giovedì 3 novembre 2016

Recensione: Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection: Box Set Books 1-3 di Barbara Venkataraman



Books 1-3 of the Jamie Quinn Mystery Series! Including: 

"Death by Didgeridoo"-Winner of the Indie Book of the Day award. Reluctant lawyer, Jamie Quinn, still reeling from the death of her mother, is pulled into a game of deception, jealousy, and vengeance when her cousin, Adam, is wrongfully accused of murder. It's up to Jamie to find the real murderer before it's too late. It doesn't help that the victim is a former rock star with more enemies than friends, or that Adam confessed to a murder he didn't commit. 

"The Case of the Killer Divorce"-Reluctant lawyer, Jamie Quinn, has returned to her family law practice after a hiatus due to the death of her mother. It's business as usual until a bitter divorce case turns into a murder investigation, and Jamie's client becomes the prime suspect. When she can't untangle truth from lies, Jamie enlists the help of Duke Broussard, her favorite private investigator, to try to clear her client's name. And she’s hoping that, in his spare time, he can help her find her long-lost father. 

"Peril in the Park"-There's big trouble in the park system. Someone is making life difficult for Jamie Quinn's boyfriend, Kip Simons, the new director of Broward County parks. Was it the angry supervisor passed over for promotion? The disgruntled employee Kip recently fired? Or someone with a bigger ax to grind? If Jamie can't figure it out soon, she may be looking for a new boyfriend because there’s a dead guy in the park and Kip has gone missing! With the help of her favorite P.I., Duke Broussard, Jamie must race the clock to find Kip before it’s too late.


Barbara Venkataraman is an attorney and mediator specializing in family law as the protagonist of this books Jamie.
I think that this series is particular both for the choice of female main characters than for the structure of plot.
From the start of reading I have thought that the story was set  as a TV film at episodes, because the chapters are very short so it is as see a scene change.
While Jamie isn't the classic and usual heroine of book , also if cozy mystery book. Unfortunately, this didn't  work for me and this peculiarity make me to not like  Jamie very much as the short chapters make my head spin.
 Jamie remember me the ispektor Columbo from namesake series tv. Smart yes , capable yes, but also sloppy and messy. We meet her in a hard moment of her life, when she is grieving her mother's death (in the first book) , and we come to know she has studied Law for lack of better ideas and attitudes: " God, I hate being a lawyer" as she frequently complains,not like her friend Grace that seem motivated in her job ( nice side character however).
Anyhow she escape her depressed state with her first homicide case and she is very good to look up clues as seek the help of PI Duke( funny and interesting side character). So the mystery is very good in all three books, because the reader understands and follows  the investigations .
I liked more the second book of series, sure more of third , when magically we discover that Jamie and Kip are a couple. But while she is happy and brillant, not so Kip that not seem so  close-knit with her(  and his next trip to australia ,at the end of book, not bode well).
In the end , I think this might be a "It's not you , it's me" situation , because the books are good but I could not connect with the main protagonist.

**I received this copy from Barbara Venkatarman in exchange for my honest review.

RATING: 3 STARS



Series: Jamie Quinn Mystery - Books 1-3
Publication Date: September 3, 2014
Publisher: Barbara Venkatarman
Genre: Mystery Anthology
Print Length: 361 pages
Available from: Amazon


 Barbara Venkataraman è un avvocato e mediatore specializzato in diritto di famiglia, come la protagonista di questo libro Jamie.
Credo che questa serie è particolare sia per la scelta del personaggio principali femminile che per la struttura della trama.
Dall'inizio della lettura ho pensato che la storia era impostata come un film TV a episodi, perché i capitoli sono molto corti: è come vedere un cambio di scena.
Mentre Jamie non è l'eroina classica ed usuale dei libri, anche se di libri gialli. Purtroppo, questo non ha funzionato per me e questa particolarità non mi fa  piacere Jamie molto e i brevi capitoli mi fanno girare la testa.
 Jamie mi ricorda il tenente Colombo della serie tv omonima. Intelligenti si, capace sì, ma anche sciatta e disordinata.Noi la incontriamo in un momento difficile della sua vita, quando  sta soffrendo per morte della madre (nel primo libro), e veniamo a sapere che  ha studiato legge per mancanza di  migliori idee e preferenze: "Dio, odio essere un avvocato "si lamenta spesso, non come la sua amica Grazia che sembrano motivato nel suo lavoro (personaggio secondario ma bello ).
Comunque lei  esce dal suo stato di depressione con il suo primo caso di omicidio ed è molto brava a cercare indizi utili e l'aiuto di  Duke, un investigatore privato (personaggio divertente e interessante ). 

Il mistero è molto buono in tutti e tre i libri, perché il lettore capisce e segue le indagini.
Mi è piaciuto di più il secondo libro della serie, sicuramente più del terzo, quando magicamente scopriamo che Jamie e Kip sono una coppia. Ma mentre lei è felice e brillante, non così Kip che non sembra così affiatato o innamorato con lei (e il suo prossimo viaggio in Australia, alla fine del libro, non promette nulla di buono).
Alla fine, credo che questo potrebbe essere un "Non sei tu, sono io"  situazione, perché i libri sono interessanti ma io non ho potuto connettere con la protagonista principale.


VOTO: 3 STELLE

Recensione a cura di LIDIA


lunedì 11 gennaio 2016

A Taste of Shifter Geekdom by Annie Nicholas

Darrel is a weapons geek.
Guns, knives, nunchakus, throwing stars, he’s deadly with all of them. 

While all seems set for him to pass his upcoming boot camp armory exam, life quickly becomes complicated when curvy, outspoken Julia invades his personal space. 

If she doesn’t pass the weapons test, she’ll be sent home and forced into an arranged mating. 

That will happen over his dead body. 

He has three days to teach her, but she can’t hit the side of a barn in broad daylight with a laser guided missile. 

To make matters worse, her intended mate makes an unannounced visit. He’s rich and suave. Everything Darrell isn’t. 

Pity Darrell is determined to get in the way of his plans. 




"I received an ARC of 'A Taste of Shifter Geekdom' from Annie Nicholas, in exchange for an honest review. 

I enjoyed very much this new story by Annie Nicholas.
It's so different from other stories about shifters I usually read.
We are facing a group of werewolves who undergo a training camp to become killers.
They are selected and come from different packs, they aren't the cream of their groups, powerful and natural born killers, instead they have flaws more or less,that make them weak and they must learn to defend themselves and defend their packmates.
Undergo a tough training, under the supervision Pallas, a vampire, who is relentless in subjecting them to harsh trials to select who will remain in the group.
 I lovedthe story, as well as the main characters  and the rest of the group. They're so close to each other, they always try to overcome difficulties together, helping esch other.
I liked Julia a lot, how she wants to give a try and tempts the fate; she's smart, sassy, passionate, combative and she tries with all her strength to turn the wing her life and follow her heart.
And I loved Darrell  so sexy, protective and even highly vulnerable due to the humble beginnings of his pack, but he loves them and try to improve their fortunes.
It's a sweet snd very hot story, but also full of action.
What really intrigued me was Pallas, he's compelling , and I don't fully understand what are his motives in helping this group of shifter.
I was intrigued also with the fireworks that arise when Pallas is near the local Sheriff, a human woman. There is a palpable tension between them and Pallas loves to taunt her. I hope to find something more in the future on them.
A beautiful story, recommended for those who love the paranormal romance.



RATING: 4 Stars

TITLE: A Taste of Shifter Geekdom
AUTHOR: Annie Nicholas
SERIES:Vanguard Elite #2

sabato 9 gennaio 2016

Intimate by Kate Douglas

From bestselling author Kate Douglas comes the first book in a sensational new series set in California wine country—a place where love is always intoxicating...

HER BEAUTY IS POWERFUL.

They call her Kaz. She's a gorgeous model with a good head for business—until now, at least. Kaz has just been fired from her latest photo shoot for having the wrong tattoo in the wrong place at the wrong time. But a chance encounter with photographer Jake Lowell could make everything right again . . . if Kaz is willing to accept his proposition. What does she have to lose?

HIS DESIRE IS DANGEROUS.

Jake has been searching for the perfect model to pose for a body-jewelry shoot—one that will leave no room for modesty. Is Kaz, who is nothing if not professional, ready to bare it all for a man she is not sure she can trust? It's an offer that's too good to refuse . . . and as Kaz finds herself growing more comfortable with Jake, the attraction between them reaches arousing new heights. But while the artist and his subject learn more about each other in the intimacy of wine country, evil lurks in the shadows—and soon it becomes clear that someone else has designs on them...



Book very hot and full of sensuality and absolutely perfect for me as I love tattoos and piercings.
I really loved the setting of the book, the history and the bond that arises between the photographer and her model and how they decide to live at full, no holds barred, their relationship knowing that it's a story that will last only as long as the photo shoot.
Jake in the beginning omits information about himself which he knows could be a big problem with Kaz. Because of his past howeveatee knows he can't build a future with her, he can have her only few days so he conceils everything even the risk of being targeted by a stalker who appears to be obsessed with him.
The plot becomes a bit repetitive at one point because it is based primarily on their strong attraction and from mid book onwards it becomes a bit more focused on the mystery stalker who pursued them.
 I enjoyed the story, it's a good hot read.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the book.

RATING: 4 stars


Libro pieno molto hot e pieno di sensualità e assolutamente perfetto per me che amo tatuaggi e piercing.
Ho amato molto l'ambientazione del libro, la storia e l'intesa che nasce tra il fotografo e la sua modella e come decidano di vivere il tutto liberamente c'è senza freni, sapendo che è una storia che durerà solo per il tempo del servizio fotografico.
Jake sin dall'inizio omette informazioni su di sé che sa potrebbero essere una brutta scoperta per Kaz. A causa del suo passato comunque sono destinati a non avere un futuro, ma pur avere la possibilità di stare con lui solo qualche giorno tace e le tiene nascosto anche il rischio di essere nel mirino di uno stalker che sembra essere ossessionato da Jake.
La trama diventa a un certo punto un po' ripetitiva visto che è basata soprattutto sulla loro forte attrazione e da metà libro in poi la cosa diventa un po' più incentrata sul mistero legato allo stalker che li perseguita.
Il libro mi è piaciuto abbastanza nell'insieme.
Ringrazio Netgalley e la St. Martin's Press per il libro.

VOTO: 4 stelle

TITLE: Intimate
AUTHOR: Kate Douglas
SERIE: intimate Relations #1
PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press