SHADOWS IN DEATH
Shadows In Death by JD Robb
Book 51 of the In Death series
Narrated by Susan Ericksen
Genre: scifi crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobook
About Shadows In Death:
Lt. Eve Dallas is about to walk into the shadows of her husband’s dangerous past.
As it often did since he’d married a cop, murder interrupted more pleasant activities. Then again, Roarke supposed, the woman lying in a pool of her own blood a few steps inside the arch in Washington Square Park had a heftier complaint.
When a night out at the theatre is interrupted by the murder of a young woman in Washington Square Park, it seems like an ordinary case for Detective Eve Dallas and her team. But when Roarke spots a shadow from his past in the crowd, Eve realises that this case is far from business as usual.
Eve has two complex cases on her hands – the shocking murder of this wealthy young mother and tracking down the shadow before he can strike again, this time much closer to home. Eve is well used to being the hunter, but how will she cope when the tables are turned? As Eve and the team follow leads to Roarke’s hometown in Ireland, the race is on to stop the shadow making his next move . . .
Source: Info in the “About Shadows In Death” was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49127524-shadows-in-death on 16/06/2020.
Buy Link(s):
Review:
The bad news is, that there is no Bella. The good news is that the staying power of JD Robb‘s story telling quality is still going strong!
The readers are told exactly who the perpetrators are, right at the outset. So this book is not so much as looking for who the murderer is, but, how the investigation was carried out to bring down the murderers with side stories on the way, like, Roarke‘s past coming to the fore.
I probably have said everything I have to say about this book in my reviews of previous books in this series. However, that doesn’t make it any less true that the story telling quality is compelling. The character development is wonderful. The world building is beautiful! 51 books down the line and I am still a fan! Even though Shadows In Death is not the greatest book in the series, it is still an enjoyable read!
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (10 hrs & 59 mins listening time)
Plot = 4.5
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries
The ebook and audiobook copies of the book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
FESTIVE IN DEATH
Festive In Death by JD Robb
Book 39 of the In Death series
Narrated by Susan Ericksen
Genre: scifi crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobook
About Festive In Death:
Personal trainer Trey Ziegler was in peak physical condition. If you didn’t count the kitchen knife in his well-toned chest.
Lieutenant Eve Dallas soon discovers a lineup of women who were loved and left by the narcissistic gym rat. While Dallas sorts through the list of Ziegler’s enemies, she’s also dealing with her Christmas shopping list — plus the guest list for her and her billionaire husband’s upcoming holiday bash.
Feeling less than festive, Dallas tries to put aside her distaste for the victim and solve the mystery of his death. There are just a few investigating days left before Christmas, and as New Year’s 2061 approaches, this homicide cop is resolved to stop a cold-blooded killer.
Source: Info in the “About Festive In Death” was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20821249-festive-in-death on 16/02/2019.
Re-Read Review:
I love that this book opens with Trina, who Dallas fear with something close to a phobia!
What does that say for my psyche? Yeah, I know, sucker for a teddy bear!
As the title “Festive” denotes, this In Death episode centers around the holiday season, and Dallas does not like Christmases much! It is fun to see her squirm! Sadistic much?!
Another reason that this book is my favourite in the series, is because it is not only Lt. Eve Dallas who knows who the killer is. But it turns out that her favorite suspect is not it after all, which is a deviation from the usual pattern in these books. Kudos to this installment!
Susan Ericksen sound like she sort of have a cold with this book. I could hear the thickened sinuses. But, she still reads with her usual gomp. Blocked nose or not, Susan Ericksen is still a star narrator.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (13 hrs & 25 mins listening time)
Plot = 4.5
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 cherries
The ebook and audiobook copies of the book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
GOLDEN IN DEATH
Golden In Death by JD Robb
Book 50 of the In Death series
Narrated by Susan Ericksen
Genre: scifi crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobook
About Golden In Death:
In the latest thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, homicide detective Eve Dallas investigates a murder with a mysterious motive ― and a terrifying weapon.
Pediatrician Kent Abner received the package on a beautiful April morning. Inside was a cheap trinket, a golden egg that could be opened into two halves. When he pried it apart, highly toxic airborne fumes entered his body ― and killed him.
After Eve Dallas calls the hazmat team ― and undergoes testing to reassure both her and her husband that she hasn’t been exposed ― it’s time to look into Dr. Abner’s past and relationships. Not every victim Eve encounters is an angel, but it seems that Abner came pretty close ― though he did ruffle some feathers over the years by taking stands for the weak and defenseless. While the lab tries to identify the deadly toxin, Eve hunts for the sender. But when someone else dies in the same grisly manner, it becomes clear that she’s dealing with either a madman ― or someone who has a hidden and elusive connection to both victims.
Source: Info in the “About Golden In Death” was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45046771-golden-in-death on 17/02/2020.
Narrative:
Book 50 in the series. So that’s what, at least 25 years running? Have you ever heard of such a thing? I haven’t either, except this one. And I’m still a fan. However, by now, it is not as exciting as I seem to remember it to be donkey’s years ago. Still, books in this series are an auto-buy and pre-ordered. And loving every single one of them. Even those I rated not so high. Now why is that?? I can only say that it gotta be the way the author tells a story. JD Robb is a masterful story teller. My greatest regret with this book is that I did not get to see Bella! Now, that one is a bit of a downer. However, it looks like we are getting two Bellas in the succeeding books, yay!! We’ll see how bad-ass Dallas holds up to two sets of those big blue eyes and quivery lips!
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (13 hrs & 50 mins listening time)
Plot = 4.5
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries
The ebook and audiobook copies of the book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
LEVERAGE IN DEATH
Leverage In Death by JD Robb
Book 47 of the In Death series
Narrated by Susan Ericksen
Genre: scifi crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobook
About Leverage In Death:
Lieutenant Eve Dallas puzzles over a bizarre suicide bombing in a Wall St. office building in the latest in the #1 New York Times bestselling series…
For the airline executives finalizing a merger that would make news in the business world, the nine a.m. meeting would be a major milestone. But after marketing VP Paul Rogan walked into the plush conference room, strapped with explosives, the headlines told of death and destruction instead. The NYPSD’s Eve Dallas confirms that Rogan was cruelly coerced by two masked men holding his family hostage. His motive was saving his wife and daughter — but what was the motive of the masked men?
Despite the chaos and bad publicity, blowing up one meeting isn’t going to put the brakes on the merger. All it’s accomplished is shattering a lot of innocent lives. Now, with the help of her billionaire husband Roarke, Eve must untangle the reason for an inexplicable act of terror, look at suspects inside and outside both corporations, and determine whether the root of this crime lies in simple sabotage, or something far more complex and twisted.
Source: Info in the “About Leverage In Death” was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36630002-leverage-in-death on 09/09/2018.
My Thoughts:
I am totally blaming my 2009 Book Bloggers Holiday Book Swap secret santa for giving me Naked In Death which started me off to become a fan of this series. And I have been a fan for a very long time… however, 47 books down the line and it is eventually starting to wane on me. But, still interested enough to buy it for the foreseeable future though… wane or not. At this point, I believe that I have said everything I have to say about this series, and this book is no different from the rest of the series. Well, other than that I feel that it’s staying power is starting to wane, just a little bit. I am also happy to see a little bit of Bella. I wish that JD Robb would give us a little bigger chunks of her in the future books! She is a bright spot any day! I think it is also good that there is only one or two books per year for this series. It is just enough time to make fans miss the characters like old friends but not enough to get bored of it totally yet. Another great installment in the In Death series!
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (13 hrs & 25 mins listening time)
Plot = 4.5
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries
The ebook and audiobook copies of the book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
WONDERMENT IN DEATH
Wonderment In Death by JD Robb
Book 41.5 of the In Death series
Narrated by Susan Ericksen
Genre: scifi crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobook
About Wonderment In Death:
Things aren’t what they seem when Lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates what appears to be a routine murder/suicide. When friends of Darlene and Marcus Fitzwilliams insist Darlene would never hurt her brother, Eve digs deeper.
Eve learns that Darlene sought help from sensitivities, psychics, and doctors of paranormal studies in an attempt to contact her dead parents. After clues mimicking Alice in Wonderland repeatedly turns up, the case gets curiouser and curiouser…
Racing against the clock, Eve must travel down the rabbit hole to stop a madman’s murderous tea party.
Source: Info in the “About Wonderment In Death” was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25217301-wonderment-in-death on 03/03/2018.
Buy Link(s):
My Thoughts:
This is a short sweet instalment in the In Death series. Plot follows the same pattern as the full length books, just shorter story. So no room for twists. Quiet straightforward, but still enjoyable. In fact I like this better than Dark In Death which started to feel boring to me. It might be the book or might be just me reading too many JD Robb books. And I guess because it is not just Dallas alone knowing who the bad guy is intuitively. Although the supernatural element is stronger in this story than in full novels, like all short stories in this series tends to be, it is still good to read that it is not just Dallas alone who knows the plot. That kind where only she knows, kinds of gets old fast. So even though this is just a short story in the series, I would still rate this book a five.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4.5
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 5
World building = 5
Cover art = 5
Pace = (3 hrs and 32 mins listening time)
Plot = 4
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 cherries
The ebook and audiobook copies of the book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
THIS BROKEN WORLD
This Broken World by Eric R. Asher
Book 4 of the Vesik series
Read by William Dufris
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audio
About This Broken World:
An ocean of darkness lives in the journal of Philip Pinkerton. Ancient things with no place in our world are rising from the Abyss. Ezekiel, the arrogant, mad god has called us into battle. Does he think we can’t touch him, or does he know we can’t? I wish I knew. The world’s only hope lies in a forgotten weapon, the strength of our allies, and one necromancer of questionable ancestry. Yeah, this is going to end well.
Source: Info in the About This Broken World was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23296435-this-broken-world on 16/01/2018.
Buy Link(s):
My Thoughts:
In the last instalment in this series, the entire book is about our group of protagonists running around from one fight to another. This book is more of the same. Having said that, this series is starting to feel like “same old, same old”. Being book 4, I hope that the author has more tricks up his sleeve to keep this series alive.
In this book, the story arc embarks on to a, “coming of age” theme. The entire world is no longer the same. So from urban fantasy, this book is taking on a post-apocalyptic genre cross-over. Thus the title “This Broken World“. The world is permanently changed and expecting chaos. It would be fun to see how Eric Asher spins this story arc into. For now, we see the birth of a new world. And its broken. Meaning we will see more fighting like we have been seeing for the last few books. But I still like the idea of Vesik so I will continue following this series until I’ve had enough…
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4
Story itself = 3
Writing Style = 3.5
Ending = 3.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4.5
Pace = 1.5
Plot = 3
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Vesik Series:
| About Eric R. Asher | |
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WINTER’S DEMON
Winter’s Demon by Eric R. Asher
Book 3 of the Vesik series
Read by William Dufris
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audio
About Winter’s Demon:
Some things can never be undone. The horrors I’ve defeated — or even caused — with my own hands … they are nothing compared to what’s coming. Philip Pinkerton has brought his madness upon my family, my own blood. His army of necromancers is on the move, harbingers of a great darkness. I fear the war has begun … and damn, I don’t get paid enough for this.
Source: Info in the About Winter’s Demon was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22404543-winter-s-demon on 15/01/2018.
Buy Link(s):
My Thoughts:
It took me a long time to finish this book despite the convenience offered by the audiobook format. It just seems like our group of heroes and heroines are just running around from fight to fight with not much of a plot… wtf?!… In the end the good guys didn’t even win, they just survived. And now they are in even deeper pickle than when the book started… But here’s the kicker, a beloved character died. It took me a year to mourn her before I could continue reading/listening to this book again. And that contributed much to the lagging pace of this book. On the up side, the narrative is still peppered with humour which I like. Specially when William Dufris squeaks it out to imitate a girly scream. Kudos to the narration. And from this book pans out the plot of the next four books in this series, or so I presume… there is so much plot lines hanging from here and from the titles of the rest of the books, I can guess what the next four books is all about… I hope I am wrong though because I like surprises.
In the end, I would still say that this book was an enjoyable read despite the lagging pace.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 3
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 3.5
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (10 hrs & 4 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Vesik Series:
| About Eric R. Asher | |
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THE SKULL THRONE
The Skull Throne by Peter Brett
Book 4 in The Demon Cycle series
Read by Colin Mace
Genre: epic fantasy
Format: ebook & audiobook
About The Skull Throne:
The first three novels in New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett’s groundbreaking Demon Cycle series — The Warded Man, The Desert Spear, and The Daylight War — set a new standard for heroic fantasy. The powerful saga of humans winnowed to the brink of extinction by night-stalking demons, and the survivors who fight back, has kept readers breathless as they eagerly turned the pages. Now the thrilling fourth volume, The Skull Throne, raises the stakes as it carries the action in shocking new directions.
The Skull Throne of Krasia stands empty.
Built from the skulls of fallen generals and demon princes, it is a seat of honor and ancient, powerful magic, keeping the demon corelings at bay. From atop the throne, Ahmann Jardir was meant to conquer the known world, forging its isolated peoples into a unified army to rise up and end the demon war once and for all.
But Arlen Bales, the Warded Man, stood against this course, challenging Jardir to a duel he could not in honor refuse. Rather than risk defeat, Arlen cast them both from a precipice, leaving the world without a savior, and opening a struggle for succession that threatens to tear the Free Cities of Thesa apart.
In the south, Inevera, Jardir’s first wife, must find a way to keep their sons from killing each other and plunging their people into civil war as they strive for glory enough to make a claim on the throne.
In the north, Leesha Paper and Rojer Inn struggle to forge an alliance between the duchies of Angiers and Miln against the Krasians before it is too late.
Caught in the crossfire is the duchy of Lakton — rich and unprotected, ripe for conquest.
All the while, the corelings have been growing stronger, and without Arlen and Jardir there may be none strong enough to stop them. Only Renna Bales may know more about the fate of the missing men, but she, too, has disappeared…
Source: Info in the About The Skull Throne was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13630171-the-skull-throne on 20/03/2016.
My Thoughts:
The world building is nice, but that is not it’s most prominent feature. It is woven in such a way that it hooks into your brain sneaky-like and you find yourself craving to read more of the world in odd moments. It encroaches into your real life. It is addictive. So if you are masochistic like that, just plod through Book 2 and Book 3 and you’ll get here.
The writing style still has multiple threads but now the author writes them in bigger chunks and therefore is a whole lot less annoying. And I like that very much!
The Skull Throne still ends with a cliffhanger, but then, we already knew that going in. What makes it insidious is that, it seemingly ends in mid-chapter and The Core starts straight where it ends. Starts mid-chapter. Same sentence. Real stealthy! So my advise is, don’t start reading The Skull Throne until you have The Core in your hands too.
I actually bought The Skull Throne when it first came out, like a year before The Core, and stopped reading about three quarters into the book because I knew it was going to end in a cliffie. Another incentive for me to stop reading there was that a favourite character died and it took me a good year to grieve him before I could continue on reading in this world again. It was that much of a shock.
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4.5
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4
Ending = 3.5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = 4
Plot = 3
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries
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The copies of these books were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
DARK IN DEATH
Dark In Death by JD Robb
Book 46 of the In Death series
Narrated by Susan Ericksen
Genre: scifi crime fiction
Format: ebook & audiobook
About Dark In Death:
It was a stab in the dark.
On a chilly February night, during a screening of Psycho in midtown, someone sunk an ice pick into the back of Chanel Rylan’s neck, then disappeared quietly into the crowds of drunks and tourists in Times Square. To Chanel’s best friend, who had just slipped out of the theater for a moment to take a call, it felt as unreal as the ancient black-and-white movie up on the screen. But Chanel’s blood ran red, and her death was anything but fictional.
Then, as Eve Dallas puzzles over a homicide that seems carefully planned and yet oddly personal, she receives a tip from an unexpected source: an author of police thrillers who recognizes the crime — from the pages of her own book. Dallas doesn’t think it’s coincidence, since a recent strangulation of a sex worker resembles a scene from her writing as well. Cops look for patterns of behavior: similar weapons, similar MOs. But this killer seems to find inspiration in someone else’s imagination, and if the theory holds, this may be only the second of a long-running series.
The good news is that Eve and her billionaire husband Roarke have an excuse to curl up in front of the fireplace with their cat, Galahad, reading mystery stories for research. The bad news is that time is running out before the next victim plays an unwitting role in a murderer’s deranged private drama — and only Eve can put a stop to a creative impulse gone horribly, destructively wrong.
Source: Info in the “About Dark In Death” was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35466342-dark-in-death on 31/01/2018.
My Thoughts:
5% into the book and it had me thinking about that Sharon Stone movie where the crime author was the killer… However that sense of similarity to that movie soon faded as Dark In Death‘s story unfolded. Anyway, and just for fun, below is the trailer for Basic Instinct…
I was looking forward to this book for a year but once I started reading/listening to it, it kinda got boring and I was afraid that the staying power of this series has finally started to wane on me. It probably is not the book, it’s most likely just me. But I guess it gotta happen sometime. Anyway, I still enjoyed the book but not as much as I used to with this series. Or even like the last book. For some reason this one is mediocre to me compared to previous books. Anyway, I still like meeting Bella again! That one I really liked! And the plot is quite solid with this book, too. This time its not just Dallas, all by her lonely self (again), who got the murderer. This time it was actually a team effort that they got the bad guy. I like that, rather than it’s only ever Dallas who got the antagonist in the end. That was ok for the first few books. After reading it like that, book after book after book, it kinda lost its novelty. Not only that, it also gets annoying. However, this book is not like that, so kudos to this book!
Just because I whinged doesn’t mean I not a fan anymore. I still am. And would still continue buying this series for some time to come. I just wished that I hadn’t gotten jaded yet… It was more fun then…
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 5
Character development = 5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 5
Ending = 5
World building = 5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (13 hrs & 25 mins listening time)
Plot = 4.5
Narration = 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 cherries
BASIC INSTINCT Trailer:
The ebook and audiobook copies of the book were purchased with private funds.
No money received for this review.
WOLVES AND THE RIVER OF STONE
Wolves And The River Of Stone by Eric R. Asher
Book 2 of the Vesik series
Read by William Dufris
Genre: urban fantasy
Format: ebook & audio
About Wolves And The River Of Stone:
Philip, Zola’s boyfriend from one hundred and fifty years ago, is not nearly as dead as we thought. I really wish he was. Not only has he kidnapped Zola, but he’s raising an army to scour humanity from the earth. Hopefully the local werewolf pack will help. What could possibly go wrong?
Source: Info in the About Wolves And The River Of Stone was taken from GoodReads at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18765663-wolves-and-the-river-of-stone on 24/12/2016.
My Thoughts:
As a follow-up to Days Gone Bad, this book also had the beautiful world building and character development seen in the first book. Another plus is the humour strewn through out the story telling! Kudos to the author’s writing style! Another thing I like about this book is the appearance of the wolves! The already wonderful world building just kept getting richer! This series also introduced me to chimichanga which is quickly becoming a favourite of mine! I didn’t know that such food existed until Vesik kept eating it! On the down side, for some reason I needed breaks from it every so often. This brought the pace of this book down. And the plot is a little bit on the thin side. However despite that, I still rate this book as a good read because I did enjoyed it!
Empirical Evaluation:
Story telling quality = 4
Character development = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Writing Style = 4.5
Ending = 4
World building = 4.5
Cover art = 4
Pace = (10 hrs & 4 mins listening time)
Plot = 3
Narration = 5
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries
Books In The Vesik Series:
| About Eric R. Asher | |
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About
This blog is a sister site of www.cherrymischievous.com. Content on both sites is more or less the same.
ABOUT US
Cherry Mischievous (CM) started out as a personal blog of Cherry. It still is, sort of, among other things. But now, we have evolved into a kind of blog where friends who share the same love of books also blog… to know more about us, click on our names to go to our profiles:
Please note that not all reviews here are positive, but then we do not expect the entire wide world to agree and have the same tastes as us. It would be an incredibly boring and monotonous world! Besides, even among ourselves we don’t agree! One would rate a book 4.5 while the other would rate the same exact book with only 3 or less… So have a look and see, especially if it is your genre of books, even though it garnered a low rating with us, you might find it interesting 🙂
Now, let me tell you about Cherry… I am an avid reader of SciFi/Fantasy/Romance books and always on the look out for a good book to read. I dabble in the black arts of light and shadow… err mmm… photography, I mean. I am also in great excess of 18 years old. I am a nurse and constantly getting in trouble because I refuse to live in a box of preconceptions of other people of how things are suppose to be. And let me tell you, nursing is dominated with “tradition” and “sacred cows“, as any nurse and nursing student will tell you. I love spaghetti, chocolate ice cream, coffee and of course, books! I positively abhor stories with cliffhanger endings and driving in London! I am slightly insane, sometimes sarcastic, can be obnoxious, and totally honest. And oh yeah, people call me tactless too 🙂 Welcome to my corner of the world!
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