Sunday, May 31, 2015

Night of the Living Demon Slayer




Night of the Living Demon Slayer by Angie Fox is the seventh book in the Biker Witches series.  Lizzie Brown is enjoying life in California with her husband, Dimitri (a griffin), her talking dog, Pirate, and her dragon, Flappy.  She also has her witchy, motorcycle riding grandmother, Gertie, along with Gertie’s coven living nearby (they have taken over the Coco Cabana which a 1940’s era motor inn).  Lizzie and Pirate are teaching Flappy to fetch a ball, when Flappy takes off flying (could thing only people with magical abilities can see him).  Flappy brings back something made of sticks with something very dark wrapped in the center.  It turns out to be sticks made into a pentagram with a dark soul trapped in the center.  When Lizzie tries to get rid of the wraith, it ends up escaping.  Then shows up Evan Carpenter, a necromancer.  He was bringing the dark soul to Lizzie for her to exam.  It turns out that someone is doing dark voodoo in New Orleans.  They are messing with dark souls.  Carpenter needs Lizzie’s help to take care of the bokor (voodoo priest) who is trapping dark souls and reanimating alligators (who wants to reanimate an alligator?).

Lizzie, Carpenter, and the Red Skulls (the coven) all head down to New Orleans to check the bokor, Osse Pade (his nickname is “alligator man”).  In New Orleans Lizzie, Pirate, Flappy (they actually took the dragon with them), Gertie, and the coven are staying in a house belonging to Ant Eater’s grandmother (Ant Eater is a member of the coven).  No one else in the family will stay in the house because of the strange happenings (bleeding walls, shaky knives, and a very dark spirit in the attic that is attracted to Lizzie).  The ghost of Ant Eater’s grandmere, Chantal Cerese Le Voix also inhabits the house, and Pirate likes to visit with her (Pirate likes ghosts). 

Lizzie and Carpenter head out to see about the bokor.  They have to take a boat deep into the swamps until they see an albino alligator that has been reanimated.  It ends up being a trap and Carpenter is captured.  Now they have to stop the bokor, rescue Carpenter, and avoid the dark spirit in the attic that seems to have attached itself to Lizzie.  It is a good thing that Dimitri Kallinikos, Lizzie’s husband who is a griffin, has shown up to help.  The witches start brewing up spells under the blood moon to help with the rescue.  They are going to need all the help they can get to take down Osse Pade and his congregation.

I found Night of the Living Demon Slayer just enchanting.  It was such a joy to read.  I give Night of the Living Demon Slayer 5 out of 5 stars.  This book will have you laughing all the way the way through it.  I have only read one book in this series (the first one), but I will be reading the rest of the books as soon as my reading schedule allows (which is probably not until August).  If you enjoy this book, you will also enjoy Southern Spirits by Angie Fox.

I received a complimentary copy of Night of the Living Demon Slayer from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  The review and opinions expressed are my own.

Night of the Living Demon Slayer was released today!  I am currently reading Eight Hundred Grapes by  Laura Dave.   I hope you have had a nice and relaxing weekend!  Have a great evening and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

 

Saturday, May 30, 2015

A Blessing for Miriam




A Blessing for Miriam by Jerry Eicher is the second book in the Land of Promise series.  Miriam is still living in Oklahoma, and she is teaching at the Amish school.  Miriam is promised to Wayne Yutzy.  Miriam is looking forward to planning the wedding with her mother (Miriam wants to get married in her home district in Possum Valley in Ohio).  The only fly in the ointment is Esther Swartz, Laura’s older sister (Laura came between Miriam and Ivan Mast when they were courting).  She came to Oklahoma last month to take care of Mabel, her grandmother.  Esther seems nice and friendly, but Miriam cannot forget what Laura did to her.  She is afraid Esther will try something with Wayne (Wayne and Esther have a past and Esther still has feelings for Wayne).

Shirley, Miriam’s younger sister, went back to Possum Valley.  She did not feel like she belonged in Oklahoma.  The community in Oklahoma values inner beauty rather than outer beauty (Shirley is used to people liking her because of her looks).  Shirley has once again taken up with Jonas Beachy.  Jonas is not Amish (though he is a Christian), comes from a wealthy family, and drives a fast car.  One night they are driving too fast when a deer jumps in front of the car.  Shirley is injured and the family asks Miriam to come home and assist. 

Laura and Ivan Mast are now married and expecting their first child.  Laura via correspondence is encouraging Esther to pursue Wayne.  Ivan wants Laura to stop, but none of his conversations go well (Laura has a way of twisting his words).  Ivan does not want Miriam to get hurt again.

When Miriam returns to Oklahoma, they are having many spring storms.  One storm produces a tornado that causes a lot of damage to the area including the greenhouse owned by Miriam’s uncle.  Miriam believes her money will be put to good use helping the community.  Miriam just has to tell her parents about the money.  Miriam has been afraid to tell her father because he believes money is evil and causes sin.  Miriam is not going to have an easy time of it after the tornado.  Will Wayne be tempted by Esther Swartz?  Will Miriam get to use her money for good?  How badly was Shirley injured in the accident?   To find out what happens, please read A Blessing for Miriam.

I give A Blessing for Miriam 4 out of 5 stars.  I did not enjoy this book as much as the first one in the series.  I have tried to write a review of the book without giving away any spoilers.  There is a lot of action in the book and you will definitely want to have a hankie on hand.  I think part of my dislike is how woman are treated in the Amish community (or at least how it is portrayed in this book).  I do not understand Miriam (an adult) letting her father control her inheritance, where she lives, and who she marries (I can understand seeking advice and guidance).  I do, though, look forward to reading the next book in the series to see what happens to all the characters especially Miriam.

I received a complimentary copy of A Blessing of Miriam from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  The review and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

A Blessing for Miriam will be out on June 1, 2015!  Thank you for visiting!  I am currently reading The Night of the Living Demon Slayer by Angie Fox (and enjoying it).  Have a great weekend and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

Friday, May 29, 2015

Evil Games




Happy Friday!  Another week is almost over and the month of May will be gone.  I just finished a great British thriller.  Here is my review:

Evil Games by Angela Marsons is the second book in the D.I. Kim Stone series.  Kim is a Detective Inspector with the Midlands Police Department in Black Country (in the United Kingdom).  She is smart, very driven and determined, has many, many issues (which she prefers to keep to herself), and is socially inept (for work she has Detective Sergeant Bryant who is good with people).  Kim and her team have been working two months to arrest Leonard Dunn, a child molester.  They finally arrest him, but they discover that someone else was involved.  The team continues to look into the case and catch the other predator. 

When a rape victim kills her attacker, Kim Stone meets Dr. Alexandra Thorne.  Dr. Thorne is a psychiatrist with an excellent reputation.  However, there is more to Dr. Thorne than meets the eye.  Kim gets a strange feeling when around her.  When Kim runs into Dr. Thorne after another crime (where Dr. Thorne is again the psychiatrist), Kim starts looking into Alex Thorne.  Doing this, though, could be Kim’s undoing.  It is going to bring up the issues from Kim’s past that she has buried (and wants to keep buried).  Can Kim bring down Dr. Thorne and keep her sanity?  Will the team discover the identity to the other child molester? 

I loved Evil Games.  I give Evil Games 5 out of 5 stars.  It is well-written and will keep you riveted to the very end.  We get to find out more about Kim’s childhood and her mother, Patricia Stone.  Evil Games is a British novel so some of the words are spelled differently, contains British slang (Black Country technically), and you will find references to British products (none of these will affect your reading or enjoyment of the book).  The first book in the series is Silent Scream (and it is only $.99 on Amazon). 

I received a complimentary copy of Evil Games from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  The review and opinions expressed are my own.

I appreciate you taking the time to visit and read my review.  I am currently reading Moon Bayou by J.R. Rain.  Have a delightful and relaxing weekend!  Happy Reading! 

Kris
The Avid Reader