Author Archives: karenjvjohnson

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Reunited

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The Reunited (The FBI Psychics, #3)The Reunited by Shiloh Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this book for free through Goodreads first reads and I would give 4 1/2 stars if I could. I really liked this book.

I got caught up in it because of the possibilities it presented for the characters. The characters are vivid and you either love them, hate them, or don’t care (but still are interested). I could visualize them, which made them more real, which in turn made the story that much more enjoyable. It started a bit slow for me but once I passed page 20 it got moving and putting it down was not an easy thing to do. Every time I decided I had to go to bed, something would happen and I had to get to that next chapter to see what was going to happen and to whom. The subject matter could be considered distasteful but it’s handled in a mature and tasteful manner.

I will be reading the previous books and looking for the next with anticipation. For me the mark of a good book is if I find myself absorbed in the characters and rooting for them. If romance and mystery/suspense interest you. Then this is a book to go for.

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Sven the Zombie Slayer

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This was a good book with likeable characters and one you will hate or pity. The zombies are localized to the Virginia area and so no one is aware of how or why they have started to walk.

The title character, Sven, is a competitive bodybuilder who works as a personal trainer. He is working out with his friend and spotter, Lars, in his basement as the zombies start to walk. When the action begins Sven can only think to grab his cat, Ivan, and run.

Sven rescues Jane, his ex-girlfriend, and they take off for a safe place. Jane has had her own bad morning and is glad to see him. She appears to be a quiet person, but has a love of guns that comes in handy in this situation.

On their journey they run into two teenagers, Lorie and Evan, who are also looking for a safe place. Lorie runs track and has an unhealthy predilection for up close carnage, but is very good at it.

The story moves swiftly from scene to scene and will keep you wanting more. There seems to be a mystical quality which is not fully explored so expect more in coming volumes.

If you like/love zombies I would say to give this a look and decide for yourself.

Sven the Zombie SlayerSven the Zombie Slayer by Guy James

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Psychic Intrigue

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This was not what I expected at all. You think of psychics and the first thing to come to mind is not the cold war.

The story moved so slowly that I put the book aside more than once because it was just not interesting. This is a spy novel with a psychic involved. It has components of a love story as well, though not very well done for my tastes.

The premise is that the Russians are using a psychic to make their enemies change sides and gain them the upper hand. The psychic is a young woman who is being slowly killed by using her abilities. She is in love with an American pianist who she met once and listens to often, daydreaming about him. The Americans consider her to be the most dangerous person on the planet and want to stop her one way or the other.

The characters are a bit lackluster and I really could not care about them one way or the other. KGB men who were stereotypical of what you have seen a million times. CIA operatives that could have come from any other novel. I found it alright but a boring read.

If you like stories about spies and foreign plots it may be more for you.

Summit (The Psychic Thriller, #1)Summit by Richard Bowker
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

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Bacchanal

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I was drawn to this book because of the title.

The Lady Lucrezia Grimaldi has been unable to achieve satisfaction during the week of the Bacchanal and this is her final chance to do something about it. She can go to the dance which ends the festivities, as she should as a representative of her family, or she can seek fulfillment elsewhere. Her brother refuses to take her place and sends Carlo Castellan, a man she detests, to ensure her attendance.

Lady Lucrezia sneaks out and goes to a place that she knows will be able to bring her the satisfaction that she seeks. What she finds there is more than just release, but about her own self-image. We all have it in us to be dominant at times but sometimes we must submit to find what we really want and need.

I would say if you do not have an open mind then this title would not be for you. But if you want a peek at something titillating but fairly tame this could be for you.

The Lady Submits (BDSM Bacchanal)The Lady Submits by Chloe Cox
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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Nullified Magic

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I would give this 4.5 stars actually. This is a great story and one I have not read before.

Scarlett Bernard is a null, this means that magic of any kind is nullified within a certain range of her. Vampires become human again, werewolves are unable to change, and spells have no effect and the practitioner is unable to cast. In her line of work that is a very good thing, because Scarlett cleans up crime scenes for supernatural beings.

When a murder is committed and she becomes the prime suspect Scarlett has no choice but to try and find out who is responsible. The master Vampire of the Los Angeles has told her that if she cannot do it, she dies as the guilty party.

I loved the characters and of course the setting of this tale. Murder, suspense, betrayal, you have a bit of everything with the hint of a love triangle. This is a great read for fans of urban fantasy.

Dead Spots (Scarlett Bernard, #1)Dead Spots by Melissa F. Olson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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The Thirst Within

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When I started this I was not sure what to expect. I am so happy I read this! I love vampires and though these are a little low-key at the moment I have no doubt things are going to heat up both with blood and romance.

The basics: Tori is a seventeen year old orphan who has been shipped off to New Orleans to live with an uncle she does not know and his family. She meets a man, Thierry, who says he wants to be her friend and starts a relationship with him. While at his place she meets his brother, Corben, who seems to take an instant dislike to her, or so she thinks, and asks that she leave. But things are not the way they seem to Tori and she wants to know what secrets are being hidden from her. When she finds out things get very interesting.

Meet the cast: Tori is like most teenagers, her self-esteem is not the greatest because she has had a rough time. She is smart, funny, pretty, interesting and does not realize it. We would have been the best of friends.
Thierry is a gorgeous man who initially says he is 21 years old and captivates Tori by always being around to help her. He has not been completely honest with Tori about so many things, but very honest about others. He has an agenda.
Corben is said to be Thierry’s brother and is more introverted though as handsome or more so than Thierry. He has very deep and personal reasons for the way he acts toward Tori.

There is a love triangle emerging and it is going to be so much fun to see how it is resolved. Did I forget to mention that both Corben and Thierry are vampires? Well they are and that always means excitement when a woman is involved.

I loved this first entry and cannot wait for the next. I always have hated “to be continued” because it means I can’t just stay immersed in the world I have entered. I would say if you like romance and vampires, this is a book for you. I couldn’t put it down once I started.

The Thirst WithinThe Thirst Within by Johi Jenkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

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Killer Plants

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The Day of the TriffidsThe Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Triffids are actually a side concern in this book. While they are a threat to those involved, they are also just a nuisance. The story is about people and how they react and or cope with a disaster that could not be anticipated.

The Triffids have spread around the world and nobody knows where they came from. The best thing about them is they secret and oil that is profitable, the worst is that they are able to use their roots to actually walk and use a stinger to release a poison when they strike someone.

We then have the earth pass through a comet tail which creates a meteor shower that is viewed by people around the world. The next day those who saw it are blind.

The story follows those who are sighted and what they endure trying to survive in a world that is fast falling into chaos. Roaming gangs of the sighted, blind people being used as slaves, and the triffids taking advantage of the situation.

There are no major scares or high emotion, just good story telling.

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Swan Song

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Swan SongSwan Song by Robert R. McCammon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book takes you on an epic journey as we follow Swan, a child who has an extraordinary power within her and her guardian Josh (black Frankenstein)as they travel the country after a nuclear war. Along the way they run into people both dangerous and helpful who make their lives more enriched. In each state their are survivors and they are moving toward something they can’t understand. In New York we meet a homeless woman who is called Sister Creep she survives the blast and finds a wondrous piece of glass in the burned out hulk of a jewelry store on 5th Ave which gives her hope for the future. Under a mountain in Idaho a young boy survives and becomes twisted by his association with a military leader after the lights go out and things fall apart, starting a quest to destroy and conquer.

This is a story of good and evil in the aftermath of a world changing event. The big difference is that you can spot both after a transformation that none expected.

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