I started the new year out with some entertaining books that I want to share. I only post 4 and 5-star reviews.
MY REVIEW:
In this follow-up novel to The Eternal Road, we find Samantha being given a mission by Archangel Michael to help find two souls who have gone missing on their journey to find the eternal resting place. Air Force pilot Ryan Sanders, and his escort, the infamous Eddie Rickenbacker, are missing. With the angel’s permission, Sam chooses to take James with her on the mission. Of course, that leads them to the magical 1956 Oldsmobile.
The journey brings Sam and James face-to-face with their arch-enemy, Lucifer. No doubt the devil is behind the missing souls. He lives up to his evil reputation when he insists on claiming the soul of Ryan Sanders.
When Sam and James finally catch up to Sanders and Rickenbacker, the four are sent on a horrifying soiree through history, each stop growing more intensely painful than the one before. From the battle of Gettysburg to the sinking of the Titanic and Auschwitz prison camps, their faith and fortitude are tested over and over. They cannot let Lucifer win.
This is truly a story of good vs. evil. I love how Sam and James stayed focused and steadfast throughout each trial. Their relationship strengthened as they went, while Lucifer became more evil and degenerative. If you are looking for a historical fantasy adventure of epic proportions and the ultimate test of faith, you will enjoy this book. I highly recommend it! It was a great way to start off a new year of reading!
I will preface this review by saying I am not a big fan of vampire stories. That being said, this story is not your typical vampire trope.
The book opens with Cara’s four-year-old daughter, Janie, waking her mother up to tell her they are coming. Great opener! Immediate tension and worry. Janie is psychic, and Cara is a strong empath. I loved that aspect of the story.
Talen is a super-human warrior. And he’s a vampire, but not a stereotypical one. His family, the Kayrs, have been around for hundreds of years and, for many years, have had a peaceful truce with another group of vampires, the Kurjans. But things have changed, and treaties are being broken.
And Cara and Janie are in the dead center of it all. The Kurjans intend to capture Cara and Janie to help procreate their species, even though they would have to wait many years for Janie to grow up. The Kayrs will not let them be taken, so Talen Kayr gets to them first. This book is filled with lots of heart-stopping action, including fight scenes where heads are being decapitated, and shapeshifters join in the melee.
Talen Kayr claims Cara as his mate, and the sex scenes are rough and sometimes brutal. And there are many. That part of the story became redundant. Talen has the power to immobilize Cara with unearthly desire and raw lust. I have nothing against graphic sex scenes, but there were a bit too many in this book for my taste. Half the amount would have been more enjoyable. While I won’t be reading more in this series, I am still a died-in-the-wool Rebecca Zanetti fan. She is a talented writing force!
MY REVIEW:
Menagerie is a collection of unforgettable short stories. From the first dual-timeline story to the last heartfelt family drama, I was sucked in.
It is hard to pick out a few favorites, but I’ll give it a try.
“Ghost Bridge” is a chilling account of a doctor in the 1800s who could not get to his patient in time and himself dies in a horrible accident on a bridge. Rumors have it that he still roams the bridge trying to reach his patient. The story comes forward to modern times, and Kate is severely injured and trapped. Is it the ghost of the good doctor who comes to rescue her?
“Seven Days” could be a lesson for us all. We are so tied to our electronic devices. What would it be like to go without them for a whole week?
“Lone Wolf” was another that really stood out to me. The close-up encounters are realistic and believable.
But out of the thirteen stories in this book, only left me with physical goosebumps on my arms. “Storm Rider” is a tale that I will not ever forget.
If you enjoy stories set in small towns, tales that include ghosts and folklore, you will devour this book, as I did. I highly recommend it. This author did a superb job of creating these tales!
MY REVIEW:
This is a enemies to lovers romance set in the midst of a category-five hurricane on the Florida coast. Melody Orlean, a meteorologist, and her cameraman, Ty, have been sent to a beachside resort to cover the storm for her local station. They arrive to find another meteorologist, Mark Fox, and his camera crew, Jade, already stationed at the resort and filming. Melody is fit to be tied. First of all, they’ve been promised exclusive access to the resort, and secondly, Mark Fox is a sworn enemy. I struggled to understand Melody’s intense dislike for Mark, and even when the reason was revealed, it seemed a little flimsy. But the story was good, and the setting intense. The author did a great job of putting the reader in the middle of this gigantic storm while the hotel is being battered and crumbling around the characters.
When I picked up the book, I thought I was getting a romantic comedy, but instead, it is an intense struggle for survival while dealing with past issues. I loved the characters’ determination to survive and how they put aside differences to band together. The story is well-written, has a happy ending, and carries a great message to anyone in the path of one of these deadly storms.
Janie is exhausted, running the Crossroads Diner almost single-handedly. At first glance, the diner seems like any normal restaurant, but as this short story unfolds, the reader becomes aware that it is a very special place in between worlds. Everyone is going somewhere. Some come for a short time, and some stay. It is a jumping-off place of sorts for those who need help moving on. There is an incessant blizzard, and folks seek shelter inside. When Cowboy shows up, Janie isn’t sure she can trust him, as trust doesn’t come easy. While it appears he is there to help, he has to prove himself.
This is the perfect mix of realistic fantasy. I immediately related to Janie and her exhaustion. Yet, there was no way to stop and rest as the place stayed filled to capacity. Her work was never done. I wasn’t sure about Cowboy at first, but he proved himself pretty quickly. An imaginative story of a place that is no place and a time that is no time. I highly recommend it!
That’s it from me this month. I hope you saw something that grabbed you!
Writing and Music 
Excellent reviews, Jan. I’ve been reading so many great reviews about John and Joan’s books. I’m no a fan of vampire books either, but exceptions can be made. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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They do not disappoint for sure, Mark. Thanks for visiting.
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My pleasure!
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Wonderful reviews! Congratulations to all the authors. Some of my faves here and new ones to explore. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Jan. Hugs 💕🙂
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Thanks, Harmony. I appreciate you taking the time to visit and leave a comment.
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All these books sound interesting. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about them Jan. January has been a slow reading month for me but I am trying to catch up. 😊
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My pleasure, Balroop. I’m glad you enjoyed the reviews. No worries about catching up. Just breathe!
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Hi, Jan,
Interesting books. I haven’t read John’s newest book but I have Eternal Road and will put this new one on my TBR list. I have Pamela’s book, Crosswood Diner #205. Just haven’t read it yet.
Shalom aleichem
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I think you will enjoy The Eternal Road, Pat. It certainly gives one something to ponder. And so does The Cross Roads Diner. Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment!
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Great reviews on some awesome books, Jan. I agree with your thoughts on Menagerie and Last Drive.
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Thank you for visiting, Darlene! And thanks for adding your recommendation for The Last Drive and Menagerie. Much appreciated.
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Great reviews, Jan 🙂 I’ve read and enjoyed three of these and found one to add!
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Awesome! Glad you found something new. Thanks for visiting.
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I’ve read Pamela’s short story and thought it was great! Thanks for sharing all your reviews, Jan!
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
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Thank you for adding your recommendation, Yvette! I appreciate you stopping by and leaving a comment!
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Great reviews! I have some books to add to my TBR list. Thank you for sharing, Jan.
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Wonderful, Karen! Thanks for visiting!
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Great bunch of new temptations. Thanks, Jan.
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Temptations are everywhere. 🙂 Thanks for visiting, Craig!
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Ooo, they all sound so good, Jan! A new year with more books to add to my list. Thank you! 🙂
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Lol, Mary. Yep! More great reading. Thank you for stopping by and glad something grabbed your interest.
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Sounds like you had a good month of books. I read and enjoyed John’s and Joan’s works. (You’re right; it was hard to pick a favorite in her collection.) And I’ve been on the fence about Zanetti’s vampire series. I’m so glad you reviewed it. Now I know it’s not for me, though I LOVE her work. The other books also sound really good. Best wishes to all authors.
Thanks, Jan.
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I completely agreed about the Rebecca Zanetti book. I am a died-in-the-wool fan of her work, but this book just didn’t do it for me. Thank you for adding your recommendation to Joan and John’s new books. They are both so good. I appreciate you stopping by today!
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Thank you for your lovely review of The Last Drive, Jan. I’m so glad you enjoyed the story and grateful that you wrote your thoughts about it. Your other reviews were excellent, and my congratulations to the authors.
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You are most welcome, John! I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Drive and can easily recommend it as a great read. Thank you for stopping by and sharing!
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😁
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I’ll add my recommendation for The Last Drive. And thank you for the wonderful review of Menagerie. I’ve been seeing things about Cross Roads Diner. The backdrop of a hurricane sounds intriguing. Thanks for sharing your reviews.
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You are most welcome, Joan. I enjoyed each story in Menagerie and happy to add my recommendation. Thanks for the boost for The Last Drive. Cross Roads Diner is a very short but intriguing read. I think you’d like it. Thanks for visiting!
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Great reviews today, Jan! Several of these gems are awaiting on my overloaded Kindle. Thanks for sharing!
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Lol, Jill. Someone should write a horror story about an overloaded Kindle that rebels. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by. I know you are going to enjoy the ones you choose to read.
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LOL!
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Wonderful review, Jan, thank you for sharing them with us. Congratulations to each of the writers. I’ve just added a few more to my bulging kindle! 😊
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Lol, Gwen! I so relate to the bulging kindle dilemma. Thank you for stopping by and glad you found something interesting to explore.
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A great collection of reviews, Jan. I thoroughly enjoyed The Last Drive and Menagerie. I like the idea of the hurricane backdrop in Weathering Heights, and I’ve seen Cross Roads Diner around the blogosphere. That one has an intriguing premises.
Thanks for sharing your reviews, and congratulations to all the authors!
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My pleasure, Mae. Thank you for stopping by. The Cross Roads Diner is an intriguing look at a world in between worlds. It’s super short and easy to read. I’m glad you found some interesting new books!
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