Locus: Karen Memory is a delight, a tour-de-force of historical reimagining and character creation, and a ripping yarn full of surprises, and despite Karen’s opening line, I can’t imagine anyone not liking what she has to tell us.
Feb 052015
Feb 042015
NPR: Bear is paying homage to the dime novels of the era, forerunners of pulp fiction packed with larger-than-life heroes, scheming villains, and gritty action. But she’s subtly subverting this tradition, just as much as she’s giving steampunk a gentle, loving twist. An African-American marshal and a transgender prostitute are just two members of the book’s diverse cast, and it’s clear that Bear is making a point about the way history, like literary subgenres, can steamroll over anyone who falls outside the norm. She makes that point engagingly and effortlessly. Karen Memory breezes by at a leisurely pace, a bracing yet charming adventure yarn that never feels forced, despite the brassy confidence of its delivery.
Feb 022015
Library Journal: Fans of Laukkanen’s The Professionals . . . will be delighted with this fast-moving installment. Here it is not the criminals who are intriguing, but rather the victims who turn out to be far stronger and more remarkable than originally anticipated. Recommended for fans of well-written, thought-provoking thrillers.
In their fourth outing (after Kill Fee) Kirk Stevens of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Investigation and FBI agent Carla Windermere are working on a case involving sex trafficking of women “stolen” from Romania and other Eastern European countries. Hellishly transported in cargo containers to New Jersey, these women are distributed by truck like so much produce to places far and wide, including Walker, MN, where the escape of one of two sisters held in the “box” eventually results in the downfall of the entire operation.
Jan 302015
USA Today HEA: Debut author Lisa Nicholas deftly integrates a suspense subplot involving a lunatic stalker obsessed with Lucas. The danger escalates over the course of the storyline, and Gwen’s military training comes in very handy. Lucas’ brother Lee is a standout. His background is somewhat of a mystery, and he exudes power, definitely an alpha male. Nicholas confirms that his story is coming later in the summer, called As Lost as I Get, and I’m looking forward to the read.
The Farther I Fall is fast-paced and not short on action and intrigue. Well worth a try if you enjoy a different erotic romantic suspense with a kick-butt military heroine and a rock-star hero who likes to be bossed around … sometimes.
To read the full review of The Farther I Fall, visit USA Today’s HEA Blog.
Jan 292015
Publishers Weekly: Early in Laukkanen’s savage, cathartic fourth series crime novel (after 2014’s Kill Fee), Cass County (Minn.) sheriff’s deputy Dale Friesen notices a truck towing a container in a diner parking lot. His suspicions aroused, Friesen orders the truck’s driver to unlock the container door, and two dirty young women try to flee, but only one escapes. Friesen is shot dead, and later Irina Milosovici, a Romanian sex-trafficking victim, is found next to his body holding his gun. Kirk Stevens, of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and his FBI task force partner, Carla Windermere, investigate. Stevens is sure Irina didn’t kill Friesen. Irina is determined to save her younger sister, Catalina, from the clutches of the sex traffickers. Meanwhile, Andrei Volovoi, orchestrator of the slave ring, and his menacing partner, known only as the Dragon, prepare to teach Irina a lesson. Laukkanen deftly mixes sharp social criticism with bleak white-knuckle suspense.
Jan 232015
RT Book Reviews: 4 1/2 stars, Top Pick! Get ready to do the happy dance! It’s time to revisit Namid, Bishop’s extraordinarily gripping world with its unforgettable, haunting characters. Award-winning Bishop is fashioning a richly textured series whose reimagined Earth is so unique, it is a character itself. However, it is the distinctive protagonists who make these novels so totally addicting and completely satisfying. The hard part is waiting for the next installment!
Jan 222015
The Washington Post has included Gideon among their “Best new science fiction and fantasy.”
Washington Post: Alex Gordon’s impressive debut, Gideon (Harper/Voyager; paperback, $14.99), delivers a fast-paced plot that makes you want to finish it in a day, even if you don’t have time. The Midwest town of Gideon is full of witches who guard the living world against demons. An execution gone wrong in 1836 haunts the present-day inhabitants, who are worried about the “thinning” space between the living and the dead. After the sudden death of her father, Lauren Reardon comes to town to find out more about her family history and is troubled to learn that her father wielded great power in Gideon. She must face down the threat of a dead soul ready to rise again and bring most of hell with him. Lauren has the power to stop him, but can she also withstand the grudges and alliances of the townspeople? Gordon’s descriptions of the petty jealousies and the insular nature of a small town make this paranormal novel feel scarily realistic.
Jan 192015
Romantic Times: Priest continues to be an effective crafter of dread and tension, and while Jacaranda is explicitly a novella, there are a few areas where the reader might wish for more. Despite being set in her Clockwork Century universe, aside from a few background touches, this could easily take place in any version of the Old West, and the book seems to be building to something bigger than it ultimately winds up being. The characters here are vivid and interesting enough that hopefully this particular adventure isn’t the last of we hear of them, or of the survivors at least. Continue reading »
Jan 162015
RT Book Reviews: This is a busy series with many characters, but the tension between Sarah and Henry takes center stage. Readers will look forward to more attention focused on the potential romance between the two in the next title in the series, especially after the cliffhanger ending that leaves a misunderstanding unresolved. Continue reading »
Jan 142015
School Library Journal: The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley gutted me. The author puts all of Drew’s pain on the page and never lets you look away. … Though Drew is suffering on every page of this story, he is also fumbling his way through the darkness to whatever is on the other side of it. All of the characters are. It’s hard to see that or remember that in the middle of so much pain, but hospitals aren’t just a place for ailing—they’re also a place for healing. … The unique setting, multifaceted plot, strong characters, and raw emotion make this story impossible to put down, even when you really want to. I’ll be thinking about Rusty and Drew for a long time to come.
Read the full Teen Librarian Toolbox review of The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley here.