through it. I would recommend this to zombie lovers and lovers of the classics. Not really gory but still good.

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

 

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Trudge / Soldier On

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trudge

Trudge (Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse #1)

Zombie novels can easily become generic in nature. This one held my attention and made me like the main characters in a short amount of time. You have the usual carnage but also a story of family and loyalty and survival.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a good sequel to the first book. I don’t want to loose anyone else because I have become so invested in their survival. The pace was a bit slow for me but it got me to where it needed. Great writing!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
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Old Blood

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old blood

Old Blood (Experiment in Terror #5.5)

This is not a stand alone novella, if you have not read books 1-5 do not start here.

The story of Creepy Clown Lady, Pippa, is not a completely happy one. She starts her tale when she was a little girl right up to her death and beyond. You find out why she approached Perry the way that she did and why. What her relationship was with Dex and how she knew about him. You also get an insight into Ingrid, Perry’s mother, who watches her daughter with worry and fear.

I felt so much for her while at the same time wondering how she could make some of the decisions that she did. This short tale allows us to see how the previous novels come together. Pippa has been a prominent character throughout and we find out why she has made it her mission to bring Dex and Perry together, maybe to find the happiness she never did.

A good fast read that will make you feel for this lonely woman who only wanted to be loved.

 

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

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Red Tide

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red tide

Red Tide

I love a good mystery and this is a very good one. I started reading and was unable to put it down because I was so caught up in who could be doing the killing and how it was going to effect everyone around them. This was able to keep me guessing even after I thought I knew who it was. The characters were very real and got me involved in their lives, they are very lively and full of life. The dialogue is easy to follow but does not talk down to you at all and even the technical terms are defined. The story maintains the tension throughout and draws you in as the time ticks away and things become more complicated.

Aspen Falls is a small town in Colorado which has the distinction of having had a serial killer bury his victims within its boundaries. When FBI agent Nicholas Grant finally finds the location of the dumping ground of a the serial he has been tracking for the past ten years,  he thinks that he will finally be able to bring closure to the families of his thirteen victims, what he actually finds is more bodies. Jamie Taylor is brought in with her dog to help pinpoint the graves, she is one of the best in the field, and she found them and a lot more.

What they uncover means that there is another serial killer operating in their small town and using the same area to dump bodies. Now they have to find the culprit before any more people go missing to a killer who leaves no marks on the body and no evidence that will lead back to him.

I think this was a great book and I enjoyed it a great deal. I would recommend it highly to any fan of the mystery/suspense genre.

 

 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 

Grief is a place, even in the most lush surroundings, that is solitary. There is nothing but the loss.
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Alive In A Dead World/Till Death Do Us Part

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alive in a dead world

Alive In A Dead World (Zombie Fallout #5)

I love these books. I find my self liking the characters and hating to see anything bad happen to them. The lose of Paul, though a side character was traumatic. BT is a great guy and I hope to see more of him. Looking forward to seeing Mike again and getting back at Eliza for being such a monumental *B—ch.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
til death do us part

‘Till Death Do Us Part (Zombie Fallout #6)

I loved this! You get more background on everyone and get to see them all grow and learn to survive in such hostile circumstances. The Talbots may be a bit crazy, but they are what family is all about.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
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Renegade

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renegade

Renegade (The Captive #2)

This was a roller coaster ride for me because my emotions were riding along with the characters from the opening lines. Have you ever felt so much a part of the lives of the characters that you sometimes had to set the book aside to calm yourself down? I had to do that multiple times because I would get so upset when something happened that I needed to step away. I love these characters and want things to go a certain way and when things bad happen I need to stop and breathe. That is a testament to the reality of those characters and the world they live in.

Aria and Max have escaped from the Palace with the help of Jack, Braith’s little brother. Jack informed Aria that Braith is to be married and therefore there is no reason for her to stay for him, in the process breaking her heart. Max has been so traumatized and believes that Aria was treated just as badly as he had been. Though she has told everyone she was not mistreated they do not believe her. But Max also wants more from her than she wants to give.

Braith feels just as betrayed as Aria when he discovers that she has left the Palace without saying anything to him. He feels she lied about her feelings and was only biding her time until she could escape. This makes the normally kind Prince a vampire who starts to indulge in all the vices he had hated in the past, and all to forget a human he had come to care for.

This was a really great sequel to that first book and just makes me that much more anxious to continue the series. There is more explanation and a little less action but it balances out well. I would really like everyone to give this series a read. There is enough heat and sweet for everyone.

 

 

 

My rating: 5of 5 stars

 

“He’s not going to leave here without her,” Jack’s gaze was steady, yet sad as he stared at the two of them. “He won’t be separated from her again, and he’ll kill you if you try to stop him”
― Erica Stevens, Renegade