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This Chicks Audio Review: Where the Dead Lie (Sebastian St. Cyr #12) by C.S. Harris

Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, has become aware that someone is preying on the cities children. After a young boy has been found mutilated and his younger sister missing, Sebastian starts to investigate, uncovering a sadistic world among London’s brothels. Following a trail of rare books by the Marquis de Sade he finds the killer may be among his peers.

There are many things that I love about these audiobooks but first and foremost is the narrator, Davina Porter. She is a talent beyond compare, narrating all of the voices in these novels, handling multiple accents from different countries and even different parts of London. I forget that it is one woman that I’m listening to as I immerse myself in these very well written mysteries.

As this is book twelve in the series, I am completely invested in all of the regular characters. We have seen Sebastian grow from a youthful love for an actress, to an honorably married man and father. What hasn’t changed are his skills as an investigator, which are greatly tested in Where the Dead Lie. This is the first novel where his investigation is taken on because of who he is as a husband and father, not because of his place in the peerage. I found that an interesting contrast as he didn’t throw his title around as much as he’s done in previous novels, in order to get an answer to his question. In fact, that wouldn’t work, would it? His frustrations at being unable to get answers made him dig in even harder and truly use every skill in his toolbox. This made the novel stand out for me, which is hard to do because this author has written a series of great novels.

As Sebastian searches for the killer, his wife Hero undergoes her own interviews of these orphan’s, hoping to write a book to help bring light to their plight as they try to survive on the street. She often pays them for their time speaking with her and I can feel her helplessness as she gives them a little bit of money for their time. I’m sure she’d like to give away all of her money in order to open up a home and I’ve often wondered why she hasn’t done this already as this theme has continued through a few books. Interestingly her interviews often bring to light small nuggets that help Sebastian understand a situation better, or in fact gives him an answer. Despite not wanting her to be in danger he should think of using her more because she has serious skills!

This novel had a gruesome topic and again dredged through London’s darkest corners, which I both love and hate. These dark corners do make a great contrast to the glitter and glam of the peerage and help strike home that some of this world’s cruelties are wrapped up in pretty paper to help disguise it’s dark center. C.S. Harris is an amazing writer crafting a novel where you are both disgusted and made to feel hope at the same time. I think that’s why I keep coming back. Well that and the talent of this author and the estimable Ms. Davina Porter who brings the characters to life in audio form.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to order this book!* Where the Dead Lie (Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery)

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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It’s Monday, what are you reading? (3/21/22)

Isn’t it awesome when you have a bunch of free time and can read just any ol’ thing you want? I’ve been going through my library wishlist and checking out what sounds good as well as taking a look at what’s been on my Kindle and have read through a few great books over the last week. It’s been so fun!

Thanks again to Book Date for starting this conversation and allowing us all to share what we’re reading.

JUST FINISHED

I saw this book on a Goodreads list about great romances of 2022 and thought I’d give this author a try. It’s the third book in the series but I didn’t miss not reading books 1 and 2. It was a different kind of historical novel that I actually really liked. I may go back and read the other two books!

JUST STARTED

This book has been on my Kindle for over three years. I didn’t read it during the Pandemic because it’s about a virus that kills off a majority of the world’s population but I picked it up yesterday to give it another try. It is very Nora Roberts in writing style and it was easy to get interested. I’ll admit, it’s kind of weird reading about a deadly virus but I’m going to power through and see where this book leads me. I know it’s a three book series so I’ll make my decision later on whether I continue reading the other books.

Have you read either of these books? What did you think? If they aren’t books you’d see yourself reading, please share what’s on your coffee table.

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

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This Chick Read: Homecoming King (Three Kings #1) by Penny Reid

Rex McMurtry, pro football defensive end for the Chicago Squalls, has a reputation for dating a woman and having the next person they date marry them. Always a bridesmaid and never a bride, Rex is tired of the journalists poking fun at him. When Abby finds her high school crush sitting quietly at the bar where she works, she silently serves him two drinks not realizing that he is blind drunk. Feeling responsible, she has a few friends help get him into her car where she plans to drive him home. His throwing up all over the both of them derails that plan and she decides the safest place for his famous face is on the blow up mattress in her apartment. When he wakes up and realizes she took care of him he makes a proposition that she unfortunately just can’t refuse.

I loved Abby! She is more than slightly distrustful of people and so guards her heart very tightly, but Rex was her childhood crush. She couldn’t really refuse any request he’d make of her, even if it was to be his fake wife. She was the perfect mix of innocence and arrogance. After a failed marriage and a brief stint in prison I don’t blame her for not trusting men. Her ex was a dirtbag! Despite Rex’s fake marriage proposition she feels like she knows him because she semi-stalked him all through her youth. Truthfully, he isn’t much different than he was back in high school, putting a wall up between he and anyone who wants to get close. Abby has a way of disarming him and soon she becomes one of the most important people in his life. Once again, Penny Reid writes a charming, different type of romance novel that is just fun, funny, and really damn appealing.

Most of Rex’s friends have gotten married, all to ex’s of Rex’s. LOL. However, there are two friends who’ve remained single and dare I guess that they will be King #2 and #3? While not War and Peace, Homecoming King is utterly charming and the series has promise. I can’t wait for the second to come out. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Homecoming King (Three Kings Book 1)

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Catalina Martín is the Maid of Honor in her sister’s wedding and she just found out that her ex will be bringing his new fiancée to the wedding. This was not a relationship that ended well and in fact contributed to Lina moving from Spain to NYC. Ever since their break-up she’s had trouble trusting someone enough to let them into her life and has remained single, but the last thing she wants to do is go back home as “poor Lina” for her sister’s wedding. She needs a date! Enter Aaron Blackford, her handsome and cold work frenemy, who volunteers to be her plus one. Despite the signs for a disastrous trip, Lina agrees to pull off this Spanish Love Deception with Aaron. What she doesn’t expect is for that frenemy chemistry to shift until she sees him with new eyes. Was she wrong about him all along?

This novel won Best Debut of 2021 by Goodreads readers and I can certainly see why! It’s reminiscent of all of the best enemies to lovers novels, including one of my favorites from last year The Love Hypothesis but this author steps up the chemistry a little earlier with a “fake date” that has Lina questioning her hatred of Aaron mid book instead of making us wait until the very end for her to realize he’s the one for her. I’m not saying that their fait accompli is not still drawn out, but at least there is some hesitancy to hate, which for me made all of the difference.

Is the plot of needing a date for a wedding overused? Yes, I think it is, however Lina’s charming Spanish family more than made up for any tiredness. I loved how everyone wanted Lina’s happiness and how they stood by her despite her ex being the groom’s brother. I also loved, loved, loved Aaron. He gives some swoon-worthy monologues that makes this fantasy novel shoot to a ten on the emotional scale. If he wasn’t already fictional, I’d certainly think he was too good to be true! Not to say he didn’t have his faults, he never strayed from his cool as a cucumber persona, but he was all mush when it came to Catalina. It was so sweet.

This was true escapism at its best. Easy reading, great characters, lots of depth of character, and a magnificently steamy love story. The fact it’s this author’s debut novel is astounding and boy… I can’t wait for her second. Ummm, when is it coming out? ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* The Spanish Love Deception: A Novel

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link, I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: The Wind’s Call (The Broken Lands #4) by T.A. White

After escaping her village Eva stumbles across the Trateri and decides to join with them, becoming a Herd Mistress, taking care of the animals she’s always loved. Kind of a loner she is close to only a few, relying more on her horses than she does people. When she discovers a winged horse caught in a net, she risks her life to save him earning his regard. Her ability to hear the Kyren’s mind speech puts her in the middle of a fight with evil that could bring war to the Broken Lands.

The main characters from books 1-3 are put on the back burner so we can follow Eva and Caden, Fallon’s 2nd in command into the Highlands to follow the Anatari’s hope of brokering an alliance with the Kyren. I liked Eva as a side character and grew to like her straightforward personality even more in The Wind’s Call. This is a person who doesn’t have a hidden agenda, speaks all truths, and may be a difficult person to love but her self-sacrificing tendencies give her heroic qualities that instill confidence in others and are the traits of a true leader. Caden, as Fallon’s 2nd, is all warrior. He looks death in the face and kills with an instinct reserved for the soulless. However, Eva calls to him and shows a different side of his personality. Together they make a pretty awesome couple, complimenting each other’s strengths. The funny thing for me is that neither of them are romantic or mushy and yet their romance was very sweet!

I love that in a fantasy novel you can have wonderful characters with humanistic character traits who are not human in the least. Take Sebastian, they Kyren with whom Eva bonds. Kyren are not pegasus, or angelic horses with wings, they are beings with human intelligence and can communicate with the help of a Caller, such as Eva who can her their words in their minds. Just as humans are, they can be good or evil and seeing behind what they look like is part of the fun of reading a good fantasy novel. The Wind’s Call has some awesome secondary characters who are a big part of the plot but who are not “human”. My favorite is Eva’s horse Caia, who will not deal with anyone but Eva and has the biggest personality of all of the dragon-like characters in this book.

I thought it interesting to choose new characters to write about yet keep the books in the same series as Shea and Fallon’s novels. I’ll admit, it was fun to see what Shea was up to and how she and Fallon’s relationship has progressed. The Broken Lands has been so much fun to read and explore that I’m hoping after Eva and Caden’s story is completed that this author can pick another character to carry on this lands story. I would recommend starting at the beginning of the series because the knowledge of the world this novel takes place in really builds from book to book and I feel like your experience will be more well-rounded. However, this is the first novel in these two characters story and could be picked up and read as a stand alone.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Wind’s Call (The Broken Lands)

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Crowbones (World of the Others #3) by Anne Bishop

Set in the world of the Others made famous by Anne Bishops’s novel Written in Red, we return to The Jumble. The setting and characters that we got to know in Lake Silence. Vicki, as proprietor of the Jumble, a kind of vacation spot deep in the territory, has friends and guests over for Trickster Night. A kind of Halloween inspired evening where you get tricks or treats. She is firmly on the treat side of that line not knowing what some of her more creative guests might declare a trick. A knock on the door isn’t surprising but what is on the other side puts her Crow friends in a panic. Crowbones, a kind of boogeyman for the Crows, stands on the other side rattling a gourd. When Crowbones arrives that means someone will die and in this case it’s the imposter portraying Crowbones and Vicki needs the help of her human friends to help solve the mystery before the Others decide to intervene even further, with all of their deaths.

I’ll admit that when Anne Bishop released Lake Silence, the spin-off novel from her fantabulous Others series, I had a hard time connecting with these characters. Since that initial first read, I’ve listened to Lake Silence as well, and didn’t have any trouble at all diving deep into the horror-fantasy of Crowbones. Vicki as a main character, has gained strength, or “sand” as she calls it. Choosing to believe that her previous blood transfusion from the sheriff garnered her some of his stoicism and calm regard. She draws on this strength to stay calm for her guests, knowing that her position in The Jumble lends her some importance because she has the most friendships and the Elders are fascinated with her. Don’t get me wrong, she doesn’t go all Nancy Drew, leaving the investigation to the professionals, but she did seem to have more of a back bone, not being led by her fear as much as she did in Lake Silence.

The Crowbones story had many intricacies. As noted above, there is the relationship between the Others and their human townspeople, a town that has grown by 100 people since the last book. So there were many strangers to get to know. Our favorite characters were still around and it was nice to get to know them again and gel my feelings towards this ragtag group of hero’s be them Others or human.

Anne Bishop deftly wrote the mystery in this novel, but it really wasn’t that hard to figure out, with one small red herring. I didn’t mind though because the characterizations were so fun, albeit grisly. I really enjoyed how Sheriff Grimshaw and Ilya Sanguinati, one human the other vampire, now worked together as a team. They both need this outpost of intermingling folks to work, neither wanting another human culling.

I think despite this being titled #3 in the World of the Others that this novel could be read as a stand alone. You don’t need to have read Wild Country at all, but you may want to read Lake Silence because it will give you some background on the main characters that will make your reading experience more enjoyable. If you didn’t and don’t want to backtrack to the first book, feel free. My guess is that you’ll pick it up anyway because this one is so good. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* https://amzn.to/3HGIytm

COPYRIGHT 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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It’s Monday, what are you reading? (3/7/22)

I think my re-watching of Bridgerton this weekend got a little bit in the way of my reading. I’m excited for the release later this month of Season 2! I watched it when it first came out and it’s funny what my brain remembered (not that much), and I forgot all the sex and naked chests. Wowie! I am now ready to see what season 2 brings. Despite that 8 or 9 hours of binge watching I did finish a contemporary romance by Meghan Quinn and started an oldie but goodie by Nora Roberts. Here’s the scoop.

*Thanks again to Book Date for starting this conversation!

JUST FINISHED

I’ll admit that this wasn’t my normal reading choice but I’ve read Meghan Quinn in the past and have found her stories have a sense of humor that I felt I needed this weekend. There were moments in this novel that were pretty funny and it was a quick read. Just what I was looking for.

JUST STARTED

I was going through Nora Roberts books on my library app and there are so many of her romantic thrillers that I somehow skipped. High Noon came out in 2007 and so far it’s off to a great start.

Are there any shows that are keeping you from picking up that book you’ve been eyeing? This month there are a LOT of Netflix releases that I’m looking forward to and I bet you all have a few as well. Let’s hear them!

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

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This Chick Read: By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate

Lanie is a romance editor in a publishing firm who’s biggest client is the super popular Noa Calloway. Lanie loves Noa’s books and has based her entire relationship with her fiancé on a romantic list on the back of one of Noa’s bestsellers. She’s been lucky enough to develop an online friendship with Noa, exchanging edits and quips. When her boss retires, Lanie is given her job as the exclusive editor of Noa Calloways with the caveat that she has to have her next book in hand in three months or the job is not hers. Lanie sets up her first meeting (in person) with Noa and discovers she’s Noah Ross, and yes he’s a man. Lanie heads into a tailspin, thinking everything she’s done in her life was based on this lie. Somehow she has to get past it… and get Noah to write that next bestseller.

What would you do if Nora Roberts turned out to be a man? This is what I thought when I realized Noa Calloway wasn’t who Lanie thought she was, and in fact, was a he. If I were a romantic like Lanie I would probably be upset, shocked, angry, etc. and eventually also realize that I love my job regardless and needed to focus on helping Noah get over his writer’s block. Lanie goes all in, showing Noah her favorite places in New York and helping inspire him on his next story. What she doesn’t realize that this real life plot shift also brings to life some imperfections in her own relationship. In this way, she grows from her youthful expectations of love to realize a more adult outlook on both love and life.

This friends to lovers romance was sweet and very satisfying! Despite the bad feelings, these two cared too much about their friendship to let that one thing stand in the way of their relationship. There was a LOT of initial tension but there’s nothing I like better than when that tone shifts from anger to begrudging respect, adoration, and even love. These two had such great chemistry it would’ve been a crime if they hadn’t found a way to be together.

If you love friends to lovers slow burn romances, this is the perfect book for you. Set in New York, this story felt like a fairytale, and their slow growing romance was fun, sweet, and led up to a fabulous conclusion. What more could a romance reader want? ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase this book!* By Any Other Name

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: The Unsinkable Greta James by Jennifer E. Smith

Indie rock star, Greta James, breaks down on stage after the death of her mother, the world catching it on camera and making her grief go viral. Pushing back the launch of her sophomore album, Greta takes her mothers place on a 40th anniversary cruise to Alaska with her father, a man that she loves but that she’s always had a rocky relationship. Maybe this trip will help bridge the gap and keep her from losing both of her parents. While cruising she meets Ben Wilder, a guest speaker about a novel he’s written based upon The Call of the Wild. Ben is also going through personal loss, his broken marriage and missing his two little girls. In each other they find something that connects them and may help them overcome their trauma.

I have read two other books by this author and have loved them all. She balances drama and happiness so deftly and takes me on a journey that stays with me for awhile. Greta was an interesting character. Her first love is playing the guitar and everything in her life has taken a back seat to her commitment to be the best. Her father has spent her life worrying that she is choosing something that is doomed to bring her heartbreak, and despite her success he can’t help but lecture and push her to take a safer route. It’s actually kind of sweet if you think about it, but super frustrating as well. When she meets Ben, he becomes a safe place for her to escape from her complicated emotions surrounding her mother’s death and her feelings for her father but as the days pass she realizes that he is going through his own mixed up life and their vacation romance may be just that.

One of my favorite side characters is a young girl on the ship who idolizes Greta. She makes a great contrast to where Greta was in her childhood and where she is now in her own life. By helping this girl with her own guitar playing she gives her something that she never received in return. I thought that was a really neat circle of life moment that tied the drama in the book together really well and added moments of joy that I can’t say were missing but were only sprinkled sparingly through the book. It’s funny how having those brighter moments makes the contrast that much greater, isn’t it?

This was a very well planned, well executed novel. I really need to go back and read through Jennifer E. Smith’s backlog of books. I bet there are quite a few other nuggets of gold to be discovered.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Mr. Wrong Number

Copyright 2022 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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It’s Monday, what are you reading? (2/28/22)

Good morning! Have you ever requested too many books and realized that you need to read and review several in the next five days in order to honor your commitments? This girl right here! Despite the weather being glorious, I sat this weekend out and read a few really good books! Seriously, not a stinker among them. (Thank goodness….) Truthfully, it was kind of nice to have the excuse to sit around and read. LOL Curious? Here is what I’ve been reading.

Thanks to Book Date who started this theme for bloggers to share what’s on their shelves. You can read her post here.

JUST FINISHED

I remember reading Lauren Kate’s Fallen series ages ago and was surprised to see that she had an adult contemporary romance novel. I scooped it up and was so glad I did! Unsurprisingly, her writing was still awesome, and the story was a slow burn romance, my favorite! This book is too cute you all, you need to give it a shot.

JUST STARTED

It feels so good to be back in the world of the Others! Someone decides to play a trick on Vicki and her guests at the Jumble, dressing as Crowbones, the boogeyman of the Crow Guard. Do the indigene have a sense of humor? Not really, but they do know how to protect their own. This is one fabulous Urban Fantasy novel and I can’t wait to find out who dunnit.

Are you reading a book that you just can’t put down? It’s the best feeling in the world, isn’t it?

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads