Book Review Wednesday: Dresden Files: Grave Peril (4 stars)

This is the third book in the Dresden series. For my review on books one and two go here: https://samaustinwriter.wordpress.com/2014/06/25/book-review-wednesday-dresden-files-storm-front-5-stars/ and here: https://samaustinwriter.wordpress.com/2014/07/02/book-review-wednesday-fool-moon-dresden-files-4-stars/

At this point I’m going to assume you know the basic idea of the Dresden books. If not, check out my review of the first book.

Here’s the blurb:

Harry Dresden – Wizard
Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations. Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates. No Love Potions, Endless Purses, or Other Entertainment.

Harry Dresden has faced some pretty terrifying foes during his career. Giant scorpions. Oversexed vampires. Psychotic werewolves. It comes with the territory when you’re the only professional wizard in the Chicago-area phone book.

But in all Harry’s years of supernatural sleuthing, he’s never faced anything like this: The spirit world has gone postal. All over Chicago, ghosts are causing trouble – and not just of the door-slamming, boo-shouting variety. These ghosts are tormented, violent, and deadly. Someone – or something – is purposely stirring them up to wreak unearthly havoc. But why? And why do so many of the victims have ties to Harry? If Harry doesn’t figure it out soon, he could wind up a ghost himself….

 This book has a really strong start. We’re thrown head first into action. There’s a big creepy ghost, and lots of little babies lives are at stake. And a new character is introduced who is pretty awesome. Michael’s very moral and follows his values, and is totally modest about it all. He’s just a really nice guy, like the nicest guy ever. No ulterior motives. Not a single ounce of selfishness.

The plot as usual is awesome. Lots of action, and just enough twistyness. The characters again are awesome (see Michael above). His fiery very pregnant wife is also very awesome, and doesn’t like Dresden one bit. We also meet a priest who seems decent enough, and a vampire who I really liked despite y’know, him being a vampire. The bad guys all have their motives, even if some are really petty (hey that’s humans / vampires for you). And we finally meet Dresden’s fairy godmother  who I found scarier than all the other bad guys put together.

All in all a good book that you should read. The only thing that stopped it being five stars for me was the women. Sure, they seem pretty badass, but it seemed like in the end they all needed rescuing. I get that Dresden’s the main character, but do so many female characters have to get in over their heads so he can begrudgingly save the day?

So four stars, a good book. Go read, unless you haven’t read the first or second, in which case go read them. Dresden has his old fashioned attitudes toward women (though he does respect them) in the other books, this one just had an overabundance of damsels in distress. Though to be fair, they did kick a lot of ass before they got in distress.

In case you want to read more reviews of this book before you make up your mind, follow the link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/91476.Grave_Peril

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Book Review Wednesday: Reading The Dead: Fidelis In Aeternum (4 stars)

This is the second book in the Sarah Milton Chronicles. For my review of the first book go to: https://samaustinwriter.wordpress.com/2014/05/28/book-review-wednesday-reading-the-dead-5-stars/

What I like most about these books is that they’re funny. Not just ‘small smile’ funny, there were definitely a few ‘laugh out loud’ funny moments to be had. Most of the humor comes from Anna who does what every ghost should do when they’re stuck on the sidelines watch people’s lives. Make sarcastic comments and pull the occasional prank.

To be fair, she does try to help out her best friend and detective Sarah Milton as well. With each book there’s a big mystery that Sarah and her team have to solve that ends up veering into the supernatural. And since Sarah and her ghost friend are the only ones who believe in the supernatural, they end up doing most of the heavy lifting.

There’s a real buffy humor vibe to these books, so if you liked that show then you should end up enjoying these books. The characters are awesome. Some do seem a bit stereotypical, but if they’re stereotypes, then they’re nice ones.

Here’s the blurb:

The second volume of the Reading The Dead – The Sarah Milton Chronicles series.

A frantic phone call from the wife of her former partner plunges LAPD police detective Sarah Milton and her teenage poltergeist sidekick, Anna Nigma, into a deadly mystery involving one of their most dangerous foes, the convicted “Fancy Dress Killer,” Harry Sands. The Violent Crimes Unit is in the hotseat to find the copycat serial killer responsible for a recent string of murders plaguing the city, leaving Sarah scrambling to understand the bizarre, otherworldly aspects to this latest murder spree.

Enemies from her past conspire with a new, even deadlier foe, in a thrilling adventure that threatens not only her life, but also the fate of those she holds dear, culminating in a supernatural showdown against an evil entity that ultimately tests the limits of her faith and courage.

I didn’t enjoy the plot as much as the first book. In the first book we saw a bit from Sarah’s childhood, then the rest was set in the present. This book hops back and forth between two timelines. One shows the fancy dress killer when he first went on his rampage (something that happened before the first book), and the other is set after the first book when similar killings start showing up.

Now don’t get me wrong, the plot was still enjoyable. We get more questions answered than the first book which is awesome. We find out more about our characters. I won’t give too much away, but by the end of the second book there’s a definite feeling that we’re heading toward some answers about the major questions like how come Anna is so powerful, and what’s the link between her and Sarah.

And action. Lots of action. So it was good, I just felt the moving back and forth took away from some of the tension. That’s what made this four stars rather than five stars for me.

If you liked the first book (and if you haven’t read that one, go read it because it’s a really fun read), then you should like this one. I’m definitely still hooked enough to be looking forward to the next book. And in case you want more opinions on this book to make up your mind, follow the link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20693205-reading-the-dead

Book Review Wednesday: Reading the Dead (5 stars)

Here’s the blurb:

While investigating the brutal murders committed by a mysterious serial killer known only as “Raithe,” bookish LAPD Detective Sarah Milton is unprepared to have her entire world turned upside down. Innate powers to see the dead, lying dormant since her mother’s murder, have reawakened in her after a near-fatal shooting. Along for the ride is Sarah’s irrepressible thirteen-year-old childhood “imaginary friend,” Anna Nigma, a most atypical poltergeist. Amid fears for her sanity, Sarah must come to grips with the realization that her reality is now a mix of the natural and supernatural, where powerful, ancient mystic symbols can grant amazing powers over life and death, and paranormal influence extends even into her current murder investigation. Forced to hide her abilities from everyone, Sarah, aided by her spectral friend, has no choice but to bring Raithe to justice on her own, before the sinister forces behind his murder spree claim yet another victim.

Wow is what I thought. I was given a copy to read and review, so since I didn’t go out and get this from a best seller list I was open to the possibility that I might not like this book.

Wrong. I loved it. About the only complaint I had was a minor thing about possibly too much telling rather than showing at the start, and the motivation for the murders seeming obvious to me, but I think those are my quirks. I’m the sort that can tell a twist is coming a mile away, and that in no way stopped me from enjoying it. I’m also an author in the middle of taking an editing class, so I see holes in everything.

Saying that, this book had very few holes. I loved the relationship between Sarah and Anna, and was on the edge of my seat when I knew Anna was about to make her appearance. It was a nice mystery story-line, decent amount of twists, nice action, good thread of romance that didn’t take away from the main plot, and most of all great humor. I definitely saw the influence of Joss Wheldon in play, but again the humor was played right, not taking away from tension when it needed to be tense.

The descriptions were very vivid. I found myself halfway through thinking this would make a great movie because I could see it so clearly in my head. Not sure if that will happen since movies out lately seem to pick the most angst ridden books, but we can hope. Maybe a tv series. It has that sort of vibe.

Anyway. The major problem I had with this book I noticed a third of the way through (but I’m sure I just didn’t notice it earlier), I couldn’t put it down. I had work to do. I had sleep to do, but no, I wanted to see what happened next. What funny thing would Anna do next? Would Sarah’s coworkers find out? What trouble is Sarah going to land herself into next time?

Then it was over, gone, but unlike other books I wasn’t overwhelmed with sadness because the author was nice enough to give a satisfying conclusion. That said, I do want to read the next one and I will be looking out for what the author writes next.

Seriously, check this one out. It’s by an indie author and only has 36 ratings on goodreads. That’s a tragedy for such an great thriller / humor novel. More people need to read this book and spread the word! It’s just so funny and awesome, and everything I could wish a book to be.

Here’s the link to other reviews on this book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17450007-reading-the-dead