BOOK REVIEW: THE GHOST AT RETREAT LAKE BY DAN RIX

Title: The Ghost at Retreat Lake
Author: Dan Rix
Genre: Science Fiction

Published on: December 4, 2014, self-published

On the eve of the senior class lake retreat, seventeen-year-old ice queen Iris Strasser watches her future collapse before her eyes—literally—when she crawls out of a malfunctioning time machine, mumbles a cryptic warning, and then falls dead. Sudden cardiac arrest.

Cancelling the retreat is a no-brainer, but her infuriating arch nemesis—popular prick Cory Holland—will have none of it. Still raw from using time travel to save his ungrateful crush, he’s been looking forward to a weekend of zip-lining, bonfires, and hot bikini-clad girls getting frisky in the lake all summer—Iris Strasser notwithstanding. Besides, if anything goes wrong, they can always use the time machine again.

But when the retreat unfolds in a series of bizarre and deadly accidents, each preceded by a ghostly figure rumored to be death itself—here to finish the job Cory and Iris short-circuited the last time around—they realize they’re not the only ones dipping their fingers into the past, and now the ripple effects are catching up with them.

Now there’s only one way for Iris to outsmart death: she must set aside her hatred of Cory and learn to trust him completely—even if it means letting him get dangerously close to her when she’s most vulnerable. Cory, for his part, never anticipated that he would want to.

This time, though, meddling with the past has larger consequences than either of them could have imagined.

After the pulse-pounding time travel adventure in A Strange Machine, I was piqued for more. This series has three main characters. They are Cory Holland, Iris Strasser, and Noah Wright. The three attend Lakeside Upper (yes, Bill Gates’ alma mater). Cory is an arrogant young genius, Noah his down-to-earth best friend, and Iris a competitive brainiac. In the previous book, Cory and Iris stumbled upon the Chronos. It’s a quantum computer prototype recently donated to their school. While tinkering with it in secret, they discover it’s a time machine.

A Strange Machine ended with a huge cliffhanger. Cory had just saved his crush, Samantha Silvers, from death. He and the others were in the room with the Chronos when it opened by itself. Iris (possibly a version from the future) emerges with half a warning. The sight shocks present-time Iris. She takes it as a warning not to go to the school’s weekend retreat. Cory being Cory refuses to miss the trip. The trio end up going to the retreat after all. It’s at a lake a few hours away from the city. The whole senior class shows up for the trip, of course.

BOOK REVIEW: BEAUTIFUL BROKEN RULES BY KIMBERLY LAUREN

Title: Beautiful Broken Rules
Author: Kimberly Lauren
Genre: Romance, New Adult

Published on: April 7, 2015 by Montlake Romance (first self-published in 2013)

The most valuable lesson Emerson Moore ever learned was from her parents: Never get too attached to someone else. That’s why this hard-partying college student plays by her own code of bedroom conduct, refusing to stay with the same guy for too long. She gets all the pleasure of having a good time without the messiness of a relationship.. So what if frat house–hopping has earned her a certain reputation around campus? At least no one gets hurt this way—especially her.

When ridiculously gorgeous Jaxon Riley moves in next door, Emerson’s not sure how long her vow against emotional intimacy can last. Jaxon’s tattoo, muscles, and sexy voice make him tempting, but he also seems to really understand her…until his jealous ex-girlfriend and Emerson’s life-changing discovery about her parents get thrown into the mix. After everything she’s been through, can Emerson handle a real relationship? Or will breaking her rules just lead to a broken heart?

One of the things that drew me to Beautiful Broken Rules is the cover art. It looks great in its simplicity, because it’s neither messy nor bland. Another is the heroine, Emerson Moore. She’s as interesting and alluring as her name is unconventional. Em (the way she prefers to be addressed) attends an unnamed California college with her stepsister/roommate, Quinn. Although Em is guarded with her emotions, she’s promiscuous. And it’s not in a slut kind of way; Em’s just comfortable with her sexuality.

The book starts shortly after one of Em’s hookups. Someone put her clothes out of reach. Em decides to go to her car for her spare outfit. She almost stops when she notices three guys outside. Steeling herself, Em keeps walking in her underwear. She knows two of the guys (one’s her best friend Cole) but the other is a newcomer. Em later sees him in her journalism class. He introduces himself as Jaxon Riley, a new arrival at the college. Jaxon gets to know Em after the professor pairs them into groups for an assignment.

BOOK REVIEW: TRAIL OF DEAD BY MELISSA F. OLSON

Title: Trail of Dead

Author: Melissa F. Olson

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Published on: June 4, 2013 by 47North 

As a null, Scarlett Bernard possesses a rare ability to counteract the supernatural by instantly neutralizing spells and magical forces. For years she has used her gift to scrub crime scenes of any magical traces, helping the powerful paranormal communities of Los Angeles stay hidden. But after LAPD detective Jesse Cruz discovered Scarlett’s secret, he made a bargain with her: solve a particularly grisly murder case, and he would stay silent about the city’s unearthly underworld.

Now two dead witches are found a few days before Christmas, and Scarlett is once again strong-armed into assisting the investigation. She soon finds a connection between the murders and her own former mentor, Olivia, a null who mysteriously turned into a vampire and who harbors her own sinister agenda. Now Scarlett must revisit her painful past to find Olivia—unless the blood-drenched present claims her life first.

After solving a pivotal case in the previous book, Scarlett Bernard’s place in the Old World is more secure. She’s a null, a human who negates all magic around them. Thanks to this power, Scarlett works as a crime scene cleaner for LA’s supernatural groups. Trail of Dead picks up after a hiatus of several weeks. Scarlett flew to New York to meet with another null and learn more about what their power can do. This would be a big help for future missions.

Scarlett barely puts one foot back in LA before Detective Jesse Cruz approaches her. He’s another main protagonist and a love interest for Scarlett. Jesse had been waiting for her arrival so he could ask about a new crime scene. At the moment, though, Scarlett and Jesse’s relationship is strained. They like each other, but issues keep holding them back. One of them is Jesse’s expressed dislike of Scarlett’s job. This is because she sometimes makes dead bodies disappear. When they have obvious signs of magical harm, Scarlett can’t allow the police to see them. Jesse is a righteous cop and won’t condone tampering with evidence in such a drastic and permanent way.

BOOK REVIEW: SACRIFICE BY CLYDE PHILLIPS

Title: Sacrifice

Author: Clyde Phillips

Genre: Mystery, police procedural

Published on: August 13, 2013 by Thomas & Mercer (first edition: June 17, 2003)

San Francisco homicide detective Jane Candiotti’s life is finally looking up, thanks to a new promotion and a new husband. But navigating newlywed life takes a backseat when Philip Iverson, a powerful Bay Area philanthropist, is found murdered in a downtown hotel. An hour later, a homeless man is stabbed to death at the docks, a crime most cops would shrug off. But Jane isn’t like most cops.

Her gut tells her there’s something bigger at play here, something linking the victims in death when it’s likely their paths never crossed in life. But uncovering the truth won’t be easy: the Powers That Be are demanding that the SFPD focus all their resources on the Iverson case, despite alarming evidence that a serial killer is at work. If Jane can’t solve these murders—and fast—she could lose more than just her job…

It takes great characters to make a reader stay with them for three books or more. Jane Candiotti and Kenny Marks certainly are more than interesting to read about. This is their third book, and it’s just as good as the other two. Candiotti is now the lieutenant of the Homicide division at the SFPD. She’s said to be the first woman to hold the position. Candiotti took over after her previous boss resigned due to the events in Blindsided.

The first character we’re introduced to in Sacrifice is Philip Iverson. He’s a billionaire philanthropist and apparently San Francisco’s most beloved citizen. After a gala event he organized, Philip is found dead in a parking lot. Jane and Kenny rush to the scene, and are shocked at what they find. The police manage to keep Iverson’s death secret at first, to avoid scaring the public. Later that same night, Jane comes across another murder. This time, the victim is a homeless man.