MY TOP 10 READS OF 2022

 

Good morning! It's once again time to share the books I enjoyed reading the most this year. And in 2022, there were a lot of books to pick from. So far I've read over 70 books, which I track with The StoryGraph. That's pretty much the same as the number of books I finished in 2021. I ended up selecting just 10 books as always, which makes for tough decisions.

This is also the second year in which I've exclusively used The StoryGraph instead of Goodreads. I moved over because the latter remained static the entire decade I used it. It was also quite bloated and didn't have a handful of features I consider must-haves. Rating books in fractions of a star is the biggest advantage The StoryGraph has, in my opinion. I can also see reading statistics, which tells me I read a lot of fantasy and sci-fi this year. Anyway, here are the books I ended up selecting:

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BOOK REVIEW: THE KING TIDES BY JAMES SWAIN

Title: The King Tides
Author: James Swain
Genre: Mystery

Published on: August 1, 2018 by Thomas & Mercer

Reality and illusion blur in this Washington Post bestseller that Michael Connelly calls “a hundred percent adrenaline rush disguised as a detective novel.”

Nicki Pearl is the perfect daughter—every parent’s dream. And that of strangers, too. Wherever she goes, she’s being watched. Each stalker is different from the last, except for one thing—their alarming obsession with Nicki.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Nicki’s father is turning to someone who can protect her: retired private detective and ex–Navy SEAL Jon Lancaster. Teaming up with FBI agent and former abduction victim Beth Daniels, Lancaster can help—his way. He’s spent most of his career dispatching creeps who get off on terrorizing the vulnerable. Unlicensed, and unrestricted, he plays dirty…But this case is unusual. Why so many men? Why this one girl? Does Nicki have something to hide? Or do her parents?

Trawling the darkest depths of southern Florida, Lancaster faces a growing tide of secrets and deception. And the deeper he digs, the more he realizes that finding the truth won’t be easy. Because there’s more to this case than meets the eye.

 

I came across The King Tides while browsing the thriller section of the Kindle Store. The cover art caught my eye first. After reading the synopsis and checking the star ratings, I bought a copy. The King Tides is the first in a new series. The main protagonists are private investigator Jon Lancaster and FBI special agent Beth Daniels. It takes place mainly in Fort Lauderdale. The book starts right into the action, with Lancaster meeting a potential new client.

The new client is Dr. Nolan Pearl. He called Lancaster to look into strange events that started happening recently. Pearl researched Lancaster and found that not only is he an ex-Navy SEAL, he’s famous for the daring rescue of a young girl. Dr. Pearl fills Lancaster in on the details of his problem. Strange men have been stalking his daughter, Nicki. She’s only fifteen, and pretty much none of the men are younger than Lancaster. Pearl has no idea why they are so interested in Nicki. There have even been kidnapping attempts. Lancaster asks the requisite questions, like if the Pearls or their daughter have done anything to attract so much attention.

BOOK REVIEW: THE THIRTEENTH WORLD BY A.N. WILLIS

Title: The Thirteenth World
Author: A.N. Willis
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Published on: September 29, 2015 by Alloy Entertainment

Time is running out for Stel Alaster. The Corridor, the only portal between First and Second Earth, is failing and the barriers between all twelve worlds are thinning. Using her unique ability to travel through the multiverse, Stel sets out to save the Corridor . . . and ends up discovering a mysterious new world.

In the sequel to The Corridor, will the thirteenth world hold the key to the Corridor’s secrets? Or will the portal implode and take every last universe down with it?

 

 

After the last book ended in such a cliffhanger, I eagerly got a copy of The Thirteenth World. The protagonist is Estele “Stel” Alaster, an eighteen-year-old girl who can travel between parallel realities. Stel’s home, First Earth, hosts an inter-dimensional portal called the Corridor. It connects to Second Earth, a world that was ravaged when the Corridor opened. Dr. Samantha Tabor, Chair of the Corridor Facility on First Earth, has been after Stel since learning about her power. She thinks that Stel can fix the increasingly unstable Corridor. It threatens to unleash a new Pulse that could be worse than the one that hit Second Earth.

A stunning betrayal landed Stel in Dr. Tabor’s clutches. The former is now being held in the Facility. Dr. Tabor has been questioning Stel for weeks, and has gone as far as torturing her. Fortunately, an ally within the Facility helps Stel out. This person is Justin, Stel’s older brother. He is a recent deserter from the Corridor Guard. Justin is a very upstanding, by-the-book kind of person. That doesn’t keep him from protecting his loved ones, though. Together, Justin and Stel flee throughout the multiverse to join back up with their friends. The Corridor established that there are twelve Earths linked together somehow. Stel sent her group to one of them, Libra Earth, before Dr. Tabor captured her.

BOOK REVIEW: WICKED BEAUTIFUL BY J.T. GEISSINGER

Title: Wicked Beautiful

Author: J.T. Geissinger

Genre: Romance

Published on: December 1, 2015, self-published

Life coach and best-selling author Victoria Price has it all: a successful career, fabulous friends, a fantastic penthouse in Manhattan. What she doesn’t have—and doesn’t want—is a husband. Fifteen years ago her high school flame broke her heart so badly she swore she’d never love again.

Drop-dead sexy restauranteur and infamous playboy Parker Maxwell has only three rules for the women he dates: no questions about his past, no expectations for the future, and no spending the night. When he meets Victoria, however, he’s willing to break his own rules if it means sating the explosive desire she arouses in him. What he doesn’t know is that the alluring Victoria Price used to be the mousy Isabel Diaz, the girl he deflowered and dumped long ago.

Presented with a perfect opportunity for revenge, Victoria decides the game is on. But when her connection with Parker proves more than just skin deep, she has to make a choice: continue with her plan for payback, or risk her career, her reputation, and her heart by taking a second chance on love?

 

When it comes to romance novels, I tend to choose optimistic ones, like those by J.A. Redmerski or Samantha Young. I haven’t read anything like Wicked Beautiful, which is what drew me to it. The protagonist, Victoria Price, hates the romantic interest, Parker Maxwell, from the start. I found this intriguing (having read only one enemies-to-lovers romance before). This novel is written in the first-person POV. It lets you see how strong Victoria’s feelings are toward Parker. She recounts how Parker broke her heart several years ago. The experience made Victoria into what she is today.

Victoria is a famous celebrity who lives in New York. She made her fortune working as a life coach of sorts. Victoria’s fans are exclusively female. She’s known as the Queen B****. Victoria heads seminars where she teaches women how to own their power and to not let anyone take advantage of them or treat them wrong. Bitter much? You bet. As for Parker, he’s also wealthy in his own right. By this time, Parker is the owner of around 20 restaurants all over the country. Victoria encounters him again when visiting his newest restaurant with her friend Darcy. The latter’s a food blogger with formidable influence. To Victoria’s relief, Parker doesn’t recognize her. He does feel an intense attraction toward her, though.

BOOK REVIEW: BOUNDARY HAUNTED BY MELISSA F. OLSON

Title: Boundary Haunted

Author: Melissa F. Olson

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Published on: December 3, 2019 by 47North

Months after her battles in Wyoming, Allison “Lex” Luther is still struggling with the aftereffects of the psychic attack she suffered—and with the new developments in her own magic.

Then Lex’s boss, the cardinal vampire of Colorado, passes along a strange request from her counterpart in Atlanta. Hundreds of Civil War spirits have abruptly vanished in Beau Calhoun’s territory, and he wants Lex to figure out why. In exchange, Beau can help her understand boundary magic, which runs in his family line as well.

Despite her trepidation, Lex journeys to the Deep South, where she discovers that ghosts are everywhere…and that her host’s intentions are more complicated than he promised. It seems his teenage descendant is being hunted, and both Beau and Lex fear the young woman’s boundary blood may have made her a target.

With Atlanta’s history looming over her every move, Lex will have to face Beau’s ghosts—and her own—to prevent a boundary magic attack she never dreamed possible.

 

 

Here it is: the fifth (and hopefully not last) book in the Boundary Magic series. It takes place in Melissa F. Olson’s Old World stories. Boundary witch Allison “Lex” Luther is back for another adventure. This time it’s not Maven—her boss and the cardinal vampire of Colorado—who gives her an assignment. Lex is surprised to hear someone has requested her assistance. Maven got a call from Abner Calhoun, the cardinal vampire of Atlanta. He wants Lex to help him sort out a problem with ghosts in his city. Lex is apprehensive at first, though. In the previous book, she suffered a terrible psychic attack done with wraiths—the most wicked kind of ghosts. Since then, Lex has had a sort of phobia of them. Understandably, Lex isn't in a hurry to go to one of the most haunted cities in the country.

Lex hasn't told anyone about her issue, though. She mostly agrees to go to Atlanta to help Maven. The latter's been working to set up a countrywide government for the Old World. If Lex convinces Calhoun to lend his support, Maven's project will be one step closer to becoming reality. In preparation for this, Maven's also been teaching Lex about Old World politics. Calhoun is known for being rather...eccentric. Lex thinks Maven has a low opinion of him, but the latter denies this, claiming Calhoun's just unusual. The guy did earn a funny nickname, because he turned four of his buddies and dubbed them the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

STATUS UPDATE: SITE UNDER RECONSTRUCTION

Good morning, everyone! As you may have noticed, several things look different throughout my blog now. Primarily, a ton of images I used in my posts have vanished. This happened because I changed the Google account I use to manage Ivan's Insights. I didn't want or need the old account, so I decided to delete it. What I didn't realize is that the account in question is where many of this blog's images are stored. I'm going to have to re-upload them all. It will be a pretty massive task, and I have other things to do unrelated to my online affairs. So this might take a little while. At least the timing isn't too bad; Ivan's Insights is almost due for a new coat of paint. I will likely take the opportunity to do that now. In the meanwhile, I'll keep posting new book reviews. Those will be unaffected by the changes, of course.

This is still me as well. Ivan's Insights hasn't been taken over by someone else. I just didn't need the old Google account I deleted. So, that's it for now. Have a good day!


Ivan

BOOK REVIEW: NYPD RED 3 BY JAMES PATTERSON AND MARSHALL KARP

Title: NYPD Red 3

Author: James Patterson and Marshall Karp

Genre: Mystery, thriller

Published on: March 16, 2015 by Little, Brown and Company

PROTECT THE RICH. SERVE THE FAMOUS. HUNT THE GUILTY.

NYPD Red is the elite, highly trained task force assigned to protect the rich, the famous, and the connected. And Detective Zach Jordan and his partner Kylie MacDonald-the woman who broke his heart at the police academy-are the best of the best, brilliant and tireless investigators who will stop at nothing to deliver justice.

Zach and Kylie's New Year's celebrations are cut short when they're called to the home of billionaire businessman Hunter Alden, Jr. after he makes a grisly discovery in his townhouse garage. When Alden's teenage son goes missing soon afterwards, and his father seems oddly reluctant to find him, Zach and Kylie find themselves in the middle of a chilling conspiracy that threatens everyone in its wake-especially their city's most powerful citizens.

NYPD Red 3 is the next sensational novel in James Patterson's explosive new series, a thriller that goes behind the closed doors of New York high society and into the depths of depravity.

 

A new case is about to land for the NYPD Red unit. And in the book, it’s the start of a new year as well. A few things have happened since the events of the previous entry. The city of New York has a new mayor, Muriel Sykes. It seems the city voted her predecessor, Stan Spellman, out because they felt he wasn’t proactive enough. At first it felt to me like Mayor Sykes would be an antagonist, but she’s proving to be on NYPD Red’s side. Why do I say this? She gave me the kind of vibes that Laurel Hitchin from The Blacklist did. Turns out I was wrong.

The main characters are Detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald. They’ve become Red’s star detectives now, after solving two high-profile cases. This book’s new case begins in chilling fashion. Someone discovers a dead body inside an expensive limo in a deserted parking lot. That would be unusual in itself, except that the body was decapitated. The head wasn’t anywhere nearby. The dead person had ID on him, so investigators are able to learn who he is. The victim was Peter Chevalier, the personal driver of rich businessman Hunter Alden, Jr. This is enough to call in NYPD Red to handle the case.

BOOK REVIEW: CITY OF ASHES BY CASSANDRA CLARE

Title: City of Ashes

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

Published on: March 14, 2009 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

 Is love worth betraying everything? Plunge into the second adventure in the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series and “prepare to be hooked” (Entertainment Weekly).

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go -- especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil—and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings—and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

While City of Bones didn’t blow me away, it was more than compelling enough for me to continue with the series. I like the characters, especially since I already watched Shadowhunters. Now that City of Ashes doesn’t have to keep worldbuilding as much, things speed up noticeably. The protagonist, Clary Fray, is still hovering between two worlds. She’s lived as a mundane (a regular human) until she was already fifteen. Clary had no idea that she was a Shadowhunter because of her mother, Jocelyn. The latter fled the Shadow World over a decade ago and didn’t want anything more to do with it.

Clary isn’t a full-blown Shadowhunter yet. She’s been living with Luke Garroway, an old friend of Jocelyn’s whom she loves like an uncle. Luke recently let Clary know that he’s a werewolf. He has his own pack as well (which he took command of to protect Clary). Clary also has a best friend, Simon Lewis. They’re dating now, but taking things slow. Simon has been in love with Clary for years, which shocked her. Clary loves him, of course, but as a friend. She wonders if she can learn to love him the way she loves a certain blond guy.

 

BOOK REVIEW: FRICTION BY SANDRA BROWN

Title: Friction

Author: Sandra Brown

Genre: Mystery, romance

Published on: August 18, 2015 by Grand Central Publishing

After a courtroom gunman threatens everything he holds dear, a Texas Ranger with a checkered past must choose between vengeance and family in this #1 New York Times bestselling thriller.

Crawford Hunt wants his daughter back. Following the death of his wife four years ago, he fell into a downward spiral that knocked him down to deskwork and landed his five-year-old daughter Georgia in the custody of her grandparents. But now that Crawford has cleaned up his act and met the court's requirements, the fate of his family lies with Judge Holly Spencer.

Holly, ambitious and confident, must prove herself worthy of a permanent judgeship on the cusp of an upcoming election. Every decision is high-stakes, and despite Crawford's commitment to being a better father, Holly is wary of his past. But when a masked gunman barges into the courtroom during the custody hearing, Crawford reacts instinctively to save Holly's life.

But his heroism soon takes on the taint of recklessness. With the gunman still at large, Crawford uncovers a horrifying truth, and the cloud over him grows even darker as he considers vengeance. He quickly realizes that pursuing the killer will jeopardize his chances of gaining custody of his daughter and compromise Holly, who needs protection not only from an assassin, but from Crawford himself and the forbidden attraction between them.

Friction will keep you on the edge of your seat with breathtaking plot twists and the unforgettable characters that make Sandra Brown one of the world's best-loved authors. It is an extraordinary novel about the powerful ties that bind us to the ones we love and the secrets we keep to protect them.

I’ve read a few Sandra Brown novels before. She’s a really good writer, so I thought I would like Friction when I saw it at the bookstore. This is a romantic suspense set in a fictional town in Texas. The main protagonists are Crawford Hunt and Holly Spencer. Crawford is a Texas Ranger who’s recently cleaned up his act. He was in serious grief after the tragic death of his wife. Now that Crawford has put himself back together, he has one goal. Crawford wants custody of Georgia, his five-year-old daughter. She’s been living with her maternal grandparents.

At the custody hearing, the second protagonist is introduced. Holly happens to be the judge handling the case. She took over the position from her old mentor. Holly wants to be elected as judge permanently. This means she’s going to be as objective and impartial as possible. No matter how much Crawford shows he loves Georgia, Holly will make her decision with the girl’s best interests in mind. Before she can do that, though, something unexpected happens. A gunman storms into the courtroom, killing someone before most people can react. Crawford instinctively saves Holly’s life and then pursues the gunman.

BOOK REVIEW: THE CORRIDOR BY A.N. WILLIS

Title: The Corridor
Author: A.N. Willis
Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Published on: June 23, 2015 by Alloy Entertainment

Infinite worlds. Endless possibilities . . .

Stel Alaster has never known life without the Corridor. It appeared suddenly seventeen years ago, the only portal to a parallel version of our world—Second Earth. Everyone on First Earth fears Mods, the genetically modified Second Earthers who built the Corridor. They are too smart, too strong, and have powers that can’t be controlled. Any Mod found on First Earth is branded, then detained in the Corridor’s research labs.

Only Stel has a dangerous secret. She has a power, too: She can open a portal to Second Earth . . . and several other parallel universes she’s discovered. If anyone ever finds out, she’ll be imprisoned, no better than a Mod or common lab rat.

But when the Corridor starts to fail, emitting erratic bursts of energy that could destroy First Earth, Stel must risk everything to save the people and world she loves. With the help of an escaped Mod and an infuriatingly arrogant boy from a third universe, Stel sets out to unravel the mysteries of the Corridor and stabilize it before it’s too late. The fate of every world lies in the balance. . . .

I've never actively searched for parallel universe sci-fi novels, but I've read a bunch of them. The Corridor is one of those. I found this book while browsing the Kindle store. The synopsis sounded compelling, and I liked the cover art. The Corridor's main character is Estele "Stel" Alaster. She's a girl in her late teens who lives in a world very like ours. The difference is that its people know that parallel realities exist. Almost two decades ago, a sphere portal they called the Corridor opened without warning. It leads to Second Earth, a place that used to be far more technologically advanced than Stel's home. The Corridor ravaged Second Earth, though, so the people of First Earth have been helping them since the opening of the portal.

When the story begins, Stel is doing schoolwork in the observation area near the Corridor. As her father is Chair of the Corridor Facility, they both live in the compound. The portal suddenly acts up, and in the aftermath Stel ends up with a special power. She can open up her own temporary portal, which lets her visit other worlds. Yes, it doesn't take Stel long to discover that there are more parallel worlds besides Second Earth. Unfortunately, the Corridor's flare up had other consequences. Beyond damaging the Facility's structure, it caused Dr. Alaster to lose his post. Stel has a best friend named Lissa, whose scientist mother became the new Chair. This drove a wedge between the two friends.

BOOK REVIEW: LAST DAY BY LUANNE RICE

Title: Last Day

Author: Luanne Rice

Genre: Mystery

Published on: February 1, 2020 by Thomas & Mercer

From celebrated New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice comes a riveting story of a seaside community shaken by a violent crime and a tragic loss.

Years ago, Beth Lathrop and her sister Kate suffered what they thought would be the worst tragedy of their lives the night both the famous painting Moonlight and their mother were taken. The detective assigned to the case, Conor Reid, swore to protect the sisters from then on.

Beth moved on, throwing herself fully into the art world, running the family gallery, and raising a beautiful daughter with her husband Pete. Kate, instead, retreated into herself and took to the skies as a pilot, always on the run. When Beth is found strangled in her home, and Moonlight goes missing again, Detective Reid can’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu.

Reid immediately suspects Beth’s husband, whose affair is a poorly kept secret. He has an airtight alibi—but he also has a motive, and the evidence seems to point to him. Kate and Reid, along with the sisters’ closest childhood friends, struggle to make sense of Beth’s death, but they only find more questions: Who else would have wanted Beth dead? What’s the significance of Moonlight?

Twenty years ago, Reid vowed to protect Beth and Kate—and he’s failed. Now solving the case is turning into an obsession . . .

Going by the cover alone, I’d expected Last Day to be a psychological suspense. After reading it, the book turned out to be more mystery-suspense. It takes place in a seaside town called Black Hall. That’s memorable, as I’ve never heard of any city with “Hall” in its name. One of the main characters is Kate Woodward. She’s a young woman who finds her sister murdered. Conor Reid, the second protagonist, is a veteran—though not old—police detective.

Kate’s sister, Beth Lathrop, hadn’t been answering her calls for days. She was alone in the house because her husband, Pete, was on a boat trip with friends. Kate goes to the Lathrop house and breaks in with a police officer’s help. There, they discover Beth’s dead body in her ice-cold bedroom. They report it, and Detective Reid arrives shortly after. He has history with the Lathrop sisters. Twenty years ago, he rescued them from a robbery at their family’s art gallery. Their mother did not make it alive, unfortunately.

BOOK REVIEW: THE EDGE OF ALWAYS BY J.A. REDMERSKI

Title: The Edge of Always
Author: J.A. Redmerski
Genre: Romance, New Adult

Published on: November 5, 2013 by Forever Romance

He was taking the long road. She was taking the road to nowhere. It just so happened that they led to the same place…

When everything falls apart, love remains . . .

THE EDGE OF ALWAYS

Camryn Bennett has never been happier. Five months after meeting on a Greyhound bus, she and her soul mate Andrew Parrish are engaged—and a wedding isn’t the only special event in their future. Nervous but excited, Camryn can’t wait to begin the rest of her life with Andrew – a man she knows in her heart will love her always. They have so much to look forward to—until tragedy blindsides them.

Andrew doesn’t understand how this could happen to them. He’s trying to move on, and thought Camryn was doing the same. But when Andrew discovers Camryn is secretly harboring a mountain of pain and attempting to numb it in damaging ways, there is nothing he won’t do to bring her back to life. Determined to prove that their love can survive anything, Andrew decides to take Camryn on a new journey filled with hope and passion. If only he can convince her to come along for the ride…

The Edge of Never is one of my favorite 5-star-rated books. It’s even first on my list of the best novels I read in the 2010 decade. While it may not be a literary masterpiece, TEON was still really enjoyable. It also wraps up the story well, with no major loose ends. This is why I was slightly surprised to hear about a sequel. More Camryn and Andrew, though? Sign me up right away! This second entry picks up a short time after TEON ended. Andrew and Camryn are now engaged and living in Galveston, the former’s hometown.

Right from the first page, Andrew tells the reader Camryn is expecting his child. They give the good news to their family and friends. There’s happiness all around, but a few doubts plague Camryn. If you remember, she’s someone who wants to avoid a monotonous, robotic life at all costs. Andrew is much the same way. They’re trying to decide whether to live in Galveston or Raleigh, North Carolina (where Camryn’s from). It doesn’t matter nearly as much to Andrew as it does to Camryn. Wherever she wants to go, he’ll follow.

BOOK REVIEW: GOING ROGUE BY ROBIN BENWAY

Title: Going Rogue

Author: Robin Benway

Genre: Young Adult, mystery

Published on: January 14, 2014 by Walker Childrens

Being permanently based in a local New York City high school as an undercover operative has its moments, good and bad, for 16-year-old safecracker Maggie Silver.

Pros: More quality time with her former mark-turned-boyfriend Jesse Oliver and insanely cool best friend, Roux.

Getting to spend quality time with her semi-retired and international spy honorary uncle, Angelo.

Cons: High school and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker combinations.

But when Maggie's parents are falsely accused of stealing priceless gold coins, Maggie uses her safecracking skills to try and clear their names.

Too bad it only serves to put her and everyone she loves in danger. Maggie and her "new team" flee to Paris where they must come up with a plan to defeat their former allies.

A new mission begins in Going Rogue. This is the sequel to Also Known As, and takes place a short time afterward. The main character is Maggie Silver, 16-year-old self-proclaimed international spy. She lives with her parents, who are also spies. In the previous book, Maggie handled her first-ever solo mission. It involved blending in at a private high school to get close to a certain student, Jesse Oliver. He and Maggie ended up falling for each other. Maggie also found a best friend in Roux, Jesse’s bubbly childhood friend. Maggie revealed her secret to both of them, and they proved instrumental in solving her case.

Maggie had thought completing the mission meant her family would be relocated to handle a new one. To her delight, the Collective (their secret spy organization) allowed the Silvers to stay in Manhattan. They recognized that the recent mission took a toll on them. The Silvers are now on a sort of break. Maggie is still attending the private school with Roux and Jesse. The latter’s relationship with Maggie is going really well. Maggie’s eager to meet Jesse’s mother for the first time. She isn’t around much because she left Jesse’s father a while ago. Ms. Oliver isn’t the kind of mom who abandons their kid, though; she wants to be in Jesse’s life more often.

BOOK REVIEW: CITY OF BONES BY CASSANDRA CLARE

Title: City of Bones

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

Published on: May 27, 2007 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air.

It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk.

Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

It’s 2021, and I’m barely getting started with this series. I’ve seen the movie and the Shadowhunters TV show, so I’m no stranger to the Shadow World. City of Bones turned out to be more different than I expected, though. I knew they cut stuff for the show, as they inevitably do in live-action adaptations. It's just that I didn't think they would remove as many elements from the book as they did. This makes me feel that the show will seem quite rushed if I watch it again.

For the uninitiated, the protagonist is Clarissa “Clary” Fray. She’s a fifteen-year-old redheaded girl from Brooklyn. Clary lives in an apartment with her mother, Jocelyn. We meet Clary when she visits a club, Pandemonium, with her best friend Simon Lewis. He’s your chess club type of geek and member of a yet-unnamed band. Simon normally doesn’t do clubs, but he puts up because of Clary. It’s apparent from the start how much they mean to each other. Soon, it starts to become obvious Simon has romantic feelings for Clary. She is totally oblivious to this.

BOOK REVIEW: NYPD RED 2 BY JAMES PATTERSON AND MARSHALL KARP

Title: NYPD Red 2

Author: James Patterson and Marshall Karp

Genre: Mystery, thriller

Published on: March 24, 2014 by Little, Brown and Company

NYPD Red's finest detectives are about to investigate a brutal crime scene in Central Park . . . but even their training can't prepare them for the biggest case of their careers.

When NYPD Red arrives at a crime scene, everyone takes notice. Known as the protectors of the rich, famous, and connected, NYPD Red is the elite task force called in only for New York City's most high-profile crimes. And Detective Zach Jordan is the best of the best, a brilliant and relentless pursuer of justice. He puts professionalism above all, ignoring his feelings for his partner, Detective Kylie MacDonald, the woman who broke his heart when they first met in the academy.

 

But even with their top-notch training, Zach and Kylie aren't prepared for what they see when they're called to a crime scene in the heart of Central Park. They arrive to find a carousel spinning round and round, its painted horses grinning eerily in the early morning dark. There is only one rider: a brutally slaughtered woman, her body tied up and dressed in a Hazmat suit, on display for the world to see.

 

The victim, a woman of vast wealth and even greater connections, is the fourth in a string of shocking murders that have hit the city. As the public pressure mounts, and political and personal secrets of the highest order hang in the balance, Zach and Kylie must find out what's really behind the murderer's rampage. But Kylie has been acting strange recently-and Zach knows whatever she's hiding could threaten the biggest case of their careers.

NYPD Red 2 is the next outstanding novel in James Patterson's newest series, a thriller that careens through New York City and deep into the psyche of a depraved killer you've never seen before.

Detective partners Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald return in this sequel to NYPD Red. They’re part of a special unit that focuses on big cases involving the city's elite citizens. A few weeks have passed since the first book ended. The status quo changed a little bit since then. Kylie had been assigned as Zach’s partner when his previous one went on leave. After playing a big part in stopping The Chameleon, Kylie’s position became permanent.

A new serial killer has the city of New York on high alarm. The media is dubbing him the Hazmat Killer. He earned this silly name because he leaves his victims dressed in what resembles Hazmat suits. Hazmat also releases videos of the victims where they confess to a crime they got away with. The latest victim is Evelyn Parker-Steele, a wealthy and prominent woman. She was the campaign manager for a candidate who’s challenging the current mayor, Stan Spellman. The competition is heated, so Parker-Steele's murder does not help Spellman’s side.

BOOK REVIEW: BOUNDARY BROKEN BY MELISSA F. OLSON

Title: Boundary Broken

Author: Melissa F. Olson

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Published on: March 19, 2019 by 47North

Years ago, boundary witch Allison “Lex” Luther made a promise to an alpha werewolf. Now, just when the supernatural community in Colorado is enjoying a period of hard-won peace, the alpha turns up at Lex’s door to call in his marker. Two of his pack members have disappeared in the Colorado sand dunes, and he needs safe passage to hunt for them.

With her friend Simon Pellar along for backup, Lex ventures into the dunes to search for the missing couple…but what they find is only the opening move in an ambitious assault against those who hold power in the Colorado Old World. An old enemy has returned to tear their peace apart, and Lex is soon embroiled in politics she doesn’t understand, from a time before she had magic.

To save her friends and her way of life, Lex will have to cross every line she’s drawn since learning what she is—and it may still be too late.

After taking a break from the series, Melissa F. Olson is back with the latest Boundary Magic novel. This book takes place a while after the events of Boundary Born. The Old World has enjoyed a good period of peace. Things have been so calm that the protagonist, boundary witch Lex Luther, is chomping at the bit. Maven (her boss and the cardinal vampire of Colorado) hasn’t had any big assignments for Lex in a while. Lex is eager to do something a little more exciting than running errands. Little does she know, she’s about to find out how real the proverb “be careful what you wish for” is.

An unexpected visitor comes calling at Lex’s house. He’s Ryan Dunn, the alpha of the Cheyenne werewolf pack. Lex owes him an old favor, and he’s come to collect. Ryan wants Lex and Quinn (a vampire enforcer and Lex’s boyfriend), as Maven’s representatives, to escort him to the Dunes. A couple of his wolves went missing there. When Lex calls Maven to let her know, the latter only gives the go-ahead because of the owed favor. The operation needs to be done in secrecy, though. At least that isn't out of Lex's and Quinn's experience.

BOOK REVIEW: SHE CAN SCREAM BY MELINDA LEIGH

Title: She Can Scream
Author: Melinda Leigh
Genre: Romantic suspense, mystery

Published on: September 17, 2013 by Montlake Romance

Winner of the 2014 Golden Leaf Award

In one moment, high school teacher and single mother Brooke Davenport interrupts a vicious assault, saves a young woman’s life, and attracts the attention of a serial killer.

Sixteen years ago, Brooke lost her roommate to a brutal murder. Now she teaches women’s self-defense, still trying to heal from the guilt and grief that plague her. Convinced the predator knows his victims and is stalking his prey online, she is determined to find him before he strikes again. Her brother’s friend, Luke has the computer expertise to help. But Brooke’s unexpected desire for Luke complicates her investigation, and her fixation with the case provokes a deadly reaction from the killer.

Injured in terrorist bombing overseas, computer expert Luke Holloway is still haunted by flashbacks of his young assistant’s death in the explosion. But Luke can’t refuse the request of a deployed friend to look after his sister, Brooke. Taking on responsibility for Brooke’s safety threatens Luke’s tenuous recovery, especially after he develops feelings for her that transcend a promise to a friend. When Brooke saves a young girl from a brutal assault and becomes a killer’s obsession, Luke vows to protect her at all costs.

The She Can series gets a bit of a refresh with She Can Scream. It takes place in Westbury, just like the previous two books. The characters are new this time, though. This novel first introduces Brooke Davenport, the protagonist. She’s a high school teacher who gives self-defense classes for young women in her spare time. Brooke is running late with a class when the book starts. When she prepares to head home, Brooke hears a scream. There’s only one, so most people would just dismiss it. Not Brooke. She’s a very safety-conscious woman, and decides to investigate with the help of the building’s janitor.

Brooke’s decision proves to be pivotal. She manages to thwart a kidnapping attempt. The community center where she teaches self-defense is bordered by woods at the back. A man almost took a teenage girl with him. The girl, Maddie, is hurt but otherwise all right, and gets sent to the hospital. When Wade, Brooke’s older brother, hears about what happened, it worries him deeply. Wade is about to be deployed by the army. He’s concerned about leaving Brooke alone. This compels him to ask his best friend, Luke Holloway, to look after Brooke.

BOOK REVIEW: ON THE WAY DOWN BY ELLA FOX

Title: On the Way Down

Author: Ella Fox

Genre: Romance, New Adult

Published on: October 16, 2018, self-published

What happens when one of the most famous actors in Hollywood falls head over heels in love with a high school senior?

She was too young

Shaelyn Monroe believed larger-than-life action star Garrett Riordan was out of her league.

He was too famous

Garrett knew the mysterious girl who ignored him like it was her job was something special.

Against all the odds, Garrett and Shaelyn worked.

Right up until the moment unthinkable happened.

On The Way Down is book one of The Retake Duet 

Are you a fan of star-crossed lovers in books? Then you might enjoy On The Way Down. It’s a contemporary romance about a superstar and an average person. The main character is Shaelyn Monroe. She’s a seventeen-year old with shallow pockets and modest aspirations. The love interest is Garrett Riordan, a popular Hollywood actor. They meet because Shaelyn’s mother is a low-level worker at the set of Garrett’s latest movie.

Garrett and Shaelyn notice each other at pretty much the same time. Shaelyn’s mother has been bringing her to work. Having nothing to do, Shaelyn spends her time reading at one of the trailers. Garrett spots her and breaks the ice. There’s easy rapport between them, which surprises Shaelyn a bit. She doesn’t fangirl over Garrett despite knowing who he is. Garrett seems to appreciate that Shaelyn isn’t a groupie. She treats him like a regular person.

BOOK REVIEW: WILDCARD BY MARIE LU

Title: Wildcard

Author: Marie Lu

Genre: Science Fiction, Young Adult

Published on: September 18, 2018 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books

Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo's new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she's always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side.

Determined to put a stop to Hideo's grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, only to find a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone's put a bounty on Emika's head, and her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. But Emika soon learns that Zero isn't all that he seems--and his protection comes at a price.

Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves?

Prodigious eighteen-year-old hacker Emika Chen returns in this conclusion to her duology. Wildcard opens shortly after the aftermath of the final Warcross championship match. If you recall, Warcross is a globally popular AR game played through high-tech glasses. The creator, Hideo Tanaka, drafted Emika into an official team as a cover to hunt for someone. This was a great move, as Emika is not only a fine Warcross player. She’s also a notable bounty hunter, a job Emika took up so she could make ends meet. Emika spent most of the Warcross novel trying to catch Zero, an elusive black hat hacker.

Hideo and Emika were fairly sure Zero sought to take down the NeuroLink. That’s the software that powers Warcross and several other critical technologies. Emika managed to catch up to Zero during the final match. After stopping him, it seemed that Emika had saved the day. Then Zero made a shocking revelation. Emika may have been on the wrong side the whole time. Her efforts unwittingly activated a secret project Hideo had been working on. Emika’s trust in Hideo is damaged once she finds out what he kept from her.

BOOK REVIEW: CAREER OF EVIL BY ROBERT GALBRAITH

Title: Career of Evil
Author: Robert Galbraith
Genre: Mystery

Published on: October 20, 2015 by Mulholland Books

When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman's severed leg.

Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible--and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality.

With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands, and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them...

Career of Evil is the third in the highly acclaimed series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant Robin Ellacott. A fiendishly clever mystery with unexpected twists around every corner, it is also a gripping story of a man and a woman at a crossroads in their personal and professional lives.

After reading The Cuckoo’s Calling, I thought it was good enough that I bought the next two books right away. This one is the third entry. Yeah, Cormoran Strike is a trilogy now. I wonder if Career of Evil will be the last book. The characters are really good, but I’m still not a huge fan. Robin Ellacott is the exception. I’d totally read a series about her. She's one of those supporting characters that pretty much steals the show.

Career of Evil sees protagonist Cormoran Strike through his biggest case yet. After solving two murders, he’s become quite a celebrated private eye in London. Strike’s office has been getting steady business. It must be said that Robin Ellacott is in great part responsible for this success. She’s become more than a simple assistant since she began working for Strike. Robin was quite useful in the previous case, where her excellent driving skills made a big difference. It helps that Robin loves her job. Whether she's investigating or assisting an investigator, she enjoys it.

BOOK REVIEW: ALSO KNOWN AS BY ROBIN BENWAY

Title: Also Known As

Author: Robin Benway

Genre: Young Adult, mystery

Published on: February 26, 2013 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

From New York Times bestselling, National Book Award winning author Robin Benway comes the first book in a hilarious and romantic duology about a normal girl . . . who just so happens to be a spy.

Being a 16-year-old safecracker and active-duty daughter of international spies has its moments, good and bad. Pros: Seeing the world one crime-solving adventure at a time. Having parents with super cool jobs. Cons: Never staying in one place long enough to have friends or a boyfriend. But for Maggie Silver, the biggest perk of all has been avoiding high school and the accompanying cliques, bad lunches, and frustratingly simple locker combinations.

Then Maggie and her parents are sent to New York for her first solo assignment, and all of that changes. She'll need to attend a private school, avoid the temptation to hack the school's security system, and befriend one aggravatingly cute Jesse Oliver to gain the essential information she needs to crack the case . . . all while trying not to blow her cover.

There’s a certain appeal to stories about spies. It’s likely about escapism. Spies (at least the way they’re portrayed in fiction) lead risky but arguably glamorous lives. They get to travel the world, for one. The protagonist of Also Known As certainly gets to do just that. She’s Maggie Silver, a teenage daughter of spy parents. The trio work for a covert organization called the Collective. When the story starts, the Silvers are finishing a mission in Iceland. Maggie’s part of the mission because she has a particular specialty. At just fifteen, Maggie is perhaps the best safecracker in the world. She can break into any safe or lock. Maggie’s been doing it all her life.

If you ask Maggie, one drawback about the spy life is how lonely it is. She’s rarely ever interacted with people her own age. Couple that with moving to different countries all the time, and it’s obvious Maggie hasn’t had the chance to make friends. So, when the Collective assign a new mission, Maggie is thrilled. This will be the first time Maggie handles a mission on her own. She feels ready to prove herself. Maggie and her parents fly to New York for the mission. The objective is for Maggie to attend a private high school. There, she must find a student by the name of Jesse Oliver. Maggie must befriend him to get access to his father, a journalist. The Collective believe that he is about to expose their organization.

BOOK REVIEW: HIS TRUE QUEEN BY JODI ELLEN MALPAS

Title: His True Queen

Author: Jodi Ellen Malpas

Genre: Romance

Published on: August 7, 2018 by Everafter Romance

The breathtaking conclusion of The Smoke & Mirrors Duology.

A beautiful, defiant princess. A renowned, sinfully gorgeous Hollywood actor.

A love affair that is sure to rock the British Monarchy…and the world.

Their love affair began intensely and passionately. Princess Adeline and Josh Jameson knew any future together was impossible—her status as a princess and his standing as a Hollywood heartthrob dictated that. But the heights of pleasure they could take each other to were wildly unanticipated by them both. Josh’s absolute disregard for Adeline’s status quickly drew her into his hedonistic world. And her perfectly worn mask and false façade captivated Josh to the point of obsession. The boundaries became blurred. The physical became emotional. Their hearts became entwined.

 

But a cruel turn of events rips their worlds apart and Adeline is more bound than ever by the protocol and expectations her title commands. The army of royal advisors who guard the secrets and scandals of the Monarchy will go to unthinkable lengths to keep the smoke and mirrors in place…and Josh away from Adeline. She knows the power she possesses comes with agonizing sacrifices. Walking away from Josh devastates her…but it keeps him safe from the corrupt institution that has ruled her life.

 

Yet Josh refuses to lose the woman who has consumed him so completely, distorted his boundaries, and stripped him of all sensibility.

 

Will the power of the British Monarchy triumph? Or will their fierce love for each other change the course of history?

This is the sequel and final novel of the Smoke and Mirrors duology. It’s a royal drama/romance set in contemporary England. The protagonist is Princess Adeline Catherine Lockhart. Or I should say, Queen Adeline Lockhart I. The Controversial Princess ended with a stunning development. Adeline’s father, King Alfred, and his first-born son John, died in a helicopter accident. With them gone, the next in line would have been the Lockhart middle child, Edward. A big family secret meant that the crown bypassed Edward and landed on Adeline’s head. It was the last thing she wanted. Adeline had recently fallen for Josh Jameson, a famous American actor she met at her 30th birthday party.

If there was no way Josh and Adeline could be together when she was a princess, it will be all but impossible now that she’s the Queen. Even though Adeline dreaded ascending to the throne, she’s not one to shirk her duty. To add to her mourning, the new queen is also suffering from guilt. Adeline believes her father scrambled into the helicopter to get to her and Josh and stop them from being together. A few of the royals think so as well. Before the accident, Adeline confessed her feelings for Josh to her father and some of his inner circle. As expected, they definitely didn’t approve.

BOOK REVIEW: PURE BLOOD BY MELISSA PEARL

Title: Pure Blood
Author: Melissa Pearl
Genre: Fantasy

Published on: February 15, 2012, self-published

It is only a matter of time before Gemma's parents find out she traveled through time to bring Harrison back into existence. The fear of being found out is a heavy weight on her shoulders, but she refuses to give up on everything she's fought for. Harrison is worth the risk.

The couple draws closer together as they battle opposing forces from all sides. They stay strong until Gemma's parents welcome an exchange student into their home. Simeon, a gorgeous Californian, is as smooth as coffee and, supposedly, a fellow time spirit. Gemma's parents expect her to take him everywhere and, of course, fall in love with him. After all, he is the boy they have chosen for her.

No longer able to sneak off alone, Gemma must watch every step as she waits for the inevitable nightmare to catch up to her. Her parents ultimate goal is to get that last necklace and open the box hidden in their safe. If they do, Gemma knows her entire world will unravel.

As the danger mounts, Gemma must decide if she has the courage to make the ultimate sacrifice to save the ones she loves and stop to her parents' destructive plans.

It’s here, the conclusion of the Time Spirit trilogy. The previous book, Black Blood, ended in a pretty big cliffhanger. Protagonist Gemma Hart managed to save the day, though narrowly. It almost seemed as if a HEA wasn’t far along. Then the cliffhanger came and threw a wrench into that potential future. Now Gemma faces opposition from two fronts.

The good news is that Gemma has her boyfriend, Harrison Granger, back. He was wiped out of existence by Alistair and Penelope, Gemma’s parents. The Harts are time spirits, human beings who can time travel into the past. Alistair and Penelope have a very specific future in mind for their daughter. Harrison didn’t figure in it, so they got rid of him. Gemma was able to learn how to time travel thanks to Gabe Hunter, a former time spirit. I say former because time spirits lose their power when they become old.

THE 20 QUESTIONS BOOK TAG

Good morning! I am back with another non-review post. This is one I've been working on for a little while. I first came across this interesting tag while visiting Bookish Brews. It's one of my most frequented book blogs. As a book blogger myself, I thought it would be good to take part in this tag. It also means something fresh to post, other than book reviews and discussion posts. Answering these questions was cool as well, and it'll give my blog visitors a better idea of what I like when it comes to books. Here are my responses:

***

How many books are too many books in a series?

I feel that would depend on the series. For instance, I’m really invested in the Old World Chronology (by Melissa F. Olson) and In the Company of Killers (by J.A. Redmerski) at the moment. Neither of these series are that long, but I wouldn’t mind if they went to 12 or more installments each in total. They are just so good. I would very likely start them today if I’d never read them before. There are some super-long series that seem excessive to me, though. Bella Forrest and Janet Evanovich come to mind. I'm sorry if you're a fan of them, but they have like 30 books per series. That'd take me almost half a year to read nonstop. My reading backlog is already miles long as it is.

How do you feel about cliffhangers?

They don’t bother me when done right, and when the book is getting a sequel. I can appreciate how cliffhangers build intrigue and make you more eager to continue the series. But it’s really disappointing when an author ends up abandoning the series. It’s even worse if you enjoyed the book. That almost makes me wish I could unread it.

 

BOOK REVIEW: IN THE DARK BY MONICA MURPHY

Title: In the Dark

Author: Monica Murphy

Genre: Romance, New Adult

Published on: August 19, 2015 by Monica Murphy

The girl next door isn't what she seems...

Stuck spending the summer with his screwed up family, Gabriel Walker is bored out of his mind and looking for an adventure. And he seems to find it with the hot girl who lives next door. The attraction between them is instant. Electric. Soon they're spending every stolen minute together. Talk about the perfect summer fling...

Lucy isn't what she seems. She doesn't live next door--she's the girl who's been hired to house sit. If Gabe wants to believe she's a spoiled rich girl looking for some fun, she can go along with that. After the summer, she'll never see him again.

They don't count on running into each other at college. Now Lucy must keep up the pretense of being a rich girl--and it's exhausting. She knows she's falling in love with Gabe and she's scared he feels the same. Will he still care about her when he discovers the truth?

After reading Fair Game, I liked it more than enough to continue this series. In the Dark is book two of The Rules series. It’s a standalone romance, meaning this isn’t part two of Jade and Shepard’s love story. These are the sort of romance novels where each book focuses on a different couple. The protagonists of In the Dark are Gabriel Walker and Lucy (whose last name wasn't mentioned, not that I recall). The former is Shepard’s best friend, who had a small but significant role in Fair Game.

Like Shepard, Gabriel doesn’t do commitment. Their sole concern is to have fun while they’re in college. Once they graduate, then they’ll be responsible adults. This means Gabriel never dates or sleeps with the same girl more than once. Things start to change as soon as this book starts. Gabriel is spending the summer with his family at their Santa Barbara beach house. The vacation would have been boring if it weren’t for a certain someone. Gabriel’s been spending a good part of his time ogling the next-door neighbor. She’s a girl around his age who likes to use the backyard pool.

BOOK REVIEW: NYPD RED BY JAMES PATTERSON AND MARSHALL KARP

Title: NYPD Red

Author: James Patterson and Marshall Karp

Genre: Mystery, thriller

Published on: October 8, 2012 by Little, Brown and Company

It's the start of Hollywood on Hudson, and New York City is swept up in the glamour. Every night, the red carpet rolls out for movie stars arriving at premieres in limos; the most exclusive restaurants close for private parties for wealthy producers and preeminent directors; and thousands of fans gather with the paparazzi, hoping to catch a glimpse of the most famous and beautiful faces in the world. With this many celebrities in town, special task force NYPD Red is on high alert-and they can't afford to make a single mistake. Then a world-renowned producer fatally collapses at his power breakfast, and top NYPD Red Detective Zach Jordan is the first one on the scene. Zach works with his beautiful new partner, Detective Kylie MacDonald-who also happens to be his ex-girlfriend-to discover who the murderer might be. But this is only the beginning: the most brutal, public, and horrifyingly spectacular crimes they've ever encountered are about to send all of New York into chaos, putting NYPD Red on the ropes. Zach and Kylie know there's no way of telling what a killer this deranged will do next. With the whole world watching, they have to find a way to stop a psychopath who has scripted his finale down to the last explosive detail. With larger-than-life action, relentless speed, and white-knuckle twists, NYPD Red is the next mega-blockbuster from "The Man Who Can't Miss." (TIME) 

When I picked up NYPD Red, I'd been looking to read more James Patterson books. He's the world’s best-selling author for a reason. I haven’t put his novels off because I think I won’t like them. My reading backlog is just super long. NYPD Red is the first in a new mystery/police procedural series. The main characters are Detectives Zach Jordan and Kylie MacDonald. They’re part of NYPD Red, a special task force that only handles high-profile cases related to wealthy or powerful people. At the start of the book, Kylie’s just transferred into Red. She’s replacing Zach’s old partner, who’s away on medical leave.

You learn right away that Zach and Kylie not only know each other. They have history, as in they dated a decade ago. Zach still has feelings for Kylie and finds her as beautiful as the first time he saw her. Kylie is married now, though. Her husband is Spence Harrington, a well-to-do TV writer and producer. The book avoids a cliché by not making Spence a douche. He’s a good guy, so it’s extremely unlikely for Kylie to leave him for Zach. That would be callous, not to mention boring.

BOOK REVIEW: SHE CAN TELL BY MELINDA LEIGH

Title: She Can Tell
Author: Melinda Leigh
Genre: Romantic suspense, mystery

Published on: December 4, 2012 by Montlake Romance

When a terrible accident abruptly ends her riding career, Rachel Parker returns to Pennsylvania to rebuild her family’s horse farm. But her welcome home is anything but warm. Her sister’s abusive husband and a violent vandal threaten Rachel’s new business and her life. Someone is systematically trying to destroy her. Someone who knows private things about her. Someone who’s been watching her. Now Rachel must face the fact that the sins of her carefully hidden past have returned to haunt her…

Police Chief Mike O’Connell never had trouble drawing the line between his personal life and his job—until he met Rachel Parker. Mike’s investigation uncovers a shocking number of secrets and suspects. But the stalker’s escalating violence convinces him he doesn’t have much time to sort through it all. Whoever is watching Rachel wants her dead. Mike and Rachel race to untangle a web of deceit and lies that stretches two decades into the past—before her stalker strikes again.

Can the same formula work as well as it did the first time? She Can Run was a romantic suspense featuring a strong-willed woman who came under the protection of a righteous alpha male. I enjoyed the book, so that compelled me to continue the series. She Can Tell takes place in the same setting as its predecessor. The events start a few months from where She Can Run left off. There’s a new protagonist, Rachel Parker. She’s a professional horse racer who got forced out of retirement after a ghastly accident a while back. Now, Rachel’s come to Westbury, Pennsylvania to take care of her grandfather’s ranch.

Unlike Elizabeth Baker, Rachel isn’t an only child. She has a younger sister, Sarah. The latter never left Westbury. She married her high school sweetheart, Troy Mitchell. Unfortunately, their love story has taken a sad turn. Troy’s become an abusive husband, and he hits her in his latest attack. Sarah calls her sister, who rushes to her aid. Soon after this, the second protagonist and love interest is introduced. He’s Mike O’Connell (another guy with an O’ name in the same small town?), the chief of police.