Quick Thoughts: Canyons of Night

Canyons of Night

by Jayne Castle
Book 8 of Harmony
-- Book 12 of Arcane Society
-- Book 3 (final) of Looking Glass Trilogy
-- Book 0 of Rainshadow

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  4.0 Stars

Charlotte Enright, owner of a small antiques shop called Looking Glass Antiques on Rainshadow Island, and Slade Attridge, the community's new chief of police, both have something in common: they possess strong paranormal talents.

They met several years ago when they were in their teens spending the summer on the island.  Slade saved Charlotte from a gang of drunken toughs, but then at the end of the summer Slade and Charlotte went their separate ways and started their adult lives.

Now, fifteen years later, they have both been drawn back to Rainshadow Island.  They will discover the adult passion they have for each other and start to explore some of the mysteries of the forbidden section of the island known only as the Preserve.

Canyons of Night rounds out the Looking Glass sub-trilogy of the long-running Arcane Society series.  I assume this is also the last book in the Arcane series, though it's usually hard to tell with long-running series like this.  Nonetheless, it is also an introductory story into a new chapter of the Harmony series, called Rainshadow--we already get to see a little bit of what Rainshadow is all about, starting with the island and the Preserve situated on the island.

I look forward to the rest of the Rainshadow installments, if only because it seems like it'll be an intriguing new development to the futuristic series.

As a JAK novel, of course, this book is highly enjoyable during the reading.  The characters are great, and the community mirrors that of a small town in the U.S., with everyone knowing everyone's business, and all the people on Rainshadow Island kind of policing themselves.

Our main male and female MCs are good people, although they don't really stand out all that much, and I really hate to admit that even Slade's dust bunny companion, Rex, seems a bit flat as well.  I liked that we've kind of returned back to a semi-murder mystery type of story, and have sort of veered off from the ongoing "band of rogue psychics" conspiracy that has been happening in the Arcane parts of the connecting series.

Harmony is a series separate from Arcane after all, even if there are some intersecting story lines, with references from historical, to contemporary, to futuristic.  I always find the references to 21st century Earth as a "point in history" kind of amusing.

Meanwhile, aside from some more references to glass light energy, the words 'looking glass', and Mrs. Bridewell's clockwork curiosities being used as psi-weapons, I'm honestly not sure that these past three books really needed to be connected as a trilogy.

If there were one (or two) things I'd like to see more of in this series, it would be more insight into the alien civilization that has vanished, maybe some introductions to more alien beasts than just the dust bunnies.  It seems hard to reconcile that all alien live save for dust bunnies have somehow gone extinct.

I would have also have liked to see and learn more about the Bridewell clockwork curiosities, and feel as if the Quicksilver mirror, or glass light energy is more significant than it's kind of being made out to be.  The previous sub-trilogy was all about the dreamlight, but glass light is only barely touched upon in the contemporary and now the futuristic novels of this trilogy--really, only the historical part of the trilogy gave glass light more than just a passing thought.

Otherwise, like I've said before, JAK novels are always entertaining and easy to breeze right through.


***

Halloween Bingo 2017

Very Brief Thoughts: Quicksilver

Quicksilver

by Amanda Quick
Book 11 of Arcane Society
-- Book 2 of Looking Glass Trilogy

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  4.0 Stars

Virginia Dean wakes at midnight beside a dead body, with a bloody knife in her hand and no memory of the evening's events.  Dark energy, emanating from the mirrors lining the room, overpowers her senses.  With no apparent way in or out, she is rescued by a man she has met only once before, but won't soon forget.

Owen Sweetwater inherited his family's talent for hunting the psychical monsters who prey on London's women and children, and his investigation into the deaths of two glass-readers has led him here.  The high-society types of the exclusive Arcane Society would consider Virginia an illusionist, a charlatan, even a criminal, but Owen knows better.  Virginia's powers are real-and they just might be the key to solving this challenging case.

Quicksilver was a very quick read, with the same Amanda Quick formula that I love to love.  Owen Sweetwater and Virginia Dean are good people with a penchant for hunting monsters.  Side characters are great and readily likable.  The action and suspense is exciting.  And the romance is sweet and steamy in all the right places.

I'm always intrigued by the new psychic spectrum energies that get introduced with each next book of the Arcane Society, and the truth is, I DO prefer this Looking Glass sub-trilogy more than I do the Dreamlight sub-trilogy--for one thing, this one doesn't require employing the same story line in three different time periods, unlike Dreamlight.  The contemporary time period introduced some important players and names to recognize when we jump to the Victorian era, but then we are also given even more information, and a more in depth look at how glass light is employed.

I think it's and interesting concept.

The Quicksilver Mirror comes into play, and even though we don't get to actually meet or learn more about Mrs. Bridewell, the woman who created some dangerous clockwork curiosities infused with psychic energy, used as weapons, we get to actually meet her as well.  I would have liked for Millicent Bridewell to have had a bigger role in this book, but you take what you can get.

While Amanda Quick books are never entirely memorable, they are certainly always enjoyable.  As I've said, I did love the characters.

So, Quicksilver, was pretty much just another lovely installation to this ongoing series, and I look forward to the futuristic portion of the story arc.

Thoughts: In Too Deep

In Too Deep

by Jayne Ann Krentz
Book 10 of Arcane Society
-- Book 1 of Looking Glass Trilogy

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  4.0  Stars

Scargill Cove is the perfect place for Fallon Jones, confirmed recluse and investigator of the paranormal.  It’s a hot spot, a convergence point for unusually strong currents of energy, which might explain why the town attracts misfits and drifters like moths to a flame.  Now someone else has been drawn to the Cove — Isabella Valdez, on the run from some very dangerous men.

When she starts working as Fallon’s assistant, Isabella impresses him by organizing his pathologically chaotic office—and doesn’t bat an eye at the psychic element of his job.  She’s a kindred spirit, a sanctuary from a world that considers his talents a form of madness.  But after a routine case unearths an antique clock infused with dark energy, Fallon and Isabella are dragged into the secret history of Scargill Cove and forced to fight for their lives, as they unravel a cutthroat conspiracy with roots in the Jones family business…and Isabella’s family tree.

In Too Deep was another highly enjoyable Jayne Ann Krentz contemporary romantic suspense, with paranormal elements.  This is the tenth installment of the Arcane Society series, and the first in the sub-trilogy called Looking Glass, and we very soon get introduced to the so-titled "looking glass" as well as some introductions to the Victorian era events that will probably be brought up once again in the next Arcane book.

In Too Deep is not my favorite of the Arcane series, but like any other JAK contemporary, it is suspenseful with lots of twists, great characters, and fun wit.  Fallon Jones is an interesting character, and while I found his anti-social, stoic personality kind of appealing, especially as he seems to also emit some sort of "fish out of water" behavior when it comes to socializing, or even playing nice, there were things about him that seemed too brusque for my liking.

Isabella Valdez is an interesting character as well, coming from a family that "leaves no paper trail" of their existence.  What it is like to have no legal or official identity, always ready to be on the run... sounds like a tiring life.  Her sunny disposition was a bit over-the-top, but probably good for Fallon, I suppose.

Neither of the two characters' talents are really delved into very well, so I never quite understood Isabella's psychic skill.  Fallon's skill has been rehashed throughout the series, so I didn't have too much of a problem figuring him out, but it was still quite confusing.

Meanwhile, the background conspiracy is still ongoing, even though I'm of the impression that this is the last of the Arcane contemporary books.  I suppose sometimes you can't solve everything.

The true highlight of this book was really the little community of Scargill Cove.  It gave off a stranger than strange small town vibe, where everyone has secrets, but everyone protects each other, and everyone sort of knows who belongs in the Cove and who doesn't.  It's an almost weird creepy vibe, I suppose, when you get a bunch of sensitives together, even if they don't know they have some form of psychic talent.

Then there's the underground bunker with the clockwork curiosities that pretty much starts me thinking in terms of steampunk.  And it sets up a great transition into the next book of this series, Quicksilver.

As per usual, my rambling really just proves that JAK books are extremely enjoyable and entertaining while you read them, but when you try to talk about them, you don't come up with a whole lot.

Brief Thoughts: The Scargill Cove Case Files (short story)

The Scargill Cove Case Files

by Jayne Ann Krentz
Arcane Society #9.5, short story
-- Looking Glass Trilogy #0.5

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  3.0 Stars

As the director at Jones & Jones, a psychical investigation agency, Fallon Jones solves crimes of a different nature.  Jones’s latest case involves a body found in the basement vault of a local bookstore, and scratchings on the inside of the door that seem to be a coded message.

It wasn't until I skimmed some of the other reviews that I realized this short story was supposedly a collection of Twitter messages, which really makes no sense considering how secretive J&J's case files are supposed to be.  Prior to this realization, I had been trying to figure out if this story was written as a jumbled, scattered, and rough stream of conscience in Fallon Jones's POV, or if it was maybe a case file journal he was keeping.

It certainly didn't strike me as being a collection of Tweets--not that I would know considering I don't even own a Twitter account.

The story itself is a nice promotional piece to introduce Fallon Jones, and maybe insert some more conspiracy theories into the already complicated web that has been building throughout the Arcane Society series.  It was just another murder mystery connected to a bigger plot, so I assume we'll maybe see more, or get some references to this short story in the following Arcane book, In Too Deep.

Quick Thoughts: Burning Lamp

Burning Lamp

by Amanda Quick
Book 8 of Arcane Society
-- Book 2 of Dreamlight Trilogy

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  3.5 Stars

The Arcane Society was born in turmoil when the friendship of its two founders evolved into a fierce rivalry.  Sylvester Jones and Nicholas Winters each sought to enhance their individual psychic talents.  Winters' efforts led to the creation of a device of unknown powers called the Burning Lamp.  Each generation the Winters man who inherits it is destined to develop multiple talents - and the curse of madness.

Plagued by hallucinations and nightmares, notorious crime lord Griffin Winters is convinced he has been struck with the Winters Curse.  And the instincts that have helped him survive the streets and rise to power are now drawing him toward Adelaide Pyne, the bothersome social reformer.  But even as he arranges a meeting with the mysterious woman, he has no idea how closely their fates are bound, for Adelaide holds the Burning Lamp in her possession.

A dreamlight reader, Adelaide should be able to manipulate the Lamp's light to save both Griffin's sanity and his life.  But their dangerous psychical experiment makes them the target of forces both inside and outside of the Arcane Society.  And though desire strengthens their power their different lives will keep them apart - if death doesn't take them together.

I hate to admit this, since I DID enjoy Burning Lamp and found it a nice, easy, breezy read, witticisms and interesting characters included, but it didn't escape my notice that Burning Lamp was just a pretty repetition of Fired Up, but in an historical setting.  Dialogue and actions and some of the scenes were very similar, and while I applaud Amanda Quick's smooth connections between contemporary and historical (as well as all that foreshadowing that we already know occurs since the contemporary time line came first), it just wasn't as memorable an experience as I would have liked given that Fired Up came first.

Not the entire book is the same, of course.  I do love the interactions between all of our characters, Adelaide and Griffin, Mrs. Trevelyan and Delbert, and even with Jed and Leggert, and the inclusion of Caleb and Lucinda Jones.

Burning Lamp is a nice bridging connection between the first book in the Dreamlight trilogy, and the last, but I can't help but realize that not much occurs in this book that we don't already know about.  Very little forward progress is made, and it makes me feel that the next and last book in this sub-trilogy will really need to step it up in order to bring the story arc of the 'Winters Curse' and the 'Burning Lamp' to a close.

Frankly, given my love for the Harmony series, obviously my hopes are pretty high; although even if things don't turn out the way I want, I'll still enjoy myself.  Seeing as how Midnight Crystal will involve not only the cursed Winters man, but also a dreamlight reader who's last name is Jones, I'm feeling that a lot of things will come full circle into a nice wrap up.  After all, the Winters and the Jones are supposed to be enemies, according to legend.

All else fails, Harmony books always play up the dust bunnies to make everyone happy--I'm not above swooning over dust bunnies if the book itself doesn't entirely entice me.


***

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Roll #29:
Book takes place in England (counts as an island).

Page Count:  328
Cash Award:  +$9.00

Updated Bank Balance:  $219.00

Thoughts: Fired Up

Fired Up

by Jayne Ann Krentz
Book 7 of Arcane Society
-- Book 1 of Dreamlight Trilogy

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  4.0 Stars

More than three centuries ago, Nicholas Winters irrevocably altered his genetic makeup in an obsession-fueled competition with alchemist and Arcane Society founder Sylvester Jones.  Driven to control their psychic abilities, each man's decision has reverberated throughout the family line, rewarding some with powers beyond their wildest dreams, and cursing others to a life filled with madness and hallucinations.

Jack Winters, descendant of Nicholas, has been experiencing nightmares and blackouts--just the beginning, he believes, of the manifestation of the Winters family curse.  The legend says that he must find the Burning Lamp or risk turning into a monster.  But he can't do it alone; he needs the help of a woman with the gift to read the lamp's dreamlight.

Jack is convinced that private investigator Chloe Harper is that woman.  Her talents for finding objects and accessing dream energy are what will save him, but their sudden and powerful sexual pull threatens to overwhelm them both.  Danger surrounds them, and it doesn't take long for Chloe to pick up the trail of the missing lamp.  And as they draw closer to the lamp, the raw power that dwells within it threatens to sweep them into a hurricane of psychic force.

I'm starting to think I'm unable to dislike anything written by Jayne Ann Krentz.  It's probably safe to say I've had pretty high praise for all of her contemporary books I've read so far, even if I have little else to say.

True to form, a JAK book is exciting, lots of fun, steamy hot, and constantly forward moving.  And although her historical and futuristic counterparts (Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle), always seem to reuse the same romantic themes, the contemporary sets always feel different, despite the still quite formulaic set up.

Fired Up is a great start to the sub-trilogy that officially interconnects the three worlds JAK has built between Arcane Society and Harmony.  Set during the contemporary times, it also manages to build up the stage for the next book, Burning Lamp, that takes place in the Victorian era.  Krentz is always giving us more, and new, and constantly evolving aspects of her Arcane Society world, as well as her Harmony world, and I always look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

In previous books of both series, the concept of dream psi had been brought up, even if briefly, and so now it is explained in a center-stage sort of way.  While I hardly understand half the psychic explanations and discussions going on, the book moves forward so quickly that I just find myself enjoying the story as it progresses.

Meanwhile, Chloe and Jack are great characters, with a great sense of partnership that mirrors almost every other JAK couple I've read since I first discovered her books last year.  Nothing outstanding, really, but fun and sexy nonetheless.  Add onto that, the little author's note at the beginning of the book, and a few suggestive lines of dialogue as our main couple try to solve their conflict, and it almost sounds as if the book is advocating hot, passionate, steamy sex as the means to save lives... well, at least to save the life of Jack Winters.

Sure, there's the concept of the Burning Lamp, and the whole dream psi spectrum, and all that.  But what better reason to get our main couple all hot and bothered than implying that an intimate, passionate bond is also part of the whole ordeal.

And interesting concept...

Anyway, I also like the small foray into Fallon Jones, and love that we get to see more of him and his strange, paranoid quirks than just reading him as a background character who's ruthless and kind of a jackass.  I especially love that we make Fallon and Jack a sort of best friends relationship, because it DOES give use more of an insight into Fallon, which brilliantly sets us up for the next contemporary Arcane Society book in which out elusive J&J Investigations leader gets to set himself front and center.

Once again, as per normal Jayne Ann Krentz standards, I very much enjoyed this book!


***

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Roll #27:
This book is tagged 'suspense' on GR.

Page Count:  403
Cash Award:  +$10.00

Updated Bank Balance:  $175.00

Brief Thoughts: The Perfect Poison

The Perfect Poison

by Amanda Quick
Book 6 of Arcane Society

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  4.0 Stars

Plagued by rumors that she poisoned her fiancé, Lucinda Bromley manages to live on the fringes of polite society, tending her beloved plants—and occasionally consulting on a murder investigation.  For the notorious botanist possesses a unique talent: she can detect almost any type of poison, especially ones that have their origins in the botanical kingdom.

But the death of a lord has shaken Lucinda to her core.  At the murder scene, she picks up traces of a poison containing a very rare species of fern.  So rare, in fact, that only one specimen exists in all of England—and it was stolen from her conservatory just last month.  To keep her name out of the investigation and to find the murderer, Lucinda hires a fellow Arcane Society member.  Caleb Jones runs a psychical investigation agency.  A descendant of the founder of the Society, he is very good at protecting its secrets—and frighteningly good getting at the truth.  Immediately, Lucinda senses both a raw power and undeniable intensity in the imposing man.

But as a nearly overwhelming desire blooms between Caleb and Lucinda, they are drawn into the dark heart of a deadly conspiracy that can be traced to the early days of the Arcane Society—and to a legacy of madness that could plunge Caleb into the depths of his own tortured soul…

The Perfect Poison is probably the first historical in Jayne Ann Krentz's Arcane Society that I actually, really, really liked.  For whatever reason, I'm not entirely certain, since it doesn't stray far from the story lines of the previous two historical installments in this series.  Could be that, while I didn't really have any problem with the previous two books' characters, I didn't really care for them all that much either--I think it was the romances that didn't do it for me, even though I did like the characters as individuals.  This made them kind of 'meh' books.

But in this installment, the characters were great and I DID find that I really liked both.  Caleb Jones was not the typical, broody, alpha lord type, and he had a few moments that might have endeared him to me.  Lucinda was the typical strong, and independent, and eccentric heroine, but I also loved how readily she just stands up to Caleb in spite of his intimidating glowering all the time.

And also, the romance actually developed a little bit more ideally--it was definitely not a typical Amanda Quick formula, I'll give it that.

Meanwhile, the story line felt more substantial, rather than just being another add-on to the ongoing background conflict between the Arcane Society and that mysterious, secret cabal of rogue psychics.

As per usual, the book was addictive and easy to read; the side characters were also great.  And aside from some typical romance cliches here and there, I really didn't have a whole lot of objections pertaining to this book.

I DO like how we continue to see certain parallels between the contemporary books in this series, as well as connections to JAK's futuristic Harmony series.  It just gets me all excited!


***

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In celebration of Memorial Day Weekend, the Booklikes-opoly Prison Library is accepting donations of up to 100 pages.

I read and donated 100 pages from this book to the Prison Library.

Brief Thoughts: Running Hot

Running Hot

by Jayne Ann Krentz
Book 5 of Arcane Society

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  4.0 Stars

Ex-cop Luther Malone, lifelong member of the secretive paranormal organization known as the Arcane Society, is waiting to meet Grace Renquist.  Hired as an aura-reading consultant in the quest for a murder suspect, she’s got zero field experience.  She’s from tiny Eclipse Bay, Oregon.  She’s a librarian, for heaven’s sake.

As for Grace, she’s not expecting much either from Malone, who walks with a cane and isn’t so good with a gun.  Nice résumé for a bodyguard...

But even before they reach their hotel in Maui—where they’ll be posing as honeymooners—Grace and Luther feel the electric charge between them.  Problem is, they need to remain vigilant day and night, because it soon becomes clear there’s more going on here.  Rogue sensitives—operatives for the underground group Nightshade—are pouring into the luxury resort like there’s a convention.  Grace recognizes those dark spikes in their auras.  She saw the same pattern in someone else in another life—a life she hasn’t revealed to Luther or anyone else.  And she understands how dangerous these people can be . . . especially with those para-hunters at their sides.

While the pair’s employers at Jones & Jones scramble to get them backup, Luther and Grace have to think on their feet.  The criminals in their midst aren’t just high-level sensitives: They’ve enhanced their talents with a potent—and unpredictable—drug.  And as Grace knows all too well, if you don’t control your powers, your powers will control you...

I always find it extremely hard not to enjoy a book written by Jayne Ann Krentz, and while I've read more books written in her other persona, Amanda Quick, I've found that her contemporary Rom-Suspense novels are so much more enjoyable.  Probably because, even while the formulas for the romances in her historical fiction are always the same, the ones in her contemporary settings do not seem that way--or I just don't notice if they ARE the same formula.

Either way, I immensely enjoyed Running Hot and absolutely adored our main couple and their developing romance.

Of course, that doesn't mean that there aren't flaws in this book, starting with the insta-lust and how quickly our main couple end up having steamy sex, and onward to the slightly confusing set-up of their respective psychic aura talents and how those talents are used.  Then there was also that little snag of how the book felt like two stories mashed into one, starting with an undercover operation, and then moving into a "Don't let the crazy psychic Siren murder you" side tangent.

I like undercover operations as a base board for jumping into a romance--here there be loads of potential for sexual tension and the like.  But unfortunately, there was sexual tension brought upon from the "lust at first sight" rather than being situational...  A little disappointing, but I'll swing with it.

Meanwhile, we've still got that ongoing conflict in the background involving the rogue psychic organization called Nightshade and their obsession with the founder's formula.

If you didn't understand any of the stuff I've just thrown out there, it's probably for the best, and you probably should rewind and start reading the series from the first book.

Anyway...  There's not much else I can come up with to say about this book.  It's extremely enjoyable for the moment, and I love learning more about the Arcane Society and the world it encompasses as each book goes by; I love reading about all the psychic talents we've yet to touch upon.

And even though the main, background conflict of the overall series doesn't seem all that interesting to me, it DOES have its uses as the connecting factor from one book to another, bringing our characters together, and referencing previous books and characters.


***

Booklikes-opoly

Roll #6:
Author JAK was born pre-1955.

Page Count:  352
Cash Award:  $3.00

Updated Bank Balance:  $36.00

See Also:  Freebie Roll Activities

Brief Thoughts: The Third Circle

The Third Circle

by Amanda Quick
Book 4 of Arcane Society

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  3.0 Stars

Leona Hewitt has secretly made her way into Lord Delbridge’s private museum to retrieve a relic stolen from her family.  But someone else is in the dimly lit gallery on the same errand: a tall, black cloaked man whose very voice is enough to cause her to fall into a trance.

Thaddeus Ware, a mesmerist with psychic gifts, is accustomed to fearful reactions from others—women, in particular.  After all, a man who can control the minds of others could rob a lady of her virtue—completely unbeknownst to her.  But Leona shows no trace of hysteria in his presence.  A gifted crystal worker, she exerts a rather hypnotic power over the hypnotist himself.  And she is determined to keep the coveted crystal they manage to recover by giving him the slip at a run-down London inn.

Thaddeus, on assignment for the Arcane Society, knows the menace Leona is courting by absconding with the crystal.  A source of remarkable energy, it holds the potential for great destruction.  Lord Delbridge has already killed to acquire the crystal, his key to membership in the elite, shadowy group known as the Third Circle.  And, with the help of a ruthless hunter of preternatural skill—dubbed the Midnight Monster by the press—Delbridge intends to find Leona.  With the stolen crystal in their possession, the danger is only beginning.

Aside from one of Amanda Quick's most recent books, I've been enjoying everything I've read of hers that are non-Arcane Society books.  For some reason, the Arcane Society historicals have been a bit draggy in comparison to her other historical mystery/romantic suspense/historical romance books.  And I'm not sure what it is, but while I DO enjoy reading them for the characters and for this tried-and-true formula that I've found myself liking, it's still a little disappointing that her hero and heroine go through the same romantic hoops and events.

On the other hand, I actually kind of enjoy the contemporary side of this Arcane Society series a lot more.

And then on another hand, I DO like how the books interweave between contemporary and historical.

Anyway, these books are still likable and enjoyable and addictive.  I've just run out of things to say about them if something new doesn't come about.  Because, as I'd already stated, it's the same formula with different characters.  And honestly, there isn't even really anything different about each set of characters:  Thaddeus is the typical alpha, broody hero.  Leona is the feisty, intelligent, ahead-of-her-time heroine.

I DID come to love Aunt Victoria though; she was interesting to have around.

What I DIDN'T like was how this book was less of a mystery than a straight forward suspense with romance and sex and some investigating that didn't really amount to much, to be honest.  Next to 'Til Death Do Us Part, this is probably my least favorite of Amanda Quick's work thus far.


***

2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
• COYER Summer Vacation 2016 -- Bingo Board Two | Square E14 -- Historical

Brief Thoughts: Sizzle and Burn

Sizzle and Burn

by Jayne Ann Krentz
Book 3 of Arcane Society

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  3.5 Stars

When Raine Tallentyre made the mistake of revealing her paranormal abilities, her most recent romantic relationship came to a hasty end.  Her Aunt Vella, a gifted but troubled soul, had told her years ago to keep her talents a secret.  And now that poor Aunt Vella—her last blood relative—has died, Raine has resigned herself to a lonely life.

But when she journeys to Shelbyville, Washington, to clear out Aunt Vella’s house, Raine’s highly developed sensitivity leads her to a horrifying discovery: a young woman bound and terrified in a basement storage locker.  The victim has survived, but the culprit is still on the loose.  Without warning, a new man enters Raine’s life—investigator Zack Jones. Surprisingly, Zack isn’t repelled by her powers: in fact, he has them himself.  While Raine hears voices, Zack sees visions and within hours of their meeting, Raine experiences an intense, thrilling intimacy—mental, emotional, and physical—she never dared to expect.

There’s one complication, however: Zack Jones is working for the Arcane Society.  This secret organization, dedicated to the study of paranormal phenomena, shattered Raine’s family with an act of betrayal long ago, and she’s not about to trust them now.  But as a killer makes her his target, and a cabal of psychic criminals known as Nightshade operates in the shadows surrounding them, Raine and Zack must rely not only on their powerful abilities but on each other...

Sizzle and Burn is another highly enjoyable, readily intriguing romantic suspense by Jayne Ann Krentz.  And I say this every time I read one of her books, but they are indeed extremely addictive and easy to read.

I found myself liking a lot of things about this book.  Raine and Zack were great characters, both with their own unique traits, and a wonderfully compatible relationship.  I winced a little bit at the "meant to be" vibes, but I set those aside after the two of them started working together and proving that they would have been compatible with each other, paranormal senses or not.  I love that Raine has a signature "screw you" smile--it makes for a great strong heroine in a sea of testosterone in this book.  Zack is the typical alpha male, but I'm not going to hold that against him since he was a great guy.

The mystery was actually pretty enjoyable... until I realized how many tangents were surfacing towards the end to lend a resolution to the initial murder that jump starts this entire book's main conflict.  There turned out to be entirely too many things going on towards the end that just seemed like a jumbled mess.  At some point I found myself wondering whether or not our mysteries even got solved and I have a nagging feeling there were loose ends somewhere.

Nonetheless, Sizzle and Burn is still an incredibly fun and enjoyable read, so I'm willing to just go with it and move on.  I was entertained.  I was hooked.  I am going to continue reading books in this series and books by this author.

And that is all that matters.


***

2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
• COYER Summer Vacation 2016 -- Bingo Board Two | Square C16 -- PNR

Quick Thoughts: White Lies

White Lies

by Jayne Ann Krentz
Book 2 of Arcane Society

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  4.0 Stars

Petite, thirtysomething Clare Lancaster is a Level Ten para-sensitive—and a “human lie detector.”  Over the years, she’s come to accept that someone with her extraordinary talents is likely to have trouble in the relationship department.  And she’s even resigned herself to the fact that everyone, to one degree or another, hides behind a facade...

And now it seems that meeting the half sister and family whom she never knew until seven months ago was a mistake.  Her father summons her from California to play a role in his business empire, and Clare doesn’t intend on making the same mistake twice.  But after meeting Jake Salter, Archer Lancaster’s “financial consultant,” Clare is convinced that things aren’t what they seem.  Salter’s careful conversation seems to walk a delicate line between truth and deception, revealing and resisting.  Something sparks and sizzles between them—something more than the usual electricity between a man and a woman.

Caught in a dizzying storm of secrets, lies, and half-truths, Jake and Clare will plunge into an investigation that demands every bit of their special gifts—together they must overcome their mutual distrust in order to unravel a web of conspiracy and murder.

The one thing that stood out the most to me in this book was how much I loved the partnership and subsequent relationship between Jake and Clare.  The two of them work very well together as an investigating team, and while their chemistry isn't exactly off-the-charts hot or anything, they DO present a rather obvious "meant to be" aura about them--I don't know if that has to do with the deliberate engineering by the author to create a couple destined to be perfect for each other or what?  Whatever it is, Jayne Ann Krentz managed it extraordinarily well.

No doubt, Jake and Clare are thus far one of my more favorite couple-combinations of romance and investigating team in JAK's fictional worlds so far.  There was banter, and oh, it was great banter!  Fun was had by all involved.  And sweet exchanges like the following was what I liked about the two of them together.

Jake looked at the door again.  "I lied to you."

"I know."  She smiled faintly.  "You were good at it, too.  Takes a lot of talent to keep me guessing."

"So, do you hate my guts now that you know the truth?" [...]

"Good grief.  Why would I hate you?  You have a job to do." [...]

"You were never supposed to be part of the job."

"But I became part of it.  Not your fault.  It's all right, Jake.  I understand."

"You really do have a slightly offbeat philosophy on the subject of lying, don't you?"

"Like I said, the ability to lie is a tool, as far as I'm concerned.  What matters is context."

He started to smile.

"That does not mean, however, that I have changed my mind about Fallon Jones," she added crisply.

His teeth gleamed in a wolfish grin.  "I don't give a damn how you feel about Fallon as long as you'll still sleep with me."

"I'm glad you have your priorities straight.  Now, I think we should postpone the rest of this conversation until a more convenient time.  This is where we get to corner one of the bad guys and scare him into spilling all his evil secrets, remember?"

"Yeah," Jake said.  "This is the fun part."

"You know, you remind me of those coyotes that come around hunting in the morning."

"Is my tongue hanging out yet?  I hate it when my tongue hangs out.  Kind of embarrassing."

One of the things I've noticed that I like about JAK novels (whether as Jayne Castle or Amanda Quick or, in this case, the contemporary author of Jayne Ann Krentz) is that she balances both romance and suspense pretty well.  Her pacing is fast-paced, smooth, and engaging.  And even though the mystery aspects are pretty predictable, you can't help but become hooked.

I finished reading a good chunk of this book before I even realized it.  Within hours, I was finished with the entire reading.

White Lies is entertaining and enjoyable, that's for sure.  The cross from historical in the first book of Arcane Society to contemporary in this second book was a little disorienting, but JAK connects the two books quite believably, even if not flawlessly.

And once again, I find it hard not to like the characters created in a JAK novel--they are intriguing, resourceful, readily likable people.  Even with some frustrating moments at the beginning of the book, it didn't deter me from enjoying myself.

Once again, it is so easy to find one of JAK's novels absurdly addictive.

This being the first of her contemporary romantic suspenses I've read, I think we're off to a good start.  I am sincerely looking forward to reading the rest of the Arcane Society series as well as the Harmony series, and even any of her other back list.

While these aren't the best books in the world, they are, once again, highly addictive and enjoyable.  And as far as I'm concerned, it suits me just fine.


***

2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge

Quick Thoughts: Second Sight

Second Sight

by Amanda Quick
Book 1 of Arcane Society

~ Goodreads ~

Rating:  3.5 Stars

Financially straitened and on the path to spinsterhood, Venetia Milton thought her stay at the remote, ramshackle Arcane House would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engineer her own ravishment.  She was there to photograph the artifacts collected by a highly secretive organization, founded two centuries earlier by an alchemist.  And the alchemist's descendant--her employer--Gabriel Jones-has the eyes of a sorcerer.

But despite Venetia's intent to seduce Mr. Jones and move on, she is shattered upon her return home to read in the press of his violent demise.  Using the sizable fee Mr. Jones paid her, Venetia establishes a new life, opening a gallery in London.  Of course, posing as a respectable widow makes it easier to do business, so--in a private tribute to her lost, only lover--she assumes the identity of "Mrs. Jones."

Her romantic whim, however, will cause unexpected trouble.  For one thing, Mr. Jones is about to stride, living and breathing, back into Venetia's life.  And the two share more than a passionate memory--indeed, they are bonded by a highly unusual sort of vision, one that goes far beyond Venetia's abilities as a photographer.  They also share a terrible threat, for someone has stolen a centuries-old notebook from Arcane House that contains a formula believed to enhance psychic powers of the kind Gabriel and Venetia possess.  And the thief wants to know more; even if he must kill the keeper of the Arcane Society's treasures, or the photographer who catalogued them, to obtain such knowledge.

I sat on this review for a few days wondering what to say about Second Sight only to realize that I really could not think of anything else to say about it at all that would be useful in a review.  Because, unlike the other two Amanda Quick books I've already read, this one wasn't really all that memorable.  My only notion is that I enjoyed it while I was reading it and it captured my attention enough for me to breeze through the entire story--conflict, romance, and all.

I really did, immensely enjoy the book a lot, even in spite of all of the glaring flaws that I probably would have condemned many other books for.  The romance, I've found, is pretty predictable and formulaic with a specific Amanda Quick signature to it (yes, I know I've only read two other books by her, but the similarities are hard to ignore).  The criminal thriller portions are actually pretty good, and I DO like the paranormal aspects; however, a lot of it still doesn't make much sense, to be honest.  I like that the author has created her own historical, paranormal world... but I would like a little more insight into it.

While I get Venetia's paranormal ability to see auras (her second sight--titular reference alert!), I'm not entirely sure I understand what Gabriel's paranormal ability entails.

Anyway, at least the news articles are a pretty sensible touch.  (Is that Gilbert Otford the same one from Wait Until Midnight, I wonder?)

Another aspect I find likable are the characters.  I do believe that Amanda Quick has the ability to create very readily relatable and likable characters, whether they are just the housekeeper, the butler, the younger siblings, or an eccentric acquaintance who practices cross-dressing.  There are stories behind these people and I found myself wondering if those stories will come into the forefront with later books, or other books outside of the series.

And I DID like Venetia and Gabriel, even if their romance was a bit lukewarm.  They make a pretty good investigating team, though--something that seems to carry through all the Amanda Quick (or Jayne Castle) books I've read so far.  That's definitely a plus.  I just find that the romances in the Amanda Quick historicals don't carry as much chemistry as the futuristic Jayne Castle books... which is strange seeing as how the books are essentially written by the same author, even if she adopts a different pseudonym (and maybe a different persona?).

Is this a historical romance thing?  Maybe I'm just not as familiar with historicals since I've only recently wandered into the genre.


Some Final Thoughts:
Mainly, I'm finding Amanda Quick's books highly addictive (although, to be honest, I'm really finding her futuristic stories of the Harmony series, written as Jayne Castle, even more entertaining and addictive).  And so this is one author I will definitely continue to follow.

One of the main reasons I am interested in the Arcane Society series, though, is I'm very curious to find out how Jayne Ann Krentz manages to juggle the series between a historical setting and a contemporary setting, and how she will be able to connect them as each book progresses.  I'm also extra curious to see how she manages to later incorporate the futuristic Harmony series as a crossover into Arcane Society.

So I hope that the books continue to be mysteriously addictive and enjoyable.  What I've read of Jayne Ann Krentz so far, whether as Amanda Quick or Jayne Castle, I'm finding fun, easy, and entertaining.  Certain aspects of her books (story, progression, world building) are kind of shaky, but they are written well and I like them.

And in the end, as I dare to repeat words I've used time and time again, that is all that really matters to me--that I like what I've read and I had fun reading it.


***

2016 Reading Challenges:
• Goodreads Reading Challenge
• BookLikes Reading Challenge
• Reading Assignment Challenge