Friday Mini Reviews #35: Elizabeth Hunter, Grace Draven & K.J.Charles with Jordan L. Hawk
Egalley thanks to the author/bought
Synopsis from Goodreads
A duo of Christmas romances from two top names in paranormal romance.
In SUNDAY'S CHILD, Grace Draven heats up a cold and lonely Christmas when museum curator, Claire Summerlad, meets a mysterious new co-worker. Andor’s past may be a mystery, but is a future with Claire possible with a centuries-old punishment hanging over his head? Father Christmas meets Norse mythology in this brand new Christmas novella from the author of Master of Crows.
In LOST LETTERS AND CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, readers return to the Elemental Mysteries in an all new novella by Elizabeth Hunter. Giovanni Vecchio and Beatrice De Novo travel to Rome when an unexpected mystery interrupts their Christmas. Fina Rossi may have been the director of the Vecchio library, but she wasn’t expecting vampires for the holidays! Christmas takes an unexpected turn when she meets her employers’s old friend, Zeno Ferrara. He has the key to solving a mystery plaguing Beatrice’s client, but he's taken a far more personal interest in Fina.
Amazon kindle US/UK
8.5/10
Sunday's Child is surprisingly tied up with Dr. Vecchio. How? You have to read it to find out. *wink* All I'm saying: there is a mystery hidden right here... This is a lovely romantic story which has proper nostalgic Christmas-y feel to it, and I totally enjoyed it. Doubly because it's a contemporary paranormal, and I only read Miss Draven's fantasy before. Never fear, it's fab! Recommended.
Lost Letters and Christmas Lights is a delightful short story which gives us a glimpse into Gio and B's lives, work and fun times. There is a wonderful side story of a new love between two librarians (always a plus!) Fina and Zeno, and there is a third love story which we put together through love letters B's researching.
This was a pure romantic treat - full of light, laughter and Christmas spirit. Zeno was pretty sexy, and I hope to see him as a secondary character in more stories from Elemental World. Overall, recommended! Read it.
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Воскресный Ребёнок - это неожиданный сюрприз от Мисс Дрэйвен, так как она обычно пишет фэнтэзи, а эта история - современный паранормальный роман. Она также меланхолична особо по-рождественски и неожиданно привязывает персонажей к Доктору Веккио. А как - не скажу. Читайте!Потерянные Письма и Рождественские Фонарики - очень милая короткая история с тремя романтическими историями. Первая рассказывает о жизнях Джио и Би и их работе, вторая - о встрече двух библиотекарей, которые переписывались два года пока Би не сыграла в сваху и не свела их вместе. А третья история - это сами письма, рассказывающие о безнадёжной любви и виноградниках в 18 веке. Читала с удовольствием как обычно и очень советую. Под рождественское настроение идёт хорошо!
Shadows and Gold by Elizabeth Hunter (Elemental Legacy #1)Egalley thanks to the author
Synopsis from Goodreads
The first novella in the Elemental Legacy series:
SHADOWS AND GOLD
Failing grades. Misleading wind vampires. And a fortune in forgotten gold.
Traveling to the most remote region of China certainly wasn’t what Ben Vecchio had in mind for his summer vacation, but when Tenzin suggested a quick trip, he could hardly turn down a chance to keep her out of trouble and practice the Mandarin he still struggled with in class.
Of course, Tenzin might not have been clear about everything travel entailed.
Driving a truck full of rotting vegetables and twenty million in gold from Kashgar to Shanghai was only the start. If Ben can keep the treasure away from grasping immortals, the reward will be more than worth the effort. But when has travel with a five-thousand-year-old wind vampire ever been simple?
“What’s on the agenda for tonight?”
“I thought we’d go into Shanghai. Eat some fish. See the lights.”
“Okay.”
“Then maybe lure a traitor into the open before he steals my gold.”
Ben paused, thought, then gave her a nod. “Sure, sounds like fun.”
At least he was practicing his Chinese.
Right?
SHADOWS AND GOLD is a prequel novella in the Elemental Legacy series.
Amazon US/UK | Amazon kindle US/UK | Smashwords
8.5/10
Shadows and Gold was cheeky, sassy and wonderful. Ben and Tenzin are some of my favorite characters in Elemental World, and while in the beginning of this year we found out about Tenzin's past in The Bronze Blade, now we are finally participating in her present life. And what a life it is!
She is quirky, ruthless and very particular. I never know what she's going to do and what are her motives, and her partnership with Ben is pure perfection.
Ben grew up in a fine, fine young man. He's got so much character and sass, and his trip to Kashgar with Tenzin to pick some of her old gold cache only proved that he is starting to acquire a formidable reputation as a clever player in the wold of vampire intrigues. Cheng! I want more Cheng (get ready for an honest to god pirate!). Also, what an ending... I was laughing my behind off. Read it, it's fab!
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Шикарная повесть, конечно! Я очень люблю Тэнзин и Бена, и если в начале этого года мы узнали и прошлом Тэнзин в Бронзовом Клинке, то теперь мы наконец-то участвуем в её настоящих делах, одним из которых является поездка в Кашгар, чтобы переместить спрятанное ею в этом городе золото. Она тащит за собой Бена потому как а) ей нужен водитель и б) ему нужно попрактиковаться в разговорном китайском.Бена я очень люблю, и безумно радуюсь, что он вырос в такого шикарного, юморного, практичного и стильного мужика. Его партнёрство с Тэнзин просто идеально, и читать о нём одно удовольствие. Готовьтесь также к присутствию Ченга (самого настоящего пирата!) и неожиданной концовке (бедный Бен!). Читайте!
freebie
Synopsis from Goodreads
London, 1899. The beautiful people are dying…
A malevolent power is attacking London’s bright young things, and the only clue to what's happening is written in ancient Egyptian script. As ghost-hunter Simon Feximal and his companion Robert Caldwell investigate the mysterious deaths, the arrival in London of a notorious scholar-sorcerer seems to hold the answer to more than one of their problems.
A quiet break in London while en route to Egypt turns dramatic for Dr Percival Endicott Whyborne and his lover Griffin Flaherty when they encounter the hostile ghost-hunter. Feximal clearly suspects the worst of Whyborne – and his flirtatious sidekick seems to think a great deal too well of Griffin...
Jordan L Hawk’s heroes Whyborne and Griffin meet KJ Charles’ occult detectives from the Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal in a mystery that takes all four lovers through the decadent underworld of Victorian London in pursuit of an ancient and deadly evil.
Smashwords (FREE)
8/10
Funny, sweet and short! I've started reading this series backwards, but since then downloaded a second novel from Smashwords (also for free). The plus of this novella is that it introduced us to the characters from Jordan L. Hawk's novels and I'm definitely be reading her soon as well. The detective story was quick and very much to the point, but what I found really charming was the banter between the characters and how quickly you grew to like them. Recommended!
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Коротко, мило и вкусно! Я начала читать эту серию с конца, но обнаружила, что вторая книга тоже бесплатна на Smashwords, так что загрузила и её. Плюсом к тому же стало то, что я познакомилась с творчеством Джордан Л. Хоук и нашла её персонажей такими же привлекательными, что и у К.Дж. Чарльз. Детективная история в этой повести развивается быстро, но лучшая часть истории это диалоги между персонажами, которые вызывали у меня улыбку. Рекомендую!