Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have spent the last 40 years of their lives as assassins for an elite organization called the “Museum”. Now in their 60’s they are retiring from the business and their company has sent them on a cruise as a goodbye gift. Unfortunately, the museum sent another gift as well, an assassin to help them on their way to a permanent retirement. These four old broads spot him, escape their fate, and then determine who put the price on their heads and why. Sometimes it’s a benefit to be too old for people to take you seriously.
This novel was certainly a departure from the style that I’ve come to expect from a Deanna Raybourn novel, and I was please at the surprise! Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie were all great characters and this plot was a complete original. I did find it funny that they were considered too old at the ripe old age of 60 but reminded myself of my bum knee and bad back when I’m a bit younger and though, ok, yes they might be a bit battered and bruised and looking forward to a quiet life. I know I am and I’m not running around killing people. Billie’s story took center stage so it was easier to identify with her, but the other ladies had interesting personalities and back stories as well. It was refreshing to find I was interested in everyone pretty evenly and didn’t lean more towards one character. They were all great.
Not having any knowledge of how to kill anything more than a spider in my bathtub, I’ll admit that I found their creativity kept me turning the pages and the fact that the author wrote this a bit tongue in cheek definitely helped me not take it too seriously. It was easy reading and never boring. There isn’t any higher praise than that from me.
I found the revenge plot to be a lot of fun, if a bit gruesome, and enjoyed the jaunts back into their earlier lives when they were being trained as new assassins, as well as their first couple of kills. It gave us insight into all of their characters helping the reader identify with the characters even if we weren’t identifying with their careers as assassins. Killers of a Certain Age was good fun and made me admire this author for writing outside of her normal genre. Nice job! However, I’ll admit to wanting her to write another historical for her next book.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!
It’s hard to keep the peace in Rockton when all of its citizens have secrets. When those secrets threaten to be revealed, it’s Casey’s job to find out who is the culprit. When it becomes clear that that person may also cause harm and possibly murder people, solving the mystery becomes imperative. With the help of her boyfriend Sheriff Eric Dalton, Casey navigates the secrets of Rockton, against a deadline that may split them up forever.
Set in the isolated forests of the Yukon, Rockton was a city that was built for one reason. To make money from people who are desperate enough to want an escape from their real life. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a resort town, this is a town that survives because its inhabitants work to make it survive. They arrive in Rockton with no past, their lives scrubbed clean. However, the reasons they’ve left the world behind may not be easily wiped clean, coming out in their habits and personalities. When the committee starts accepting people who are no longer escaping bad situations but are bad themselves, the community begins to change and Casey’s life investigating crimes becomes much busier, but the one thing that stays consistent is that no one knows anyone’s history. In The Deepest of Secrets, that ideal is threatened. The first to have his secret revealed is fellow officer, Will Anders, one of Casey’s best friends.
This series has been so enjoyable because of the complicated characters, their bonds with each other, and the city and location. It’s mysterious, eery, and the perfect setting for a fantastical mystery series. These flawed people have worked hard to make a community, made friends and built connections all while a mysterious committee has the power to change their lives. That fear of not knowing what comes next is a huge theme in this book. Casey is solving a mystery, but she’s going against their rules and running out of time. This sense of urgency is prevalent throughout the novel making my stomach churn with an uncertainty. Is this the last novel in the series? I am sad that it may be over, but boy, it was a fantastic ending. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review and it was honest.
Hot-shot pilot Leo Eddowes is asked to evacuate a man from the wilds of Alaska and eagerly jumps at the chance, despite some bad guys on her tail. Crash landing near his cabin, Leo realizes that she was led astray for the man she’s rescuing is non other than most wanted ex-agent Elias Thorne. Needing to rely on each other to survive they help each other outwit and out-survive the men who want to find them… dead or alive. While on the run Leo finds that Elias isn’t the dangerous man she’s been led to believe and she’s determined to help him rebuild the life he’d left behind. As soon as they get out of the Alaska wilderness.
It’s been a couple of years since I read the first novel in this series but what I did remember is how fast-paced the story was, and how each chapter held my interest. Uncharted was no different. It started off with a plane crash and even as our two main characters were getting to know each other they were doing it while running for their lives. Leo was a really great character. Not only was she a great pilot but she had a lot of hidden depths that were revealed as the novel moved along. Despite her own fears she had so much empathy for Elias that she let her emotions take over and went with her gut in allowing herself to develop feelings for him.
Elias surprised me as well. He had been living by himself for the last decade and had pretty much lost his way, living inside his own head about all that had gone wrong in his past. He saw Leo as too good to be true, but he didn’t fight his feelings very hard either and let the mountain man take charge. He was going to get her out of the wilderness even if it killed him. I loved how the two of them connected emotionally and just totally went for it. The danger of the moment pushed them a bit and probably because of that it didn’t seem too far-fetched.
Uncharted was a fun book to read. I really loved how they fought their enemies, feelings, and their environment and despite the danger you just knew they were going to come out on top. If you have not read Whiteout, the first novel in the series you don’t need to although the underlining story crosses through both books. I think you can get the gist by reading this novel as a standalone. However, Whiteout was really good too so if you have the time pick it up first. I promise that the time will fly by while you read these books! The stories are action-filled and the characters full of a passion for life and for each other. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review and it was honest!
I didn’t do a ton of reading this weekend because I was on my computer attending the virtual Yallwest. Listening to authors talk about topics, books, and their lives during the pandemic. I was only reading late at night right before I’d fall asleep and lately I’m getting tired really quickly!
This post originated over on Book Date, so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion about what books I am reading.
JUST FINISHED
The 9th book in the series, I’m totally invested in Sebastian, his life, his wife Hero, and the. mysteries. This was probably my favorite so far because he finally told his wife he loved her and it was such a sweet moment! Yeah, I’m a big sucker for the ‘I love you’. This is an older title (2014) and I’m slowing getting through the audiobooks in this series and loving them. It helps that Davina Porter is such a terrific narrator.
This one came out in 2003 and came back onto my radar last year after my sister and I took a trip to stay at Nora Roberts Inn Boonsboro and toured the Antietam battlefields. I know I must’ve read it, but it was so long ago that I don’t remember it at all. I totally forgot I’d borrowed it until I was dusting today, put the rag down to read the inside cover and sat down and started reading. It’s just what I’m in the mood for!
I’m catching up on some of my TBR reading and loving the fact that they both haven’t been talked about in years. Isn’t it nice to read a book just for the pleasure of it and not because everyone is talking about it?
Speaking of which, did any of you attend the virtual Yallwest? What did you think?
Take care and stay safe!
Deb
I’m an Amazon associate and if you click on one of the above links and purchase the book, I’ll receive a small stipend.
A couple years ago I was at a book convention awards show and Karin Slaughter was the keynote speaker. She was this small, blonde, pretty woman with a terrific wit and had me rolling in my chair. I had heard of her but had never read one of her novels. We were given a copy of Blindsighted in our bag of goodies and I’ve been meaning to read it ever since. Would her novel hold the same charm for me as did the author? Yes, but in a darker, more gruesome manner.
Blindsighted was published in 2001. I know, right? That was such a long time ago, however there was only one line in the novel that had me checking the publication date. “Lena took the cassette tape out of it’s case.” Other than that exception there was a timelessness to this novel. These atrocities are still on the news today, happening anywhere and everywhere.
Sara Linton is both a pediatrician and coroner. When she meets her sister for lunch in their small town diner, she gets up to use the restroom and finds a young woman brutally raped and murdered on the toilet. A woman she knows. The brutality of the murder suggests a serial murderer and Sara calls in the local sheriff, her ex-husband Jeffrey Tolliver. Together they investigate the murder(s) giving the reader insights into their history together, feelings for each other, and secrets are revealed. I found this novel riveting and read it’s 448 pages in one day. Totally unputdownable.
I will admit that even though her last name is Slaughter, I didn’t admit that same funny, bright, lovely woman had this kind of grit and darkness in her soul. I do know she’s got many novels under her belt, a few more even in this series, and despite the gruesomeness I think I need to see where Sara Linton’s path lies and which direction she’ll take. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️
Opinions from around the Blogosphere
“The story takes you through major twists and turns, thrills and spills. It grabs you by the hand and doesn’t let up until the final word. In other words, my kind of story. I can’t honestly say there is a single book I’ve read by Karin Slaughter that I thought was mediocre, let alone awful.” Michael D. Turashoff
I was on vacation the last week of August so am a little late getting to my wrap up post this month. Sorry guys! I vacationed in New York City and went to visit family in Maine. Getting out of the south in August was awesome! We happened to hit a week with temperature’s in the low to mid 70’s and no humidity. Now THAT’s a vacation!
In New York we crammed in some fun things like a day at the US Open and got to see Djokovik play, saw Jeff Daniels in To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway, and traveled to the Top of the Rock for the view of Manhattan at sunset, went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the Play it Loud exhibit, and we ate SO MUCH FOOD! LOL. My vacations are all about eating, especially in NYC! Here’s some highlights in pic form.
We drove up to Maine and had a great time visiting family and again lucked out on the weather. It was great!
I may have mentioned last month that I signed up to do way too many reviews in the month of August and Sept. So my vacation also spent some time getting caught up on my reading. I scheduled a lot of reviews and even wrote some posts from the road. Here’s what you may have missed on the Reading Chick last month.
AUGUST- BEST READS
“Since this is a trilogy, we are given peeks at the depths of their feelings for each other. There are two more books in this series for all of their mysteries to be revealed and I will be one of the millions that is eagerly awaiting the next installment! ”
“I can’t really think of anything I disliked about this novel. Yes, there was a miscommunication that went on a little too long, but i understood how that helped establish why these two characters needed each other. Maybe it was my own memories of a Renaissance Faire that made me like this so much? Who knows! I just know that I read it at the right time, it hit my sweet spot, and I really enjoyed the journey. You can’t ask for more than that!”
“The Bride Test is a unique romance novel in that its main characters are not perfect at the end of the book. You get the feeling that both Khai and Esme have a long journey of self discovery ahead but they will do it hand in hand.”
*Amazon Associate- I receive a small stipend if you should purchase through the link provided.
THIS CHICKS SUNDAY COMMENTARY
Beyond my July’19 Wrap Up post and My Most Anticipated Releases for August, I did write an editorial asking if Author’s ever wanted to provide a do over because their opinions on a subject may have changed or even a subject that was considered normal (ex: women not being treated equal to men) has now changed. If you missed any of these posts, please click the links below and join in on the discussions!
It’s already 9/8, so I’m into the month of September and trying to stay on track with my blogging. I am only committed to 4 reviews, so I’ll get those out of the way starting this week. I’d really like to spend my reading time actually picking out a book that may take me a little longer to read and make me think a little bit! A nice historical, or even a political thriller. Both of those genre’s require paying attention to what I’m reading, otherwise I’ll be re-reading sections when I can’t figure out what’s going on!
I never did get out a Giveaway post last month, so I may try to compile some goodies to give away to a blogger. Hopefully, I can do that in the next week!
If you’ve read down this far, thanks! I’d like to ask what’s on tap on your own blog next month? I need to do some hopping! Let me know!
When a video goes viral of an incantation that gives a normal person telepathic abilities a surge of magic using causes uprisings across the globe. The U. S. government calls on ex CIA agent Ben Zolstra to track down and uncover the secret society. From the US to Marrakesh, Ben and his team are fighting a race against time to find an unbinding that will stop the magic before society implodes. This fast paced thriller is a mix of Jason Bourne and Robert Langdon meets a grown up and evil Harry Potter. A curious compilation that kept me reading until it’s explosive ending.
Ben Zolstra left the CIA because he became disillusioned with their tactics in fighting terror. When he finds Mack-the woman in the video seen to float a car in the air and thinks her life may become in danger because of those same tactics he spirits her away and goes rogue. The two of them make for an unlikely partnership since he wants to stop magic, but Mack feels empowered for the first time in her life. The dichotomy of their race against time and their differing opinions cause an already tense plot to become just that little bit edgier. The government needs Mack to be on their side but is she really?
Their race around the world gave American Magic a Dan Brown feel and the secret society that was unveiled only confirmed that similar feel. That commonality allowed me to enjoy the ride because I kind of felt like I knew where I would land. Some might consider that a negative but I didn’t feel that way at all. There were enough differences that made American Magic stand on it’s own and I really enjoyed the exploration of how magic could change our reality.
❤️❤️❤️❣️
I received a free copy of this novel through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!
Opinions from around the Blogosphere
“American Magic is a quick read that I believe fans of Jim Butcher and Simon Green will like. Although this debut didn’t quite meet my admittedly high expectations, I think Zach Fehst has the potential to become an exciting new voice in urban fantasy, and I’m interested in seeing what he comes out with next.” By Hook or by Book
Recently I was looking at my NetGalley ARC’s trying to map out my reading schedule and realized I didn’t have any books I had to read for a July release. What?!! Immediately I wondered if I missed any and Googled Goodreads most popular list of July releases to just double check. There are some good ones on the list but surprisingly only a few that were on my radar. Don’t get me wrong, there are a ton being releases but I like certain genre’s and there are only a few that hit my sweet spot.
It’s kind of nice to know I can read for pleasure and maybe get a head start on my August ARC’s, cause you know, I over-requested for that month. Sooo many August releases this year! Anywho… here are some July releases that I’ve added to my TBR, and got in line for a few of them at my local library.
DEB’S TOP 5 RELEASES FOR JULY
5) Protect the Prince (A Crown of Shards #2) by Jennifer Estep
Release Date: 7/2/2019
Publisher: Harper Voyager (Harper Collins)
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
I loved the first novel in this series and can’t wait to dive into Protect the Prince!
Synopsis:
Everleigh Blair might be the new gladiator queen of Bellona, but her problems are far from over.
First, Evie has to deal with a court full of arrogant, demanding nobles, all of whom want to get their greedy hands on her crown. As if that wasn’t bad enough, an assassin tries to kill Evie in her own throne room.
Despite the dangers, Evie goes ahead with a scheduled trip to the neighboring kingdom of Andvari in order to secure a desperately needed alliance. But complicating matters is the stubborn Andvarian king, who wants to punish Evie for the deaths of his countrymen during the Seven Spire massacre.
Dark forces are also at work inside the Andvarian palace, and Evie soon realizes that no one is safe. Worse, her immunity to magic starts acting in strange, unexpected ways, which makes Evie wonder whether she is truly strong enough to be a Winter Queen.
Evie’s magic, life, and crown aren’t the only things in danger—so is her heart, thanks to Lucas Sullivan, the Andvarian king’s bastard son and Evie’s … well, Evie isn’t quite sure what Sullivan is to her.
Only one thing is certain—protecting a prince might be even harder than killing a queen…
Nora Roberts is sometimes hit or miss, but I do like her Romantic Thriller’s, and well she is Nora Roberts and always hits my TBR.
Synopsis:
For both Zane and Darby, their small town roots hold a terrible secret. Now, decades later, they’ve come together to build a new life. But will the past set them free or pull them under?
Zane Bigelow grew up in a beautiful, perfectly kept house in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Strangers and even Zane’s own aunt across the lake see his parents as a successful surgeon and his stylish wife, making appearances at their children’s ballet recitals and baseball games. Only Zane and his sister know the truth, until one brutal night finally reveals cracks in the facade, and Zane escapes for college without a thought of looking back…
Years later, Zane returns to his hometown determined to reconnect with the place and people that mean so much to him, despite the painful memories. As he resumes life in the colorful town, he meets a gifted landscape artist named Darby, who is on the run from ghosts of her own.
Together they will have to teach each other what it means to face the past, and stand up for the ones they love.
Not sure how I missed this one because I really like this author and this looks so cute! If you like YA, you need to check this one out.
Synopsis: One year. Nine events. Nine chances to . . . fall in love?
Weddings. Funerals. Barbecues. New Year’s Eve parties. Name the occasion, and Sophie Evans will be there. Well, she has to be there. Sophie works for the local florist, so she can be found at every big event in her small hometown, arranging bouquets and managing family dramas.
Enter Andrew Hart. The son of the fancy new chef in town, Andrew is suddenly required to attend all the same events as Sophie. Entitled, arrogant, preppy Andrew. Sophie just wants to get her job done and finish up her sketches so she can apply to design school. But every time she turns around, there is Andrew, getting in her way and making her life more complicated. Until one day she wonders if maybe complicated isn’t so bad after all . . .
Told over the course of one year and following Sophie from event to event, this delightful novel from master of romantic comedy Kasie West shows how love can blossom in unexpected places.
I actually did ask for an ARC of this novel and got rejected… BOO! I love Berkley books but for some reason I only get about 50% of the books I request. Regardless, this author wrote one of my top funniest books The Garden of Small Beginnings, and I hope for a repeat every time and so she lands on my TBR again…
Synopsis: Meet Nina Hill: A young woman supremely confident in her own…shell.
The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book.
When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They’re all—or mostly all—excited to meet her! She’ll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It’s a disaster! And as if that wasn’t enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn’t he realize what a terrible idea that is?
Nina considers her options. 1. Completely change her name and appearance. (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.) 2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee). 3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)
It’s time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn’t convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It’s going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page.
1)Sweep of the Blade (Innkeeper Series #4) by Ilona Andrews
Release Date: 7/16/19
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Romantic Fantasy
It is not a secret that I’m having a secret love affair with the writing team called Ilona Andrews. LOVE this series, and really any series they write. This date just dropped this week and I AM SO EXCITED! They release each chapter for free on their website, but I always wait for the entire book to release to read it.
Synopsis: Maud Demille is a daughter of Innkeepers—a special group who provide ‘lodging’ to other-planetary visitors—so she knows that a simple life isn’t in the cards. But even Maud could never have anticipated what Fate would throw at her.
Once a wife to a powerful vampire knight, Maud and her young daughter, Helen, were exiled with him for his treachery to the desolate, savage planet of Karhari. Karhari killed her husband, and Maud—completely abandoned by his family—has spent over a year avenging his debts. Rescued by her sister Dina, she’s sworn off all things vampire.
Except… In helping Dina save the world, she met Arland, the Marshal of House Krahr, one of the most powerful vampire houses. One thing led to another and he asked for her hand in marriage. She declined. Arland is not used to hearing the word ‘no;’ and try as she might, Maud can’t just walk away from Arland. It doesn’t help that being human is a lot harder for Maud than being a vampire.
To sort it all out, she accepts his invitation to visit his home planet. House Krahr is extremely influential and Maud knows that a woman—a human, with a very questionable past—who’s turned down a proposal from its most beloved son won’t get a warm reception. Maybe she’s not sure about marrying Arland, but House Krahr isn’t going to decide for her. Maud Demille has never run from a fight, and House Krahr will soon discover that there’s a lot more to Maud than they’re expecting.
When Aubrey Finch is running at the park she see’s what appears to be a child kidnapping, a little boy pulled into a car against his will. She reports it to the police but when no one reports a child missing they treat her like she’s delusional and ignore her report.As a mother herself, Aubrey can’t let this crime go and starts to investigate on her own. Her investigation starts to reveal pieces of her past that she’s tried desperately to keep hidden from her estranged husband and brings her to the attention of some dangerous suspects.
Wherever She Goes combines action and psychological thriller making this a very easy, gripping, read. Aubrey’s character and background is part of the mystery. How does this mom have the skills to investigate a crime that even the police think is a waste of time? Each reveal about her past makes her more fascinating and as she unravels the mystery. As a mom she often second guesses her own decisions making the contrast of diving into a dangerous investigation even more compelling. Who is this woman and why has she settled for what has become of her life? That’s an even greater mystery and one that I relished discovering the reasons why.
As I read this novel I realized there were actually a few different mysteries I was trying to unravel. 1) Aubrey’s background 2) the missing child and 3) the reason why her relationship fell apart with her husband. Kelley Armstrong does a great job of intertwining all of these mysteries so that each reveal is intertwined with a personal reflection Aubrey has about her life. I loved how all of those ties bound the novel into one cohesive, solid piece of fiction. This was a story that didn’t get bogged down in descriptions, but was told through the eyes of a woman going through some big emotional revelations. The only negative was that the ending didn’t quite give me that happy glow, but after mulling it over for a bit I realized it was pretty realistic.
Wherever She goes was easy to read and really interesting! I’d totally recommend it to anyone who loves a fast moving mystery.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher (St. Martin’s Press) for my honest review and it was honest!
Opinions from around the Blogosphere
“Overall, Wherever She Goes is a nice read with good writing and great characters. The premise is intriguing and the fast pace keeps you reading, but the plot could have been a little more fleshed out. The ending is also a bit underwhelming, but it does lend a hopeful tone to Aubrey’s story that makes it a nice conclusion to the book.” Owls Reads
The Reading Chick 
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