It’s been a rough six weeks, but the yearbook is finally done and I’m back!
Red Cicada
By Gregg Luke
Publisher: Covenant Communications (May 1, 2022)
Paperback: 256 pages
ISBN-10: 1524418641
ISBN-13: 978-1524418649
Publisher’s Blurb:
Twenty-eight-year-old
Lana Baker knows the signs: the intense flashes of light and building pressure
in her head herald yet another migraine. But this time, the unavoidable pain
lands her in the hospital, where her unusual past raises more questions than answers.
Her medical history is a complete mystery. Stranger still, her battery of tests
reveals a shocking secret: Lana has a metal disk embedded in her skull―but she
has no idea how it got there. Even more disturbing is the fact that the disk is
etched with words―in Russian.
Lieutenant
Lance Kipling has been tracking down information on a former marine he believes
may have had ties to Cold War biological weapons. So when that man’s daughter
turns up in a hospital with a metal disk in her skull, it does not go
unnoticed. But Lance has competition for the information stored in Lana’s
head―dangerous individuals with Soviet ties.
Together,
Lance and Lana follow a trail of clues her father left, bits of information
that reveal Lana’s past and paint a deadly picture of a weapon that has the
potential to wreak havoc on the planet’s entire population.
My
Thoughts:
This was a
fun, lightweight suspense story. I found the premise interesting, and the twist
at the end (make sure you catch it—think about when this book was written/published!)
was a nice touch.
Lana was…okay.
I found her frustrating at times. She decides to pretend she knows something
about Red Cicada, only for her next line to be “I don’t know!” There were
frequent instances of this, particularly in the first half of the book.
Likewise, I
found the impetus for the romantic part of the plot to be weak. Yes, Lance is
good looking and protective, but is that enough for her to fall in love with him?
He sees Lana in difficult situations, and finds her brave and tenacious, but
again…a basis for love? I’d like there to be more.
I enjoyed
the backstory, the plot went along at a fairly good pace. It was just, overall,
a bit thin. A quick and undemanding read.
Possible
Objectionable Material:
Intrigue,
kidnaping, violence. People (past and present) die. Perilous situations. A man
and woman share a hotel room, but nothing happens.
Who
Might Like This Book:
If you’re a
fan of suspense, international plots, and a bit of romance, this book will
probably interest you.
Thank you to
NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Engaging Emma
By Elle M. Adams
Publisher: Covenant Communications (May 2, 2022)
Paperback: 232 pages
ISBN-10: 1524414506
ISBN-13: 978-1524414504
Publisher’s Blurb:
As a successful doctor in Los Angeles, Tucker
Madsen left his small-town roots behind long ago, trading his flannel shirts
for a glossy lifestyle and a beautiful fiancée. But when his grandmother
requests his help to sell the family farm, Tucker reluctantly returns to a
place that holds more memories than he cares to admit. Normal, Missouri, was
the site of the golden days of childhood―and the blush of first love.
Once again, we have a case of meddling parents
breaking up a childhood romance. But the teenage lovers get a second chance…if
they can get over the misunderstanding and their hurt feelings. Throw in a
meddling grandmother and, naturally, things progress.
Scheming parents. A few mild innuendos.
Fans of second-chance romances, small towns, and charming old ladies.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Games in a Ballroom
By Jentry Flint
Publisher: Shadow Mountain (May 3, 2022)
Paperback: 272 pages
ISBN-10: 1629729930
ISBN-13: 978-1629729930
Publisher’s Blurb:
London, 1815
Olivia Wilde has resigned herself to never
finding a love match. Her father has insisted she marry a man with a title, but
the men her father deems acceptable are either boring or are only interested in
increasing their own diminishing coffers. With her future looking dismal,
Olivia vows to enjoy the last few months of freedom with her childhood friends,
including Emerson Latham. His devilish smile and flirtatious teasing stirs up
feelings she knows she cannot entertain.
While I found the device of playing games as
they attend balls amusing, I was never really sure why Emerson was so
determined to marry Olivia. They have known each other for years, since she is
his sister’s best friend, but why is he in love with her? It’s never really made
clear.
Domestic violence. Drinking. Gambling. Pranks.
Fans of regency romances, friends-to-lovers
tropes. Those who like “clean” romance.
Ballad and Dagger
Outlaw Saints #1
By Daniel Jose Older
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents (May 3, 2022)
Hardcover: 384 pages
ISBN-10: 1368070825
ISBN-13: 978-1368070829
Reading age: 12 - 18 years
Grade level: 7 - 12
Publisher’s Blurb:
Almost sixteen years ago, Mateo Matisse's island homeland
disappeared into the sea. Weary and hopeless, the survivors of San Madrigal's
sinking escaped to New York.
While the rest of his tight-knit Brooklyn diaspora
community dreams of someday finding a way back home, Mateo--now a high school
junior and piano prodigy living with his two aunts (one who's alive, the other
not so much)--is focused on one thing: getting the attention of locally-grown
musical legend Gerval. Mateo finally gets his chance on the night of the Grand
Fete, an annual party celebrating the blended culture of pirates, Cuban
Santeros, and Sephardic Jews that created San Madrigal all those centuries ago.
But the evil that sank their island has finally
caught up with them, and on the night of the celebration, Mateo's life is
forever changed when he witnesses a brutal murder by a person he thought he
knew.
Suddenly Mateo is thrust into an ancient battle
that spans years and oceans. Deadly secrets are unraveled and Mateo awakens a
power within himself--a power that not only links him to the killer but could
also hold the key to unlocking the dark mystery behind his lost homeland.
It’s tough to get a 5-star rating from me. But please, give
this book all the stars. All of them.
Violence—including
murder. Spiritualism, magic, social conflict.
Please, please,
even if YA fantasy isn’t your normal genre, give this a try. These are such
marvelous characters, you really need to meet them. If you enjoy watching teens
find out what they can do and who they are, read this book.
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