Author Archives: karenjvjohnson

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First Days

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The First Days (As the World Dies, #1)The First Days by Rhiannon Frater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First things first, I’m giving this 4 1/2 stars for the narrator as well as content. The narration was fantastic and added to the feel of the action by giving a voice to the characters.

Going into this I had no idea what to expect but I have to say that it was a pleasant surprise. Instead of the usual male hero we have two women who are strong, capable, and do not require rescuing by a man. In fact they do a lot of the rescuing themselves of the male characters.

The action starts on what is expected to be a typical weekday morning. Katie is heading into work (she is a prosecuting attorney) when she is attacked and saved by a man who is himself killed. She returns home to find the worst has happened and speeds away and becomes lost. She spots Jenni (an abused housewife) running out of her home being chased by her young zombie son and takes her into the truck she is driving. They head off not knowing where they are going but determined to survive what is happening in their town and around the country.

The bond between these women is strong but it is tested when they reach a final safe haven by a man they both want. So there will also be a measure of romance/lust injected. It is not however distracting to the main plot, which is the zombie apocalypse.

If you want strong female leads who do not faint at the sight of blood and gore, this is the place to look.

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Convergence

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Between Their Worlds (Noble Dead Saga: Series 3, #1)Between Their Worlds by Barb Hendee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fairly nice beginning to the continued exploits of Magiere, Leesil, and Chap as they continue in their quest to thwart The Ancient Enemy. Because they have been separated from Wynn for more than a year this book acts as a bridge to bring them back together and combine their stories before they are separated once again.

Wynn is no longer the wide-eyed observer she was in the beginning and has grown into a woman of strength, which annoys her previous companions. She has allowed a Nobel Dead, Chane, to protect her and work alongside her. Particularly since Magiere had killed him and hates him as does Chap and Leesil they feel as if she has betrayed them.

The story centers around the Guild of Sage Craft and the fact that they have locked Wynn in her room and the grounds. Things have become complicated and scattered because you have multiple factions working for multiple goals throughout the book and sometimes it is hard to figure out what is going on from minute to minute. This is not a place to start this saga if you have not read the previous novels as the characters from many of those novels converge here.

Not a lot of action but the story does move us to the next step and allows us to become re-acquainted with friends who have been absent for so long. If you like this series then it is a must read.

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Abandon Hope

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AbandonAbandon by Blake Crouch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked this book but did not love it. I went in expecting something totally different, like a horror story, but found a tale of murder, madness, and greed.

Abandon is a ghost town with a secret which has remained buried for 116 years. Where did the inhabitants go that Christmas day in 1893? It is finally unearthed by a group who has gone there in order to photograph whatever ghosts remain. What they do not realize is that they are being used by the men who have brought them to this desolate location. Something was left behind by the inhabitants that which has been searched for many times over the years, and never found. For a father and daughter this trip can either heal old wounds or open them further.

While not what I expected the story is good and makes you want to read more to find out what happens to these people. While I never completely connected with the characters I felt invested in their plight.

I think many would enjoy this historical and riveting look into the past.

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Spooky Lighthouse Adventure

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Darkhouse (Experiment in Terror, #1)Darkhouse by Karina Halle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think it started a bit slowly but not badly. I have fallen in love with the characters. Perry Palomino and Dex Foray fit together better than either know yet. Perry has been so beaten down because she is not the perfect size or the perfect daughter but she has a big personality, even though she is unsure of herself. Dex is a bit of basket case, or so it seems, he has his own issues as it applies to mental health but he is enthusiastic about what he wants.You know that these two are destined to work and play together even if it may not seem so at first.

Dex and Perry meet quite by chance when she decides to go and investigate the ‘haunted’ lighthouse on her Uncles property. They have experiences while looking around and after they get out Dex decides that he would like to team with Perry on a web series which would feature haunted locations. While she is reluctant it does seem like something that could fill her otherwise boring life.

This outing was not particularly scary or suspenseful (to me) but it sets the tone and I feel that things will only get better for the characters as well as the plot lines. There is so much potential here and I think it will be mined.

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The Holidays

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Holidays Are Hell (The Hollows #5.5)Holidays Are Hell by Kim Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This anthology features 4 short stories by some very talented women.

Two Ghosts For Sister Rachel gives us an eighteen year old Rachel before she joined the IS and moved out into the world. We also get to view her home life with her mother and her true start at earth magic.

Run,Run,Rudolph is a fun story with a great romance and tense pursuit scenes. Jill and Nick make a great couple and I want more of them. It was funny,sexy, and very interesting.

Six is set in China and is the name of our heroine. She finds herself up against vampires and partners with a necromancer against her will (at first). She is very strong and makes things interesting.

The Harvest is set in of all places Las Vegas and features a plot of good vs. Evil. Some Archer is an agent of the Light who has dropped out only to return when she needs help from the man she left behind. Their reunion is brief and she steps into danger to secure her legacy.

All of the stories are well written and well worth your time.

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Carwyn

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Building From Ashes (Elemental World, #1)Building From Ashes by Elizabeth Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have loved this family of vampires from the first book I picked up and this one is no exception.

The basics: Carwyn, a 1000 yr old priest finds that he is no longer as satisfied in his life or vocation as he once was. We see the events of the previous books from his perspective as well as find out what was really happening to him during this time without interruption. Can a thousand-year old vampire find love after so long? Carwyn is the “father” of a large and close-knit clan in Ireland that he will do anything to protect.

What made this nice was that you still had cameos by characters you had come to love and miss. Gio and Beatrice had a voice, so it was not like you only had new characters to get to know. We even get to see a bit of what Ben was doing while Beatrice was getting her blood lust under control.

I loved this because it had all the romance, mystery, blood lust, family, vampire intrigue that I come to expect. If you have a love of vampires with the best powers and best personalities then you will want to read this. Never disappoints and leaves me wanting more!

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Bride of Fae

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Bride of Fae (Tethers, #2)Bride of Fae by L.K. Rigel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would give this 3.5 stars because while I enjoyed it, there were places that it lagged. This is the second in a series though the action takes place prior to the events in the first book.

Having read the first book it took me a while to reconcile what was happening here because the threads were pulled in several directions. Beverly is the mother of the heir of Dumnos, she is a simple woman who marries an Earl not for love but for the sake of a legacy. The love of her life is a faerie by the name of Dandelion, a prince of the Fae court.

There is travel through time, faerie intrigue, romance, corruption, and family loyalty.
It is worth a read!

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Wyrd and Fae

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Give Me: A Tale of Wyrd and Fae (Tethers #1)Give Me: A Tale of Wyrd and Fae by L.K. Rigel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I’m going with 4 1/2 stars here, it would have been 5 but it didn’t totally blow me out of the water.

I started this not really expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. 😉 The writing is good and combines two of my favorite things witchcraft (wyrding) and the Fae. The story stretches from the middle ages to modern-day England in a small county off the beaten track which does not have cell reception or access to the internet. But they have a rich heritage and a wyrding woman who has been there from the beginning. The story goes from that castle in the middle ages to modern-day California and finally to modern-day Dumnos and back.

This is a story of love and loss and the desire to fix a mistake made a thousand years ago. The characters are well established and likable bringing you into their world more fully. Not something for everyone but romantics will enjoy this I’m sure. No real sex but descriptions of desire and longing that work for this.

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Brot’ân’duivé

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The Dog in the Dark: A Novel of the Noble Dead (Noble Dead Saga: Series 3 #2)The Dog in the Dark: A Novel of the Noble Dead by Barb Hendee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have been reading this series since the beginning, though I started with book three and had to backtrack. I love the characters because they are not always who you think they are. Each is searching and hoping to be more than what is expected of them from various factions.

This entry does not have the action of series one, or the interesting fumbling in matters over their head of a scholar like series two. What is does have is a chance to fill in all the gaps between the ending of one series and the other. The chance to get a voice other than Wynn, Chap, Magiere, or Leesil on the current threat to the world.

Brot’â’duivé, who’s name means The Dog in the Dark, is an Anmaglâhk (spy & assassin) of the an’Cróan elves of Leesil and Magiere’s continent. He comes to protect Magiere from ‘Most Aged Father’ and his loyalists. What he gives to us the reader is the story of what happened after Magiere and friends left the Elven lands. He gives his story slowly and only with reluctance as they travel.

We are also allowed to find out what happened to Magiere, Chap and Leesil as they separated from Wynn and went to hide the orb that they had uncovered. Each of them has been changed by the experience and have memories which weigh heavy on them.

If you have enjoyed this series in the past I think you will not be disappointed by this entry. Just know that there are not a lot of battles with Nobel dead but there is action.

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The Hollows

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Ever After (The Hollows #11)Ever After by Kim Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been reading this series of books from the beginning and I love Rachel. You don’t often find yourself liking a heroine who sometimes seems completely lost but this girl has endured so much and come so far. I got to watch her mature into a pretty cool person even if she cannot pick men for anything. A world populated with everything from witches, demons, elves, were-persons and vampires is an interesting place indeed.

This book finds Rachel in over her head (as always) and trying to save the world once again. She does not have her usual crew of Ivy (a living vampire) and Jenks (a pixie) to back her up this time. Instead she is working with Trent Kalamack (rich handsome elf) and Al (her demon teacher) to go up against a threat to the demon realm and magic. The story is fast paced and grabs you from the start. All the questions from past adventures are answered here, but of course we get a whole new set to ponder.

If you have read any of the books in the past you will definitely want to read this one and if not you should maybe start. This is not a stand alone novel so pick up that first one and see if you don’t get interested enough to read them to this point. I do not think you will be disappointed.

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