Book Review: Grave Illusions (Jess Vandermire, Vampire Hunter #1) by Lina Gardiner

Grave Illusions is the first book in the Jess Vandermire, Vampire Hunter series by Lina Gardiner.  Lieutenant Jess Vandermire, New York City police officer, is uniquely specialized to recognize and fight an unseen threat. It's her job to forge a black ops team, an assortment of men and women who wouldn't be considered for the job under normal circumstances. For her, it's all about retribution until ex-cop John Brittain is recruited to her team. Suddenly, her priorities aren't quite so easily definable. John Brittain has a chip on his shoulder and is as tough as they come. But is he ready for the whole truth? When Jess tells him the truth about herself, will he stay and fight or will he turn against her and not only threaten their lives but destroy the fragile relationship developing between them?

Grave Illusions is an urban fantasy with a solid show or world and character building, and a good pacing. John is a well built character that kept my interest. I like that neither Jess nor John are perfect characters, or so completely flawed that redemption seems unlikely. The dangers they face, and the team they put together, and very well written and capture the attention and imagination. They face large challenges, but deal with them head on, forthe most part. My only problem with the book is that it felt like there might have been a prequel or relate series before it (none of which seem to exist) since some of the characters had such complex back stories and interconnected relationships which readers only get a glimpse of. However, I still greatly enjoyed the complex reveals of some of those pieces, and the depths of the characters and larger story arch.

Grave Illusions is a solid start to a urban fantasy series. The characters are story are intriguing, with some new twists to the well explored ideas about vampires and the law. I have added this series to my to be read list, and look forward to reading on. 

Blog Tour with Excerpt: Memories of a Mad Man by Don Spector

SYNOPSIS

Mad Men. Don Spector didn’t just watch them on television. He was one of them.

Starting in a Madison Avenue ad agency in the ‘60’s, he actually lived the life captured in the TV show. In "Memories of a Mad Man" he shares with us an unforgettable era filled with humor, brilliance, wonderful heroes and big, bad villains.

The funny and fascinating stories he tells uncover the reality of the ad world behind the show.
• What was it like dealing with celebrities of the era?
• How did the advent of computers spoil one of the greatest boondoggles that Mad Men—and Mad Women—enjoyed?
• The Three Martini Lunch. True or false?
• What's the real truth about truth in advertising?
The book answers these and many more intriguing questions in this unique look into a unique profession.

GOODREADS

 PURCHASE

AMAZON

B & N

KOBO

iTunes

ABOUT DON SPECTOR

Starting as a junior copywriter in a Madison Avenue ad agency in the ‘60s, Don Spector qualifies as a genuine Mad Man. Creating advertising for the agency’s high-profile accounts like Smirnoff Vodka and Tareyton cigarettes, he began his ascent up the creative ladder in several New York agencies. His commercials and print ads for advertisers like Xerox, the Yellow Pages and Jaguar ultimately led to an offer of a key position in Los Angeles-based BBDO/West where he was soon named Creative Director.  After moving to a similar position at Foote Cone Belding/Los Angeles, he eventually started his own agency where he served until his retirement.  The advertising he created for dozens of companies like ARCO, Absolut Vodka, Bristol-Myers and S.C. Johnson won numerous awards. But, more importantly, it generated millions of dollars in sales for them.

Follow the entire MEMORIES OF  MAD MAN tour 

Brought to you by Worldwind VBT

Memories of a Mad Man - an excerpt

I don’t know if it was like that before I entered advertising but by the time I did, the days of the fabled three-martini lunch were beginning to fade. And that was just as well because, frankly, I wasn't very good at handling my liquor. Even one glass of wine at lunch made me sleepy and, besides being unable to write much, I didn't relish the idea of someone coming into my office at three in the afternoon to see me snoozing at my desk. But I did occasionally make an exception. And once when I did, I learned a valuable lesson.

I went to lunch in a Madison Avenue restaurant with an agency producer I did a lot of work with. I don't remember what the occasion was but Ed suggested we have a drink and I agreed. I ordered a Bloody Mary while Ed ordered a scotch and soda. I was surprised.

“Ed,” I exclaimed. “When we get back to the office they’ll smell that booze on your breath. That's why I'm having a vodka drink.”

“Yes,” Ed said, “but you know that we're not going to stop at just one drink. And when we get back to the office, at least they'll know I'm drunk. They’ll just think you're stupid.”

I thought about his wisdom for a moment and called the waiter over. “Make that a scotch and soda.”

     And from that day on when I did have a drink at lunch I made sure it wasn't vodka. I’d rather be thought of as drunk, not stupid.

Book Review: Bite The Dust (Blood And Moonlight) by Cynthia Eden

Bite The Dust is the first book in the new Blood And Moonlight series by Cynthia Eden. When New Orleans Detective Jane Hart investigates her first official homicide case, she never expects to have her world ripped apart. The murder she’s investigating is part of a deadly war between vampires and werewolves, and now Jane is caught in the middle of the eternal battle, one that cannot end well. Werewolf Aidan Locke has been running New Orleans for years. It’s his job to keep the vamps out of the city. But when a Master Vampire comes to town Aidan knows it’s time to fight with all the fury of his pack. Beast versus vamp, until the last breath. Aidan knows that Jane is far more than she seems. Far more than she even knows herself to be. She’s important in the paranormal war, not a pawn to be used, but a queen to be won. And if he can’t keep her at his side, if he can’t stop the darkness from descending on the town, then Jane Hart will become not just a fierce cop, not some guardian, but something deadlier. Darker. Aidan will fight heaven and hell to change her fate. To change their fate because he is more than just a predator. 

Bite The Dust has a solid start and some unique takes on the now more common aspects of the werewolf and vampire lore. I liked Jane's character, and generally liked Aidan, even though the pair occasionally frustrated me with stubbornness or assumptions that they would be obeyed. I liked the level of action and suspense, even though some of the twist I caught on to fairly quickly, and suspected some of the rest. I think this is the start of a very interesting series, and I think it is set to hold its own in the talent rich genre or urban fantasy. Strong characters, rich plot with plenty of action and twists, as well as a solid world in which the story can bring the readers in a number of different directions.

My only problem with the whole book is that it seemed very familiar. Not in a plagiarism way, or even in a I have seen these situations used too many times kind of way. It was more like when you read too many books of the same author or series in a row, but I cannot remember having read any other books by this author- at least I have none listed in my Goodreads book list. I still cannot place what was familiar, perhaps Eden's voice is just similar to another author's. I just do not know, and that is not necessarily as bad thing.

Bite The Dust is a solid urban fantasy. While there was a familiar feel to parts of the story, it did not feel like it was covering old ground, rather more like making a new friend that offers conversations on favorite topics. 

Early Book Review: Rowdy: The Pirate Who Could Not Sleep by Darcy Pattison

The Pirate Who Could Not Sleep is a picture book written by Darcy Pattison and illustrated by Ewa O'Neill. It is currently scheduled for release on June 1 2016. Captain Whitney Black McKee is a rowdy pirate! After traveling the seven seas and fighting sea monsters, it’s time to come back to home port for a rest. But the Captain’s sleep has gone all awry. What’s a rowdy captain to do? She sends her crew out to steal a simple lullaby. But the rowdy heart doesn’t always know what it wants or needs. She won’t find rest, until her own dear Pappy arrives.

The Pirate Who Could Not Sleep is a rhyming picturebook about a pirate desperate for sleep. She sets her crew out to steal a lullaby, but how do you steal something so deceptively simple? A reward has the crew trying their best, but it is not until the cabin boy finds a particular buccaneer (Captain McKee's father) that the needed lullaby is found. I liked the artwork, we reminded me a little of Eric Carl's because of the color work. I also liked that the final answer was finding the captain's father, or pappy, to sing a loved lullaby. The family aspect and sentimentality was a nice touch. I did find some of the rhymes to be a little stilted or forced, so the text did not always flow as nicely as i hoped. Still a nice read for dads, granddads, and other male role models and young children.



The Pirate Who Could Not Sleep is a nice read, particularly for guys and the children in their lives. a good pick for bedtimes and quiet times. 

Book Review: Red: the True Story of Red Riding Hood by Liesl Shurtiff

Red: the True Story of Red Riding Hood by Liesl Shurtiff is a new middle grade to young adult novel. Red is not afraid of the big bad wolf. She’s not afraid of anything, except magic. When Red’s granny falls ill it seems that only magic can save her and Red is forced to confront her one weakness. With the help of a blond, porridge-sampling nuisance called Goldie, Red goes on a quest to cure Granny. Her journey takes her through dwarves’ caverns to a haunted well and a beast’s castle. All the while, Red and Goldie are followed by a wolf and a huntsman, two mortal enemies who seek the girls’ help to defeat each other. And one of them just might have the magical solution Red is looking for.

Red: the True Story of Red Riding Hood is a delightful take on the world of fairy tales. red is an adventurous young lady that loves her grandmother deeply and only really fears her own disastrous attempts at magic. It is only when her grandmother is ill that Red considers attempting magic again, and so sets forth on an adventure to do whatever necessary to save her grandmother. I like that Red is a character that is very capable, but also has her own flaws and fallibilities. She is no cookie cutter characters, nor are any of the other characters that she runs across on her journey. Goldie is a unique character that would have tried mt patience as much as she did Red's. The high adventure and twists to well known stories kept my interest high, as did the unusual characters and knowledge that nothing was going to fit preconceived notions. The self sufficiency of the characters and the running theme that nothing is quite what it seems, or what you expect it to be, made the read exciting and fun.

Red: the True Story of Red Riding Hood is a wonderful middle grade novel that will also appeal to older readers. I now need to go back and read Rump (which was already on my to be read list) and keep my eyes peeled for more from this author. 

Early Book Review: Fan the Flames (Search and Rescue #2) by Katie Ruggle

Fan the Flames is the second book in the Search and Rescue series by Katie Ruggle and is currently scheduled for release on May 3 2016. The first book in the series was Hold Your Breath, and while reading the books in order will give readers a better understanding of the town's dynamics and larger story arc, I think most readers would be able to enjoy each book on its own as well.

In the remote Rocky Mountains lives depend on the Search & Rescue brotherhood. But in a place this far off the map, trust is hard to come by and secrets can be murder. As a Motorcycle Club member and firefighter, Ian Walsh is used to riding the line between the good guys and the bad. He may owe the Club his life, but his heart rests with his fire station brothers, and with the girl he's loved since they were kids, loner Rory Sorenson. Ian would do anything for Rory. He would defend her to his last breath, and he may just have to. Everyone in the Rockies knows Rory is the go-to girl for less-than-legal firearms, and for the past few years, she's managed to keep the peace between dangerous factions by remaining strictly neutral. But when she defends herself against a brutal attack, Rory finds herself catapulted into the center of a Motorcycle Club war-with only Ian standing between her and a threat greater than either of them could have imagined.

Fan the Flames has all the good of the previous book in the series. Rory and Ian are both uniquely flawed characters that have their own battles top fight. I enjoyed learning about these very different characters and how they worked together and communicated even when they felt like running away. The danger and suspense areas of this book are very well done, and had me holding my breath on a few occasions. I think the combination of character and story building was done in a way that engaged me with the story more than I expected. The emotional vulnerability of both Rory and Ian was endearing, particularly when set against how independent and strong they were. The build up of a larger story arc continued through this book, and left me wanting more even though there was a satisfying conclusion of the particular problems our main characters faced.

Fan the Flames is a good follow up to Hold Your Breath. Readers that enjoy complex characters and storylines in their romance will likely enjoy this series. I am looking forward to reading more with Gone Too Deep which is scheduled for release in August 2016. 

Early Book Review: Max & Charlie by Zack Lieberman & Louis Neubert

Max & Charlie is a children's graphic novel by Zack Lieberman & Louis Neubert. It is currently scheduled for release on May 5 2016.  In this romp through New York City readers follow our reluctant but imaginative young hero (Charlie!) as he chases his silly beagle pup (Max!) through a beautiful dreamed day in the city. But there's something a little strange about this place.

Max & Charlie is quite the adventure. It begins with Charlie deep in his imagination and only reluctantly taking Max out o play in the park. When Charlie's imagination takes over again max takes off and the chase begins. What really makes the book so unusual is that readers never really know how real what they are seeing on the page is. Is Charlie's original play sequence the truth, or is the 'normal' boy and dog that we expect the reality. As the pair race through the city readers see hints of both worlds, via Charlie's eyes. Characters often seem odd or alien, but readers are left to wonder if that is because of Charlie's view of the world or something else entirely. In any case the artwork is consistently stunning, and tells most of the story. Even if you do not care for the open ended or creative type of story contained on the pages, it is worth flipping through the book for the artwork alone.

Max & Charlie is a unique graphic novel that will greatly appeal to some, and the artwork will appeal to most. I do think that some readers might find themselves lost or confused, particularly if they do not like stories that are more existential or open to a variety of interpretations.